Friday Afternoon Diversion
Jay-Z Announces 2010 Tour Dates. Chicago Not On List.
"Batman" Headline Is a Stretch, But Prison Escape Story Could Be Its Own Movie
Grates To Tear Up Schubas
Chili Cook-Off Countdown
That Noelle Brennan. It's like she thought of everything!
In a city legendary for finding a way to make any city job a patronage gig, the federal hiring monitor wants to know how the city plans to lay off well over 1,000 people without it becoming a political purge. "We are aware of the potential for abuse. We're talking about how we can prevent that from happening -- what sort of process and procedures we can put in place to make sure layoffs happen in a nonpolitical way. We haven't come to any conclusion yet," Brennan told the Sun-Times.
Mayor Daley doesn't think it will be an issue, however. “A layoff is done because of union rules. I don’t know where you get that,” he told the press at a ceremony for graduating firefighters held at Navy Pier. "That's just a phony headline. It's done by union rules. I'm sorry. About 99 percent of the people are unionized in the city of Chicago. So, don't make up phony stories." Anthony Boswell, director of the city's Office of Compliance, which is charged with ensuring that the city follows the hiring rules spelled out in the Shakman decrees.
Image via AP
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Monitor all you like, has she DONE anything?
Albany: She has done her job, if you have been following the reports (though some disagree, of course, with the results and resulting payouts from her probes).
She is paid only to monitor. Anything else--like having the sense and courage to vote out these greedy cockroaches and do the hard work of, perhaps, buidling Chicago's first semi-honest, semi-efficient government--is up to the citizens, who have failed year after year.
To paraphrase John Kass, Chicago does well in SPITE of Daley and his machine, not BECAUSE of it.
The political hacks and precinct captains are going to keep their jobs while non-connected workers will be dumped. It's never been any other way.
Brennan is not going to be able to uncover who has or has not done political legwork and fundraising in some far-flung ward. What's needed are the resources of a well-funded investigation by the U.S. Attorney's office. Paging Mr. Fitzgerald!
(though some disagree, of course, with the results and resulting payouts from her probes).
That would be me. I'm on the "vote the bastards out/arrest them as they leave" bandwagon. Giving money to people hurt by patronage is all well and good, but until you fix the broken machine you're putting band-aids on a chest wound.
Good enough, Albany.
Funny how everyone I know or run into who lives in Chicago tends to say the same thing, but nothing ever changes. I guess I don't hang around with the right crowds.
But, Brennan did do her stated job.
Funny how everyone I know or run into who lives in Chicago tends to say the same thing, but nothing ever changes.
The Machine has been rigging the game for DECADES.
Notice how Daley would sooner remove a limb than talk about property tax increases? If he did that, he'd be gone and anyone who rode that failboat with him.
They've created a niche of corruption, graft and greed for themselves, a sweetspot that's not outrageous enough to galvanize enough people to make a change.
Again, DECADES of practice gaming the system. Look at a ward map sometime, most of those criminals would have to eat a baby on camera to get ousted by anyone shy of jesus.
Notice how Daley would sooner remove a limb than talk about property tax increases? If he did that, he'd be gone and anyone who rode that failboat with him.
Well, yeah, but he has pushed through property-tax increases, including one recently. He's just been smart about the timing.
They've created a niche of corruption, graft and greed for themselves, a sweetspot that's not outrageous enough to galvanize enough people to make a change.
Very apt.