The Blog

"The committee represents precinct workers, contributors, and people who have been active in 48th Ward Democratic politics," said Ronen. "If you want to vote, get involved. We welcome your support." To vote, just get in the in crowd, or make a donation. Sounds democratic to me.

If the crowd had over 100 people, and less than half of them got to vote, how can you argue that joining the crowd but not allowing you to vote sounds democratic? Has anyone researched to see how much each of these politicians have made in contributions toward democratic causes or candidates other than each other? I think if an elected official resigns, there should be a special election so that every registered voter gets a say in who they want to represent them. But politicians like Alderman Smith will still use the convoluted election laws to prevent people from voting. After all, in the most recent election she knocked off Chris Lawrence (a decorated Iraqi Veteran) and Chris Persons (a social worker and advocate for the homeless) in one of the most undemocratic displays the 48th Ward has ever seen. Protecting the ballot from such undeserving guys as these. These politicians should be ashamed of themselves. Why bother trying to sound democratic, just have someone knight them, appoint them, and give them titles. Prince Harry sounds good.

"the Committee of the Whole" is more aptly named 'the Com-Shitee of the Ass-Wholes'. For this fraudulent group of liars to call themselves representatives of Democracy is the height of hypocracy. And to blandly state that the definition of participating in Democracy requires one to "get involved" by becoming "people who have been active in 48th Ward Democratic politics", said activities being "precinct workers, contributors" etc., is an excellent example of the level of contempt these fuckers hold everyone who ain't 'somebody dat somebody sent' as 'nobody, 'cause nobody sent you'. This shit won't ever change, unless we all get off our non-voting asses and show up in massive numbers on election days, for the sole, focussed purpose of voting out all incumbent, Dumbocratic machine motherfuckers.

I am pretty indignant of our elected officials (or selected officials I should say) but I don't think being as belligerent as 'Makes you puke' really advances the cause of democracy. After all, we want a civil debate and leaders who are willing to hold themselves accountable to the voters. They hold us in contempt, but don't give them the satisfaction of making us look like angry, foul mouthed and irrelevant voters. I understand your frustration with their hierocracy, but don't let them get the better of you.

Even liberals and gays can do machine politics.

Ya, this liberal has voted against the 7% cap, voted for the GRT, and sends out these stupid surveys once a year. Mabey the reason they keep the vote limited to a small group of insiders is that the taxpayers who pay their salary may be about to boot them out. Take a page from Pat Dowell - run against these out of control politicians. The voters are waking up and are sick of them. No congressman can protect you from them - Obama couldn't protect Tillman - and the hat is gone. The Guv may lose his puppet, but only if someone runs.

Your facts about Carol Ronen are inaccurate. In 1992, she defeated State Rep. (and now Circuit Court Judge) Lee Preston in the Democratic Primary, being carried on by Carol Moseley-Braun skirt-tails. Al Ronan's district was two or three districts to the southwest. Carol Ronen as committeeman? What a joke! Without question, she is the biggest Rod Blagojevich butt-kisser in the General Assembly. Mind you, this is the same Carol Ronen who wouldn't even stop to listen to anything that her precinct captain had to say about anything back in the 1980s. How do I know? I was the captain of the precinct that she lives in for over five years. I got more cooperation and more courtesy from the sibling of a convicted Enron executive than I ever got from this sorry excuse of a public official.

Why would she have to listen to anything a precinct captain had to say about anything? There only purpose is to support the desisions of the 'executive' committee, and any dissent will be treated as Bush treats it! Encouraging democracy - What a joke.

Sad to say, but all this talk of being 'civil' and of "leaders who are willing to hold themselves accountable to the voters" and "don't give them the satisfaction of making us look like angry, foul mouthed and irrelevant voters." is, for all practical purposes, truly "irrelevant". As those who so blatantly and freely manipulate, bullshit and deceive most 'voters' don't give a shit how many of us are disgusted with their shenanigans, so long as we mostly don't vote, all the civility in the world won't make any difference to these shmucks. The only thing that will make a difference is for many of us to show up at election times and vote their asses out of office. Period. Mathematically, there are more than enough eligible voters to do so. The problem all we abused, misused and exploited taxpayers face is that we don't participate, we don't show up to vote our disgust, we don't even bother to register to vote, we fall into the trap of surrendering to apathy and resignation, just what these manipulating bullshitters want. If many of us would choose to participate, even just on election day, just to vote out the machine hack incumbents, this would stimulate hope and encouragement, in many honest people, to run for office. With patience and determination, we can make things change, even in Crook county, but we first must rid ourselves of the proven, entrenched political crooks, by embracing an attitude of 'anybody but the incumbent, machine hack'. We can deal with the new crops of 'fresh faces' in the same manner, should they prove to be no better than those we've 'fired'. And, yes, it's going to take a lot of 'uncivilized' emotions to overcome the generational apathy and acceptance of being 'led' by our 'leaders' down the proverbial primrose path...... Let these bullshitters say whatever they please about those who strive to describe their activities accurately, there aren't enough pejoratives, in any language, to do justice to the ways we've all been exploited, as the dependable 'cash cows' we taxpayers are viewed as, by 'all the usual suspects'. We work, we pay and they take and dole it out to their buddies and themselves. Open your eyes, take a deep breath and prepare to take back your rights to freedom from excessive taxation without honest representation.

"WHEN IN DOUBT, VOTE THEM OUT Use the following formula to maximize the effectiveness of your vote: 1) The voter MUST know who the INCUMBENTS are. 2) NEVER VOTE FOR THE INCUMBENT. 3) If there is only ONE CHALLENGER, vote for that candidate. 4) If there are two or more challengers, then: a) If the incumbent is listed FIRST, then vote for the candidate who is listed LAST. b) If the incumbent is not listed first, then vote for the candidate who IS LISTED FIRST. Should you sincerely like an incumbent candidate, by all means vote for him / her. Remember, however, that those who have been in power for decades have been able to do so by being unified in their support of the party chosen. To counter this unity-of-purpose, the common citizen must have the same strength of unity, albeit, one focused on ousting the incumbents. The above is a strategy that will be the most effective at achieving this goal."

Kuz, Just because Carol says it, doesn't make it true. Here is a comment from the linked blog post about the meeting: "Sitting next to me was a fellow who was a friend of a friend of Carol's. He was really a nobody in the organization, had never done any political work, yet was in possession of a letter that authorized him to cast a vote in the committee of the whole, which he duly did for Carol." I am a 48th Ward resident who came to the meeting in support of Sandra. As a "Democratic" process, it would have made Joe Stalin proud!

Ben, To Jan Schakowsky's credit, she was the only speaker on the executive committee who had the decency to acknowledge Sandra and the good work she and DFA have done in the Ward. She was also the only one who came up to extend a hand to Sandra when the coronation was over.

In the four years I have lived in the 48th Ward, I have never received one piece of communication that said "48th Ward Democrats" on it, nor have ever heard of one meeting or event that they have ever held, even though when I have seen Mike Volini at neighborhood events, I have asked him to tell me when their meetings are since I am a Democrat and I am interested knowing about my local party. I never worried about it too much since I am a busy person and if they don't need help, they don't need help, and that's fine. But now I realize that by never having any events that members of the public can attend, and therefor actually *get* involved, they have effectively disenfranchised me of my right to vote on this decision. What is also ironic is that I have never had a 48th Ward precinct worker ever contact me, nor do I know anyone who lives in the ward who has ever had a 48th Ward precinct worker knock on their door. So exactly what kind of "precinct work" has this so-called "committee of the whole" been doing? They don't have meetings, they don't inform people about the candidates, they don't send mailings, they don't knock on doors, what do they do? I wish we had the system they have outside of Cook County, where you VOTE for your Precinct Captain right along with your other Democratic primary votes. To get on the ballot as Precinct Captain you only need 10 signatures. If we had that system here I would have gotten on the ballot long ago and run to be my own Precinct Captain, instead of whoever I have now who I have never met or heard from in the last four years. Then *I* would have been one of the people voting, and it would have been because I was actually *doing* something. On a side note, one of the people that got one of the letters appointing him to be on the "committee of the whole" works with a friend of mine, and he said that this person hasn't lived in the 48th Ward or done anything for the 48th Ward Dems for over 5 years, but that he got the letter because he use to work for Carol Ronen.

How often have you seen Carol Ronen at one of those community meetings? Funny thing is, unless Sandra runs, under Ronen this will truly become a secret committee - I don't think anyone can argue that she is accessible - and as a state senator, a state central committeeman, and a national delegate - now she is going to find the time to reinvigorate the 48th ward Democratic party. You might be missing Mr. Volini soon - at least you got to talk with him.

One of the things not mentioned in the article is that the voting members, 'The Committee of the Whole', are an invitation ONLY group of people. Even if you 'volunteer, walk precincts and donate money' to the '48th Ward Dems', you only get to have a say if an unnamed group anoints you. Therefore, the small group of people allowed to have a say is made up mostly of 'The Five Familys of the 48th Ward: Six-ish Volinis, five-ish Smiths, four-ish Ostermans, etc. As the list is not public, I can't give exact #s, but these #s are fairly close, from the names called out @ the meeting. This continues the 'packing and stacking' nature of all of the neighborhood groups in the 48th Ward, keeping out all of the voices that aren't 'somebody that somebody sent. For example, the only 'Committee of the Whole' person who spoke for Carol is the lifetime head of an Association of Condo associations, with a vote on the Alderman's Zoning and Planning Committee, and the head paid staffer for the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Chair of the Lincoln Park Advisory Council. It's not as if there aren't others who would like to help out, they just aren't welcome to in the 48th Ward. Carol herself now holds 4 public jobs; State Senator, Dem. State Central Committeman, DNC member and now acting 48th Ward Dem. Committeman. Many people think there is no way she can effectively do all four, but that's OK, 'cause now all of those jobs are still 'in the family'. P.S. The State Senator Carol replaced is named Art Berman, not Al.

As the called out all of the Volini names at the meeting, there was a loud laughter and Mike Volini stated, "It's a family affair." Someone in the back of the room stated, "That's the whole problem!" The other thing that was mentioned during the meeting was by Ald. Smith, who stated she was supporting Ronen becuase she was a 'warrior'. Funny - didn't she hide behind elections laws regarding a receipt to prevent a real warrior from running for Alderman? The whole point of this article is to show just how Undemocratic the 48th Ward is. The Politburo in the 48th Ward will dismiss all dissenting voices as losers - but they won't even allow anyone else to get out of the starting gate. Democracy in the 48th ward? Don't hold your breath. It’s a family affair.

So, vote the bastards out of office, on election day, vote for anyone BUT the 'anointed' candidates, incumbent or challenger. Know who these 'blue bloods' are pushing on us, then vote for anyone who runs against them. It ain't rocket science, just basic mathematics.

This city operates as a Meritocracy? Not even on our liberal North Lakefront. For those of us not born into the right family, yet one proof that the Daley/Stroger/Madigan/Hynes/Lipinski Democractic party is closed to us. Sad.

I really, really hope Sandra Verthein runs for this position in February. This can't be allowed to remain unchallenged.

Ditto! Run Sandra - after knocking off Chris Lawrence and the others during the Aldermanic election, we are ready to express our disgust toward 'TEAM 48' Most of us want to join a team that isn't so exclusive - I saw your flyer, and you have a platform to run on ... Don't be intimidated by this group of 40 or so individuals, they do not represent us... and Jan won't get a vote if you run, only those in the 48th, despite Ronen trying to 'claim her as one of own.' RUN!

I've seen Carol around - she should seriously think about getting a new headshot - she looks like a pig in this picture.

If MAS should retire, an appointment to replace her would come from the Mayor, and the only people who get to vote on that replacement is the city councel. HEY 48TH WARD TAXPAYERS - YOUR VOTE DOESN'T COUNT - GET USED TO IT!

I have to add a funny little bit about my own experience with the meeting on Saturday. I attended the meeting and was just as dumbfounded as the rest of the people in attendance. I was seated in the middle of the crowd just trying to keep up with the blah blah Roberts Rules of Order rhetoric. Frankly, it was exhausting. I was chatting with the gentlemen sitting next to me a bit off and on. I had recognized him slightly as someone I had met while helping out a block club picnic last year. He had indicated that he was on "the committee of the whole". I just got so overwhelmed with everything that I just started asking him questions. "How did you get on the committee?" His response, "Well, Mike just called and said I was." A few minutes later, I asked him "Can you follow what is going on? I'm lost in all the motions and ammendments...blah blah." He said, "I have no idea what is going on here" (He giggled a bit). My last question of the day was "So, they keep referring to 'the rules'. Where are these rules? Did you get a copy when you joined?" His response. "I have no idea was rules he's talking about. I didn't get anything." Well, my "friend" was very helpful but made his vote quite assuredly for Carol Ronen. After the meeting, people were grilling me about my little converstaions with this guy. Turns out...it was Mary Ann Smith's husband. Even the Alderman's husband didn't have a clue but he did what he was told. Sad sad sad...

So, stop being merely sad little lambs/rabbits/sheeple and get off you asses and focus on voting out all these rat-bastards. Local politics is the only place where a single voter can mean the difference between a win or a loss for these smug, shit incumbents, let alone the hundreds of potential voters who could be making a difference, if only they'd take the meager amount of time it takes to register and vote on election days. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE THEM OUT.

As a attendee who didn't support either party but came as a spectator and could have easily joined the Sandra team, this is how I saw it. The biggest reactions to Sandra was: Who is she and why has no one ever seen her at the numerous orgs and block clubs in the 48th ward? 1) When Sandra was given the opportunity to speak all she really said was that she made 2 flyers and that she would be more transparent. (Funny, we aren't transparent when its someone else, only when we don't feel included.) Is a couple of flyers all it takes? She really didn't say anything, didn't have a platform nor have any statement ready to go. 2) I grew up in Chicago and find this committee a real mystery and I was ready to support Sandra, but I don't shout how the process is unfair but I rather find out how to break into the process so I can become involved, if I want to and I bet I do this faster then these folks do. Change can happen if one is proactive. These folks are good at accusing and making articulate statements, this is a well educated group. 3) The Chair asked this group 4 times if anyone wanted to speak for Sandra and no one said anything, geez, finally someone raised her hand and saved everyone's day. I could only summize that no one in that crowd knew what Sandra stood for and were brought forth together on the spare moment. 4) Sandra hands out flyers 3 days before the event and expects folks just to clammer to her cause, who the hell is she? I have never seen her at any of the local meetings and of course she DID NOT show up at the most important new TIF announcement last night, nor is she or has she been to at any major event in the Edgewater area. 5) At the meeting, I asked several of her supporters if they are involved in the local clubs or organizations they all said no, they are too busy, but then stated how they aren't told what is going on in the community. I can only presume that they are expecting a personal phone call while they watch American Idol. 6) the writer, C Fox above told the audience that she has only lived in this area 3 months, but yet makes demands on not being involved. This is typical for this group, And she wasn't grilling the Alderman's husband because I was there, she kept making casual comments to him and he couldn't understand what was going on because she kept on interupting his listening with her observations & he was kind enough not to tell her to be quiet and try to answer her constant blathering of questions. 7)Is this yet another round of wealthy white suburbanites or out of towners, who move to Chicago and live in the massive towers/gated communities on Sheridan, as Sandra does, and come off only as entitled white people? Thats a shame, cause I would have probably backed up the new girl in town, but she and they lack credibility but yet are educated enough to give news pundits and their blog sites some credence with their forced "your not paying enough attention to me" statements.

WHO SAYS THESE LEFT-WING FRAUDS AREN'T IN IT FOR THE POWER.As far as Jan,she is a well-known betrayer of her "own". Guess DFA just learned about Jan's LACK of INTEGRITY;to her, "neutrality", is only temporary, until the moment to BETRAY is at hand.WHAT CAN REALLY BE EXPECTED OF MRS. ROBERT CREAMER?

Got that right.The Congresswoman is political BOSS in PROGRESSIVE CLOTHING!

Jan Schakowsky will have an opponent next time she runs, she is the biggest phony. Her congressional dist has been un-opposed for years. But this time it will be different with the Presidential in 2008 ! She supports Daley token O'Bama an opponent will support Clinton in the primary. Bet on it !

What are you talking about - "Is this yet another round of wealthy white suburbanites or out of towners, who move to Chicago and live in the massive towers/gated communities on Sheridan, as Sandra does, and come off only as entitled white people?" I think you have the old folks/just starting folks on Sheridan mixed up with the Alderman and her friends living in Lakewood/Balmoral - Or maybe it was the Osterman/Volini bunch up in Edgewater Glen Either way - I was at that meeting and Sandra did present a platform that included monthly meetings, an open process for endorsements, and inclusive membership (some of us were not born into the Osterman/Volini clan - but we are still Democrats) Jan wasn't the problem - its not the outsiders who are rotting the local Dems - it starts at the core. Cut off the head, and the rest of the snake will die. Everyone of those elected representatives (who are not representative of me or my neighbors) should be ashamed. What have they accomplished? Just you wait till you get the second installment of your property tax bill - then you see what they have accomplished. But they don't ride the CTA, or use the public schools, or have to go to Stroger for medical care... in fact, the only governmental program that truely is a success is the pension system for themselves - ala Bobby Steele - and the rest of us Dolts sit back and allow them to continue.

NOT HER BACKERS,NOT HER DISTRICT,NOT HER COUNTRY. SHE IS A POLITICAL BOSS DISGUISED AS A NATIONAL/PROGRESSIVE LEADER.TRUTH BE TOLD,SHE SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THE 48TH WARD DEM.SITUATION,BUT NEUTRALITY TO JAN IS ONLY THE WEED THE VIPER HIDES IN UNTIL SHE IS READY TO STRIKE OUT IN BETRAYAL OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR HER!

No name given said"""Either way - I was at that meeting and Sandra did present a platform that included monthly meetings, an open process for endorsements, and inclusive membership""" Thats not a platform those are the tasks to be performed to acheive your platform. A platform is a direct mission statement of what you would like to accomplish if you were to take over the Democratic Committee. For example: I, So What, have a vision to take this committee to another level and there are several areas I would concentrate, 1 is I see that community outreach and communication needs to be strengthen I do would this by : having monthly meetings, bla, bla, bla. What she said was frankly weak and unnecessary to even bother to remember.

So, 'So What', what wonderfully helpful ideas do you have to share with us, as in "what you would like to accomplish if you were to take over the Democratic Committee."?

"Re: So What." Damn good question to me. But not check-mate:) Before I had a platform, I would find out from the widest range of people in the area what is lacking, what people know and who is involved. I think one should start with strong dialog like yours, get feedback from the community, an open forum where ideas are as hot as a July night. Then start a blog diaglog with No caps, no attacks, I would like not to see "they should be ashamed of themselves" if they haven't committed a crime then, let it be and lets move on. I tend not to be emotional over this stuff, but lean to being pragmatic and sticking with the facts of whats not working, just like being at work. I would go hang out at the DC to see what goes on so I could be better prepared to know what to change. Thats all I got for I am just learning about the interior dynamics, maybe I'll write a book on this when my research is over.

Please post what you write, as you write it, assuming you're not concerned about copyrighting it, so we can all begin to understand the ugly details of politics-as-usual. One humble piece of advice, for what it may be worth, human nature is both potentially beneficial and potentially detrimental, regardless of the individual's initial intent, since you seem to be a thinking person, all efforts of our 'ruling class' to the contrary, one rule I try to adhere to is to never believe that I've thought about anything too much, and to try to see everything from as close to a 360 degree viewpoint as possible, starting with my perspective, then considering what would be the opposite, then working my way to the median in-between the extremes. Good luck and please keep posting.

And what was Ronen's platform? We know what to change. Everyone in the 48th Ward should have the ability to be card carrying members of their party, and that party should have an open and transparent manner on how to conduct business. The problem in the 48th Ward, and I would argue in most of Cook county and the State of IL is that you have to be born into one of a select group of families in order to be a member of the Democratic party. That does not live up to the Democratic party principals, and until someone starts challenging those who have constructed rules that allow only selected 'members of the committee of the whole' to speak at a meeting like that conducted in this selection process, I believe they should be ashamed of themselves. It's not a crime to get emotional over fighting for the democratic principles that this nation is founded on.

We can continue to play the losing game that we've been dealt, from the stacked deck foisted on us by all the usual suspects, or we can begin to play the game by the rules clearly established in our state and federal constitutions. Both political parties, the Dumbocrats and the Retardicans, have long since abandoned all principles of democracy and honesty. Their 'members' prefer manipulation, propaganda and 'insider' wheeling and dealing, to actual, honest representation. We've accepted their activities as democratic governance, by not using the power of our votes, united in the one, powerful purpose that they, the 'clever', truly fear, that being to cast a pox on all their houses and vote them ALL out of office. When the majority of those citizens, (who think of themselves as either 'Democrats' or 'Republicans', but are, in reality, merely patsies and pawns for the so-called leaderships of these two, fraudulent political parties), realize how harmful the self-serving and self-promoting 'policies' of both these 'criminal enterprises' have been, are, and will continue to be, (to all the citizens of this potentially great country), they will then understand that this nation is in need of a long overdue house cleaning, as in sweeping out all incumbent, ('professional' politicians), and opening the door for truly honest, rational citizens to seek public office. If we start on the local levels, voting out all incumbents, whether Dumbocrats or Retardicans, we can begin to gain ground at the state and federal levels. All independent minded citizens should appreciate the rare opportunity we have, to revive the spirit and determination needed to have a real democracy, (said opportunity provided to us by the egregious, blatant behaviors of those who claim to be the current 'authentic' representatives of the 'majority' of citizens, when in fact, they work for a selfish minority of citizens dedicated to gaining wealth and power at all costs), and, at the very least, take the time and make the effort to discuss and consider taking the steps needed to effectively and efficiently vote out all incumbents. More than sincere emotion is needed to force these rascals out, a simple, yet effective strategy is required. This strategy has been posted in many of the comment boards on this site, so often that some who visit this site have complained about the frequency of said posting. In respect of these posters, I will refrain from 'repeating myself' and advise those interested in a mathematical means to maximize your vote's effectiveness, in voting out incumbents, by concentrating your votes cast for a single challenger in a multi-challenger race, to explore the comment boards on the articles in this site's archive. If those who moderate this board have seen fit to allow my comments containing the details of my strategy to remain, you will no doubt find them.

CLEVER,CLEVER HUGH.YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT ANTI-ALL INCUMBENTS AND BOTH MAJOR PARTIES RANT WOULDN'T LEAD TO YOU,DID YOU HUGH? WHEN YOU REFER READERSTO OTHER POSTS ON ALL THE BOARDS THAT IS YOU,HUGH, THE SERIAL POSTER. AS THEY SAID IN THE MORSE CODEDAYS,YOUR "FIST" IS KNOWN ,HUGH!!

I trust that you are having another good laugh at the ALL CAPS POSTING CREW'S apparent confidence in recognizing your "FIST". What would be even funnier is if the means by which your 'fist' was being 'recognized' had more to do with their feeling it up their butts than with anything being posted.

Right, just what was Ronan's platform and she being a very busy woman, would she want another role? To hold the place for February. Word has it that 2008 will not be a good year to kick out Chicago incumbents. Time passed. I really am not familiar with the 48th DC procedures past and future. Is there any reading material out there on all or Chicago or any various wards and how the DC is handled? But clearly as Sandra is a staunch JoMO supporter, for her to cry foe at MAS after the antics in the 49th, MAS won by 100%, JoMO-50.01%. Read Morse hell hole to get an idea of SV. She will really have to explain her logic on this issue. The same statements she saids of MAS are said in magnitudes of JoMo. Wouldn't Sandra in fact be just parking on the right, instead of parking on the left? Especially if she follows the footprints of JoMo.

THEY HAVE THEIR BOSSES,LIKE JAN AND CAROL,AND ITS UGLY WHEN THIS TRUTH IS EXPOSED!

Will someone, anyone, please instruct the ALL-CAPS-POSERS how to unlock the caps-lock. While this will do nothing to affect the content of their comments, it will remove an all-to-easy-to-spot indicator of the lack of substance in their posted comments, thus, increasing the possibility that their comments may be read, not just mocked or scrolled past. Not that the mockery and scrolling past isn't the appropriate response to them.

What was posted about Schakowsky and Ronen being "Progressive" Bosses has truth to it. The 48th ward is proof.the DFA was shafted by the Old Girls Club.

Of course the all caps posters can say something that has value, but, as you can see and appreciate, as well as I can, your posted comment is easily readable, well constructed and clearly understandable. Without the overuse of ALL CAPITOLS. So, while letter case doesn't NEGATE the meaning, its overuse does DIMINISH the clarity of the message.

Every ward in this city, every county and district in this state, and every state in our union are run, lock, stock and rotten barrel, by the same breed of power-hungry control freaks. Not one of them gives a fuck about what the 'people' want or need, only what THEY want. The only thing they value about the opinions of the 'people' are how well they can manipulate those opinions. Whether one calls them the 'old girls club', the 'old boys club' or just what they are, the 'certified assholes club', they're all cut from the same dirty cloth. Burn the lot of them by voting them out of office every chance you get.

"No mystery" your so off base. I am always leary of people who write such arrogant statements like "Not one of them gives a fuck about what the 'people' want or need, only what THEY want." Is that all you have? You can always tell when one is right, because people write these types of light weight, no thought statements. I find people like this writer never attend meetings, ok maybe 1 or 2, nor do they really do anything but just write blogs comments. THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD IS TO WRITE HATE AND Its easy to critize, whine and point fingers, its harder to create solutions. After years of dealing with the Edgewater type "community activists" I find their solutions pithy and laden with personal agendas. But its ok if they have a personal agenda, but not anyone in the DC. They last for 3 meetings and then you never see them again. They are always upset, when they actually get their way and have their new leader, they end up turning on that person or just run an organization, condo association or group to the ground. The north side "community activists" go into these situations without solutions. They will tell you everything you are doing wrong, come up with lame alternatives. Any concrete action of listed tasks ain't happening. They are problem creators not solvers. Just like Bush and Cheney. Iraq = unsolvable. Its now 3 weeks and no sign of any of the Sandra rebels at any community meetings or events. TIF is the hot button and not a sighting of her, but she will be at the 11th hour meeting when all decisions have been made and after they have blown their chance, and they will decry foul, with the Reader and the Lerner Press sucking up to their side only because they say they are alternatives or some crap.

Thanks for making my point. "THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD IS TO WRITE HATE", which is what YOUR comment is full of, besides the obvious crapola. Since you like what our currently entrenched aldermen, mayor and our traditional 'members-only' fraud of a democratic party have been up to, keep casting your one vote for these schmucks, it's your right to vote for whoever you please, for whatever your reasons, as it is mine. I'll be voting out entrenched, machine incumbents every time I go to the polls, and, if enough citizens get registered and do the same, then, and only then, will we begin to see anything remotely resembling an open, honest democracy. Because, a true democracy depends on it's citizens participating, not by letting the selfish few 'run things' for the lazy, but by putting out the effort to keep every elected official so worried about being a one-term-wonder that they actually pay attention to their constituents, 'cause without the 'machine' to back them up on election day, not one of these hacks could persuade a single, thinking voter to vote for them. You keep on going to these 'community meetings', they're dog-and-pony shows, meant to placate the gullible, 'cause only the gullible believe these 'guys and gals' are listening to anything they're told by the voters. The only language they understand is the vote count on election night and the only thing the voters need to remember is that it's takes much more than an honest majority of votes to overcome the maximum amount of vote fraud the machine is capable of fabricating. Here's the beginning of the solution: Flush the political toilet and start with a fresh bowl. Break up the cozy club of schemers that have been sucking the economic life out of us for decades. Try it, you'll like it.

Dear Thank you: Is that all you have? You, Sandra V being a stauch Joe Moore supporter why don't you change the "entrenched, machine incumbents" at the 49th ward? Oh thats right you just want o do the same thing as Joe, now there is a boys only club. Why would I vote them out so you can do the same thing as they. At least they get things done. ""You keep on going to these 'community meetings', they're dog-and-pony shows, meant to placate the gullible, 'cause only the gullible believe these 'guys and gals' are listening to anything they're told by the voters. "" Ah, I beleive the one point on your agend is community meetings every month. Yawn

"At least they get things done." Apparently, 'they' are 'getting things done' for you...... Do you even bother to make them wear a condom?

It wrote me ""Apparently, 'they' are 'getting things done' for you...... Do you even bother to make them wear a condom? "" See, once again this group can not have a good debate, they have to write personal attacks. As this IVI group does constantly in Edgewater is they go for the jugular because they can't handle disagreement. They need to learn how to disagree. IVIer's are big Joe Moore supporters who is probably perceived as the most deceptive and under cutting and closed door alderman we have on the north side, but hes ok, because he pays money to IVI and all. Volunteer with the Democratic party, make a difference, it takes work, nothning changes because some lady wants to run for Committee Chair and does nothning else but make negative remarks here. Do something positive!

Name five changes Sandra has made in the 48th ward:

On Sunday June 24th 2007 - I was in attendance at the 38th annual Pride parade, and was disapointed in not seeing many Chicago alderpersons in the parade. One that really stuck out was Mary Ann Smith from the 48th ward. This struck me as very odd. Was this vote for indifference to her ward constituents? Being a ward alderperson, is a 24 hours a day 7 days a week position, not a 24 hours per week 7 months a year position. Knowing how important this parade is to the area, and what the make-up of the community is, why was she not there?

What a great day it was, I was in the parade, did you see me? I have been going or in it since I was 5 yo with my parents taking me to Clark St to watch. MAS is not known to be in parades she wasn't in the Thai/Vietnese New Years parade in Feb and they didn't seem to care. Her ex Chief of Staff, Greg Harris and now State Rep is openly gay and a strong adovate for the gay community. Her staff has several openly gay employees and I know one of them was in Wisconsin that day at the water park with his partner. Open Hands and TPA are next to her office and they of course were in the parade, but didn't think twice about MAS not paritcipating. Not sure why you would think "Was this vote for indifference to her ward constituents?" If this is concern to you, why don't you email or call her directly and ask.

BTW: Sandra V. was at the TIF meeting last night at MAS office hiding way in the back with her head in her lap, was she sleeping? She looked pretty wiped out, I hope she was ok. She didn't last long, ask any questions nor make any presence. Oh and she left really really early. Its a shame because 47 community block clubs and organizations had their opportunity to speak and vote on the biggest TIF to hit the 48th ward. Oh and only one of her IVI people was there.

Who the hell goes to the gay parade to see alderman? I go to see the men, men,men!

thb: huh? If this was such a concern for your enjoyment, why didn't you call her before the parade and voice your concern. Is this a trick? She's suppose to read your mind and know your the voice of the parade pods...wow

You lakefront people are a joke. At one time the lakefront and hyde park was a bastion of Independent politics.Today except for the 49th the lakefront looks like the 8th ward,where Nepotism reigns supreme. You guys have gone backwards.Its truely ashame DALEY'S gonorrhea has spread throughout Chicago.

The IVI IS ALSO A JOKE ,A SHELL OF ITS ONCE MEANINGFUL SELF. The IVI stand s for nothling,many of its members are loyal Daley supporters. The progressives in Chicago need to start from stratch,and disown the fake,phoney IVI and other psuedo- progressive groups.

I wish I had time to read all of the thoughtful comments on 48th Ward politics. When you see what John Fritchey did to Roger Romanelli in the 32nd Ward most recently, and you see how things are happening in the 43rd Ward, connect the dots, you begin to see the concept of "Machine liberal" come into clear focus. Throughout the presumably liberal North Side of Chicago, virtually all of the power brokers are not interested in democracy because they recognize they came in on the coattails of the same corrupt process that has continued for decades in Chicago. If they question that process, they believe they will die politically. Of course they wouldn't -- those with the courage should admit the problem and work to reform it -- but it is easier just to be afraid of change.

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