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Now that Todd Stroger has put together his executive management Dream Team — what the Chicago Tribune aptly termed "The Friends and Family Plan" (and we wish we came up with that one here at Chicagoist) — he's certainly got his work cut out for him. Unlike the Tribune, however, we hold no illusions that The Toddler will actually fix the problems that his predecessor (did we mention that it was his father?) helped to create.
While The Toddler had the audacity (and the good kind that Obama seems to be full of these days) to stand in front of the City Club of Chicago and claim that he is making progress, changing the culture of corruption and bureaucratic hopelessness that permeates Cook County these days, Cook County Auditor Laura Burman announced that the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center was rife with mismanagement, financial malfeasance and almost no accountability. Among her findings? A half million dollars in unpaid food bills, and mixing cash held for teenage residents with money alloted for expenses.
On top of the bad news from the internal audit, now The Toddler has Illinois' congressional delegation in D.C. telling him to get his act together. Now that Senator Dick Durbin has given Stroger a stern talking to, he seems to be playing at least lip service to the recommendation that he bring in outside advisers "who know what they're doing." Apparently when a US Senator endorses you over a real reform-minded Democrat, you have to at least pretend to take his advice.
At a time when real leadership is desperately needed in the lives of children who have been caught up in the juvenile "justice" system here, Todd Stroger and his cronies are playing patronage games with the future of real people. Maybe when you come from a politically connected family, when you didn't actually have to work for anything in life, it's OK to build your power base on the backs of the most vulnerable in the community. The real disgrace is that not only does Todd Stroger know that what he is doing is wrong, he just doesn't care.
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I'm proud to say that Todd Stroger is the only Democrat ever to inspire me to vote Republican in my almost-forty years of life. Anyone not blind had to see what was coming with this jerk's installation. Too bad the people of Cook County were too apathetic to do anything about it.
Is this Daley fault too? I just want to know?
What was the vote count to Peraica?
Anyone in office right now would be stuck with these issues. But at least they'd be doing something about it.
If it's Cook County's issue, then it's Cook County's fault. If it is Chicago's issue, then it's Daley's (and the county's, depending on the issue) fault. But Richie is a stand up guy and would never allow this kind of thing to happen.
Yes, Joe, Todd Stroger is indeed partly Daley's fault. Daley endorsed Stroger's dad in the priimary (despite the fact that there was - and remains - no indication whatever that the elder Stroger was, or is, alive), thereby materially hurting Forrest Claypool's chances. Daley then endorsed Todd Stroger in the General Election, and the regular Democratic organization (which Daley runs) pushed Stroger really hard.
All of this was in the newspapers.
Yes, #2, Daley has his role in this as MH explained. The anti-reform block on the Cook Board led by John Daley, Beavers, and lastly Stroger will work hard to preserve the culture of nepotism, patronage, and incompetence.
It's true ... Daley bought part of his 70% victory through blind support of the obviously brain-dead Stroger. (And I mean Todd, not John.) And Daley's not the only one ... Durbin and Obama both eventually threw their support Todd's way, because Stroger's people carried a huge voting bloc within the city limits. Hopefully, this bloc has learned its lesson and will find someone else next time.
I can't believe people voted for the old man in the primary. What a joke. I have to agree on this one.
I'm proud to say that Todd Stroger is the only Democrat ever to inspire me to vote Republican in my almost-forty years of life.
That makes two of us, seriously.
And Joe,
Yes partly just like MH said above.
Your homework assignment for the rest of the year:
Read a paper and watch the news at least a few times a month.
Todd Stroger is entirely Daley's fault, and I am the biggest Daley backer there is. The Daley-Stroger alliance delivers each side tons of votes in each others demographic, and they have both benefited immensely from it.
There is no need for Cook County government. Divide their responsibilitiies between state and local city governments, and we all can save tax $$$. ABOLISH IT NOW.
I'm proud to say that Todd Stroger is the only Democrat ever to inspire me to vote Republican in my almost-forty years of life.
That makes three of us!
Except in my case it's 57 years of life. My first vote was for McGovern.
And Abolish is right, Cook County has no use any longer. Get rid of it & all the metro counties, merge the courts & jails.
And if we had national health insurance we wouldn't need the hospital either, sell it to U of Illinois.
I can only hope that Patrick Fitzgerald already has a Toddler Task Force up and running. I fear that an indictment might be our only hope of getting out from under this joke of an administration any time in the next few decades. The Toddler is so cocky - surely it won't take long to nab him for something.
great post kevin
I'll say it, it all comes down to race. I just don't get how cook county african americans keep putting crooks into power just because of their color. Cook County is quickly becoming a have and have not community because of this. I really hope Pat Fitz has his wiretaps set.
"I can only hope that Patrick Fitzgerald already has a Toddler Task Force up and running."
Hear, hear!
I really think Todd $troger is his dad and moms fault, I know our Mayor has power but I shudder thinking of a $troger/Daley three-way. Until voters in Cook County (read: Chicago) get sick of paying the crazy taxes and fees that line the pockets and pay for the $troger family fiefdom we are all stuck with them. I really love national pols that come from Chicago (read: Obama) and talk about reform and a new dawn of hope (read: new pockets that need to be filled with cash).
What a bullshitter you are. I think it was the same Todd Stroger who held the JTDC press conference with Laura Burman. I think it was he who ordered the audit.
You made it sound like competing events.
A completely disingenuous post. Of course, knowing you, you or no one else here will acknowledge it.
wow: Glad to see you've found your way back to Chicagoist. I thought you went back to your "job" sleeping at a Forest Preserve after the election. Of course, if you are still working for the Machine at this point, you must not be an average patronage worker, or you would have been laid off by now.
As far as The Toddler ordering the audit or not, or his appearance or lack thereof at the press conference, I really have no idea. The Tribune article cited makes no mention of it either way.
What I don't understand is why, after 6 months on the job, Todd Stroger hasn't made fixing the Juvenile Detention Center a bigger priority. Do we really need more audits and studies? Obviously children are being hurt and abused at the hands of government employees.
I'll be the first to admit that I hate the guy. Can't stand him, and actively worked against him and his cronies in the election. Everyday I hope something happens to take him out of power. But I would also be the first to give him kudos and support if he were serious about fixing the problems there. I believe that the crisis at the Detention Center is, without a doubt, the most serious problem that the county and it's residents are facing right now.
How can anyone take him seriously when he is actively condemning our children to a future of hopelessness in the name of political patronage? No-bid contracts to friends, high-paying jobs to family and gross mismanagement of the Forest Preserves in one thing. Hurting children, however, is utterly unforgivable.
The real disgrace is that not only does Todd Stroger know that what he is doing is wrong, he just doesn't care.
No, the real disgrace is that this clueless hack was backed by a man who thinks he should be our next president.
Again, solid post Kevin.
Urge to kill... rising...
Actually, Kevin, the Trib article quotes Stroger from the press conference, and the TV coverage showed both Stroger and Burman there.
So, you hate him. That's not news. But at least tell the truth. In January (1st month on the job) Stroger agreed to transfer JTDC control to the Chief Judge--just like in the other 101 Ccounties in Illinois. In March, Stroger went to Springfield to testify on a bill which transfers control of JTDC to the Chief Judge, taking politics completely out of the Center. Didn't you read that? It was in an op-ed in the Trib.
At least present the facts accurately before you lie about what they mean.