ILLINOIS HAS A NEW STATEHOUSE.

THE GOVERNOR IS NOW IN THE GLARING FISHBOWL.

GOV. BLAGOJELLYFISH MAY BE IN HOT WATER.

The Governor's Ball looked like a typical Chicago wedding reception. But afterward, suddenly the groom has all the bills to pay and the bird cage where the donations were supposed to be is barron.

January's State income was below last January's bleak cash flow. Sales tax, income tax --- everything is going down the drain from a state revenue side. But the patronage favors of the Democrats, now having the governor's mansion after a long drought, want those high paying, low work state commissions (the same commissions that the Gov. is trying to reverse when ex-Gov Ryan packed boards with his people just before leaving office).

The huge revenue shortfalls in a down economy is like a dam just about ready to burst.

Now the new Governor was elected as a friend of the taxpayers. But the message immediately changed after Blagojellyfish was sworn in.

The budget shortfall from his view is $4.8 billion; the General Assembly thinks it is about half that amount. But budget projections and shortfalls are mere speculation. But the governor is squarely attempting to shift the blame to the former Republican administration for the bad news. In the end, it will be the highly taxed citizens who will have to foot the bill for the spending increases the Democrats promised their constituents on Election Day.

The corruption trial of a suburban mayor ends with a conviction. The corruption trial of Gov. Ryan's former aides and campaign committee is on-going. The relevations of how politics operates in Illinois is like Upton Sinclair describing how sausage was made in the Union Stockyards. It is not a pretty sight. Allegations that the governor's children were getting consulting fees from other campaign camps for doing no work. Public employees are alleged to have worked on campaigns while on the public payroll, a common, but illegal practice. Friends of accused may have gotten appointments to state government positions to buy silence. Now municipal election season begins with convicted felons running for office, accusations of ethics violations; politics as usual.