Friday, October 19, 2007
News / Clout City In or out, Mr. Congressman?
Posted by Mick Dumke on 10.19.07 at 06:12 PM
Dear Congressman Jackson:
Your commentary in Wednesday’s Tribune, detailing some of the Daley administration’s taxpayer-funded corruption and waste, was a provocative and desperately needed counterpoint to the mayor’s claim that we need to swallow nearly $300 million in new taxes to “keep Chicago moving forward.”
It also ticked a lot of people off.
Frankly, my first reaction to the piece was relief. Finally, I thought, someone of prominence is stepping forward to try to challenge Mayor Daley on his management of city finances and resources.
Then I became frustrated, because I realized again that this challenge came a year too late.
I’ve since talked to quite a few people who were downright pissed and called you a few choice names, most of them questioning your testicular virility, as Gov. Blagojevich once put it. (They obviously haven’t seen the pictures of you practicing your various martial arts.)
In your Trib piece, you repeatedly referred to a period in 2006 when you were “exploring” a run for mayor. It's clear that much of the criticism you laid out in this piece is based on research and preliminary campaign work you and your team did when you were acting like a Daley opponent for a few months there. Though some of your claims—your numbers—appear to be exaggerated by a few million bucks here or there, your central point deserves serious examination: We need to seriously review, if not revolutionize, the way this city is run.
It’s just too bad you didn’t have enough commitment to this idea to step up and run your own campaign for mayor.
Look, don’t get too full of yourself: I’m not saying people see you as a savior. I’m not denying that lots of people can’t stand you simply because you have the name Jesse Jackson. I'm not saying you or anyone could get into position to beat Daley in an election.
But I do think that there’s a pretty good chance that if you stopped waffling and started to consistently show that you’re in this fight, you’d win a lot of respect and support. People might even decide they like you a little.
I’ve had the chance to talk with you one-on-one quite a few times now. At first I thought you were a blowhard and a really good actor, someone who’s just smart and experienced enough to know how to sweet-talk progressives.
I’m still not sure that isn’t true, but I’ve also seen the way you took the time to listen to the line of well-wishing nut cases, elderly women, hardened union guys, and people who claimed to have marched 30 years ago with your dad—all while you were trying to eat a little breakfast before speaking at a rally. I’ve seen how you can get a crowd energized—not just for the guy they already plan to vote for, but for the idea that they’re part of a movement for social change. And I’ve also seen how you can get people on board and then turn around and walk away.
Personally, as a reporter and a citizen, I don’t care if you’re just a skilled, shrewd politician. Some people are fans of Mayor Daley and his flower gardens, some aren’t, but what seems obvious is that for the city to continue to function, its policy decisions have to come about through serious, well-informed debate. While the City Council has more reform-minded members than it's had in years, aldermen are still primarily consumed with delivering services to their wards. The council will almost never position itself against the man they depend on to do that.
I’m not sure anyone but a skilled, shrewd, aggressive, and—to be blunt—extremely self-confident politician can face off with Daley and his political operation.
Shortly before you pulled the plug on your mayoral bid last fall, you asked me, in so many words, why you should make yourself a sacrificial lamb. If other progressives wouldn’t back you or even join you on a citywide ticket, you said there was no point in even trying. “I’ve got to have somebody with me!” you said in a near shout. “It’s the only way it can be done!”
Actually, it’s not the only way it can be done. Look, you have an important job already as a U.S. congressman. I for one wouldn’t fault you if, like most of our congressional delegation, you decided to keep your mouth shut about local politics and simply tried to get a few things done in Washington.
But you seem to feel called to weigh in on the ugly stuff that happens around here. I don’t see how that’s anything but good for the city—if you’re going to stand behind your occasional words. You didn’t run for mayor because your polling numbers weren’t promising? Well, maybe people want to see if you’re interested in doing more than talking. If you’re going to surface every six months or every year to blast the mayor, then disappear while others are left here to wage the fight, your poll numbers are going to keep going down. And they should.
If, on the other hand, you take the risk of alienating a few machine Democrats, if you consistently offer an alternative to the rule-by-decree approach of Mayor Daley, if you show people that you care about more than getting your name in the papers once in awhile, if you get into this to make the city better and not just see if you can run a sure-thing campaign—well, in that case, you might be able to accomplish something.
And your poll numbers might get better, too.
Thanks for your time,
Mick Dumke
Comments (114)
Showing 1-50 of 114
At a recent 7th Ward community meeting Jr. told the crowd there to stop calling his wife for services, you are worrying her to death. Call 3-1-1. They also set up a table at the end of the meetings where they sign autographs. BTW, regarding her promise to enroll her kids in school here in Chicago, she has already broken that one. She still cannot identify where Crandon or Luella is in the ward she supposedly lives in. Fake hair, fake boobs, fake nose, fake nails, everything about her is fake.
like
dislike
Thank you, Mick, for this excellent example of why personality politics is doomed to be an effective means by which those corruption-oriented individuals will continue to dominate, control and manipulate the electorate. THIS is why every citizen should consider, understand and embrace the concept of using one's vote to deny reelection to incumbent, machine hacks, and to deny election to machine-backed machine hacks, whether Democrats or Republicans. The voting citizen, which SHOULD be EVERY CITIZEN of voting age, must temporarily reconsider the traditional voter perspective of voting FOR a given candidate, and realize that, to begin to clean our political/governmental houses, we must all focus on removing those currently holding our public offices hostage. The voters should be thinking that the incumbents must PROVE themselves worthy of being reelected, rather than thinking that challengers must prove themselves worthy of being elected. Get rid of the crooks you already KNOW are crooks, and worry about what the newly elected might do afterwards. Flush the political toilet and start with a fresh bowl. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT
"Fake hair, fake boobs, fake nose, fake nails, everything about her is fake." Anything is better than the royally arrogant Beavers family.
It's not much better than the royally arrogant Beavers family to replace them with the royally arrogant Jackson family. Where is Alderman Jackson demanding that there be some accountability for the police who have beat up defenseless bartenders, put bar patrons in the hospital, been convicted of probing a man's ass with a screw driver, used torture under Commander Burge to include the use of electrodes attached to peoples testicles...? Where are her ideas of cutting cost, or improving services to her constituents? Where are her ideas on tax alternatives or the documented TIF abuse? These people aren't going to speak truth to power. They are the power, and they provide cover for one another. I hate to admit it, but I am beginning to sign on with the idea of voting all these assholes out. Only then will we clean house of fuckups like Orion and the like who are feeding at the trough of public tax dollars and seem to have little to do other than blog all day (he is all over the tribune blogs as well). Congressman Jackson is no savior; he is only part of the problem with those in politics today. Born or married into the right family with no leadership or demonstrated shared sacrifice at a time when our nation needs selfless service and leadership the most. And no one dares to actually register to vote, run against these assholes, or even show up at the few public forums to express their outrage as they take more and more of our hard earned dollars to fund a failing educational system, public transit system, out of control police, bloated bureaucracy with patronage running rampant, failing health care system, handing over millions to private developers... We are all a bunch of suckers for allowing this to continue. Bring on the casino, there's an solution to all our problems...if you think the hired truck scandal was fun to follow, just wait till we let the mob run a publicly owned gambling facility.
Congressman jackson jr's time has come and gone. He was in a perfect situation to win, but his true colors came out. Not Black or white. He was yellow! The next candidate for Mayor in 2011 will not be Congressman Jackson jr. He is more out of touch than King Richie! After he wrote his letter to the Zell-Out Tribune, most people had the same reaction as you Mick. He's old news!
"I hate to admit it, but I am beginning to sign on with the idea of voting all these assholes out." No need to hate, my friend, just be firm in your understanding of the essentials. 1) Our elected public servants, and the works we elect them to do, are solely to SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD. Period. Their jobs exist for no other purpose than that. We pay them to do nothing other than to serve our collective interests. That they have failed to do so is the essential reason for promoting the HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT strategy. 2) For elected public officials to ever actually serve the public that has entrusted them to do so, that has empowered them, authorized them and enabled them, said elected public servants much be held accountable for the results of their actions. Since these political machine enterprises have so thoroughly infested and corrupted our city, county and state governments, the obvious reaction that the electorate should have is, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, to FIRE THEM ALL. 3) The HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT strategy will accomplish this, with mathematical efficiency. 4) Furthermore, every citizen who has, heretofore, refrained from seeking public office should take this opportunity to do so now, as, should this strategy be applied by enough voters, especially in a primary election, a wealth of candidates, for any given office, will provide a real chance of ANYONE getting elected, without the need for the prohibitory amount of funding typically needed by a candidate for advertising, campaigning, etc. 5) To eliminate a hack incumbent from reaching the general election is the first step in removing the many incestuous individuals infesting our governments. 6) To enable the common citizen to compete with these 'professional' politicians, aka professional liars, manipulators, cheaters, thieves and rascals, is what each and every citizen/voter should be focusing on. 7) It is time for some 'tough love' to be visited on the heads of the many exploiters of the public's trust. No need to hate anything or anyone. Just love them out of office.
frank does have a beef with junior.junior would do better ,by running his wife. SANDA FOR MAYOR. JESSE SENIOR IS A GOOD FRIEND OF BUSH,AND CLINTON CIA
To RE: Points taken. I'm not excited about Sandi Jackson - just happy she handed Bill and Darcel Beavers their "Big Nuts". In 2011 I hope she loses and the 7th gets better representation than the Beavers and Jacksons.
Hey Orion - There is nothing fake about you, you’re just a dick. A cowardly, yellow dick who hides behind an anonymous alias, antagonizes those seeking honest government, and fans the flames of the growing disgust toward our elected officials and the bureaucracy that doesn't understand what exactly a public servant is. You're just a disgraceful dick.
And you cannot read simple instructions on how to get on the ballot. What does that make you, besides a fool that our attorneys will toss off of the ballot every election. Face it you people - WE CONTROL THIS SHIT ! Yes, every now and then we let a "reformer" win one or two (just for the pleasure of subsequently co-opting them - Hi Helen Shiller), and every now and then we will serve up a useful idiot like Coconutty as an example or even a moderate higher up like Sorich, just to let the Feds and the papers get a little glory, but at the end of the day, WE ARE IN CONTROL. As Bobby Knight said to Connie Chung in an interview :"I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it." You folks just need to start enjoying it because it is going to go on and on and on.....
We?? You fetch coffee for your precinct captain and maybe shook Daley's hand in a receiving line before his bodyguards spotted the lust in your eyes and ran you off. You are a tiny pawn with zero control over the game. When you return to your mundane paper-shuffling city government job Monday move your fat ass and do some real work for the taxpayers. I realize work is anathema to Daley patronage clowns but give it a shot.
Coconate was sent to JJJr. on behalf of a powerful group of political insiders, movers and shakers. Frank tried shaking down JJJr. for money, Jackson dropped his ass like a bad habit, and Coconate back-stabbed him. (Illegally taping a conversation) The ties have been reestablished and Coconate was kicked to the curb. JJJr. is back in the game, but smarter and more cautious. Coconate lost this round again, just like his job.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I won't be fooled again. I know that I have nothing to be ashamed of. I have put my life on the line to defend our democratic system, only to have those in power cowardly hide behind a technicality to prevent empowering the taxpayers from having a say in who represents them. You're still a cowardly dick feeding at the trough of taxpayers, and I will always have the last laugh because I don't depend on a patron protecting my job and will always live better than you, beside the fact I live up to and will fight for the principles I hold dear, which is much more than most of our current elected representatives can say. I don't fear a debate or competition from any political opponent because I know (and I think the cowards currently controlling the machine do as well) that if given the choice between a decorated soldier who has given years of selfless service and always spoken truth to power, and what ever political hack you put me up against, the majority of voters would choose me any day of the week and twice on Sunday. You keep thinking you prevent me or any other honest citizen from reclaiming our governments. It’s nice to live in denial. Have a good day dick.
Jesse James Jackson Jr has NO support in the Hispanic/Latino community. Jackson Jr has done nothing but play divide and conquer Hispanics when he is not ignoring them. Jackson is just as racist as Daley, just a different color.
I listened to that tape recorded conversation that Frank Coconate has of Jesse Jackson Jr. Jackson Jr is swearing, making racist statements, admitting he lied and backstabbed people and generally acting like a loud mouthed spoiled brat racist foul mouthed little politician. He uses racist statements against Italian Americans. If the reverse was true and Senator DeLeo called someone a n-word or an eggplant the papers would be all over it. Imus was kicked off radio for less. Yet there is a double standard for Jackson or his racist words haven't really hit the media yet. Words can come back and haunt later. Jackson Sr had his hymietown momement. Jackson Jr will have a hard time winning outside his district alienating Catholic and ethnic voters especially but not limited to Italians. (Jackson is also caught on tape talking about Catholics, Bishops, Police, State's Attorneys and Child abuse)
Actually it exists in the ears of NBC people who heard it, FOX News people and others. And Jackson knows about it. It was on TV fool
Maybe Mick should do a story on Jesse Jackson Jr.'s Nigerian drug dealing connection. Or maybe Jesse Jackson Sr.'s connections with the El Rukns.
To be a Daley Gangsta: Do you remember the one kid in the hood, that would tease the dog that was chained up. The dog would come running to bite him , but the slack in the chain would tighten and choke the dog. The kid would walk away laughing. That kid was Richie Daley/Jackson Jr and Oreo.
Making a tape of a personal conversation? White Trash. Coconate's name is crap in elite political circle. Coconate will always watch from the outside. Pick up your bad checks at Jewel, Fool.
My problems with Jackson Jr started when he would not support Frank Avila Jr for MWRD, even after Frank Jr gave him $25,000.00 for the "picture" with jackson Jr, and Jr's stupid poll. To Insider, I dropped Jackson because he made a deal with John Daley not run to run for Mayor in 2007. The Deal with the Daley's was brokered by Jackson's Father. Soon you will see what was dealt... Mark my words insider, Jackson Jr's window of opportunity is closed when it comes for him as the next Mayor of Chicago. For the record . At that Harry Cary meeting he: called whites"lemon heads" ,Italians " scoon-geelie heads", and the AA leadership ripe for pickin. He told me to back off Daley for now, unless you never want to work in this town. So insider, thats the real story. If you want more on Jackson jr, someone should ask Phil hays of CBS2, about the meeting at Volare Restuarant.
Elite Political Circle? Do you mean the Devils Triangle? Democracy is dead in this town, with Daley and his Irish Outfit.
Somebody suggested BILL WALLS AND DOROTHY BROWN were installed by jerry joyce to run for Mayor to make DALEY look invincible and scare the hell out of everybody. DALEY IS A PAPER TIGER. CHECKOUT THE PHOTO OF DALEY being arrested and handcuffed in chicagoclout.
So simple. So effective. So easy. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT Just do it.
I appreciate the service orion is rendering the public, as his comments ALWAYS stimulate the appropriate reaction from same. If only mayor mumbles would be so frank and forthcoming in expressing the attitudes of orion, which are the common ones shared by many members of the machine. Thanks, orion, you are a proud example of your peer group.
Stone will lose his shakman claim but its easy to see that even the so called reformers like Frichey aren't any better than the machine they support. http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/theworks/071018/
See this video for a good laugh http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7438447024847100504 Also visit Chicago Clout for a discussion about Prostitution in the 11th Ward. Talk to you soon Mick.
The problem is people get the representation they deserve. I bet 2 years from now the average voter or non-voter will forget about the scumbag political leaders. The Machine will always get its people to the polls. This is why the Machine loves low voter turnouts. People with a vested interest will always come out to support their interest. The average person in Chicago is detached, and could care less about corruption. Only when corruption threathens their comfort zone will they react. The 800000 voters who refused to partcipate in the last Mayoral election,are to blame, and should suffer,indirectly they voted for DALEY.
Jesse Jr does not want the FOX News photos of him and a women who does not look like Sandy coming out let alone the Coconate audiotape conversation of Jackson calling white people lemon heads,and Italian Scungili eating and talking in a ridiculous stereotype Italian American accent and admitting he screwed over and lied to other political candidates. Jackson lost Andre Thogipay for Judge, Jackson lost all his County Commissioner races, his chief of staff came in last for alderman in the 2nd ward, the new 24th ward alderman checked him, the other aldermanic candidates complained that Jackson sent in no money or troops and they had to pay for the stupid photo shop photo. Jackson is an arrogant ego tripped lite weight. He has no credibility in DC. Just ask Rahm Emmanuel or the former Congressman Lipinski or the former Congressman from Tennesse Ford--they will tell you--maybe off the record--maybe on There should be a real expose on Jackson Jr from his absenteeism in the House to his business deals and violations of Federal election law, his anti white and hispanic politics and going back to college and violations of federal law and deals to cover it up and even back to Elite Episcopolian Boarding Schools St. Albans with Al Gore's kids.
Looks like someone has been reading my other posts. Also ask him how many family gatherings is his little half sister invited to. Or how many times he failed the Bar exam or why he did not become ordained after wasting time at Chicago Theological Seminary? Or being on the Hotel Worker's union payroll at $60,000/year while he was also supposed to be in school at the same time ? Junior is a "heat shield", or another useful idiot, just like Coconutty, Fran Spielman, John Kass, etc. - - - all are role players in this game that we control. Really now, what would Kass or Spielman or Mark Brown have to write about if we did not give them a little ammunition here and there ? Kass' receipt for beer can chicken ? Mark Brown stories about his dog ? Fran's bottle/perioxide blond hairdo ? Keep on feeding into our scheme, it is all playing out just the way we want it to.
In the interest in full disclosure, the reason why Thapedi lost was not due to Junior, but his own past as described below (so stop putting out that misinformation and learn how to spell his name while you are at it): - from the Chicago Lawyer http://www.law.northwestern.edu/news/article_full.cfm?eventid=2460 Andre' M. Thapedi Andre' M. Thapedi, 37, is running in the 5th subcircuit to fill the seat formerly held by his mother, retired circuit judge Llwellyn L. Greene-Thapedi. He will square off against Diane M. Shelley and Stephen Stern, both Democrats. Thapedi, an honors graduate of The John Marshall Law School who was admitted to the bar in 1996, is employed at Thapedi Properties LLC, where he concentrates in land use and development law, according to Sullivan's Law Directory. In 1999, he was charged with misdemeanor battery. A further check of criminal records indicated that between 1988 and 1995, Thapedi was arrested four times and charged with five misdemeanors ranging from disorderly conduct to criminal trespass. All of the charges were dropped, and Thapedi was never convicted of any of the charges filed against him, according to court records. "Any person has the right to accuse another of any kind of transgression," Thapedi told Chicago Lawyer in a written statement. "No one is immune from that risk." He went on to say that all complaints against him were immediately dropped "because there were no transgressions on my part." In 1999, the most recent incident, a man filed a battery charge against Thapedi alleging that he "made physical contact of a provoking nature" by "forcefully bumping his chest" into the other man's chest, according to court records. The incident was reported to have taken place in the 6900 block of South Oglesby, according to the complaint. In April 1995, Thapedi was arrested and charged with criminal damage to property and criminal trespass to land after police said he forced open the revolving front doors at John Marshall and broke the securing latches, according to the arrest report. Police records showed that Thapedi was arrested at 11:20 p.m. in the 6th floor Computer Information Law Office of the law school. Thapedi was a contributor to the Journal of Computer & Information Law. Above his signature on the $1,000 recognizance bond posted at 4:30 a.m. the next morning, Thapedi wrote, "I reserve the right to have a full hearing re: police action." Maintenance staff had been told that students were not allowed in the building after hours, but the law school dropped the charges against Thapedi once the facts of the situation became clear, according to Marilyn Thomas, a spokeswoman for the law school. Linda R. Crane, an associate dean at John Marshall who was Thapedi's faculty advisor, contacted Chicago Lawyer to "vouch for [Thapedi's] character." She described him as a "superstar student" who kept a hectic pace of academics and extracurricular activities, including competing in two national moot court competitions simultaneously, one of which he won, she said. Thapedi also served as president of the Black Law Students Association. On June 27, 1993, police arrested Thapedi and charged him with disorderly conduct for allegedly becoming "loud and abusive" after police told him to remove a tent he had erected at the Taste of Chicago near South Columbus Drive, according to the arrest report. The report stated that Thapedi "shouted obscenities causing a crowd to gather." On May 26, 1990, police arrested him for bringing a bottle of Miller beer onto park district property. Thapedi and three other men were reportedly sitting in a car "using loud and abusive language," the arrest report stated. On June 9, 1988, police arrested Thapedi and charged him with disorderly conduct. According to the arrest report, Thapedi was riding in the back of the car with his legs hanging out the open hatch. Police pulled the car over and told the driver to close the back hatch, which he did, according to the records. Police then alleged that Thapedi got out of the car and started yelling that he hated "mother [expletive] police" and refused to stop when told to do so. In February, Thapedi said his attitude toward police is that "a complex society such as ours requires a police force to fairly keep the peace" and that "there is no place in our society for rogue police." Burns said arrest reports only tell one side of the story. "An arrest is just an accusation, and an accusation just brought by police officers. And an arrest report is just something an officer wrote down to support his accusations. So there's a big question of fact there as to what actually took place," he said....
Oreo, Nice cut and paste. But you should also mention that, your mayor is a heat shield for the MAN!
The focus of this editorial was JJR against citizens of the City of Chicago to blindly pay more taxes. Honestly, are residents ready to pay more taxes! If not Jackson, than who will stand up against the Daley machine and DEMAND a more effective government which can be streamlined and runned more efficiently? Maybe, the journalist is putting too many eggs in their basket, by focusing on JJR.
Jesse James Jackson Jr wanted a city income tax. He has supported higher taxes and higher spending at every level which causes higher taxes. Orion does have it right that Jackson Jr never had a real job and the hotel workers was because mob connected Hanley (married into the Calabrese Family) gave Jesse Jackson Jr a no show joke job.
Guess how many times Rich Daley failed the Bar exam? Many of you are absolutely right about Jackson Jr. never having a real job and just as many mob connections and sweetheart deals throughout his life. It's a shame honest folks are kicked off the ballot and the voters have such little choice between such a bunch of scum bags. This isn't a democracy, it's an aristocracy were only those born into the right families are allowed to conduct the peoples business. Chris Lawrence - don't get into the gutter with Orion. Just ignore him. You got it right, he's a dick. This city isn't going to be 'saved' by anyone, much less a few disgruntled former employees of the city, until the residents have had enough of these buffoons, including Jackson Jr..
It is not how many times you fail, it is only if you pass, which His Honor did. Cannot say the same for Jr. And an "honest folk" would not be kicked off of the ballot. To leave a person on the ballot that cannot read or follow simple directions would be a miscarriage of justice and he was rightfully thrown off.
Jan Pestka fired coconate and honor guard security. She knows a rat when she sees one.
Who is the Mayor a heat shield for? Who's "Da Man" And please don't say Jeremiah Joyce. Who is this guy? I only know he used to be a state rep and now his kid is. Maybe I'm new to the political scene, but him or his son doesn't seem to be a player like Blagojevich, Madigan, and Daley, or even Ed Burke.
Are you having fun? We are. Simple. Effective. Easy. S.E.E.? HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT Just do it.
Honest folks are routinely kicked off the ballot as documented in Ben's reporting earlier this year. As for Mr. Lawrence, he followed orders all the time in the military with great success, from my understanding, since he is a decorated veteran. I think it is a matter of opinion on the miscarriage of justice and if the no submittal of a receipt is justification for throwing someone off the ballot. That seems to me a miscarriage. As far as the bar exam I don't think passage of it is any indication of the abilities of someone be an effective legislator or even in an executive branch post. If you are a public employee, how is it that you have so much time to post on these blogs? Maybe the Reader should out you're identity and we could save the taxpayer some money by getting off the payroll and allowing to spew you're defense of raping the taxpayer fulltime. The thing about Congressman Jackson is that I agree with Mick that this is a dollar short and a day late. I don't really care about the rest of this other than the people of Chicago continually looking for yet another one of the blessed few born into political families being looked too in order to save us. They are not going to do it, they are the problem. As others have pointed out, where’s the outrage at Stroger's budget from the Jackson’s?
"Honest folks are routinely kicked off the ballot as documented in Ben's reporting earlier this year." True. ".....if the no submittal of a receipt is justification for throwing someone off the ballot. That seems to me a miscarriage." To me, also. "If you (Orion) are a public employee, how is it that you have so much time to post on these blogs? Maybe the Reader should out your identity and we could save the taxpayer some money by getting (you, Orion) off the payroll and allowing (you, Orion) to spew your defense of raping the taxpayer full-time." Excellent idea. Anyone at the Reader, or out in the real world, know Orion's true identity? I've noticed that Chris Kosicki and the anonymous '11th man' have been absent on this blog for some time. Maybe they've got a few brain cells that work and have realized how helpful their posting of bullshit is, to all of us citizens seeking to reveal the dishonest actions and attitudes of the clout monkey army's members. ".....the people of Chicago continually looking for yet another one of the blessed few born into political families being looked to in order to save us. They are not going to do it, they are the problem." Exactly. "....where’s the outrage at Stroger's budget, from the Jackson’s?" Good question.
The Mayor Hits Another Home Run ! Boxing official praises Chicago's work for tournament By Greg Hinz Oct. 22, 2007 (Crain’s) — So far, so good. That’s the word from the head of the International Amateur Boxing Assn. as the first bout nears in a world boxing championship whose outcome is considered crucial to Chicago’s chances of winning the 2016 Summer Olympics. In remarks to reporters after a Monday-morning meeting of the AIBA’s governing council, Ching-Kuo Wu had only praise for the work the Windy City has done to host the boxing championships, which were abruptly shifted here several months ago after organizing difficulties in Moscow. “So far, we’re very happy,†said Mr. Wu, who also is on the International Olympic Committee, giving him a vote in the final decision on which city gets the games. Local hotels, transportation and sporting facilities “are all of the very highest standards. I’m looking forward for the competition to begin tomorrow,†he added. Mr. Wu, an architect from Taipei, Taiwan, even had good words for often criticized U.S. immigration officials, saying they had made extra efforts to get athletes, officials and coaches into the country with a minimum of fuss. “This kind of assistance and help was tremendously appreciated,†he said. Chicago has not hosted an international sporting event of this caliber since the Pan-American games several decades ago. Both city and Olympics officials say how well the event goes will impact Chicago’s prospects of winning the 2016 games. Mr. Wu didn’t say it, but the Chicago competition also is a test for the AIBA, which faces a loss of its Olympics status after a series of scandals over judging and financial matters. All bouts will be held at the UIC Pavilion. Tickets are $10 to $25.
Madrid just completed hosting a tier I Master level tennis tournament this week (it does so every year). Tokyo regularly host international sporting competitions’ and their is no doubt they could host a successful Olympics (But with London and Beijing hosting the 2012 and 2008 Olympics respectively some wonder if the IOC wants them in Europe and Asia yet again). That leaves Rio - and how ever you cut it, Chicago is coming up short compared with all three and is well behind Rio as the odds on favorite. I wonder if they think they can hide all the stalled buses everyday of the year (the IOC doesn't just judge a city on its success of one event). Chicago isn't going to get past the first round. It doesn't matter how diplomatic a few IOC members are toward the local press.
