Regardless of one’s political orientation, it must be admitted that Illinois is a financial mess. The recent passage of an annual state budget only ameliorates, but does not cure, the decades-long fiscal mismanagement that has plagued our state under both Democrat and Republican administrations. Finger-pointing is not a cure; neither is name calling nor the next election cycle.
The root cause of the problem is that state elective office has become a vocation that has spawned a political class with interests all its own. Playing it safe, getting elected and re-elected, and gaining power and influence is the name of the game; meeting constituents’ needs is only a secondary goal.
The argument in favor of the current system is that, with time, elected officials become more experienced and knowledgeable and therefore more effective in addressing constituents’ concerns. Would any Illinois voter today say that we have been well-served by our professional politicos? I think not.
What is needed is a restructuring of Illinois’ political system which, among other things, would change state elective office from a vocation to an avocation. The following practices, which are used in other states, could help that happen:
a. Introduce term limits for both the executive and legislative branches of state government. I would suggest no more than two terms for governor, state representatives and senators.
b. End partisan redistricting. In Illinois elected officials choose their constituents (rather than the reverse), and then either scatter or concentrate their opponents’ supporters in such a way as to diminish their political potency. We must ask ourselves whose interests are being served?
c. Scrap party primaries and replace them with open primaries which pit all candidate for a political office against each other. The top two candidates for each office, regardless of party, then run against each other in a general election.
d. Institute a unicameral (one house) legislative body. While only one state (Nebraska) has this system, it seems to work perfectly fine with 49 senators serving four-year terms (Nebraska is also a state without political parties). Such a system would obviously have to be adapted for our larger and more diverse population.
e. Introduce a system by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his term ends. Yes, Illinois does have an abbreviated form of the recall election, aka recall referendum, but it is ineffective because it only applies to the governor’s office, and then only if at least 20 legislators agree to the recall. What is needed is a system that is initiated and controlled by the voters.
I realize that some readers may consider these ideas radical. However, the question must be asked, “Do we have the luxury of dismissing these proposals without at least giving them some consideration?” I think not.
Al Popowits
River Forest
