The United States Attorney and the .Illinois Legislature are making a big mistake.
They shouldn’t be prosecuting embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich; they should be tapping into his inimitable psyche as a national resource.
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Blago is facing impeachment, federal prosecution with certain jail time and is the poster child for political corruption.
In spite of these challenges, Rodney B. is feeling no pain. Instead, he sees a bright future where the world is his oyster.
Rod casts himself as a misunderstood character in one of director Frank Capra’s classic films, like “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” or “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In Blago’s world, he combines the everyman qualities of Gary Cooper with the moral compass of Jimmy Stewart.
Rod is a force of nature.
He’s like the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Even the Titanic couldn’t drown her spirits.
Good, Old Depression Days
With consumer confidence at a record low, home prices falling another 18 percent and the job losses piling up, the only film running in the heads of most sane Americans is “Grapes of Wrath.”
Today, the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee started a two-day meeting to discuss further actions to shore up the economy. Functionally, interest rates for overnight lending between banks are at zero. The next step would be to simply give the money away.
No, wait. We’ve already done that.
According to the White House Press Office, President Obama is headed back up Capitol Hill today to sell reluctant Republicans on his $825 billion package of tax cuts and spending projects aimed at rescuing the American economy. He’s being flanked by his top economic advisor Larry Summers along with his newly confirmed Treasury Secretary and professional tax dodger Tim Geithner.
To no one’s surprise, they’re warning that unless the Congress takes quick action to approve the stimulus measures, the economy could slip into a deeper recession where unemployment hits double digits.
He’s the Lump of Sugar in Your Tea
The President and his cadre of merry pitchmen are missing the boat. They need to add Blago to their team.
Congress is jaded. They’ve heard it all before. They already know we’re facing economic Armageddon, but they still want to hang on to their pet projects.
What they really need is a good dose of Rod. Using his boyish charm and Trump-like hair, he’ll help the President put a Jimmy Stewart ending on his quest to yank the economy back from the abyss.
On the other hand, if they don’t swiftly accede to the President’s plan, he could quietly threaten to pardon Blagojevich, and install him as his permanent liaison to the Republican minority.
“Mr. Blago Goes to Washington.” Has a nice Capra ring, don’t you think?
John Cohn is a senior partner in the Globe West Financial Group[ based in West Los Angeles. He may be contacted at www.globewestfinancial.com
