Monday, January 2, 2012

Blago’s Truth

When I sat watching the verdict handed down to Rod Blagojevich I wasn’t shocked that he was found guilty, but the years that were handed to him did shock me. I know he did wrong and everyone else does too but there are many people that have committed crimes worse than what he did and they haven’t received such a lengthy penalty. I wondered what he could’ve done better.
Instead of being so careless he should’ve thought about his family and daughters that will now grow up without their father. He should’ve set aside greed and ambition and thought about what could happen if he got caught; maybe he should’ve thought about the seriousness of what he was walking into and not think of himself being superior to the rest; with all that being said it’s a little too late for what could’ve been.
Rod Blagojevich is now the fourth governor who’s been caught in the seriously corrupt state of Illinois. It’s disconcerting to have to relive that again and it seems the punishment is becoming more severe. Even though no one may want to say anything, there are many involved in wrongdoing and probably were part of his dealings in wanting to buy Obama’s seat, which by the way people have phrased it like that but it really doesn’t belong to Obama. Those people that were involved are just quietly hoping no one looks their way; many are shocked Blagojevich didn’t start throwing out names; I guess he didn’t want to be a snitch if he did that and maybe he was afraid for his family.
When you think of all the seedy and crooked politicians that you know are out there ripping people off you can’t help but wonder about them. However, I do know that just like it took Rod Blagojevich years to be put away and his predecessors, they too will eventually get caught; it’s just a matter of time.
The phrase of the poem ‘If’ that was written by Rudyard Kipling and quoted by Blagojevich should’ve gone something like this. If I hadn’t been so greedy and thought about myself instead of my loved ones, if I hadn’t fooled myself thinking no one was listening and I was cutting a deal that would eventually put me behind bars, if I could only turn back the hands of time and start all over again walking the fine and narrow, if I would’ve stopped my ego from getting the best of me instead of letting it take over I wouldn’t find myself in the situation I am in now, I would be with my family, I would enjoy watching my girls grow up and I would be the man everyone is proud of.
The truth of the matter is Rod Blagojevich had a lot of enemies that wanted him out and despite the fact that he seems to be such a charismatic individual and people flock to him, that isn’t the reality. The circle he hangs around can be as corrupt as he became, just listening to those tapes said a lot, but then again people that get into politics and government start out one way and end up another. It’s sad to see a person that was half-way decent in the beginning change into a vicious, egomaniacal individual that only thinks about himself and cares little about others, but that’s the society we live in and those are the individuals that make laws.
What I find wrong is if one person had to do with someone dying like Conrad Murray and was handed four years and another got caught up in the game like Rod Blagojevich and winds up with fourteen years where ‘s the justice in that? I’ve heard many say we didn’t hear all of the evidence that was presented and his punishment did fit the crime, and maybe by the years handed down to him it will be a way to deter others from breaking the law. I guess they’re trying to make Rod Blagojevich the poster boy for crime determent; fat chance that will happen. People will continue to break the law and the state of Illinois will continue to be as corrupt as it’s always been.
When he was sentenced, he wasn’t the only one who received that sentencing; it was also handed down to his entire family. He will soon be heading to prison, what he did will be yesterday’s news and reporters will seek another scandal to write about.
It’s a shame that some people were happy about it and some were asking him to apologize to the people of Illinois; I don’t think it really matters if he did or didn’t. If Rod Blagojevich were to apologize then you can ask the same of all the crooked politicians that state is known for; Al Capone made it famous for being corrupt and everyone else has continued the legacy of corruption.