Politicians Illinois

Better Government Association - Chicago - Cook County - Cook County Board - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago’s Corruption Tax

February 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A new study has been released by the University of Illinois in conjunction with the Better Government Association that details Cook County’s disgusting history of political neer-do-wells calling it a true “culture of corruption.” (Download .pdf of report)

“More than 140 people have been convicted of corruption in county-related cases since 1970,” the study finds.

Featured are tales of bribes, ghost payrolls, sweetheart deals, rip-offs, and the “wholesale subversion of the judicial system.”

“This rogue’s gallery of corrupt individuals is just the tip of the iceberg,” said the BGA’s Andy Shaw, “because, for every one of those convicted, there may be a dozen or more people who narrowly escape the justice system, not to mention all the clout-related conflicts of interest. It is truly a ‘culture of corruption.’”

Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be getting any better but kudos to the BGA for publishing the study. It goes to show how much of a failure our county government is.
Continue reading “

Chicago’s Corruption Tax”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Another Chicago Alderman Wants to Ban Something

February 15, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Alderman Eddie “Buttinski” Burke wants to ban styrofoam containers in the City of Chicago. I have a better idea, let’s ban these idiot Aldermen instead.

Of course, Eddie doesn’t give a crap about any styrofoam containers. He only wants to create a new revenue stream for the city by inventing a fine if anyone happens to use them after he banned them. He’s proposing a $300 to $500 fine. Thanks nanny Burke.

Once again we get another braindead Alderman trying to justify his cushy, unnecessary job by taking on things he has no business taking on. But these half-wits have been doing this for decades. We’ve had bans on all sorts of things and proposed bans on hundreds more. We had that dolt Alderman Joe Moore (I think his last name is properly spelled Mooreon) who proposed a Foie Gras ban that everyone ignored and ended up being rescinded. Even Eddie “Buttinski” Burke tried to ban horse poop, or something, a few years ago.
Continue reading “

Another Chicago Alderman Wants to Ban Something”

Alexi Giannoulias - Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Lobbyists - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

A Conservative Candidate to Face Kirk and Giannoulias in Nov? Better Be Careful!

February 13, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

There has been some loose talk around conservative circles in Illinois about finding a more conservative candidate to run against both Alexi Giannoulias and Mark Kirk for the Illinois Senate in November. But the time for this was during the primary and that time is now passed. If we wanted a more conservative candidate than Mark Kirk we should have nominated him on February 2. A third party candidate at this time will only elect the mob banker, Alexi Giannoulias, to the Senate.

The only thing that wouldn’t make my statement above untrue is if a more conservative, third party candidate can mount a seriously funded campaign and can build a state-wide coalition over the next few months. By seriously funded, I’m talking at least four million dollars. The likelihood of this is remote at best.

And here is the thing: if a serious conservative candidate was able to get four million dollars together in only three months that candidate would have done so last October or November and would have been on that primary ballot.

It should also be pointed out that the state GOP will not be helping anyone but Kirk. Any insurgent candidate would have to build a state-wide network, or already have one, that could best the entire GOP establishment in order to run a credible race.

With Patrick Hughes out of the campaign due to his primary loss, there is no one else with the name recognition, state-wide network, or money to mount a serious campaign. Would that there was one.
Continue reading “

A Conservative Candidate to Face Kirk and Giannoulias in Nov? Better Be Careful!”

Chicago - Chris Lauzen - Constitution - Free Speech - Freedom - GOP - Illinois - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Anti-Robo Call Bill Introduced in Springfield

February 13, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

There was an earlier attempt to do this, but here it is again. Senators Dale A. Righter (R, Matoon) and Chris Lauzen (R, Aurora) have introduced the Electioneering-Autodialer Call bill. This bill would provide for citizens being able to sign a registry that would prevent their phone numbers from being susceptible to the ever present political Robo-call during election time.

Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Automatic Telephone Dialers Act and the Restricted Call Registry Act. Provides that the Automatic Telephone Dialers Act applies to electioneering autodialer telephone calls but does not apply to other telephone calls made by an autodialer and placed on behalf of a political organization. Prohibits electioneering autodialer telephone calls to telephone service subscribers who have registered their telephone number or numbers on the Restricted Call (“Do Not Call”) Registry. Defines “electioneering autodialer telephone call” to mean any voice communication over a telephone line, through the use of an autodialer or autodialer system, that refers to a clearly identified political candidate, political party, or question of public policy and is an appeal to vote for or against a clearly identified candidate, political party, or question of public policy. Effective immediately.

The bill has already had it’s first read and is now in the Assignments committee.

Well, I guess I am for this one. It doesn’t make robo-calls illegal which I think would violate political free speech of politicians and their supporters, but does provide for citizens to opt out from having to be bothered with them if they’d like.

I can get behind this one as long as it doesn’t outlaw the calls, as annoying as they are. I think this strikes the right balance between Constitutional rights to political free speech and a certain amount of an expectation of privacy.
Continue reading “

Anti-Robo Call Bill Introduced in Springfield”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Michael Madigan - Warner Todd Huston

Mike Madigan: Say, Let’s Get Rid of Lt. Guv

February 11, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Dem. Powerman Michael Madigan is proposing to ax the position of Lt. Governor and he wants it down by 2015. To achieve this the Speaker of the House has introduced a bill in Springfield to eliminate the position.

The bill provides that the Attorney General would replace the Governor if he should per chance have to step down… by that we mean go to jail like the rest of them seem to do eventually.

To tell you the truth, I am for this effort. The position is a waste of taxpayer’s money, has no powers anyway, and is ripe for a cost cutting measure.

Amusingly, Madigan can’t even do this small thing with any sense of democracy to his actions. He proposed the bill without even bothering to discuss it with his own caucus this week. Like some Soviet dictator, Madigan just made his pronouncement and that is that.

Anyway, I hope he actually wins this battle. The Lt. Guv’s position is a pointless one.
Continue reading “

Mike Madigan: Say, Let’s Get Rid of Lt. Guv”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Cook County - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Jobs - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Why Is Chicago losing Trade Shows?

February 11, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

This photo is a great example of why Chicago’s MacCormick Center is cost prohibitive for trade shows and why so many of them have pulled out of the city.

I’ve been to the auto show several times (not this year, but last) and I’ve seen these whateveryoucallthem workers that loll around the show with a plastic bag in one hand and a feather duster in the other. They lazily stroll about occasionally taking a swipe at something with their little duster but other wise just enjoying a nice leisurely stroll about the place.

This woman in this picture and all the union guys that twist in a light bulb, the union guys that plug in an extension cord, the union guys that move things, the union guys that pull the legs down on a fold-up table… each with their own unions and each forced on the exhibitors at union scale of up to $40 an hour.

It makes you realize why these trade shows are leaving Chicago like it was still on fire, fer cripes sakes!

Wouldn’t it make much more sense to have the guys manning the booth to be the ones to keep their own inventory dust free and save the stupid union costs that no one can afford anyway?

Yep, no wonder no one wants to be robbed in Chicago. Who needs Al Capone when we have Richard “King” Daley and his union thug army?
Continue reading “

Why Is Chicago losing Trade Shows?”

Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago’s Mayor Daley Says Scott Lee Cohen Earned His Election

February 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The controversy over the election that put Scott Lee Cohen on the upcoming ballot as the Democrat’s Lt. Governor nominee is still roiling. Cohen has yet to step down bowing to calls for his head from every Illinois Democrat. Well, almost all of them, anyway. It seems that Chicago’s Mayor Richie “King” Daley is not one of those joining the chorus demanding that Cohen step down.

Cohen plans to speak tonight and rumors are he will step down, but Daley says he earned his spot on the ticket.

“People vote in elections. Everybody knew he was a pawnbroker,” Daley said. “You knew. The media knew. Everybody knew that, right?”

Well, they may have all known that he was a pawnbroker, but the neither the media nor the Democrat Party cared much to inform the public about Cohen’s past. Yet, even that didn’t make Daley oppose Cohen.

“So anybody who’s allegedly — who’s arrested and the case is thrown out, should not run for public office. Is that right? You want that done? I’m just saying, it’s a very complicated issue.”

Well, from his viewpoint, he might be onto something. After all, nearly everyone in his administration is either a criminal outright or an accused one. So, if we were to eschew voting for such people Daley wouldn’t have anyone left in his government!

As for me, I hope Cohen keeps his spine intact and stays on the ticket. It’s all good for Republicans, for sure!
Continue reading “

Chicago’s Mayor Daley Says Scott Lee Cohen Earned His Election”

Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - State Government - States - Warner Todd Huston

Remember What We’re Fighting: Alexi Giannoulias and His Mob Ties

February 4, 2010 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

OK, folks, Mark Kirk is now the GOP candidate for Senate in the Land of Lincoln. Now is the time to remind everyone what we are facing, why we are fighting the corruption of Democrats, now is the time to focus on what is at stake…

Alexi Giannoulias, banker to the mob, from a family as corrupt as any Daley/George Ryan/Michael Madigan ever was. THIS is what awaits us if we Republicans do not vote for Mark Kirk.

Yes, Kirk is only marginally better on the issues than Giannoulis. Yes, Kirk is a center left kinda guy. Yes, Kirk lied when he called himself a center right guy. But one thing is sure. We can expect Mark Kirk to side with Republicans at least 45% of the time.

Were we to see a Giannoulias as our Senator we’d see a straight down the line, left-winger, with all the corruption of the Capone-set supporting him.
Continue reading “

Remember What We’re Fighting: Alexi Giannoulias and His Mob Ties”

Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Cook County Board - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Mayor Richard Daley - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Corrupt Politics in Cook County Illinois, Some History

January 17, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

There is a saying about Chicago’s weather: if you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes it’ll change. This, of course, is an allusion to the fact that the weather in Chicago is often unpredictable with every season but winter seeming all too short. The rains come, the winds blow, the snow falls and the chill descends with amazing rapidity. Naturally, this saying can be adapted to Cook County politics as well as the weather. If you don’t like a politician, wait a few weeks and they’ll likely be in jail.

Of course, it isn’t just Cook County, home of the City of Chicago, but it holds for the entire state. Illinois has had three governors sent to prison and a fourth, Rod Balgojevich, waiting to find out if he will become the next to take up residence behind bars. The “Land of Lincoln” has had over 80 legislators sent to prison since the 1970s. But Cook County deserves special recognition for its corruption and criminal politicians.*

Robert Lombardo wrote an excellent history of Cook County corruption where political corruption is front and center. Speaking of an early criminal politician, Lombardo paints a colorful picture of one Michael Cassius McDonald.
Continue reading “

Corrupt Politics in Cook County Illinois, Some History”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Unions and Corruption Plague Chicago’s Convention Business

January 12, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center is one of the largest convention halls in the world. With a total of 2,670,000 square feet of exhibition space and clocking in at a building cost of nearly one billion dollars it had better be one of the biggest, after all Chicago does do things big. Sadly that includes big corruption and unfortunately that corruption is turning “the city that works” into the city that lost its jobs.

This week Chicago’s Mayor Richard “King” Daley railed against the conditions that have made Chicago’s convention business a wreck these days. Along with Governor Pat Quinn, Daley has unveiled new work rules that would prevent unions from striking and would change union policies so that the high, high costs of bringing a convention to Chicago might come down.

Naturally, Daley was too weak-kneed to assign the blame where it mostly belongs: unions. Even as all his fixes center on alterations in union operations, Daley refused to say this is mostly the fault of the overweening and costly unions.
Continue reading “

Unions and Corruption Plague Chicago’s Convention Business”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Rahm Emanuel for Chicago Mayor?

January 6, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In her Jan 5 column the Washington Post’s Sally Quinn just reported a “rumor” that Presidential Chief of Staff !

Here is the relevant graph:

Emanuel, the most political animal in this town, also should understand that keeping Rogers on as social secretary reflects upon the president’s judgment. It’s possible that he has other considerations. Emanuel is said to have told people that the chief-of-staff role is an 18-month job and that he is considering a run for mayor of Chicago. And Rogers is a major social and political player in the Windy City.

Not quite a shocker if true, but interesting news nonetheless.

I say not shocking because Rahm is a well known Chicago strongman having served in Congress from the city and being one that has always looked for that next big power grab. Looking to take the Mayor’s seat would be a very logical effort for diminutive Emanuel.
Continue reading “

Rahm Emanuel for Chicago Mayor?”

Barack Obama - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Mayor Richard Daley - President - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Chgo. Mayor Daley’s Bro Pleads for Dems to Return to Center

December 26, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s brother, William, is warning the Democratic Party that it is going too far left and will end up “in the wilderness” in 2010. William Daley has been a longtime political operative that has been connected with the Clintons for many years but that doesn’t make him an extremist lefty, apparently… at least in his opinion.

Daley wrote an op ed for the Washington Post today where he warns that the Democratic Party is in danger of going over the leftwing cliff.

With the revelation that Rep. Parker Griffith of Alabama is jumping the sinking Dem. ship and has declared that he is now a Republican and with the several Dems retiring from Congress, Daley warns that all the centrists are running away from the party and that will cause it to lose future elections.

In fact, he’s sure its too late to prevent major loses in 2010. He warns that if the party doesn’t return to the center they will lose more than just the next election.
Continue reading “

Chgo. Mayor Daley’s Bro Pleads for Dems to Return to Center”

Budget - Business - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago to Waste Millions on Park Plan

November 22, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Chicago Park District is wasting millions more of the taxpayer’s money by hiring a New York landscaping firm to redesign portions of Grant Park and Northerly Island just as it recently announced plans for employee lay offs to try and balance its $400 million budget.

Chicago residents will recall that in the dead of night in the Summer of 2003 Mayor Daley sent bulldozers onto Northerly Island to destroy the Meigs Field airport runways so that he could reclaim the property as another one of his vaunted park space projects. In 2003, Daley made the silly excuse that Meigs Field airport was a “security risk” in a post 9/11 world, but everyone knows this was just another example of Daley’s arrogance.

Since 2003 little has been decided about that space but that appears to be changing.
Continue reading “

Chicago to Waste Millions on Park Plan”

Chicago - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Cook County Board Hijinx: Peraica vs. John Daley

November 17, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over at WBEZBlog, Tony Arnold posted his “soundbite of the day” featuring an insinuation, an angry reply, and a slam from today’s Cook County Board meeting.

Apparently, during a roll call vote, Commissioner Tony Peraica made some sort of veiled jab at Mayor Daley’s son who recently moved to Russia. I’m not sure what the heck Daley’s son has to do with anything — and Peraica said later that he regretted even saying it — but whatever Peraica meant it sure set John Daley (brother of Mayor Richard Daley) off about “attacking my nephew,” that’s for sure.

After Peraica said his line about the younger Daley’s move to Russia, John Daley started yelling back and that caused Board President Todd Stroger to shut off the mic, saying “You don’t know when to shut up,” to our erstwhile member of the Daley brood.

Still, later in the session, John Daley got his chance to throw out a jab at Peraica and in his blog post, Arnold expressed puzzlement over the comeback.
Continue reading “

Cook County Board Hijinx: Peraica vs. John Daley”

2nd Amendment - Anti-Americanism - Chicago - Constitution - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Guns - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Chgo’s Mayor Daley: Guns, Not Islam, Caused Fort Hood Massacre

November 11, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Just like an unprincipled, self-interested, tin-eared politician, Mayor Richard Daley decided to use the massacre at Fort Hood to flog his prosaic anti-gun message in Chicago.

When asked if Islam had anything at all to do with the Fort Hood massacre and if Muslims might expect some sort of backlash or anti-Islamic movement because of Nidal Hasan’s evil act of terror, Daley replied:

“Every day in society people are getting killed, unfortunately. America loves guns, we love guns to a point that we see the devastation on a daily basis. You don’t blame a group, you don’t blame a society… i,i,immigrant community because of actions of one group, uh one individual, you cannot say that.”

So, guns caused the Fort Hood massacre? Of course, this absurd claim does not square with the Major Hasan’s history of radical Islamism, but, hey, if you can use someone else’s “tragedy” to push your political message… what the heck, eh?So, not only was Daley his usually inarticulate self, but he found himself not above using this crime to push his own particular political message; his anti-gun zealotry.
Continue reading “

Chgo’s Mayor Daley: Guns, Not Islam, Caused Fort Hood Massacre”

Capitalism - Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago’s Tax Informing Rats

October 29, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Mad at your job? Torked at your neighbor? Snoop around in their tax info and if you find something damning… REPORT THEM! And the kindly folks down at Chicago’s City Hall are happy to help with their new tax rat program.

The Sun-Times reported that Daley’s Rat Line program could be added to the 2010 budget.

Mayor Daley’s tough-times, 2010 budget includes a first-ever “Tax Whistleblower Program” expected to include cash bounties for informants who deliver the goods on unpaid business taxes.

The cash reward would be a percentage of the amount recovered, but specifics are still being worked out. The dreaded employee head tax and lease tax are just two of the most frequent targets for tax cheats.

What the heck, eh? It worked for the Soviets and the East Germans in keeping their citizens in line, didn’t it?

Daley is telling us in his own inimitable way that, “Vee haf vays of making zure you pays das taxes, zitizens.”
Continue reading “

Chicago’s Tax Informing Rats”

Budget - Business - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Mayor Daley’s Empty Property Tax Rhetoric

October 26, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Paul Kroenke wrote a great piece on the empty bravado of Mayor Richard Daley and his populist claims that he won’t raise property taxes. Kroenke pretty much shows that because of the tax zones that Daley has set up across the city, he really can’t raise property taxes even if he wanted to do so.

Back on October 14, Daley played the populist by claiming that he was ruling out property tax hikes.

“You can’t [raise property taxes] … That would hurt people tremendously,” Daley said.

“You can only take so much. People are being laid off on a daily basis. People are getting cut back. They don’t have the money anymore. Government has to look at itself and find out what they can live with and what are their priorities. Simple as that.”

Don’t you feel all warm and fuzzy inside already?

It’s not an easy story to relate because of how convoluted the legal situation is, but Kroenke does fairly well putting it all out there. What the final take seems to be is that Daley has created what are called Tax Increment Financing zones across 30% of the city where property taxes are frozen at current rates for a 24-year period so, as it turns out, he can’t raise property taxes there anyway.
Continue reading “

Mayor Daley’s Empty Property Tax Rhetoric”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Now Mayor Daley is Floating a Water Sale?

October 24, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

To save his bloated city budget Mayor Daley sold the Chicago Skyway toll road. Then he sold the city parking meters. And now? Now Daley wants to sell the city water system in order to keep paying all his broken nosed pals their monthly stipend.

CBS Channel 2 is reporting that that Chicago is considering leasing its water system.

Apparently there is a local precedent for this idea already in the Will County city of Homer Glen that leased its city water services to a German-owned company.

Amusingly enough, the mayor of Homer Glen is also named Daley (no relation) and he told Channel 2 that his residents pay about three times more for their water than neighboring communities. Just imagine what Chicago’s residents will end up paying if Richard Daley sells off the city water contract!
Continue reading “

Now Mayor Daley is Floating a Water Sale?”