January 29, 2020
DESPITE TRUMP IMPEACHMENT, REPUBLICAN U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LOOKS SAFE
The Trump impeachment and trial is all about positioning – namely: the Democrats positioning their eventual nominee to beat the president on Nov. 5, to have a net gain of three U.S. Senate seats, and to retain their 232-197 U.S. House majority. Everybody knows that Trump is not going to be convicted by a vote of 67 or more senators, but the PROCESS is what matters. The prevailing Washington consensus is that, given current partisan polarization, and given the shortcomings of Democratic presidential aspirants, at least 19 sitting Republican senators or Republican-held seats are SAFE – in AK, AR, GA, GA (two seats are up), ID, IA, KN, KY, LA, MS, MT, NE, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, WV and WY. Full Article...
January 22, 2020
THE FOXX ARITHMETIC -- 40% IS ENOUGH TO WIN
The bad news for Cook County State’s Attorney KIM FOXX is that she will not crack 40 percent in the upcoming March 17 Democratic primary. The good news is that, facing three opponents, 40 percent will be more than enough to win. And Foxx will win. There are serious questions about Foxx’s competency, particularly in light of her handling of the Jussie Smollett case and her bail-and-out “criminal justice reforms.” Foxx was resoundingly nominated in 2016, getting 645,738 votes (or 56.5 percent) in a turnout of 1,142,793. That won’t happen again in 2020, when turnout will eclipse 1.25 million. Foxx will barely top 500,000, but with BILL CONWAY, DONNA MORE and BOB FIORETTI fracturing the other 750,000, a Foxx win is a foregone conclusion.There is a lot going on in Coptown, which is wards 38, 39, 41 and 45, in contests for committeeman and in Rob Martwick's state senate race. He could lose. Full Article...
January 15, 2020
LOTS AND LOTS OF "WASTE" AT MWRD
There is a whole lot of WASTE at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), both literally and figuratively. The MWRD collects and disposes of 280 million pounds of human solid waste annually, shipping it Downstate as fertilizer, and 500 billion gallons of effluent, treating it and sending it down to the Gulf of Mexico. It also has 9 do-nothing commissioners who collect $650,000 in annual salaries, plus benefits. Politicians never waste an opportunity.to benefit from waste disposal, There is a 10-person Democratic primary for 3 seats in 2020. The Preckwinkle slate is in trouble, with dumped Comr. Frank Avila's campaign calling her "racist." Here is an analysis. Full Article...
January 8, 2020
IRRITATION AWAITS AND WILL ABOUND AS 2020 CANDIDATE FILING CLOSES
Editor's note: Russ Stewart is taking the week off. Nadig Newspapers is reprinting a column published on Dec. 4, 2019, after candidate filing for the 2020 primary election in March has ended. Full Article...
January 1, 2020
"USEFULNESS" INDEX APPLIES TO AREA LEGISLATIVE RACES
For politicians there are two kinds of people: Those who are useful and those who are not. Most are not, but the useful are indispensable. Some serious 2020 legislative contests are developing on Chicago’s Northwest Side and suburbs, and a usefulness spreadsheet is required to differentiate the U-plusses from the U-minuses. In the 3rd, 16th, 19th and 20th Illinois House districts, resigned former state representatives Luis Arroyo (D-3), Rob Martwick (D-19), Mike McAuliffe (R-20) and Lou Lang (D-16) – all committeepersons --are useful to and for their appointed successors, respectively, Eva-Dina Delgado, Lindsey LaPointe and Brad Stephens, as well as Denyse Wang Stoneback, who is running against Lang’s appointed successor. Speaker Mike Madigan is useful to Mark Kalish, who has Lang’s seat, and to LaPointe, as it is Madigan’s policy to bankroll and support all Democratic incumbents. Delgado was appointed contrary to Madigan’s wishes, so he may be un-useful. Here's an analysis of area House races and of the 10th senate contest. Full Article...
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