Category: Politics
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Rahm Talks Trash
An interesting bit, shows that Rahm’s not just another pretty face: (1) Establish a “benchmark” price per ton after comparing the cost of collecting Chicago’s 1 million tons of annual garbage to costs in 10 major cities. (2) Give the city’s 1,142-strong, $173.7 million-a-year refuse-collection army a chance to generate the savings necessary to meet…
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Why Gutierrez Isn’t Running for Mayor
From the Sun-Times: Convicted political fixer Tony Rezko gave U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez free upgrades on a riverfront town house after the congressman asked for them, Gutierrez told the FBI, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. Gutierrez’s comments to federal agents in a previously undisclosed 2008 interview contradict what the congressman told the Sun-Times in 2006…
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Subpoenas Deny Hendon
Ooops. State Sen. Rickey Hendon today took himself out of the race for Chicago mayor, a week after revelations that a federal grand jury has issued subpoenas for records on dozens of state grants, some of which he sponsored. (Full story here.) Well another one bites-the-dust. My guess is that if Lisa Madigan had been…
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The Chicago Way
With the election now behind us I’d like to pause on a great little story in the Trib. today. Cook County voters Tuesday narrowly retained four Circuit Court judges who had been deemed unqualified to continue on the bench by several legal groups. Jim Ryan and Susan McDunn each garnered about 63 percent of the…
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SECOND WARD ALDERMAN
The decision has been made: I’m throwing my hat into the ring for Second Ward Alderman. There are other candidates running I highly respect and believe would make excellent public representatives. However, I believe that I can and will, simply, do better. I will begin revealing details about my campaign and how I plan to…
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State Borrows Another $3.4 Billion
Clout Street is carrying a short story about Quinn standing at the bond counter selling your future and mine. As of today the State of Illinois is about $120 Billion in debt. That’s around $9,400 for every man, woman, and child in the state. And the Governor’s passing out paper making the whole situation worse. I’m…
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We’re moving on out…
Today’s Tribune has a story about Hookah bars closing in Worth and Palos Hills. Seems the local town folk don’t want anyone smoking anywhere in public in their town. Here’s the money quote: Havana Cafe owner Ray Salem said he’ll likely reopen as a sandwich shop, although he estimates he’ll lose 50 percent of his business.…
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Relocate To Make It
Have you heard of this? According to a recent Pew Research Center study, one in 10 adults between the ages of 18 and 34 said the poor economy has forced them to move back in with mom and dad. Tribune has a story about it here. It’s pretty straightforward, kids leave home trying to make it…
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The Body Scan Scam
Let the dance begin. Security gurus versus privacy rights advocates are starting the new year off with a very loud public argument on the use of millimeter wave body scans at U.S. airports. The problem is that they’re not even debating the right question. Like many things, this would be funny it not for the potential deadly…
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The Overton Window
Something not out of the paper today but that’s been on my mind for awhile. I sometimes feel like I’m nuts; like I’m the only one who’s still clinging to the past with my old fashioned notions of working hard, saving money, living within your means, treating people fairly, not eating with my elbows on…