WurfWhile

A year ago last week the Chicago Tribune ran a story about Governor Blagojevich trying to get corporate sponsorships for state assets. Then, Gary Ruskin, head of Commercial Alert, a non-profit that fights the mixing of commercialization and government, said: “Once you start along these lines, where do you stop? When you hang a 50-foot Coke bottle over the state Capitol?” At the time few guessed he would be so prescient, if still limited, in his vision. Political Wire is reporting that Governor Blagojevich is considering selling rights to the Illinois state name to an unnamed beverage company. It cheapens our state, and contributes little to offset our budget woes. He can do better, and he should.