* The African-American publisher of Ndigo.com took a Republican ballot last week, but not to vote for Kirk Dillard…
“We’ve got a one-party system in Chicago and Illinois. We’ve got to break it up,” said Hermene Hartman, Ndigo.com publisher.
Online publisher Hartman says the black community’s high unemployment and total lack of economic development caused her this week to vote Republican for the first time.
“We’ve got to bring about some change. And you’re not going to change, if you don’t change,” he said.
Major Chicago black church leaders, all one-time Democrats, have endorsed Rauner, including the Reverend and former State Senator James Meeks, West Sider the Reverend Marshall Hatch and the South Side’s Reverend Stephen Thurston.
* And Laura Washington takes a look at a nascent political wing…
Chicago’s organizing community is restless. They actually agree with Rauner on one thing: The Democratic Party establishment is not working in their best interests.
So they are looking past November, to 2015.
Four major Chicago progressive operations have been in quiet but intensive planning for a brand-new political organization that will identify, train and run candidates for the 2015 citywide elections.
They aim “to build an infrastructure that allows community folks to act political and exercise political power in a way that doesn’t exist right now,” a top member of the planning team told me late last week. As Bill de Blasio did in New York City, this group thinks the time is ripe to move Chicago to the left. They will formally announce and launch the new organization this summer.
“This is the moment to be bold,” the activist said.
One of those organizations is the Chicago Teachers Union, I’m told.
*** UPDATE *** SEIU is also part of the “progressive” Chicago community, but the union went with the governor today. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today received the endorsement of the Illinois State Council of the Service Employees International Union, a major labor union that represents more than 150,000 workers across Illinois.
Today’s endorsement adds to the growing momentum for the Governor’s re-election in 2014.
“I am extremely honored to have the support of the hard-working women and men of SEIU,” Governor Quinn said. “We know how to work hard and we know how to organize. Together we will continue to bring more families into the middle class and continue to move Illinois forward.”
“The clear choice for residents of Illinois in the upcoming November election is between a future in which we all have access to a quality standard of living, or one in which workers are increasingly stuck in low-wage jobs with a widening income inequality gap,” said Flora Johnson, Chair, SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Board. “That’s why SEIU is proud to endorse Governor Pat Quinn for another four-year term so he can continue his fight to eradicate the economic and social inequality that currently thrives in the state.”
Since taking office in the worst recession since the Great Depression, Governor Quinn has fought to create jobs and build a brighter future for working families, driving unemployment down to its lowest point in five years. Quinn championed and signed into law the largest capital construction program in state history, supporting more than 400,000 jobs to update Illinois’ roads, schools and bridges.
Throughout his time in office, the Governor has always worked to make sure Illinois workers are safe and treated fairly in the workplace. He has enacted more Project Labor Agreements than any other governor in the country and is leading the nation in fighting worker misclassification to ensure employees receive the pay they have earned.
* Other stuff…
* Zell, Emanuel to appear at Forbes summit
* And Now for the Further Adventures of Rahm the Impaler - “Trending toward insolvency.” “The country’s worst school system.” “The murder capital of America.” This is Rahm Emanuel’s third year as mayor of Chicago, and everything is under control.
* Neil Steinberg’s ‘Esquire’ Profile Of Emanuel Pulls Few Punches
* Englewood Students Satirize Mayor Emanuel’s School Closings With ‘Wreck-it Rahm’ Poem
- RonOglesby - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:19 am:
Understandable. If one party does nothing but is assured your vote every time and you are not satisfied look for another candidate or in extreme another party completely.
Its a shock simply because as a group the black community has been consistently voting to one side of the political spectrum while their community and issues are often not addressed. That is until Quinn decides he needs to spend some money to get out the vote.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:20 am:
Rauner has a serious “Ace in the hole” with Rev. Meeks and his strong community organization(s).
Rauner should be running with Meeks on the Raunerite Ticket, at least Meeks is qualified, and brings a strong political base with him, but I digress…
If Rauner’s Crew can get organized and vote Meeks’ coalition of organizers and organizations at large raw pluralities, major plus in the Rauner arsenal.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:24 am:
Jim Edgar set the high water mark for a Republican candidate winning black votes in Chicago with more than 30% against Neil Hartigan. That was due to Hartigan’s alliance with anti-Harold Washington pols and Jim Edgar working his tail off organizing in the African American community.
Rauner has a chance to top 30% and, if he does, he’ll be Governor.
- March Madness - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:26 am:
Sounds like there will be at least a few Chicago Aldermen in the cross-hairs in 2015. This is shaping up to be a brutal year of campaigns.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:26 am:
Hey - Pat,
You are going to need more than $54,000,000 in grant money to buy your election this year.
- William j Kelly - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:26 am:
Thank you Hermene Hartman! This is the great news all republicans have been waiting for! Please tell us allll the other republican candidates you will be supporting this year? Why stop with this year, who is your republican favorite for president?
- LincolnLounger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:35 am:
Why would William J. Kelly care? I thought he was a Constitution Party devotee these days?
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:36 am:
–Rauner has a chance to top 30% and, if he does, he’ll be Governor.–
Absolutely.
The interesting dynamic is Emanuel, and his relationships with the African-American community (bad), Quinn (hate) and Rauner (love that money).
It’s just a hunch, but I think some time before November, Quinn will be overtly in the anti-Rahm camp in the city.
It’s not just business, it’s personal.
- DuPage Rep - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:41 am:
Trade unions better watch out. That Charles Thomas story has some bite to it because it is true. Racism in the building trades is real, and if Rauner and the trades can’t reach an understanding, the trades could be left out in the cold.
- A guy... - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:43 am:
Heretofore the choice has been to vote Democratic or simply stay home. Offering a choice that includes “enthusiastically vote FOR someone” can be liberating to say the least. Charter Schools have made a difference to many families in this community. It all starts with sending a kid into a building where their safety is assured. You can build on that. Survival shouldn’t be one of the skills required to attend school. RJD spoke to this community and they supported him widely. Rauner may be able to have the same line of communication. Time will tell. Crossing over is a two way street. This demo doesn’t define themselves by party near the same way the union members do. I’ve been saying for weeks and months that there’s a frustration out there in voterland. It’s affecting everyone.
- anon - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:44 am:
Why does everybody make the same mistake? Quinn isn’t the problem. The Speaker is the problem! The biggest monopoly of power is in the house. No new ideas come out of it unless the Speaker decides it so. If people want change, their war must be with the Speaker. If people think that electing Rauner over PQ will improve things, they are in for a very rude awakening.
- Walker - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:47 am:
Lost, adrift, no help in sight.
Let’s try drinking the seawater.
- Bill White - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:47 am:
=== Charter Schools have made a difference to many families in this community. It all starts with sending a kid into a building where their safety is assured. ===
If your child isn’t booted from the charter school and sent back to the public schools because: low test scores.
===
Rauner-Rahm versus Quinn is going to cause considerable cognitive dissonance amongst Democrats who need to learn that the enemy of my enemy might not truly be my friend.
It is going to be interesting because there are many
- Ghost - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:49 am:
What has always struck me is that while Rauner is running as a republican, it seems his stranglehold on GOP funding in IL is more about him taking over an existing party. From my perspective it looks like he bought the GOP for the name and recognition, like you would buy an exisiting buisness to capatlize on its goodwill.
Which lease to the pentultimate question, will he get the full support of the GOP electorate in November because he purchased the name; or will some of his devisve maneavers with exisiting elected memebrs of the party create backlash and a loss of support.
Rauner can purchase McDonalds, but does it make him Ray Croc? time will tell.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:51 am:
– Charter Schools have made a difference to many families in this community. It all starts with sending a kid into a building where their safety is assured. You can build on that. Survival shouldn’t be one of the skills required to attend school. –
What are you talking about?
- MrGrassroots - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:52 am:
As far as I am concerned, Hermene Hartman and Reverend James Meeks will have “zero” impact on the African-American vote for Democrats. The election is really about turnout and that is a puzzle that neither party has solved in the African-American community. Rauner should not waste his time in Cook County and especially Chicago if he wants to win. His best bet is outside Chicago and to run against Chicago and Cook County.
- Upon Further Review - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:57 am:
Hermene Hartman lacks credibility. She is a constant apologist and, sometimes, a paid publicist, for Wayne D. Watson, the controversial President of Chicago State University. Watson is a poster boy for all that is wrong with the Illinois pension system. He is drawing a $200 K pension from his years of ineptitude at the City Colleges of Chicago while working a full-time job at Chicago State.
- Excessively Rabid - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:01 pm:
Time to move Chicago to the left by…looting the state’s retirement systems? This all seems understandable but incoherent to me.
- A guy... - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:07 pm:
- ====Bill White - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:47 am:
=== Charter Schools have made a difference to many families in this community. It all starts with sending a kid into a building where their safety is assured. ===
If your child isn’t booted from the charter school and sent back to the public schools because: low test scores.====
Boneheaded comment above; free for the asking.
=== wordslinger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 11:51 am:
– Charter Schools have made a difference to many families in this community. It all starts with sending a kid into a building where their safety is assured. You can build on that. Survival shouldn’t be one of the skills required to attend school. –
What are you talking about?===
I’m typing as slow as I can and using simple terminology. Can’t do much more for you friend, but let me try. African American people support charter schools and school choice. They resent MJM for not supporting it and appreciate Bruce Rauner for not just supporting them, but donating a lot of money to them. They, like you, want their kids to be safe at school. They, unlike you, have to cross battlefields and gang turf to get their kids there. Rauner is offering them an opportunity they appreciate. They are starting to mobilize to offer him support. He gets ‘em more than Pat gets ‘em. Sen. Meeks is helping to define the choices. Is that better?
- March Madness - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:07 pm:
The posts here are all over the place. A number of different people appear to be courting “unhappy Democratic votes”.
Go for Rauner but against Rahm? Quinn is ok but there is a need to war with Madigan? CTU is beginning a progressive uprising against elected officials in Chicago?
What can you make of all this?
- Jorge - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
March, Bill Murray had the answer for that…cats and dogs living together… mass hysteria!
- Joe R. - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:27 pm:
In the Karen Lewis’s post-election “lessons learned” statement, she writes that CTU will “continue to be dogmatic.”
Funny, I always thought “dogmatic” was primarily a pejorative term. She sees it as a badge of honor. That will give you an idea of the posture and tactics this new Chicago liberal coalition will employ.
Seems to me, they will be to the Dems what the Tea Party is to the GOP: a collection of “dogmatic” activists who, in a defeatist quest for idealogical purity, ultimately harm their cause by dragging their preferred political party out of the mainstream.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:27 pm:
– They resent MJM for not supporting it and appreciate Bruce Rauner for not just supporting them, but donating a lot of money to them. They, like you, want their kids to be safe at school. They, unlike you, have to cross battlefields and gang turf to get their kids there. –
Again, I have no idea what you’re talking about — so that makes two of us.
MJM didn’t support Charter Schools? That’s surreal. Heard of UNO?
As far as crossing gang lines, are Charter Schools located in some Neverland where you don’t have to do so?
Last I checked, many real Chicago parents expressed displeasure that their local schools were being closed while charters were being expanded, meaning their kids would have to cross gang lines to get to their new schools.
Why don’t you stick with speaking for everyone in the GOP. I highly doubt you’re qualified to speak for Chicago school parents.
- Norseman - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:34 pm:
Bill and Word, good comments.
I don’t pay much attention to Guy’s rhetoric. The best time to think about him is on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5th.
- Joe R. - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:37 pm:
== A guy…==
MJM is against charters? News to me.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 12:40 pm:
===I highly doubt you’re qualified to speak for Chicago school parents.===
LOL, and African American parents to boot. A guy, nobody is buying what you’re selling.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 1:29 pm:
Willy:
Meeks couldn’t collect enough signatures to get on the ballot.
Rev. Hatch is the real deal when it comes to community organizing.
- Frustrated Voter - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 1:29 pm:
=this group thinks the time is ripe to move Chicago to the left=
“move” Chicago to the left? Is this a joke?
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 1:35 pm:
Interesting.
If SEIU has 150,000 members in Illinois, about a 30% turnout for crossover vote for Dillard could’ve put Rauner down. They couldn’t even make that happen.
Those purple shirted “protesters for hire” apparently won’t pull a lever for a candidate unless there’s “walking around money” from the union.
Like I said, interesting.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 1:39 pm:
- YDD -,
Thanks for the insight. Appreciate the info.
OW
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 1:48 pm:
===If SEIU has 150,000 members in Illinois, about a 30% turnout for crossover vote for Dillard could’ve put Rauner down. They couldn’t even make that happen.===
In 20 days, they scared Rauner really good. Imagine 8 months to organize…
===Those purple shirted “protesters for hire” apparently won’t pull a lever for a candidate unless there’s “walking around money” from the union.===
If the case is made; Rauner v. Quinn, and the organization is weeks and weeks in place, could be a redux of Brady 2010 more than it not be Brady 2010.
Learn from the past, don’t mock the future maybe repeating it.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 1:56 pm:
The anger and frustration is real. It would be better for the black community if there was a real willingness on the part of the GOP to offer credible policy proposals that appeal to black voters, forcing Democrats who take the black vote for granted to do this as well. On a national level, this is not being offered other than through the old, tired, dripping-with-the-tropes-of-white-supremacy put downs of clueless folks like the Paul Ryan. Offering credible policy proposals arises from spending time with people in their communities for months and years, inviting them into your circles, and listening to them. Bruce Rauner has done this with a segment of the black community that is influential (ministers, but that is another issue), but he has not shown that his policy prescriptions (the small few he has offered) are right for the black community.
Blacks should not be supporting Bruce Rauner in any shape, form, or fashion. Historically and today, the black middle class has had a high share of public sector workers such as teachers. Rauner and his ilk are launching an assault on those workers and attempting to erase pensions and eliminate wholesale public sector jobs. Macroeconomic events like the recession have taken a major toll on the black middle class and Rauner’s policies would pile on that.
- dave - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 2:02 pm:
**If SEIU has 150,000 members in Illinois, about a 30% turnout for crossover vote for Dillard could’ve put Rauner down. They couldn’t even make that happen.
Those purple shirted “protesters for hire” apparently won’t pull a lever for a candidate unless there’s “walking around money” from the union.**
You do know that SEIU didn’t endorse Dillard, the former chair of IL ALEC, right?
So you’re bashing SEIU for not pushing the guy they didn’t endorse across the finish line?
Very interesting, indeed.
- prisoner of cook - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 2:49 pm:
No surprise as PQ is 100% owned by the SEIU.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 2:51 pm:
===prisoner of cook===
Another “victim” heard from. This ain’t Stalinist Russia, man. You’re only a “prisoner of cook” if you’re in the jail.
- A guy... - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 2:53 pm:
Jeez Wordslinger, a high hard one under the chin after supporting you as Gov for the new State of Oak Park. School choice was the issue MJM derailed. The notion being that people want their kids to have a chance to be safe and excel. Can’t do the second one until you accomplish the first one. So perhaps the two of you could have a conversation and see if that’s a better explanation while I think of the next thing I’ll speak for the state of Illinois on. I’m a precinct captain reporting what I hear dude. My plusses did turn out.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 3:03 pm:
–School choice was the issue MJM derailed.–
You might want to sit down for a little while. You’re staggering around bumping into walls from issue to issue.
I’m quite certain that MJM has been a charter supporter, for whatever reasons you care to fill in, good or sinister.
As far as vouchers go, that’s hardly been a partisan issue in the Illinois House. MJM voted for them, I believe. High emotions on both sides of the issue from members of both parties.
- A guy... - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 5:14 pm:
Wordslinger, why don’t you ask James Meeks where MJM came down on vouchers. It’s the big unforgivable that is now manifesting itself in his support for Bruce Rauner. He’s got plenty of other organizations helping in this effort. You’ve been right about everything so far…oops no, you’ve been wrong on almost everything. But hey who’s paying any attention, right? Time for a good soak. Or a good cry. If you’re still here to just shoot at Rauner, I’ll advise him to stand still, lest you land one by accident.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 5:40 pm:
a very wise man from Springfield told me many, many years ago to always remember that every election is “compared to who”
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 5:46 pm:
-Wordslinger, why don’t you ask James Meeks where MJM came down on vouchers. It’s the big unforgivable that is now manifesting itself in his support for Bruce Rauner–
Gee, I don’t know A Guy.
I remember the last vote in the House on the Meeks bill as being very heavy.
Democrats and Republicans for, Democrats and Republicans against.
Dude, sit down and take a drink of water. You’re wandering all over the landscape here.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-05-05/news/ct-met-legislature-taxes-0506-20100505_1_school-voucher-bill-chicago-public-schools-inner-city-schools
- Just The Way It Is One - Monday, Mar 24, 14 @ 7:35 pm:
That’s a MAjor chunk of that 150,000 number who turn out to protect their rights against the threatening Rauner, + no doubt MOST of their loved ones (spouses, kids over 18) who are supported by that Union Income they don’t want seeing taken away by Rauner EIther.
That’s a LOT of Votes for Quinn, people! Thus–a MAJOR Victory for the Governor today, a Red Letter Day for him indeed…!