George Ryan gets a 6 1/2 year vacation

Friend, Yesterday former IL Governor George Ryan went to (uheeeem!) "prison". As much as we don't like the idea of prison as a punishment for the sort of crimes he is guilty of, we'll take it. Six and one half years for corruption crimes. This case might be as much about the (corrupt) system being bigger than any particular politician, than it is about the crimes for which Ryan is being imprisoned. Ryan being imprisoned is equivalent to a mob hit designed to send a message - it keeps the other criminals in line. Can we honestly sit here and think that most politicians don't engage (at least in some form or to some degree) in racketeering? Please! This kind of behavior happens at all levels of government. That's what keeps UncleRaisin.com going. My first bad feeling about George Ryan was his first run for the office of Governor in 1999, while campaigning he took a very conservative stand against gambling in IL. Good! I thought. Then, not one week into his term, he embarks on a statewide tour to promote gambling. Wow! Talk about a dramatic turnabout in position.... IL Republicans have never recovered. They never will until someone comes forward with an actual backbone and fortitude to tell the truth about who they are and what they believe about the issues - and then do as they say when governing. What do we believe is proper punishment for George Ryan? He should be required to pay back 4 times what he stole. It should be immediate and without mercy. "Prison" in the country club at Oxford, WI may not be the greatest, but it is far from justice. George Ryan should die a popper, leaving nothing behind except a reputation as a thief. That would satisfy the demands for justice in this case. Best Regards, Uncle Raisin Editor