Illinois needs to get its priorities straight

The Great State of Illinois is known for, well, corrupted government.  Six of our governors have been charged with crimes after representing the state, and as I've said before, we're dirtier than fudgesicle day at your kid's preschool. 

Courtesy: ABC 7, Chicago

One of the big stories in Chicago right now is the case of former governor George Ryan. He's currently in prison, where he's served three years of a six and a half year sentence for corruption. He's accused of accepting bribes from truck drivers in order for them to get commercial driver's licenses. What makes it even worse, one of those truck drivers got into a fatal crash that killed six children with his "Ryan License." The case is absolutely heartbreaking.

Ryan's wife of 55 years, Lura Lynn Ryan, is dying of cancer, so the former governor has made repeated requests to visit his dying wife in the hospital. Those got denied, with many people questioning why he should get special treatment.

Then today it was announced that the prison's warden allowed Ryan to visit his wife for two hours last night. I personally think this is total crap.Why should he get special treatment?  If he didn't want to be in prison, then why commit crimes? Just because you are in government, doesn't make you above the law.

According to ABC 7, a Chicago man imprisoned for drug dealing was not allowed to attend his 12-year old's funeral four years ago. She was actually killed in a car accident going to visit her dad. Really? If I were this man's family, I'd be suing the State of Illinois right now.

To make it even more unfair, ABC 7 also reports that sixteen years ago, the former presiding judge of the Cook County Chancery Courts, David Shields, was allowed to leave prison for 72 hours to attend his daughter's wedding. He too, was in prison for accepting bribes.

C'mon Illinois, get your priorities straight! You are setting a really bad example by letting government employees have furloughs, but any man on the street, cannot.  Do you really want the entire nation to keep laughing at us?