CHICAGO — Mayor Rahm Emanuel failed to capture a majority of the vote in Tuesday’s municipal election, an embarrassment for the former White House chief of staff because it forces him into a runoff this spring against Cook County Commissioner Jesus ‘‘Chuy’’ Garcia.
The result exposed possible vulnerability for an incumbent who has widespread support from business leaders, national name recognition, and millions of dollars in his campaign fund. He participated in a half-dozen debates and forums and received a last-minute boost from President Obama.
Maybe it wasn't a boost after all (think November 2014).
Still, he was not able to capture the more than 50 percent necessary to avoid an April runoff against Garcia, who finished far below Emanuel’s vote total but far above the other three challengers.
Emanuel’s challengers — which included Garcia, Alderman Bob Fioretti, businessman Willie Wilson, and perennial candidate William Walls — had hoped to capitalize on resident discontentment over Emanuel’s handling of schools and city violence.
On the campaign trail, Emanuel said his first term saw some tough decisions and payoffs, including budgets that did not rely on property tax increases, drawing business to the city, getting a longer school day, and raising the minimum wage.
But his critics pointed to some of more tumultuous parts of his time in office, including the city’s first teachers’ strike in 25 years. The following year in 2013, he pushed for the closure of dozens of schools to save money, which angered parents and activists throughout the city’s neighborhoods.
The Chicago Teachers Union — whose fiery leader had once considered a bid to challenge Emanuel — backed Garcia during the race. The former state lawmaker enjoyed support from other unions and neighborhood groups.
Didn't end well for them, did it?
The nonpartisan election on Tuesday also featured contests for a new city treasurer, aldermen, and advisory-style ballot questions on campaign finance and an elected school board.
Emanuel won his first mayoral race without a runoff four years ago after the retirement of Richard M. Daley, who held the job for more than two decades.
Garcia, born in Mexico and raised in Chicago, served two terms as a senator followed by a stint as a community activist before he was elected Cook County commissioner in 2009.
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For the record, Rahm was the Israeli mole inside the Clinton White house, and for that reason (and it being Obummer's hometown) I have suspected the next monster false flag will in fact occur in Chicago.
State is in good hands though:
"Illinois’ new GOP governor calls for billions in budget cuts" by Sara Burnett and Kerry Lester, Associated Press February 19, 2015
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois’ new governor called Wednesday for deep spending cuts to Medicaid, pensions, and other programs to fix the state’s budget mess without raising taxes — a pitch met with quick opposition from Democrats who control the Legislature.
Delivering his first budget address since winning office last fall, Governor Bruce Rauner, a Republican, said his plan would end ‘‘the irresponsible and reckless practices of the past.’’
He said lawmakers must be willing to make politically unpopular decisions to close a more than $6 billion budget hole next year.
And I thought we had it bad here.
‘‘This is our last, best chance to get our house in order,’’ Rauner said.
According to budget documents released Wednesday afternoon, Rauner is recommending $1.5 billion in Medicaid cuts, along with other reductions.
Rauner’s budget blueprint is among the first concrete tests of whether the Republican first-time officeholder can begin to bring the change he has promised to one of the last Democratic strongholds in the Midwest.
The multimillionaire former private equity investor follows other Republican governors who’ve taken over states and attempted to make them more business-friendly by shrinking government and taxes.
But Rauner, who won the governor’s office in Barack Obama’s home state, faces an even greater challenge in a post-recession state where Democrats have super-majorities in both chambers.
No wonder they are so broke.
They criticized Rauner’s plan as disproportionately hurting working families while leaving corporate tax ‘‘loopholes’’ in place.
‘‘He’s putting lives and livelihoods in jeopardy by treating our state’s most vulnerable people like burdens,’’ said state Senator Mattie Hunter, a Chicago Democrat.
Many Democrats want to raise Illinois’ income tax rate, which dropped on Jan. 1 from 5 percent to 3.75 percent, to avoid some spending cuts. House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, said he believes the state needs a mix of spending cuts and new revenue. He also renewed a call for an additional tax on incomes over $1 million.
The bleak budget picture has led credit agencies to give Illinois the worst credit rating of any state.
So? they told us MBS were AAA.
It also has the nation’s worst-funded public pension system, with a shortfall of $111 billion.
Where did all the money go?
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NDUs:
Gitmo in Chicago
Activist Alert: Help Shutdown Chicago's Secret Detention Center
New Study Reveals Obama’s Military Regularly Torturing People In Afghanistan – Including Children
I took those three right off the top of my roll and yet see not one word in the Globe.
Instead I get this:
"Obama foundation hints at library’s likely Chicago site" by Josh Lederman, Associated Press February 27, 2015
WASHINGTON — The foundation developing Barack Obama’s future presidential library has commissioned polling in Chicago to determine whether residents support building it on the South Side, people close to the foundation said, in the clearest sign to date that the library likely will go to the University of Chicago.
Two Chicago schools and one each in New York and Honolulu are in the running for the library and presidential museum, and Obama is set to pick a winner within weeks. But recently, the focus has shifted decidedly to the University of Chicago’s bid — and a public spat with a conservation group over the elite school’s proposal to build on city park property.
Aiming to counter the vocal opposition from park advocates, the Barack Obama Foundation earlier this month enlisted a prominent Democratic pollster who worked on both of Obama’s presidential campaigns. Cornell Belcher of the polling firm Brilliant Corners surveyed more than 600 Chicagoans on the South Side to gauge their opinion on the library and the use of park land, said the individuals, who weren’t authorized to discuss the poll publicly and requested anonymity.
Now they are going to try and $ell you on the idea of having his library legacy there.
There were no indications the Obama foundation polled in the other three communities being considered, driving further speculation that the competition is a done deal for the University of Chicago, where the first lady worked and the president once taught law.
In late December, the Obama foundation let it be known publicly that it had serious concerns about the University of Chicago’s bid — in particular, the school’s failure to prove it could secure the Chicago Park District land on which it was proposing to build.
That set off a scramble by university officials and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and earlier this month, the park district’s board voted unanimously to transfer 20 acres to the city, to be leased to the foundation if the University of Chicago gets the library.
Obama’s foundation said the move had improved Chicago’s bid, in yet another indication that the University of Chicago was on track to win the library.
However, a small but outspoken group of opponents, led by the nonprofit Friends of the Parks, has continued to argue that officials have yet to prove the Obama legacy project is worth the land-grab from city park-goers.
Why not? That's all his health program is, except there it is a ca$h grab.
Individuals familiar with the survey said it showed that appeals to Chicago’s pride for Obama and desire to be a part of his legacy were particularly compelling. Arguing that the library would improve young people’s quality of life by driving economic growth was also effective, the poll found.
So it wasn't so much a poll as it was a propaganda effort to find out to what buzzwords you stooped Chicagoans would respond.
I'm surprised they didn't hire Frank Luntz.
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FLASHBACK:
"Alternatives for Obama library offer test of ideals" by Josh Lederman, Associated Press January 02, 2015
HONOLULU — President Obama has preached economic opportunity and equal access to education as cornerstones of the legacy he wants to leave. But in the contest to host his presidential library this week, the Obama foundation let it be known that it was displeased with Chicago’s proposals — still, the blunt warning through the media appeared designed mainly to light a fire under the University of Chicago to fill holes in its proposal.
At the University of Illinois Chicago, student trustee Danielle Leibowitz said, ‘‘If he wants to be consistent with the message he’s given throughout his presidency, it really only makes sense to give it to us. To suddenly hand over your legacy to a private institution seems rather hypocritical.’’
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Hone$tly, what el$e is new with this admini$tration?
Also see: Undercover 'Chicago P.D.' Job Gone Wrong
That came from Comcast and NBC News -- but at least they are not O'Reilly and Fox, right?
Only giving "us" what we want, right?
