Livestock shows aren’t that interesting folks and certainly don’t need this kind of subsidy. If you want to subsidize some, do it for the 4-H.
What a sense of humor in relation to appointing his Mother-in-Law to the Illinois Arts Council
“It’s a new generation of ward bosses,” the governor quipped in a visit with The State Journal-Register’s editorial board before the new fiscal year began. “They’re a little bit more cultured. At least their spouses are.”
“You got that on the record,” he added. “Go ahead. There goes the budget.”
Hah, hah, hah. Do they make grants? Do you see the problem now?
But, doesn’t naming a family member to a prestigious state board sound like the old way of doing business, which Blagojevich likes to say he is changing?
“My feeling is, if you’re qualified, you’re interested and you’re willing to serve the public, it shouldn’t preclude you if you are in the political process or you know somebody in politics or in government,” Blagojevich said.
I’d hate to tell him this, but that’s very much like what former GOP Gov. JIM THOMPSON said when justifying the use of patronage to help his own party.
Yeah, except Thompson was hypocritical about it–he just did it and that was that. There was a certain honesty to it.
Let’s face facts, state subsidies to the State Fair are a joke and, arguably, worse public policy than supporting expansion of Soldier Field. Well, maybe not.
But it really really sucks to have taxpayers going to subsidize the tickets of mouth-breathing Neanderthals that go to see Joan Jett in Springfield.
At one time it was part of our agricultural heritage, but it has become a subsidy for living in Springfield–which I must admit is well deserved–if there is any point in keeping unwilling saps in the Land of Stinkin’.
Joan? That was many budgets ago. In lieu thereof, the hairspray brigade (that’s code for you know who) will be challenging the mouth breathing brigade to downhill races on the giant slide. That’s not to be confused with the uphill races, which are a different event. Cheating cows previously disqualified will take your bets on who meets with the least wind resistance – hairspray or open mouth. Open mouth or hairspray. Then, you can cancel the fair.
I’m all for subsidizing the fair–it’s the private ones I’m against.
Where else can you see Jim Thompson or Rod Blagojevich trying to pretend they know something about livestock all the while looking down to avoid stepping in it.