Remembering Big Jim

He came in with a swagger. Not because he had attitude, but because he had size. Tall. Full figure but not fat. A personality to match. Big. Everything was big about James Thompson, the late four-term governor of Illinois.

A successful attorney, Jim Thompson was a public servant from the old school. He knew from experience that if something needed to be done, it was best done by the person on the spot. Increasingly, that was him. A Republican, he was one of the last ‘aisle crossers’ in recent memory. He knew bi-partisan support was needed to get anything worthwhile done.

He made decisions. He pulled in the data first, understood the problem and its causes, then went to work to ease the problem first, then find a workable solution to put the matter away for good. And yes, he invented solutions.

Over and over again the people of Illinois returned Jim Thompson to the governor’s mansion, a record of four full terms.

During that time, he encountered enormous state problems, notably crumbling and inadequate infrastructure. If the population moved out to the suburbs, he knew society would have to build roads, bridges, stormwater management systems, and public transportation. The price tag was huge. So huge no one wanted to tackle it. But Big Jim did. He came up with Build Illinois and in its time it became a $2.3 bond issue financing deal that truly modernized the state. It is upon that platform that subsequent expansions of the state’s economy and living standards grew.

Jim Thompson also drew in talents from industry, public institutions, universities and a host of leaders. They worked with him as a team. Wondrous things were accomplished. It didn’t matter if you were Republican or Democrat. It was the goal that mattered, goals that served the needs of the state’s people.

Compared with the current malaise, Illinois should be embarrassed. Many governors have ignored statewide problems for political reasons and cowardice. Truth be told, those problems belong to all of us and if we are going to fix them, the solutions must belong to all of us. Ugly or pretty, that truth needs to be lived up to.

We have leadership in the state now that can be mustered into efficient, productive teams. Let’s get both parties to step up and do the right thing. The future of our state and region depends on it. Rather than fighting each other, let’s once again focus on the needs of the people of the state. Let’s get to work for them!

Think Big. Think Big Jim.

Then get down to work.

August 17, 2020