Rise up against Madigan, his minions

Rise up against Madigan, his minions

Let me see if I understand this correctly. Let me see if I can wrap my mind around an abuse of government power this large and egregious.

Twenty years ago the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that term limitations and legislative redistricting were not proper items to place on a ballot. And recently Mike Madigan and his minions have started legal proceedings to once again deny voters the right to express their opinions on these issues.

I thought that we lived in a democracy, a political system where the people rule. Yes, I know all about republicanism, representative democracy and the like. Yet when all is said and done we are still a democracy a government, as Lincoln stated so eloquently on the fields of Gettysburg, " ... of the people, by the people, for the people ..."

Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Madigan and his cronies in the courts we are rapidly becoming, if we have not already become, not a democracy but an oligarchy. Allow this to evolve further and politicians will impose a cruel slavery upon us where only their voices, not ours, are to be heard.

There is, of course, an answer, the same answer Lincoln would have so elegantly espoused; rise up next November and vote every single person who supports Mr. Madigan and his undemocratic proposals out of office. Only thus can democracy be preserved.

I realize that term limitations would require a constitutional amendment. So let the citizens vote on an "advisory" referendum but let it be so strongly worded that even the most callous of politicians will be forced to sit up and take notice. And let our career politicians realize this is strictly a nonpartisan position, one that adherents of both parties may embrace and expect to see acted upon.

Bill Leighly

St. Charles