Speech covers reform, political corruption
Heather Holm/Staff Reporter
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: News
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Speaker James Merriner used them as examples of corrupt Illinois politicians in his speech "Will Reform Ever Come to Illinois?" Wednesday in Roberson Auditorium of Lumpkin Hall.
He mentioned the fact that law enforcement and juries are getting tougher nowadays and there is less tolerance for trading of favors in government.
"I think it's the compounding effect of so many arrests and indictments," Merriner said.
He asked political science majors in the audience to try and think of ways to clean up today's politics and talked about a bill brought up in the spring that puts limits on campaign contributions in exchange for government contracts and bills.
Former Gov. Jim Edgar said a number of members of government-many being in Chicago-think politics are give a little, take a little.
Marilyn Davidson, a Tuscola resident, said she thinks term limits for all members of government, like with the president of the United States, should be implemented to solve the problem.
"It's something I thought would be necessary to break up concentrations of power," she said.
Rick Davidson, also a Tuscola resident, said this would be a self-cleansing technique.
"That way, new opinions can come into office and prosecution could be avoided," he said.
During the speech, Merriner said Illinois could not prosecute its way to good government. He also spoke about how he thinks some laws against politicians can go overboard.
Merriner thinks the topic of reform is an evergreen topic that never truly vanishes.
"Every time a governor goes to jail, something else pops up," he said.
President Bill Perry said the topic of ethics in government is important and enjoyed Merriner's perspective on the issue.
Perry said the audience could see, with all the different publications he has written for, that Merriner is knowledgeable on the subject of Illinois politics.
Merriner has worked for the Chicago Sun-Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in the past.
Merriner was brought to Eastern by Edgar, his wife and an advisory committee as part of a speaker series.
"They brought him in because of the fact that he had written on corruption of Illinois politics," Edgar said.
Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or haholm@eiu.edu.
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