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* According to the Tribune, thousands of union members and other activists gathered yesterday to “take back Chicago” from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his “corporate, greedy, elitist friends”…
Speakers at the rally had their own ideas, like having the Chicago Public Schools board elected, rather than appointed by the mayor. The crowd cheered video footage of last year’s Chicago Teachers Union strike. Also singled out for criticism was the mayor’s closing of six mental health clinics as part of a broader privatization effort.
* Among those in attendance was none other than Gov. Pat Quinn…
The populist themes are familiar to the re-election-seeking Quinn, who repeated his vow to raise the state’s minimum wage and recounted his days as an organizer, when he founded the Citizens Utility Board, a consumer watchdog group.
“You don’t get changes from the big shots on top of the power heap,” Quinn said. “It bubbles up from grass-roots community leaders, everyday people banding together for a cause they believe in.”
* If you watch the raw video, this was a blatantly anti-Rahm rally…
Lots of loud and angry yelling. Quinn’s remarks begin at around the 1:42:30 mark. He didn’t really say all that much, but his presence at that rally likely won’t go unnoticed by the 5th Floor.
* And speaking of anger, SEIU Local One’s Jerry Morrison sent a text message to reporters last night…
I thought folks might be interested in a Chicago jobs update.
First things first, it has been five days since Dominick’s announced they were closing their 72 Chicago area stores and Mayor Rahm Emanuel has not yet uttered the word Dominick’s. I will keep everyone abreast of that number much like Nightline did during the Iran Hostage crisis.
It may ease your mind to know that Mayor Emanuel did find time to go on a Divy bike ride of Logan Square though.
Also, our preliminary research shows that over the last 18 months the City of Chicago has lost well over 11,000 good paying union jobs.
That is a combination of the CPS layoffs, other various public sector layoffs, WARN Act announced layoffs, and just 4,000 of the recently announced Dominick’s layoffs.
I should note this is an extremely conservative estimate and does not include the mass layoffs at Hostess earlier this year. We will
have a more detailed report of job loss under Mayor Emanuel soon. In the mean time could someone just ask Rahm why $16 million for a Whole Foods in Englewood and nothing to save the more than 6,000 jobs at Dominick’s?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 10:55 am
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“Mayor Emanuel, while vacationing at Bruce Rauner’s Montana home, commented…”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 10:57 am
I’m getting the feeling that Quinn and Emanuel don’t like each other.
The best thing Emanuel could do for his buddy Farmer Bruce would be to give a ringing public endorsement to Quinn.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 10:59 am
“You don’t get changes from the big shots on the top of the power heap”
This is a self-indicting statement.
Wow, Quinn is now a union activist, after he spent time with Civic Committee style gimmicks and parroting talking points of the likes of Eden Martin.
I guess there is no pride when it comes to pandering.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:04 am
Rahm message to Quinn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DmYLrxR0Y8
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:13 am
That’s a little shocking to me. No really. What purpose, what political benefit is there to Governor Quinn joining in the anti-Rahm crusade?
Comment by Siriusly Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:13 am
My guess is he got invited by SEIU and didn’t know what the purpose was. Or… he’s feeling a little too comfortable right now.
Comment by Rahm'sMiddleFinger Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:16 am
NewsFlash:
Governor Quinn annouces that Kraft foods will remain in Illinois after a deal to be the new Jell-O spokesman, but the Jell-O manufacturing facility will remain in Mason City, Iowa.
Bill Cosby declined comment.
Comment by Pete Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:17 am
I get SEIU’s point. But I don’t think picking on Englewood serves their purpose. Does anyone know where Whole Foods stands on unions?
Comment by Yossarian Lives Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:19 am
Jerry Morrison can blame Rahm for the public sector layoffs maybe, the CPS layoffs certainly, but Hostess or Dominick’s? That’s more than a stretch.
SEIU, CTU and others are really advocating for higher taxes in Chicago, and in the case of CPS, massively higher taxes. At some point, taxpayers are going to want to know why they should pay more in property taxes for schools they can’t or won’t send their kids to.
Rahm is taking some short term hits because he knows, in the long run, the taxpaying citizens of Chicago don’t want to throw more money into a failing public education system. When the rubber hits the road, Rahm will have a plurality on his side.
Everything else is just noise.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:19 am
Yeah, not getting the Dominick’s thing at all.. But whatever…
I don’t buy the idea that Quinn didn’t know exactly what this was going to be about.
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:24 am
=What purpose, what political benefit is there to Governor Quinn joining in the anti-Rahm crusade? =
I get it, and I think others will, too. Smart move on Quinn’s part.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:30 am
Who could forget that Rahm was the point man for pushing ObamaCare through Congress??? I think today’s union movement isn’t happy with Rahm’s work before and after becoming Mayor. More than a few union folk don’t like the destruction of their health care plans. Thank Rahm, you sure are a hero for the working man. Not everyone can send their kids to private schools and become an investment banker without an MBA.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57586030/
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:31 am
the political focus in this country for much of the year has correctly been on the warfare within my party as the right seeks to destroy it, but it should be pointed out that the forces that propelled Obama to the white house in 2008-the new left have been activated and helped destroy christine quinn-the business backed technocrat in new york who was to bloomberg what rahm is to daley. If the left can find credible candidates and not just make this a bang a drum and say stupid things circus, I think Rahm is in serious jeopardy in 2015. He’s isolated himself and the issue driving unrest everywhere in this country right now-the mediocre economy could push him down. Very smart of quinn to align himself with these folks.
Comment by shore Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:37 am
@Yossarian Lives: Whole Goods is pretty aggressively anti-union.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:38 am
And I’ll add “who would have thunk it’d be Quinn?” My bet was originally on Mr. Rutherford, but you can’t be right all the time.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:39 am
=the political focus in this country for much of the year has correctly been on the warfare within my party as the right seeks to destroy it,=
You have no clue as to who is seeking to destroy the party, shore.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:41 am
Dominick’s as their rallying point? They gotta be kidding.
They’re leaving because of Rahm?
Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:43 am
Is that snark, dupage dan?
Whatever happened to the concept of “reinventing one’s self?” At least most “low info voters” understand the basics.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:56 am
Tsk.tsk, dupage dan. Nice to see that this blog still stands for the little guy–no matter how much we all “evolve.”
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 11:58 am
Anonymous, I think you have the wrong Post.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:00 pm
I don’t think so, Willy.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:03 pm
=What purpose, what political benefit is there to Governor Quinn joining in the anti-Rahm crusade? =
==I get it, and I think others will, too. Smart move on Quinn’s part.==
I agree.
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:14 pm
-shore- Need somebody to run against Rahm. Where are the candidates?
Comment by a drop in Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:37 pm
I’m pretty sure I saw Gov. Quinn clapping as the speaker was ripping Mayor Emanuel.
Someone look at the video and see.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:47 pm
a drop in: actually today’s Trib says Waguespeak and or Fioretti are mulling a run against Rahmbo…it is well known fact that Quinn and Emanuel are not fond of each other inside the Thompson Center and elsewhere…this obvioulsy won’t make matters any better…
Many Dominicks employees will be picked up by competing grocers that take over Dominicks former locations…you can riff on Rahm for many things, but corporations that choose not to be relevant and go out of business are not his responsibility…
Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:49 pm
Starting about 1:47:35…
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:52 pm
“You don’t get changes from the big shots on top of the power heap,”
Either the governor doesn’t realize that GOVERNOR is the position at the top of the power heap or he agrees with others that even though he has the title, he’s not really on top of the power heap.
And as to Rahm, he has amassed a massive war chest such that he is unlikely to have a serious opponent.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 12:53 pm
Our esteemed Governor made a big mistake here. Publicly supporting attacks on the Chicago Mayor is not a smart idea, if you want to continue as Governor.
Comment by downstate hack Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 1:29 pm
- downstate hack -,
Rahm Emanuel vacations … he takes time off work and takes his family and vacations … with one of the men who is running for Pat Quinn’s job.
Pat Quinn runs his races like a Populists, and the fact Rahm Emanuel is not “with Pat Quinn” only reinforces that Populists drum beat, as Rahm and Bruce Rauner board a private plane to Montana to go fishing and spend time with each other’s families.
Great political move by Quinn. If Quinn draws Rauner, then its “Pat Quinn v. Rahm Emanuel, Bruce Rauner, and the Union Busters who care less about the ‘every man’, unlike our hero, Pat Quinn!”
Winning move on Quinn’s part.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 1:33 pm
–Publicly supporting attacks on the Chicago Mayor is not a smart idea, if you want to continue as Governor.–
Worked for Ogilvie, Thompson, Edgar.
Actually, Big Jim and Richard M. got along quite well.
I can tell you for a fact that Little Richie couldn’t stand Edgar. The Prince of the City couldn’t fathom how a Republican from Charleston could push him around.
It didn’t seem to bother Edgar much. He’d still push him around when the situation called for it, lol.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 1:39 pm
So you’re saying that the campaign theme for Pat Quinn is “we must save government workers and organized labor”?
Interesting.
Comment by Siriusly Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 2:12 pm
===“we must save government workers and organized labor”?===
On Election Day, and the days before Election Day, 2010, who were those in the precincts working, not necessarily FOR Pat Quinn, but against Bill Brady …
Seems to me the playbook for the Coalition of a GOTV to drag Pat Quinn has a blueprint…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 2:16 pm
Rahm has shrunk the Chicago Police dept by approx 1000 ofc’s and is attempting to reduce the number of fireman also. So yes Rahm is responsible for the loss of some good paying jobs in Chicago.
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 2:25 pm
Attended the Ohio State game at Northwestern. A videotaped message of Rahm Emanuel urging the fans to cheer for the Wildcats produced a chorus of boos from all of the fans in the stadium. It was so loud that none of his remarks could be heard on the speakers.
Comment by Go U NU Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 2:56 pm
Emanuel was heartily booed at a recent Saint Sabina charity basketball game, too. The man is cruising for a bruising, big time. Too bad no one seems to have the guts to take him down.
Comment by Kwark Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 3:08 pm
One of the keys to Daleys reign of incompetence was the lack of quality opponents. Not sure that will change and I don’t think Karen Lewis is a quality opponent
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 3:31 pm
I don’t think anyone is saying Dominick’s is leaving solely because of Rahm, but when the city gives special money to anti-union grocers like Whole Foods and WalMart to build new stores that take away business from Dominick’s those actions do cause harm to Dominick’s and its workers, who are members of the UFCW by and large.
When any government picks and chooses winners with special tax breaks or grants, they are choosing losers as well. So government officials should be held accountable for both consequences when they decide to play that game.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 4:03 pm
The City gave Mariano’s $7 million in TIF funds to open a grocery store across the street from a Dominick’s in “blighted” Greektown. Rahm needs to explain why the City hands out corporate welfare for one grocery store to drive its competitor out of the market.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 6:23 pm
Here’s the crazy part. The “Mariano’s” group of stores comes from the old Dominick’s “Fresh Stores” leadership, which were originally developed by then president Bob Mariano (at the time running Dominick’s) at the point the chain was purchased by Safeway.
Link is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominick%27s
Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Oct 16, 13 @ 10:49 pm