Chicagoist: Extra, Extra

Stealth

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:41:56 -0600

Don't worry--I won't tell you whom I voted for, as we have a secret ballot, and my choice probably would blow your mind to smithereens. Well, no matter how good your intentions were in voting for this mystery candidate, YOU got the govenor YOU deserve, according to Topinka.

Navin

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:20:48 -0600

Matilda, excellent attempt at turning the argument away to some kind of tired treatise on civic duty. Ms. Tilda goes to Washington......alas, it has nothing to do with Judy's comments or your ridiculous defense of them. Most people would agree with your ramblings on the responsibilities (minus public protest of course, which you'd ridicule) of citizenship, but again, it's a big fat, stinky red herring. Shit's smelling funky girl..

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:12:29 -0600

Dear god, Navin, do you have a learning disability? If so, my apologies, but I can come to no other conclusion when you so often misread what I state. Perhaps you are arguing in bad faith? To review: 1. You someone seem to think I voted for or otherwise supported, or support now, Topinka. That goes against the facts, unless, of course, we are living in a alternate reality. Don't worry--I won't tell you whom I voted for, as we have a secret ballot, and my choice probably would blow your mind to smithereens. 2. Our society celebrates the concept of free citizenry, and we have, indeed, formed our system of government around that central idea. Read between the lines of what free citizenry really means, though, and you are likely to come across the idea that citizens are to blame for freely elected bad leadership, at the very, very least. You think merely voting for the "other guy" is enough. I think citizens have a duty to do more to prevent vile leadership from taking over, as our founding fathers taught us. There is our main difference. I accept more accountability than you do.

Navin

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:05:47 -0600

More red herrings, awesome. What does this "Tolsty's" have to say about your m.o. of being intellectually dishonest?

Navin

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:01:27 -0600

That's quite a hole you've dug yourself into Matilda. No amount of bogus platitudes or argument shifting's going to get you out either. You and Judy can go give Alan Keyes a deep massage now and blame people for not having the wisdom to vote for her. Judy has herself to blame.

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:59:39 -0600

Seriously, Navin, if you want some adult thinking on this matter, go read Tolsty's theory of history--especially the parts the directly talk about Napoleon--or any of the other great writers who talk about the responsibilities and accountability of citizens and subjects. Hell, read some of Lincoln's writings, or study more closely our founding documents and the essays/contemporary commentaries associated with them. Or, you could just mock me and toss out assumptions. Whatever makes you feel good. I am here to serve.

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:53:23 -0600

First, assumptions are usually, including yours (did you ever learn this?). You have no idea whom I voted for in either of the last two state elections. Second, collectively, we all share the blame for the bad condition of our state, for our fearless leader who is about to thrown out on his ass. Either you accept accountability or you flee from it. I choose to accept it, because citizens hold immense power under our form of government. Apparently you believe otherwise, in which case I look forward to visiting your fantasy world one day. You apparently did nothing much to counter the vile people who control our government, so you certainly share a good deal of blame, as do many others in this state. But hey, it's fun to sit back and act like you are blameless, isn't it? Either you are a citizen or not.

Navin

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:43:13 -0600

Matilda, Settle on a place to put those goal posts wouldya! As always, looking forward to your next stinky red herring. I didn't go out ringing doorbells for Rich Whitney so I'm to blame for Blago despite voting against him and for someone else. Mmmm yeah, that makes sense.... As for Judy, she should have pulled a good Illinois Republican move and put Alan Keyes in her place. lol.. Feeling a little sheepish for voting for Jooodi Berrr Geraci? Thanks for the laffs..

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:26:16 -0600

Evil is one thing. A long history of tolerance for corruption in this state, combined with dangerous levels of apathy and cynicism, is what the citizens of this state have done far way too long, and why we all share blame for the current events. Everyone gets the government they deserve, to the extent that people allow such a government to be established or continue; leaders rarely emerge that do not in some way respond to the will of the people. This holds true for all kinds of governments, whether monarchies, dictatorships or republics. The people always have a choice to overthrow governments, whether through peaceful or non-peaceful means. On both counts, the citizens of Illinois--myself included, of course--have failed time and time again.

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:20:13 -0600

Did you work against either of these boobs? Did you do enough to support others, beyond merely showing up to vote? Collectively, all citizens share the blame, I'm afraid. Simply saying "I voted for the other guy" hardly counts as effective counter-action.

Navin

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:03:29 -0600

I didn't (and wouldn't) vote for either of those boobs so *no* I didn't get what I deserved.

Stealth

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:47:13 -0600

What wrong is that we didn't get what we "deserved", we didn't get what we hoped for. Sure people may have been swayed by Blago's slick ads and the way he hammered JBT mercilessly (my favorite: JBT was against the Blago's state health plan for kids called "All Kids". The commercial tag? "Judy Barr Topinka Hates All Kids" LOL) . Saying we "deserve" him is saying that the people of Illinois are evil and purposely set out to do something bad. Sour fucking grapes. Be modest JBT, you might have one more shot left as governor. Don't burn your bridges.

mikely1

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:33:26 -0600

I can't believe people voted for Blago the first time around, let alone the second time. Let's see ... son in law of Dick Mell, backed by the machine, Chicago native, quotes Elvis and idolizes Richard Nixon. Those are all strikes for me. I think people who voted for this douchebag are somewhat to blame. You should have voted for Vallas. Vallas always struck me as a pretty modest, bright guy. Blago was a clown with dead eyes who couldn't go five seconds without reminding us that he grew up in Chicago, the child of hard-working immigrants ... so what? In the next election, these same people who voted for Blago will probably vote for Lisa Madigan. I have nothing against her, but can we take a break from all this nepotism and political inbreeding? We could use a carpetbagger ... the gene pool here has been destroyed.

Slaphappy

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:00:06 -0600

What a horrible analogy. By this logic, Blago's parents are to blame?

gerobobo

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:45:27 -0600

If you're in a restaurant and read the menu and then decide on a hamburger, and you get food poisoning later on, I think the restaurant and the cook are to blame. Sure, you share some responsibility for entering the restaurant and perhaps you should have known better, but ultimately the establishment is at fault.

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:56:40 -0600

Well, I don't care so much about tone as I do about the main message, I guess. Yes, it sounds like sour grapes, but does that make it any less true? In my view, no. And please understand: Via work, I've been able to meet Topinka a few times, and work with her various people, I am not a huge fan of hers. I just think she was speaking the truth in this case. And, don't you think, it is the voters, the people, who ultimately have responsibility for the quality of leadership? Isn't that what our system is supposed to be about? Or is that just something nice we say in to feel like we really matter?

CL

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:51:32 -0600

Matilda, I'll concede that he was a prick back then but there is still no excuse for Topinka's tone. No one knew how much of a wack job this guy was., so why should we be blamed for it? Her tone smacks more of sour grapes than anything. She lost and she should be over that. Bitching about it and turning it on the voters does nothing but look bad for her.

matilda

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:20:24 -0600

Well, what's wrong with what Topinka is saying? The state, by a pretty decent margin, elected this guy for a second time even when it was clear he was (at best) hopelessly incompetent*, and (at worst, which is reality) a corrupt pol. This state has a long history of electing such leaders, so I think we do get what we deserve, as we are obviously too stupid or lazy to change things. If you have a problem with Topinka's tone, that's a different and relatively minor issue. She speaks the truth on this matter (can't say that for all her statements, only this one). Perhaps she hit too close to home for some. *it was clear to anyone paying attention that none of his progressive programs would ever find sustainable funding, and that Blago was making the state's financial situation much worse. In short, he lacked the ability to govern.

UTV

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:41:27 -0600

Judy Baar Topinka - all the dickish unlikability of Blago, none of the fame.

three

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 03:49:23 -0600

stay classy, judy baar topinka

xlprq

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:57:04 -0600

Please please please let Lauri do the comics. So much better than Daly it's not even funny.

carapatricia

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:23:38 -0600

got what we DESERVED???? that sounds more impeachable than anything Blago has done

Spook

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:33:27 -0600

Yea, like I would EVER vote for Judy"Bur", thats's how her suburban undertaker looking staff and supporters say her name. How dare she?

Navin

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:50:01 -0600

Mmmm yes! The other choice: "Illinois Republicans". "Would you like the horse-shit, or the cow-shit?

CL

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:37:56 -0600

I hope Topinka doesn't plan to run again given that attitude. Seriously, fuck her.