The Case Against Public Sector Unions

-By Warner Todd Huston

By now you are all familiar with my beating on my little unions-are-bad-for-government drum… ya may even be tired of it by now. Still, I’d like to pass on the work of friend to the blog David Denholm who has also addressed this point in the past.

On the Public Service Research Foundation website can be found Denholm’s excellent article titled, “The Case Against Public Sector Unionism and Collective Bargaining.” In it you’ll find some great points and a thorough discussion on the evils that is a unionized government workforce.

One of the best insights that Denholm has is that a unionized government workforce eliminates the democratic right of the voters to affect their government. (download pdf copy)

By making the union a full and equal partner at the bargaining table, compulsory public-sector bargaining laws deprive the public of its right to participate in policy making. This point was emphasized in a U.S. District Court opinion which upheld the constitutionality of a North Carolina law declaring public-sector union contracts to be void. The Court said:

Moreover, to the extent that public employees gain power through recognition and collective bargaining, other interest groups with a right to a voice in the running of the government may be left out of vital political decisions. Thus the granting of collective bargaining rights to public employees involves important matters fundamental to our democratic form of government. The setting of goals and making policy decisions are rights inuring to each citizen. All citizens have the right to associate in groups to advocate their special interests to the government. It is something entirely different to grant any one interest group special status and access to the decision-making process.

This reflects my own points made so very often right here on the blog. The incestuous relationship between union — that becomes a patron of politicians — and politicians — that return that patronage — wholly cuts out the voter’s ability to direct government to their desires and needs.

Anyway, Denholm makes some great points and his piece is well worth the read.
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The Case Against Public Sector Unions”


Rahm Emanuel for Chicago Mayor?

-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.
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Rahm Emanuel for Chicago Mayor?”


Dillard Blames Quinn for U of I Cuts Applauds Ikenberry’s Tough Decisions

From the Kirk Dillard for Governor campaign…

Republican candidate for Governor Kirk Dillard applauded University of Illinois President Stanley Ikenberry for taking immediate steps to stem the flow of red ink at the University by implementing tough budget decisions, including mandatory furlough days. Dillard noted that the state’s flagship university is in dire straits because Governor Pat Quinn and Democrat leadership have failed to balance the state budget and owe nearly a half-billion dollars to the school.

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Dillard Blames Quinn for U of I Cuts Applauds Ikenberry’s Tough Decisions”


Durbin says the People Have NO Vote

-By Warner Todd Huston

Just a reminder: Dick “Turbin” Durbin is one of the worst, most elitist, least American Senators in the all of the Senate. In this video he was reacting to a question about the people of Illinois having a referendum on whether or not they wanted killers and terrorists deposited amongst them in the Thomson prison facility and good ol’ “Turbin” Durbin said that he didn’t see a reason why the voters should get, well, a vote on the matter.

You see folks, “Turbin” Durbin knows better than you do. He just knows that you just need terrorists to be living amongst you, ya just gotta have ’em. This is the sort of creep Illinois has repeatedly elected to office.

Good job Illinois!


Once Again Unions Find a Pliant Judge to do Their Bidding

-By Warner Todd Huston

In another example of why unions are antithetical to good government, a pliant, left-wing judge in California has ruled that the Schwarzenegger Administration cannot furlough state workers that belong to three powerful public employees unions.

Governor Schwarzenegger has been battling to cut his over spent state budget for several years now and one of the solutions to the problem that he lit upon was the idea that he might furlough his workforce. He would give these workers a few days a month off without pay and this would save the taxpayer’s millions. It is a good idea and one that real-world businesses are forced to employ all the time when things get tough.

But here come the state unions to prevent this simple cost saving measure even though it is common as dirt in the real-world sector.
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Once Again Unions Find a Pliant Judge to do Their Bidding”


Dillard: Ryan’s Blago Like Short Term Solutions

-By Warner Todd Huston

Kirk Dillard, one of the several GOP candidates for Governor, is taking issue with fellow candidate Jim Ryan’s prescription to ease the state’s budget crunch. Earlier today, Jim Ryan proposed that the state lease its tollways to a private company in order to reap a lump sum payment to fill in the holes of the current budget mess.

The tollway idea was among many ideas that Ryan proposed.

State Senator Kirk Dillard released a statement regarding lambasting Jim Ryan’s support of privatizing the tollway.
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Dillard: Ryan’s Blago Like Short Term Solutions”


Chicago News Bench Great Video Interview With Tony Peraica

Tom Mannis over at Chicago News Bench has a great series of six video interviews with Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica. I’ll post for you part one, but not the rest. You will have to go to the Chicago News Bench YoutTube page to see the others.

Here is part one:

See all six parts at the Chicago News Bench YoutTube page


Guv Candidates on Budget Cuts

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Associated Press asked all the candidates for Illinois Governor about their position on the budget woes facing the state and they found that only one candidate (that would be Dan Proft) is offering much by way of specifics on what they’d do to cut the budget and cap state spending.

One thing that is interesting about the piece is that the AP also quoted former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger, a well known expert on the Illinois budget.

Steve Rauschenberger, a former state senator and a budget expert, said it would require, among other things, cutting school spending and switching to a voucher system, reducing the number of prison inmates by one-quarter, trimming higher education and overhauling Medicaid from top to bottom.

“Any candidate who doesn’t talk frankly about major changes … I don’t think is being realistic,” Rauschenberger said. “You can’t balance this budget simply by looking for easy efficiencies or slight reductions in head count.”

Rauscehnberger is running for his old Senate seat in the 22nd District, but he is not a current candidate for Guv, so it is a bit odd that the AP quotes him in this story. Odd, but welcome. (Steve’s FaceBook page)

It isn’t surprising that most of the candidates desperately tired to avoid specifics, sadly.
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Guv Candidates on Budget Cuts”


Med Marijuana Bill Supported by Some GOP Candidates

-By Warner Todd Huston

It’s pass the dutchie for three GOP candidates for governor. The Chicago Tribune asked the candidates for Governor of all parties if they’d support an expansion of allowing marijuana use for medical purposes and surprisingly found that three Republican supported the idea. Unsurprisingly, all Democrats and the Green nut also agreed with the idea, some even going further saying that marijuana use should be open for everyone, medical or no.

The Trib notes that GOP candidates Jim Ryan, Adam Andrzejewski, and Dan Proft all support the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Those against are Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard, and Andy McKenna.

Naturally the Green nut, Rich Whitney, wants everyone to get high, and the two Democrats support medical use of the plant.


An Interview With Jim Dodge, Candidate for Illinois Comptroller

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois Primary is coming on fast and furious and voting day, February 2, will be on us before we know it. In fact, it’ll be on us before most voters even understand it’s happening. Because of the urgency of the coming election, I have been able to snag a few interviews with various candidates and will endeavor to get a few more in before the Feb 2 primary. Here is one I did just before Christmas with Comptroller candidate Jim Dodge.

Jim Dodge is currently a trustee on the Orland Park Township Board serving in that position for the past 13 years. In Orland he chairs committees such as the Finance/IT and Recreation board as well as the Public Works and Economic Development boards. He was once vice-chair of the Cook County chapter of Ill. Young Republicans and in 1994 was elected Chairman of the Orland Township Republican Organization. His full bio can be seen here: http://jimdodge2010.com/?page_id=2. His campaign website is /jimdodge2010.com.

I began with the sort of question that can sometimes throw a candidate off guard. Some may recall that in 1980 Teddy Kennedy was asked this question and he so badly muffed it that it is thought it materially hurt his chances to beat out Jimmy Carter for the Democrat Party nomination for president then. The question is “why do you want to run for this position?” I must say, Dodge answered the question well.
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An Interview With Jim Dodge, Candidate for Illinois Comptroller”


Citizen groups call for equal educational opportunity for every child

-By Israel Teitelbaum

It was ironic to learn that Governor Jon Corzine, less than one month prior to leaving office, signed an Executive Order creating the Non- Public Education Funding Commission to “consider the challenges non-public school children face, identify their educational needs and make recommendations on how available resources can be best utilized to enhance educational opportunities in New Jersey.”

As an accomplished businessman he is surely well informed of the writings of the late, world renowned economist Dr. Milton Friedman on free enterprise and competition – the engine that drives our economy. Friedman applies this to education. “Government ownership and operation of schools alter fundamentally the way the industry is organized. In most industries, consumers are free to buy the product from anyone who offers it for sale, at a price mutually agreed on. In the process, consumers determine how much is produced and by whom and producers have an incentive to satisfy their customers. These competitive private industries are organized from the bottom up. They have been responsible for truly remarkable economic growth, improvements in products and increased efficiency in production.” PDF file

He recommends a school voucher system. “The prescription is clear. Change the organization of elementary and secondary schooling from top-down to bottom-up. Convert to a system in which parents choose the schools their children attend—or, more broadly, the educational services their children receive, whether in a brick-and-mortar school or on DVDs or over the Internet or whatever alternative the ingenuity of man can conceive. Parents would pay for educational services with whatever subsidy they receive from the government plus whatever sum they want to add out of their own resources. Producers would be free to enter or leave the industry and would compete to attract students. As in other industries, such a competitive free market would lead to improvements in quality and reductions in cost.“

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Citizen groups call for equal educational opportunity for every child”


Abortion Rates Rose in Illinois 2008

-By Warner Todd Huston

United Press International is reporting that abortion rates rose five percent in Illinois in 2008. Illinois doctors performed 47,717 abortions, the most in five years.

The state Department of Public Health reported 47,717 abortions in 2008, the latest year for which it has figures. In 1998, there were 49,403.

There is a law on the books that could bring this number down, of course, but extreme leftists and infanticide fans in the state have stalled its implementation over and over again. A Parental Notification Law for teens 17 and under was passed in 1995 and the left has been fighting it in court ever since. So far, every attempt they’ve made to have it declared unconstitutional has failed, yet each year they continue to find pliant, ant-constitutional judges to once again declare it “on hold” until its legal status can be “reviewed” and determined.
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Abortion Rates Rose in Illinois 2008″


Illinois’ Petition Challenge Buffoonery

-By Warner Todd Huston

I’ve mentioned the idiotic practice of petition challenges here in the Illinois electoral process several times in the past and the Chicago Reader just had a great piece by Ben Joravsky that really does a fine job highlighting some of the foolishness that goes on with these challenges.

Joravsky highlights the theater of the absurd that is Illinois petition challenges with two different challenges, one that was beaten back and one that wasn’t, and it reveals the total unfairness of the process with the fact that the whole thing is really little else but a corrupt incumbent protection racket.

The first one featured is the challenge that Deb Mell faced when she filed her petitions claiming that she was registered to vote at what she was claiming was her main place of residence. It turns out, however, she does not live where her registration says she does. This seemed a clear violation of election laws.
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Illinois’ Petition Challenge Buffoonery”


8th Dist. Candidate Joe Walsh: Obama’s Homeland Security Sec. Revealed ‘Shocking Level of Naivete’

From the Walsh for Congress campaign…

Illinois 8th District Congressional candidate Joe Walsh says Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has revealed a shocking level of naivete that provides legitimate reason to question her ability to protect our nation. “Secretary Napolitano’s comments and actions following the failed Christmas Day terrorist bombing reveal genuine reasons to doubt her ability to protect America from a shrewd, inventive enemy.”

Joe Walsh continued, saying, “Americans of all political ideologies are justified in doubting Napolitano’s experience and competence. Her lack of accountability is shocking and we deserve an explanation.” As a life-long advocate for limited government and a vibrant private sector, Joe Walsh intends to be a loud, forceful voice for his constituents. Joe was born and raised in the heart of the Eighth District, growing up in a family of nine children. He and his wife Helene together have five children.
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8th Dist. Candidate Joe Walsh: Obama’s Homeland Security Sec. Revealed ‘Shocking Level of Naivete’”


We Choose Dan Patlak for Cook Board of Review — Sean Morrison is NO Republican

-By Warner Todd Huiston

Fran Eaton has a very good bit of reporting in the SouthTown Star this week about the controversy over the claim by candidate Sean Morrison that he is a Republican. Morrison is running in the primary as a Republican for the Cook County Board of Review and faces Dan Patlak of Wheeling.

As Eaton notes, however, this Morrison fellow has rarely voted as a Republican and, while he’s donated to the National GOP, he’s also donated thousands of dollars to Illinois Democrats. So how is this guy a sudden candidate for Republicans?

Morrison claims he’s always been a Republican and has only donated to local Democrats because where he lives a “viable Republican organization did not exist.” He also claimed he donated to Democrats because of his business interests. Morrison is CEO of Alsip-based Morrison Security.

Eaton diplomatically ends her piece expressing that she still has “questions about Morrison,” but I don’t think I’ll be as gentle. Morrison is no Republican, never was, and is obviously a Democrat plant meant to try and ace Dan Patlak out of his nomination.
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We Choose Dan Patlak for Cook Board of Review — Sean Morrison is NO Republican”


Dillard Blasts Quinn Over Prison Early Release Program

From the Kirk Dillard for Governor campaign…

What did he know and when did he know it?

Republican candidate for Governor Kirk Dillard today called on Governor Quinn to come clean and tell the truth about his secret program that released inmates from prison early. According to a hastily arranged announcement, the Quinn administration acknowledges that 64 former inmates have allegedly committed new crimes, some violent, since the Administration ordered the secret release without notifying victims or law enforcement. New crimes include assault, domestic violence, and firearm possession by a felon.
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Dillard Blasts Quinn Over Prison Early Release Program”


Dodge Campaign: What Is Kelly Crying About?

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Tuesday, the William Kelly for Comptroller campaign issued a press release demanding that State GOP leaders denounce the candidacy of his rival for Comptroller, Jim Dodge. Kelly was exercised over the “smear tactics” that he claimed that the Dodge campaign was employing to best Kelly at the polls. All of this hullabaloo caused the Dodge campaign to wonder, with no little amusement, what Kelly was “crying about”?

After the ruckus that was raised by another quixotic candidate, that one being Senate candidate Andy Martin, who launched radio commercials outing one of his rivals as a homosexual, the State GOP denounced the outrageous behavior in the ads. This party sponsored denouncement prompted Kelly to call for a similar denouncement of his own rival in his race for comptroller.

Kelly’s press release said that with the aid of well known Chicago conservative activist Jack Roeser the Dodge campaign was engaged in a “smear campaign,” and cited the passing around of some video clips of Kelly’s late TV sports show as an example.
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Dodge Campaign: What Is Kelly Crying About?”


Comptroller: Kelly Calls on Ill. GOP to Disavow Opponent Dodge’s ‘Smear Tactics’

From the William Kelly for Comptroller campaign…

William J. Kelly, Republican candidate for comptroller, is calling on Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady to disavow the candidacy of Jim Dodge and his campaign’s smear tactics.

“I am the only true outsider reform candidate for Illinois comptroller with no government contracts. That is why I am more than willing to open the books and expose the insider deals That is the reason why one of my primary opponents has been engaging in a smear campaign to prevent me from winning the Republican primary for Illinois comptroller. He has been doing this with the help of Carpentersville businessman Jack Roeser, who was recently been named by news reports as part of the smear campaign against U.S. Senate candidate, Rep. Mark Kirk. That is why we are calling on Illinois Republican party chairman Pat Brady to disavow Jim Dodge and his smear campaign against me,” said Kelly.
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Comptroller: Kelly Calls on Ill. GOP to Disavow Opponent Dodge’s ‘Smear Tactics’”


Stop Mark Kirk Rally, Jan 5th

The Folks at ChampionNews.com are supporting a Stop Kirk effort and a rally will be held Jan. 5th in Woodbine, Illinois. Kirk is wrong for this state for sure, so here is the info for the event…

Call the neighbors and wake the kids, it’s time to Stop Mark Kirk

Here’s a group that gets it. The Will County Tea Party Alliance (Joliet Tea Party & Homer/Lockport Tea Party) is hosting a Stop Mark Kirk Rally on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:30 PM at the Woodbine Country Club in Woodbine, Illinois. Admission is FREE.

You can find all of the details here. Mark Kirk’s leading Republican opponent Patrick Hughes will be there.
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Stop Mark Kirk Rally, Jan 5th”


GOP Candidate Called Out for Being a Democrat

From the Dan Patlak for Cook County Board of Review campaign:

Editor: records supplied to me from the Patlak campaign show that Sean Morrison voted Democrat since at least 1996 and has donated to Democratic candidates at least since 2003. You can see those records here:

Political contribution list (PDF file)
Voting Record (PDF file)

Wheeling—As the election for Commissioner of the Board of Review commences its final stages, several individuals within the GOP are challenging Sean Morrison regarding his true Party affiliation. According to records obtained from the Chicago Board of Elections (attached), Morrison is more than just a supporter of the Democrat Party. Morrison, who was registered to vote in Chicago’s 19th ward until late 2008, has donated to the Democrat Party several times over the last two years with the last contribution being in June of 2009. In addition, he has also contributed to a Democrat Aldermanic candidate. While the fact he has taken a Democrat ballot in five of the last seven primaries is shocking (documents attached), the fact that he has never taken a Republican ballot raises several questions, including ones that relate to why he is running on the Republican ticket. Leading the challenge for transparency of Sean Morrison’s true intentions is the GOP endorsed candidate for Commissioner of the Board of Review, Dan Patlak, a long time, well respected Republican leader.
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GOP Candidate Called Out for Being a Democrat”


Dillard Campaign: Reminder That Absentee Voting Begins

From the Kirk Dillard for Governor campaign:

With just 35 days left until the Primary Election Day, the Dillard for Governor Team is in full swing, leading the with most aggressive grassroots operation throughout the entire state! I have been extremely encouraged by the enthusiastic reception my television ad featuring former governor Jim Edgar has received. The faith and confidence my friend and mentor has in my candidacy is both a very humbling experience and a tremendous responsibility.

Republicans finally have an opportunity to elect a candidate who can win the Governor’s office in 2010. Chicago Magazine said I am a Republican who can win a general election — but I need your help!
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Dillard Campaign: Reminder That Absentee Voting Begins”


Ill. Rep Says Terrorists in Ill. Prisons Increases Risk

-By Warner Todd Huston

CNSNews is reporting that Don Manzullo, the Republican Congressman that represents the area in which Thomson prison is located, is saying that moving Gitmo terrorists to the Illinois prison will “increase risk” to residents of Illinois.

Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) said last week he was “shocked” to hear a senior Department of Defense official agree with him that the administration’s plan to move detainees of Guantanamo Bay to Thomson, Ill., would pose an increased security risk.

Manzullo expressed shock that the Obama Administration claimed that it could manage a danger it couldn’t even quantify.

“That’s when I said, ‘Well, if there’s no way that you can estimate — measure — the extent of the increased risk, then why are you making the move in the first place?’”

Manzullo is right. With the utter failure of our system of protection that resulted in the “underwear bomber” attempting to destroy a plane over Detroit, how can the Administration guarantee that Thomson prison will be safe enough to house these sort of terrorists?
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Ill. Rep Says Terrorists in Ill. Prisons Increases Risk”


Senate Candidate Andy Martin Draws Fire for Homosexual Accusations

-By Warner Todd Huston

Perennial Illinois candidate Andy Martin has done it again. This time Martin has launched a series of radio commercials for his Senate candidacy accusing Representative Mark Kirk (R, Ill) of being a homosexual. The commercials have resulted in a rare rebuke from the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, Pat Brady.

In his commercial Martin claims that Raymond True, a well known Republican from Lake County, Ill., once said that Kirk is a homosexual and that he, True, knows Kirk “pretty well.” Presumably Martin is using Ray True’s quote to confirm Kirk’s sexual proclivities. For his par Mr. True told the State GOP Chairman that he denies ever having said this to anyone.

“Mr. Martin did not contact me in any way before making his announcement. The comments attributed to me are completely false. I request through the media that Andy Martin cease and desist from making any additional statements that are incorrectly attributed to me.”

Chairman Pat Brady issued a rebuke of Martin in short order.

“The Illinois Republican Party disavows the statements made today by Mr. Andrew Martin in his statewide radio advertisements. His statements today are consistent with his history of bizarre behavior and often times hate-filled speech which has no place in the Illinois Republican Party. Mr. Martin will no longer be recognized as a legitimate Republican Candidate by the Illinois Republican Party.”

I have to say, this is not cricket as far as I am concerned. Martin should be excoriated for this foolishness. Republicans should not be in a habit of “outing” other Republicans. Sexual proclivities should not be a subject of discussion between candidates, even rival ones and they most assuredly should not form any part of a candidate’s campaign commercials.
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Senate Candidate Andy Martin Draws Fire for Homosexual Accusations”


Jim Dodge for Comptroller: Why the Democrats Want Judy to Win

The Dodge campaign has fun detailing the huge pension that rival Comptroller candidate Judy Baar Topinka already gets even before she might become Comptroller. It’s over 160 thousand dollars! Dodge also points out that Topinka’s claim to be scandal free is not as it seems.


Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We’ll Make in 2010

-By Warner Todd Huston

It’s the end of 2009, the “aughts” are over, and we are about to embark on a new year — and what else are they but the “aughts”? Well, besides mostly a horrible and thankfully passed decade. In any case, we are at the end of the year and that means two things: lists about this year and predictions for the next. I’ve chosen the prognosticator’s art for this piece with the subject of what will likely be our biggest failure or mistake in 2010: the Tea Party movement.

We all know that just saying the words “Tea Party” is enough to raise American’s blood pressure. Some will become suspicious or even enraged by imagining I am about to attack the Tea Partiers, some on the left will be filled with disgust even thinking about the Tea Partiers at all, and still others will get their blood up thinking about why the Tea Party movement started in the first place. For 2009 “Tea” and “Party” were two words that raised American’s passions in a myriad of ways, for sure. That won’t change in 2010.

But with the Tea Party movement we are likely headed for a huge mistake in 2010, one that I fear will stretch into 2011 and one that has the potential to hurt us all, right, left and center — but especially right.
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Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We’ll Make in 2010″


Apparently, Being Dem Means Not Having to Pay Rent

-By Warner Todd Huston

Long time Democratic Chicago Pol Monique Davis hasn’t paid the rent for her offices since 2002. Apparently it doesn’t matter either. After all, she’s a Chicago Democrat and the rules real people have to live by don’t apply to a Chicago Democrat.

And like a true Democrat Davis is blaming everyone else. It isn’t her fault, you see. Remember the scene close to the end of the Blues Brothers where Jake Blues (John Belushi) was on his knees in the sewer pleading with Carrie Fisher not to kill him? Jake Blues told his jilted and angry lover, “I ran out of gas, I had a flat tire, I didn’t have enough money for cab fare, my tux didn’t come back from the cleaners, an old friend came in from out of town, someone stole my car, there was an earthquake, a terrible flood, locusts…. it wasn’t my fault I SWEAR TO GOD!” Yeah, it’s just like that.

Davis doesn’t deny that she owes the Chicago School Board back-rent for her office space totaling over $75,000. But she also owes taxes of some $157,500 and about $287,000 in penalties. SHe has an excuse, of course.
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Apparently, Being Dem Means Not Having to Pay Rent”