Area Soldier Killed In Fort Hood Rampage
Stroger Makes Hollywood Play
Put Down Your Nanowrimo And Leave The House
Sox Shuffle Continues
Remember that independent board that is supposed to assume control of Cook County's Health Services Bureau? The one that is supposed to separate politics from public health care delivery? Turns out, it might not be so independent after all.
Of the 20 names submitted to Stroger to fill the nine slots on the independent board, 16 have made campaign contributions to Illinois candidates, including Stroger himself, according to the Sun-Times. Only four—Quin Golden, formerly of the state Department of Public Health; attorney Barbara Hillman; Heather O'Donnell of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability; and James Stukel, former president of the University of Illinois—have never given funds to an Illinois campaign. Stroger spokeswoman Ibis Antongiorgi said that politics won't be part of the process, adding that it's "incorrect and illegal" to "infer that there is a direct connection between contributions to elected officials and the names submitted," and that "a donation to an elected official is an act of free speech."
Stroger is expected to announce his picks later this week, although he could reject all of them, and the county board will either approve or deny those picks.
Image by Paco Seoane
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Suffredin is a sellout.
My real concern is that Stroger Hospital is the only "universal heath care" for poor and indigent folk in Cook County, including Chicago.
So if Claypool-tology reigns over patronage politics, will this mean the privatization of Stroger Hospital like the Chicago Park District? And what will this mean to those that it serves?
Spook: Perhaps Stroger would be better if fewer hacks were dumped into the county hospital system, and Stroger, et al were actually able to collect bills owed it by various agencies. I doubt Stroger and his pals give two shits about serving the poor--at least not as much as Stroger and his pals care about rewarding friends and family and holding onto their own power.
Spook: Just as an FYI, the Jesse Brown VA is also a "universal health care system" that serves veterans in this city, many who are below the poverty level and/or homeless. That's not a small population in this city. Patients come as far as Waukegan and central Indiana to receive medical care.
I agree with Matilda: Stroger doesn't give a rat's ass about the poor in this city. If he did, there would be better social services, fewer doctors and nurses laid off, and maybe fewer friends/contributors-turned-hospital-administrators at the hospital. If he wanted to show he cared, perhaps he can get a truly independent board running Stroger like a real hospital. I would imagine that there are more than 20 people qualified for the job in this city. I think he can find more than 4 that haven't contributed to his campaign.
At least 4. I don't know anyone that will cop to voting for him.
It’s a free country, so be as rabid as you want to be about Stroger, but again my point wasn't about Stroger’s empathy for poor people.
It was about Stroger Hospital( by no means perfect) but a system in place that serves poor folks decently. The very same poor folks who this "city" continues to relentlessly attack by all means available, including PRIVATIZATION.
This is why an "independent board" concerns me. Yes it might be better for my wallet, but I'm concerned with the poor folks who use the hospital.
And Sparky thanks for the FYI, but I'm quite familiar with Jesse Brown. Yes t’s for Vets, not for Shaquita who got four kids who stay down the street from the "non-for-profit" U of C Hospital but can't access services there, where Sen.Barak O’Bama’s wife Michelle Obama worked as V.P earning 350k.
Spook,
Shouldnt,Shaquita get a job so that she can get health care. Ive got two jobs so my kids can see a doctor when neccasary.
I'm gonna enjoy this........ deductive reasoning
Well yes, Brother Fed up!
That would make sense if the world worked the way it should on the west and south side of Gotham City.
But the problem is that Shaquita aint got no baby daddy, cause he be locked up on a drug charge so he aint contributing nothing.
And Bill Clinton's Welfare to Work Legislation means that if Shaquita took one of the jobs available to some one in her situation, she would not earn enough to pay for child care while she worked. Because child care payments have been eliminated under the bill.
Oh, and her neighborhood school, DuSable High School is one of the lowest preforming schools in the country which means her options after graduation are Pop Eyes and McDonald's
p.s the above legislation also means that Shaquita can't get child care for attending community college so she can be found sitting at home watching day time TV as her three kids attend one of the lowest preforming grammar schools in Gotham, Douglas elementary school, word!