2016 - November elections

The margin of victory in American elections is determined by our most mentally challenged citizens.  The  bright and serious ones, whether progressive, conservative, or self-serving, have made up their minds long before the election campaign ever begins.

It's the air heads who are swayed by all those 30-second commercials that cost so  much to broadcast.


This year's presidential election has the distinction of featuring a candidate whose career in television has given him  a unique appeal to dimwits, especially if they have a taste for the vindictive resentment stoked and validated by decades of right wing talk radio.

 So Donald Trump might actually win this thing -- just as McDonalds makes America's favorite hamburger and Miller Lite is the country's favorite beer.

(and alas, here is  picture taken two years later in the White House)

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Intense political involvement, regardless of orientation,  tends to addle the brain.  Since I share many of their views, left wing pundits embarrass me.   I prefer to read their opponents.

This  is the first presidential election in which I have followed the right-wing websites - having become addicted to their expressions of pain and outrage, especially towards each  other. 

My favorite is Erick Erickson.  Far less reptilian than George Will or Charles Krauthammer, he shows flashes of honest self-awareness.

As when he writes: "If we have to ask whether conservative media created Trump, we should not stop there. We should ask who created conservative media. The answer is actually the mainstream media."

Like a truculent child addressing his parents: "Yes, I know I'm a bad boy, but you made me that way!!"

And I have to respect his #NEVERTRUMP crusade.  It  has inspired me to go #NEVERHILLARY.

Not that I have any interest in her lies or emails. If that's the worst thing she's ever done, she would be a saint among politicians.

I cannot vote for her because she has, and will, find opportunities for military intervention - and that is one thing that POTUS can do without Congressional assent.

Trump and Johnson are outspoken champions of self-interest --- which leaves Jill Stein as the candidate who most aligned with public interest.

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Aftermath.

This  was a close election. Trump actually lost the popular vote. But in response to his ultimate victory - and the wage earners who wagered that he might help them -- we must summon the wisdom of  Karl Marx:


The conditions of the French farmers' class solve to us the riddle of the general elections of December 20 and 21, that led the second Bonaparte to the top of Sinai, not to receive, but to decree laws.

The bourgeoisie had now, manifestly, no choice but to elect Bonaparte. When at the Council of Constance, the puritans complained of the sinful life of the Popes, and moaned about the need of a reform in morals, Cardinal d'Ailly thundered into their faces: "Only the devil in his Own person can now save the Catholic Church, and you demand angels." So, likewise, did the French bourgeoisie cry out after the "coup d'etat": "Only the chief of the 'Society of December 10' can now save bourgeois society, only theft can save property, only perjury religion, only bastardy the family, only disorder order!"





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4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Donald J. Trump & Michael R. Pence	Republican	1
Hillary Rodham Clinton & Timothy Michael Kaine	Democratic	2
Gary Johnson & Bill Weld	Libertarian	3
Jill Stein & Ajamu Baraka	Green	4

Senator, U.S.

6 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Mark Steven Kirk	Republican	8
Tammy Duckworth	Democratic	9
Kenton McMillen	Libertarian	10
Scott Summers	Green	11

Representative, 7th District

2 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Jeffrey A. Leef	Republican	21
Danny K. Davis	Democratic	22

Comptroller, State of Illinois (Unexpired Term)

2 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Leslie Geissler Munger	Republican	15
Susana Mendoza	Democratic	16
Claire Ball	Libertarian	17
Tim Curtin	Green	18

Up to this point on the ballot, I'm voting Democratic -- but  Mendoza seems nothing more than
a political hack -

State Senator, 4th District

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Kimberly A. Lightford	Democratic	32

State Representative, 7th District

2 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Emanuel 'Chris' Welch	Democratic	42

It's sad that both of the above party hacks are running unopposed

State's Attorney, Cook County

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Christopher E.K. Pfannkuche	Republican	61
Kim Foxx	Democratic	62

Pfannkuche looks qualified, and there's no point in having a Democratic foxx guard the Democratic hen house.
(sorry for the  pun)

Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Diane S. Shapiro	Republican	63
Dorothy A. Brown	Democratic	64

Shapiro's statement on the Board of Elections site is not very promising - but  the Wikipedia article on Brown suggests that it's time to end her 16 year incumbency.

Recorder, Cook County

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Karen A. Yarbrough	Democratic	65

Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD

6 Year Term, Vote For 3

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Barbara McGowan	Democratic	51
Mariyana T. Spyropoulos	Democratic	52
Josina Morita	Democratic	53
Karen Roothaan	Green	54
George Milkowski	Green	55
Michael Smith	Green	56

Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD (Unexpired Term)

2 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Herb Schumann	Republican	57
Martin J. Durkan	Democratic	58
Christopher Anthony	Green	59

I always vote Green on the Water Reclamation positions. Their idealism should be acknowledged.

Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Epstein)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Eileen O'Neill Burke	Democratic	71

Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Quinn)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Bertina E. Lampkin	Democratic	72

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Biebel, Jr.)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
John Fitzgerald Lyke, Jr.	Democratic	73

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Elrod)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Rossana Patricia Fernandez	Democratic	74

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Hogan)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Alison C. Conlon	Democratic	75

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Howlett, Jr.)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Aleksandra 'Alex' Gillespie	Democratic	76

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Johnson)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Carolyn J. Gallagher	Democratic	77

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Karnezis)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Mary Kathleen McHugh	Democratic	78

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Love)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Brendan A. O'Brien	Democratic	79

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of O'Brien)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Maureen O'Donoghue Hannon	Democratic	80

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Palmer)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Susana L. Ortiz	Democratic	81

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Ruscitti Grussel)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Daniel Patrick Duffy	Democratic	82

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Walsh)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Patrick Joseph Powers	Democratic	83

Judge, 7th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Burrell)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Marianne Jackson	Democratic	92

Judge, 7th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Rivkin-Carothers)

4 Year Term, Vote For 1

Candidate Name	Party	Ballot #
Patricia 'Pat' S. Spratt	Democratic	94

(note: I'm voting to retain all judges except those with an 83% approval rating from a summary of all endorsements)

Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Joy Virginia Cunningham	201	202

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Sophia H. Hall	203	204

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Irwin J. Solganick	205	206

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Alexander Patrick White	207	208

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Vincent Michael Gaughan	209	210

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Robert W. Bertucci	211	212

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Deborah Mary Dooling	213	214

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Timothy C. Evans	215	216

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Cheyrl D. Ingram	217	218

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Raymond L. Jagielski	219	220

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Bertina E. Lampkin	221	222

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
William Maki	223	224

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Sharon Marie Sullivan	225	226

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
James Patrick McCarthy	227	228

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Arnette R. Hubbard	229	230

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Nicholas R. Ford	231	232

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Charles Patrick Burns	233	234

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Denise Kathleen Filan	235	236

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
John Patrick Kirby	237	238

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Diane Joan Larsen	239	240

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Daniel Joseph Lynch	241	242

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Kathleen Mary Pantle	243	244

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Kevin Michael Sheehan	245	246

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
John D. Turner, Jr.	247	248

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
LeRoy K. Martin, Jr.	249	250

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Paula Marie Daleo	251	252

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Laurence J. Dunford	253	254

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Robert Balanoff	255	256

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Jeanne R. Cleveland Bernstein	257	258

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Kathleen Marie Burke	259	260

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Kay Marie Hanlon	261	262

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Thomas J. Kelley	263	264

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Clare Elizabeth McWilliams	265	266

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Mary Lane Mikva	267	268

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Patrick T. Murphy	269	270

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Timothy Patrick Murphy	271	272

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Jim Ryan	273	274

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Edward 'Ed' Washington, II	275	276

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Thaddeus L. Wilson	277	278

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
John C. Griffin	279	280

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Daniel James Pierce	281	282

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Allen F. Murphy	283	284

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
William H. Hooks	285	286

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Thomas V. Lyons	287	288

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Raymond W. Mitchell	289	290

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Edward Harmening	291	292

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Daniel Malone	293	294

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Geary W. Kull	295	296

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
John P. Callahan, Jr.	297	298

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Steven James Bernstein	299	300

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Bonita Coleman	301	302

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Ann Finley Collins	303	304

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Daniel J. Gallagher	305	306

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Sharon O. Johnson	307	308

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Linzey D. Jones	309	310

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Terry MacCarthy	311	312

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Sandra G. Ramos	313	314

Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)

Candidate Name	Yes	No
Susan Kennedy Sullivan	315	316

Title	Question	Yes	No
Proposed Amendment to the Illinois Constitution	NOTICE THE FAILURE TO VOTE THIS BALLOT MAY BE THE EQUIVALENT OF A NEGATIVE VOTE, BECAUSE A CONVENTION SHALL BE CALLED OR THE AMENDMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE IF APPROVED BY EITHER THREE-FIFTHS OF THOSE VOTING ON THE QUESTION OR A MAJORITY OF THOSE VOTING IN THE ELECTION. (THIS IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A DIRECTION THAT YOUR VOTE IS REQUIRED TO BE CAST EITHER IN FAVOR OF OR IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSITION HEREIN CONTAINED.) WHETHER YOU VOTE THIS BALLOT OR NOT YOU MUST RETURN IT TO THE ELECTION JUDGE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE VOTING BOOTH. CONSTITUTION BALLOT PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE 1970 ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION Explanation of Amendment The proposed amendment adds a new section to the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution. The proposed amendment provides that no moneys derived from taxes, fees, excises, or license taxes, relating to registration, titles, operation, or use of vehicles or public highways, roads, streets, bridges, mass transit, intercity passenger rail, ports, or airports, or motor fuels, including bond proceeds, shall be expended for other than costs of administering laws related to vehicles and transportation, costs for construction, reconstruction, maintenance, repair, and betterment of public highways, roads, streets, bridges, mass transit, intercity passenger rail, ports, airports, or other forms of transportation, and other statutory highway purposes, including the State or local share to match federal aid highway funds. You are asked to decide whether the proposed amendment should become part of the Illinois Constitution. For the proposed addition of Section 11 to Article IX of the Illinois Constitution. Should user fees be spent to support the service rendered? That makes sense to me - especially since in this case, the money is actually needed  to maintain infrastructure.
Countywide, Merge Offices	Shall the Office of the Cook County Recorder of Deeds be eliminated and all duties and responsibilities of the Office of the Cook County Recorder of Deeds be transferred to, and assumed by, the Office of the Cook County Clerk by December 7, 2020? Both positions are traditionally reserved for Democratic party hacks.  Why pay for two when we can get by with one ?
Countywide, Earned Sick Time	Shall Illinois enact the Earned Sick Time for Employees Act which will allow Illinois workers to earn up to 40 hours of sick time a year to take care of their own health or a family member's health? If we can distinguish between what it would be nice from what should be required for employers to do -- paid sick leave would be the former.
Proviso Township, Amend Constitution	Should the United States Constitution be amended to clearly state that only individual persons, and not corporations, associations, or any other organizational entities are entitled to the rights enumerated in the Constitution?
Proviso Township, Fossil Fuels	Shall all levels of government including federal, state, county, and municipal districts cease purchasing securities in the fossil fuel industry in order to break the hold of fossil fuel corporations on markets and governments and bring about a swift transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy?
Proviso Township, Climate Change	Shall our Representatives and Senators in the U.S. Congress sponsor and/or support measures that will: Acknowledge the serious threat posed by climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a clear, transparent and effective way?

I won't spend any time thinking about fanciful, feel-good-only proposals. 


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