We must find honorable leaders

I was not surprised to read the national headline of yet another Illinois politician engulfed in scandal. How long are we going to take the corruption from our state officials before we say "enough is enough"?

Chicago is arguably the last of the centuries-old political machines that makes political heavyweights overnight, and this needs to end. With our most recent ex-governor making a mockery of the legal system by selling his soul to any reality program or product that he can profit from, we need to step back and take our duty as voting citizens more seriously. I wish I could say that the simple answer would be to just vote for the opposition's party, but sadly. former governor and current inmate George Ryan proves this problem is not relegated to a single political faction.

Unfortunately, our state's criminal wrongdoing isn't reserved for those holding office. On the contrary, this is how many were elected. Locally we can see this through individuals feeling entitled to prominent city and statewide posts strictly because of their last name. On the national scale, we are still associated with the despicable phrase "vote early and vote often." I find this to be an embarrassing representation of what we have allowed our fine state to become.

I cannot provide an answer to the dilemma we have before us this election year, nor can I even decide for whom I will be casting a ballot. All I do know is that I demand to find honorable leaders in these troubled times. Are these past elected officials really the best we can offer our state and our country?

Let's make this next election more about character and ethics than catchphrases and entitlement.

Jeffrey J. Beichner Jr.

West Dundee