Quagmire! Illinois More Unsettled Than Iraq: 'Sinks Deeper Into Chaos Over Scandal'

Just a taste of things to come, apparently, as we usher in the dawning of the Age of Obama. A state that appears to be on the verge of collapse. Guess they'll be lining up for a bailout before long. I can see it now. Bailout: Chicago Machine Edition.

CHICAGO – Illinois plunged deeper into turmoil Friday over disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich as the attorney general asked the state's highest court to strip the governor of his powers, billions of dollars in bills went unpaid and lawmakers moved closer to impeaching the scandal-plagued politician.

But Blagojevich showed no sign of backing down. He took time to pray with ministers at his home and signed a bill that extends insurance coverage for autistic kids, sending a sign to his critics that he's still in charge.

In the midst of it all, the state headed toward an extraordinary constitutional showdown. Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the Supreme Court to declare Blagojevich unfit to serve, likening his corruption scandal to a debilitating illness as she ramped up pressure on the governor to resign. The move seeks to hand power over to the lieutenant governor.

"I recognize that this is an extraordinary request, but these are extraordinary circumstances," Madigan said.

It is the first time in Illinois history that such an action was taken. The attorney general is applying a rule that was intended to cover cases in which a governor is incapacitated for health reasons.

The Democrat is "unable to serve as governor due to disability and should not rightfully continue to hold that office," according to the motion. "His ability to provide effective leadership has been eliminated, and the state government is paralyzed."

The attorney general, also a Democrat, asked the court to strip the governor of his duties until possible impeachment proceedings and his criminal case run their course. If he does not step down and is not impeached or convicted, Blagojevich could go to the court and ask to be reinstated.

The scandal has also begun to impede state business, Madigan said.

Illinois has billions of dollars in unpaid bills, including payments to Medicaid patients, hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes and schools, and the state has approved $1.4 billion in short-term borrowing to keep cash flowing. But before the borrowing takes effect, Madigan said she has to certify that there is not any legal proceeding threatening the ability of the governor to hold his office.

In light of Friday's filing by her office, Madigan said she can't sign that.

"We will not be able to move forward on it until we have a different governor," Comptroller Dan Hynes said.

The state's inability to pay the bills has "a horrible ripple effect," the comptroller said. He said that pharmacies that count on state reimbursements could shut down, and suppliers could stop delivering food to Illinois prisons or letting state troopers buy gasoline. Businesses waiting for the state to pay its bills could lay off workers or simply go bankrupt, Hynes said.

"If our backlog gets worse, people are going to stop providing services," he said.

Thanks to one-party rule, they'll have no Republicans to blame.

Meanwhile, the murder rate is up yet again in the community Obama organized.

Chicago Police released crime statistics for the month of November Friday, showing an overall increase in both violent and property crime. The sharpest increase was in murders -- up 16.8 percent from last year.

Compared to the same period last year, violent crimes -- including murder, robbery and aggravated assault -- increased by 2.6 percent overall, according to a release from News Affairs, citing preliminary statistics.

Other violent crimes, such as criminal sexual assault and aggravated battery decreased, the release said.

The biggest violent crime increase was in murders, up 16.8 percent from November 2007. Guns were used in more than 80 percent of November's murders and almost 50 percent had gang-related motives.

Most of those killed in gang violence, 72 percent, had prior records. Of the killers, 90 percent had prior records. Nearly half of those killed knew their killers.

Hope! Change! Gangland murder!

According to the most currents records, 302 American personnel have been killed in Iraq in 2008.

In the Land of Hopenchange, at last count it's 482.

Some murders occurred a little more than a mile from Obama’s home in the southside neighborhood of Kenwood. The violence has tempered joy over his election, officials said.

“It’s a tragedy that people are dying,” said Jody Weis, 50, Chicago’s police superintendent. “It does mar an otherwise tremendous celebration.”

Obama wasn’t available to comment on the recent upsurge in Chicago murders, said Reid Cherlin, a spokesman for his transition office.

In a speech last year at a Chicago church, Obama called for more police to combat gangs, more after-school programs for vulnerable children, and more attention among parents to the needs of young people.

So far this year, murder has claimed more lives in Chicago than during all of 2007. The total stood at 482 on Dec. 4, up from 443 last year. It’s the most since 2003, when 601 people were murdered. The record was 970 homicides in 1974, said Monique Bond, a Chicago Police Department spokeswoman.

The rate of one homicide for every 5,878 residents compares with one in 11,322 for Los Angeles as of Nov. 29 and one in 17,294 for New York as of Nov. 30, according to U.S. Census Bureau data and local police. Chicago’s population is 2.83 million.

So nice to see the inspiration and leadership Obama and his gang of corrupt Democrats have brought to Chicago.