Where there's a Will, there's a way

There are a lot of news articles about the Department of Energy backing off its support for the experimental FutureGen power plant proposed for Mattoon. A lot of criticism is rightly being given to the Department of Energy but this shouldn't be a total surprise after the FutureGen alliance announced a location ahead of schedule without the Department of Energy, after a manipulative selection process that pitted desperate rural communities against each other. There's plenty of blame to go around.

Most of the Illinois Congressional delegation sent a letter to George Bush asking him to renew his support. John Shimkus didn't sign the letter.

When Mattoon was selected as the FutureGen site, Shimkus was quick to take his share of the credit for being a leader among those who made it happen. Will Shimkus now accept his share of the blame for a President of his own party backing away from it?

Shimkus has been George Bush's rubber stamp for seven years, and he claims he broke his term limit pledge at Bush's request. What good does Shimkus' total subservience to Bush do if it doesn't even get him a major federal project he considers to be a top priority for the region? Didn't it buy him any clout at all?

If Shimkus wants to be a real leader he should start promoting an economic future for Southern Illinois independent of the coal industry instead of being the hired hand of George Bush and coal lobbyists.