Happy November!
Good morning! It’s November! I joined a couple of my favorite people in Chicago to do NaBlahPostThingy – where you have to post every day in the month of November. This should be interesting, what with going up to northern Michigan and having at least one day there where I will be a few miles down a two-track with no internet. So I will post via cell phone because I am dedicated like that! But… I think I will have cell service there, but am not sure. And if we go to the cottage in Wisconsin, I will have neither internet nor cell service within a 45 minute drive. So, good luck, me! Hmmm…
The politician who abolishes DST will have my unwavering loyalty forever. (And by, “forever,” I mean, “until the next time said politician does something moronic like voting for more money to be spent on the pointless War on Drugs.”)
Dear Senator Obama,
Seriously? You’re endorsing Todd Stroger ? If you were serious about reforming government, you wouldn’t endorse a Democrat who got his job through nepotism. You’d endorse the candidate most likely to help reduce the corruption here in Cook County. Yes, Tony Peraica has some views that aren’t traditionally liberal. But just how in hell is a county board president going to do anything about outlawing abortion? You have nothing to worry about here. But, a county board president should be smart (not Todd Stroger!), should become a candidate via a primary election instead of getting appointed as if we live in a monarchy (not Todd Stroger!), and should be fiscally responsible (not Todd Stroger!) as he does a lot with all those extra taxes we pay for the privilege of living in Cook County.
I generally have liked you and what you have to say, and I think it would be a really bad idea for you to NOT run for President in ‘08 (it’s well-established that the more record a Congressman has, the more attack ads have to play around with to call you a flip-flopper, etc.), but this is a dumb move. A lot of people in this county thought you were being honest about reforming corrupt government which is why they elected you to the Senate. But endorsing Todd Stroger is not reform. It is accepting that voting along party lines is more important than what the candidate can and will do to help the people who live in this county.
You have a whole lot of ’splaining to do before I ever vote for you again.
Sincerely,
Leah
November 1st, 2006 at 11:36 am
I heart nepotism. And did you know that Todd Stroger LOVES helping Old White Ladies across the street? He’s so caring and kind!
November 1st, 2006 at 2:19 pm
I think you and me are the only people who don’t like DST in the whole country. If I hear another person whine about “but we need the hour of light after work!!!!!” I’m going to throw up. Some of us are actually at work until relatively late, and it doesn’t quite matter whether it gets dark at 5:00, 6:00 or 7:00–we’re not home then anyways. Some of us also run or bike or do whatever outdoors activity in the mornings before work, and do you know how dangerous it is running on the streets of Chicago when it is pitch black during rush hour? Until the time change last weekend, I’d do a frickin’ 90 minute run before work–AND THE SUN STILL WOULDN’T BE UP YET.
November 1st, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Actually, abortions are performed at Stroger Hospital by Executive Order, meaning the County Board President can outlaw them with his signature on an executive order.
So, actually, you should be very worried about what Peraica could do.
November 1st, 2006 at 9:54 pm
Nope, I still disagree that I (or anyone else) should be worried.
1.) Stroger Hospital is one hospital in a city of many. I googled “planned parenthood abortion chicago” and found this. Preventing abortions at one hospital is not the same thing as making them inaccessible to people. (And yes, I do believe that anyone who could get them at Stroger Hospital could manage to pay the $1.75 CTA fare and get to the Planned Parenthood in the Loop, who would do abortions for little to no money depending on people’s ability to pay.)
2.) Peraica flat-out said that he would not do anything to change the status-quo regarding abortion. He may be lying, but that would be a hell of a way to not get yourself re-elected.
November 1st, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Oh, and after I posted that response I tried to email it to the above poster (as I try to always respond to comments via email). It was an invalid email address. I then checked my stats and the person had opened up a link to this post from an email. My libertarian conspiracy tinfoil hat alarm bells are going off all over the place – Stroger/the Chicago Democratic Machine has people following blogs and leaving anti-Peraica comments? Hmm…
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:14 am
Don’t adjust your hat too tight. You were found, yes, but only to provide information. We’ll abduct you later!
It’s fine that you’re not worried, but you must acknowledge the truth and that your first statement is innacurate. Peraica is against choice and wants to be President. The President does have the ability to impact abortions in a very direct way.
I think if Planned Parenthood and Personal PAC are OK with Stroger, at least they must be worried about Peraica.
Do what you must on Tuesday. Just don’t hold your breath on “Reform.” Tony Peraica never has said anything about layoffs. He uses the word “attrition” (sounds weak to me). He does not believe there is a County deficit of $500 million. How can you fix a problem you don’t believe exists? He says he’s for smaller government and lower taxes, yet plans to expand services in several departments? He thinks homeowners should pay more in property taxes so that corporations could pay less.
Even Stroger uses the word layoffs. Even Stroger said he’d fire everyone at the JTDC and the head of the Health Bureau. There’s a lot not to like about the people who make up the local Dem party, but there’s a lot less to like about PEraica becoming President.
November 2nd, 2006 at 7:49 am
Okay, so you admit that “we” are finding people “to provide information?” Creepy.
Of course Planned Parenthood would be worried. They base their entire voting strategy on one issue. An issue that has nothing to do with the job of a county board president.
I base my opposition to Stroger on many issues. They all fall under the umbrella of fixing the corruption in county government. If people can’t even be convinced to vote for another party to reduce corruption in this blatant of a situation, there’s not much hope for our government as a whole.
And this, “He thinks homeowners should pay more in property taxes so that corporations could pay less,” is a lie and a scare tactic. From Peraica’s own web site, he wants to, “…get a handle on the constantly increasing property taxes that are driving businesses out of Cook County, forcing seniors who have lived here their entire lives to sell and move elsewhere, and making it more and more difficult for young couples to buy and own their first home.”
Who knows – I would be willing to believe that once corruption is fixed, the budget deficit would be too. But you’re not going to get a fix for corruption unless once in a while you’re willing to vote for the Other Guy. Politicians want to stay in office or get elected to a higher office. Your strongest voice in politics is your vote. I vote against corruption, and I think the abortion issue is a red herring that the Democrats are using in a desperate attempt to fix their fuckup of nominating Stroger in the first place. It has to suck when a race is this close to election day and a seat that has been Dem since 1966 is in danger of going to a Republican.
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:33 am
I’m pretty much convinced that one day someone will discover that Santorum has been carrying on a long three-way love affair with a transvestite and a donkey. At least, that’s what I secretly hope.
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:19 am
Politics make my head hurt. The bottom line is, all politicians are corrupt. They are all playing to their respective political parties. All political parties are corrupt, especially Dem and Rep. So, pretty much there has to be corruption.
Yeah, I’m a little cynical.
And also, I’m 100% against a 2-party system. Everyone slams Texas for being so conservative (me included, since I’m not from here), but at least I have 4 names on the ballot for governor from which to chose.
Now, if only people would realize that there are more than 2 choices during the Presidential elections, maybe we could do something about the corruption issue.
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:51 pm
What I find interesting is that I got 2 anti-Peraica mailings from Personal PAC yesterday. Note, not pro-Stroger. Plus it is sad that none of the pro-choice groups are pushing Stroger to INCREASE abortion service at County. From what I’ve heard, they do abortions, but not enough to meet even half of the demand.
November 13th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Hey, thanks for the link. Always a pleasure to meet another resident of the windy city.