67 Comments - Anon - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:49 am: How quickly sara went from the good government critic of Blago to the sleazy evader in front of the camera. I lot a lot of respect for her yesterday. If she did the poll, say so. If she didnt do it, she should say she didnt. At least answer the question. She looks like politics as usual. - John - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:52 am: Way to go ICIRR - paddyrollingstone - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:52 am: They should leave her on the ballot so that she can be completely repudiated on election day. I understand that there are a lot of people with truly held beliefs about the dangers of illegal immigration but how someone can opppose prisoners being visited by the clergy is beyond me - Carl Nyberg - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:04 am: My questions for Quigley: Which committeemen will vote to determine your replacement? How much of the weighted vote does each of them have? Which of these committeemen would be classified as “Machine” and which of them are “reformers” and which of them are in between? Commissioner Quigley, if you are elected to Congress, the taxpayers will lose your experience on the Cook County board. Will the taxpayers also lose a reformer? Will you be replaced with a person who will be a reliable vote for Todd Stroger? My questions for Claypool: are you willing to lose Quigley from the county board? Or are you giving him an endorsement to make nice while anticipating one of the other candidates will actually win? - Pat collins - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:07 am: whose leadership is linked to white nationalist views. Linked via six degrees, maybe. Does Mr. Hoyt care to claim kinship with all the things done by MEChA, LA RAZA, MALDEF? And what was wrong about McCarthyism? - chiatty - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:19 am: This is going to be one nutty election. - earnest - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:31 am: Nyberg, Kind of like the bad boss who won’t promote his best employee, and instead promotes incompetents … It’s a real disincentive to reform if supporters of reform won’t support the most effective reformers in their goals of higher office. - Capitol View - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:33 am: It’s amusing to see Josh Hoyt claiming that another group’s advocate has a persoanl political agenda — watch Hoyt run for Sara’s House seat if she wins. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:33 am: When goo-goos collide. The streets of Lincoln Park will run red with merlot. - Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:38 am: Linked via six degrees, maybe. Considering I am 3 people away from either David Duke or Bill Ayers, that is a fair assessment. - Ravenswood Right Winger - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:43 am: Who is Justin Oberman supporting now that he dropped out? - Suzanne - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:55 am: Wordslinger, best out loud belly laugh today. Thanks! - Honest Abe - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:59 am: For years, Josh Hoyt has been a Marxist/Leninist posing as a community organizer… LOL! Ah, fun and games and press releases… - Anon - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:10 am: Wordslinger, I’m with Suzanne. Milk just came out of my nose. - Quigley's squiggly? - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:16 am: Today Mike Quigley is blowing the trumpet for “reform.” But where was he just two showrt years ago? Making backroom deals to support Todd Stroger. After Todd Stroger took office, there was no more important vote than on his first budget. This vote in February 2007 set the tone and priorities for the Stroger administration. The choice was clear: A Stroger budget that protected political patronage and slashed health care and law enforcement services, or a reform alternative that would save services and cut the fat from Stroger’s machine. What happened? As the Chicago Tribune reported at the time, after hours of backroom dealing, “Quigley was crucial to the vote” to support Todd Stroger, protect patronage and slash public services. The “swing vote came from Mike Quigley,” echoed the Daily Herald. (Chicago Tribune 2/24/07, Daily Herald 2/23/07) “Todd Stroger used the kind of closed-door dealmaking that would make his father proud to win approval of his $3 billion budget for 2007,” the Tribune wrote. “After hours of private meetings and horse-trading, the board voted 13-4 in the early hours of Friday to approve Stroger’s amended spending plan. It would close a dozen health clinics and reduce other services.” (Chicago Tribune, 2/24/07) “The 2007 budget that was approved by the Cook County Board in the wee hours last Friday was a clear political victory for President Todd Stroger,” the Chicago Sun-Times agreed. “In his first big test as county leader, he won a showdown with a bloc of commissioners who pushed a rival spending plan.” (Chicago Sun-Times, 2/26/07) Thanks to Todd Stroger and Mike Quigley, a dozen health clinics were closed and “some 1,700 county workers lost their jobs, most of them front-line workers like nurses, prosecutors, janitors and court clerks. The cuts were brutal and demoralizing.” But “fat and patronage escaped the ax” and “county clout survived.” (Chicago Sun-Times, 4/6/07) “The budget plan that prevailed leaves too many politically connected middle managers safe while doctors and nurses are getting pink slips,” the Tribune said. Despite “larding his staff with high-paid friends and family members … Stroger managed to peel away five of the 12 original co-sponsors of a rival plan that would have cut deeper into his bureaucracy.” (Chicago Tribune, 2/25/07) “Only a handful of patronage workers lost their jobs. Todd Stroger went all out to protect them [even as he cut] hundreds of doctors and nurses from the county hospital system, 43 prosecutors in the state’s attorneys office and almost 100 sheriff’s police and court deputies. Stroger and his county board allies” including Mike Quigley “cut heavily from the ranks of front-line workers, but protected the political appointees. … [T]he board stood by its traditional priority of protecting the loyal Democratic Party members whose jobs are based on their political work, not merit.” (Daily Southtown, 3/1/07) Let’s see the same reporters who (rightfully) are holding Sara Feigenholtz to account for her slimy poll also call out Mike Quigley on his support for Todd Stroger. - Independent - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:25 am: With Quigley in D.C. Claypool would have one less potential rival in the 2010 Board Pres. primaries. I believe Claypool convinced Quigley to drop out of the ‘06 primaries so as not to split the “reform” vote against John Stroger. - fedup dem - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:27 am: Those 5th District residents who may be too busy preparing their Super Bowl Parties to attend the candidates forum set for the afternoon of Sunday, February 1 can opt to attend a second forum to be held this Saturday, January 31. The January 31 Candidate Forum will be held at the American Islamic College, which is located at 640 W. Irving Park Road (corner of Irving Park Road and Marine Drive) in Chicago, and will start at 5:00 PM. The forum is to be co-hosted by the American Muslim Taskforce and the Illinois Committee for Honest Government. - Bebe - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:49 am: I think Independent is right about the Claypool-Quigley pact. Forrest will make a good Cook County Board President. - babs - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:51 am: Will there be a candidate forum for people who don’t live on the lakefront - like for MOST of the people in the district? - Bebe - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:57 am: Honest Abe, Josh Hoyt is a Marxist rabble-rouser posing as a community organizer just like Bill Ayers is a terrorist posing as an education professor, right? - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:59 am: A candidates forum on Super Bowl Sunday? I guess the hall was booked on New Year’s Eve, huh? I suspect the organizers of the Sunday forum don’t live in the district. They must be from Mars. - ZC - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 12:14 pm: wordslinger, a) there weren’t a lot of empty dates to work with, given the compressed schedule; b) it’s a great space for a debate, very accessible to public transportation and the media, and that was absolutely the only day for it available; c) Super Bowl Sunday is probably the one day when constituents most don’t want to be phonecalled and door-knocked, so it makes sense for the candidates; d) it’s from 1-3, so there’ still plenty of time to get your partying in before kickoff. I agree it’s not an ideal, but it will be a great event. Already over 130 attendees on the Facebook page alone. Come on down! - Phil Collins - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 12:19 pm: St. Sen. Matt Murphy, of Republican of the 27th Dist., said that he’ll probably run for Cook Co. Board President, and he’ll probably win. Last Mar., he proved that he opposes Stroger when Murphy led the movement to try to allow parts of Cook Co. to secede, to avoid the increased sales tax rate. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 12:22 pm: ZC, no offense, just kidding around. If I’m not there on time, just get started without me - JonShibleyFan - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 12:43 pm: “Who is Justin Oberman supporting now that he dropped out?” Who cares? “St. Sen. Matt Murphy, of Republican of the 27th Dist., said that he’ll probably run for Cook Co. Board President, and he’ll probably win.” Seriously? I mean, you’re the guy who goes to EVERY SINGLE website that allows comments and declares that Pulido, who can’t even get her signatures straight, is going to win. And now you think Matt Murphy will be Cook Co. Board Prez. The leader of the Palatine separatist movement? A Republican in the most Dem county in the state? A hard line pro-lifer, anti-union Republican? Sleep it off, get a cup of strong coffee, and come on back to the board. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 12:57 pm: === When goo-goos collide. The streets of Lincoln Park will run red with merlot. === That was HILARIOUS, wordslinger. In the end, Claypool’s endorsement of Quigley will carry as much weight as his endorsement of Larry Sufferdin. Anyone care to guess what percentage of the vote Sufferdin got in his bid for State’s Attorney within the 5th CD? - Illinois.Pundit - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:38 pm: Did you notice that when the camera caught up to Feigenholtz she was in a room full of obviously enthusiastic supporters and poor Quigley and Fritchey were all alone in their sterile offices. Have we heard anything about fundraising from Quigley or Fritchey? Feigenholtz is saying she has raised more than $400K and has heavy hitters like EMILY’s List and NOW in her corner? Other than the endorsement of Quigley by Claypool, which was virtually done when he decided not to run for this seat….and Fritchey’s Machine sponsorships have they really done anything. Maybe that’s why they are in their offices and she’s out working. Have you checked ActBlue lately? Quigley has $8,400 and Fritchey has 36k. They can be raising money elsewhere, like Feigenholtz; but I doubt combined that they’ll muster even half of her current war chest! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:41 pm: IP, both the other candidates have had events. Try not to get too mindless with your politics, please. We’re not that stupid here. - Bill - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:51 pm: YDD, Any googoo vote that Quigley does get will come right from Sara. She’s gonna get crushed and so is Quigs. - Jeff Wartman - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:53 pm: Pulido’s campaign has been mismanaged from the start. Her campaign seems to be running with the idea that the 5th CD is a level playing field and Republicans have a good shot there. They have completely ignored the demographics of the 5th CD and how heavily Democrat it is. In order to be competitive in that district you’ll need to understand that. Secondly, if Pulido is having such a hard time with a small amount of signatures, she’s clearly not qualified to be in Congress. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:54 pm: === Her campaign seems to be running=== That’s your first mistake. - chiatty - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:56 pm: =====wordslinger===== Before you bruise yourself with pats on the back, I must chide you and say that the streets of Lincoln Park may run red with cabernet sauvignon. They may run red with pinot noir, or even chateauneuf de pape, but MERLOT???? I take offense, sir! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:57 pm: ===MERLOT???? I take offense, sir!=== Agreed. No self-respecting LP’er would drink that swill. lol - Bill - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 1:59 pm: There’s still plenty of average winos in Lincoln Park. Any swill will do. - Illinois.Pundit - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:03 pm: Rich, They’ve had events, but where is the money? You know if they hit even 100 grand you’d be the first to know. I understand that some of their events had 15-20 people, where Sara is bringing in hundreds. Bill is partially right. Quigley’s votes will come from Sara. But he won’t get many of those. Could someone please explain to me again why he’s running? Sara is going to crush them both. Only female with EMILY’s and NOW and the most cash! BTW for the forum question earlier, it starts at 1 and will be done hours before the Super Bowl starts. I know you’ve mentioned that before, but obviously some people are still confused. And as far as Pulido goes…good for Hoyt! Has anybody been to her web site? She’s a Sarah Palin wannabee. Pro-gun Republican in the 5th? An immigrant (descendant) against immigration. She be crazy. Look a sea-horse! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:07 pm: IP, I actually have been contacted about their fundraising. Not sure I need to give a day-to-day update. Both of those guys will have some money to compete. Fritchey, for instance, is getting big labor support, so that’ll help close the gap with Emily’s List, NOW, etc. Again, we’re not stupid here, so don’t treat us that way. And, specifically, don’t treat me that way. People have been bounced for less. - Brian Frederick - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:19 pm: This race is wide open. Feigenholtz, Fritchey and Quigley all have a legitimate chance to win. I support Feigenhotlz but it will be a tough fight. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:19 pm: Bill ~ I think Fritchey, Feigenholtz, and Quigley ALL have their good government bases. Quigley’s tried to make a name for himself reforming Cook County government. Fritchey has made a name for himself reforming state government. Feigenholtz has made a name for herself fighting for progressive issues like the environment, reproductive rights, gay rights, worker’s rights and health care rights. As i laid it out before, each will be attacked by the other two in an effort to undermine their goo-goo base. For example, Fritchey and Feigenholtz will remind voters that Quigley was INSTRUMENTAL to Stroger’s early success, via the press quotes about Quigley’s backroom dealing with Stroger cited by Quigley’s squiggley? above. Quigley and Feigenholtz will try to undermine Fritchey by tying him to Rod Blagojevich, and strapping him to the Banks family. And Fritchey and Quigley will use the George Ryan strategy: attack Feigenholtz as “too liberal” on the west-end of the district while accusing her of “politics-as-usual” on the lakefront. I call it the George Ryan strategy because that’s how he beat Poshard: with a message that was clearly bifurcated along regional lines. I’m not sure if that works in a smaller geography, especially with the prevalence of the internet, but time will tell. - Mr. Know-it-All - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:31 pm: Respectfully, Mr. Miller: I don’t see how IP’s pro-Sara comments are more condescending to this blog and its readers than other pro-5th Candidate comments have been. Each of your 5th District posts has been met with a flurry of comments from obviously biased commenters, and very few (if any) have provided any actual insight. Almost all of the comments can be boiled down to tautological declarations of why the commenter’s candidate is better. As to the substance of the race: I would expect that Feigenholtz’s Emily’s List and NOW endorsements will provide an infusion of cash, and Fritchey’s union endorsements will provide an infusion of manpower, beyond any source that the other candidates have publicly identified. That gives those two an advantage in the two biggest factors: money and field workers. It may be that others have other sources of cash and help (ward organizations being the obvious source of both), but I don’t know that any ward has really stepped out on anyone’s behalf, yet. Claypool’s endorsement of Quigley helps with the good-government types, but that fuzzy warm feeling won’t help Quigley if it doesn’t come with money and people. - Phil Collins - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:33 pm: Illinois.Pundit, Pulido isn’t against immigration. She’s against illegal immigration. She support immigrants who obey all laws. I read her website, www.rosannapulido2009.com, and I’m glad that she’s a Sarah Palin wannabee. Many 5th District voters think that their last two congressmen, Emanuel and Blagojevich, were too corrupt and liberal. To show that the voters support a big change, they’ll elect a conservative. In 1994, Rostinkowski lost. This year, no incumbent is running. - Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:36 pm: Regarding Lincoln Park… Miller, can you even tell the difference between merlot and a cab? Does your knowledge of wine get beyond having seen the movie “Sideways”? - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:38 pm: lol. It was sarcasm. Sheesh. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 2:49 pm: ===I don’t see how IP’s pro-Sara comments are more condescending to this blog and its readers than other pro-5th Candidate comments have been.=== OK. Your perogative. I see it differently and said so. And, FYI, you don’t see some of the over-the-top stuff that I’ve deleted. There’s been more than plenty of that kinda crud here which has made me weary. - Mr. Know-it-All - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 3:12 pm: I don’t doubt for a second that you’ve deleted comments that are “over-the-top”. The Internet’s a magnet for such nonsense, but you don’t need me to tell you that. We can agree to disagree on where IP’s comments fit within the Spectrum of Crud. I appreciate the actual insight that you and some commenters provide, and hope for more of that and less of the crud. - Teve - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 3:36 pm: Claypool’s poll numbers are outstanding. It is no accident that Claypool was perceived as the front runner before he decided not to run for that seat. Todd Stroger must be very concerned about Claypool’s growing popularity. Numbers don’t lie. With Preckwinkle in the race, Stroger’s people are already talking about loading up the ballot in an attempt to dillute the vote. Stroger is also trying to pass himself off as a “transformational” leader in the Obama vien,which is really odd. With the dysmal economy and the anti-corruption sentiment building because of Blagojevich, Claypool is extremely viable. The Claypool endorsement helps, if Quigley can raise the dollars to get his message out. The fact that Sara is resorting to push polls, shows her to be a cynical and callow politician, which is a shame. Overall, the impact of one politician endorsing another is small, unless the politician is Barack Obama. - Just asking - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 4:12 pm: To YDD, serious question: “Feigenholtz has made a name for herself fighting for progressive issues like the environment, reproductive rights, gay rights, worker’s rights and health care rights.” How can you separate her record on any of those issues from Fritchey’s? - Tunafish - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 4:45 pm: Claypool’s endorsement of Quigley means nothing. Unless Claypool is going to raise him significant money, which he won’t, nothing has changed. I agree with YDD, Claypool’s endorsement of Sufferdin didn’t mean a thing in the State’s Attorneys race. It will mean less in this race. In the end, Quigley is not a likable guy and will get crushed when he has to stand on his own in a debate against Sara, O’Connor, or Fritchey. Wait and see, Quigley will drop out before it is all over. He will soon realize that he never will recover from the loss. With the tax hike in the county and a fresh loss on voters’ minds, Quigley will loss his county seat in the next election. - Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 4:47 pm: Just asking, if I can step in for YDD for a sec, I think the answer is pretty simple - sara’s known as a leader on those issues, meaning she’s led a good fight to actually get legislation passed. It’s one thing to say that you voted for something, but that’s not the same as pushing to get it passed and to build coalitions needed to do so. I’m sure fritchey has shown some leadership in these areas and others, but you won’t find a single health care, repo rights, or lgbt group that will say their records are on par with one another. - Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 4:52 pm: Gosh, I learned it takes an impeachment trial to loosen Rich up a little re: a CR dig. Wonder when the Senate can conduct another one so we can have some more light-hearted fun. Giannoulias? - Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 5:01 pm: Regarding the Democratic primary, almost all of the comments here shed almost no insight on the inclinations of voters living west of Ashland Ave., which is a substantial portion of the district. On paper Fritchey wins given his support from that area, but Fritchey has tremendous weaknesses in his image and really isn’t all that well known west of his state rep district. What gives west of Ashland? - Illinois.Pundit - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 5:56 pm: You just don’t like me because I’m a Cubs fan! - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 6:19 pm: == The leader of the Palatine separatist movement? == I think you mean the Palatine Liberation Organization. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 6:23 pm: ===MERLOT???? I take offense, sir! Agreed. No self-respecting LP’er would drink that swill. lol== That was taken out of context. - Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 7:19 pm: Don’t knock Merlot till you’ve tried it! - JonShibleyFan - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 7:51 pm: Seriously, PC, neither Red, White and Blue Rosa nor any Republican is going to win the district. Flanagan was a reaction to a specific incident. Let me inject a little sanity here. In 2004, Bush got 33% here. 33%. It has a partisan voting index of D+18. And Rahm Emanuel — wildly popular in the district (not my opinion) And YDD, the comparison to the Cook County SA’s race is comparing apples to oldsmobiles. Different race, different candidates. - She ain't pure - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:00 pm: I love how all the sara supporters maintain the contrivance that she didn’t ask for “machine support from the commiteeman in the district. Becareful about outright prevaricating on the subject as committeemen recorded conversations of sara begging for their support, but when she didn’t receive it she became the independent candidate. Right because hiring axelrod’s agency is so grassroots. Hey didn’t axelrod pen an apologia pro vita sua on behalf of patronage - Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:21 pm: them r some big words there, she ain’t pure, but you’re still wrong. So pathethic to spread rumors that you can’t back up hoping that it will be spread around by those of us on the blog. We ain’t that stupid. It was widely reported that sara didn’t seek their support and called to tell them why. There was another candidate in the race, i.e. Fritchey, who said he wanted an “open primary” but went to the slating meeting asking for their support. I guess he thinks he can have it both ways. So try to spread your nastiness all you can. It won’t help you and your candidate beat progressives like Sara or Quigley. - just asking - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:23 pm: “you won’t find a single health care, repo rights, or lgbt group that will say their records are on par with one another.” Such as when Planned Parenthood has needed important legislation carried for them, they’ve gone to Fritchey time and time again, not Feigenholtz. - Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 9:40 pm: just asking - wow, I’m surprised that you would so brazenly lie. Be careful or Rich might take away your posting privileges. You should advise your candidate that he should run on his own record. - just asking - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:04 pm: If Feigenholtz is so great on “workers rights” (your phrase) why does she have zero, zip, nada labor support? - sorry about that - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:07 pm: I noticed the 9:23 commenter used the name “just asking”. I am a different commenter who inadvertently used the same name at 10:04. Not trying to cop your handle-just asking! - Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:30 pm: Sara’s gone to bat over and over for workers serving needy populations on behalf of the state and has been very vocal in her support for worker rights. Do some research before asking such loaded questions. And the only candidate that’s received labor supprt so far is fritchey, from a local teamsters if I recall. No candidate has received any kind of resounding labor support - almost zero, zip, nada. - Hey Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 10:49 pm: My posting privileges are pretty safe. Other than the Reproductive Freedom Act, carried by Curry, this, http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GA=95&DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=317&GAID=9&SessionID=51&LegID=27079, is the biggest bill that Planned Parenthood had moved in years. lead sponsor? Fritchey. When PP needed to reach an agreement on the first negotiated bill touching on abortion, BAIPA, who was their point person? Fritchey. I surprised you would so brazenly not know what you’re talking about - Um Ditto - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:09 pm: Why don’t we revisit your comments about labor come this time next week. You might be surprised to learn this but most of the real campaign work doesn’t happen on blog boards but in the real world. - Suzanne - Wednesday, Jan 28, 09 @ 11:54 pm: I am not from Mars and I don’t object to Merlot. Ever. - Ditto - Thursday, Jan 29, 09 @ 12:03 am: Wow, I’ve touched a nerve with you guys. You should conserve your energy for the campaign trail where it will actually count, don’t you think? And as someone who’s spent 20 years going door to door, I know all that matters is the ground game. Fortunately, I think sara is going to out-ground game them all. As for her record on repo rights, this could take all night. As I’m sure you know, the legislative process is far more than just putting your name on a bill or voting for one. It’s also about working behind the scenes to get things done. Among the advocates in repo rights and human services, Sara’s known as the go-to person when they need funding in the budget — and I’m speaking from experience. She also happened to sponsor several key bills like, Plan B emergency contraceptives and the contraceptive equity act which helped earn her the Oscar of PP awards, the Phelan Profile in Courage award. I don’t think that Fritchey has one of those on his mantle. - Snidely Whiplash - Thursday, Jan 29, 09 @ 8:28 am: I just love this trash that because someone supports our government enforcing its own immigration laws, that person is a “racist.” Then, too, there’s framing this issue as “immigration reform,” when these people are not immigrants but foreign nationals here in violation of our laws, and when their idea of “reform” is to essentially repeal all of our immigration laws and let anyone and everyone come here without a scintilla of regulation. I do agree with a majority of the posters who state that a Republican will poll well in the 5th District, where disturbingly the only demographic that seems to matter is that of the yuptser “whine” and cheesers whose political debate seems to center around how best to take money from the middle class and redistribute it to the poorer “classes,” if you will. They end their political feast with a course of “save the environment” by being green. Hilariosly, they hold these debates while sipping $200 a bottle vintages in trendy little hideaways, from which they’ll shuttle home in their $100,000, gas guzzling luxury SUV’s. What happened to the voice of the middle (working) class in that district? You know, the MAJORITY? While they may be Democrats, they’re not the type of Democrats whose main political and government concerns revolve around giving their jobs and tax dollars away; they revolve a bit more around who will best serve to protect what little they have left for their hard work. So, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights seems to think that a majority favors their flavor of lawlessness and giveaways? Then why, pray tell, are they trying to keep Pulido off the ballot? A group that advocates individual, business and local and state government violation of federal law is now trying to keep citizens from having a choice in voting against their platform. True believers in democracy (if one is to believe the objection petition, which likely will state their interest is in ensuring fair and legal elections, ha ha). And Squiggly: right on! You’d best believe Claypool wants the “reform” competition off the ballot for county board prez on the next go ’round. So, very easy to endorse Quigley, who has already shown that his “reform” agenda can be modified to Stroger’s advantage if he’s lobbied hard enough. What a fit in Congress he’d make. Also goes to show how much Claypool thinks he needs Quigley’s “reform” leadership and vote on the county board, dont’cha think? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.