That’s just it, though. As far as I know, he’s been defiant and has never publicly apologized for anything, even after being convicted and sent to jail.
I think what Shodan is saying is that Ryan is more sorry that he got caught than he is sorry that he did what he did. It’s not that he regrets taking bribes and fixing licenses, it’s that he regrets being found out and convicted for it.
And the saddest part is that they’re not even as good at being crooks as the guys were back in years gone by. John Stroger was crooked and machine as they come, but the city wasn’t spectacularly going bankrupt under his watch the way it is now. His son on the other hand has all the notion of Machine Privilege and none of the wiles to steal while still making things get done.
How can you tell when an Illinois politian is lying? His lips are moving.
Rosty deserved what he got, Ryan deserved what he got, Daley deserves more than he’ll ever get, and the rest of the scoundrels should be forced to live with the decisions that they’ve made to bleed not only the city dry, but all of Cook county as well. I got out when they raised the sales tax to 10% and still cried broke, and I’m never moving back unless something drastic happens.
I know. To me, I read Shodan’s comments as he’s like any other prison who puts on an act of being sorry, with the lowercase commentary indicating what he’s really sorry about. I’m saying, George Ryan isn’t even doing that. He’s not expressing any remorse whatsoever.
I’ve lived in Cook County every minute of my life except for college, and I’ve had it. My husband and I are looking to move to DuPage as soon as we can. The taxes where we are now are ridiculous. Which I could live with if the money was used for something other than paying Stroger’s relatives for “working” at non-existant jobs.
I do have to say, taxes don’t really bug me usually, but 10.25% sales tax? And despite the increased tax revenue, there’s still not enough money in the city’s coffers? Thankfully, we have the internet to order online…
Amazing that Barack Obama was able to swim in that sewer of Illinois politics and come out as clean as a whistle.
I’m usually in favor of consumption taxes, but when they are levied by the city or county, I’m not so sure. You and I might have access to the internet or a car, so we can avoid the tax.Heck, we can move out of the city altogether, as I am planning to do. The inner-city poor may not have that luxury.
Well, there is the whole Rezko deal, so I wouldn’t say he’s completely spotless.
That IS amazing. I’d almost call it…unbelieveable! 
Just this. In a normal city Obama would be a hopelessly compromised politician - by Chicago standards he is a saint.
Rezko slimed onto everyone he could; that’s how he got to the position he did.
I genuinely like Dick Durbin and think he is a very decent man, but he is dead wrong about this one.