What if the state capital was Chicago? (Springfield, Joliet: college, live in)

[chet everett]

If any of you folks actually bothered to notice, there are already a disproportionate number of elected state officials and their staff located in Chicago -- Governor Quinn spends more time in Springpatch than Blago did, but his office and staff in the Thompson Center reflect his preference for working closer to where his home is. Ditto for Lisa Madigan, Attorney General,
Alexi Giannoulias, State Treasurer, Dan Hynes, Comptroller, and Jesse White, Secretary of State -- all CHICAGO BASED!

In fact, if Quinn had not left the Lt. Gov office, the whole elected exectice branch would be Chicagoan... Lieutenant Governor of Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Stropes]

Nothing would change. The Capitol building may be in Springfield, but the state is run from Chicago. If you doubt that, sign up for the governor's email press releases and you'll see just how much he's in Chicago.

[Drover]

So many state government offices are already in Chicago that I don't know if it would make that much difference except to the city of Springfield itself.

[coldwine]

Isn't Chicago already the state capitol? Where Chicago goes, Illinois follows. The rest of the state has no choice.

[ed2015]

I am truly tired of this ongoing remote administrative / legislative governance by the few in Springfield. Special interest is continuously manipulating / tyrannizing the masses of Metropolitan Chicago!
Chicago is definitely the natural and logical Capital of the State of Illinois.

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by ed2015

[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]I am truly tired of this ongoing remote administrative / legislativegovernance by the few in [/SIZE][SIZE=5]Springfield[/SIZE][SIZE=5]![/SIZE][SIZE=5] [/SIZE][SIZE=5]Special interest is continuously manipulating/ tyrannizing the masses of Metropolitan Chicago! [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Chicago[/SIZE][SIZE=5] is definitely thenatural and logical Capital of the State of [/SIZE][SIZE=5]Illinois[/SIZE][SIZE=5]! [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Ed[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]

Reading between all the formatting, you've got to be kidding me if you don't think the largest number of representatives in the state government aren't from the Chicago area. Remote legislative governance by the few in Springfield? Cry me a river and take a look at the breakdown of the legislature:

Illinois House of Representatives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Illinois Senate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[linicx]

If one Illinois senator can represent 8 counties why does Cook County deserve special treatment? Surely those duly elected can represent four or five suburbs?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by linicx

If one Illinois senator can represent 8 counties why does Cook County deserve special treatment? Surely those duly elected can represent four or five suburbs?

I gather you're not familiar with how the apportionment process works?

[linicx]

I think if you look closely enough, you will find the special interest groups massage the legislators who do not represent downstate. You would be surprised to learn just how adversely some of the rules that are meant to help residents in Cook County affect the balance of the state that is not densely populated.

The natural and logical location for government is in the center of our large state. I say this from a purely practical view. If you represented Cairo, and lived in Cairo, would you appreciate the beauty of driving 6-7 hours on Interstate routes to work in Chicago? Probably not. This is the same reason a young circuit rider in the 1800s lobbied to move the state capitol to Springfield. His name was Abe Lincoln.

Due to its massive size Cook County is a natural candidate for statehood. And again, the center of it would be a logical location for state government due to distance..

Originally Posted by ed2015

I am truly tired of this ongoing remote administrative / legislative governance by the few in Springfield. Special interest is continuously manipulating / tyrannizing the masses of Metropolitan Chicago!
Chicago is definitely the natural and logical Capital of the State of Illinois.

[aga412]

Chicago should become an "independent city," so it doesn't rule over Cook County (sort of in the same vein as STL, Baltimore, etc.). What would be the new county seat? Arlington Heights? Schaumburg? Oak Park?