Tribune urges prayer against Stroger proposal
Thursday, Apr 2, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune really needs to take a breath already. Today, the editorial page continues its crusade against a longterm debt proposal to pay for Cook County capital projects.
The problem with today’s edit is that Mother Tribune is now asking people to pray that the proposal dies…
Taxpayers, pray that all eight Cook County Board opponents of a too-costly bonding scheme show up Thursday and stay as long as it takes to slash it down to size. Because by Thursday night, they’ll have determined how many millions of dollars you’re going to borrow and … repay over the next 25 years.
Wednesday dawned with County Board President Todd Stroger’s people saying they wanted to issue $262 million in bonds for can’t-be-delayed capital projects. Then, facing opposition from Tim Schneider and other County Board members, Stroger’s people admitted they could give up $20 million of that. Our bet is they’ll drop a lot more if they’re pushed. Board member Larry Suffredin says the truly necessary borrowing is south of $200 million.
Look, I don’t love Todd Stroger either, and maybe this thing could be trimmed a bit, but leave God out of it for crying out loud.
* I don’t know much about this bill, so I can’t give you a legislative prognosis, but it surely isn’t a bad idea…
Todd Stroger could see some of his power as Cook County Board president reduced if a measure making it easier for the county board to overrule his decisions becomes law.
The measure, approved Wednesday by the Illinois Senate, reduces the number of commissioners needed to override a veto to three-fifths from four-fifths. There are 17 members on the board and currently 14 members must approve to override a veto. If the law is changed to three-fifths, 11 commissioners could override the board president.
A four-fifths requirement is almost unheard of in American government. The U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds majority in Congress to override a president’s veto. In Springfield, state lawmakers only need a three-fifths majority to override a governor’s veto.
Not mentioned is that the bill’s effective date is January 1, 2011. That would be after the 2010 campaign is over.
The bill passed 57-0. Sens. Kwame Raoul and Martin Sandoval voted “Present.”
* Even one of this guy’s opponents isn’t buying the spin from a Tribune story yesterday that Mayor Daley’s people have inflitrated the Des Plaines mayoral race…
Des Plaines mayoral hopeful Martin Moylan Wednesday denied media reports that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has ties to his campaign or is trying to influence his position on the O’Hare International Airport expansion. […]
Des Plaines mayoral contender Michael Lake, 61, agrees the O’Hare expansion is a done deal and said the purported Daley link to Moylan is a stretch at best.
“It’s stirring a pot that doesn’t exist, trying to cause ripples and problems in a political system,” he said. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”
* Related…
* Cook County to pay another $180,000 in patronage claims but officials continue to deny liability
* Ed Burnette Out as Public Defender
* Firm with HDO ties gets $17 mil. contract
- Joe Kotlarz Fan Club - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:02 am:
So if the Trib said “Taxpayers, you better hope” instead of “Taxpayers, pray” you’d be down with that, Rich?
- Paul, Just This Guy, You Know? - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:04 am:
As a pro-lifer, I can assure you that politicians are remarkably good at ignoring prayers.
- Speaking at Will - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:05 am:
Seems to be alot of God animosity around here lately.
- and....? - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:16 am:
Not a story; over-reacting. To pray is simply a tentative outline of a request. Used in court pleadings all the time as a ‘prayer for relief’, etc., etc., ad nauseum. Tribune is spot on.
- anon24 - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:19 am:
I read it twice; didn’t see God mentioned anywhere. Your false outrage rivals Zorn’s in its sanctimony. I think you have Zorn envy.
- Greg - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:21 am:
Lots of non-religious uses for “pray” as a verb. Plaintiffs pray for relief, right?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:22 am:
People, c’mon. You think they’re using the word “pray” like a lawyer? This isn’t a legal brief.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:26 am:
===didn’t see God mentioned anywhere===
Yeah, because the Tribune would certainly ask people to pray to a animal or something.
Please.
- anon24 - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:30 am:
You’re flailing now, Rich. It’s linguistic convention—–you’re a journalist, right? So we’re not willing to climb up on your high horse with you—–deal with it. You sound like Mr Faculty Lounge when people don’t agree with him—”C’mon….”
- Eighty - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:52 am:
Woah, disappointment. Going to hope this is a holdover from April Fools Day. Joe Kotlarz Fan Club is spot on.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 10:54 am:
===It’s linguistic convention===
How about just reading the sentence as the Tribune wrote it? Sheesh. Pray means pray. This isn’t a legal document. They asked taxpayers to pray. What part of that sentence do you not understand?
- Leroy - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:01 am:
Jeez, Rich take a breath….don’t be so literal, you don’t have to do everything the Trib Co tells you to do….lol.
Kudos to the Zorn comparison, anon24.
- Eighty - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:07 am:
If you insist on cherrypicking that one word to freak out about, let’s see what the rest of the blurb looks like in Rich-world this morning:
“Taxpayers, pray (OMFG THEY’RE INVOKING GOD!) that all eight Cook County Board opponents of a too-costly bonding scheme show up Thursday and stay as long as it takes to slash it (THEY’RE CUTTING IT UP?!) down to size. Because by Thursday night, they’ll have determined how many millions of dollars you’re going to borrow and … repay over the next 25 years.
Wednesday dawned (THEY DID THIS AT 5 AM?!) with County Board President Todd Stroger’s people saying they wanted to issue $262 million in bonds for can’t-be-delayed capital projects. Then, facing opposition from Tim Schneider and other County Board members, Stroger’s people admitted they could give up $20 million of that. Our bet (THEY PUT MONEY ON THIS?!) is they’ll drop a lot more if they’re pushed (DOMESTIC ABUSE!!). Board member Larry Suffredin says the truly necessary borrowing is south (WHAT DOES GEOGRAPHY HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?!) of $200 million.”
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:09 am:
===cherrypicking that one word===
That’s not cherrypicking. They began the editorial with it.
The rest of your comment is just plain goofy.
- wizard - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:09 am:
anon24-rich is correct. comma placement makes the difference.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:13 am:
===comma placement makes the difference.===
Wizard is correct. They began the editorial with a “command” to pray. What’s not clear about this?
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:27 am:
Pray was used exactly as it was meant to be used, the Tribune is asking it’s readers to ask God to somehow intervene because the Tribune doesn’t see a lot of interest in this issue and believes that as it currently stands, the Board will create a scheme to waste our tax money.
The Tribune wouldn’t have used that word if they saw ground support in opposition to the Board. They are asking for God’s help, since they don’t see anyone in this world taking a stand against the Board.
No, the word “God” was not printed. Yet, traditional interpretation of the phrase used by the Tribune should be observed. Those prattling about how Rich has blown this out of proportion are playing games.
AS to the other words used, such as “slash”, “bet” - these words were also used to create emotion. The writer wanted to use these words. They wanted to evoke the images these words create. They wanted to stimulate reader’s emotions.
I pray that this argument is now at a conclusion - and I meant that!
- anon24 - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:34 am:
So un-bunch your undies and pray or don’t pray, already. Last time I checked, the Trib fell into the realm of private enterprise, not government. What if they asked for a moment of silence, Rich? Would that be OK with you? Did you, like Zorn, bristle uncomfortably when at the impeachment hearings they asked you to stand at the pledge of allegiance? Oh, living in this country is such a burden! How do you do it?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:37 am:
===bristle uncomfortably when at the impeachment hearings they asked you to stand at the pledge of allegiance? ===
Bite me.
Seriously.
Bite me.
The Tribune editorial is an opinion piece. My blog post is an opinion piece. They have a right to say what they want, and so do I, and so do you.
But if you ever question my patriotism again I’ll do some very bad things to you.
- sticking up for Rich - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 11:38 am:
Every word the Trib editors use is choosen for a specific reason. It’s there version of subliminal messages.
Rich was simply pointing something that many would ignore. The Tribune frequently attempts to do things like this and it’s about time someone called them out for it.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 2:04 pm:
===Seems to be alot of God animosity around here lately.===
Not from me. I’ve just never been a fan of people invoking God’s alleged will in the political arena.
- Cosmic Charlie - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 2:22 pm:
The Trib should “pray” that they are not too badly humiliated when the Blago indictment comes out today. Anon24 says they are a private enterprise. Yes, except when Zell wants us to bail him out of Wrigley Field. This whole Tribune crusade on good government is such a farce. They were a sleep at the switch on Ryan and Blago and now they are trying to save face. Their obsession with Stroger is beyond journalism and runs into the realm of media-stalking. How they can act all high and mighty when they are knee deep in Blago scandal is an insult to their own paper’s heritage and to its readers intelligence.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 2, 09 @ 9:29 pm:
Lot of God animosity? Not sure what that means, in this or any context, but I’m glad someone’s tracking it.
We were taught in Sunday school not to wear God on our sleeve, but show our devotion through actions.
- dumb ol country boy - Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 4:11 am:
Rich maybe the tribune has finally figured out what many politicans ignor..God. Don’t knock them for asking people to pray for politicans, lord knows they need it!!!!