Monday, April 2, 2007
News / Clout City A true champion
Posted by Mick Dumke on Mon, Apr 2, 2007 at 10:58 AM
Saturday morning Miguel del Valle began a speech to a packed room at the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park by saying, “Some of you have to be wondering . . . ”
I don’t think I was the only one who expected him to finish the sentence with “why I’m here.”
But he didn’t. Instead he said, “Why are we here, given who this man is? Why was this necessary? Why was it necessary for us to be in a runoff?”
Joe Moore, the 49th Ward alderman, stood to Del Valle’s side, looking out at everyone who constituted “us” at that time: the chanting neighborhood residents, union members, and public officials—including Cook County clerk David Orr and U.S. reps Jan Schakowsky and Jesse Jackson Jr.—rallying for Moore’s reelection bid.
At first I found it strange that Del Valle was there, let alone speaking. Last fall Mayor Daley pulled a surprising and brilliant campaign maneuver by appointing Del Valle, then a progressive state senator, to the vacant city clerk job. Along with appointed city treasurer Stephanie Neely, who's African-American, the Puerto Rican Del Valle helped Daley run for reelection as a transracial coalition builder. In February all three won their races easily.
Moore, on the other hand, was an annoyance to Daley for most of the last year, serving as the chief sponsor for the foie gras ban and the big-box minimum-wage ordinance. In blasting the city’s ineffective recycling program, rigged hiring practices, and “third-world” public transit system, the alderman became one of the media’s favorite Daley critics.
Though Moore pointed out that he and the mayor were on the same side of most council votes, his top aldermanic challenger, Don Gordon, ripped him for spending time defying the mayor and talking to reporters when the ward needed his attention. In the February 28 municipal election Moore came a few dozen votes short of winning an outright majority, forcing him into the runoff with Gordon.
On Saturday, though, Daley’s chosen city clerk stirred up the Heartland crowd with his impassioned praise of Daley’s chief legislative opponent. “Why, given that we have a true champion here, an individual who is highly regarded, highly respected for his principles time and time again—why didn’t he win by a landslide?” Del Valle asked the crowd on Saturday. “We’re here because every now and then we take things for granted.”
Moore had been so busy looking out for the interests of the poor, the voiceless, and the regular “neighborhood folk” that he hadn’t done a good enough job of getting people to the polls in February, Del Valle said. “It is essential that every single individual who is registered to vote, who can cast a vote, will come out and vote on election day so that this ward ends up sending a clear message to the rest of the city of Chicago that we have a quality alderman who takes principled positions and will be supported in the future when he takes principled positions.”
Del Valle praised Moore’s support for a “living wage” for big-box retail employees, even though his slatemate Daley killed the wage ordinance with a veto. “And so the kind of message that gets sent by sending Joe Moore back to the City Council with high numbers is a strong one, and it’s absolutely necessary in the city of Chicago, and we’re going to make sure that happens,” the clerk said.
By this time, I doubt I was the only one with the impression that this was really Del Valle’s way of sending a message about his own “principled positions”—and launching his own long-term campaign for a different citywide office.
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If you want the straight dope on Joe Moore and the big box ordinance watch Penn and Teller-BS/Walmart episode on showtime.
Got you covered Humbolt Kathy. http://morsehellhole.blogspot.com/2007/03/penn-teller-bullshit-skewers-joe-moore.html
We should all thank Miguel for CONFIRMING what many have known for a long time, namely, that he's an accomplished LIAR. His appearance at this meeting, toting Joe 'Dinky' Moore IS appropriate, as they're cut from the same, dishonest cloth. It's ALL about keeping 'Da Machine' alive and well and 'Business As Usual' rolling along. Just how many heads does this monster-of-political-corruption have? Apparently, many. Of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We all deserve the bad government that we allow to exist and prosper. I agree with Miguel's urging that "It is essential that every single individual who is registered to vote, who can cast a vote, will come out and vote on election day" Amen to that. Let's ALL show up and vote these rascals OUT OF OFFICE!
Alex Armour is the Moore campaign manager, a real racist, if you aren't rich and the same ethnic group--well you don't matter. Just a matter of emperical fact. Alex Armour also plays the lies and dirty tricks games and loves to exclude good people based on ethnicity and religion. Miguel DelValle is a good guy but doesn't have anything to do in the 49th ward and became to cozy to Dick Mell, HDO and other crooks to become city clerk.
How can Miguel be "a good guy" and also be someone who "became too cozy to Dick Mell, HDO and other crooks to become city clerk."? Dance with the devils and you get burned.
Devalle has officially joined the ranks of the sellouts.
DelValle endorsed the soon to be indicted John Pope This sell out endorsed all the HDO candidates
What has DelValle ever really done? Just a typical poverty pimp a so called independent who couldn't help someone get their dog out of the dog pound
So when did Ric Munoz join HDO? Miguel's probably paying off some political debts to the alderman.
DelValle never did anything. He is all hat no cattle. He was working real good with Victor Reyes and indicted soon to be felon Al Sanchez including with Eddie "violent cop" Acevedo and two six gang member and patronage boss and drunk violent cop Antonio "TONY TWO SIX" Munoz
I have lost all respect for the so called progressives, 48th Ward Cow Mary Ann Smith uses old school tactics to bump her opponent, Helen Schiller now licks master Daleys boots, Joe Moore and David Orr sell out, Orr helps with the crooked election process now and Moore gets $500,000 from developers. Bernie Stone, the old goat was right when he talked about the election process being rigged....The voters get what they deserve....and many property owners are going to get in in the butt, 3 people on my block are selling because they can not afford the property taxes... Hey Mike James and Katie hogan and the rest of the Heartland Cafe seaweed eaters are you proud of you elected officials now ???
I think Joe Moore must have been spending more time getting people to the polls (both Feb and April) than working on behalf of the people, as our street is littered with garbage all the time, yet we had people not only ringing our door buzzer to ask who we were going to vote for, but also calling our home phone to ask the same question. Is this ethical/legal?
It's called democracy. And you should be grateful it occurs. Personal contact of voters is necessary and important during an election. The more we lose of that -- due to the proliferation of "security" buildings and cell phones -- the more that advertising and media manipulation determines the outcome of elections. Going door to door and calling folks -- along with the Internet -- is one of the last tools available to a grassroots candidacy.
So, you'd prefer not to be bothered, not to vote, not to even think, just let those 'elected' officials, who were elected by others, not by you, determine the effects government will have on your day to day life, economic, legal, social and everything up to crawling up your ass, but you don't want to be bothered in any way, whatsoever. Peachy.
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