Last week I picked up a newspaper and the headline stuck out like the sorest thumb I ever saw. Actually, the thumb wasn’t sore, it was lobbed off. GUILTY!

Of course, I speak of former Gov. George Ryan. But Mr. Ryan is nothing new in Illinois politics. Political corruption has been a cornerstone in this state and many past Illinois politicians have been in jail and have been involved in very dishonest practices.

Members of the College Republicans and Student Association continue the tradition of the dishonest Illinois politician. I am sure most of you are sick of hearing about this topic. However, I promise this is the last time I will bring it up. There are just a few more things I’d like to say before I retire into the sunset.

Corruption grows as politicians learn to use it. Many start small, and as they continue to get away with little things their confidence grows to the point where they think they can get away with anything.

I clearly see this pattern emerging with certain characters in the CR and SA. As I reported before, CR leadership, SA officials and senators have ignored the students, silenced opposition and rigged elections in student organizations just to maintain power. Sounds more like a dictatorship than a student-run government.

Former CR secretary Tony Madsen knows all too well what I’m talking about. Madsen was on my opponent’s side in the rigged CR officers election I described in one of my past columns. He noted he didn’t feel right about rigging the election, but did it because Andrew Nelms, the CR chairman at the time, misled him into believing we were a threat.

Since then, Madsen has discovered first hand the CR’s trickery and deception. He was kicked out of the group and his secretary spot was revoked with no explanation or warning. To the CR, his purpose had been served and he was no longer useful. A first-hand account of Madsen’s story can be read at theniucrs.com.

These actions are truly despicable, but many make it out to be a small, unimportant matter confined to NIU. But what happens if these people become more powerful politicians in Illinois? They will likely continue down the path of power grubbing and easy money.

This is what scares me. Many of the people I am referring to are already becoming involved in local politics. For example, DeKalb County Board member Eric Johnson was once a College Republican chairman and SA Student Trustee. He had a hand in the rigged CR officers election, as well as other shady practices.

According to the Daily Chronicle, he is stepping down due to his activities with Joe Birkett’s lieutenant governor campaign. He recommended the board replace him with Paulette Tolene, the current CR chairwoman and another accomplice who helped rig the election. In addition, Nelms has run unsuccessfully in a few DeKalb elections in the past.

The seeds are sewn and this trend will continue because corruption follows people for life. I hope they never get elected to higher offices unless they break their cycle of dishonesty.

Steve Berg is a visiting assistant professor of political science, who has worked very closely with many city governments over the years, including DeKalb. He told me corruption will never completely go away in government, but it’s the duty of the citizen to try and keep it to a minimum.

“Doing illegal things can be fun and exciting now, but in the long run it hurts the people you are supposed to be serving,” he said. “People deserve honest government.”

We don’t have it here at NIU, but with some pressure we can get an honest government.