This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 18, 2009 - Democrats can condemn, impeach, convict, evict and excommunicate Rod Blagojevich, but Republicans will make sure they have a devil of a time exorcising him.
After all, Democrats have run against George Ryan in contests for every post from county clerk to governor since he left office in disgrace and his party in shambles six years ago. Would it not be poetic justice if the verse-smitten Blagojevich ended up rescuing Republicans from the devastation that greased his way to the governorship?
Over and over again, we will hear the bill of particulars for removing Democrats from power:
- House Speaker Michael J. Madigan co-chaired Blagojevich’s re-election campaign even after challenging his integrity, fiscal policies and management capability.
- Democratic leaders and their minions denied Illinoisans the right to fill Barack Obama’s Senate seat, enabling Blagojevich and Roland Burris to further embarrass us.
- While campaigning as Blagojevich’s running mate in 2006, Governor-in-waiting Patrick Quinn discounted criticism of the governor’s conduct and ominous investigations into wrongdoing.
- Democratic lawmakers abetted Blagojevich in borrowing billions, reneging on pension funding, ballooning a deficit he inherited from Ryan and taking Illinois to the precipice of financial collapse.
Many Republicans believe they can recapture the State House and elect a U.S. senator in 2010 simply by Blago-bludgeoning Democrats who Ryanized them. A re-energized state party leadership has been effectively holding Democrats accountable. But Republicans likely cannot and should not win if they fail to make a case for their own stewardship.
Our state’s fiscal health deteriorates each day. It will not recover without spending cuts and tax increases – especially distasteful medicine during a harsh recession. Meanwhile, we need to enact and responsibly fund a public works program that would employ thousands in the short term while providing the long-term transportation and other infrastructure advances required to entice and retain jobs.
The new governor and the substantial Democratic majorities in the General Assembly must step out in front, but Republicans should be prepared to join hands on solutions even as they point accusing fingers.
They cannot oppose additional revenues without being challenged. If they favor a capital improvements plan, how will they pay for it? Precisely where and how much would they cut to dry up an ocean of red ink?
Health care? Education? Pension funding? Law enforcement? Services for those with disabilities? Those areas comprise more than 90 percent of spending supported by income and sales taxes. How can they be spared, let alone enhanced, by those who advocate balancing the budget without more income?
Moreover, the Republican gubernatorial hopeful in 2010 must offer blueprints instead of bromides on state finances, ethics reform and education issues, such as closing the academic achievement gap between whites and minorities and assimilating the youngest of our burgeoning immigrant population – matters vital to Illinois’ economic destiny.
The political profile today is not exactly the mirror reflection of the Ryan debacle.
Although Blagojevich and the Burris appointment may have kick-started a Republican resurgence and significantly improved GOP chances to garner the governorship and the U.S. Senate seat, the demographics still favor Democrats. In addition, Speaker Madigan and rising Democratic stars may have mitigated voter vengeance by pressing for Blagojevich’s ouster.
Republicans cannot rely solely on Blagojevich backlash.
They must field outstanding candidates with mainstream views and somehow protect them from being cannibalized in primary-election holy wars by right-wing fanatics. Witness the internecine thrashing that left gubernatorial nominees Jim Ryan and Judy Topinka bloodied as they entered battle with Blagojevich in 2002 and 2006.
It is fair for Republicans to attack. But they also must attract.
Mike Lawrence retired Nov. 1, 2008, as director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University. He is returning to his journalism roots as a bi-monthly columnist.