Recall a "silly debate" says Joliet lawmaker
On Thursday, Joliet Democrat Arthur "A.J." Wilhelmi voted "present" on the recall proposal, which has the same effect as a "no" vote. On Friday, word spread that the Blagojevich administration was backing off plans to shutter Stateville -- the massive state prison in Joliet. An announcement is planned Monday.
Wilhelmi called Friday evening to say one has nothing to do with the other.
"Absolutely not," he said.
Wilhelmi said he considers the recall initiative a "political game" when far more important issues ranging from state construction spending to property tax relief to education funding have not been addressed by lawmakers. He said those issues are far more important to his Will County constituents.
Asked why he didn't vote "no" if he felt so strongly, Wilhelmi said, "I didn't want to engage what I think is a silly debate. It didn't deserve any of us engaging."
Seventy percent of voters want recall in Illinois. How can this be a silly debate? I'll tell you what's silly. The democrats of Illinois trying to suggest this is an attempt to be, “a thorn in the side of Gov. Blagojevich" as my Senator suggested to me when I approached him about it. He said that it was a joke; I said I didn't think Senator Cronin thought it was a joke. When he saw I was dead serious he said I could come talk to him at his office. I am so sick of the games at the General Assembly, playing games with our money and confidence.
Both parties have much to apologize for in this state. They say if you don't like what's happening, vote the person out. How do vote someone out in this gerrymandered state.
I found a candidate for President and for Congress in this years' primary...their own parties didn't want them to win because they represented real change...honest men with clean, consistent records. These candidates proved to me, that we can have good people in office; people that represent the people. Imagine a politician that would not cut deals behind your back or one that actually had a record that matched his rhetoric.
Could Illinois have a government that is accountable to its citizens?
I am going to tell everyone I know and everyone I don't know, that the only way Illinois politicians will ever be held accountable will be to vote for a Constitutional Convention. It is the only way the serious issues that face our state will be dealt with.
The only SILLY things going on in Springfield are the clowns who run our government...and really, it's not silly it's PATHETIC!