CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Question of the day

Re: Question of the day

Fearless Freep — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:32:17 -0000

When you see what foolish, ill-informed choices that Rockford voters have made over the years, and all the incompetent people who have gotten elected in this town, YES, I think staying home would be a good idea.

Re: Question of the day

Papa Legba — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:50:55 -0000

I think what the Rockford Register-Star is trying to emphasize is that you don't walk into the polling place and vote for the clown with the greatest name recognition. Too many people walk in clueless, vote for the bozo with the name they hear the most. Then they start voting on best sounding names, position on the ballot (why do you think politicians want the first position on the ballot?).

What they are saying, in a thinly disguised way, is that there are idiots in office right now. We need to oust them and if you aren't gonna help, stay home.

Re: Question of the day

Middle Ground — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:43:03 -0000

Rahm Emanuel and Jan Schakowsky put a lot of weight behind Claypool. If he loses, how does this affect the Congresspersons?

Re: Question of the day

Lovie's Leather — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:24:42 -0000

I voted at 10:30 at the good ole firehouse... yeah, I was #32. It'll pick up as the snow thaws... or atleast it should... with this low of a turnout, there could be quite a suprise...

Re: Question of the day

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:33:34 -0000

for what it's worth...voted in the 19th ward at about 8:15 and I was the 58th voter.

Re: Question of the day

Darrell Democrat — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:53:14 -0000

Maybe if we offered a tax deduction for voting it would increase turnout. Get $10 off your state taxes each time you vote.... at least it would eliminate the middleman (see East St. Louis area for cash-for-votes).
I voted this morning at 9:15 and was #60... can you tell we have a doomed school referendum on the ballot?

Re: Question of the day

Anon — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:32:45 -0000

Are you people nuts?!?!? The fewer people that vote the more mine counts. And to be nullified by the nitwits or the contented who vote just they ought to is a revolted notion. Fewer voters doesn't kill a democracy - killing the "right" (not a privilege) to vote kills a democracy. And remember all you Democrats out - the general election is on the 8th.

Re: Question of the day

anonymous — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:17:22 -0000

Just voted in South Moline 4, in Rock Island County, turnout light to medium so far in this bellweather county downstate.

Re: Question of the day

Making The Wheels Turn — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:57:56 -0000

Was talking to someone who has looked at The RRS's history of endorsements in contested elections, and their success percentage is not too high over the past number of years.

The RRS just can't seem to find that magic formula to get the voters to follow their lead. Probably what's behind the editorial.

If they had half a brain (apart from making them twice as smart as they currently are), they'd sign up with Rich Miller for a once a week political column - that way they would have at least SOMETHING worth reading in that excuse for a litterbox liner.

Re: Question of the day

Team Sleep — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:34:15 -0000

And you know, Budget Watcher, the upcoming gubernatorial race will be a mess and, in two years, the Senate race will also be a bloodshed. Illinois politics are an example of how NOT to run a state and campaigns. It's sad when it takes as much money to win a state rep seat as it does to win a Congressional seat. For shame.

Re: Question of the day

Budget Watcher — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:43:08 -0000

What motivates an uninspired electorate to vote? Maybe the Rockford Register-Star was trying to use reverse psychology? The Belleville News Democrat instead uses shame to try to overcome voter apathy. Why are voters disinterested?

I don't live in Illinois anymore, but I watch with amazement at the degree of rationalization that goes on in Illinois politics. You have a former governor who, at the very least, misused his position to gain favors for his friends. You have a sitting governor who may be the most immature governor I can remember, with an administration that is tainted by multiple ongoing federal investigations. You have a Republican primary contest for Governor that has illustrated an absurd display of half-truths and distortions from one candidate. And Chicago and Cook County politics? What a tangle of self-interests and corruption. The people who work hardest in the Cook and Chicago elections are the ones with the most to lose, which is hardly the most noble of reasons.

Illinois seems to illustrate how elections can devolved into such ugly, nasty, expensive, and uncivil partisan spectacles, that voter apathy is bound to be occur.

Re: Question of the day

Hello, Mrs. Rockford, Wake Up — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:39:47 -0000

The City of Rockford is pathetic, and its paper is about as good as the Wheeling High School Gazette. It needs to wake up and realize its future as a bedroom community of Chicago. Extend Metra from Harvard to Rockford and accept your fate--it is far better than your current condition. Hello, Naperville is now larger than Rockford.

Re: Question of the day

ISU REP — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:33:26 -0000

geeze, no ones getting my jokes today...sigh...everyone needs to lighten up its primary day!!! :)

Re: Question of the day

Marta Elena — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:29:38 -0000

Whoah! On the downstate vs cook county rhetoric. I grew up in cook county but live in downstate IL now. Does the Chicago machine represent true democracy?

I prefer the Belleville News since the political insiders may tend to have the majority vote in the primary. But some people (including some members of my family) tend to let those political insiders fight it out in the primary. I've also heard people say that there are too many candidates to choose from. People should vote, if anything so they cannot gripe about the political process without saying that they didn't vote.

As far as the Rockford news - I didn't realize anti-democratic dribble can sell newspapers today.

Re: Question of the day

YNM — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:05:24 -0000

SenorAnon, don't worry ... ISU REP rarely has any substance to go with his diatribe.

And of course he meant you used the Thesaurus, not the "theosaurus" ...

Re: Question of the day

DOWNSTATE — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:50:07 -0000

Just think there are people who spend their entire life never having a say-so in who leads their country and if they do speak it is prison or death.

Re: Question of the day

Bradys the Guy — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:26:25 -0000

The Rockford Register Star is off base. It was once said that it is every American's patriotic duty to vote. I think that attitude should be revived. The whole world watches us, and when the Chinese, the Iranians, and other enemies of American democracy (and those they can influence)obtain the perception that American citizens are ambivalent about democracy, it fuels their opposition. If for no other reason, every citizen should cast a vote in order to demonstrate our commitment to our system and our confidence in its integrity.

I overheard a commuter last night snipe at a campaign worker handing out leaflets: "I hate politics... I can't wait until Tuesday is over." Sure, we know plenty of people who feel this way, but they lead a comfortable life in the most prosperous society in the world. It didn't get that way through apathy. When Iraqis, Afghans, and others brave terrorism in record numbers in order to vote and show their dyed fingers in pride, it should be a sobering reminder to Americans of how precious our right to vote is. The uninformed voter can write in his best friend if he wants, and he thereby makes a statement and helps keep our democracy vibrant.

Re: Question of the day

IVOTE! — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:11:07 -0000

Hopefully, the Rockford paper will at least make some folks THINK! It is pathetic--ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC--that so many people have no interest or concern in local (including Guv on down) elections. I know a lot of folks who don't take a newspaper and don't watch local or national news. It's totally uninformed voters like those that ended up putting some LaRoucheis on the dem ballot a number of years ago. So, I agree with the Rockford paper--if you don't have a clue, don't vote. But more importantly--if you don't have a clue, GET BUSY and find out what the candidates are all about! Voting for someone because they have a nice name (like Smith or Jones or Anthony Martin) that sounds "so American" rather than a "suspicious-sounding name" like Topinka, or Oberweis or Blagojevich. . . well, that does more damage to the idea of democracy than not voting. Many of you noted correctly that American soldiers from the revolutionary war on have died so we have a right to vote. The least WE could do is inform ourselves about the candidates!

Re: Question of the day

ISU REP — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:01:48 -0000

sure I do they, didn't they vote for Rod?...case closed, p.s. nice use of the theosaurus this morning!! I LOVE when people turn a joke into a race issue, truly you need better things to do with your time.

Re: Question of the day

Team Sleep — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:49:21 -0000

Maybe Sam Cahnman isn't crazy. We need open primaries because - DAMN THE TORPEDOES! - people don't always want a string of R's and D's behind their names. When candidates purchase name and party logs, do voters really want to be nagged by phone bank after phone bank followed by mailer after mailer? I guess it shows overall voter apathy when citizens can't band together and request a constitutional amendment in Illinois that prohibits closed primaries.

Re: Question of the day

prairiestatedem — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:44:38 -0000

Slow Turnout Countywide in Cook County...

City and Suburbs the activity that is going on appears to Be for Stroger and Dart

Re: Question of the day

SenorAnon — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:43:09 -0000

"As much as I hate uninformed voters (i.e. a majority of those who live in Cook County)"

Way to let your buffoonish demagoguery slip into your post. You have no data save your little snide remarks to back up that voters outside of Cook County (read: white Republicans) are well informed vs their dumb Cook counterparts.

Re: Question of the day

Rockfordian — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:36:04 -0000

Just voted in Rockford an hour ago. 38 people had voted. And as for the RRS, whatever. Since when does being an ignoramus preclude you from doing anything in America? We Rockfordians don't even bother reading those editorials anymore. They endorsed a do-nothing mayor last time around despite a tidal wave of support for a fresh young independent (who won).

Re: Question of the day

ISU REP — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:20:29 -0000

As much as I hate uninformed voters (i.e. a majority of those who live in Cook County)it's a democracy and even those who are the most intellectually challenged among us get to vote...I mean how else would we get so many "colourful" politicians into office...

Re: Question of the day

southernilrepub — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:17:44 -0000

Snow closed schools over here north and south of I70. Was into the polls @ 6am to take breakfast to election judges of both sides. Doing the best to have secondary streets cleared of Repub signs and then clear the main roads close to the end of polling time. Its not fun being a committeemen on days when its nasty like today and have to clean up all these signs.