Chicago for Rahm, his campaign, sent out an email on the day two firefighters were killed.  It was a skillfully written sympathy card regarding the deaths.

At the bottom was a rather large Donate button.  Never letting a good crisis go to waste, Rahm wants to make bucks for his campaign on the backs of men who died in true public service.  He is no public servant.  Rahm is merely a lip servant.  One would think if you are sending out condolences you would leave off the Donate to My Political Campaign nonsense.  It sort of takes the meaning out of heartfelt.  It demonstrates you do not have a heart.  Or a soul.

Yesterday two Chicago Firefighters lost their life doing what they loved to do.  Edward Stringer and Corey Ankum were killed when a roof collapsed and buried them in rubble.

They lived up to the sentiment of “All gave some. Some gave all.”

Firefighters, police officers, and soldiers, never know what will happen when they go to work.  They leave their families and loved ones knowing full well tragedy can strike.  It is something very few think about.  They just do it.

It is the mark of a true professional.  They profess something.  Something deep, heartfelt, and murky.  This thing we call service.  It is something that can not be defined, but is felt.  Deep down in their souls.

Maybe during this holiday season we should take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices being made on our behalf around the clock every single day.  This is the season of giving.  Firefighters Corey Ankum and Edward Stringer  gave all.

Berrios response, through a spokesperson, is his relatives are competent and they are staying.  His transition has gone smoothly so there is no worry about Berrios hiring relatives.  Ethics ordinances are for little people.  They are not for guys like Berrios, who is also the Cook County Democratic Chairman.

This is the problem with the Democratic Machine.  The rules do not apply to them.  They can flaunt them at will.  Inspector Generals and ethics chiefs can issue all the reports they want.  If they take any action they will be in the unemployment line.  Replaced by a Democratic elected official’s relative.  Probably named Berrios.

Union Stockyards Fire Memorial

One hundred years ago today, the Union Stockyards was ravaged by a fire.  The fire started in a building owned by the Nelson Morris Company.  21 firefighters were killed when a blazing wall collapsed on them.  It was the greatest loss of big-city firemen until September 11,2001.  All the firemen were from the neighborhood, making the tragedy worse, especially three days before Christmas.

The fire made national news because of the Union Stockyards status as a Chicago landmark.  Though fires at the Stockyards were not uncommon, they were treacherous due to the grease soaked wood and chemicals used in meat processing at the time.

“Every fireman knows what a stockyard fire means,” the Tribune reported at the time. “The men knew of the treachery of the ancient shells of grease soaked wood and shaky brick walls. … Chicago firemen cherish no illusions when they go in to strangle a big fire at the yards with their hands.”

It took 17 hours to pull the remains of the firefighters out.  They were buried in the rubble with the bodies of hog meat stored in the building.

Today, on the one hundredth year of the anniversary, descendents of the fallen will place a wreath at the memorial statue to commemorate the men who died that fateful day.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Father and son

In 1955 I was two years old and a guy named Daley was elected mayor of Chicago.  He was Da Mare until his death on December 20, 1976.  Just over 21 years.  In 1989 I was 36 years old.  A guy named Daley was elected mayor.  He will retire this year after over 21 years, bypassing his father by five months.

For over 42 years a guy named Daley has been mayor of Chicago.  We will be seeing the inevitable stories about comparisons between father and son, and other forms of nostalgic musings from the media.

The father took over the reigns of power when urban America had nowhere to go but up.  The son took over when urban America was past decline.  The father was a firm believer in power politics.  The son believed in the power of coalition politics.

Both men had their merits and their foibles.  They were easy to poke fun at or get mad at.  At the end of the day they had one thing in common.  They were in charge.  They led, they ran, they managed.  For better or worse.

Father and son knew the value of practical politics.  Neither were raging liberals or conservatives.  They were pragmatists.  It was never a matter of what you thought, it was a matter of what you did and who you knew.  And you better get something done.

They were doers.  They both did whatever it took to accomplish things.  Maybe they did some harm along the way.  But, that is the human condition.  No one is perfect.  Not one of us can say we are angels or demons.   In the end they both loved Chicago and did what they thought was best.  Sometimes what they thought best was not the best decision.

They governed in different times and different political worlds.  But one thing remains clear.  Father and son went through turbulent times.  Both held the city together and refused to let it fail.  When New York was crumbling and nearly bankrupt, Chicago thrived.  While Detroit turned into the equivalent of a third world country, Chicago survived.  We are still standing, even though things are being held together with baling wire and bubble gum.

Their real problem was speed.  Both were fast to build, improve, beautify, and create an urban oasis.  Move.  Get it done.  Now.  Both were slow to solve problems.  Problems they were aware of.  Problems were only solved when scandals forced them to do something.  Things went along merrily until the next scandal.

Father and son were brash, bold, and tried to execute big ideas.  The father had buildings erected and built the most powerful Democratic machine in history; a power felt on the national level.  The son oversaw a modern building boom, brought new kinds of businesses to Chicago and built a smaller, more efficient machine focused on political, racial, ethnic, social, and cultural coalitions.  Both men worked well with presidents and powerhouses of both parties.  That is how things get done.

We will never know which man was greater.  Which did the most good or the most harm.  That will be left to historians.  Father and son shared equal amounts of praise, condemnation, and ridicule.  Both were temperamental to the point of apoplectic rage.  When they laughed- cackled- others laughed too.  With them and at them.

For a total of forty six years a guy named Daley has been the mayor of Chicago.  That in and of itself is a major accomplishment.  For better or worse.

Burt Odelson, the attorney representing two serious challengers and Joe Morris the hearing officer plodded through with professional grace.  Even when some of the challenger’s behavior was beyond outlandish.

This circus is a clear demonstration there is a severe problem with the policies and procedures the Board of Elections has in place.  It is the fault of the Board that a serious matter degenerated into such a low farce.

The Board of Elections has to be revamped from the ground up.  It is time for new independent commissioners, term limits, and a total overhaul of the ordinances, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations governing the board.

There were over three hundred challenges to aldermanic candidates.  Most are purely frivolous.  Then there are the problems with ballot integrity, the election judge system, and the total lack of enforcement when violations occur.  There is no investigation of complaints, especially those of poll watchers.  Once the election is over it is history.  On to the next one.

If we ever are to have honest elections in this city we should demand the Board of elections be revamped.   Or better yet, it should be put under federal oversight until they get it right or go to prison.

The teenager and I were discussing Rahm’s entry into the race.  I had mentioned that Rahm is a very good political operative.  He knows where the skeletons are buried in his opponent’s and ally’s closets.  The teenager asked if Rahm had any skeletons in his closet.  I thought about that for a minute.  I told her everyone has skeletons in their closets.  If you live or work in public, there are skeletons.  She asked why no one could find any of Rahm’s.  I said they probably could, but there was only one little problem.  No one knows where Rahm’s closet is.

While most of the media are turning columns, barrels of ink, and giga bytes of pixels into Rahm Emanuel Facebook pages, singing his praises, sympathizing with his travails, and promoting his campaign, no one is looking into him.  No one is digging.  No one is vetting.  No one is asking the hard questions.  They are not even asking the soft ones.

It is not laziness or incompetence.  It is the playbook.  The media picked Rahm to be the mayor and the mayor he will be.  Damn the people.  Rahm does not have to spend much money on advertising.  The media is doing the work for free.   From reporters, to columnists, right up to the editorial boards.  There will be no investigation or criticism of the Emanuel, the new Messiah, the Savior.

Rahm is getting a free pass by the media.  No one is searching for the truth, the lies, or anything else.  Rahm showed up.  Rahm is running.  Rahm will be elected.  Case closed.

While other candidates are being ignored or skeletons in their closets are being unearthed, Rahm is getting a free pass.  No one is searching for Rahm’s closet.  It’s a pity the real journalists- the great ones- are just fictional characters in novels.

The media in this town are all singing the same song.

Oh come, Oh come Emanuel.

Rahm had lined up all his supporters- especially the financial and corporate ones- well in advance of any announcement.  The red carpet has been out for him for a very long time.

He, like his boss the president, positioned himself as the savior, branded himself as the Messiah, the Emanuel who can bring salvation to the longing masses in Chicago.  It worked too.  He set himself up to be number one and he is. From the day he announced, there was no one else but Rahm.  Every other candidate is a rotting second banana.

He also set himself up to be a martyr.  This is very slick.  The more stones people throw at him, the more sympathetic people are.  The more popular he becomes.  Poor Rahm.  Leave Rahm alone.  Rahm is the savior.  The message is clear.  Saviors must be martyrs to win.

The media is all gaga over Rahm.  Like hormonal teenagers they fawn, giggle , swoon, scream, and sing his praises every chance they get.  They never criticize, never attack, and always defend him.  There will be no criticism of the Emanuel.  The media is in the tank for Laddie Gaga.

Rahm is running the Obama campaign for mayor.  All his materials- even emails- are similar if not the same as Organizing for America (barackobama.com).  Their tone, style, and language.  Rahm has been creating a personality cult around himself.  It worked for Obama.  It should work for Emanuel.  It will work when Rahm runs Obama’s re-election campaign from City Hall.  The only reason he is running for mayor.

There will be no criticism and no vetting of Rahm by the media, or anyone else.  It will not be allowed or tolerated.  Just like Obama.  It is an intelligent strategy.  Rahm is bullet proof because he says so.  Everyone is going along for the one way ride.

This just demonstrates the major flaw in Chicago media.  They know Rahm is a product of the Machine, just like his former boss.  They know he will practice the same corrupt Machine politics that has crippled this city for the past eighty years.  They know there will be no change.  No hope.  The media accepts this.  It is as if they want it.  More like the crave it.

It is a shame.  We no longer have a critical, cynical, and jaded media in this city.   They have become enablers of the Machine.  Rahm is here.  The media wants him.  They except him.  No one else exists.

Rahm’s carefully laid plans are working.  Even people who should know better are salivating like drooling doddering idiots every time he makes an appearance.  The Machine is right.  Never underestimate the stupidity of the Chicago voter.

“Q. Isn’t this just Emanuel’s opponents exploiting Illinois’ strict election laws to try to “deny voters choices” as Emanuel’s supporters have argued.

A. Yes. It’s a storied tradition. In 2004, Emanuel used a ballot challenge to try to oust his primary opponent for Congress . President Obama won his first election the same way, using ballot challenge to knock all his opponents for state Senate off the ballot and win by default.”

The Emanuel candidacy challenge is being taken too lightly, especially by supporters like the Chicago Sun Times.  Yes Virginia, the Sun Times is in the tank for Emanuel.  The question of residency is serious and should be considered as such.  There is no attempt at denying voters a choice.  That is just a meme used to get supporters angry and demand Rahm- or any other popular candidate be allowed to run.  This is the same system the Sun Times admits Rahm, Obama, and others have exploited.

There’s the rub.  It is acceptable, even encouraged, for the so called “good” machine guys to exploit the challenge system.  It is not acceptable to challenge the “good” machine guys.

The challenge against Rahm is more serious for another reason.  It demonstrates there are severe problems with the Chicago Board of Elections.  The ordinances, rules, and regulations are written very loosely and subject to very liberal interpretation.  A few are madly confusing.  Had the law been precise, clear, and concise, there would be no problem.  This sloppiness leads to bad policies, procedures, and rare enforcement.

It is time to change that.  It is time to rewrite the ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.  This is not just about Rahm.  Several hundred challenges- most of them frivolous- have been filed against aldermanic candidates too.  These challenges cost time and money.  Tax payer money and legal fees.  It is a waste.

The same holds true when there are problems at polling places or that involve ballot handling and ballot integerity.  There is little to no enforcement.  The benefit of the doubt is the standard used when problems occur at polling places.  When violations occur prosecution is rare.  The attitude is “OOPS” “Oh well”.  There is no accountability.  There are no consequences.

Poll watchers report violations.  There is little investigation of them.  Once the election is over, that’s it.  Nothing is done about the alleged violations or reported problems.  The Board just sweeps it all under the table as if nothing went wrong.  The election is history the next day.

It is time for the next city council to take a good hard look at the Board of Elections.  It is time for changes to be made.  There is no reason for our election system to be such a circus.  The current system is antiquated, antediluvian, arcane.  It benefits no one.  Except election lawyers.

The program was a failure.  Only 10% of the participants found full time employment.  This program was put together in a slip-shod fashion compared to other states, like Iowa, who did it in an intelligent and focused manner.

The only reason Quinn poured state money into Put Illinois to Work was to prop up his campaign.  He knew full well the state could not afford to keep it.  This is just another example of Pat Quinn’s fiscal malpractice.

Quinn’s idea of governance is imagineering.  Someone should give him a clue- Illinois is not Disneyland.  It is not some Utopian fantasy place.  Illinois is broke and on the way to bankruptcy.  This program failed Illinois because it was designed as a political sham instead of good public policy.  Quinn and his people did not use any intelligence to put this together.  They just threw money away.

Quinn may have won the election, but he is still incompetent and inept.  We are going to pay a big price for his incompetence.