Wednesday, December 31, 2008
News / Clout City The Wrong Burris
Posted by Ben Joravsky on 12.31.08 at 10:52 AM
When my sister called to tell me Blago had picked Burris to fill Obama's vacant senate seat, I thought she was talking about Henry Burris or Ray Burris.
Sorry, lame joke. But seriously, either of these other Burrises would have fit the bill, since apparently the only relevant qualification is that the new senator be black, at least according to Congressman Bobby Rush.
Look, I wholeheartedly endorse the idea of putting a black man or woman in the seat on the grounds that there should be at least one African-American in the U.S. Senate ... though I'm not sure what any of the leading contenders would do for people around here.
At the moment Mayor Daley is proposing to use the Olympics as sort of a bulldozer to shove a good chunk of poor and working-class black residents out of the south side--taking away their parks while he's at it--and no elected black official is objecting. Not Bobby Rush. Not Jesse Jackson Jr. Not Roland Burris. Not, for that matter, Barack Obama.
I say if Governor Blagojevich is going to appoint a black leader of stature it should be Jay Travis or Jitu Brown of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization. At least they're fighting to make sure south-siders get something besides the shaft out of this Olympic deal. Fittingly, Mayor Daley won't give them the time of day.
Actually, I think Blagojevich should just leave Obama's old seat empty as a symbol of the vacancy of our political leadership, black as well as white.
Comments (9)
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good suggestions especially about leaving the seat vacant. However, they are unrealistic since they all assume the governor has a shred of integrity and forsight beyond Februrary 2009.
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From the NY Times. The Machine/Combine may not have its way. The Mopes should have pushed for a Special Election. Democrats said they were confident of their standing under Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution, which says “each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own members.†On rare occasion, the Senate has denied seats to candidates whose election outcome was in doubt or who were caught up in corruption. Yet constitutional experts question the extent of that authority, particularly in light of a 1969 Supreme Court decision in the case of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. of New York. The court found that the House could not bar Mr. Powell, who had been accused of financial impropriety, if he met the constitutionally determined qualifications for age, citizenship and residency. “I think the best reading of the text of the Constitution and the Powell case together is that the Senate has to seat Burris,†said Abner S. Greene, the Leonard F. Manning professor of law at Fordham University School of Law. The turmoil engulfing the Illinois seat added to an air of uncertainty surrounding the Senate, which convenes next week, after Democrats were only a few weeks ago celebrating an expanded majority of at least 58.
The lessor of many evils. Daley and Madigan wanted to pick the next US Senator. The Mopes could have avoided this political crisis by having a special Election.Daley-Madigan thought they will have a clean swept. Getting rid of Blogo and picking a Senator spawn from their sewer. The evils of the Daley Machine will be displayed for the World to see. Remember where Blogo came from. Prez Barack will have to eventually throw Daley and his Machine under the bus,to survive politically. Valarie and Rahm are both dirty,and have been exposed. Also, Daley's Olympic dream will also fall on its face,and become his nightmare.
Why hasn't anyone called Bobby Rush on his support for Blair Hull in the '04 race? If it is so important that an African American have that senate seat, why didn't Rush support one of the two African American candidates in the '04 Democratic primary?
Why? This is Chi Town,the only color that matters is green! Bobby Rush was God-Fathered..... Blair Hull made him a offer he couldn't he refuse.
Let's get a petition started so Ben Joravsky can run for the U.S. Senate in the next election. Maybe he can leave Chicago and stop giving our wonderful Mayor such a hard time; he's just doing his job. Ben, Chicago wants gentrification-redevelopment to run the thugs out of the city, this is what the Olympics will accomplish on a faster level. This is what it's all about right? Getting the poor out of the city! Don't worry we are in good hands with Mayor Daley.
Ben obviously you have not done your research if you feel that Jay Travis and Jitu Brown are fit for the position cause as you put it they are fighting for some benefits-- like everyone else they have taken a position to oppose the Olympic bid but rather see what benefits they can get. if you don't know the the whole story refrain from giving your advise. Sometimes your white entitlement comes out to much.... this is one of them times.
