The Blog

I'll believe it when I see it. After giving the mayor his fig leaf of 'reform' at OPS and an upcoming budget battle with little hope any of our elected representatives will listen to the concerns of the middle class and working poor, I have little hope that Alderman Preckwinkle and Moore have even 10 allies within the council. Let’s hope if they can get their small coalition in the council together, that they will be committed to assisting the many wards were opposition to the machine is real and deep in order to organize for the next election. Without an organized opposition, the machine and the hacks they serve with on the council will show them the same sort of disdain that the Tribune article today details toward Ald. Preckwinkle and our Federal courts. I’ll reserve judgment on their efforts for the budget vote, but I fear that most of the aldermen lack the courage or candor to tackle or inform this city’s residents on the fiscal mess and lack of leadership the city faces in the near and long term future.

The council means nothling if they have no outside support. This not a left vs right situation in Chicago, its the crooks against the rest of us. Some whom, post up are, phony Independents, and only want to be included, into the corruption game. Lets go back to the drawing boards and correct our mistakes. Seek and reach out for new and stronger alliances. Organize and protest,until the next election. Don't wait 3 months before the next election, start canvassing now. Help set up clinics 2 years before the next municipal election, on how to get and stay on the ballot. Start and encourage progressive candidates to do voter registration,and get voters out on election day. Conduct joint fund raisers ,and share media expense. Find progressive business and religious institution, whom realize a change is needed.

10 is less than 40. 20 is less than 30. Until there are at least 26 aldermen/women of independent pedigree, nothing will change. Nothing.

You must start some where. The rulers have frighten and dumbed down the citizens.Somebody or persons must standup.

They can't even stand up and insist that the public have a say or some transparency in regards to public art.

The independent bloc should focus on rooting out corruption and patronage and building a transparent government. That is more than enough work to get them started. If they stray into affordable housing and big box initiatives they risk being marginalized as leftists. Build as big a tent as possible advocating clean, efficient government.

Ha Ha HA.....this will go the way of Dick Simpsons community councils and other failed, phony reformers. Let them meet. Till they get 26 votes, there is nothing to worry about because lip service is cheap.

Orioboy is doing a swell job, inciting the anger, resentment and disgust of the many visitors to this blog. Makes one wonder if the machine really knows what effect his 'words of wisdom' are having on the citizens who read them.

Preckwinckle is a great alderman. Mara Georges should resign.

Wouldn't an actual "progressive" (someone who favors progress) notice that affordable housing, big box ordinances, living wage ordinances are deeply conservative authoritarian constructs? What passed for "progress" in 1907 should not pass for progress in 2007. JBP

TIFS to the rich, and subsides to developers, Pension loans to Daley's relatives is a unique form of Socialism. Let the common man/women fend for themselves

MARA GEORGES STARTED WORKING FOR DALEY WHEN WAS STATES ATTORNEY. MARA LIKE DALEY, I BELIEVE, SHE NEVER TRIED A CASE IN HER LIFE. SHE PROBABILY IS THE MOST INCOMPETENT AND CORRUPT CORPORATION COUNSEL ,CHICAGO EVER SEEM.

Mara Georges is doing an excellent job, so that the Mayor stay within legal boundaries. DALEY or his brother have never been indicted. TONY PRECKWINCKLE IS A PHONY REFORMER. PRECKWINCKLE'S HUSBAND BECAME A DEVELOPER. HE QUIT HIS TEACHING JOB, AND BECAME A DEVELOPER AFTER SHE WAS ELECTED ALDERMAN. HOW MUCH OF THE SUBSIDIZED PROERTY, OR CITY LOTS DID SHE GIVE HER HUSBAND?

"inciting the anger" of readers of this board ? That is a laugh. What, all 10 or so of the regulars ? Surely not the stuff of a revolution. Oh well, keep plugging away, I will keep earning pension credits that your taxes go toward.

Mara Georges should be indicted She is robbing and raping taxpayers by giving legal contracts to friends She is too stupid to be corporation counsel

Scintillating, orioboy, you never disappoint. As the saying goes, "what Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap". I wonder if orioboy has considered the number of readers who READ these comments, UNDERSTAND the meaning and content of same and find no need to comment themselves? Could that number be considerably higher than "10 or so"? I think it could be. What do Ben, Mick and the editors of the Reader think? What do the readers of this blog and it's comment board think? Orioboy doesn't care, he's confident his pension will be there, if and when he reaches retirement age. As all who work in the private sector know, pensions are not written in stone and can be changed by many future factors. Oh well, orioboy will "keep plugging away", trying to do what is his best to keep the dike from collapsing and drowning those who inhabit his world. After all, none of these clout monkeys have ever learned to swim in the real world.

Chris Lawrence sounds like he wants to be mayor. Too bad he's a idiot who can't follow the rules to get on the ballot. Hey Chris Shut the fuck up. You're a nothing

Next time read directions and put the damn reciept on your petitions. If you cannot follow that simple instruction, how on earth were you going to be able to read and understand a complicated ordinance ?

Thank you, Toto, for your dismissive assessment of my invaluable input on this blog. Have a nice day.

Orion, I am going to violate my own pledge to not to respond toward your antagonistic comments only once. I can assure you that if and when I decide to run for public office I will include my receipt. I wish that the entire events that occurred were as transparent and as simple as it appears, and I accept that I failed to qualify for a position on the ballot. I would hope that no one thinks that I am incompetent or unable to understand a complicated ordinance, and believe my experiences in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, working for Gov. Cuomo, and my work in the community at the Edgewater Community Council among many of the experiences were I have documented accomplishments would dispel any notion that I am unable to be successful in sometimes hostile and difficult environments. As Homer Simpson says, sometimes trying is the first step toward failure. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but I don't regret my efforts (although I regret not including my receipt). This nation is desperate for candid and courageous leadership at all levels of government. I believe I have something of value to offer, and except the ridicule heaped on me by those who lack the courage even to identify themselves like yourself and Toto, much less cowards like Mary Ann Smith who made a mockery of the democratic principles I put my life on the line ostensibly to defend. Life goes on, and I may never be in a position to provide that leadership this nation needs, but I will continue too be critical of the failures of local hacks to address the corruption and fiscal mismanagement of this city, county, state and nation.

"...a complicated ordinance?" Now, why should an ordinance be complicated? Besides the obvious reason that those who write laws, (lawyers, aka liars), WANT those who must obey said laws NOT to understand them? Thank you, Chris, for your efforts to participate in what you assumed were free, open, fair and honestly conducted elections. Now you know better and will be generously sharing what you know with the rest of us commoners. With the help of you knowledge, gained from experience, many more citizens will know what it takes to avoid being sand-bagged and fucked over by those in government and politics who are NOT honest and fair, who have NO respect for freedom, and whose days in power are numbered, all their feeble protestations to the contrary. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT

Although I appreciate the encouragements of Have no Doubt, I do not want you to have the impression that I feel I am some sort of victim. I am not. I am one of the most fortunate people I can think of, and I think that those who are so fortunate should select those who merit support and get out there and help in their campaign in order to reclaim our government and politics. Your participation on this blog, though persistent, does not do as much good as getting out there and canvassing with your neighbors. Sadly, I believe that Orion is correct in the assessment that this effort to organize an independent or progressive bloc within the council is going to fail, because most of the incumbent alderman are secure by any opposition within their wards being disorganized and fragmented, so their is no incentive to take a stand toward the HDO, the unions, or any other tool of the machine and what little organization they have left. If you want change of those sitting on the council or the county board or in the state legislature, you need to join with your neighbors in an organized effort that advances an opponent with an organization behind them. If you follow the five point strategy you have advocated, I fear you will fail. To that end, I have a community meeting I need to attend.

Thank you for your thoughtful comments and response. I've found that you are one of a dozen or so exceptionally thoughtful individuals who post comments here from time to time. The generosity of the Reader, in permitting us to post unedited or reasonably uncensored comments, is also due a hearty thank you. I'm sure you are correct in your assessment that, for us all to have honest governments, local, regional, state and national, the people will have to choose to engage themselves in the truly democratic process we have all failed to engage in to date. My humble idea stems from the observation that those who have infected our democracy far outnumber the few honest souls who attempt, from time to time, to restore the ideals you, and many others, have sacrificed so much for. While I appreciate your perspective, I believe it's most timely application will be after we citizens clean our political/governmental houses. This cleaning is unlikely to be successful one elected office at a time. It can be very successful, if done en masse, akin to bathing one's entire body, not merely attempting to get clean by washing a few square inches of same at a time. I'm all for anyone who wishes to run for elected office getting on the ballot, but, once there, how does an honest man or woman garner enough votes to overcome the dishonest advantages enjoyed and exploited by the entrenched incumbent parties, both Dumbocrats and Retardicans? While my humble concept may never resonate within the hearts and minds of the voters, it is mathematically efficient and, if applied by enough voters, an unstoppable method for firing incumbents. I fully appreciate those whose desire to serve inclines them to fear the random nature of my concept. It is not designed, nor meant to be, a means to elect honest, quality human beings to office. It is designed to fire dishonest, incompetent and corrupted incumbents, thus, creating the opportunity for those honest citizens to gain public office. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT is easy to remember, easy to act on, easy to experience the successful results of, and speaks to those citizens who have been lied to, so much and so often, that they don't believe anything, anyone running for elected office tells them anymore. With my strategy, they don't have to concern themselves, at this point, with who to believe or not believe, they only have to know that those currently in office have proven themselves to be liars. That's what qualifies incumbents to be fired. That's why incumbents do not deserve to be reelected. That's why everyone who wants change should at least consider applying the HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT strategies. For the sole, temporary purpose of firing incumbents.

Daryl Mitchell(orion), Please don't talk about the pension. The mayors nephew is stealing all that money for the Olypic Village . Also do not talk about the Board of Elections, we control that too! Go up there one day and see the retardos that work in at the board. They wouln't know a signature from a address. We screwed Chris Lawrence, because he could have won that Aldermadic election. In regards to no one reading this board, It's seems it's the hottest blog in Chicago. watch I'll tell you how gay Pete Sivestri is and they will talk about at the hall tomorrow!

Victor, The Sorich trial will resume after family secrets. We are putting all you Hispanics away and letting the Irish walk.

Toto? Wow! With a name like that Chris is shaking in his boots! When your ready to give your right name tough guy give me call. If your like the rest of the Daley in-breds,you'll keep hiding behind a fake name! Thats what I like about you Daley criminals, you try to defend the Mayor, but are scared to give your names.

COCOHEAD HOW MANY JOB APPLICATIONS DID YOU FILL OUT TODAY.MAYOR DALEY WOULD HAVE HIRED YOU BACK, IF YOU HAD STOPPED LYING ,AND STEALING CITY TIME AND TOOLS.

11th man, You must be Toto's boyfriend. I did apply for Jobs in Planning, but convicted felon Chris Kozicki would not allow me to work in the same department as him. Than I applied at Hertz in Bridgeport, but ghost pay-roller John Whirity a Foreman at Water Management drinks at the bar across the street from the Hertz office. Hertz was scared that Whirity would send inspectors into the office. Than I applied at Park Grill , the only Restuarant in Millinuim Park that also serves liquer. But a whole bunch of you Inbred Bridgeport Deliverence looking creeps complained to the Mayor. It seems everyone in the Irish Outfit, including kingpin Jerry Joyce, has a piece of that joint! It's seems I could have slept with Laura Foxgrovers sister to get the job, but I'm in love with my wife. So I than just went home and collected interest on TIF money I made from some property in South Shore from Daley's nephew.Thanks for asking 11th man.

Hey my friend your job hunting is incomplete, YOU FAIL TO PUT AN APPLICATION IN WITH JOHN DALEY AND HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. HE NEEDS SOME ONE TO WATCH HIS HIRED TRUCK ACCOUNT, AND THE SLUSH MONEY FROM TODD (TODDLER ) STROGER. ALSO JOHN DALEY CARRIED ORLANDO JONE'S INSURANCE POLICY.

I have observed Mr 11th man's posts and I would like to say ,he didn't represent Bridgeport very well. Its apparent, grammer is not taught to 11th ward hacks. What institute of higher learning, produced Chris Kozicki, Orion,and the 11th man.

"What institute of higher learning, produced Chris Kozicki, Orion,and the 11th man?" Why, the same one that produced our own, incomprehensible Mayor Mumbles! No need to be literate, or intelligent, or rational, or coherent, or reasonable, or respectful, or honest, or anything resembling a human being, these fellows work for the city.....

Funny that such inarticulate, poorly educated people run this City, while all the pointy head, ivory tower complainers can do nothing about it but piss and moan. Who looks dumber ? (said dumber on purpose, BTW).

But all god things eventually come to an end my find feathered friend. Daley 66th and the rest of his clan on the verge on being indicted. The whom laughs last laughs best.

funny how the powers that be feel they have to pay a guy to monitor & insult the pointy head, ivory tower complainers who post on a blog no one reads

Can't speak for others, but am personally not worried about RMD decides to call it quits. My pension is fully vested. As for monitoring this board, don't pat yourself on the back, this board is a form of comedic relief.....

A fully vested pension. Backed by the taxpayers' dollars. The amount of said taxpayers' dollars determined by those individuals the taxpayers have elected to the legislative, executive and judicial offices that make, adjudicate and apply the laws that determine exactly what those taxpayers dollars will be spent on. Change the individuals and you change those laws, and the ways in which those laws are applied, interpreted and adjudicated. Makes the 'vested' nature of orioboy's pension not so written in stone. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT

> My pension is fully vested. good for you! may I ask, what City dept? Streets & San? Water? what ward do you call home? work as a precinct captain by any chance?

Isn't it interesting, and revealing, that the likes of kosicki, orion and 11th man, never, ever, ever, address the specific issues raised, whether within the articles posted or the comments on same? They've only got so many functioning brain cells, and they use their meager 'resources' to avoid any and all reasoned or informed or rational responses, posting only feeble and infantile rantings that reveal just how ignorant, and arrogant, they all are. Orion's suggestion that he is deliberately concealing his 'intelligence' is not only laughable, but is another example of how these bullshitters think their efforts to bluff their way through life is what real human beings were created to do. One might think that they've embraced the philosophy of 'If you can't beat them, join them', but that would be giving them too much credit for ever having any desire to 'beat them' in the first place. No, the kosicki's, orion's and 11th man's of this world have never had a single thought, feeling or desire to be honest human beings, these thoughts would never enter their minds. They do provide a valuable service, though, in that they present themselves to the readers of this blog as they are, in the raw, and we can deduce that there are many more like them, albeit, a bit more intelligent, as in having enough sense to know that postings like these garner exactly the opposite effect they appear to be intended to. Keep up the good work, clout monkey's of little brains, you all help remind us of the natures of those who hold and abuse power.

Thank you Dr. Freud, I will think about that while I enjoy a lovely three day holiday weekend (at taxpayer expense - thank you Christopher Columbus for getting lost and giving us a holiday) and going to the Cubs game (hopefully two) with tickets obtained (paid face value - sorry chumps who use a scalper)from an elected official. Lfie is beautiful.

I love it when the clout monkeys so willingly help in exposing themselves for what they are, namely, arrogant, greedy, disrespectful assholes, who don't even have the capacity to appreciate their current good fortunes with a little humility. Apparently, nobody's been able to get through the thick skulls of the likes of orioboy, 11th 'man', kosicki, etc., to get them to understand just how precarious and easily ended their current advantages are. But we, the people, do appreciate their candor. After all, what better example of the attitudes, of the rest of the clout monkey armies, can we hope for, than these brilliant and outspoken individuals? In effect, these guys are saying, "We gots our dicks up the taxpayers' asses, and we be lovin' it!!!" How refreshingly honest.

You're right on schedule, orioboy, right on schedule. Thanks for all your invaluable input and assistance. Keep posting and the HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT strategy will be embraced and applied by many. You and 11th man and kosicki are worth your weights in gold. Share some more of your thoughts and feelings with us. Please do.

Ever notice that, when these 'budget shortfalls' are announced, they are always accompanied by blatant threats to cut/reduce/eliminate ESSENTIAL city, county or state services to the MOST NEEDY and MOST VULNERABLE citizens? That they NEVER threaten to cut THEIR OWN bloated salaries? Or the bloated salaries of their buddies? Or their own heavily padded staff? Or their pals and buddies sweet contract deals? Or ANYTHING other than those expenditures of our tax dollars that assist those in GREATEST NEED and LEAST ABLE to do without said ESSENTIAL services, be they city, county or state? What a great bunch of public servants we have. Self-sacrificers all. As long as those sacrifices are made by OTHER selves than themselves.

i luv kris kolumbi becuz he a slave trader-jus like dik daley.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that Icry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

It seems that many people forget the things I am going through. That young man Jacques Carr kicked my ass so hard my oldest son died. That young man Jacques Carr also kicked my ass so hard that I am a black ass crippled stroke victim. Jacques Carr also embarrassed me so badly that I cry myself asleep every night. I should have made him a staff member but I was too ignorant of the fact that he is Jesus Christ.

Simple. Effective. Easy. S.E.E.? HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT Just do it.

Well now we see that some people are still a topic. I noticed Jacques Carr's name in this comment section and I must say he is one hell of man. After all Chicago City Hall's Aunt Jemimah and Uncle Tom Squad couldn't touch him without all of their black asses going to prison and mysteriously dropping dead. I also noticed that John Stroger's Godson blew his fool ass self away with a a firearm as soon as Jacques Carr name came up again. These are things that make those fool ass niggers in the Eighth Ward Democratic Organization look like fool ass niggers with whipped asses.

Yall know what ? them thar niggers and jungle bunnie freak bitches in Todd Strogers low life ass family called The Eighth Ward Democratic Organization is scum ass nigger nepotismal trash running around with a four eyed coon with keister problems from his dead boyfriend Orlando Jones. Damn Orlando was an effete bastard.

Golly!I just read that William Beavers likes Transvestites and Cocaine. I also read that Commissioner Todd Stroger is a Pedophile and likes little white boys.

AGAIN WE LIKE POPCORN AND TEA BUT TODD STROGERS MAMMA LIKES LINCOLN LOGS AND PEE.