By THE WATCHDOG • March 6, 2011
It’s disrespectful for a dishonest politician to attempt to glom-on to Ronald Reagan’s legacy for his own personal gain. But that’s exactly what one of Illinois’ most dishonest and ineffective officials tried on Saturday.
It’s even worse when a newspaper gets played for a fool and becomes the enabler.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross gave a speech at Eureka College on Saturday. That of course is Reagan’s alma mater.
The Peoria Journal Star reported on the event as if Tom Cross has the slightest thing in common with Reagan – which of course he doesn’t.
Most offensive to hear was Cross on his high horse about the importance of democracy and the need for everyone to get involved.
But not a peep from the newspaper about how Cross has been doing little for years in Springfield beyond preventing real democracy in his own party – and lying about it.
Cross also again tried to blame the Democrats for Illinois being a “huge mess.” Of course no one took him to task for refusing to offer a workable budget of his own.
In fact unlike Reagan, Cross has supported nearly every tax increase that’s made it on the floor of the House (the tax hike in January being a rare exception – and that opposition was clearly only for opportunistic political reasons).
Cross ranks with any liberal Democrat when it comes to tax-and-spend, and he’s always been one of the biggest advocates for gambling expansion.
When Cross thinks he’s talking to a group of saps, he’ll complain about how awful Mike Madigan and the Democrats are for Illinois. Cross assumes no one knows that he himself recently voted to reelect Madigan as Speaker for another two year term. That was back in December. Cross cast the votes of his entire GOP caucus for Madigan by unanimous consent – and no Republican State Representative objected, although they all had the chance to do so.
In fact four members of Cross’ House Republican caucus recently contributed money (donor money of course) to a liberal Democrat who was just elected Chicago Clerk. Cross clearly has no problem with that – and it’s nothing new. Cross’ top deputy, Skip Saviano, regularly supports some of the dirtiest and most liberal Chicago Democrats.
The Peoria Journal Star can look foolish if it wants. But when they also help play the old Tom Double Cross with Ronald Reagan’s legacy, then it becomes a concern for all of us who loved that true leader.
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