First line of business
Pat Quinn's first line of business after being sworn in was to remove disgraced Rod Blagojevich's name from the signs trumpeting open-road tolling on the state's tollway system.
Marvelous.
Let's go one step further and have any public building or structure with any politician's name on it stricken as well. And while we're at it, roadway signs welcoming drivers into the state of Illinois should be welcomed by the people of Illinois and not the sitting governor. With the revolving door of corruption in the governor's mansion, it will save taxpayers from having to change the signs on what has become an all-too-frequent basis.
Is anything in this state that has been built with taxpayers' money not tainted by the pay-to-play corruption endemic throughout our politicians? The howls of protest and disgust over Blagojevich's outright solicitation of campaign contributions by our state senators is the height of hypocrisy. One can imagine what we'd hear if we were privy to any one of our state's politicians if they were subjected to the same scrutiny as the former governor.
-- Steve Sarich, Grayslake
Voters' job
I think Pat Quinn was wrong to remove Rod Blagojevich's name from the signs that festoon Illinois toll locations. The signs should have remained in place as a regular reminder that we voters need to take our jobs more seriously. If seeing Blagojevich's name didn't do the trick, paying the toll as we pass under it should have made the point.
-- W.R. Nelson, Glenview
Helpful reminders
I think Rod Blagojevich's name should have been left on tollway signs and the impeachment date should have been added, and, if convicted of a crime, the sentencing date should have been added. This should be done with any sign with a politician's name on it if convicted of a crime to remind voters of what party the politician represents.
-- Jerome C. Malon, Chicago
Erasable names
If Illinois politicians must have their names on signs, and with there being a revolving door of occupants in office, perhaps the state could save money by printing their names in pencil.
-- K. Sislow, Riverwoods
Missed opportunity
With the removal of four letters and rearranging two, we could have had: "Open Road Tolling -- Rod R. Blagojevich, gone!"
This would have provided Illinois citizens a badly needed smile.
-- W. Bradley, Glen Ellyn
Signs of the times