Illinois political boss Michael Madigan, Speaker of the House in the state legislature, pushed through preliminary approval of a hundred million dollars in state funding for a Barack Obama presidential library to be located in Chicago, something Mayor Rahm Emanuel also supported. But it turns out that the state’s voters are not quite as interested in showering their hard earned tax dollars on a monument to The One.

Erin Carlson of NBC Chicago reports:

A new poll from Capitol Fax's Rich Miller reveals that a whopping 67 percent of prospective voters here in Illinois oppose the Michael Madigan-sponsored plan to earmark $100 million for Barack Obama's presidential library and museum.

Results showed that just 29 percent of likely voters approve of the state-financing proposal, which Illinois House Speaker Madigan successfully pushed last month amid vocal opposition from Republicans and just about everyone who thinks that offering nine figures as bait to attract the library here is perhaps not such a great idea given how strapped for cash we are. (snip)

Broken down demographically, 48 percent of Chicago poll-takers support using state money to fund the library while 43 percent disapprove; African-Americans also endorse the plan, by a tiny margin of 45-44 percent.

Democrats, who are growing tired of Madigan in general, opposed his bill 48-44. Other demos echoed that disapproval, including 68 percent of women, 66 percent of men, 74 percent of Latinos and whites, 77 percent of downstate-dwellers and -- shocker -- 80 percent of Republicans, according to Miller's poll.

All groups agreed that Illinois can't afford to shell out that much money to claim the library.

Obama will have no problem at all raising private money for the monument to his ego facility. Heck, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates can supply enough money to gold plate it.