[ought-six]

“You describe Illinois as a pit (and I agree). What keeps you there? The job?”

Yup. The company I worked for promoted and transferred me up here from Louisiana. I’m 62 this year, so I may be packing it in this year and moving back to Louisiana; in any event, I’ll be out of here in three years. Illinois is an unusual state: Get outside of Chicago and Illinois is a damn fine state (its political junta notwithstanding).

It’s a terrible shame that Chicago determines what happens in the rest of the state. South of I-80 is an entirely different state than north of I-80; and west of Chicago is not that bad at all (except for a couple places). But Chicago totally dominates, and is a cancer in so many ways. Get rid of Chicago and you get rid of the Chicago politicians that domninate state government, and Illinois would be great! Well, except for winter.

[usconservative]

I've been here since escaping IOWA in 1977 when I was 17. Your summary of this state is dead-on accurate.

As soon as my two sons are out of high school, me and the misses are hitting the road for Texas.

[OldPossum]

Thanks for the reply.

It’s interesting that the rest of Illinois is unlike Chicago. I would imagine that most of them would love to separate from that cesspool of a city.

Mrs. OldPossum was born and raised in Chicago. We were last there in 2005 for the settlement of her father’s estate, and I never intend to return to that place. She can if she wants to (still has family there).

She, is glad to be away from that weather; she gauges all winters in comparison to Chicago’s.