I know the Chicago political machine quite well. I was born and raised in it. The politicians of Chicago think differently from many places in the United States. Boston is a close cousin, as is New York City. And regionally, these areas are quite different geographically, economically, and politically from their Southern brethern. So the placement of Barack Obama's campaign HQ in Chicago's Prudential Building is not a coincidence.
By its very placement, the Obama administration has fired a shot across the bow of the Texas establishment. As Carl Oglesby once quite intelligently observed in the 1970s -- there is still an ongoing war between the Yankees and the Cowboys.
The Cowboys are those fun loving boys who brought us the JFK assassination, George Bush of all varieties, Karl Rove, Tom Delay, H.L. Hunt and his spawn of energy demons, and barbeque. By quietly highlighting the total Chicago political attitude, Obama is redefining political influence by battling for the soul of America dependent upon what region of the country it's located in.
Currently, it certainly appears that Texas is predominant. Karl Rove is everywhere, and he seems to be in charge. And yet.
The latest TV and internet ads of the Obama campaign not only go for the jugular vein against Mitt Romney -- they go for his aorta as well. Boys and girls-- there is a reason why they call it Chicago politics. And it is no accident that Chicago is the home of the Mafia organization that only controls 90% of the organized crime in this country. Wynn, Waste Management, McKesson, and Countrywide -- and that's just for starters?
Yes, they play hardball politics in Chicago. And hardball politics is the most potent weapon that the Obama can wage in this campaign. Because if we all practice Chicago politics -- we may eventually discover where our liberal testicles are located. And we may finally someday kick some conservative ass!
And one day, GOD FORBID! The left might assert itself once more one day in this country.
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That day was November 4, 2008 when the left took over the legislative and executive branch. The country didn’t like what it saw hence the dramatic reversal in the 2010 elections. Oh and by the way, Chicago’s financial condition is amongst the worst in the country. Those Chicago liberals sure like to taketh from the taxpayers and giveth to the unions. There is a better way and it has nothing to do with energy, JFK, and cowboys.
1. The President is not a part of the old guard machine. He is, as the story is told in the Maraniss book, more of a professional outsider than anything. BUT he is also a ruthless competitor and his senior stuff is tied in to the old guard. So everybody wants hardball, but the potential for bumps in the road are there.
2. Chicago has the same finance problems left all of us to the republicans. It's in better shape financially, if one looks at real measures of things like bond ratings and cost savings moves put in place by the mayor---especially in contrast to the state of Illinois which is teetering on collapse.
3. The tie to the unions gets weaker every hour. It simply isn't there. And Rahm is doing an excellent job of negotiating without the slash and burn tactics in Wisconsin. Rahm doesn't totally get democracy--his circle is closed. But he is also the only guy tough enough to handle what he's been handed.
4. The crooked Chicago politician is now a thing of the past. Power is not political anymore. Its the same business political team that gave us citizens united. Politicians don't steal anymore because THERE IS NOTHING left to steal. Even Blogo never stole anything. He went to jail for trying.
swith the guys Obama relies on to help him formulate fiscal policy, particularly where banking is concerned.
I'm not crazy. I'll vote for him because as disappointed as I am with certain aspects of what he's done, there is zero question that Romney would be far worse.
So talk to me.
One of the possible openings is the LIBOR scandal. If criminal charges are in fact entered against J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, etc. -- then POTUS might take concrete action against the hands that have been feeding him and guiding him on policy.
Ultimately, how liberal he will be will depend on the composition of the House and Senate. I know for a fact that local organizers can change a community's political culture in as little as two years. If substantial changes can occur locally, then this will help set up the groundwork for broader change further up the food chain.
All of this means I'm not holding my breathe.
a republic unto itself once.
war.
then they murdered our massachusetts savior.
now we got another one, ha. oops.
they gave us lbj, a tolerable martyr to our insatiable Violence.
then the bushes, who entwined us in shit we had no business in.
well, except for their business & their pally boys
..
texas is a joke up here, in ct, near massachusetts.
mr perry made it so.
we have contempt.
the left needs the balls of an lbj with the heart of a carter
and the savvy of an fdr.
in other words, a lincoln.
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