Inside the Chicago Democrat Machine: How
Precinct Captains Kept It Alive So Long
Posted By: SurferLad, 12/27/2021 2:03:09 AM
American politics has not always been like today’s stale, zero-sum game of marathon maneuvers for advantage that leave forgotten voters out in the cold as hapless spectators. A game where photo-ops that seek media attention are considered tactical successes, over ensuring that specific services get delivered to citizens. For all its chronic corruption, patronage, and nepotism, the Chicago Democratic political machine has always interested me as an example of legendary political success. By 2030, its now-frayed and fractious dominance of the country’s second, now third-largest city will be a century-old. Like everywhere Chicago’s politics are changing now, of course, riven by
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American politics has not always been like today’s stale, zero-sum game of marathon maneuvers for advantage that leave forgotten voters out in the cold as hapless spectators. A game where photo-ops that seek media attention are considered tactical successes, over ensuring that specific services get delivered to citizens. For all its chronic corruption, patronage, and nepotism, the Chicago Democratic political machine has always interested me as an example of legendary political success. By 2030, its now-frayed and fractious dominance of the country’s second, now third-largest city will be a century-old. Like everywhere Chicago’s politics are changing now, of course, riven by
Bob Dole didn’t die when a German mortar shell blew him into the crisp spring air of the Italian mountains in 1944, tearing apart his right side. He didn’t die when he lay in a foxhole there for nine hours, presumed dead.
He did die 77 years later on Sunday, at the age of 98, peacefully in his sleep in the Watergate apartment complex where he’s long lived with wife Elizabeth. Presumably from the Stage 4 lung cancer he announced earlier this year. During those intervening years, this Kansas prairie boy who would be the last member of the Greatest Generation to seek the presidency, lived a life of
Joe Biden tried to make the best of the latest awful economic report the other day. Reading what he’d been told, the president claimed wishfully, “Our jobs recovery is going very strong.” [Snip]
Making his latest false claim, the 79-year-old Biden looked awful and sounded worse. He reported his kissy grandson gave him a cold. So, sounds scientifically like neither was wearing a mandated mask. But Americans weren’t the only ones noting Joe Biden’s latest disturbing sign of weakness. The same day
While national media focus attention on Washington issues and political skirmishes, across the country, Republican governors and state legislatures are quietly building an enduring foundation of legislative districts, laws, state rules, and institutions that strongly favor the GOP in coming years and elections. This stunning matrix of Republican domination state-by-state reflects a growing voter preference for GOP policies at that level, dating back to 2010 and Barack Obama’s disastrous first midterm elections. [Snip] While media tend to focus on congressional redistricting, the GOP has been quietly designing state legislative districts that give them enduring majorities and political control, even if Democrats manage to get a governor’s
Joe Biden felt a need to escape the luxury of the White House for the holiday. So just before burning a few tons of jet fuel and emitting fresh carbon emissions on the four-hour flight to Nantucket, President Climate Change ordered the Energy Department to release 50 million barrels of oil from the nation’s precious Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He says his decisive action will help ease the gasoline price surge. Yeh, right. The only thing his PR move will do is get him
Like many parts of the country, some Los Angeles areas are experiencing serious increases in crime, especially assaults and robberies. In these “follow-home crimes,” the perps stake out fancy restaurants, nightclubs, expensive stores, and jewelry shops.
[Snip] To combat these crimes the LAPD put out a memo advising not to resist. Joe Biden fights inflation by spending more. He secures the border by paying illegals who cross. He releases violent criminals with no bail. Pulls US troops from Afghanistan before civilians.
Joe Biden went to Virginia the other day to help Terry McAuliffe lose his bid to regain that governor’s office, in a most embarrassing slap at Biden’s own administration and weak leadership. A considerable chunk of Biden’s 18-minute remarks was devoted to – wait for it – ex-president Donald Trump, who wasn’t in the race and smartly had not said much about the Virginia contest. “Remember this,” Biden said, “I ran against Donald Trump. And Terry is running against an acolyte of Donald Trump.” [Snip] Former President Trump is long gone from Washington’s halls of powers. But his personality and absent presence still inhabit the minds of Democrats
Did you ever have a dream that was fun and entertaining and made perfect sense in the moment? Then you woke up and said, What the hell was that about? That’s what has so intrigued me so long about dreams. They occur suspended in a world of unconsciousness untethered by reason and logic, unpredictable and therefore intriguing. And mostly delightful, at least for me. I’ve had dreams that were
This Biden-Pelosi-Obama crowd is a tricky cast of characters that likes to tuck surprise goodies into immense legislation, hoping no one spots them until it’s too late. [Snip] Now, what’s just come out is a Joe Biden plan to abolish cash bail for violent suspects. No, seriously. Because, you know, why would any accused murderer skip town? Some of you reactionaries may miss the equity issue here. Accused violent
As often seems to happen, Joe Biden lost his train of thought the other night.
He was on international TV, trying to explain why the supply-chain crisis is not his fault. He got the Port of Los Angeles part down all right, but couldn’t remember the other, huge California port. Then he asked, “What am I doing here?” Cooper Anderson helped Biden remember. Americans themselves, however, are no longer helping Joe Biden out by propping him up in vain hopes that he was the right choice over
Joe Biden will demonstrate his determination to fight climate change by flying more than a dozen Cabinet members across the Atlantic next week — in several passenger jets consuming tons of fossil fuels at high altitudes. Plus, of course, Biden’s own customized 747 Air Force One. [Snip] All this for the Democrat to show participants in the U.N.’s Climate Change Conference in Glasgow how all-in he is to save the global environment from the terrible things that other wanton humans are doing to cause and worsen global warming for their own ends.
According to a recent major online news story, “Gas prices are at 7-year highs, and Biden can’t do much about it.” OK, stop laughing. I said, Stop! This was not a Babylon Bee post. This was an actual CNN Business story and an atrociously prime example of the mainstream media playing defense for Joe Biden and his clumsy administration of radical nincompoops who put ideology ahead of common sense and practicality. There’s actually a ton of things Joe Biden could do to restore the nation’s energy independence that
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A Texas doctor said his practice has seen a nearly 15% increase in vasectomies as men try to push back against the state’s abortion law, The Washington Post (WaPo) reported Sunday.
Koushik Shaw, a doctor who practices at the Austin Urology Institute, told WaPo his practice saw a roughly 15% increase in scheduled vasectomies following the state’s Sept. 1 abortion ban.
Shaw told the outlet patients are coming in, saying “‘Hey, I’m actually here because some of these changes that [Gov. Greg] Abbott and our legislature have passed that are really impacting our decision-making in terms of family planning,’ so that was a new one for me as a reason
The House of Representatives has passed a bill that seeks to eradicate blasphemy against Islam. The bill, H.R. 5665, is truly remarkable as it amounts to Congress making a law respecting the establishment of Islam and reducing the United States government into a tool of the world’s ayatollahs.
The actual text of the bill not only seeks to eradicate blasphemy against Islam around the world – and solely against Islam at that – but even requires the federal government to reorganize some portions of the State Department along the lines of an Islamic religious institution which will be responsible for interpreting the Quran.
Comrades, many American citizens stood jaw agape as they watched Australian metropolitan police departments begin cracking skulls and making arrests for violating COVID rules and restrictions. Yes, it always seemed like Australia, New Zealand and Europe were the beta testing ground to see if police would comply with jackboot arrests of their own community. Well, now we can see those same tactics being deployed in the U.S. New York City was the first large metropolitan area to require vaccination identification cards to enter restaurants, bars, dining establishments and various public and private venues. Now comes the enforcement part.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was slammed on Twitter after she and her wife, Amy Eshleman, posted a video wishing a 'joyous Kwanzaa' to all who celebrate.'Joyous Kwanzaa, Chicago!' Lightfoot said in a video shared online. 'The seven principles of Kwanzaa guide us to unity and cooperation as we work to uplift and protect our neighbors.' 'As you light the candles and gather in unity, we hope your holiday is filled with rejoicing and happiness,' Eshleman echoed.The pair, who also used the holiday video as an opportunity to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, were criticized by Twitter users
A poll released Monday shows powerful Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell hemorrhaging GOP support, less than a year until the 2022 midterm elections.
McConnell came in dead last in Gallup's new survey ranking 11 federal officials by their job approval ratings. His 34 percent public approval is lower than that of President Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
But while the three top Democrats in government found majority support among their own party's voters, the Kentucky Republican is trailing in the GOP sphere.
Just 46 percent of McConnell's fellow Republicans approve of his job in the Senate, while a decisive 52-point majority disapprove.
Republicans wasted no time slamming Joe Biden after the flip-flopping president said 'there is no federal solution' to combatting COVID-19 on Monday despite draconian measures that have included federal mask and vaccine mandates.The GOP, citing a comment Biden made in October 2020, released a tweet implying the president did an about-face on his commitment to battling the pandemic, which has .come back with a vengeance with the highest amount of cases in a day since January - before vaccines were created. 'BIDEN, TODAY: 'There is no federal solution' to COVID,' the Republican National Committee tweeted, and included footage of the president from Monday's meeting with 25 governors.
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell sparked immediate criticism after clueless commentary about the “new crew” of Republicans who are “indecent to their core.”The California Democrat was handed a self-check mirror on Twitter after whining about Republican politicians cheering on the ‘Let’s go Brandon’ chants, including the latest one that seemed to set Swalwell off.An Oregon father of four told President Joe Biden ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ on Christmas Eve during a live-streamed call, setting off a meltdown on the left.“I refuse to believe we are this indecent as people. Not on Christmas Eve. And not to a person who lost his wife and daughter at Christmastime. We are better than this.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene rants against
‘fake religion’ Kwanzaa as Black holiday begins 29 replies
‘fake religion’ Kwanzaa as Black holiday begins 29 replies
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene denounced Kwanzaa as a “fake religion” just as millions of Black people start to celebrate the weeklong holiday. The far-right Georgia lawmaker berated the national College Republicans for “pandering and BS” after the GOP group tweeted a seemingly innocuous happy holiday message. “Stop. It’s a fake religion created by a psychopath,” Greene said. “People are tired of pandering and BS.” She was apparently deriding Kwanzaa founder Prof. Maulana Karenga, who was convicted of felony assault in the 1960s in what he says was a politically motivated prosecution spurred by his involvement in Black nationalist politics. Greene suggested that the College Republicans should avoid political correctness
VP Kamala Harris says US will be 'off
the map as a role model' if voting rights
bill is sunk 27 replies
the map as a role model' if voting rights
bill is sunk 27 replies
In her wide-ranging interview with CBS' "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan on Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris said America would lose its "role model" status if Congress fails to pass voting rights legislation. With Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., essentially ending President Biden's chances to pass Build Back Better, the administration appears to be pivoting to other policy areas. Harris was tasked with spearheading voting rights over the summer. "In the days and weeks ahead, I will engage the American people, and I will work with voting rights organizations, community organizations, and the private sector
President Joe Biden on Monday admitted that his administration has not done enough to ease the COVID testing demand, vowing to do better.
'That's not enough. Clearly not enough,' Biden said, adding: 'We have to do more. We have to do better. And we will.'
Biden told the governors - a mix of Republicans and Democrats - that there was 'no federal solution' to the Omicron variant causing cases to spike around the country, saying the solution was solidly on 'state level.'
Carlos Tejada, a New York Times Deputy Asia Editor, has died at the age of 49. He suffered a heart attack less than a day after posting to social media that he had received a Moderna booster vaccination.
Tejada, who worked in part on the paper’s COVID-19 coverage, was married with two children. He had worked at the Wall Street Journal prior to moving to the Times, where he worked for almost five years.
According to Tejada’s own Instagram page, he was grateful to receive the mRNA/LNP booster while in Seoul, South Korea.
Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who rose from poverty in rural Nevada to the heights of Democratic politics, has died at the age of 82.
"I am heartbroken to announce the passing of my husband, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He died peacefully this afternoon, surrounded by our family, following a courageous, four-year-battle with pancreatic cancer,"