So didn't it make you all feel proud to be from Illinois when you read Dick Durbin's heartfelt letter to President Bush begging him to let Governor Ryan be set free.

Now you know so many people complain about partisan politics, but not here in the great state of Illinois. Here was a Democratic Senator reaching out to help a Republican Governor.

Didn't the part where Ryan will not get his pension choke you up. Not to mention his advanced age of seventy four.

Of course there are at least six people who will never live to see that "advanced" age because of Governor Ryan. And the fact that Ryan has his 3M in campaign contributions safely in the bank was not mentioned by Sen. Durbin. I'm sure the emotions of the moment caused him to forget those facts.

And it was great of Durbin to wait until after the Election to send this letter. I'm sure he was just to busy what with being in a tough re-election to take the time to worry about poor old Governor Ryan.

here's a chance for W to do the right thing...and keep ryan in jail!!! i agree taxpayer...those children killed in the van jumped into my mind. i saw ryan and his wife at o'hare a few years ago...went through security and right onto a special golf cart, wisked away to his gate. well, he's not wisking anywhere right now and that's where he needs to stay.

A pretty "wisky" political move.

Oh my God, something that taxpayer and I actually agree on. Miracles...they do happen.

I am a HUGE fan of Durbin.
This is just about the only time I can recall disagreeing with a position he has taken.
I'd be surprised if Ryan were high on W's list of things to do, but still...

Why?

When oil shot up to like 140.00 a barrel, Durbin who I guess is head of the Senate Energy committee got the head of the oil companies in front of his committee raked them over in front of the T.V cameras.

Made for great theater but it didn't exactly solve anything now did it.

There was never an unlicensed truck driver in Illinois. Before Ryan.

There was never a bribe. Before Ryan.

There were never peopled killed on the roads. Before Ryan.

There were never tickets being left on trucking companies' desk by the Secretary of State's people, only to be replaced with a purchase of those tickets. Before Ryan.

There was never a crooked politician. Before Ryan.

Joe Power was never sanctimonious. Before Ryan.

The man is a bust out, and the feds will spend less money to send him back to Kankakee to die with his wife.

I guess this is part of Glen Ellyn's new motto

"Let he who is without sin cast the first Stone"

So, Ronkas I guess your point is that Since Ryan is not the first or last corrupt Illinois politician why should he be in jail. Until we can make sure that all the corrupt politicians are in jail why should poor George be there.

But why stop with Politicians do we get all murderers, rapists, etc no. Since we cant get them all why should any of them be in jail.


I would guess that any criminal would be cheaper to keep at home than to send to prison. So lets open up all the prisons and let everyone fend for themselves. I mean police, DA's, judges etc all cost a ton of money so we let everyone carry a gun and that would be it.

Just pointing out the hypocrisy of the vengeful. Don't jump the shark with equating violent criminals with greedy politicians. There was a lot of trash going on with every Secretary of State. Some were much more discreet. Others used shoe boxes.

Paul Powell was awesome.

Ron, do you really think the sentence he got was out of line? This man sold the state to the highest bidder. Six years is hardly a death sentence.

The sentence was fair.

As to selling the State to the highest bidder, I think that's a stretch. These people and their ilk have been around, making this money for a long time. They still are.

If the Willis kids are still alive, we are not talking about this.

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As to selling the State to the highest bidder, I think that's a stretch.

Agreed...it's just a phrase. But he's a bad guy. And bad guys go to jail. Been that way since The Cisco Kid and Pancho were doing it with Bert Weinman's approval and sponsorship in the 1960's. At least that's what I recall.

Does the guy not get punished simply because of his age? If that's the case, wouldn't there be roving packs of senior citizen robbers stealing money from banks in Jewel stores throughout the area?

My son just purchased Class Clown online, and George Carlin talks about "heavy mystery time". That's what this discussion becomes when you try to justify or argue against commuting Ryan's sentence.

While Scooter Libby is free, you can't convince me that Ryan stays in prison.

I never find it appropriate to do...unless their is compelling evidence of innocence. George is a bad guy...with no money. He could be in worse places.

Can we truly say that Ryan doesn't have some amount of blood on his hands given the culture of corruption that he encouraged? This man received his license through illegal channels. Channels that were known and encouraged by Ryan. I'm not saying he threw the chunk of metal in front of that minivan, but I am saying the guy was behind the wheel because of Ryan's actions...or lack of action.

Since you are throwing names around, I peed at a urinal next to Paul Volker at a downtown Atlanta hotel in the late 80's. He is really tall.

I really get tired of this argument that he, Ryan or any other politician for that matter did what everyone else would do. This is why Illinois has it's well deserved reputation for corruption. We give guys like Ryan passes and excuses. We keep saying things like yeah well he did what I would do. Or what anyone else would do.

In short what you're saying is that you would lie, you would ask others to lie for you . You would turn your office over to the highest bidder. And when the result of your corruption leads to death, to the death of six innocent children you would try to cover it up.

There was nothing Mickey Mouse about Ryans trial he had the best Law Firm in the city representing him gratis. He had an ex-governor and an ex federal prosecutor sitting at his defense table. He got millions of legal counsel for nothing simply because he was the ex-governor.

Corruption and dishonesty cost. They cost us taxpayers in that we pay more for less services. Also there is a deeper issue here that if government is seen as corrupt faith and confidence in it totally disappears. Corruption, over time has a totally corrosive effect on politics and it can destroy peoples confidence in their government. A democracy cannot function very long without that confidence.

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George Ryan did what most of us would do and tried to cover up the investigation

Most of us like to win, Fan, but instead take the high road and do not feel the need to win at all costs. Perhaps you really did not mean what you typed.

Durbin will one day retire to enjoy his largess, developed during his years of "service", just like Rostinkowski and the former wrestling coach from York, now multimillionaire Hastert. Hopefully Bush does not embarrass himself any more than with additional pardons upon exiting, unlike Clinton and his couple hundred quid pro quos....I mean, pardons.

If this were just any average Ron Kas...or John Smith...we wouldn't be having this conversation regardless of the criminal's age. George had a good run with a steak knife in one hand and a martini glass in the other...lived better than most Americans ever did. And could have continued for the rest of his days. His choice was to piss it away with illegal activity. Activity that lined his pockets. Makes no difference to me what Paul Powell or other predecessors did...this guy was dirty. Let him chill for a few years.

Just trying to plan for my next career - The way consumers are spending their time, instead of money, these days, I figure there must be a big market for reporting.....

Dude is a convicted felon. Convicted by his peers. Charged and found guilty...the way things are done in this country. No arguing that point...is there?