Someone else on the ballot? Has he not adequately represented his constituents?

He should have done the right thing and allowed the party to come up with another candidate. I haven't liked Jackson Jr. since 2008. What goes around, comes around.

I don't know much about the guy, but he's always seemed ok to me. If he's dirty, let the law take care of it. Unless that happens, I don't see what the problem is.

"Illinoispaytoplay.com has learned that a second person with knowledge of Jesse Jackson Jr's attempted purchase of a senate seat may be prepared to offer testimony to the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Ethics that person or persons representing Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. approached Blagojevich offering to render the Governor “substantial financial considerations” in exchange for Blagojevich appointing Jackson to the U.S. Senate seat about to be vacated by then President-elect Barack Obama."

http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2012/11/02/house-iinvestigation-of-jesse-jackson-jr-may-widen/

I'm not saying that he's faking his illness, just that there has been a lot trickling bits of info. coming out ever since he was one of the people who was mentioned as having been interested in Blago's offer of payment for Obama's former senate seat.

That's just the article I found in a hurry, there are more.

I think the governor gets to sell the seat.

The district (IL-2) is 90 percent Dem and a Rep will never be elected there. Jackson has been AWOL for more than 6 months. Maybe you define that as representing his constituents but few do. This did not happen over night. He has been investigated over various things, including the Blago affair, for years now.

You act like these revelations came out of nowhere and the voters had no choice.

See posts upthread. This is on Jackson not the voters despite your attempts to blame the victims here.

I don't see a reason to criticize people voting for him in the general election in any of this. That's what I responded to. If you have something to say to that, please say it. Otherwise, I don't see how this discussion is relevant to the post that brought me into it.

or at least resigned before the final day to replace a candidate, and let the party put someone else up.
the whole thing stinks to high heaven.

Also a black American, Lewis is a farmer and mail carrier. He ran in JJJ's district as an independent progressive a la Bernie Sanders. Lewis suggested that had JJJ done the plea deal BEFORE the elections Lewis would have won. WLS-TV summarizes his views in questionnaire format:

If this guy is a good candidate for the job, I hope he throws his hat into the ring again. Maybe he'll have better luck next time.

Representative Jackson's behavior was hardly a secret to voters.

A lot of Republicans didn't vote for Murdock in super conservative Indiana because of his ridiculous rape comments. We should do the same with our nuts and crooks.

Supposedly, the Brown Warren race was very close, too.

Both Warren and Donnelly won by similar margins--and both are pro life candidates, though Donnelly does make an exception for rape and did not put his foot in his mouth spectacularly.

So, I don't know if you can imbue Indiana Republicans with virtue because Mourdock lost. And, you don't know if he lost because of Republicans. It could have been Democrats with good turn out and independents who defeated him.

to answer your question, "Has he not adequately represented his constituents?" - hard to represent them, when you're not there.

I guess you don't know anyone who's ever been sick. If you do, I hope you were ok with it if they were fired for being sick.

I was just answering the question of how well he has served his constituents.

Though also, since you bring it up, it's not the same as talking about being fired for being sick. First, the job is only for a two year "contract" to begin with. If someone misses the last 6 months of a 2 year job for illness, no matter how compassionate you are, do you think he'd be the best choice to rehire for another two years? Second, on a regular job, if someone is out on an extended illness, the employer can bring in a sub (even while continuing to pay the original worker) so the work still gets done. Who is the sub doing Jackson's work, working with the other house members, introducing/sponsoring bills, and casting votes for his district?

to vote on them.

I'm not making a judgement about Jackson either way here, but I am sick and tired of seeing people criticize voters for voting for the representation THEY want in congress.

because an effective representative can work to make a bill better, or to persuade others to vote his way. That is, a representative's effectiveness can't simply be measured by looking at how much impact his own particular votes had or whether he was ever personally a tie-breaker.

So, how about you let his constituents decide if he's a good representative?

For that price, it'd better make dinner and do the laundry.

I don't care what party he is in, he must go! Terrible behavior lacking integrity. Sounds like he is hiding his guilt behind a diagnosis of depression/bi-polar. But really he is just a self-centered thief.

Jesse Jackson would destroy his father's legacy like that.

Anyone remember Karin Stanford?

he was caught making that crack about Obama on camera and now I have serious doubts about the son. I wish them well, hope the son gets help but I would prefer if neither one of them continued to be involved in politics. There are many other African Americans in politics serving with distinction, honor and integrity now.

I also suspect that Jackson JR went into Mayo Clinic to get sympathy from the Feds. Or maybe he's addicted to mayo.

Whenever a Republican congressman or woman gets caught doing something really immoral, I can't believe it when the constituents send the loser back to Washington.

But when it's us Democrats doing it, I kind of figure that it's protecting the seat from the Republicans.

In this case, I guess it was better to elect him knowing he's going to resign after the election, and the Democratic Governor can replace him.

I also have seen a lot of evidence aired in the media that he was interested in buying Obama's senate seat. If this is true, he's partly responsible for the seat going red in the last election.

I also think that both son and father should stay out of politics.

There has to be a special election.

I think he may deal with his legal problems and his mental health problems and end up back in politics. He is innocent until proven guilty. And if he is guilty of something, this is Illinois. He would not be the first to make a comeback.

His wife is still someone to be reckoned with in Illinois politics. She is powerful.

Whenever a Republican congressman or woman gets caught doing something really immoral, I can't believe it when the constituents send the loser back to Washington.

But when it's us Democrats doing it, I kind of figure that it's protecting the seat from the Republicans.

In my mind there is only one candidate that can fairly represent the voters in that district.

The previous congressman, Mel Reynolds, did time for screwing around with an underaged girl. Does anyone remember "Did I win the Lotto?"

But there a man, a legend of Illinois politics, who served that district well for many, many years. He has more than a decade in seniority, allowing better service for his constituents.

Time is now for Gus Savage.

Gus Savage now!


GUS SAVAGE FOREVER!!