Former Chicago alderman "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak pleaded guilty this morning to participating in a kickback scheme.
Since 1972, 29 current and former Chicago alderman have been sentenced to jail.
How corrupt is Chicago? If the number of Chicago alderman sentenced to prison since 1972 was extrapolated to the US House, it would be as if roughly 250 congressman had gone to jail in the same period. That would be about 7 per year.
How corrupt is Illinois? Since 1960, Illinois has had seven elected governors. Three of them have gone to jail; current Gov. Blagojevich is presently under federal investigation.
Chicago Democrat Barack Obama has run for the presidency as a 'reform' candidate...
Suspension of disbelief these days, it seems, is required.