Bailout Blues Continue


Congress supposedly has come up with what might best be decribed as a partial bailout plan for the Big3, but if President Bush doesn't support it, that would end it. The plan is based on a $15 billion "bridging loan" that would not do much good beyond March 2009 and the appointment of an auto industry "czar" to oversee operations of the companies. The UAW says it's willing to consider some sort of moratorium on their benefits during that period, but I doubt it would help much. The whole issue seems to be boiling down to saving the UAW and the hell with everyone else.


The Illinois Governor


The arrest of Illinois Governor Blagojevich on suspicion of offering to "sell" his appointment to replace Obama in the U.S. Senate and other criminal charges this morning comes as a surpise to many but not to those familiar with corruption in government. Illinois has had its share of it going back to the days of prohibition and Al Capone. Suspected ballot box stuffing in Cook County pushed JFK over the top in 1960. Of Course, his father owned the Chicago Mercantile Exchange at the time and was a known rum runner during Prohibition.

If Blagojevich goes to prison, it will be the 4th Illinois governor out of the last 7 to go to prison.

Bear in mind also Obama's closeness to the Illinois scene, especially Chicago. The media will toss it off as false innuendo and another attempt to accuse Obama based on "guilt by association". Is all of it coincidental? Is it coincidental that Tony Rezko found a home for Obama and had social connections with the guy? Is it coincidental that Blagojevich has had numerous dealings with Rezko? Is it coincidental that radicals Jeremiah Wright, Rev. Pleger, Bill Ayers the bomb thrower, Rezko, and Minister Farrakhan have associated with one another and the President-elect? Is it conceivable that anything rubbed off from these people onto the President-elect?

As Yogi might say, stay tuned, it's not over 'til it's over.