The Daley administration is spending $55 million on public relations according to the Chicago Sun Times.
Of course the Daley administration has complained about a lack of funds for all kinds of city services. But there's funds for a tightly controlled public relations campaign. This is the 11th PR contract the city has awarded, each worth $5 million. All this during a time he city has a $50 million budget hole for 2009. Because of the budget crisis, Daley laid off 420 city employees, eliminating 1,600 vacancies, slowing police hiring and raising taxes, fines and fees by $52.5 million.
How many jobs could the latest $5 million have saved? How can Mayor Daley justify raising taxes to save city programs yet spend this kind of money on public relations?
Business as usual in Chicago. The mayor's friends get city money and the people get the short end of the stick. That's the Chicago way.
Showing posts with label Chicago. Richard Daley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago. Richard Daley. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Blagojevich has one weapon left, names
Sometime this week Gov. Rod Blagojevich is going to be out of a job - that's about as close to a sure bet as anything I know. He's angered his constituents and he's angered his fellow Democrats. Earlier this week he told the world that this impeachment was about a plan to get rid of him in order to pass an income and sales tax hike on the people. While he was chastised by Mayor Richard Daley - a fine upstanding citizen leader - for being cuckoo, that may have been the first shot from Blago's last arsenal in his defense, names.
Being on the inside of a corrupt political machine, Blago may have to resort to something we speculated upon when the impeachment controversy broke last month - naming every corrupt deal and deal maker in this state. No one will ever accuse Blago of being noble if he does this, it's the last desperate attempt to save his political hide. But if he does drop names, then he will have finally done something for the people of this state other than implement open-road tolls.
Blago is not going to be at the impeachment trial that begins tomorrow, instead he's going to be making the talk show rounds to appeal to a national audience. Maybe this will be the forum he uses to finally shed some light on the back room deals in this state. I certainly hope this is something he does, but if he does damn the torpedoes and drop names, there's no telling how far this could reach, perhaps even into the White House itself. After all, the president, his chief of staff and the education secretary nominee are all part of the Chicago machine - the very machine that got Blago elected.
Being on the inside of a corrupt political machine, Blago may have to resort to something we speculated upon when the impeachment controversy broke last month - naming every corrupt deal and deal maker in this state. No one will ever accuse Blago of being noble if he does this, it's the last desperate attempt to save his political hide. But if he does drop names, then he will have finally done something for the people of this state other than implement open-road tolls.
Blago is not going to be at the impeachment trial that begins tomorrow, instead he's going to be making the talk show rounds to appeal to a national audience. Maybe this will be the forum he uses to finally shed some light on the back room deals in this state. I certainly hope this is something he does, but if he does damn the torpedoes and drop names, there's no telling how far this could reach, perhaps even into the White House itself. After all, the president, his chief of staff and the education secretary nominee are all part of the Chicago machine - the very machine that got Blago elected.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Misguided judge upholds Chicago's gun ban
So much for the Constitution.
Today a federal judge upheld the city of Chicago's firearms ban. Citizens of Chicago continue to be denied a basic right defended in the Constitution - the right to bear arms.
In a 5-to-4 decision in June, the Supreme Court overturned the D.C. handgun ban on grounds that the Second Amendment establishes the right to own a handgun for personal self-defense. Within hours, Second Amendment supporters filed lawsuits challenging a similar ban in Chicago.
Why do (typically liberal) lawmakers believe that responsible citizens should not be allowed to own a firearm? Is it a lack of trust in people?In his typical style, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley uses straw man arguments to bolster his disdain for firearms. Claiming that his support for a firearms ban would protect police officers, Daley said:
Fortunately the District Court's ruling will be appealed and chances are the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the lower court's ruling. Even the judge who made the ruling suggested as much. According to the Chicago Sun Times, Judge Milton Shadur said:
Today a federal judge upheld the city of Chicago's firearms ban. Citizens of Chicago continue to be denied a basic right defended in the Constitution - the right to bear arms.
In a 5-to-4 decision in June, the Supreme Court overturned the D.C. handgun ban on grounds that the Second Amendment establishes the right to own a handgun for personal self-defense. Within hours, Second Amendment supporters filed lawsuits challenging a similar ban in Chicago.
Why do (typically liberal) lawmakers believe that responsible citizens should not be allowed to own a firearm? Is it a lack of trust in people?In his typical style, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley uses straw man arguments to bolster his disdain for firearms. Claiming that his support for a firearms ban would protect police officers, Daley said:
“What does a policeman do when there’s a domestic battery [call] and they’re both armed? Do they enter the home or apartment or do they wait outside?” Daley asked reporters earlier this year.
Fortunately the District Court's ruling will be appealed and chances are the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the lower court's ruling. Even the judge who made the ruling suggested as much. According to the Chicago Sun Times, Judge Milton Shadur said:
"This court should not be misunderstood as either rejecting or endorsing the logic of plaintiff's argument. It may well carry the day before a court that is unconstrained by the obligation to follow the unreversed precedent of a court that occupies a higher position in the judicial firmament," the decision stated.
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