ILLINOIS: State of Embarrassment....

[MMC]

http://news.yahoo.com/illinois-state-embarrassment-174008631.html?bouchon=602,il

The Chicago imprint on Obama is unmistakable. His closest advisors are almost all products of the Windy City’s machine politic: ConsigliereValerie Jarrett; his first chief of staff, now Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel; and his current chief of staff, longtime Chicago hackster William Daley, scion of the Windy City’s longtime ruling family.

All these figures arose from a Chicago where corruption is so commonplace that it elicits winks, nods and even a kind of admiration. Since 1973, for example, 27 Chicago Aldermen (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=130e1hrni/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.newgeography.com/content/00378-obama-and-chicago-saying-yes-power) have been convicted by U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Illinois.

That culture of corruption affects the rest of the state as well. Both Gov. George Ryan (who served from 1999 to 2003 and and his successor Ron Blagojevich have been convicted a major crimes. So have four (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=14690gb3s/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.chicagonow.com/jane-of-all-trades/2011/06/half-of-illinois-governors-have-gone-to-jail-since-the-1970s/) of the state’s last eight governors. Blagojevich’s felonies are part and parcel of a political climate that also includes the also newly convicted Antonin “Tony” Rezko, a real estate speculator and early key Obama backer, sentenced late last month to a ten-year prison sentence.

Crony capitalism constitutes the essential element of what the legendary columnist John Kass (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=13lhuni1f/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/11/23/the_chutes_amp_ladders_of_the_chicago_way_267898.h tml) of the Chicago Tribune has labeled both the “Chicago way” and the “Illinois Combine”, not primarily an ideology-driven movement. The political system, he notes, “knows no party, only appetites.”.....snip~

[MMC]

Just look at the special favors granted to vested interests while the state has imposed a 65% boost in income taxes for middle class citizens. Companies like Boeing (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=11rhls9jn/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.forbes.com/companies/boeing/) and United, which have head offices in Chicago, get tax breaks and incentives, while everyone else pays the full fare. This game is still afoot. Even as the state deficit persists, other big players (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=139op04hs/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-17/il-gets-1b-surprise-as-obligations-jump.html) such as the CME group, which operates the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Options (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=11i953upg/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.forbes.com/options/) and Sears are threatening to leave unless their taxes are also lowered.

Thus it’s not surprising then that cronyism has become a hallmark of the Obama administration. Wall Street (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=11msqvma6/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.forbes.com/wall-street/) grandees, a key source of Obama campaign funders in 2008 and again now, have been treated to bailouts as well as monetary policies that have assured massive profits to the “too big to fail” crowed while devastating consumers and smaller banks.

The evolving scandal over “green jobs” -- with huge loans handed out to faithful campaign contributors -- epitomizes the special dealing that has become an art form in the system of Chicago and Illinois politics. Beneficiaries include longtime Obama backers such as Goldman Sachs , Morgan Stanley and Google. Another scandal is building up around the telecom company LightSquared (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=14d547124/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/15/lightsquared-did-white-house-pressure-general-shelton-to-help-donor.html). This company, financed largely by key Obama donors, appears to have gained a leg up for a huge Pentagon contract due to White House pressure.

But the bare demographic and economic facts for both Chicago and Illinois reveal a stunning legacy of failure. Over the past decade, Illinois suffered the third highest loss of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math-related) jobs in the nation, barely beating out Delaware and Michigan. The rest of the job picture is also dismal: Over the past ten years, Illinois suffered the third largest loss of jobs of any state, losing over six percent of its employment. The state’s demographic picture also is dismal. In the last decade, Illinois lost population not only to sunbelt states such as Texas and Florida but actually managed to have negative migration even with places like California and New York, net losers to virtually everywhere else. In fact, Illinois had a positive net migration with only one major state, Michigan.

Over the past decade, “the Chicago way” has proven more adept at getting good coverage than creating employment for its residents. In Forbes' last cities rankings (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12u1c3n85/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2011/05/02/the-best-cities-for-jobs) greater Chicago ranked 41st out of the 51 largest metropolitan areas. Between 2001 and 2011 it actually lost jobs. Since 2007 the region has lost more jobs (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12vjobdav/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.newgeography.com/content/001281-the-economic-fallout-chicago-way) than Detroit (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12vjobdav/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.newgeography.com/content/001281-the-economic-fallout-chicago-way), and more than twice as many as New York. It has lost about as many jobs – 250,000 – as up and comer Houston has gained. In Forbes recent survey of high-tech performance, the Chicago region stood at a dismal 47th (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=13a6rps8d/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2011/11/18/the-best-cities-for-technology-jobs/) among the nation’s 51 largest metropolitan areas.....snip~

[Conley]

Shoot, that is a bleak outlook for Chicago. The people need to vote out the corrupt. I feel sorry for the city, but if people keep voting for Daleys and the like I am not surprised corruption remains commonplace. They need a DA with teeth to go in and clean things out like New York has done a few times and how the mob was handled.

[MMC]

Chicago and its Daley dictatorship has been much celebrated in the media – particularly after Obama’s election in everything from the liberal New Yorker (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12ltd2od0/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/03/08/100308fa_fact_osnos) to Fast Company, which named Chicago “city of the year” in 2008. The following year, the Windy City was deemed the best city for men (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12b5srnt3/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.askmen.com/specials/2009_top_29/chicago.html) by Askmen.com, for offering what it claimed was “the perfect balance (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12or4ekom/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.askmen.com/money/body_and_mind_200/222_better_living.html)between cosmopolitan and comfortable, combining all of the culture, entertainment and sophistication of an internationally renowned destination with an affordable lifestyle and down-to-earth work hard/play hard character.”

Overall, Chicago Loop Alliance (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12un17ei2/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.chicagoloopalliance.com/pdfs/2011_Loop_Economic_Study_FINAL.pdf) reports that private sector employment in the Loop, the core of the Chicago downtown area, fell from 338,000 to 275,000 (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=13o963is9/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.suntimes.com/3996911-417/loop-transforms-into-more-residential-area-over-last-decade.html) between 2000 and 2010. Chicago’s core has fallen further behind, in capturing high end employment than its traditional rival, New York.

This weak hand is also evident in the region’s strongly negative migration. According to the last Census, Chicago lost more than 200,000 people during the last decade. People are leaving the Chicago area (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12ub57ih1/EXP=1324556552/**http%3A//www.newgeography.com/content/002346-the-evolving-urban-form-chicago) not only for Sun Belt havens but to rising Midwest competitors like Indianapolis and Minneapolis, which offer better business climates, lower housing prices and cleaner governments, says local urban analyst Aaron Renn,. Even perennial losers like Los Angeles and New York are net gainers with Chicago.....snip~

Now you know what Cloth Obama comes from.....this is a prime example why Demo's and their economics does not work. This is what New York and L.A. are facing. Althought New York City and the State are losing population as well. This is the difference California has with the other two states. Whereas their population is growing. Yet they share the same problem with buisnesses leaving the state. 65% increase! Costing wage earnings one full week of wages out of a month.

The Democrats have and are running these Cities into the ground. Running buisness and residents out of the state. Indiana has gained population due to all the buisnesses that have moved over to their side of the border for NW Indiana. The same for residential. Homes and taxes are cheaper. Indiana being a Republican State has now gained big demographics of areas that are completely Democratic now.

This is the future of Major Metropolis' ran by the Demo government. Spending and never paying for anything. With all players out for one thing. Thenselves! Note there is no true intent of Standing for the City or the State. Which is happening all across this country. Proof is polticians will pick up and move to another state and become a politician there. After of course retiring from their home state. They want to spend time with their family, and look to get away from politics etc etc. Within two years running for something in the new state they living in. So there is no Allegiance to the City or the State and their Citizens. No loyalty! Nothing but pawns to be taken advantage of for ones personal gain.

We must take these top 3 Major Economies away from the Democrats before they destroy them and their surroundings. Taking them away from the Demos would almost make it impossible for them to win a Presidential race. These are their Strengths.....yet herein lies their weakness! :rant:

[Conley]

Most people I know think Chicago is an awesome city, so I am not surprised if it wins awards and such. Most people also think it's corrupt as all get out, which does seem to me to be the case as well. There's a lot more to the city than the politics and I think if you and your fine populace can throw the bums out on their ears you'll get your city back.

[MMC]

It's not just the City.....but that of the State. They have the sheep in line just like the rest of the Country. They will follow the law. They will vote thinking their vote matters. The same Democrats will run and not be challenged except by the other party. After a year of doing nothing they will not be called back or removed from office. Chicago Politics means gerrymandering those districts so they can hold their own. Which will be the same thing that happens to this Nation when it comes to voting for the Presidency. Wherein Republicans and Conservatives will vote for Whatever GOP Candidate in order to get Obama out. Regardless if it would be good for the country or not.

Moreover going after the Polticians they have shown they will take it to court so that they cannot be removed from office. That they will tie it up in court so that they can still keep their job. Which if anything we the people must find a way to get these guys out of office and thru the constitution.

Now both parties are looking at gambling, and drugs thinking they will make the money to bring those budgets under Control. When we know they won't! Which again falls back on spending.