Senator Noland strikes again!

Of the plethora of politicians that regularly grace those hallowed Kane County hallways, none have provided the kind of entertainment bang for buck that Elgin State Senator Mike Noland has.
Sorry Senator Oberweis! Despite a truly amazing and consistent track record, you come in a distant second here because you’ve actually made legislative headway and you’re far too predictable. Ah, but when it comes to Senator Mike, it’s just like the proverbial box of political chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna git.
We won’t go into all of the Senator’s past peccadilloes because they’ve already been thoroughly covered and it would be disingenuous for me to go back there again.

Suffice it to say, until this most recent incident, Senator Noland has never enjoyed such a lengthy bout of good behavior. Personally, I didn’t think he had it in him. Perhaps going face to face against primary challenger Tim Elenz in 2012 put the fear of God into him.
But since all good things must come to and end, my favorite State Senator just made his notoriety comeback by casting the only “no” vote in Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s quest for a fifth term as Democratic State Chairman.
Noland told reporters he embarked upon this political kamikaze mission “respectfully” because he and the Chairman were mired in a “disagreement” that wasn’t “personal.” And I’m sure the Senator has nothing to fear. House Speaker Madigan has always been known for his amicable bearing and forgiving nature.
When pressed to declare exactly what the dispute was, Noland declined to define his position.  But that won’t stop me from elaborating on it
But before we go there, you all know I’m no fan of Mike Madigan, but if the raison de etre of a state party chairman is to get his compatriots elected, then to quote the great Carly Simon, “nobody does it better” than hizzoner.
(And, by theway, for the record, he’s also the individual she was crooning about in “You’re So Vain.”)
So despite the plethora of political improprieties that lie squarely at the Speaker’s feet, his record of running the Illinois Democratic Party ain’t one of ’em because you can’t argue with those results.
Were I a State Senator unhappy with the Speaker, I might start out by mentioning that, in using his massive influence to funnel business to his property tax fighting law firm, Michael Madigan has unjustly enriched himself at the expense of Illinois taxpayers.
But no! Noland has to make some sort of silly symbolic gesture because of a small spat which goes back to former Elgin city councilperson Anna Moeller being appointed to take over for indicted State Rep Keith Farnham.
You see, Senator Mike was heavily lobbying for Elgin County Board Member Cristina Castro to fill those shoes and, apparently, he believes Darth Madigan had something to do with the final result.
And while I’m sure the Speaker added his ample two cents, he’s generally got better things to do than wade into a local turf skirmish – like continue his determined and single-handed effort to drive the State directly into default, for example.
Now, before we adjourn, please, please, please don’t hold the Senator’s support of Cristina Castro against her because that would be eminently unfair. If she can manage to get along with him, the she can get along with anyone which bodes well for her future. Like that oft referred to busted clock, even Mike Noland has to be right at least twice per day.
I suppose we’ll see just how long the Speaker’s memory is around mid 2015. Call me crazy, but I’m thinking Tim might have a wee bit more party support if he runs again.
Meanwhile, why are those famous Pet Shop Boys lyrics going through my head? The ones that go, “Cause you were never being boring.”