Where Barack Obama Cut His Political Teeth...

In Illinois, college can be a legislative favor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Politicians love to talk about the importance of education. In Illinois, legislators go a step further and personally award scholarships to state universities - sometimes to friends, donors and political allies.

For a century, each Illinois legislator has had the power to hand out a few scholarships every year without regard to students' needs or qualifications, which fit comfortably in the state's tradition of favors for people with connections. In recent years, a state lawmaker helped a political backer's four children with $94,000 worth of tuition waivers. Another gave a scholarship to the son of a Chicago alderman. Federal investigators are also looking into cases of recipients with suspicious addresses.

"Suspicious addresses". I wonder how many politicians were directing scholarships to 1060 West Addison? I love how it's spun: "I just think it's a nice thing we're doing. I really do". Sure! You take people's money from them at gunpoint and reward donors and favored constituents. Who could possibly object to that?

I love, too, the line about not letting the State Board of Education pick the students: "I don't trust them that much. I don't think they'd choose many black kids," Davis said. Davis is the one who thought they were doing something nice. And then she turns around and calls the Illinois Board of Education racist. Lovely. Doing a lot for race relations right there. Let us choose, because you're too racist. Never mind that we're giving these scholarships to donors, our own families, and backer...

Corruption and graft - that's the Chicago way!

That is all.

Another dispatch from...

(image courtesy of Robb Allen)