The Freedom Exchange Online

Rich Whitney, Green Party candidate for Governor of Illinois did well in the heartland of Illinois. In Peoria county, home of the giant multinational corporation Caterpillar, Whtney was awarded 15% of a usually strong union Democratic vote. While just across the river in the industrial towns of Pekin and East Peoria 15% of those voters also approved of Mr. Whitney. In Woodford County, a traditional Republican stronghold, 16% of the voters there turned out for Green Party candidate Whitney. Just north of Woodford County sits Marshall County, a rural farming area of the state where 16% of the votes went to Mr. Whitney. For a Green party candidate to do so well in the heartland of Illinois in such disparate political arenas is an indication of the level of dissatisfaction ordinary Americans have with their government.

In a 2002 Columbia Law School Survey on the public perception of attorneys the only profession thought less honest than lawyers were politicians. It would seem Illinois politicians take pride in that fact. Three of the previous seven governors; George Ryan, Dan Walker and Otto Kerner have all been convicted of white-collar crime. Two of the previous seven were indicted (but not convicted) and the present governor is under investigation. He was reelected. If you are wondering how that could happen you need look no further than his opponent – Judy Topinka. She was a close associate of George Ryan, the previous governor who is now serving time in the Illinois State penitentiary. I think voters have had enough. I know I have.