Why I Love Blago
Culture 8:15 AM
It's one of those stories that just won't go away, and it gets crazier at every twist and turn.
As the story of the investigation and impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich unfolds, it's hard not to come to two obvious conclusions: 1) this is exactly the kind of government circus that the American people are tired of, and 2) he's acting very guilty.
Blago frantically grabs every microphone in front of him as his bullhorn to cry foul and brand himself as a martyr. Did we seriously hear him compare himself to Ghandi?! His media tour is becoming obnoxious, and he seems to be losing credibility as he circumvents the Illinois Senate's authority to investigate him. But even as it seems more and more likely that he's going down in flames, one other obvious reality becomes clear to me:
He actually has a point.
This nation must be a nation where we are innocent until proven guilty, not the inverse. The conventional wisdom holds that being under suspicion makes a lawmaker or public official impotent to govern, which hurts his/her constituents, and that therefore they should resign their post. There is some merit to this argument, when you consider that they were put in place to tackle the problems of the people rather than spend their time and resources saving their own backsides. But that's not the whole story, and it's a very very dangerous precedent.
By standing up and vowing to fight, Blago has sent a clear message to the nation, and specifically to the Democratic political machine that wants him gone - the political machine that ironically got him elected in the first place. His message is that he's not going to be run out of office based on hear-say, and that so long as he holds his position, he will continue to govern. He proved this by successfully forcing the Senate to seat Roland Burris, and he is proving it by using the media to force the State Senate to allow him to call witnesses at his hearings.
Whether Blagojevich is found guilty of any charges or not - and it appears that he will at least be found guilty of abusing the powers of his office - there is a hugely important 'big picture' battle going on here, and he's on the right side of it. If merely being accused of a crime is enough to remove us from power, justice is lost. If the simple question or suggestion of impropriety is enough to castrate us, there is no fairness.
And so, when the governor of Illinois becomes the ex-governor, it is on that day that he should cease any efforts to sign bills, make appointments, and speak for the people of his state. But until that day comes (and may God help us if it comes without the benefit of a fair and impartial trial), it is not only his prerogative but indeed his sworn duty under oath of office to go to work every day for the people of his state.
Fight on, governor!
As the story of the investigation and impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich unfolds, it's hard not to come to two obvious conclusions: 1) this is exactly the kind of government circus that the American people are tired of, and 2) he's acting very guilty.
Blago frantically grabs every microphone in front of him as his bullhorn to cry foul and brand himself as a martyr. Did we seriously hear him compare himself to Ghandi?! His media tour is becoming obnoxious, and he seems to be losing credibility as he circumvents the Illinois Senate's authority to investigate him. But even as it seems more and more likely that he's going down in flames, one other obvious reality becomes clear to me:
He actually has a point.
This nation must be a nation where we are innocent until proven guilty, not the inverse. The conventional wisdom holds that being under suspicion makes a lawmaker or public official impotent to govern, which hurts his/her constituents, and that therefore they should resign their post. There is some merit to this argument, when you consider that they were put in place to tackle the problems of the people rather than spend their time and resources saving their own backsides. But that's not the whole story, and it's a very very dangerous precedent.
By standing up and vowing to fight, Blago has sent a clear message to the nation, and specifically to the Democratic political machine that wants him gone - the political machine that ironically got him elected in the first place. His message is that he's not going to be run out of office based on hear-say, and that so long as he holds his position, he will continue to govern. He proved this by successfully forcing the Senate to seat Roland Burris, and he is proving it by using the media to force the State Senate to allow him to call witnesses at his hearings.
Whether Blagojevich is found guilty of any charges or not - and it appears that he will at least be found guilty of abusing the powers of his office - there is a hugely important 'big picture' battle going on here, and he's on the right side of it. If merely being accused of a crime is enough to remove us from power, justice is lost. If the simple question or suggestion of impropriety is enough to castrate us, there is no fairness.
And so, when the governor of Illinois becomes the ex-governor, it is on that day that he should cease any efforts to sign bills, make appointments, and speak for the people of his state. But until that day comes (and may God help us if it comes without the benefit of a fair and impartial trial), it is not only his prerogative but indeed his sworn duty under oath of office to go to work every day for the people of his state.
Fight on, governor!
Posted by Nick Stone
on 8:15 AM.
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