Take a Run for Your Money

Note to those Ops vowing to make good on a promise to renounce their citizenship and move north of the border. It has come to your LakeCountyEye's attention that Wisconsin is not a foreign country. Who knew?

For those who will ride out the next four years in the USA, there is, however, hope. The Penultimate President of the United States, Barack Obama, has a parting message for you:

If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.
Sweet: Obama's goodbye — 'Yes we can. Yes we did.'

Will everyone who heard President Obama's call to action, please step forward? Because David McSweeney has a message for you as well:

Not so fast, there, Kaputnik!

Haha, McSweeney, Lake County's puffed-up State Representative, wants to make it harder for you to run for office -- not easier:

State Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, introduced another House bill this week that would prohibit new legislators elected or appointed after Nov. 6, 2018, from participating in the retirement system.
Lawmaker, officeholder pensions may fade away

Independent authorities agree. Combine Governor Bruce Rauner's attempt to stop payment of legislator salaries with McSweeney's bill to eliminate legislative pensions, then the only people left who could run for State office would be millionaires and billionaires. Like Bruce Rauner and David McSweeney.

A spokesman for former President Obama acknowledged the problem: "Absolutely. And we encourage everyone to grab a clipboard, get some signatures, run for office, and win the lottery!"

Note to Ops: You can't win if you don't play.