Rasmussen is reporting that Rod Blagoevich is up by 11 points. It sounds to me like all those ads did what they were supposed to do, and raised Topinka’s negatives dramatically.

I’m no fan of Rod’s brand of purchasing votes through spending largesse, but I’m convinced that Topinka will be no different than Rod in the art of exploiting Illinois’ special brand of “legalized corruption.”

Further, whoever is Governor in early 2007 will have to decide whether to sign on to the massive tax increase the legislature will pass. (they do what the Teacher’s Unions and other ‘taxeaters’ tell them to do)

For those who know Illinois politics, liberal Republicans are ALWAYS the “go to” people for a taxpayer reaming, and the taxeaters are probably just fine with Topinka.

I’ve commented here (and all over other blogs) that the best thing that Republicans can do is to ignore Topinka and let her lose, but do all they can to make sure that Republicans across the state keep their seats.

Next March, Republicans in the legislature should saddle the Democrats with the tax increase by making sure that not one sinlge Republican votes for one. During that debate Republicans should propose an alternative plan that DRAMATICALLY and PERMANENTLY reduces property taxes in exchange for ANY tax increase.

When the Democrats jam through (over a possible Blago veto, mind you) a bill with an utterly fake “property tax relief” scam, they will have effectively given the Republicans stick with which to beat them in 2008.

I’ll gladly entertain any flaws in this scenario.

…Let’s hope he’s right.

Oh Yeah! Thank you, Peter Fitzgerald!

A taste of what’s to come?

City Hall needs this machine, because it squashes political dissent. It hushes political rivals who’d otherwise squawk about strange deals, like $100 million in affirmative action contracts to the mayor’s white drinking buddies.

But there are no real political rivals. None that dare challenge what’s been going on in Chicago, as the man from The New York Times sits in the Billy Goat, recalling better days.

Those convicted Thursday were Robert Sorich, who ran the mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and his aide, Tim McCarthy. Also, Streets and Sanitation personnel boss Patrick Slattery and John Sullivan, another ranking Streets and San chief. The first three come from Bridgeport’s 11th Ward. Sullivan is from the 19th Ward.

Jurors were adamant in saying they weren’t trying to send a message to Daley. But I asked Olshansky–a private citizen once again–if Daley, Degnan, Reyes, Joyce, Broderick and others may divine any hints of things to come.

Olshansky is an analyst by profession and disposition. He paused a long moment.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Be realistic. Especially after what we saw going on in the trial.”

City Hall, through its mouthpieces, will spin this as a partial victory, or a half defeat. It’s not. They’re all guilty and they’re going to prison.