ROD'S LAST HARRAH
The likely resignation of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich next week will begin his well earned descent from well paid, high profile politician with limitless ambition, to a broken man soon to be pondering his fate in prison.
As a former supporter I will remember fondly his last public act in his favorite role as populist champion of the society's underdogs. On Monday, December 8, the Gov showed up to lend his support to the 240 laid off workers of Republic Windows and Doors, who occupied their shuttered workplace December 2nd to protest their firing without getting severance, accrued vacation and two months of health care benefits, all of which would normally be granted employees of a planned plant closing. Blagojevich was the most prominent of a number of local politicians and power brokers lending their support to a mostly minority work force, utterly powerless as individuals, but utterly righteous in their collective cause, and ultimately successful beyond even their expectations.
The settlement offered the day of the Governor's arrest wasn't hindered, and may have been facilitated by his very public support for the workers' cause and his charge to state employees to cease dealing with Republic's creditor, Bank of America, till they resolved the factory sit-in satisfactorily. The Governor's next public appearance was a perp walk from his home in handcuffs to end what Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald called a "public corruption crime spree".
Rod will have years, maybe decades, to figure our how such a talented and charismatic soul with enormous potential for good went so terribly wrong. Early on, he must have attached himself to the wrong role models, fools to whom power and wealth mean everything. If he is truly wise he will study the likes of Republic employees and union leaders Armando Robles, Mark Meinster and Mel Maclin, who did the right thing when they and their union comrades were pushed to the edge of an economic cliff. And he should remember his last public act in furtherance of the Republic settlement as one worthy of what he could have done full time.
As a former supporter I will remember fondly his last public act in his favorite role as populist champion of the society's underdogs. On Monday, December 8, the Gov showed up to lend his support to the 240 laid off workers of Republic Windows and Doors, who occupied their shuttered workplace December 2nd to protest their firing without getting severance, accrued vacation and two months of health care benefits, all of which would normally be granted employees of a planned plant closing. Blagojevich was the most prominent of a number of local politicians and power brokers lending their support to a mostly minority work force, utterly powerless as individuals, but utterly righteous in their collective cause, and ultimately successful beyond even their expectations.
The settlement offered the day of the Governor's arrest wasn't hindered, and may have been facilitated by his very public support for the workers' cause and his charge to state employees to cease dealing with Republic's creditor, Bank of America, till they resolved the factory sit-in satisfactorily. The Governor's next public appearance was a perp walk from his home in handcuffs to end what Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald called a "public corruption crime spree".
Rod will have years, maybe decades, to figure our how such a talented and charismatic soul with enormous potential for good went so terribly wrong. Early on, he must have attached himself to the wrong role models, fools to whom power and wealth mean everything. If he is truly wise he will study the likes of Republic employees and union leaders Armando Robles, Mark Meinster and Mel Maclin, who did the right thing when they and their union comrades were pushed to the edge of an economic cliff. And he should remember his last public act in furtherance of the Republic settlement as one worthy of what he could have done full time.
posted by Walt Zlotow at 9:15 PM
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