Mayor’s Row……..by Ned Mitchell
The question came out of nowhere. “Are you mad enough at the democrats to vote republican” the reader of this weekly column asked? It caught me off guard for a minute and kept me speechless for a second or two. Do I sound as if I am mad at democrats, I silently asked myself? Do I sometimes sound like a republican? All those thoughts went screaming by in my mind before I collected my thoughts and answered the question at hand.
First of all I am a partisan democrat and have been raised that way by hard working faith based parents. I have always been taught and still somewhat believe the democrat party is the party of the working man and woman. Without democrats there would be no Social Security, no disability, no Medicare and the list goes on. There is no doubt in my mind that the party of Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson, Kennedy, and others have kept many Americans from starving and without basic needs being met. I realize also that many of these programs are abused but that overall the end result is much better than not having the programs at all. I do strongly believe that government has an obligation to help those who cannot help themselves for one reason or another. The democrat party in my opinion does this better than the republican party.
The very same day a democrat friend and mentor of mine told me “you are too harsh on the governor and not harsh enough on the President.” My response to that comment was delivered with lightning speed. I am not harsh on the President for a couple of reasons. Mainly I am not disappointed in his performance because it was exactly as I expected it would be. I think President Bush is doing a lousy job of running this country, but then I did not expect that he would be anything different. There are some things I think he is right on, but most of the issues I feel he is bungling badly.
Now concerning the reformer/unreformer Governor in this state, I am deeply disappointed in his administration. I started out as a supporter of the reformer/unreformer, even donated $1,500.00 to his campaign. I realize that is no large amount of cash but it is large to me especially when I bought the campaign promise of “ending business as usual” in Springfield. You see I served in Springfield for 18 months and I know first hand exactly what business as usual is. Almost everybody up there has a vote for sale and they are bought and sold on a daily basis. Oh I know it is legal in Illinois, but does that make it right for me and you? It is common knowledge in Springfield that money controls the vote. The one with the most money wins. That is troubling to me and it should be to you, no matter what your party affiliation is. So my high hopes in a new governor were quickly dashed when I realized the pay to play scams not only was still going on, they are worse now than ever.
Personally I believe George Ryan is a crook and he is a republican. I also believe Jim Thompson fits the same mold. His law firm is donating $20 million dollars in free legal service to defend Ryan simply because they don’t want old George on the stand explaining to the taxpayers just where all those skeletons are at and in who’s closet they are hiding. People expect democrats to bash republicans and republicans to bash democrats. What really bothers party faithful is when someone, me, one of their own, an insider, decides they have had enough and speaks out. It happens all the time and some folks who are blinded by politics and lose their good judgment can’t understand it. Fortunately the intelligent realize we are off course and it needs to be corrected or else we become a party of the past and not the future.
I am troubled by a democrat Governor who thinks it is the right of a 12 year old girl to have an abortion without her parent’s consent. That same democrat governor thinks a parent should have to be notified by the school nurse to be given an aspirin. I am further troubled by a governor who believes in partial birth abortion. I am also troubled by a governor who has two years in a row raided my own pension fund. I am troubled by a governor who has borrowed so much money in the past 3 years that it will take the next 30 years to pay it all back. I am troubled by a Governor who has taken away thousands of dollars from cities like Sesser and burdened us with unfunded mandates and fees on such things as sewer usage charges.
Locally I am embarrassed by the Franklin County democrat party that sends out official letters with the names of indicted people on the letterhead. I am embarrassed that our Regional Superintendent of Schools is under indictment and yet is running for re-election. I am troubled by the accusations concerning a democrat county board member and a sexual assault. I am troubled by the three county board members who blatantly ignored the will of the people and voted against reorganizing the Franklin County Board of Review. I don’t understand these things. Sure, people who are under indictment are innocent until proven guilty but my thinking is they should just fade away until the case is resolved. Don’t expect me and others to back someone simply because they are a democrat. I don’t go for the “wink and a nod” in politics or a “slap on the back” concept when it comes to government. What we are doing today is going to shape the future of this state and this nation. Decisions we make now will be around for generations to come. We as democrats need to get our house in order locally, state wide, and nationally if we expect the voter to side with us. Lately we have made a poor case for being able to govern. In Illinois we had a real opportunity to govern and show folks we could do the right thing. Unfortunately we now have grand jury sessions involving the Governor of this state meeting in Cook County, Du Page County, Springfield and on the federal level in several locations. Is he guilty? I don’t know. Simply put, where there is smoke there is usually fire and we are all known by the company we keep. Two pretty good rules to live by in our daily lives according to my parents who are democrats with their feet firmly planted on the ground.
Don’t get your hopes up thinking I’ll bolt the democrat party and become a republican. More importantly don’t you democrats get your hopes up and think I am going to shut up. It ain’t gonna happen until we get our house in order and return to the party of the working man and woman. I’m out to be a part of the change in the democrat party because what I see happening makes me sick. If you don’t like my opinion, don’t read this column. It is a simple concept. If you do like them, join in, we can make a difference. It should all begin right here right now!
The letter I received in the mail last week was disturbing. My dentist, a man whom I trust, Dr. Burlison has retired. Devastated was the word that came to mind. I hate going to the dentist but Dr. Burlison treated me for a root canal problem years ago on the spur of the moment because he knew and understood the pain I was in. He did an excellent job then and has continued to do so throughout the years. I wish him well in his retirement but he sure put me in a bad spot of having to get to know his replacement Dr. Breeden. Seriously, he is a great man and one that I am happy to not only call my doctor by also my friend. I hear good things about Dr. Breeden, but we’ll see how that goes.
Special thanks go out to Sesser resident SFC Rodney Sides who last week came home from active duty in Iraq. We thank Rodney for his service to our country and to us here in Sesser. We are glad he is home safe and sound!
If you need us call 625-3611, 625-5322, or write nedmitchell@verizon.net or www.sesser.org We are happy to hear from you and will help you if we can.
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