The Blog

Mick and Ben, From your remarks over the years, and from your lack of any positive comments, I don't think you guys really have much respect for Chicago aldermen. They have a much tougher job than you--long hours, everybody constantly wants their attention or their job or both. They can be right 99% of the time in the mind of a voter, but that one percent where the voter disagrees can turn the voter against them, forever. They will never please everyone. They live in a fishbowl. They get a mixture of respect and derision, everywhere they go. When there is crime, or rain, or the economy is bad, "what's the alderman doing about it"? It's sort of a thankless job, although they are well paid to put up with it. They all have to develop their own internal defense mechanisms, in order to deal with the inevitable, incessant public criticism they face. They are our whipping boys (girls). And we can always count on Mick and Ben to find new and creative angles for attacking them.

I could post a comment concerning the ridiculous and disingenuous nature of your's, point by point, but I think this about sums it up: Fuck Off.

Alderman B diddy Doherty wants to be like me in the worst way! Also I agree ....fuck off johhnny !

This was a fun blog post, thanks. The Republican in the 41st ward fooled me too. I thought he'd go with the mayor. I guess he hates children like the rest of the kid-haters who voted 'No'. Yet, one question still lingers. Which Orion are you talking about? There's so many.

Johny is right, its a thankless job. BUt not when you bend over for the mayor to stick it to you. Watch for a few weeks to see what prizes the lackeys get in their wards. This museum is just another free gift of public land to a heavy set of donors. BUt it isn't that big of a deal. Wait until the IOC shows up, then the Mayor and his lackey aldermen/park district will REally be giving away our space. I can't wait. Chicago , you have been sold out again.

When will you kiss the ring and realize I have the scoop on these matters. It is just a matter of time before we flip more of the so-called SEIU supported alderflaks to our side. Don't you people realize that WE are in charge here ? Yes, you folks in the 4th estate and some of the goo-goo government types get a pyhrric victory every now and then, but in the end, we are in control. Deal with it. And voting the incumbents out is a joke.

How about you fuck off, you joke. Your pathetic life revolves around this message board while your family suffers and your dad rolls in his grave that you can't get, let alone hold, a real job once you got canned by the City. You're a sell-out whore out for sale to the highest bidder, and of no use to anybody. And you can't deliver dick in any event. No bodies, no strategies, no talent, no nothing but shooting your pathetic little mouth off. Now, come back with some 'tough guy behind a keyboard' response about what a leader you are, how you influenced elections whose outcomes had nothing to do with you and how much I suck even though you have no clue who I am. I mean seriously, here's a post about the fucking children's museum and you still have to try to make it about you. Heaven help you when your internet gets cut off and you have nobody to spout off to but yourself in a mirror.

"I mean seriously, here's a post about the fucking children's museum....." If you really think this post is about the 'children's museum', then you must believe that Daley's diarrhea is the same as chocolate ice cream. "I mean, seriously...... You're a sell-out whore out for sale to the highest bidder, and of no use to anybody.", aren't you?

Out of all the Black Aldermen,the one is find the most disgusting is Howard Brookins. I remember Independent rushing to help him when he first ran. He is the a sorry assed motherfucker,and deserves to be booted out of office.

"They have a much tougher job than you ..." Yes, which is why they need term limits.

Maybe Tunney was trying to redeem himself a bit for the foie gras thing? Tunney took the role of Restaurant Champion by killing the bill that laid a $60,000 fundraising egg for Joe Moore, but he surely comes away feeling a bit dirty, and for good reason. Don't get me wrong, I was the guy wearing the goose suit - I see the foie gras bill for what it was. But the way it was repealed was a dirty game that Tunney surely recognizes would have been better played by someone who is a Daley lackey, not someone who wants to appear more policy-oriented.

"Don't you people realize that WE are in charge here ? " Daley is in charge, but once we goes (and my sources tell me he seems more stressed out, and gets more and more loaded at evening events), the "new machine" is toast, there isn't anyone out there who can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Ben, you are indeed entertaining to read, but face it, your continous ranting against all things Daley consistently at the cost of facts, etc. is a ridiculous attempt at raising your readership. Why not put some action to back up all your ranting and work to defeat Daley in the next election? It should be rather easy, no?

Without Ben and Mick we would't have any REAL reporters in this jail we call Chicago!Jack( your also) Off on not douing anything about the election. Last Mayoral Ben wrote a strong column, look it up Jack (I'm ) Off (for now). Frank Coconate

Hey Frank June 11th - 11:50 p.m. How about you fuck off, you joke. Your pathetic life revolves around this message board while your family suffers and your dad rolls in his grave that you can't get, let alone hold, a real job once you got canned by the City. You're a sell-out whore out for sale to the highest bidder, and of no use to anybody. And you can't deliver dick in any event. No bodies, no strategies, no talent, no nothing but shooting your pathetic little mouth off. Now, come back with some 'tough guy behind a keyboard' response about what a leader you are, how you influenced elections whose outcomes had nothing to do with you and how much I suck even though you have no clue who I am. I mean seriously, here's a post about the fucking children's museum and you still have to try to make it about you. Heaven help you when yo

Fioretti and Munoz are the only real surprises, Munoz most of all. Fioretti has been all over the place in his votes, but Ric Munoz has - until now - been one of the few reliable independent votes in the council. What a disappointment.

Aviva, Don't you remember the raid on Ricardo Munoz fathers business. The Mayors deal to Munoz was to get the Feds to back off his father.In regards to Fioretti, he was promised a lfe times supply of Just for Men (blond)

I'm a tough guy and i hate coconutty, but i won't give my name because I'm cool and want coconutty to look stupid. I will talk about coconutty's father to piss him off, but i still won't say my name. I will keep attacking coconutty, but I'm scared to say who I am. But I'm a tough guy! I'll keep posting attacks at coconutty and people will believe me, even though I'm scared to give my name. Boy! Coconate must shiver in his boots from post like " HEY FRANK"

Darn right I'm in control! I'm in control of making sure my precinct captain has fresh coffee at all times. I'm a real climber.

".....but Ric Munoz has - until now - been one of the few reliable independent votes in the council. What a disappointment." It's tough being 'independent' when you're being blackmailed.

Munoz was busy making fake photo IDs

First things first, Orion is great at getting under all your skin but he doesn't know shit. SEIU never took a position on the childrens' museum. Frankly, I have to disagree with my our esteemed friends Ben and Mic. We do not see the children's museum vote as any measure of an aldermans' independence. While the concept of preserving the parks as "free and open" may be an admirable one it is by no means a progressive cause. One could actually argue the exact opposite is true. Some argue that a vote against the childrens' museum is theoretically a vote to protect the last bastion of machine priviledge which is the aldermans' right to zone his/her own ward. Why is it that opposition to the mayor is the only way the media can guage how independent or progressive an alderman is or isn't. I believe that the childrens' musum vote is a very poor barometer of where the council stands as a body. Wait for the next living wage vote and then tell us who has been "flipped" and who hasn't. There are obviously many different ways to look at this issue and we therefore did not engage our city council allies on this particular issue. Rest assured Orion you have not "flipped" Toni Foulkes. She is most definately on the side of working families and will have ample opportunity to show you and your ghost payrolling pals soon enough where she stands.

"First things first" Fuck oreo; he's a self-claimed daley troll, and a feeble one at that. Never posts anything of substance. He's as irrelevant as the sweat from daley's scrotum dripping off his (oreo's) chin. "Some argue that a vote against the childrens' museum is theoretically a vote to protect the last bastion of machine priviledge which is the aldermans' right to zone his/her own ward." NOT the issue, as zoning has nothing to do with the illegal misuse of publicly owned parkland. "Why is it that opposition to the mayor is the only way the media can guage how independent or progressive an alderman is or isn't." Gee, could it be because the majority of proposed lawmaking originates in the Mayor's office, the Executive branch of our city's government, rather than where it's supposed to originate, from the needs of the Legislative branch's constituents, supposedly being honestly and sincerely represented by their elected Legislative representatives, ie., their aldermen/women? "There are obviously many different ways to look at this issue...." Not really. Either the public parkland belongs to the public, solely for the free and open use of the public, or it doesn't. Fact is, it does. Thus, any act that impedes the publics' complete and free access to said publicly owned parkland is, by definition, denying the publics' rights to enjoy the unimpeded use of their property. "...and we therefore did not engage our city council allies on this particular issue." I would hope that the primary reason you did not weigh in on this issue is because it has nothing to do with your responsibilities and obligations to your union membership's interests. "Wait for the next living wage vote and then tell us who has been "flipped" and who hasn't." This, of course, is an issue that it is your responsibility to concern yourselves with. If Toni Foulkes is worthy of your membership's support, it would seem that she should avoid acting as a rubber stamp for the mayor's dictatorial agendas, unless you are implying that her support for the mayor's agenda on this issue has been 'horse-traded' for his commitment to not oppose your membership's interests concerning the aforementioned living wage proposals. Is that what happened?

LaborPol is just pissed that the 2 million dollars of their minimum wage members salaries they spent on candidates was so easily compromised. Now go join your members and finish emptying the trash can in my office and mopping the floor in The Hall.

You are right, the childrens' museum does not fall within the spectrum of issues that directly affects our members or least as far as our reponsibilities to our members goes. SEIU does support a broad array of progressive reforms that extends well beyond the traditional scope of labor unions to include education reform, funding of public transit, general city affordability issues, access to affordable healthcare, crime and public safety, neighborhood based economic development and job training to name just a few. With more than 100,000 members living in the City of Chicago we have a tremendous responsibility to use the influence we have within the council to move issues that are most crucial to our members. The childrens museum controversy just doesn't fit that description. Also, opposition to Mayor Daley is not the hallmark of being progressive. We want to work with the Mayor to ensure that the City of Chicago works for ALL the families of Chicago, especially the working families.

===. Ben: "I thought his boss, Michael Madigan, would make him go to bat for Reilly, Madigan's former legislative aide. Boy, did I misjudge Madigan's loyalty. I wouldn't want to be in a foxhole with him."=== Madigan is busy trying to keep Daley on his side while he fights against Blagojevich. No surprise at all.

Your office? Funny.

IS COCONATE LOSING HIS HOUSE OR NOT? IS THIS TRUE?

"While the concept of preserving the parks as "free and open" may be an admirable one it is by no means a progressive cause." Only a nitwit SEIU pol would write that, to cover up the fact their milion dollar baby is now in the Mayor's pocket. face it, you are broke and so are your candidates. The grant park grab was opposed by the same people who pay your salary.

I agree with what he said