Open Thread (12/28/2009)

Posted December 28th, 2009 at 06:59 AM by IlliniPundit
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Monday, December 28, 2009.

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On December 28th, 2009 at 10:19 AM, Ralh Langenheim (not verified) said:

Campaigning is poetry, administration is prose.  Paraphrasedd or quoted  Mario Cuoumo

On December 28th, 2009 at 10:53 AM, pattsi said:

Our very own Dennis Hassert in the news.   :-)    Pattsi Petrie

THE DAILY OUTRAGE: Perks continue even after they retire
By: Daily Outrage
Washington Examiner Editorial Feature
December 28, 2009

On December 28th, 2009 at 10:56 AM, pattsi said:

More on our home grown politicians.   :-)   Pattsi Petrie

Roland Burris's silly poem: Will he engrave it on his vanity tombstone?
By: David Freddoso
Washington Examiner Online Opinion Editor
12/28/09 9:09 AM EST

On December 28th, 2009 at 11:11 AM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

How about the 2 years Obama campaigned while beiing paid to be a U S Senator from Illinois, How much did that cost????????

On December 28th, 2009 at 11:32 AM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

How about the 2 years Obama campaigned while beiing paid to be a U S Senator from Illinois, How much did that cost????????

Probably about the same it cost for McCain

On December 28th, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

http://www.huliq.com/3257/viral-video-max-baucus-supposedly-drunk-senate-floor

On December 28th, 2009 at 12:25 PM, pattsi said:

Or the fact that one of the Texas Senators is now running for Governor. Question is what can be done to curtail politicians ignoring elected-job responsibilities as they run for the next higher, elected position? This happens all the time--Senator Clinton, another example. If I was absent from my job for lo those many months and when in the office voting on bills that I can't possible have any idea of the content, I would be fired with no health insurance nor golden parachute.  :-)

Pattsi Petrie

On December 28th, 2009 at 01:12 PM, McLean Farmboy (not verified) said:

Pattsi, you seem to be focusing on those running for HIGHER office.  Why try and make a distinction between them and the ones running to keep the office they currently hold?  There really is no difference.  Campaigning for office is, in large measure, factored into the job description of elected officials.  Look at the recesses and vacations that they take. 

As far as your personal situation, I would humbly suggest that you (as well as your job and your performance of it) are much more important to your organization than the job politicians do is to theirs.  If you don't do your job, it would not get done, if a politician or two takes some time off to campaign (or go on a junket to the Bahamas or go to Brazil to see the mistress or have an intern under the desk or...) their main job (typically screwing the public) would still get done.  Between elected official's staff and other parts of the government bureaucracy, there is so much inertia that if all elected officials took several months off it would make little difference. 

On December 28th, 2009 at 01:16 PM, Frustrated Observer said:

How about the 2 years Obama campaigned while beiing paid to be a U S Senator from Illinois, How much did that cost????????

Quite a bit less than having him actually be elected. I believe the US treasury could fund several million Obama campaigns easier then than the deficits h'se racking up.

Keith_Hays's picture
On December 28th, 2009 at 09:20 PM, Keith_Hays said:

In his new incarnation as Andy Martin CU's own Anthony R. Martin-Trigona is at it again. The Sun-Times reports that he is running attack ads in the Chicago Media citing two conservative Republicans as claiming the Representative Mark Kirk is gay! Here is the Sun-Times article. Martin-Trigona is on the Republican Primary ballot seeking his party's nomination to the US Senate.

Three Score and Ten Plus One

Keith Hays

On December 28th, 2009 at 11:34 PM, John E. Maloney said:

Trigona used to be a democrat.  When he was running against Judy in the primary, I gave her at potholder that  he passed out in his campaign for Secretary of State.  I also suggested she list it as an $1000 in kind contribution (because she didn't have a big campaign war chest). 

When I first started practicing law, I actually represented him in court.  I remember one case small claim  case that another attorney started.  He was suing for $350 in past due rent.   I had just started practice on my own and didn't have any other hourly clients.  After he was sued Bob Dodd defended the student and offered $325 to settle it.  I was working on an hourly rate of $75 per hour.  As you know Keith, we have to convey all offers and I thought this was a pretty good one because the previous attorney had not asked for attorney's fees in the complaint and this was going to trial.  When he didn't take the offer, I learned a little more about Martin Anthony and when he became a little late in paying me my hourly fees, I took the other files back.  It was tough to do in those days, but when you represent clients who do not make decisions based upon their financial interest, there are some carrying charges that I could not handle. 

 

When Gerstein later on got all out of sorts (we will leave it at that) when Anthony removed an electrical meter to evict a tenant,  I wrote letter to the attorney's disciplinary commission stating that "there but for the grace of God go I."  My exact quote. 

Martin Anthony took his character and fitness before John Franklin of Franklin Flynn and Palmer.  As the strory goes,  he was not too happy to have to go through what was really a worthless interview process.  It was mainly designed to sign graduates up to the Illinios State Bar Assoication.  All you need is to not be an ass-hole for 10 minutes.  The rest is history.

 

 

Dan Fielding's picture
On December 28th, 2009 at 11:54 PM, Dan Fielding said:

He has a history of suing blogs critical of him, so this conversation might not last.

Keith_Hays's picture
On December 29th, 2009 at 11:05 AM, Keith_Hays said:

Senatorial candidate Andy Martin (Anthony R. Martin-Trigona) is coming to town on January 10 for an Illinois Forum showcase at the Champaign City Building according to a News-Gazette story this morning. Robert Redfern, Chairman of the Conservative organization is quoted as saying, ""The Illinois Forum's goal is to open up the election process and give credible candidates the opportunity to share their political views with the people of the state of Illinois on how to move Illinois government in a new direction."

Three Score and Ten Plus One

Keith Hays

On December 29th, 2009 at 11:29 PM, John E. Maloney said:

Keith, you probably rememeber when Fred Grosser respresented the Cunningham Township Trustees back circa 1980.  I was on the Urbana City Council and because of that was a Cunningham Township Trustee.  I think he was your partner back then.  There was a libertarian named I believe Bill DeRosett who used to come down almost every meeting and beat up on us because we were all way too liberal for him.  Everyone dismissed him on EVERY ISSUE, because he was so far right he didn't believe there should be any laws at all (basically).  He was a kind of right wing Martin Anthony Trigona.  In reflecting upon this many years later, I think that we are too quick to dismiss every thought a man has just because we disagree with him 90% of the time.  It is tough to do, but occasionally we get an opinon that kind of moderates our views.  Kind of like having two lawyers argue a case that is ripe for Summary Judgment.  Makes you want to listen a little more carefully in hope you can find one point.  Post hoc ergo propter hoc is not a valid reason to reject every opinion.  I noticed in the Sun Times article this morning where Marton Athoney was quoted about the citizenship issue of Obama.  There appears to be some question as to whether he was born in Hawaii because the US Supreme Court has taken up that issue.  Kind of like the thought that even someone who is paranoid can be being followed.  

Kevin Sandefur's picture
On December 29th, 2009 at 11:43 PM, Kevin Sandefur said:

"There appears to be some question as to whether he was born in Hawaii because the US Supreme Court has taken up that issue."

Um, no, I think we probably all would have heard about that one if it were true.  Unless, of course, you have some definition of "taken up" with which we are all unfamiliar.  As far as I know, they have consistently and repeatedly rejected all such cases from consideration, agreeing to hear none.  Did something new happen just today that I missed?

On December 30th, 2009 at 12:13 AM, xian said:

Well, Gordy Hulten might also be a space alien. The Supreme Court has yet to make a statement to the contrary. Should we really be letting alleged space aliens run blogs?

Dan Fielding's picture
On December 30th, 2009 at 10:57 PM, Dan Fielding said:

"I think that we are too quick to dismiss every thought a man has just because we disagree with him 90% of the time."

I don't dismiss Andy Martin's thoughts because I disagree with them.  I dismiss them because he has neither character nor credibility, and they're not thoughts so much as whatever feces he can fling.  He's never dealt in thoughts, strictly slander.  He's against everyone but not for anything.