Due to political pressure by a liberal Illinois congressman, Fran Eaton's "Always Right" column will no longer appear in the 'Southtown Star,' but will be exclusively published here on Illinois Review.
By Fran Eaton -
While it would have been appropriate, there was no reference to rebellion against King George proclaimed last Monday outside the Will County Courthouse when 38 county officials and candidates signed the "Will County Declaration of Independence from Cook County-style politics."
The modern day Will County rebels were clearly Inspired by America's Founding Fathers and their example of severing ties with the tax-demanding, insatiable, corrupt English crown on July 4, 1776. Each person that stood at the podium last Monday sounded like he could have been John Adams or Thomas Jefferson 236 years ago. This time though, the outrage was against the Chicago Way, the Chicago-Cook County Way, and the Chicago Machine. They too rejected domination from those outside their borders and corruption within.
Will County Board District 13 candidate Tim Kraulidis started the rally off saying Will County Democrats had betrayed their constituents.
"'Taxation without representation' - remember those terms? I'd like to call this 'Taxation by poor representation" because of their lackluster participation,'" Kraulidis said to the crowd's cheers. "Why would they do such a thing? Their loyalty to their party outweighs their loyalty to Will County residents."
Candidate for Will County Board Executive Cory Singer pumped the crowd more when he pointed to "Will County Democrat incumbent employment plan." One after one, Singer listed Will County officials that had appointed themselves to political jobs.
"This is the Will County employment plan - the Democrats are here to serve their friends and family. They are being taken advantage of Will County taxpayers, Walshes and McGuires have said this is our family business," Singer said "Politics is about service, not a family business."
Will County GOP candidates for auditor, state's attorney and the county's 2nd newly-drawn Congressional District spoke out against Cook County Democrat dominance. The new 2nd CD's Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr's GOP challenger Brian Woodworth joined in:
"Four weeks ago, Vice President Joe Biden said that the Republican Party is going to put the people back in chains. Do you remember that? I'm here to tell you those chains already exist, but it wasn't by the doings of the Republican Party," Woodworth said.
"The chains exist, and they're called chains of fear. They exist across the county and across the district. Individuals, business owners and leaders across the districts live in fear from Steger to South Chicago. They live in fear that they will be excluded when political favors are given out if they show any sort of disapproval with the Machine. not They live in fear of a Machine that will not tolerate dissension.
"They live in fear of those that will not tolerate disobedience from what they dictate. That's the Machine that we're up against. That's the Machine we need freedom from," Woodworth said. "I want to bring freedom and prosperity back to the people of this district."
Auditor candidate Mark Batinick, who came up with the Will County Declaration idea, pointed out Illinois being 40th in employment with more people being murdered in Chicago than in Kabul, Afghanistan.
"The Chicago Way isn't working for anyone," Batinick said. And his point was well made.
It's really not working for anyone - except Cook County insiders.
But if there's a revolution of frustrated taxpayers brewing anywhere in Illinois, there is evidence it is brewing in Will County. The 38 leaders that supported independence from corrupt Cook County did so being fully aware they could pay a price for their leadership, especially as dominant Democrats wield their scepters as we near November.
And less one thinks Will County's frustration is unique and seemingly exaggerated, well, it's not. One could swear Founding Father Benjamin Franklin - who also signed the Declaration of Independence - lived in Will County, next to the corrupt and contemptous power-hungry Cook County in a letter he wrote to George Whatley in 1785.
Franklin was writing about those lawmakers set into place through the election process - something the current Will County power regime should review, because they've obviously forgotten:
They are the Servants of the People, sent together to do the People's Business, and promote the public Welfare; their Powers must be sufficient, or their Duties cannot be performed. They have no profitable Appointments, but a mere Payment of daily Wages, such as are scarcely equivalent to their Expences; so that, having no Chance for great Places, and enormous Salaries or Pensions, as in some Countries, there is no triguing or bribing for Elections.
Oh, for a return to those founding principles! And how fitting that the shakeup would begin next door to corrupt "Crook County." It's incumbent upon the Will County rebels to win in November. With a victory there, perhaps, one by one, other collar counties will dare to follow suit and declare independence. If they would, Illinois will begin its long trek towards true and dramatic reform.
We're rooting for you, Will County.
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For more on the Will County movement, go to www.willcountyfacts.com.
@ Copyright 2012 Illinois Review
