What if the Illinois statehouse were made of glass?

The Illinois State Capitol Dome image titled Capitol bulding (sp) dome (www.flickr.com/photos/mklingo/166435302/) was created by Max Kingensmith (www.flickr.com/people/mklingo/) and is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-No derivative Works 2.0 Generic License. (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en)

Serving in politics is a bit like living in a glass house. As a politician, your every move is scrutinized and your well-meaning motives are often questioned. I know. Four years on the Elgin City Council, followed by six years in the Illinois House of Representatives, has made my life an open book. The time served also clarified for me why it is important for government to be transparent. After all, it’s not easy keeping secrets while living in a glass house.
 
But, a glass house is not where Illinois government resides. Backroom deals, pay-for-play, and prison terms for governors have been the norm for far too long. Ethics reform has fallen short and the call for greater accountability is getting louder. Read the rest of this entry »

January 4, 2010 | Ruth Munson | Tags: , , , | Comments Closed