McHenry County Blog

The cover of "Hiddeen Empire" by Orson Scott Card.

“This is a dangerous planet.  Only a politician would try to tell you otherwise.  And I’m not talking about wars–we’re America, we win our wars.  Plagues can appear out of nowhere and slaughter millions of people.  Blights can wipe out our crops.  A meteor the size of a bus could hit the earth and send us back to the Stone Age.  An extraordinary solar flare could destroy our electronics or heat our atmosphere so much our crops all die and we starve.

“And whom do we put in charge of helping us prepare to cope with such disasters?  People whose only talent is for getting elected, and whose entire future consists of the run-up to the next election.

"tt's not their fauit."

“It’s not their fault–anybody who doesn’t think and act that way won’t win.  It’s the fundamental problem with democracy.  No long-range thinking. So we’re just sitting ducks, waiting for the next disaster…”  (Emphasis added.)

This is the beginning “Hidden Empire” by Orson Scott Card, published in 2009.

I knew when I read those first two paragraphs of the paperback that I bought at so, so much off at the Crystal Lake Border’s going out of business sale that I was going to like the book.

A political book by someone who knew something about politics.

A book about a politician who made decisions in the best interest of his constituents, yet who turns out to be a bit too ruthless for the sensibilities of most of us.

And, as an added bonus, Christians are not demeaned.

Christian action in Africa is a large part of the plot.

Below is Ed’s Rental’s sign on the very busy Route 31 in McHenry south of Route 120.

It’s nothing, if not topical.

DIAPERS & POLITICIANS

SHOULD BE CHANGED

OFTEN

BOTH FOR THE SAME

REASON

And a poll I heard about on NPR said that people are turning against incumbent congressmen. 75% think incumbents should be booted from office, but the percentage decreased when asked about their own congressman or in McHenry’s case, congresswoman.

Relaxing on Crystal Lake's Route 14 on a sunny afternoon...listening to the horns honk.

I found this sign on Route 14 on April 15, 2010.

That’s the day of the latest TEA Party demonstration in Crystal Lake.

The sign says,

Stop
Greedy
Politicians

I spent another tiring day in Judge Michael T. Caldwell’s McHenry County courtroom today watching (more listening to) more witnesses in the Grafton Township separation of powers trial.

I didn’t have time to write anything about last Thursday’s morning session. Not like the blow-by-blow I wrote about Wednesday’s hearing. Getting ready to head off to Springfield for a long (rainy) weekend took my time.

Linda Moore

I’ve been reflecting on what Linda Moore said and how she said it and the judge’s reaction to that when Ancel Glink litigator Thomas G. DiCianni asked him to direct Moore to answer his questions more directly than she had.

After about an hour of questions last Thursday during which Moore was not giving “Yes” or “No” answers, DiCianni asked the judge to direct Moore to answer his questions.

Caldwell, visibly disturbed, observed,

“She hasn’t answered a question directly since cross examination began.”

After that admonition, Moore became less loquacious.

Pam Fender

Today, Huntley Village Trustee Pam Fender was on the stand talking about that job and her new one as Grafton Township Administrator.

“This is so childish,” Fender added to an answer to what happened between her and Moore after the end of March court hearing that put Moore back in her old offices.

“This is the third time this has happened. Do not make any statements of opinion,”

the judge admonished.

Rob LaPorta

The third politician to receive harsh words from the judge was Township Trustee Rob LaPorta.

“Mr. LaPorta. Simply answer the question and stop the verbal jousting, the back and forth,”

the judge said.

So, politicians on both sides of the Grafton Township political fence appear to have a similar problem.

Each wants to explain her or his position, whether the question calls for such an explanation or not.

Perhaps that is a function of being a politician.

It embarked on a campaign to convince people that politicians are rats.

I guess it would be difficult for politicians to sink lower in public perception, but the Sunday Chicago Tribune signaled its intention to blacken their image.

A rat is the Tribune’s new symbol for the political subspecies of human being (click to enlarge).

“SO,

CAN I

COUNT ON

YOUR VOTE

FEBRUARY 2?”

says the rat hanging from a mouse trap by its tail to the Illinois voter with other hand in balled fist.

The Tribune promises four similarly-themed editorials before it begins its endorsements.

Somehow I doubt the campaign will be enough to counteract the negative, I-don’t-want-to-be-involved-in-this-election reaction to negative television ads.