Rahm has me dreaming of Rockford

Have you ever been in a car accident? Not all accidents happen suddenly. Sometimes, you can see the accident unfolding around you realizing there's nothing you can do about it. All you can do is to try to grab hold of something solid, brace your body and wait for the impact.

That's kind of how I felt watching the elections in Chicago today. I could see the accident coming as I did protest in a recent posting here. However, even as I expressed my concern over what I see as a lack of foresight on the part of voters in Chicago, I knew there was little I could do to avoid the political equivalent of screeching tires and busted glass and a dismal choice for mayor of the Windy City.

I don't live in Chicago but that offers small comfort. On a clear day, if I drive about halfway to the city, I'll begin seeing the high-rise buildings of the Loop - Sears Tower, the Hancock Building, if that's what they still call them, and others. But, even from a distance, Chicago cast a big shadow. That shadow isn't merely from tall buildings blotting out the sun; it's also a political shadow cast upon Springfield, the state capital a few hours to the Southwest.

For those of you less familiar with Illinois politics, you may still remember the name Rod Blagojevich - you know, the guy with the hair. Blagojevich made Illinois something of a laughing stock with the scandal that drove him from office, not to mention the way he handled himself in the midst of the personal crisis he shared with the state. Embarrassing Illinois politically takes some doing. Think back to the prior Richard Daley - not the one who just stepped down. Richard J. Daley was the guy who had this to say to a fellow Democrat when the 1968 Democratic Convention turned into a riot in the streets:

"F--- you, you Jew son of a bitch, you lousy mother-f---er, go home." said to US Senator Abraham Ribicoff after he blasted Daley and his administration at the 1968 Democratic Convention for their handling of convention riots."

That's about the same time that he pumped out this beauty: "The policeman isn't there to create disorder; the policeman is there to preserve disorder."

Now that's a touch of class, isn't it. And that was eight years before he left office due to a fatal heart attack. The lesson, reinforced in Chicago today - Chicagoans just don't care. Or, more aptly put, they know which side of their bread is buttered and that's the key to their hearts.

But, back to Chicago's long shadow. What you may not have heard about during Blagojevich's impeachment-shortened term as governor was the joke about the Governor's Mansion. Seems Blagojevich, a former Chicago Alderman, thought the mansion was in Chicago - not Springfield. In fact, from the way he acted, he seemed to think the state capital rode a little to the Northeast of center, as well.

It makes sense that a city with the population of Chicago should have a little more pull than other communities. But, just as our national government was setup to ensure that smaller states and regions were not left in the legislative dustpan, the government in Illinois is setup to protect the interests of smaller communities, too.

That balance doesn't work as well when we have people in office who are not entirely committed to the arrangement. I'm not sure where Pat Quinn stands on the matter. And I have no doubt Richard M Daley was adept at pulling Springfield's strings for the sake of his voting district - Chicago. But, I find it disquieting to think that the big city to the Southeast of me is now in the hands of someone who, while Chief of Staff to Barack Obama, demonstrated what I consider a total lack of respect for Constitutional authority - well, beyond the opportunities it gave him to take advantage of a crisis or two.

I used to like to take a day trip into Chicago from time to time. Rockford is looking much more appealing these days. For that matter, Lake Geneva isn't that far.