CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events - Page 151

sentinel · #**3001** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

oh, the plight of the suburbanite:

"why isn't the city being run the way I want it to be run?"

Because the City isn't really being run properly at all, it no longer works as originally intended because it's only purpose now is not the full betterment of its residents, but rather to enrich those and only those in power. The entire City government should be dissolved (hell, even the entire Cook County government). Replace it with a leaner, meaner consolidated city-county administration.

moorhosj1 · #**3002** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 3:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

ITo hell with the douchy Indian guy who shows up to Diwali parties or Indian temples just to garner votes. Or the douchy politician who declares it "Indian recognition week!" I hate all of that stuff. It is a disease of late 20th century American politics that has done nothing but simply lead to a slow unraveling of the fabric of America society.

Odd comment from someone who fully supported the vest-wearing, motorcycle-riding Governor.

Steely Dan · #**3003** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sentinel

Because the City isn't really being run properly at all,

That's irrelevant to my point.

Suburbanites have no voice when it comes to city of Chicago governance.

the urban politician · #**3004** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 3:59 PM**

^ Yes, we learned politics 101 in grade school, so that's obvious. But that doesn't mean suburbanites don't CARE about Chicago politics.

Many don't--they just don't go to the city for anything. But there are a LOT who do. Whether they are people who commute to the city, do business with the city, go to the city for entertainment or events, have friends or family in the city, or just take interest in general. The notion that there can't be interconnectivity between what happens between the city and the suburbs is kind of naive. Obviously suburbanites can't vote for city Mayor, etc. But that doesn't mean they don't care who is Mayor of what is by far the most important city for 1000 miles in all directions

the urban politician · #**3005** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

Odd comment from someone who fully supported the vest-wearing, motorcycle-riding Governor.

How do you know that Rauner doesn't actually ENJOY riding a motorcycle?

I know Sam Zell does. Lots of super rich people like motorcycle riding

the urban politician · #**3006** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sentinel

The one individual most responsible right now is Kim Foxx; she demurs FAR too much when it comes to gang violence; she has blood on her hands, and doesn't give two shits. The ONLY way to curb violence in Chicago is to have an actual DA who will do their fucking job.

Could. Not. Agree. More. Even Lightfoot is totally fed up with her.

the urban politician · #**3007** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sentinel

Because the City isn't really being run properly at all, it no longer works as originally intended because it's only purpose now is not the full betterment of its residents, but rather to enrich those and only those in power. The entire City government should be dissolved (hell, even the entire Cook County government). Replace it with a leaner, meaner consolidated city-county administration.

That's my point.

More city residents need to be like you. I don't have a vote in City Government, but I do get to tell people:

"Stop voting for these FUCKWADS!" I'm the guy on the sidelines, and I refuse to shut up

Handro · #**3008** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

oh, the plight of the suburbanite:

"why isn't the city being run the way I want it to be run?"

By Willie Wilson and Jim Oberweis, no less. We'd have better luck with 12 year old neighbor in office than a buffoon like Oberweis (who I think is STILL running the now classic I-didn't-actually-lose campaign over the 2020 election) or a kook like Wilson.

Give me a f'n break

Steely Dan · #**3009** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Yes, we learned politics 101 in grade school, so that's obvious. But that doesn't mean suburbanites don't CARE about Chicago politics.

i was mostly just making fun of how out of touch you are by naming goofballs like wilson and oberwies as your desired city leaders.

i might as well waste my time ranting about how badly i want donald duck or kermit the frog to be mayor.

there's a difference between fantasyland and reality.

the urban politician · #**3010** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 5:08 PM**

^ Good point. Clearly we're better off with the current people running things

moorhosj1 · #**3011** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 5:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

How do you know that Rauner doesn't actually ENJOY riding a motorcycle?

I know Sam Zell does. Lots of super rich people like motorcycle riding

I never said they don't. But you also don't know if Indian politicians like going to Diwali celebrations or Indian temples.

One group (Zell and Rauner), you give the benefit of the doubt and support. The other group (Indians politicians?), you immediately label as douches. It's almost like you see their actions entirely through the lens of political affiliations.

Steely Dan · #**3012** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 6:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Good point. Clearly we're better off with the current people running things

i generally don't involve myself much in the business of whether we're better off with a giant douche or a turd sandwich.

but i will poke fun at people who are living in make believe land.

regardless of which path forward might be the better one to take, it at least has to be one that is actually available.

politics is a lot like poker; you can only play the hand you're dealt, not the one you want.

sentinel · #**3013** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

That's irrelevant to my point.

Suburbanites have no voice when it comes to city of Chicago governance.

With all due respect, that's some straight up separatist bullshit. This is not, nor ever has been an 'us vs them' issue, but for some messed up reason, people in both the City and suburbs maintain a made-up rivalry, even though we all inhabit the same interconnected spaces. City or suburb, the only separation is an imaginary demarcation on maps. What happens in the City affects the suburbs, and what happens in the suburbs (surprise!) affects the City. We all live, travel, work, play, interact in literally, the same physical sphere of influence, and to try and make it a "Chicago problem" only, or a "suburban problem" only is breathtakingly parochial. I lived in the City for nearly 10 years, now I live in the suburbs because of family needs...however, I still work in the City, nearly all of my clients are in the City, many friends, relatives and places I frequent/patronize are in the City. And I even plan to move back to the City in the near future too. I may not be able to vote for City politics, but you better goddamn believe that I am fully invested and constantly worried about the City, its most vulnerable residents that have neither equity or access to resources that others have, and how it functions. We are ALL very very interconnected, and to pretend otherwise, regardless of political boundary is ridiculous.

the urban politician · #**3014** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 8:10 PM**

^ Amazing how hard it is for some people to grasp that.

Steely Dan · #**3015** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 8:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sentinel

With all due respect, that's some straight up separatist bullshit.

it's not bullshit. it's civics 101.

do you really not know how our democracy works?

suburbanites cannot vote in city elections, and therefore have no "voice" in city governance.

care about it all you want, but you won't be able to do anything about it until you move back into the city and regain your "voice" (ie. ability to vote).

the urban politician · #**3016** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 9:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handro

By Willie Wilson and Jim Oberweis, no less. We'd have better luck with 12 year old neighbor in office than a buffoon like Oberweis (who I think is STILL running the now classic I-didn't-actually-lose campaign over the 2020 election) or a kook like Wilson.

Give me a f'n break

At this point, with how shitty and intertwined with public unions State and City leadership is, I'm surprised that you view ANYBODY as worse than who we have running things now. Literally, a piece of bacon that I'm about to eat would be a better leader than the entire shitshow in Springfield or City Hall. All those worthless fuckdoodles do all day is try to find ways to extract more funds out of taxpayers in order to hook up their friends. That's it--they don't view themselves as having any other job (other than renaming Lakeshore Drive, I guess

)

So should an ass-backward, cornbread hillbilly run things? Well, let's GIVE THE HILLBILLY A TRY, eh?

Vlajos · #**3017** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 9:48 PM**

^ Exactly, we have a government run for the benefit of the pols and public unions. The rest of us are simply a bank to fund the kleptocracy.

LouisVanDerWright · #**3018** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 2:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

oh, the plight of the suburbanite:

"why isn't the city being run the way I want it to be run?"

To be fair Willie Wilson should be president. He would give us cash stimmy every day of the week for sure!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

it's not bullshit. it's civics 101.

do you really not know how our democracy works?

suburbanites cannot vote in city elections, and therefore have no "voice" in city governance.

care about it all you want, but you won't be able to do anything about it until you move back into the city and regain your "voice" (ie. ability to vote).

Chicago needs to fire up that annexation machine again. You want a say in Chicago politics? We can make that happen by turning Libertyville into a neighborhood. At a minimum all of Cook County should be gobbled up. Then it might even make sense to have so many damn aldermen...

Steely Dan · #**3019** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 2:45 AM**

^ I'll be very cold and dead in the grave before I ever recognize the "Schaumburg neighborhood of Chicago".

I'm not against further city annexation in theory, I just know that there ain't no fucking way for it too happen in our current situation.

Again, we're back to political fantasyland vs. political realityland.

left of center · #**3020** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 3:25 AM**

City annexation should be something that is done wholesale all throughout Cook County. We have more municipal governments than any other state save for PA. That includes states like CA, TX & FL that have a much higher population than us.

One thing we can quickly and easily do is eliminate townships which are basically a relic of a bygone era.

Within the Chicago metro area, especially Cook County, suburbs under a certain population threshold should either be annexed by the city or amalgamate with one another. No need for thousands of different taxing bodies (school districts, fire protection districts, police districts, library districts, mosquito abatement districts, etc. etc.). They can merge and become more efficient as a result.

My dream would be all inner (and slightly less inner) suburbs within the 294 belt get annexed by the city. That should net us at least two million new residents. Should helps us keep Houston at bay for another century or so

Of course, anyone who proposes this will face immediate political suicide, so its never going to happen.