Special election or not?

A recent survey question was "Let Burris stay or spend $50 Million to replace him for a year?" Thanks to the 27 readers who voted!

Let him stay: 10 (37%)
Blow the $50 Million: 17 (63%)

This poll ran pretty even through the week, with 63% of those voting saying, “Blow the $50 Million"; i.e., hold a special election.

I’m with the 37% who say, “Let him stay.” Not because I think he ought to be there. Not because I think he’s the best choice for an appointee. Not because I think he’ll be able to bring home the pork to Illinois.

Just because I think it isn’t worth $50,000,000 (and I’ll guess that to be a low estimate) to replace him, if indeed he removes himself from the office, which I don’t think he’ll do.

He’ll have these words on his gravestone, “I was the junior Senator from Illinois.”

Notice how he has already dropped off the front page of the papers? Pretty soon people will be saying, “Roland Burris? Who???”

This isn’t a political issue, except for the Republicans who’d like to get their man into the seat and hope he can hang onto it in 2010. Now the estimated cost of a special election appears to be $60,-100,000,000. Pretty soon we’ll be talking about real money. Add to that all the millions that the Senator-wannabees will waste.

How about spending that on Special Education or roads or some other worthwhile programs?