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“The votes are there”

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Illinois

The spin and the stories are flying fast and furious.

Mr. Munoz added that he believes Todd Stroger already may have lined up 80% of the vote.

Friends of the Stroger family were quick to ridicule those accusing the family of nepotism.

Its not right when black folk do it? asked Committeeman and Ald. William Beavers (7th), noting that a parade of white families including the Hyneses, Daleys, Madigans and Lipinskis have handed elected posts to a second generation. Why cant we do it?

Mr. Beavers said he has not yet decided to take up the Strogers on an offer to run for John Strogers board seat while leaving the presidency to Todd Stroger.

It doesnt bother me at all, said another African-American leader, Comitteeman and Ald. Ed Smith (28th). The younger Mr. Stroger has gone to school. Hes taken care of his kids. Hes been elected. And hell do the same wonderful job that that Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, the daughter of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, has done, Mr. Smith said.

Political sources said Mayor Richard M. Daley, whose brother John chairs the county boards finance committee, had signed off on the Todd Stroger matter.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 3:59 pm

Comments

“Why can’t we do it?”

He invokes Illinois political justification argument #1:

â€œIt is ok for political organization X to participate in questionable behavior Y because politcal oragnization Z has historically participated in questionable behavior Yâ€

And I object to his term ‘black folk’.

Comment by Leroy Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 4:39 pm
pathetic. pathetic. pathetic.

Comment by skippy Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 4:59 pm
Beaver’s rehetoric is a smokescreen. The committeemen passed over many qualified African Americans in order to give the nod to the least qualified. But he’s their guy–he’ll keep the family jewels (i.e., jobs and contracts) safe from outsiders. So Mike Madigan, the 19th ward (Hynes-Sheean), and the 8th ward keep their control of $3 billion in goodies.

Comment by Cook citizen Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 5:12 pm
Hey what’s up with Alderman Munoz ??? Since when does Crain Bussiness need to qoute him ?? Munoz is the biggest two face in Chicago. How dare he make a comment about Stroger and Beavers, saying “it does’nt look right”,but yet kept silent all this time and never demanded of the Democratic Party of Cook County to consider a Latino for the top post ?? What,the cat caught his tongue ??
Munoz should be more concerned about his next aldermanic race because many,many people are aiming for him and his do - nothing for his community alderman job! Munoz you can’t run and hide behind all those state goons you used in the last campaign,we blacks along with Stroger and Beavers are going to knock you off your pedastal!!
Now go back and do what your going to do and vote for Todd Stroger, or else you’ll be cutting our grass after we vote you!!!!!

Comment by Tyrone Hill Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 5:37 pm
Hey what’s up with Alderman Munoz ??? Since when does Crain Business need to quote him ?? Munoz is the biggest two face in Chicago. How dare he make a comment about Stroger and Beavers, saying “it does’nt look right”,but yet kept silent all this time and never demanded of the Democratic Party of Cook County to consider a Latino for the top post ?? What,the cat caught his tongue ??
Munoz should be more concerned about his next aldermanic race because many,many people are aiming for him and his do - nothing for his community alderman job! Munoz you can’t run and hide behind all those state goons you used in the last campaign,we blacks along with Stroger and Beavers are going to knock you off your pedastal!!
Now go back and do what your going to do and vote for Todd Stroger, or else you’ll be cutting our grass after we vote you out!!!!!

Comment by Tyrone Hill Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 5:39 pm
How is this an issue of race? Why must black Democrats always cry out that any action they undertake is justified by their race?

Comment by Veritas Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 6:25 pm
It makes me sick that these Chicago pols think that these jobs are theirs. THESE JOBS ARE THE PEOPLE’S!!! You cannot give these jobs to your family members like you can the family business. Disgusting.

When will the Chicago/Cook voters stand up to these disgusting, corrupt, self-serving politicians who only care about themselves and their friends? Do they not realize how many billions of dollars a year get wasted in this cesspool of selfishness?

Comment by Long Time Reader; First Time Poster Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 8:08 pm
Through countless subjugated generations, with lowered heads and muffled voices, the serfs decry the feudal system. From time to time, the brave among them rise against the yoke. But always they rise in vain.

The crafty King, a former Prince who once toppled a Great Serf who had temporarily seized the Royal City for all the serfs, anoints a loyal Knight, a peregrine by choice and serf by birth to the office of Count of the Province.

Satiated and distracted by circuses and great feasts, the serfs toil for nearly a generation. But now, feeble and no longer able to serve the Crown, the Count bequeaths his commission to his son. Custom does not provide for heredity to those born of a serf. As is their right, the crafty King and his princely brother grant special dispensation so that this may be done.

To be sure, the crafty King commissions one of the 50 Knights, his most loyal, a former serf of dubious lineage, to the Protectorate of the Province to serve along with the Prince who is also the Viscount, to guide the new young Count so that he may learn to judge and understand. The serfs of the land, enchanted pray that they can one day attract the fancy of the King, and thusly rise from the yoke, swear allegiance to the generosity and wisdom of the Crown–long live the Count! Long live the Crown! Go forth! Toil and procreate, for the King truly loves his serfs! Serfdom is good. T-Shirts for all! Let the swimming pools be built! And may the Royal fire-hydrants be discharged in the sweltering neighborhoods!

Comment by Ignatius J. Reily Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 9:03 pm
Lets have Frank Coconate for the job. I would also consider Maggie Daley.

Comment by Patrick McDonough Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 9:37 pm
Are they Irish guys?

Comment by Ignatius J. Reily Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 9:52 pm
Hypocritical Tyrone Hill: Your racist rant wasn’t worthy of one posting, let alone two.

You criticize Munoz as being two-faced for not supporting a Latino for board president but then threaten him with the black vote in order to vote for Todd Stroger the black candidate. You realize that Munoz represents a Latino ward with a SMALL percentage of black residents. Where do you come off dictating to the Latino community?

You’ld be wise to stick to the politics you are familiar with and leave Latino politics to Latinos.

Comment by Free for All Wednesday, Jun 28, 06 @ 11:20 pm
First of all, if you choose to accept Beavers’ ridiculous, racial-tinged argument, you must accept that it’s ok for “white folk” to do it; IT AIN’T!

Secondly, I am a bit disgusted with the double standard evolving here (perhaps I actually mean, “devolving”). Barack Obama won the Senate primary and general elections because he received a massive white vote. Ditto Jesse White. By and large, whites have finally rid themselves of their disgusting habit of voting or not voting for a candidate because of the color of that candidate’s skin. Even when they DID do that, they didn’t have the sheer arrogance to publicly proclaim it and state that it’s ok (Illinois doesn’t count as the South, after all). Yet, here we are, with Beavers and his supporters saying that Stroger’s replacement has to be black, because Stroger is black, and blacks voted overwhelmingly for him. HUH??? Funny thing is, even the press has been arguing this — sheer, hypocritical cowardice! The press, and everybody else, would rightfully be calling for the head of any “journalist” and public official who may have declared similarly had Claypool won and become incapacitated: “sorry, we can’t consider Bobbie Steele, because she’s black. We whites voted for a white, so you’re disrespecting us if you stick us with a black. We want Rich Daley’s son.”

You all make me sick to my stomach with your cowardly pandering to what you know is wrong.

Comment by Snidely Whiplash Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 12:34 am
Why must black Democrats always cry out that any action they undertake is justified by their race?

Because that usually is all it takes in Illinois.

Comment by T.J. Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 4:44 am
I’d like to point out to Alderman Beavers that Lisa Madigan and Dan Hynes never had any office “handed” to them. They ran and won both their primary and their general elections.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 7:00 am
To follow up on YDD: Lisa Madigan and Dan Hynes faced a lot of criticism because of their family connections. And Dan Lipinski — well, that one is just plain wrong, and pretty much everyone I know agrees.

The real issue here is that we have reached, I think, a tipping point in Illinois politics when it comes to family connections. This deal — with its double nepotism (Beavers’ daughter gets her Dad’s aldermanic seat) — is not as bad as the way Dan Lipinski got his seat, but it’s worse than Lisa Madigan/Dan Hynes/Rod Blagojevich/etc.

Btw, I am glad that Ignatius J Reily and his journals survived Katrina and he is now sharing his thoughts with us here. (It’s a reference to the book Confedercy of Dunces, a great read!)

Comment by the Other Anonymous Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 7:23 am
The whole idea of giving Stroger’s seat to one person and his presidency to another makes absolutely no sense, since the laws of Cook County state unequivocally that the County Board President MUST BE A COMMISSIONER.

Is it just that no one has read the rules, or that they’re planning on quietly changing them before this becomes an issue. Given how little love for Stroger there is among the commissioners outside (and even in many places inside) the south side of the city, I can’t imagine finding 9 commissioners to sign off on any sort of rules change for this…

I think somebody’s headed for a major embarrassment as soon as they check the rules…

Comment by Whuh? Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 7:30 am
Iggy Reily’s post is playful genius…
Lisa Madigan and Dan Hynes ran for the offices they hold and were duly elected by the voters of the State of IL…it was not handed to them by their Daddies as was done with Todd Stroger and Little Lipinski…I think Da Mare is releived that his brother is not being appointed and the black vote for his re-election has been secured…who needs da input of the Cook County voters anyways?

Comment by Bondi Girl Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 7:34 am
Whuh,

Sorry, no, you’re wrong. The laws of Cook County say no such thing. Prior to 1970, you were correct: the president was elected from among the candidates for the board (theoretically a candidate could have won the presidency but not a board seat, but that never happened).

However, the 1970 state constitution severed the link. But it also gave the Cook County Board the ability to pass legislation to allow the president to simultaneously serve as a commissioner, which the board did in 1973. Every president to date has been a commissioner, but it is not required by law.

In my opinion, this marriage of executive and legislative power should be scrapped–it’s a huge conflict of interest, even by Cook County standards.

Comment by anonymous Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 7:40 am
7:40 am Anonymous –

I think Dick Phelan was President and not a Commisisoner. Am I remembering this right?

Comment by the Other Anonymous Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 8:18 am
Comments are now closed on this post. Go here instead.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 29, 06 @ 8:30 am