“Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely…”
At some point, we have heard this phrase in our lives. The quote is a warning to anyone that giving someone too much power can corrupt even the most pure intentioned. The quote is also a warning to those who hold power to not allow themselves to lose sight of why they were given power.
Which brings me to the 2nd Congressional District where Paul McKinley – Republican – was the unlikely, unwanted (even by the IL GOP) winner of the special primary to replace the soon-to-be convict Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
Paul McKinley is running on a campaign theme of “The Machine”. “The Machine” is mostly aimed at the Democratic Party 60 year stranglehold on the 2nd Congressional District. McKinley has been trying to highlight the abysmal state of the 2nd Congressional under the 60 year reign of Democrats in that district. I hope he wins.
But what happens when “The Machine” extends to your Congressional district not in party, but in the form of a Congressman – in particular Congressman John Shimkus? What do you do when you are a conservative essentially being held hostage by a Republican who claims to be conservative? What do you do?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus votes for Continuing Resolutions that include funding for Obamacare?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus continues to support President Obama’s Executive Order 13502 requiring project labor agreements for federal construction contracts?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus’ only real accomplishments in Congress in 10+ years has been sponsoring congratulatory resolutions congratulating former Soviet Bloc nations of accomplishing something?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus refuses to answer questions from his constituents? i.e. Why is DHS buying ammo when local PD are struggling to find ammo to buy?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus never meets his constituents in an open forum, but only behind closed doors often times without media present?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus supports increasing subsidies for the ethanol industry?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus is sponsoring a bill that is like Obamacare, only for the auto industry? See the Open Fuel Standard Act which nearly makes permanent ethanol subsidies by forcing the auto industry to have vehicles run various fuel mixes.
So what happens when “The Machine” Congressman Shimkus goes further than not supporting conservative principles, despite his insistence that he is a conservative? What happens when “The Machine” Congressman Shimkus starts influencing the operations of his party on a state level? What do you do?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus used his influence to get his former aide Rodney Davis appointed to the neighboring Congressional seat ballot after Tim Johnson’s resignation?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus used his influence to get his paid staffer Deb Detmers elected to the IL GOP State Central Committee?
- What do you do when Congressman Shimkus then uses his influence over his connections to the State Central Committee to have Deb Detmers pull her vote for forcing IL GOP Chair Pat Brady to resign?
Finally, what do you do when no Republican or Democrat has been able to even challenge Congressman Shimkus in either a primary or general? What do you do when Congressman Shimkus has $860,000 cash on hand banked up to defend any such challenge?
Sincerely yours,
Ima Hostage
