March 29, 2017
EVANSTON'S ELECTORAL ESCAPADES RESEMBLE A "BANANA REPUBLIC"
Evanstonians think that they are "special." Nestled just north of the Chicago boundary on the Lake, the 74,486 residents of Evanston are mostly white, affluent, liberal, and obsessively politically-correct. In 2016, Clinton obliterated Trump 34,038-2,808 (88.4%). Obama only got 84.8% in 2012. Evanston has its own foreign policy: In the 1970s it declared itself a "nuclear-free zone," and so informed Moscow. It has not been nuked since. The white folks also know what is best for black folks. When minorities in the 5th Ward wanted to end the bussing of their kids to white schools, and build a "neighborhood" school, the whites voted it down. Get on the bus, We aren't Selma, Alabama. No re-segregation. When developers wanted to build multi-story condos in downtown Evanston, they were told to take a hike. But the 2016-17 election antics of Evanston are really "special": State law governed municipal elections. Everybody ran in an April election. But a binding 1992 referendum changed the process to a non-partisan (Feb.) primary and an April runoff. For 2017, after 25 years, the powers-that-be decided to implement the 1992 vote, and ignore state law. "We resemble a 'Banana Republic,'" said county comr. Larry Suffredin. In Morton Grove, the "Caucus Party" (Democratic) takeover of the "Action Party" (Republican) is complete. Mayor Danny DiMaria, an erstwhile Republican now in league with Lou Lang (D), will beat ex-mayor Dan Staackmann (R). Full Article...
March 22, 2017
"MAYOR NOBODY" MALONEY FAVORED IN PARK RIDGE ELECTION
For a politician, being a "nobody" -- meaning an unknown -- is great protective coloration. It may not get you into office, but it can keep you there for a while. In northwest suburban Park Ridge, acting mayor Marty Maloney -- "Mayor Nobody" -- will likely win on April 4 because nobody knows him, nobody knows opponent Lucas Fuksa, nobody knows Maloney's qualifications or record, nobody knows an election in imminent and, if they do, nobody cares. Maloney succeeded the tempestuous "Mayor No," Dave Schmidt, after his death in 3/15. Maloney is an insider, and Park Ridge is economically booming, with new bars/restaurants, a huge new fitness center, and a burgeoning home resale market.. It's on the verge of becoming "Edison Park North," with an active nightlife and new revenues. Of course, property taxes and water fees are also booming, and the city bureaucracy micro-manages everything, piling fee upon fee, delay after delay, and permit after permit. But the earnest Fuksa, a lawyer who said Park Ridge is not business-friendly, doesn't understand that it's impossible to beat a nobody mayor that nobody knows. The status quo will prevail and Maloney will win by at least 55-45% in a very low turnout. Full Article...
March 15, 2017
"BOSS" LANG MAINTAINS "STATUS QUO ANTE" IN NILES, LINCOLNWOOD AND SKOKIE
In the northern suburbs of Niles, Lincolnwood and Skokie, State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16) is the benevolent boss: He doesn't really care who runs the municipalities in Niles Twp., where he is Democratic committeeman -- as long as they don't run against him. Lang is one of several "speaker-in-waiting" IL House members, and had $1,095,981 on-hand as of 1/1/17, plus another $160,358 invested. Until Speaker Madigan departs, Lang will maintain the "status quo ante." Nothing has changed politically since the 1960s. In Skokie, 18-year Mayor George Van Dusen is unopposed on April 4, and the "Caucus Party" (i.e., Democrats) remain in control despite demographic change. In Lincolnwood, 12-year Mayor Jerry Turry and his insiders are unbeatable. In Niles, first-termer Andy Przybylo has put the stigma of Nick Blasé behind, and is popular. All are allied with Lang. Trumpism and zeal for change is hard to find, as Clinton won the township 32,816-13,007 (68.8%). But in less diverse and more white-ethnic Niles, Trump got 41.4%. Full Article...
March 8, 2017
"SUB-HUMAN KNUCKLE-DRAGGERS" NO THREAT TO ALD. ARENA OR COLONIZATION IN 45TH WARD, BUT "KID-CARE" SURFACES IN 39TH, 40TH WARDS
Ald. John Arena has a rather low opinion of the 6,587 45th Ward voters who supported Donald Trump, calling them on his Facebook page "knuckle-draggers" and "generally sub-human puddles of DNA," and the new president a "pussy." How articulate. But Arena need not worry about niceties and civility. He can insult with reckless abandon, as 16,082 45th Warders voted for Clinton. Arena is trying to expand his liberal base by colonizing the Gladstone Park-north Jefferson Park part of his ward with high-density apartment complexes filled with low-income renters, who are largely liberals and Democrats. It's "Kid-Care" time in the 39th and 40th wards, as aldermen Marge Laurino (39th) and Pat O'Connor (40th) plot to make their kid their successor -- like real soon. If they resign after 5/4/17, the mayor can appoint their kid for the remainder of their term, giving the kid a leg-up in 2019. In Ald. Anthony Napolitano's 41st Ward, where Trump is popular, Democratic committeeman Tim Heneghan bolstered his bona fides for 2019 with unions and Madigan by moving out of St. Sen. John Mulroe's (D-10) law office because Mulroe didn't endorse Merry Marwig in 2016. ATTACHED is a VOTE CHART on the 2016 results in northwest side wards. Full Article...
March 1, 2017
POLYGRAPHS, LAXATIVES DEFINE 2017 DES PLAINES MAYORAL RACE
Remember that iconic 1960s TV show "Hawaii Five-0"? The good guy police chief, after thwarting the bad guys, would bark "book 'em, Danno." In northwest suburban Des Plaines, the operative phrase is "poly 'em." When not trying to "rebrand" the city with a new motto:"Good Move City" -- which was flushed after it was thought to be a brand name for a laxative -- Des Plaines' officials are busily cementing the city's reputation as a laughingstock by giving lie-detector tests to elected officeholders, attempting to find out who purloined some "confidential" documents detailing with the city's numerous and sundry lawsuits. "We're a joke," said State Rep. Marty Moylan (D-55), a former mayor. Current mayor Matt Bogusz, who refused to be polygraphed, is opposed on April 4 by Ald. Malcolm Chester, who sees a conspiracy, and took a polygraph. Bogusz has been a competent mayor, but it's hard to be taken seriously in a city now renowned for polygraphs and laxatives. Maybe "Dumb and Dumber" could be the new motto. Full Article...
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