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      <title>Comments On: Doing our part
    
      by Mick Dumke</title>
      <link>http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part</link>
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      by Mick Dumke</description>
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      <pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0600</pubDate>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#973947]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[re chris]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Not to seem to be critical of your comment, but, describing the CTA's problems as being the result of 'mismanagement' is being too generous.
    
    Every city agency is being managed exactly as those in control of them want them to be.
    
    Thus, what is being played off as incompetence, is really planned waste and excess, likely meeting the legal definition of fraud, were there anyone in a position of authority willing to prosecute said fraud.
    
    To think that these guys and gals are incompetent idiots grossly underestimates their abilities to steal, by various means, the huge amounts of taxpayers' dollars that are wasted by said thievery.
    
    But, like the EverReady Bunny, we just keep paying, and paying, and paying, and paying.........
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re chris]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:47:08 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#964063]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#964063]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[Chris]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Being a Chicago Transit Card holder I just received an e-mail that begins, "Due to insufficient state funding...customers who pay with cash or Transit Cards and use the CTA weekdays will pay higher fares at rail stations and on buses."  HA!!!  Is it even legal to push out this kind of propoganda?  This message should read, "Due to years of mismanagement by Daley's inner circle..."
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Chris]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:20:20 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#962695]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#962695]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[something to think about]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA["re stop
    May 30th - 5:21 p.m.
    
    My intended audience, if you're correct, has been focusing on individual, incumbent politicians for decades, buying into the false premise that an incumbent office holder has, somehow, earned the 'right' to be re-elected, unless that person has done something or things to warrant being 'fired'.
    
    This premise is what is responsible for all of the lousy 'representatives' we have been burdened with for generations.
    
    Before you point out that these 'public servants' were duly elected by the 'people', let's examine that assumption.
    
    First, ask the question, 'How many citizens are, at any given moment in time, qualified to vote, ie., 18 years of age or older, citizens, whether born or naturalized and residents of the area holding an election.
    
    Think of that number as 100% of all eligible voters.
    
    Next, I believe we can safely propose that, as a rule, no more than 50% of the whole are registered to vote at any given time, for any given election.
    
    So, we start with only half of all eligible voters are registered.
    
    Then, we can also safely propose that, of those 50% who are registered, usually only half of those voters actually show up at their respective voting places and casting their votes.
    
    Thus, we see that approximately 25% of all eligible voters actually vote in any given election.
    
    Since, at most, a candidate needs only 51% of voters to choose him/her to win, we can safely conclude that a mere 13% of the total number of eligible voters are deciding who are elected public servants are.
    
    Granted, many will say that the 50% of eligible voters who don't register are, theoretically, expressing and enjoying their right to vote by not voting, and that the 25% of the whole, who are registered, but don't vote, are doing the same.
    
    What I wonder is, why would 75% of those eligible to vote choose not to, choose to either register, but not vote, or not even register at all.
    
    I don't believe it is because 75 out of 100 citizens are making this choice voluntarily, at least not as the word is defined in Webster's.
    
    I believe, and propose, that most of the 75 out of 100 don't vote, or register to vote, because they have concluded that their vote doesn't matter, won't change anything, isn't important and isn't worth the time and effort it takes to participate.
    
    In this, they are substantially correct, as the present public perceptions of the accepted political practices is designed to discourage the majority of citizens from participating in the political process.
    
    Your focus on individual candidates is the crux of the problem, however counter-intuitive that sounds.
    
    We can only afford to focus on the individual candidates when we have honest, intelligent, ethical and naturally helpful candidates to consider.
    
    We waste our time and energies considering and analyzing the 'professional' politicians, as they all, with few exceptions, are cut from the same cloth and want us to believe that there are no other kinds of cloth to cut from.
    
    The typical 'professional' politicians are rank opportunists, willing to act in a hurtful/harmful manner as easily as act in a helpful/harmless manner.
    
    The typical 'professional' politician is only honest and forthcoming when he/she is forced to be, defaulting to dishonesty, deception, misdirection, stone-walling and blatant double-dealing as the rule, rather than the rare exception.
    
    This is what the voters, both the 25% who routinely vote, and the 75% who do not, should be focusing on.
    
    This is the fresh, honesty and plain truth presumption that all voters should take with them into the voting booth, every election, with the challenge to the INCUMBENTS to ALWAYS have to convince enough voters that THEY DESERVE to be re-elected.
    
    This is why the entrenched incumbents strive to keep the public believing that the challengers should be the ones who have to convince voters to elect them, why the entrenched incumbents promote the wide-spread belief that they have to have screwed up really bad to warrant the voters firing them.
    
    Until such time as enough voters open their eyes and realize that, contrary to the 'professional' politicians assertions, THEY are OUR EMPLOYEES, not our 'leaders', 'masters', 'betters', or 'bosses', we will continue to be led, like sheeple, down that primrose path to poverty.
    
    In the 'private sector', one's employer requires that the employees efficiently produce value for their pay.
    
    In the 'public sector', we, the employers, seem to accept much less value from our employees, our 'public servants', than we would ever think to accept from our employees, should we own a business.
    
    We seem to accept much less value for our tax dollars from our 'public servants' than we would ever accept from our local store, contractor, service provider, etc..
    
    The reason we accept paying so much, for so little, is, I believe, to be found in our generational conditioning to see and accept our 'government servants' not as our employees, but as our 'leaders/masters/bosses/superiors.
    
    They are anything but......
    
    Focus on firing all incumbents.
    
    Use the outlined, mathematical formula.
    
    Register to vote and Vote on Election Day.
    
    See what will happen when the entrenched incumbents are shown the door.
    
    Should the newly elected challengers FAIL to PROVE they DESERVE to keep their jobs, vote THEM out, using the same strategy.
    
    REPEAT AS NEEDED, for as long as it takes to inspire honest people to enter what will be true public service.
    
    The experience of seeing your vote result in change will inspire more and more citizens to participate, will force any who are elected to be much more responsive to the desires of the people, and will allow us to truly know what a democracy actually is."
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by something to think about]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jul 2007 14:28:35 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#953586]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[re carter]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Well, those doing the stealing know very well what they're doing, namely, stealing.
    
    Those unsure of what's going on with TIF's have no excuse, Ben's been relentless at reporting on this issue.
    
    And the comment that the decade-old+ development boom should have generated a huge amount of tax revenues, due to the increased assessment values of these properties, were it not for these gains being siphoned off into the black hole of the TIF galaxy, is right on target.
    
    And yet, Daley gets reelected with 70%+ of the votes of those who voted, most incumbent alderpersons get reelected, the beat goes on and things remain substantially the same.
    
    Go figure.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re carter]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:41:15 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#959681]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Carter]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[RIP, NCBG.
    
    since you linked them, let's highlight this most telling stat:
    
    Initial EAV:  	 $63,741,191.00
    Current EAV (2004): 	$87,202,898.00
    
    And people wonder what the scam is... the TIF is 6 years old and already the initial budget forecasts are worthless.
    
    How can anyone not read this as an admission that $24,000,000 (to date) are going to be stolen from the schools/parks/general operating fund is beyond me.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Carter]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:54:52 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#948567]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Hugh]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[NCBG TIF Profile: Lincoln Avenue Corridor
    
    http://ncbg.org/tifs/tifprofile.aspx?id=149
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Hugh]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:24:56 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#957968]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[scientist]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Randy is a very odd example of a loyal Stone shill.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by scientist]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jul 2007 01:46:09 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#951661]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Hugh]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[> TIF's aren't always bad, either. Here in Westridge, a TIF saved Lincoln avenue in the 40th ward, when the area was in danger of being overrun by gangs and drugs.
    
    May I ask, exactly how did the Lincoln Ave TIF save West Ridge from gangs & drugs? I have studied the Lincoln Ave TIF and the only things to its credit are:
    
    1. rehabing Lincoln Village Mall including the Alderman's offices and his favorite restaurant, and providing windfall profits to the investors;
    
    2. a new construction condo project  near Lincoln & Peterson.
    
    Some of the motels on N Lincoln have come down, but they are not TIF projects.
    
    The Lincoln Ave TIF is a very odd TIF to cite as a counter-example to the assertion that all TIFs are bad.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Hugh]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jul 2007 01:32:24 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#967146]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[re mooner]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[So, next time you get a chance, piss ON the mayor......
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re mooner]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:17:45 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#973060]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#973060]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[moooonriver!]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[I'm pissed at Daley because Chicago isn't as nice as Seattle.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by moooonriver!]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:11:16 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#962117]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[re run then]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA["...run for office..."
    
    and
    
    "...convince your neighbors..."  
    
    and
    
    "...do something that gets people to vote."
    
    Thanks, we will.
    
    
    and
    
    
    "Get off this blogs..."
    
    
    No thanks, we won't.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re run then]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 08 Jul 2007 13:10:47 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#974073]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Run then]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[If those of you on this blog who hate Daley and his cronies so much would put your money where your mouth is then maybe you would be worth listening to.  
    
    Stop crying and put the money up to run for office, or convince your neighors you are not just blabering nuts and that they should go to protests or rallies to get Daley to follow the law. 
    Entrenched, machine encumbents etc?  wah wah wah. Get off this blogs and go do something that gets people to vote.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Run then]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 08 Jul 2007 11:32:10 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#947139]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Thus....]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Thus the need for an overwhelmingly huge turnout of registered, non-voters and previously unregistered, non-voters, all focussed on voting out the entrenched, machine incumbents, both Dunbocrats and Retardicans, in every election, and in numbers so great as to be insurmountable by even the most egregious election fraud.
    
    At the very least, make these rascals commit vote fraud so blatantly, that it can't be hidden, not even from the 'three monkey' major media, ie., they 'see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing'.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Thus....]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2007 16:00:12 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#959104]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#959104]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[Gus]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[just because Daley wins doesn't mean he is doing a good job
    
    I don't trust those new computerized voting machines anyway
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Gus]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2007 15:03:00 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#958970]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#958970]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[Yes, but.....]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Yes, it does seem likely that our 'resident Daley apologist' has his head planted so deeply up the leprechaun's buttocks, that the smell of feces has altered his perception of the real world.
    
    And he may well have breathed in so much shit vapor, for so very long, that his cellular structures have mutated into the substances found withing that dark, dank and fetid environment.
    
    And yet, randy does have a purpose in this life, perhaps one not of his intention or comprehension.
    
    Let us all continue to rejoice and appreciate his willingness to share his thoughts and opinions, from his vantage point, as, properly handled, randy may prove to be a guy who has 'gone where no honest man has gone before', and his observations, however convoluted they may seem to be, are of value.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Yes, but.....]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2007 14:26:35 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#969854]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#969854]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[Randall's busy]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Randall is busy trying to think of how to justify the abuse of his fellow citizens of Chicago.  It takes more of a leap of faith than most of his neighbors to say, (in quotations below are the piece of shit Randy Gordon&acirc;&#128;&#153;s rationalization of police abuse.)
    
    "I would like to make one more point on this whole bad policeperson issue. 
    
    However, that is not so easy when their judgment is impaired, say, over grief for the loss of a loved one, or having a few drinks after work. Thats why there are "cop" bars, bars that specialize in serving policepersons. 
    
    Several of the recent incidents are in that class. 
    
    
    Was it inexcusable? Not exactly. Unless you are a stone cold hate filled monster, you understand that under tremendous pressure, anyone will break. That's why the human race invented mercy and forgiveness, and why we have human beings as judges, not computers."
    
    Lets hope the judges don't find beating the shit out of a 100 lb. bartender, or abusing your position to prevent your fellow officers from investigating the unprovoked attack of four guys playing a game of pool that landed one in the hospital, inexcusable.
    
    Randy - you&acirc;&#128;&#153;re not a tool, your a piece of SHIT, plain and simple.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Randall's busy]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2007 12:46:48 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#957842]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#957842]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[hey randall....]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[So, randy, you got an opinion on what 'Benjamin' posted?
    
    Maybe some goofy analogy to the history of ancient Egypt? Or the Middle Ages? Or the 'mythical' city of Atlantis?
    
    How about it?
    
    Cat got your tongue?
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by hey randall....]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:05:58 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#971791]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#971791]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[And yet...]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[And yet, the midget, leprechaun king gets 70%+ of the votes of those who showed up on election day.
    
    Kinda proving that the minions will get out of bed at least one day out of, what, 4 x 365 = 1,460?
    
    Too bad the rest of us can't seem to figure out that that's all it would take for us to do, get out of bed on election day and vote the bastards out.
    
    Well, maybe next time........
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by And yet...]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:04:45 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#960226]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[I continue]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Almost every major project in Chicago has been over budget, taken too long, and cost a lot and lot of money with all sorts of corruption
    
    MILLENIUM PARK
    the girl got pregnant by a guy not her husband while she worked for the city regulated the baby's daddy who was the contractor?
    DAN RYAN?
    Traffic? Parking need I say more
    
    The HIRED TRUCK PROGRAM
    Daley used to say this was a success
    A gang banger who ran a contracting program and took bribes so mafia trucking companies could get contracts to do nothing
    
    the POLICE LAW SUITS
    over and over and over again
    torture
    misconduct
    rogue cops
    drug dealing cops
    hundreds of millions in legal fees and settlements
    
    EDUCATION--still some of the  highest drop out rates, dozens of murders just this year alone IN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
    Big budget and lots of sweetheart contracts
    Oh, but North Side Prep is a great school for rich white people
    so some white people won't move out to Wilmette when they have families
    
    the CTA--it is a financial mess
    bad service
    
    The Inspector Generals office--corrupt
    
    The Federal Monitor-- a joke
    
    So where is the City that Works?
    Try to get a permit if you are politically unconnected
    or a zoning change
    or start a business in the city limits
    or fight a water bill
    and don't forget to pay your property taxes
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by I continue]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:09:09 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#950463]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Benjamin]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[The CTA is a mess financially.
    DC has a much better mass transit system.  As does Mexico city.
    Now they can't even do it right over the summer with people getting stuck for an hour.
    They are cutting service for the poor and minority while raising rates--decreasing the very reason to have mass transit for low income people to get to work.
    
    Property taxes are high.
    EVICTIONS ARE AT ALL TIME HIGHS AND HIGHER IN CHICAGO THAN ELSEWHERE.
    As are foreclosures and bankruptcy.
    So all this nice, new stuff and lots of building is done on a loan and credit card and it is coming due.
    
    There is a lot more money because of HEDGE FUNDS in New York (in New York most of the big financial people live in New York proper and donate big time to the arts etc--our financial industry residences are primarily suburban although certainly critical to the Chicago economy)
    Chicago is not the only big city that made a come back in the 90s.
    There was a booming economy with a strong stock market, monetary policies that dated back to Reagan, the internet dot com boom (even if some it was a bubble)
    The West Coast (LA/San Jose) and Boston did much better in the Tech Market than Chicago (remember the big Flipkowski disaster and some of the other investments that failed) with more university support/interaction and more creativity and company headquarters in Portland, Oregon-Seattle, Washington--San Jose, California and a lot of the research stuff in Boston, MA--let alone Tel Aviv, Israel or Bangaglore, India.
    Taxes are high
    Schools are still mediocre
    and Chicago is still the murder capital percentage wise and pure numbers
    YES, downtown is expensive and beautiful (parking, food, if you own property taxes, or rent--not for most people) and Lincoln Park is nice and many other nice areas--do you think that is because of Daley.
    
    Daley wasn't nearly as innovative
    as GULIANI in NYC
    or RIORDAN in LA
    even Cleveland, Ohio rebuilt their pier
    St. Petersburg, FL rebuilt the Pier
    San Antonio has a RiverWalk
    Chicago has more people and infrastructure
    
    What did Daley do so different than a Mayor:
    Vrdolyak?
    Washington?
    Dorothy Brown?
    Frank Avila?
    Gene Sawyer?
    Tim Evans?
    Don Haider?
    Jane Byrne?
    Don Rumsfield?
    Larry Horist?
    Ed Burke?
    Juan Soliz?
    Larry Melman?
    Luis Guttierrez?
    Ed Kelly?
    Would Chicago be a Detroit with any of the names above?
    Better?
    Worse?
    
    Daley doesn't deserve half the credit people give him.
    Education is still mediocre and terrible in many places.
    Chicago is a TALE OF TWO CITIES.
    The nice exterior of some parts doesn't mean a lot of people are getting pushed out and suffering.
    
    Daley is corrupt and probably should go to jail.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Benjamin]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:04:52 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#961010]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[re h t]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[I hope you appreciate the contributions our 'resident apologist' randy continues to post.
    
    I know I do, as it gives me an opportunity to examine the nature and techniques used by our own midget, leprechaun king, (and his loyal minions), to bullshit the voters into allowing him to fuck up this city and county for generations.
    
    Randy does a wonderful job of presenting us with proof positive of the ways in which our 'public servants' consistently treat us as the fools we have proven ourselves to be.
    
    Now, if only we can develop a concerted effort to rid ourselves of these many leeches and parasites in the next few elections.
    
    HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re h t]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:40:14 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#954840]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Hey Tool]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[We, the taxpayers, are not subordinates of Mayor Daley - HE WORKS FOR US!  Period.  
    
    This is still a Democracy.  He is not a Sun King, and we are not his peasants.  He is a public official who serves with consent of the public.  He is our subordinate.  The press and folks like you might want to continue to treat him as though he is royalty, but as Mr. Conyors article on the Burge case demonstrates, he was entrusted with a public trust that he will be held accountable for.  I am glad that the courts are beginning to take on the arrogance of this mayor, as well as alternative press outlets like the reader.   I think it is high time that the main stream press take off the kid gloves and start insisting on some real responses for the failures of our police department, public schools, public transit, abuse of TIF's and the lack of transparency at virtually every level of city government.  Look beyond the flower beds and cast iron fencing, and this city is in serious financial trouble.  Pension obligations and infrastructure maintenance might not be glamorous topics, but they need attention before their is a mass flight out to the outer suburbs simply because most of us can not afford the cost of nearly two decades of neglect toward real investment in our infrastructure and the far too generous union agreements on top of a bloated bureaucracy of political hires.  Exactly how many PR people do our governments need?  
    
    Thanks once again for your Socratic BS input Tool.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Hey Tool]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:25:25 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#970830]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#970830]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[re Randy the Schemer]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Randy, either you genuinely read more into anything critical of those in control of our governance OR you are, indeed, a disingenuous schemer.
    
    I suspect it is the latter, given your penchant for hyperbole and exaggeration.
    
    A few choice examples, first, from this particular post:
    
    
    "So I make this suggestion. There are those in our society we ask a lot of. We might consider giving something other than hatred back, in return."
    
    
    "Hatred"?
    
    Outrage, maybe.
    
    Disgust, maybe.
    
    Disappointment, certainly.
    
    Disapproval, definitely.
    
    
    and
    
    
    "....or having a few drinks after work." and "So no, it is not excusable, but it IS mitigating circumstances."
    
    You're not referring to the two incidents where, in one, 
    
    several off-duty cops beat down a few, weaker, male individuals, severely enough for trips to the emergency room, then obstructed justice by waving off the on-duty officers who responded to the 911 call, 
    
    or the other,
    
    where a 300 pound+, drunken cop punched and kicked the shit out of a 120 pound young woman bartender, all because she wouldn't continue to serve the already blasted fellow, with everything caught on the bar's video, then conspired to obstruct justice by having the victim threatened with grievous bodily harm, if she didn't withdraw her complaint,
    
    are you?
    
    
    and:
    
    
    "Several thousand years ago, a man suggested that the world would be a much better place if we were all nicer and more forgiving to each other."
    
    He did much more than that, binky, even if one doesn't embrace the belief in His divinity.
    
    You really should stick to what you understand and are knowledgable of, unless, of course, you knowingly are omitting those elements that don't support your agendas.
    
    
    and
    
    
    "Anyhow, Mick, I am about to say the nastiest thing I have ever said...Mayor Daley probably really appreciates your efforts."
    
    The 'nasty' part here is that the mayor doesn't 'appreciate' Mick's efforts, he exploits them, uses them, and, as you have pointed out, in your typically obtuse manner, benefits from them.
    
    
    and
    
    
    "Is it revenge? For someone being fallible? In many cases, I don't think thats justified, the case of a policeperson grieving for his parent, for example."
    
    So, you're thinking that a person grieving for the loss of a parent, or other loved one, would, quite naturally, be inclined to strike out violently in rage at anyone who 'rubs them the wrong way'?
    
    Have you lost a parent?
    
    Did you go out and get drunk, on the drug(s) of your choice?
    
    Were you inclined to beat the shit out of the first person who pissed you off?
    
    Is that your concept of grieving?
    
    
    and
    
    
    "Police are trained to ignore taunts and insults, they encounter them a lot."
    
    Do they, now?
    
    Ignore them?
    
    Encounter them a lot? 
    
    Or, is it more commonly experienced, by the public, that some cops are the ones who regularly dish out taunts and insults, which the public must ignore and tolerate?
    
    
    and
    
    
    "Wow, apparently I struck a nerve with our erstwhile Utopian.
    
    "Umm, I normally ignore the jeremiads and horatories, but this display was so extreme I have to ask. Utopian (and I use that term because, with so many identities, It is the only label I have to address the mind behind them all), you DO know that most people can tell when you post under multiple names, and discuss things with yourself, right?"
    
    Extreme?
    
    Jeremiads & Horatories?
    
    Utopian?
    
    "...discuss things with yourself..."
    
    My, what nerves have I apparently struck in you?
    
    
    And, from a few other randy posts:
    
    
    "It is always easy to point out flaws, since there will always be flaws; nothing ever approaches the Utopian ideal of perfection.
    
    But it is not all that tremendously useful, either." 
    
    
    And yet, you've just stated that the pointing out of flaws IS useful, to the mayor, at least.
    
    
    and
    
    
    "TIF's aren't always bad...."
    
    
    And, who's saying that they are ALWAYS BAD?
    
    When they are designated where and for what purpose they were designed for, when they are used to achieve their intended benefits, to the communities that truly need them, when their application and administration is honest and intelligent and helpful in attracting and encouraging private sector capitol investments in those areas sorely needing same, they're not bad and they aren't the specific TIF's that are being criticized.
    
    And you know it.
    
    
    and
    
    
    "I agree that contractors are more likely where you would find corruption, if there is any to be found. What you need to find out is what contracting agencies have a higher percentage of hires in a particular department or area. That could indicate favoritism or corruption.
    
    Or it might not. The city is pretty much self policing in that respect, though. If one group starts getting too much of the pie, competing groups yell their head off about it."
    
    
    So, according to randy, when "...one group starts getting too much of the pie, competing groups yell their head off about it.", means that what is likely to happen?
    
    That, suddenly, everybody involved magically turns honest?
    
    Or that the 'group' getting a bigger 'piece of the pie' politely turns over a portion to the group that is doing the yelling?
    
    Or, more likely, that the powers-that-be decide that they need the pie to be BIGGER, so there'll be more 'pie' to go around?
    
    
    Randy, I'm consistently amazed at how some of your posts can be intelligent, well thought out and interesting to ponder and others are so loaded with agenda-driven crap that it's hard to believe they were written by the same person.
    
    With that said, I hope you continue to post, as the odds are in favor of your producing the former a bit more often than the latter.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re Randy the Schemer]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:10:29 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#952405]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#952405]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[Randy Gordon]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Wow, apparently  I struck a nerve with our erstwhile Utopian. 
    
    Umm, I normally ignore the jeremiads and horatories, but this display was so extreme I have to ask. Utopian (and I use that term because, with so many identities, I t is the only label I have to address the mind behind them all), you DO know that most people can tell when you post under multiple names, and discuss things with yourself, right? 
    
    Anyhow, Mick, I am about to say the nastiest thing I have ever said...Mayor Daley probably really appreciates your efforts.
    
    Consider this from the point of view of any executive, not just Mayor Daley. 
    
    An executive's job is managing their subordinates.  Problem is, most subordinates hide their mistakes or blame them on others. Thats just human nature. 
    
    And while an executive may suspect something, you can't just go out an accuse them of lying, you need their help to succeed, and an adversarial relationship isn't going to achieve that. And the ultimate action, firing, has to be used sparingly, because the subordinates you don't want fired are not going to want to work for you if they view you as a bad boss, and your superiors are going to start to doubt your judgement.
    
    On the other hand, if an outside entity, say, you, were to point out problems, well, the executive can hardly be blamed for that.  And then the executive can get involved. It really doesn't matter if the outside force is right or not, just simply that they provide an excuse. The executive can simply ignore it if it is not an issue they are interested in using as an excuse.
    
    Like I said, you are very useful to Mayor Daley, and he probably appreciates it.
    
    I would like to make one more point on this whole bad policeperson issue. 
    
    Police are trained to ignore taunts and insults, they encounter them a lot. 
    
    However, that is not so easy when their judgment is impaired, say, over grief for the loss of a loved one, or having a few drinks after work. Thats why there are "cop" bars, bars that specialize in serving policepersons.
    
    Several of the recent incidents are in that class. 
    
    Was the officer wrong? Clearly. 
    
    Was it inexcusable?   Not exactly. Unless you are a stone cold hate filled monster, you understand that under tremendous pressure, anyone will break.  That's why the human race invented mercy and forgiveness, and why we have human beings as judges, not computers. 
     
    So no, it is not excusable, but it IS mitigating circumstances. 
    
    In a rush to judgment, we forget that police are people,  people we have asked to do an incredibly difficult  job, under very trying limitations.  If sometimes they fail at that, it is hardly unexpected, only a Utopian would think it was possible to always be perfect.
    
    But is is still inexcusable. Thats not an issue. But the punishment is. We have to ask ourselves this question, what are we trying to achieve? 
    
    Is it revenge? For someone being fallible? In many cases, I don't think thats justified, the case of a policeperson grieving for his parent, for example. 
    
    What I think we, as a society, ought to try and achieve is a better police force. That may involve firing or incarceration, but determining if thats the appropriate punishment involves a closer examination of the circumstances than the bare recital of immediate facts encompasses.
    
    Several thousand years ago, a man suggested that the world would be a much better place if we were all nicer and more forgiving to each other. 
    
    For suggesting that, he was nailed to a couple of wooden boards and left to die of exposure. 
     
    Judging by history, we haven't had much success by ignoring that advice. 
    
    We might consider that it was probably was a mistake to do that and that perhaps he was right. 
    
    So I make this suggestion. There are those in our society we ask a lot of. We might consider giving something other than hatred back, in return.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Randy Gordon]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 06:59:02 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Doing our part]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#968636]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/07/03/doing-our-part/#968636]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[re b k]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Yes, they are DAMNED 'GOOD' at it.
    
    That's because they have no soul, no  honor, no sense of right and wrong, no compassion, no mercy, no kindness, no 'moral compass', no integrity, and no desire to know anything about anything, other than, 'what do I want and how do I get it'.
    
    Since they know no rules of commonly decent human behavior, they are effectively limited only by what they can get away with.
    
    I posted this little essay awhile ago, it seemed to be amusing to some:
    
     
    "insider
    April 1st - 9:40 p.m.
    
    Let's take a peek into the Political Hack's Playbook.
    
    1) If telling the truth HELPS you, tell the truth. (however rarely this is true for an incumbent)
    
    2) If telling the truth HURTS you, tell a lie, particularly a lie that is impossible to prove is a lie.
    
    3) When lying, coat your lies with as much truth as possible, so the lie APPEARS to be true.
    
    4) When confronted with your lies, vigorously assert that you're NOT lying and accuse those who say you are, OF LYING.
    
    5) avoid lying about things that can be PROVEN to be lies, tho, you can ALWAYS challenge the honesty of those who present the proof of your lies.
    
    6) Do your very best to keep some sort of track of your lies, so you don't waste energy lying when you are confronted with conflicting lies.
    
    7) Whenever possible, always have OTHERS lie for you, so you can denounce them, if and when they are caught lying.
    
    8) When caught in a lie, change the subject and focus on telling those lies that have, so far, not been proven to be lies.
    
    9) Tell the truth sparingly, as, if the truth were helpful to you, you wouldn't have to tell so many lies in the first place.
    
    There's a lot more stuff in the Political Hack's Playbook, but I think this is enough for now, don't you?"
     
    This is what the many hard-working, basically honest and humble citizens are up against.
    
    This is what we must all neutralize and render impotent, if we are to have a chance at controlling our own governance.
    
    This is what makes it so difficult to have honest people, doing an honest, fair and competent job of 'serving the public', representing, and not controlling, dictating, manipulating, deceiving and exploiting, us all. 
    
    This is the challenge of our generation, to attempt to achieve what has yet to be achieved, namely, the ideals of democracy.
    
    I believe it's worth making an effort, even if we only can do so with a hope and a prayer.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by re b k]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2007 02:52:25 -0500</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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