Comments on: Senator Burris http://archpundit.com/blog/2009/01/02/senator-burris/ Illinois, From Misery Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Vasyl http://archpundit.com/blog/2009/01/02/senator-burris/comment-page-1/#comment-18864 Vasyl Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:32:07 +0000 http://archpundit.com/blog/?p=11164#comment-18864 Among the substantive reasons I'm not happy with the Burris appointment is that, in addition to being a mediocre officeholder, he seems stuck in the past. He seems to think that everything is like it was in Springfield in the early 1980s: everyone is chummy, there's not much outside scrutiny, and what's important is showing up at the state fair every year with some fun schtick. Well, not even Springfield is like that anymore -- the level of scrutiny and professionalism in state politics has increased tremendously since the 1990s. And Washington was never quite that genteel even in the 1980s. A big part of the change is the internet and the influence of bloggers, changing the level of scrutiny a public official receives. Moreover, there is a lot more irreverence in how news is covered by bloggers. Poor Rolans wasn't able to keep in 1994 when he ran for Governor, and he certainly can't keep up now. It's a big reason why Larry is right when he wrote that Burris has no idea how much his reputation is going to be hurt by playing along with this appointment. Among the substantive reasons I’m not happy with the Burris appointment is that, in addition to being a mediocre officeholder, he seems stuck in the past. He seems to think that everything is like it was in Springfield in the early 1980s: everyone is chummy, there’s not much outside scrutiny, and what’s important is showing up at the state fair every year with some fun schtick.

Well, not even Springfield is like that anymore — the level of scrutiny and professionalism in state politics has increased tremendously since the 1990s. And Washington was never quite that genteel even in the 1980s.

A big part of the change is the internet and the influence of bloggers, changing the level of scrutiny a public official receives. Moreover, there is a lot more irreverence in how news is covered by bloggers.

Poor Rolans wasn’t able to keep in 1994 when he ran for Governor, and he certainly can’t keep up now. It’s a big reason why Larry is right when he wrote that Burris has no idea how much his reputation is going to be hurt by playing along with this appointment.

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