Don’t count on it happening

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SPRINGFIELD – Just a few months ago, campaign finance reform fever was gripping the state. Rod Blagojevich was kicked out of office, propelled by allegations that he tried to sell President Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat.

Of course, that was only the most sensational of the allegations. Others were that Blagojevich wanted a campaign contribution before signing a bill, and he wanted campaign cash before releasing state money to a children’s hospital.

And there were always questions about whether some state contracts were given as rewards to loyal contributors.

Blagojevich certainly wasn’t the first governor to have people whisper about whether there was a link between campaign contributions and state contracts. Things sort of reached a peak under him, though.

After Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office, the push was on for reform. The effort started out with gusto, but little by little, the firm resolve to finally clean up a state known for its corruption became less firm. Compromises (or capitulations, depending on your perspective) were made.

As last week closed out, the House and Senate approved changes to campaign finance laws that were either a milestone for Illinois or a whole lot of nothing dressed up to look like reform. Again, it depends on your perspective.

What is clear is that even reformers who support the changes called them only a first step. Maybe. But you’ve got to figure that if the toxic atmosphere brought on by the Blagojevich situation earlier this year wasn’t enough to get definitive campaign finance reform, then Illinois has probably seen as much “reform” as it ever will.

ONE OF THOSE op-posed to the campaign contribution limits was state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline.

Jacobs didn’t like that idea that a millionaire candidate could put as much of his own money as he wanted into a campaign, while a person of more modest means would have to make do with whatever money could be raised under the new limits.

Jacobs said he “came from nothing and grew up with nothing.”

OK, but it probably didn’t hurt that both his father and grandfather were lawmakers before him. You take your edge wherever you can get it.

ONE OF THE other big issues of the week was whether all senior citizens should continue to get free rides on mass transit. Blagojevich brought that perk to Illinois in 2008 in one of his typical pandering/grandstanding moves.

Also typical, he didn’t think through the cost involved before insisting it had to be done.

Well, it was done, and it costs money at a time when all governments are scratching for money. That led to the idea that maybe only poorer seniors (i.e., the ones who really need it) should get free rides. The rest would go back to half-price fares like before Blagojevich decided to pander.

Eliminating free rides gave ample opportunity for more pandering among politicians, and the perk was saved. For now, anyway.