The Problem With Tommy's Regime

One of the most senior Republican conservatives around is Tom Roeser. He's unknown here in Wisconsin because he spent his time in Minnesota and Illinois. But he was a player in both States, and knows whereof he speaks.

He reminisces about a conversation he had with William Stratton (Billy the Kid), an ex-Governor of Illinois, when Roeser was VP Gov Relations for Quaker Oats and Stratton had a similar position for Associated Bank... (at the link, scroll down to "Flashback:...")

["]The pragmatists want to build a machine, want you to act like the Nazis-follow orders and leave the thinking to the Front Office. Thinking short-range, very short-range. Not any of them interested in government or government programs. Wanting a machine comes close to wanting to make money out of politics with both parties which is a key to real corruption. ["]

["]...That’s not my view of this business, build a machine. My view is: he who travels fastest travels alone and the name of this business is to travel fast: up and out and on to something else. I wanted to hire good and loyal people and move on-not build an institution. You see, I’ve never been like Daley, ["]

["]...I’d be dead if I had started a machine and he’d be a principal player in it. He’s in jail now and I’d be dead meat. That’s why I don’t cotton to a machine. The first thing you get is ambitious guys tying their kite to yours, sort of weighing you down; then you get the hangers-on, the lobbyists cutting deals in your name ["]

You get the general idea.

And that was The Problem With Tommy. Eventually the bloodsuckers attached themselves to his Administration--and predictably, some of the deals blew up in Tommy's face.

We've phrased it differently in this blog, referring to 'The Party of Government,' or to the seeming aversion to The Good of the State (in looking at machine-generated legislation designed to put off bi-partisan support in favor of making political points.)

Hurtgen, anyone?

Think of who Tommy's Boyzzz were, and where they are now, and you will know why Machine Politics is bad for all living things...but especially for the citizens of the Machine-run State.