Post Primaries & Awaiting Orders

Post Primaries and Awaiting Orders…

I could tell by Ernesto’s Cheshire smile that he was having a wonderful moment, once again at my expense.

“Hello, my friend,” he beckoned, waving his tall cup of Ethiopian coffee and reclining in the leather chair of his favorite coffee shop, “let me buy you a good cup of coffee for once.”

“Thanks, Ernesto.  Nice of you.  What’s the occasion?”

“Why Rauner!  Now we will see what a real Republican can do in Illinois, while you poor union lackeys are left with such a sorry load of Democrats.”

“Ouch!  But, Ernesto, why would you think I voted Democratic?  In fact I received as many as three phone-voice messages from our union leadership urging me to vote Republican in the primaries, specifically for Dillard.”

Ernesto was incensed: “Only unions would sink to such a lack of credibility, a total abandonment of principle.  They’re only in it for themselves, and this shows it.  They’re trying to prevent a true leader like Rauner from getting into the governor’s office.”

“Not true, Ernesto.  It was actually an attempt, albeit a failure, to get the right Republican into office.  Whew, can’t believe I just said that, Ernesto.”

“Stupid and disgusting unions,” Ernesto muttered.

“Not really, Ernesto.  Somewhat shrewd, really, because the real enemy is Pat Quinn.  One-on-one against Quinn in November, Dillard might easily have won.  In fact, Dillard came close to defeating all of Rauner’s money (and your deep love of him) in the last weeks before the primary.  Dillard actually closed 9 percentage points despite the untold millions of dollars Rauner poured into his campaign.”

“That’s only because Dillard was able to pull in favors like the rest of the politicians down there. Now we’ll see a real leader who is independent of Springfield and not frightened by the other politicians.”

“Ernesto, you are still holding on to the misguided belief that money - like Rauner has - can buy the office?  In actuality, your chances of having a Republican in the Governor’s mansion were diminished in the watch-wearer’s victory this week.  I am afraid, Ernesto, we are both losing this time, my friend.

“Rauner is not appreciated south of I-80 at all.  In fact, Ernesto, I’d remind you that his close ties and vacationing with the likes of Rahm Emanuel and his chummy connections to other Chicago power-brokers will work against him when it comes to next November.  Many people in Illinois do not relish another part-time visitor from the great city to the north.”

“But he’s not like the loser with the hairbrush or the clown you call Squeezy.  He has promised things people believe in...like term limits and, better yet, crushing your union bosses.”

“People may not be quite as uninformed as you would prefer, Ernesto.  Government doesn’t work well in small chunks of time and responsibility, never has.  People in small towns understand government as well as those of us who work in larger metropolitan areas.  We know that governments, small businesses, and even families do not operate on short, limited expenditures of energy and responsibility.  Imagine short bursts of personal agendas instead of forward vision?  Budgets and expenditures and service cost projections need long-term caretakers and responsible parties to oversee their operation and to be responsible for the efficacy of their running.  Why, if everyone simply put in their one or two or three terms, they could run away without consequence.  It would also open the frightening dysfunction we see in Washington now, with people who promote an ideal over an idea.  We’d have a roster of short-timers, Ernesto, like a couple of quickie Senators in Illinois who are onto the national platform without any real feeling or serious work for the people in Illinois.”

“Like Obama?”

Touché, Ernesto.  But now the union has the difficult task of possibly switching allegiance away from an avowed enemy to a very unfriendly and uncooperative foe.   Not a good place to be, Ernesto...a Hobson’s choice, as they say.”

“Well, my friend, I’m with Rauner, if that means anything to you union people.”

“I’m glad you are, Ernesto.  I guess I’m just a union lackey awaiting orders.  Thanks for the coffee.”