Let's put an end to political corruption

Let's face it, the citizens of Illinois will never live long enough to see any meaningful ethics bill created or adopted within this predominantly Democratic Illinois legislature.

Likewise, we're never going to see a recall provision for the countless number of criminally errant and convicted politicians, the one's we laughingly refer to here in Illinois as "public servants."

Here's my suggestion -- maximum security prisons.

That's right , let's begin to sentence them to the very same hard-time prisons where our judges regularly send all the other thieves, robbers, murderers, rapists and extortionist to serve out their sentences.

Why should the white collar and politically connected big shots like ex-governor Ryan or wheeler dealers like Antoin Rezko be incarcerated for relatively short periods of time to federal correctional country clubs that are reserved especially for the likes of them?

Within these pleasant confines they can leisurely contemplate their faulty decisions, readily seek legal assistance from their highly-paid attorneys, greet regularly scheduled visitors, gain favored treatment and request early releases for various maladies or feigned illnesses while otherwise restoring their mental and physical health, lifting weights in well-equipped health clubs or reading good books in comfortable libraries.

Do we Illinois citizens want to finally throw the proverbial fear of the Lord into these white collar and politically-connected felons?

Then why don't we, with the help of an attentive local media, begin by publicly demanding that our judges, who maintain they treat everyone equally under the law, begin to send politically-connected and related white collar low-lifes to the very same correctional facilities they send others of their ilk.

No special treatment! It's time for Illinois to try scaring them straight.

Patrick J. Dalton

Northbrook