Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 1:13pm

Worst Governor in the Country

 

 

In a crowded field, Pat Quinn, Democrat Governor of Illinois, can now officially be proclaimed the worst governor in the United States.

He has been vying for the title ever since he took over from impeached and removed Governor Blagojevich, currently bound for a long stay in federal prison.  Since taking over from his felon predecessor, he has the following accomplishments to his discredit:

In a midnight session of  the lame duck legislature in January of this year he increased, in the midst of the worst economic slump since World War II, Illinois personal income taxes by 67-75%, and, as a result, the misgoverned state of Illinois became a national laughingstock.

He rammed through civil unions last year in December in another action of the lame duck legislature.

Quinn  got elected last year by a razor thin margin  largely by under the radar last minute internet ads posted by Personal PAC, a pro-abort lobbying group, headed by a Terry Cosgrove. As payback Quinn appointed Cosgrove to a $46,000 a year job on the Human Rights Commission.  Lake County Right to Life has good coverage on this story which may be read here.  Regular Guy Paul has been on top of the story at his blog here.

Now I happen to know Cosgrove from the days back in the Seventies when we were both attending the U of I. He is a lapsed Catholic, now a militant atheist, homosexual activist and fanatical pro-abort. He was head of the local campus pro-aborts and I was one of the founders of L.I.F.E. (Life Is For Everyone), the campus pro-life group. One time I saw Cosgrove at Mass circa 1980 at the Newman Chapel, at Saint John’s. Puzzled why he was there, after Mass I found out why. At the pamphlet rack in the back I saw that he had stuffed pro-abort obscene anti-Catholic pamphlets. I disposed of them. He also said in one memorable public forum that he carried a gun to defend himself against “militant anti-choicers”, as he phrased pro-lifers.  Quinn appointed him to the Illinois Human Rights Commission in April of this year. That a bigot like Cosgrove now has a seat on the Human Rights Commission in Illinois has a nice Orwellian touch.

Now Quinn has outdone himself and seized the title of worst governor.  As further payback to Cosgrove and his pro-abort pressure group, Quinn is going to attend the annual fund raising dinner for Personal Pac and present an award.  When challenged on this by every Catholic bishop in the State, and Cardinal George,  the ostensibly Catholic Quinn responded that giving the award was the “Christian thing to do.”  (Quinn obviously must have a unique gloss on the statement of Christ, “Suffer the little children…”.)

Go here to read the statement of Cardinal George and the bishops.  Did they excommunicate Quinn?  Nope.  Will this statement bother or inconvenience Quinn in the slightest?  Nope.  Canon Lawyer Edward Peters, at his always worth reading blog In The Light Of The Law, discusses this and is far more charitable than I am inclined to be.  Go here to read his comments.

Seriously, just what would it take for our bishops to excommunicate a pro-abort pol who clearly does not give a flying fig about the Faith?  Would he have to perform an abortion with his own hands on television?  One reason why CINO politicians do these type of things is because they know that there will be no effective action taken against them by the powers that be in the Catholic Church in America.  I am starting a count down now before Quinn is asked to speak at some Catholic college in Illinois, even perhaps receive an award.  I doubt if I will have to count long.

At any rate, I hereby proclaim Patrick Quinn, Governor of the Land of Lincoln, recipient of the title of worst governor of the country.  I know some of our commenters will probably accuse me of Illinois chauvinism, but Quinn has earned this title by his deeds, and I will defend his right to it!

 

0 0 votes
Article Rating
36 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Elaine Krewer
Admin
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 6:26am

A great analysis, Don, and you recognized the payback aspect of the awards ceremony which wasn’t mentioned by the bishops.

Interestingly enough, when Rich Miller of Capitol Fax first got on this story Wednesday he called the Catholic Conference of Illinois for clarification regarding whether or not Quinn was being barred from Communion (Miller is not Catholic). The reply he got was that the bishops were not banning him, but “an individual priest can refuse Quinn Communion.” If that’s the case then maybe the bishops are giving the green light to priests to do just that, or at least letting it be known that they will not object if some priest chooses to do so.

Paul W Primavera
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 7:03am

“In a crowded field, Pat Quinn, Democrat Governor of Illinois, can now officially be proclaimed the worst governor in the United States.”

I don’t know about that. He’s got some tough competition from Governor Andy Cuomo. The Bishops must publicly excommunicate politicians like Quinn and Cuomo. The precedence of how St. Paul dealt with Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1st Timothy 1:19-20 rings loudly and clearly.

Joe Green
Joe Green
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 7:14am

Given the rogues gallery of Illinois governors, Don, does any of this surprise you?

Joe Green
Joe Green
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 7:15am

BTW, Don, there are a lot of unionistas north of you border who would love to trade Walker for Quinn.

Clinton
Clinton
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 11:10am

I wonder if the bishops of Illinois would actually stand behind any priests that denied
Holy Communion to the Governor. If the press turned too ugly, it would be awfully
tempting for them to leave the priest twisting in the wind. If they truly were committed
to standing behind their men, wouldn’t they say so publicly?

I’m glad that all of the bishops of the state have come together to protest the Governor’s
actions. However, I cannot help but think that this protest is just the least bothersome
thing the bishops can do and still show their faces in public. Actually addressing the
continuing public scandal of pro-abortion CINO politicians seems to be more of an
inconvenience than the bishops of this country are willing to take on.

It amazes me that in the 40 years since Roe v. Wade the bishops have yet to come up
with a coherent, well-articulated and unified response to the ongoing scandal of these
cynical, pro-abortion CINO politicians. I can only conclude that it is because it is not
really a priority for them.

bill bannon
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 11:42am

The oddity is that uneducated Catholic teenage girls in Rio and Bogota and Uganda who have abortions are excommunicated latae sentenciae and don’t know it. And a pro gay, pro abortion educated Catholic pol in an enabling position can’t get excommunicated by Pope or Bishops….no matter how hard he tries. Could it be time for Benedict to meet with a management consultancy
firm? I often think that there is a standing memo in the Vatican for Popes to punish no one….because such active ruling would make the mass movements of Protestants back to the Church less likely (e.g. Anclicans). if so, it’s a mistake ala Paul’s example noted by Paul above.

trackback
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 12:02pm

[…] Worst Governor in America – Donald R. McClarey, The American Catholic […]

Jay Anderson
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 12:18pm

“… a pro gay, pro abortion educated Catholic pol in an enabling position can’t get excommunicated by Pope or Bishops….no matter how hard he tries… I often think that there is a standing memo in the Vatican for Popes to punish no one….”

Punish no one … except the orthodox faithful when they get too uppity about calling Bishops on the carpet for failing to enforce the teachings of the Church. Then they get called names by our bishops and are told that they are “divisive” or “Judgmental” or “uncharitable” or “sinful” and are accused of doing “irreparable damage to the communion of the Church”. Or they get railroaded off of Catholic radio programs.

As I once wrote in the context of the bishops’ backlash against faithful Catholics in the wake (no pun intended) of the Ted Kennedy funeral/canonization:

I wonder if our shepherds REALLY believe about abortion what they proclaim to be the Church’s teaching on the matter. I know that pro-lifers have taken them at their word, and have sacrificed their time, treasure, talent, and reputations – and even, in some cases, voting against our own economic best interests – to work on behalf of the unborn.

And, for that, pro-lifers have been rewarded with scorn. I expect as much from the mainstream media, from the Democrat Party, and even from the Republican Party, which takes the pro-life movement for granted, pretty much only paying attention to our concerns during election years.

But from our Bishops? Again, why do we even bother?

Clinton
Clinton
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 1:53pm

I don’t believe it is the Pope’s job to micromanage one billion Catholics and thousands
of bishops. The scandal of the bishops’ avoidance of concrete action regarding these
pro-abortion CINO politicians is no one’s fault but the bishops’. They are squandering
their moral authority and credibility by refusing to take any sort of meaningful action.

As Mr. McClarey said in his post above, Gov. Quinn is not in the least inconvenienced by
this latest episcopal tut-tutting. In fact, it enhances his credentials in the rabidly pro-
abortion Democrat party. If it were determined that Gov. Quinn should be barred the
Sacraments until he repents and does penance, at least the faithful would be spared
his scandal, the pro-life laity would be encouraged, and the bishops would be seen to
take their obligations as shepherds seriously and the erosion of their credibility would
cease.

Paul W Primavera
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 2:15pm

“If it were determined that Gov. Quinn should be barred the Sacraments until he repents and does penance, at least the faithful would be spared his scandal, the pro-life laity would be encouraged, and the bishops would be seen to take their obligations as shepherds seriously and the erosion of their credibility would cease.”

That’s the whole point. There is so much Scriptural precedence for this. Ananias and Sapphira were dropped dead on the spot in Acts 5:1-11. The man living with his father’s wife in 1st Corinthians 5 was kicked out till he repented in 2nd Corinthians 2:5-11. Hymenaeus and Alexander were turned over to Satan in 1st Timothy 1:19-20 to be taught not to blaspheme. And Jezebel in Revelation 2:20-23 was told that she’d be put on a sick bed and her children killed for teaching people at the Church in Thyatira to commit adultery and eat meat sacrificed to idols.

But most of today’s bishops in these United States don’t really BELIEVE in the power of God, so they don’t really take Scripture seriously (nor for that matter the 2000 years of Tradition in the Church or the teaching of the Magisterium unless it’s something about promoting social justice). There are exceptions here and there. But until the Bishops as a whole throw Andy Cuomo, Patrick Quinn, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Patrick Leahy, Dennis Kucinich, Kathleen Sebelius and all the rest out of the Church publicly, all their protestations are smoke in the wind which dissipates quickly as things return to “normal.” And furthermore, if the bishops do NOT kick these apostates out, then God will prune His Church exactly as described in Romans 11. The branches that don’t produce fruit will be cut off to make way for those who do. God’s will will be done no matter what, either with the bishops cooperating with God’s justice or with the bishops finding themselves pruned off because they wouldn’t cooperate God’s justice. And yes, God’s justice is His love – justice had to be dumped on the head of that man in the Church at Corinth before he stopped his sexual perversion and that was LOVE. Being nice ain’t love at all (“oh, you must really love your Dad if you’re taking care of his wife that way! – St. Paul had a virtual conniption fit about that excuse); it’s only confirming the person in sin so that his slide into hell can be all greased up. Bishops who do that would do well to remember Ezekiel 34:1-10.

Lord deliver us from liberal weak-kneed, yellow bellied, cowardly, effeminate clerics!

bill bannon
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 3:07pm

Clinton
If a Pope has time to write three scholarly books in 6 years, I think he has time to do a tad bit of micro managing on this issue after decades of Bishop indecision on pols…an issue, abortion, which is now clearly infallibly condemned in section 62 of Evangelium Vitae so as to pass muster in Church courts under canon 749-3. Few moral issues actually have that clearly manifest infallibilty.
Canon law (331) talks of his power thus:
“By virtue of his office he possesses supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely.”

Is it easy emotionally to use that power in a phone call to a Bishop and then ask him to call you back in two weeks with what he did on the problem? I’ll bet not. I wish he’d call the Jesuit head about Georgetown and tell them to stop the lavender graduations for the glbt group there.
But as I say…I wonder if they think Protestants will never return if Popes use that power…but will return if Popes never micro manage. If so, it’s a mistake.

Paul W. Primavera
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 4:52pm

Bill,

How much would the Pope know about the details of these issues? Otherwise, I am inclined to agree with you. I find it fascinating and dismay that – for example – hundred of Irish clerics can defy the Church over married priesthood, contraceptives, etc. This is happening most everywhere because the problem was never nipped in the bud when it first appeared.

bill bannon
Friday, November 4, AD 2011 9:34pm

Paul
I’m sure at the CDF Benedict got thousands of letters on the pro choice pols in the US for years ever since Cuomo and Ferraro. On other moral issues, there is not the crystal clear infallibility that abortion now has.
Read canon 749-3. Abortion and euthanasia now pass that manifest clarity test.

Clinton
Clinton
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 12:24am

Mr. Primavera, you list several examples of corrections administered in scripture. I
would also like to mention the chastisement St. Ambrose administered to a political
figure of his day. Around 390 AD there was an uprising in a city in Thessalonica.
Several Roman officers were killed and the Christian emperor Theodosius ordered
reprisals. During a festival held in the city Roman soldiers sealed the exits of the
amphitheater and slaughtered the 7000 men, women, and children inside.

News of the massacre soon reached Milan, St. Ambrose’s diocese and the current
residence of the emperor. When the emperor attempted to enter the cathedral to
attend Mass, St. Ambrose barred him at the door and forbade him to enter any
church until he both repented taking innocent lives and did public penance. Mind
you, St. Ambrose was facing down a powerful man who had killed 7000 people just
to make a point. As it was, the emperor did repent and did his penance.

About 1300 years after St. Ambrose’s confrontation with the emperor, Peter Paul
Reubens depicted the scene in a magnificent painting that now hangs in Britain’s
National Gallery. Somehow I doubt that 1300 years hence any artists will be
commemorating our bishops’ feeble handwringing in response to the scandal of
all these cynical pro-abortion CINO politicians we’re saddled with.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 6:53am

Well said, Mac!

Bell, book, and candle: the rite of excommunication concluded with the offer to the reprobate to burst the fetters of the demon, to do penance and to satisfy the (Teachings of the) Church so as to return to a state of grace.

The theological virtues are Faith, Hope and Love. The greatest of these is Love. I think St. Paul.

Is it Charity to do nothing as a sinner hurdles headlong down the express lanes of the road to perdition?

Elizabeth McClintic
Elizabeth McClintic
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 7:53am

I wonder what a man like this thinks when he looks at the Body of our Lord in Communion. Does he think it is truly the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus contained in a common piece of bread. If this is true, why is it a stretch for him to believe a unique human being is contained in any stage after conception in the womb of it’s mother?

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Paul W. Primavera
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 8:32am

Thank you, Donald and Clinton. I would remind Clinton, however, that if it weren’t for the ascendency of godless liberalism, there would be no CINO’s (Conservatives in Name Only).

Sancte Ambrosie, Ora pro nobis!

Paul Primavera
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 8:43am

Opps, it occurred to me as I was just cleaning the bathroom (how appropriate!) that CINO is likely an acronym for “Catholic In name Only” or “Christian In Name Only” vice “Conservative In Name Only”. I apologize for the error (CINOs exist with regard to political persuasion) and will now return to cleaning the toilet bowl and kitter litter as I contemplate the acronym “CINO.”

😉

Clinton
Clinton
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 9:55am

Mr. Primavera, the fault is all mine. Looking back at my comment, I realize that I
never made it clear that my use of the CINO acronym stood for “Catholic in Name
Only”. In that context, cat boxes and toilet bowls are most appropriate.

Elaine Krewer
Admin
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 10:21am

For those of you not familiar with recent Illinois political history, Quinn is regarded by many as a prime example of someone who has become exactly the kind of person he used to despise.

Early in his career he was often described as a populist “gadfly”. In the late 70s, after legislators outraged the public by voting themselves a substantial pay raise, Quinn led a successful drive to reduce the number of Illinois House members by 1/3. He also helped establish a consumer watchdog body called the Citizens Utility Board. He was also known for NOT living high off the hog as many politicians do — he drives older vehicles, stays in Super 8 motels on his own dime when traveling, etc.

Today, however, he’s wiped out almost all of the populist/reformer cred he once had. One of the more interesting “Questions of the Day” that Rich Miller sometimes posts on his blog is “What would the young Pat Quinn say if he met his current self?” If he’s lapsed that far from his former political ideals it should come as no surprise that he’s lapsed even farther from the ideals of his faith, such as it is.

Hank
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 1:16pm

Don

A prediction please, what will come first:

The state of Illinois will have honest politicians we can be proud of?

The Cubs will become a consistent championship team?

A cow will jump over the moon?

The Second Coming?

—————————–

Even by Democratic Party standards Quinn has always been a gadfly. A popular gadfly which is why he ended up in the do nothing job of Lieutenant Governor. Perhaps an honest one he actually believes the democratic parry line which I suspect he thinks has more truth than the Church. A real crook might realize when he hit the point of diminishing personal financial returns, Quinn will just keep on pushing. He has failed to live up to even my low expectations.

Hank’s Eclectic Meanderings

Gabriel Austin
Gabriel Austin
Saturday, November 5, AD 2011 3:08pm

Why is it that so many expect our bishops to grow backbones and stand up to the current corrupt world? If you read that the USCCB [through its bureaucrats] has taken a position, you will know from experience that the bishops have passed the buck. The USCCB has no authority. It is each bishop in his diocese who has authority. It seems that they are horrified at this thought, and would rather spend their time abusing the sheep who complain.
Alas that they are so little believers in Our Lord that they believe not what awaits those who neglect their sheep.

trackback
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 7:38am

[…] can be considered a companion piece to my worst governor post which may be read here.  The video below  is selections from a speech by author Joel Kotkin to the Illinois Policy […]

Bob
Bob
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 2:44pm

Why do Catholics in Illinois continue to vote for politicians who espouse the liberal/progressive (anti-Catholic teaching) social agenda? Maybe it is a matter of leadership. Read this article.
http://www.hprweb.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:party-politics-and-the-priesthood&catid=35:older-articles&Itemid=54

RH
RH
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 2:49pm

We need greater catechesis among our young people.

Elaine Krewer
Admin
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 3:28pm

“Why do Catholics in Illinois continue to vote for politicians who espouse the liberal/progressive (anti-Catholic teaching) social agenda? ”

It would be more accurate to say “Why do Catholics IN CHICAGO AND THE SUBURBS continue to vote for politicians…” Quinn didn’t get all that many Catholic votes, or all that many votes period, outside of the Chicago metro area. He lost in 98 of Illinois’ 102 counties — but the 3 that he won included Cook County, which due to its population, trumps almost all the others. The same problem is evident in other states such as New York and California that are dominated by 1 or 2 major cities.

Clinton
Clinton
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 6:03pm

I’d like to refer everyone to Dr. Edward Peters’ column on the issue of the bishops’
response to Gov. Quinn and politicians of his ilk. The link Canon Law by Dr. Ed
Peters
can be found to the right, just below The American Catholic’s
archives. Dr. Peters, of course, is an expert on canon law and was recently invited
to advise the Apostolic Signatura, one of only six such invitees and the only layman
so invited. I’d heed what he has to say on the matter.

Art Deco
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 7:27pm

Quinn didn’t get all that many Catholic votes, or all that many votes period, outside of the Chicago metro area. He lost in 98 of Illinois’ 102 counties — but the 3 that he won included Cook County, which due to its population, trumps almost all the others.

I think you are generally right about that. Illinois shares with New York, Massachusetts, and several other states the unfortunate property of being assemblages of incongruous components with some functioning as tributaries to the main.

Quinn is regarded by many as a prime example of someone who has become exactly the kind of person he used to despise.

Funny about George Ryan, too. He was a reasonably capable businessman from Downstate Illinois and ended up puking money into the school systems, embarking on public works bonanzas, and running a one-man crime wave. He even corrupted his daughters in the process.

Paul Primavera
Sunday, November 6, AD 2011 8:17pm

The people deserve the government they get. And boy oh boy, with the likes of Quinn in Illinois, Cuomo in NY, Perdue in NC, Brown in CA, etc., we are going to get what we deserve.

🙁

Pro dolorosa Eius passione, miserere nobis et totius mundi!

Discover more from The American Catholic

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Scroll to Top