@Tye the Czar

You said give the guy a break. Well, I can forgive ignorance in many people in many cases. After all, there are many issues out there that I know very little about. I'm quite ignorant about some things, I admit. The thing is, if I was ever put in a postion of power regarding one of those issues, I'd want to make sure I knew as much as possible before making any decisions.

If a politician who never deals with video game issues is ignorant about video games, I don't care too much, but once one finds himself voting on a law involving video game legistlation, or considering proposing such a law himself, it is his DUTY to make sure he's no longer ignorant. "I didn't really know what I was voting on" seems a pretty poor excuse.

True, video games are relatively minor issue compared to many things, but if I can't trust a guy on the little things, then I'm not going to trust him very much on the big things.

Well it may not have been from his own pocket as so many people wish for with politictains paying for these bills.

But it certainly is still good enough for me to see he plan to look good...by trying to "protect the childern".....backlash at a horriable price. (pun intended)

This isn't something that is going to be brushed off easily....health care?....a big no no......he's burned.....his going down...he's a failure...

I'm happy this happend...though I KNOW this isn't going to be a lession for other polititans....sadly enough.

Still while not from his own pockets....this is good enough of a punishment for me. :D

As a citizen of IL, I have to say.....LMAO

No wonder our gas prices over here are so high.

[...] From GamePolitics comes a news article stating that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich blew through a million dollars of taxpayers’ money trying to fight “a 2005 federal court ruling that a state law banning the sale of violent or sexual-explicit video games to minors was unconstitutional.” [...]

Way to go, dipshit!

Enjoy your impeachment!

I will stand up and say that I voted for Whitney (the Green Party candidate) in the Illinois Gubernatorial election this past year, because both Blago and Topinka (the Republican candidate) were really pathetic.

That said, this doesn't surprise me in the least. Blago loves to play with other people's money, and is more concerned with what looks good in the papers over what is good government practice. And people wonder why Illinois is always struggling to figure out a budget for the next fiscal year before the house sessions end...

Unfortunately, since the funds that Blago raided were a part of the general fund, they technically can be pulled for anything that is needed, and paying off legal expenses is technically a need. Nevermind that there is less money for other projects that are also needs in this state. As others have said, politicians don't worry about the costs of things because it's mostly coming out of other people's wallets.

SanDiegoClubs
yes time and moeny goes into trading votes and overlooking facts and info not to mention important floor time when they gather to pass and discus laws.

If they pass a bad law and tis get over turned in court they have to pay up for the time wasted.

I don't use my worked up emotions to complain, I say give him a break, oy. HE doesn't play video games. And all he hears about games is how violent they are, oy. That's how predjudice is spread, which comes from naivete and ignorance. Just like William Blake's poems ignorance is bliss, oy.

I think Governor "Smith" should be more focused on keeping people like Tank Johnson, of the Chicago Bears, from being able to accumulate numerous unlicensed weapons. Maybe Governor Smith can come up with a creative way to legislate this and waste some more money. I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to arrest anyone who's name is Tank because anyone with a name like that has an obvious morbid interest with guns.

On a more serious note; you guys do remember the countless times that Jack declared video games to be "mental masturbation"? I believe that Blagojevich's failed legislation counts as legislative masturbation.

As an Illinois resident I just have to say, I'm not surprised. We can just tack this one onto the long list of other schemes, scandals and general controversies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blagojevich#Criticism.2C_controversies.2C_a...

To add a bit further to what A-wel Cruiz said:

No matter how many failed bill cost America, legislator's paychecks are the same.

So why not spend up money that isn't theirs? There needs to be consequences to their actions.

Too bad this information couldn't have come out last October when it could have been used to educate voters. By the time this guy is up for re-election, it will be old, cold, dull news.

Exactly how does one spend a million on a single, pet project piece of legislation? Wow.

Jabrwock: Of course!

See, children don't need health care, or enough food to survive. That money needs to be spent so little Timmy Suburbanite's parents can let the XBox 360 babysit while they go out!

@Nightwng2000: Yeah, my first post was mostly wishful thinking. I know that there have been more egregious abuses of power within our government that haven't gotten much more than a press statement and a disgruntled citizenry.

WHY DO THEY BOTHER TO TRY??? Each one FAILS!!!!!!!

As a citizen of IL, I'll tell everyone right now. This state has ALWAYS been ran by crooks. Why else would Capone have ran his outfit here?

Somewhere, Dr. Evil is making his famous "one million dollars!" pinkie sign.

So, when are criminal charges going to be laid against Blagojevitch? If another politician (Jack Franks) characterizes his behavior as using the General assembly as, "his personal piggybank," surely there are some media and political groups with enough clout to levy charges serious enough to stick.

[...] Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich wasted $1 million trying to defend unconstitutional anti-video game law. Republicans don’t have a monopoly on trying to tell people how to live their lives. [...]

[...] Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich wasted $1 million trying to defend unconstitutional anti-video game law. Republicans don’t have a monopoly on trying to tell people how to live their lives. [...]