In today's Southtown Star "Always Right" column, I express hope for a renewed two-party system in Cook County, Illinois, and nationally:
...[I]t's pretty clear nothing will change Cook County government until a healthy competition between political parties emerges and both Democrats and Republicans are held accountable for what they do with our tax dollars.
But that change is coming - thanks to new GOP life and new faces beginning to gather...
It's true a political change depends upon a well-organized and right-messaged loyal opposition party. It is those challengers' job to create discontent with the status quo and to appeal through common sense and common decency to the voting public.
That shift is coming, and that's good news. With new energy in the Republican Party, new faces at the local leadership levels, young faces at GOP gatherings and diverse skin colors and ethnic backgrounds becoming more common at GOP events, the prognosis is good.
With dramatic political changes such as those made by Vallas, with conservative ideals offered by young energetic leaders such as [Cong. Aaron] Schock and the new Cook County GOP Chairman Lee Roupas, there's a great deal of optimism about a strong two-party system arising in Cook County.
And, no, kids, that is no April Fool's joke.
The whole piece is HERE.
