Shaming corrupt politicians with plaques
The state of Pennsylvania isn’t afraid to shame their convicted politicians, and Illinois shouldn’t be either. Recently, Pennsylvania started shaming the lawmakers who have been convicted of a crime by adding a detailed plaque under their portraits hanging in the state Capitol building in Harrisburg. The plaques highlight offenses committed by convicted lawmakers, including the...
The state of Pennsylvania isn’t afraid to shame their convicted politicians, and Illinois shouldn’t be either.
Recently, Pennsylvania started shaming the lawmakers who have been convicted of a crime by adding a detailed plaque under their portraits hanging in the state Capitol building in Harrisburg.
The plaques highlight offenses committed by convicted lawmakers, including the history surrounding their crimes. Right now, the number of portraits with plaques in Pennsylvania stands at four; in Illinois, we would need a few more plaques than that.
While the halls of the Illinois Capitol building in Springfield aren’t lined with portraits of state legislators, there is a hallway lined with the portraits of Illinois’ governors, with one exception: former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, known in the federal prison system as inmate 40892-424. The hall of governors alone would need its fair share of plaques, not to mention the number you’d need to add all the other lawmakers in Illinois to the walls.
While Illinois may not be able to add plaques to portraits as a way to shame politicians (there certainly isn’t any room in the budget for extra spending), the premise is a good one. Something needs to be done to make criminal activity less of a norm in Springfield.
Crime and corruption are just as much a part of our state’s history as all the worthwhile things lawmakers do, and should be represented in the same way.
In Pennsylvania, politicians who are convicted of crimes are shamed. In Illinois, politicians who are convicted of crimes are the status quo. We could use a little more shaming.