Thread: Blago

I'm curious to hear what fellow forum members think. Does Rod Blagojevich deserve a 15-year prison sentence for trying to sell Barack Obama's senate seat back in 2008?

Is it cut-and-dry that he tried to do the crime and now has to serve the penalty? Or do you feel that 15 years is too long for what he actually attempted to do?

I was actually surprised when I heard the sentence was fifteen years. I literally asked myself, "Did I hear that right?"

Breaking down the crime, what did he do? He tried to make some money, ultimately. Of course, you can weigh in the complications of affecting the political system, but in the end he was out to make a quick buck.

Michael Jackson's private doctor received four years in prison for being responsible for the death of another human being. And he's only going to serve, if I'm not mistaken, two years.

Four years for manslaughter, versus fifteen years for selling a seat. Is a senate seat worth four human lives? Interesting calculation.

I think the sentence is a bit harsh, in that context. I consider prison to be there to protect society. You put dangerous people away so they can't hurt the general public. In Blago's case, the same form of punishment can be accomplished by stripping him of all political freedom. You remove him from any office or seat, and ban him from any possibility of ever running or being elected as an official again.

And then, fine him for the amount of money he was prepared to make. If he can't pay it, put him into mandatory community service for a judge-appointed amount of time.

That, in my opinion, is appropriate punishment and reform. Locking him up for nearly two decades seems neither helpful, nor reasonable. At least, to me.

Yes, of course he does. He is a crooked politician who knew exactly what he was doing. They should have done the same with the British MPs who stole from the public.

Well first off, he was sentenced to 14 years, rather than 15. It's OK, Illinois politics is confusing, and I'm pretty sure there are college classes devoted just to the subject. Hell, half the book would be on the Daley political machine.

I'd say yes. Blago tried to sell a Senate seat. You know, part of the government. Someone who would have helped make our laws would have come to it via bribery, pretty much. Now, Illinois has had a LONG history of having questionable politicians (see the Daleys). I think the sentencing was to try and discourage any of the political connivering that is inherent to Illinois. Will it work? Who knows, it's too early to tell yet.

I approve of the sentence.

I don't follow news from the Far Frozen North too closely, and had to read up on the details of what Blagojevich is supposed to have done. I was surprised to learn that political corruption is now illegal in Illinois. Put in the context of what others have done there, it would seem that six hours of community service, with time off for good behaviour, would be about right.