How, exactly, do we make such demands?
How do we, the people, demand?
Your editorial rebuke, "Until they (the public) demand - and public servants of character deliver - proof of how the rules are being changed to prevent such influence peddling, no one in Illinois should rest easily" can paint a broader national picture as well.
However, until the print and electronic media returns to old-fashioned investigating, researching and reporting, we, the people, find it difficult to find the information needed to even know what the questions are.
Until America's print and electronic media stops developing articles and talking-heads discussion programs for television, based upon the bites of propaganda fed to them by candidates, their political spin doctors, and their organized political parties, no one in Illinois or in America should rest easily.
Look at our national candidates. They are wasting time answering irrelevant questions rather than giving the public information. This is due solely to the fact that the American press has determined that sidebar freak shows are more saleable than reporting the candidate's proposals for solving health care issues, economic stabilizing programs and solutions to immigration and securing our boarders.
Today's candidate has to be rich, not dependent upon holding a job other than being a candidate, and has to have participated in an established political party long enough to have developed enough chits to be able to call them in for support.
"Chits" are what Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine deal in, as does the rest of the American political network. So, how does the lowly, not so rich, patriotic, intelligent, driven to serve his/her country candidate get a chance to make a difference? They don't.
And they surely can't count on the press reporting their points of view in any depth, either.
So, Daily Herald editorial staff, explain just how the public is to "demand" anything? Most don't have the money, none have the press' ear and they certainly don't have the chits. So just how is it done?
Oh, and I have an answer to your question, "Where are the state leaders, who should be racing to the microphone to promise a change of approach and a clean sweep?"
They're busy collecting chits. There's an election this fall.
Gail Talbot
Huntley