To Pres. Obama from Chicago: For the good of Chicago, don't go to Copenhagen.

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Monday September 28, 2009 · 2:26 PM PDT

2009/09/28 · 14:26

Cross-posted from Gapers Block, also listed on the Windy Citizen

Dear President Obama:

This summer has not been easy for many people who reside in Chicago. As the city entered into the final leg of competition for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Chicago citizens witnessed cuts in services, and city employees were forced to take furlough days to balance the budget. At the same time, many state programs and jobs were slashed.

ChicagoLife

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Tuesday August 18, 2009 · 9:02 AM PDT

2009/08/18 · 09:02

There is a flaw in the core motto of the liberal netroots--as a handy shorthand for the current generation of liberal activists--as laid out by Markos and adopted to various degrees by the other major netroots networks and organizations: "Elect more, and better, Democrats." The flaw is the word "better". With no real left ideology (and therefore, no attendant analysis of the current political and economic situation) there is no real way to gauge what makes a "better" Democrat. With no definition of "better" in this context, we are left with "Elect more Democrats;" not only this, but without an ideology--an analysis--we can't gauge legislative progress--meaning we will never know when we have "enough" Democrats. Electing more Democrats is not a worthwhile goal until we know what makes a politician a "good" or "better" Democrat.

ChicagoLife

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Monday August 17, 2009 · 11:37 AM PDT

2009/08/17 · 11:37

{Cross posted from Gapers Block's political blog, Mechanics.}

Government transparency: realm of nerds? Or power politics?

America's post-war political tradition has been one of transactional politics. People measure their government less on ideology and more on "results", typically meaning, "what they provide". One of the side effects of this is that advocates for government transparency--who come from all points on the ideological spectrum, in equal degrees of vociferousness--are seen as process-oriented and, well, nerds.

ChicagoLife

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Tuesday June 02, 2009 · 8:12 PM PDT

2009/06/02 · 20:12

So the Inspector-General's officehas released their report on the parking meter deal, and guess what? Mayor Daley's incompetence may have cost us $1bn.

ChicagoLife

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Monday February 16, 2009 · 8:43 PM PST

2009/02/16 · 20:43

Dear Mr. Beatty,

I am writing you this query letter to surmise your interest in my screenplay, Plucky: The Karl Rove Story, a biopic about the life and career of GOP political operative extraordinaire Karl Rove. I believe that by getting an “attachment” from a big name such as yourself to play the title role, I will be able to secure the studio financing to produce the film. Attached is a copy of the screenplay; please note curly-cue font. That’s to add whimsy. I feel with the Bush Presidency receding out of view, the time is ripe for a biopic about one of its most enigmatic operators.

ChicagoLife

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday January 07, 2009 · 8:41 PM PST

2009/01/07 · 20:41

Cross-posted from the Gapers Block political section, Mechanics

ChicagoLife

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Sunday January 04, 2009 · 10:17 AM PST

2009/01/04 · 10:17

This is cross-posted from Gapers Block and our political section, Mechanics. Updated with a link to James Fallows' endorsement. If you can, give to Tom. The establishment candidates are way ahead in fund raising.

ChicagoLife

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Thursday December 18, 2008 · 10:57 AM PST

2008/12/18 · 10:57

cross-posted from Mechanics, the on-line home for Chicago politics.

Although our Governors are making us the shame of the nation, much of the state is still feeling the afterglow of Obamamania. Slowly, we see our sons and daughter pack their bags and head out the D.C. to create change. The popular media have reported that Chicagoans are happy to see our citymen make the transition to the national spotlight.

Tuesday, Obama announced Arne Duncan, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools to be his choice for Secretary of Education, to succeed Margaret Spellings. The popular media again report that we Chicagoans are all happy with the choice of Duncan, who they repeatedly mention as a "reformer."

ChicagoLife

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday December 06, 2008 · 11:35 AM PST

2008/12/06 · 11:35

Here in Chicago, laid-off workers are standing up for themselves, and the solidarity is growing.

The United Electrical Workers at Republic Window and Door were notified on Wednesday that as of Friday, they were jobless. No severance. No vacation pay-out. Nothing. Why? Because the business is plunging towards dissolution, unable to get a line of credit, and Bank of America was instructing them not to honor their obligations--no line of credit to honor obligations.

ChicagoLife

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Wednesday October 15, 2008 · 8:05 AM PDT

2008/10/15 · 08:05

cross-posted at Gapers Block.

Before we proceed, remember this: those people Tom Brokaw dubbed The Greatest Generation, on the eve of the Great Depression, were drinking moonshine, banging flappers, and sitting on poles. OK.

ChicagoLife

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Wednesday October 01, 2008 · 9:27 AM PDT

2008/10/01 · 09:27

Hey everybody. This is one of my periodic diaries to remind you all of Grover Norquists humiliating prediction in September of 2004 that "The Democratic Party is Toast". This time, updated with a story from Slate.com called, "RIP GOP?".

ChicagoLife

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday May 19, 2008 · 8:19 PM PDT

2008/05/19 · 20:19

This is apropos of nothing--and I'm going to admit up front that I have no real evidence to back this up whatsoever--but John McCain is going to lead or be tied with Barack Obama in most of the national and state polls, and then get blown out of the water.

It will be a sort of alternate Wilder Effect.

But it won't be because of race, but because of generational warfare.

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To Pres. Obama from Chicago: For the good of Chicago, don't go to Copenhagen.

The Poverty of "Elect More Democrats"

Chicago Kossacks: FOIA, TIFs, and Govt Transparency

{Chicago Kossacks} But I thought he made the trains run on time?

A Pitch to Ned Beatty to Make My Karl Rove Biopic

Chicago's Loose Tooth Love

Imagine Being for Labor in IL-05

Mechanics: Duncan's Task in D.C.

UPDATED II (w/ Video): Republic Window Workers Occupy Factory

It's the End of the World as We Know It, And I Feel Mildly Terrified

"The Democratic Party is Toast"

Don't Mind the Polls, Please