Illinois Governor Wanders Into the Crosshairs
Dec 12th, 2008 | By Byron King | Category: Featured, Politics
I remember back when I was learning attack planning and tactics during Navy flight school. One of the key concepts was “time on target.”
That is, when there were going to be a whole lot of airplanes coming in to deliver payload, you had to get the timing down just right.
There were going to be different airplanes at different course headings and speeds, flying at different altitudes and slightly different times. All arriving at certain “release points” in the sky so that the packages of death and destruction would rain down exactly upon the surprised heads of the intended victims. You had to time things perfectly. You did not want straggler aircraft arriving late over the target, only to get shot down by an alerted air defense system.
Isn’t timing quite something?
Now suppose you’re a politician with roots deep in the traditional machines of Cook County, Illinois. And suppose you just waged and won a remarkable campaign for President of the United States. What has to happen?
Let’s think this through. OK, back in your early days you rubbed elbows with some people who might not pass the scrupulous muster of your present company. That’s life, y’know? You had to do it. So there might be some skeletons in your boudour. It’s a hazard of the job.
There might even be this off-the-wall guy who’s the state governor. He’s a nobody who came from nowhere. But he got elected to a couple of good political jobs and now he’s somebody. Yeah, some people say that he’s a pretty seedy fellow. Some people even say he’s as crooked as a barrel of snakes. But when you’re in that political biz around Chicago you can’t exactly choose your associates. The voters do that for you. So way back when, you had to deal with hizzonner because that’s how you got things done. It’s not like you’re blood brothers or something.
Still… This governor guy is just going to blow up on you one of these days. And worse, he has the power to pick your successor as Senator from Illinois. With the whole world watching. Ugh. Here’s a loose cannon, just rolling around and smashing things up. Sooner or later, this guy is going to cook up a scandal that will just plain be distracting and embarassing. So do you wait? Or does something have to happen? Well, it’s time that we clean up the house a bit.
What has to happen? Gets back to that “time on target” idea. Should you just wait around and let a scandal explode at a time and in a manner you cannot control? Or do you pre-empt the problem? What do you do?
Well, it’s a month or so post-election. That “Yes We Can” euphoria is over. It’a a month or so pre-inauguration. That “We’re Gonna Change the World” buzz has not yet kicked into gear. You’re in the middle of assembling your “team of rivals” for the cabinet. It’s going well. You have most of your main opponents in the primaries safely onboard the ship now, with plum jobs and a secure place in history for the next few years. You are managing the news media, who in any event are distracted by the economic stories, the bailouts, and the upcoming Christmas break. It’s going to get slow in the news cycle for the next couple of weeks.
Time on target? It’s time. So one morning at 6:45 an FBI agent knocks o
n the door of the governor’s home. “Governor, I’m a special agent with the FBI and I’m here to place you under arrest.” And so it goes.
Time on target? Yes, there’s a quick surge of news interest. But it won’t last too long. The evidence is too hot. The governor is toast, and everyone knows it. Nobody will lie down in front of the train for this guy. He’s been delivered to the hands of justice. And he’s going to get justice, good and hard.
Time on target? Indeed, within a few hours some of the damage control is hitting the wires. It’s along the lines that “The governor may be suffering from mental illness. How else to explain his reprehensible conduct? Poor man. He’s sick. He needs professional help. Let’s not embarass him any more than necessary. He has a family.”
Time on target? Who is going to pick the next Illinois Senator? Won’t be this governor-guy. He’s radioactive. He’ll resign soon, after he gets lawyered up. And when he resigns, the Lieutenant Governor will step up to the plate. But the Looie Guv is just an interim guy. He’s a substitute in the lineup. He’s junior varsity. Not ready for prime time. So he’ll do what we need him to do. If we just want a seat-warmer for a year or so, that’s who he’ll select — a distinguished public servant with no plans to raise funds and campaign in 2010. Or maybe the smoke will clear faster than we think. Maybe we’ll be able to put in the person we wanted all along. As long as there’s not too much blood on the saddle.
It’s all about timing.
Regards,
Bryon King
December 12, 2008
Couldn’t help adding one glaring item missing from the piece above — particularly given the libertarian/economic nature of Whiskey & Gunpowder… Don’t you find it odd that Blagojevich was suddenly arrested on corruption charges the day after he announced he was asking all Illinois government agencies to suspend business with Bank of America?
Gary Gibson in the e-mail newsletter wrote “all good things are just doomed to failure”.
Gary do you think encouraging savings and investment by having the federal government stop taxing interest from savings accounts, dividends, capital gains, and estates would benefit lots of people? People would be better able to save for college tuitions and retirements if the federal government stopped taxing them. Businesses would be more likely to get loans and investments.
Gary do you think the space program has provided some benefits? Failures have led to some successes.
Gary do you think improvements in agriculture have made things better over the past thousands of years?
You also write “Ex nihilo nihil fit” which means “from nothing nothing is produced” (came from a website”)
My retort is simple, where ignorant people see nothing, educated people may see great opportunity. Two farmers see a lot of rocks on farm land. One farmer does not want the land because of the rocks. The other farmer wants the land because the rocks are high quality diamonds.
A child from a poor family who has parents who are criminals may someday grow up to be a great police officer, soldier, judge, or President. A child from a poor family which needs food stamps may someday grow up to be a great soldier, fire fighter, judge, police officer, or teacher. A sickly child may grow up to find a cure for a deadly disease.
Governments should care about individual Liberty, freedoms, public safety, law & order, and national security. Individual Liberty and freedoms do not matter much if you are constantly endangered. Public safety, law & order, and national security do not matter much if you do not have individual Liberty and freedoms. A person who is not ignorant of history should realize that a lot of good and a lot of bad has been done in the name of capitalism. Some government regulation is good. Too much government regulation is often bad. If you think we should not have government regulation, do you want 5 year olds working in coal mines, water not safe to drink, food not safe to eat, and cars that often explode? I wish more people would think logically before they write. Ignorance of history and logic is not something you should be proud of.
Ignorant people do not realize there are good people and bad people in all races and religions.
If you do not want to be an ignorant person, I recommend you see the world as it is and read some good articles dealing with history.
Some people whine about problems while other people discuss problems and solutions to them that have worked in the past as well as those that may work in the future.
I am glad Byron decided to discuss corruption. The more faith people have in their leaders and the less faith they have in themselves the more likely that corruption, loss of individual Liberty, and loss of freedoms will take place.
I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1992 with a BA Degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics. I ran for United States Senate from New Hampshire in 2002. My website is http://www.myspace.com/kennethstremsky
Byron, thanks for discussing Senators and corruption.
Before Amendment Seventeen was passed, State Legislatures chose United States Senators. This allowed State Legislatures to check the power of the federal government. I would like an Amendment to the United States Constitution passed that gives each State at least 3 United States Senators and allows each State Legislature to choose at least 1 United States Senator. The federal government may care more about what State Legislatures want. Better trade agreements and treaties may be passed. Better judges and ambassadors may be picked. We might be involved in fewer Wars. We might have more Senators who want to reduce the national debt over time. We might have more Senators who want to reduce the need for government programs by growing the economy.
There might be less corruption in the federal government if an Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed that gives State Legislatures the power to recall (fire) their Representatives to the United States House of Representatives, their United States Senators, the President, and the Vice President. I would like an Amendment to the United States Constitution passed that gives the people the power to recall their Representatives to the United States House of Representatives, their United States Senators, the President, and the Vice President.
There might be less corruption in the federal government if an Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed that gives State Legislatures the power to repeal federal laws, federal regulations, trade agreements, and treaties. I would like an Amendment to the United States Constitution passed that gives the people the power to repeal federal laws, federal regulations, trade agreements, and treaties.
A Governor should only be allowed to pick a temporary United States Senator if the State Legislature is not able to fulfill this task. A replacement United States Senator should usually be picked by the State Legislature or chosen by the people via an election.
One of the most on-target commentaries which I have seen in ages. I was a navy pilot too, which underscores my appreciation for your “cross-hairs” expertise. Keep those sage words flowing. Happy Holidays! Bill Taylor
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