Hillary Clinton Democratic 1 Willie L. Wilson Democratic 2 Martin J. O'Malley Democratic 3 Roque 'Rocky' De La Fuente Democratic 4 Larry (Lawrence) Cohen Democratic 5 Bernie Sanders Democratic 6
I confess that I didn't take Bernie Sanders seriously until the overwhelming majority of kids did. The view from those at the beginning of their adult lives is quite different from those, like me, who can already see the exit door. I had figured that the greatest priority was electing a democrat - period - so that eventually SCOTUS would undue the mischief of the Citizen United case and let the country again attempt to disconnect big money from big politics.
But now, I'm not so sure that Hilary is the most electable Democrat. And I'm not comfortable with her approach to foreign policy -- including this account of her role in the Libya intervention.
Bernie appears to be less interventionist and less pro-Israel -- and what, besides foreign affairs, can a President actually accomplish with a Republican House and Senate?
So now I'll be voting for Bernie -- as long as I can keep myself from watching any more debates.
As LBJ, that great achiever of Civil Rights and Medicare may once have said: making laws, like making sausages, should never be looked at too closely -- and it's a bit disgusting to watch politicians pandering to various kinds of self interest, rather than articulating a common good..
But since electability is my primary concern --- Clinton may eventually get my vote.
Here is a piece by a Gay-Jewish pundit who argues that Bernie has no chance to win. Coincidentally, I queried a cross-dressing customer at my shop last week, and he/she said they would never vote for a Socialist. (they're backing Ted Cruz)
On the other hand, this opinion piece argues that Bernie fares better in face-to-face polls against Trump because, like Trump, he is not politics-as-usual, while unlike Trump, he is not a proven scoundrel
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Something might also be said about the phenomenal success of the Trump campaign over on the Republican side. He is quite an accomplished entertainer/public speaker who has tailored a message for the crowd whose appetite for anger and resentment has been whipped up by talk radio.
They may be driven by paranoid innuendo and patriotic blather - but they're not especially accommodated by the traditional conservatives whose ideal of small government better serves the interests of wealthy investors and corporations.
So I'm glad they now have a champion who is destroying the Republican coalition, even if it eventually recovers.
I just hope he doesn't make it all the way to the white house.
Senator, U.S. 6 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Andrea Zopp Democratic 21 Tammy Duckworth Democratic 22 Napoleon Harris Democratic 23
Napoleon Harris is a retired NFL linebacker who opened two pizza joints and then got elected to the Illinois senate from a poor, southeast suburban Chicago district. He is currently at odds with the Labor Department for paying his employees below minimum wage. His website demonstrates an interest in education and alternative economy -- but not much relating to the national issues that come before the US senate.
Andrea Zopp is an attorney who was CEO of the Chicago Urban League and worked for various national corporations. She appears to be well connected with Chicago political leaders. In contrast to Mr. Harris, her website actually does discuss national issues -- but it feels like a half-hearted boilerplate -- just going through the motions
On the other hand, Tammy Duckworth offers even less information and discussion on her website.. Her life story, as a disabled combat veteran, is more compelling than anything else she has said or done.
With greater name recognition, perhaps Tammy might do better in the general election --- but Andrea might well become a more effective legislator.
Representative, 7th District 2 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Danny K. Davis Democratic 41 Thomas Day Democratic 42
Thomas Day offers nothing to this race other than his military background. Not even a website that might discuss issues in greater detail than a 5-minute video.
So I see no reason to unseat Danny Davis even if his attendance record is poor. Have there really been many congressional votes in the past 8 years that were not decided beforehand?
Delegate to National Nominating Convention, 7th District 2 Year Term, Vote For 9:
Candidate Name Party Ballot # Ira Acree (Clinton) Democratic 51 Mattie Hunter (Clinton) Democratic 52 James F. Coyne (Clinton) Democratic 53 Emma M. Mitts (Clinton) Democratic 54 Larry Rogers, Jr. (Clinton) Democratic 55 Eileen Kay Rhodes (Clinton) Democratic 56 Michael Scott Jr. (Clinton) Democratic 57 Anna Valencia (Clinton) Democratic 58 John A. West (Clinton) Democratic 59 Tumia Romero (O'Malley) Democratic 60 Tierra S. Jackson (O'Malley) Democratic 61 Peggy A. Roth (O'Malley) Democratic 62 Katrina Veerhusen (O'Malley) Democratic 63 Anne Conderacci (O'Malley) Democratic 64 Michael K. Forde (O'Malley) Democratic 65 Joshua Sam Lapidus (O'Malley) Democratic 66 Hugh R. McCombs (O'Malley) Democratic 67 La Shawn K. Ford (Sanders) Democratic 68 Robert J. Peters (Sanders) Democratic 69 Melissa Parks (Sanders) Democratic 70 Robert Angert George (Sanders) Democratic 71 Martin Ritter (Sanders) Democratic 72 Jan Rodolfo (Sanders) Democratic 73 Willie Mack (Sanders) Democratic 74 Tara S. Stamps (Sanders) Democratic 75 Brianna Tong (Sanders) Democratic 76
Comptroller, State of Illinois (Unexpired Term) 2 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Susana Mendoza Democratic 31
No contest
State Senator, 4th District 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Kimberly A. Lightford Democratic 111
Is there any reason why Ms. Lightford should hold this job until she dies or retires?
State Representative, 7th District 2 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Emanuel 'Chris' Welch Democratic 121 Chris Harris Democratic 122
Hats off to Tim Harris for challenging the lifetime incumbency of Chris Welch.
All of the accusations printed above are false -- but Welch has always run for office:by accusing opponents of his own crimes.
As the Chicago Tribune writes:
7th District: Rep. Chris Welch, D-Hillside, must be worried about his opponent, Chris Harris of Forest Park, or he wouldn't be sending out smear mailings that are so misleading they're comical.
Sadly, it has always worked for him in our low income district.
More sadly -- Illinois really does need legislators who can deliver services while getting the state out of bankruptcy.
Here are some more Welch flyers that I've been collecting.
The good news is that this blizzard of mailings, billboards on the Eisenhower, and telephone calls (by paid campaign workers) suggest that Mr. Welch is concerned about being defeated by a rather weak candidate.
He knows what kind of politician he is -- and he knows that we know it.
Party hacks with bad records survive by flying under the radar in the March primary where voter turnout is low. But this primary features an exciting presidential contest, so a lot of independent voters will be at the polls -- and Welch's handpicked school board was recently thrown out by a concerted campaign by active citizens.
No wonder he's nervous!
The bad news is that the cash to pay for all this is coming from a quid-pro-quo network of state contractors and other politicians. It's got to be several hundred thousand dollars.
By-the-way ---- one thing that cannot be found in any of these many flyers: a single endorsement by a journalist or anyone else for that matter.
Another thing that cannot be found is any discussion of the budget-less state's bankruptcy.
Here's what Harris has for campaign literature -- a phony "newspaper" published by some right wing PAC. It's sad, but I'll still vote for him. A fool is better than a crook.
These ads are disgusting. He's hiding his own shameless behavior behind the images of vulnerable children.
I think I'll nail my mailbox shut until after the election.
... and the blizzard continues....
State's Attorney, Cook County 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Kim Foxx Democratic 151 Anita Alvarez Democratic 152 Donna More Democratic 153
Why did Anita Alvarez take 400 days to bring charges against the policeman who killed Laquan McDonald?
Here is Anita Alvarez's side of the story.
Given the difficulty of successfully prosecuting an on-duty policeman, I can understand why she might have waited until the FBI had completed its investigation.
But she saw those tapes within 30 days of the shooting - and while there may be some question of how to best try the case, there is no question that a citizen was unjustly murdered. It's more important, in my view, to show both the police and the community that this is unacceptable police behavior. Whether the actual policeman involved gets convicted or not so important.
There was also a March 6 Tribune op-ed piece by Eric Zorn that detailed five instances of prosecutorial vigor that was over-the-top - with a few more added a week later.
So it's time for her to move on to another job.
Regarding her two opponents - both have worked in the state attorney's office. Foxx's pitch is that she will keep the office from abusing black people - like Laquan McDonald.
Donna More promises to do much the same thing - but in a more general way. She also claims much more experience than Foxx in trying felony cases. But she seems to have moved quite seamlessly from working for a state agency that regulated casinos to working for the casinos themselves. So I don't sense a serious intent to serve the public.
Foxx has a compelling story of her rise from the ghetto - but she does seem to be yet one more unqualified political hack.
I can't really vote for any of them.
Hopefully the Republicans will offer a better alternative in the general election.
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Jacob Meister Democratic 161 Dorothy A. Brown Democratic 162 Michelle A. Harris Democratic 163
I'll have to do some research to see if these attacks hold up
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I just saw the three candidates on WTTW.
As it turns out -- this appears to be a unambiguous contest between party hegemony and job competence.
Jacob Meister it is.
Recorder, Cook County 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Karen A. Yarbrough Democratic 171
no contest
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD 6 Year Term, Vote For 3 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Kevin McDevitt Democratic 131 Barbara McGowan Democratic 132 Mariyana T. Spyropoulos Democratic 133 Josina Morita Democratic 134 R. Cary Capparelli Democratic 135 Joseph Daniel Cook Democratic 136
Tribune endorses Morita, Spryopoulos, Capparelli
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD (Unexpired Term) 2 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Andrew Seo Democratic 141 Tom Greenhaw Democratic 142 Martin J. Durkan Democratic 143
Tribune endorses Greenhaw
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Epstein) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Eileen O'Neill Burke Democratic 191
no contest
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Quinn) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Bertina E. Lampkin Democratic 192
no contest
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Biebel, Jr.) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # John Fitzgerald Lyke, Jr. Democratic 201
no contest
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Elrod) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Scott Edward Lipinski Democratic 202 Rossana Patricia Fernandez Democratic 203
Fernandez more highly rated
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Hogan) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Michael I. O'Malley Democratic 204 Alison C. Conlon Democratic 205
Conlon more highly rated
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Howlett, Jr.) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Aleksandra 'Alex' Gillespie Democratic 206 Thomas Maloney Cushing Democratic 207
Cushing more highly rated
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Johnson) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Gregory Raymond Lapapa Democratic 208 Sean S. Chaudhuri Democratic 209 Mark A. Lyon Democratic 210 Carolyn J. Gallagher Democratic 212 Bonnie Carol McGrath Democratic 214
Mark Lyon is the most highly rated - while Bonnie McGrath is a free lance journalist who is opposed to the process of bar association recommendation. That makes her interesting, but not enough to vote for her. She has a campaign website -- but you need a password to access it!
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Karnezis) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Mary Kathleen McHugh Democratic 216 Devlin J. Schoop Democratic 217 Brian J O'Hara Democratic 218
Devlin Schoop most recommended
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Love) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Brendan A. O'Brien Democratic 219
no contest
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of O'Brien) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Maureen O'Donoghue Hannon Democratic 220
no contest
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Palmer) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Pat Heneghan Democratic 221 Susana L. Ortiz Democratic 222 Deidre Baumann Democratic 224
Henegan most recommeded
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Ruscitti Grussel) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # John E. Marszalek Democratic 225 William S. Wojcik Democratic 226 Daniel Patrick Duffy Democratic 227 Monica M. Torres-Linares Democratic 228
Duffy and Wojcik are equally recommended - but Duffy is not-recommended by the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the Woman's Bar Association - while Wojcik is not-recommended by Asian Lawyers and the Lesbian/Gay association. So it would seem that objections to Duffy are more substantial.
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Walsh) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Patrick Joseph Powers Democratic 229 Fredrick H. Bates Democratic 231
Bates is most recommended
Judge, 7th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Burrell) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Marianne Jackson Democratic 241
no contest
Judge, 7th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Rivkin-Carothers) 4 Year Term, Vote For 1 Candidate Name Party Ballot # Patricia 'Pat' S. Spratt Democratic 242 Christopher J. Stuart Democratic 243 Jennifer Ballard Democratic 244 Mable Taylor Democratic 245 Patrick D. John Democratic 246 Rosa Silva Democratic 247
Pat Spratt is most recommended
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