President of the United States:
Barack Obama & Joe Biden
Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan
I don't ever remember such a contentious election, cranked up by the deep pockets of conservative causes and new laws that allow unlimited spending. And having an African American as the target for their no-compromise fury has probably cranked it up even more -- just as it did in Chicago politics when Harold Washington became mayor.
This has become a referendum on the role of American central government, driven by powerful economic players who don't want to be controlled by it and riding on the compelling ideology of Freedom, the one ideal that Americans share the most.
This is also the first election to which I have ever made a contribution, figuring that's an inescapable responsibility to even the playing field for candidates who represent public rather than private interests.
So now I get an email, or two, every day soliciting me for additional contributions, driving me to finally just mark all communications from the Obama campaign as spam
Yes, winning is important, and money is important to winning.
But winning isn't everything -- and it's a shame that the campaign does not realize its potential to be a source of information as well as sales pitches.
*******************************************************************
But even if his campaign emails are annoying, Barack Obama has got to be the best President for whom I have ever voted. He had lots of help from Dubya whose unpopularity gave him both the Presidency and both houses of Congress, so we could finally have something like national healthcare and begin to re-regulate the financial industry. Unlike Clinton, he hasn't done a pratfall with personal misbehavior. He's a smart, serious, and competent guy. And I don't think it's coincidental that Bin Laden was finally hunted down and killed during his tenure as commander in chief.
By the way, I do support both Dubya's invasion of Afghanistan and Obama's war on the Taliban, as an appropriate response to that regime's support of international terrorism. Even if it appears that they will return to power the moment our troops leave the country.
*******************************************************************
Representative, 7th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Danny K. Davis
Rita Zak
John H. Monaghan
Rita Zak's website offers absolutely nothing besides a purely ideological "freedom" rant.
But at least that's more than John H. Monaghan offers. He's got no website and didn't even care to fill the Chicago Tribune's questionnaire. What a cipher!
Once again, Danny K.Davis has no serious opposition. He doesn't appear to offer an independent mind concerning anything, and if you look at his campaign website, it appears that he is not running. He's just sitting -- waiting for an automatic return to office. But after his endorsement of Rory Hoskins in our local state primary, I'm inclined to give him some respect. He's not completely asleep at the wheel.
*******************************************
State Senator, 4th District
Vote For 1
Kimberly A. Lightford Democratic
State Representative, 7th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
And shamefully enough, Lightford and all the other non-judicial candidates on our ballot are running unopposed.
This is NOT democracy at work.
This is the consequence of a failed local Republican party.
***********************************************
Emanuel "Chris" Welch Democratic
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD
And nowhere is that failure more painful than in the unopposed candidacy of this self-serving charlatan who has been abusing our local school district for the past decade.
I'm going to write-in Rory Hoskins, his opponent who narrowly lost the primary, but who would have won if Republicans had voted in it.
************************************************
Metropolitan Water Reclamation
6 Year Term, Vote For 3
A good job for environmental activists - so mostly I'm picking the Green Party
Debra Shore Democratic 41 --- yes
Kari K. Steele Democratic 42
Patrick Daley Thompson Democratic 43
Harold "Noonie" Ward Republican 44
Carl Segvich Republican 45
Dave Ehrlich Green Party 46------------yes
Karen Roothaan Green Party 47
Nasrin R. Khalili Green Party 48........yes
*******************************************************
State's Attorney, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Anita Alvarez Democratic 51
Lori S. Yokoyama Republican 52........ yes
Much as it pains me to vote for a partisan Republican, it makes no sense to forever have a Democratic State's attorney in a such a solid Democratic county.
*********************************************************
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Dorothy A. Brown Democratic 53 ..... yes
Diane S. Shapiro Republican 54
It does appear that Brown badly needs to be replaced by someone less like a party hack -- but I cannot bring myself to vote for the shrewish right wing ideologue who is running against her.
***********************************************************
Recorder, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot
#
Karen A. Yarbrough Democratic 55
Sherri Griffith Republican 56................. yes
This job is a patronage rat's nest for career politicians - and I don't see why it should be a fiefdom of the democratic party. Here's another opportunity to encourage no encourage non-radical Republicans to participate in local government
*****************************************************************
Here's the judicial candidates that have gotten the most negative evaluations:
Cynthia Brim
Christophoer Donnelly
James Egan
Pamela Hill-Veal
Gloria Chevere
*******************************************
State Supreme Court: Theis .... yes
4th subcircuit:
Gallagher, Maloney
*********************************************
Referendum:..... Yes
The new section would require a three-fifths majority vote of each chamber of the General Assembly, or the governing body of a unit of local government, school district, or pension or retirement system, in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system
Two groups oppose this measure:
the unions for public employees -- because it affects their opportunities for better pensions
right wing nut cases --- because they oppose anything proposed by Democratic leadership
So it looks like a good idea to me. The problem with pension benefits is that they are easier to give than salary raises because they affect budgets of the future, not the present.
Which is exactly why it should be made more difficult to give them.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
2012 - Interview with a billionaire
Already having enough ways to waste time, I try to limit my political interests to specific electoral contests.
But since an election is now pending -- and since our local newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, has offered this fine interview with local billionaire, Kenneth Griffith, I thought I might waste a few minutes responding to his ideas.
The first interesting topic to be raised were the recent tax breaks that the State of Illinois gave Sears and the Chicago Board of Trade to keep their central offices in Illinios.
Griffith said that"as morally corrupt as it is for me to imagine asking for that check, it is profoundly more corrupt for the state to pay it."
So then, the journalist, Melissa Harris, asked him whether he would speak about that moral corruption with his colleague, Eddie Lampert, the Chairman of Sears Holdings.
To which Griffith replied: That's not fair; given CEOs have duties to their shareholders. If the state's willing to hand out gifts, there are many who feel compelled to go get them.
But a payment that has been extorted could hardly be called a "gift", could it? Sears was threatening to move to another state in order to get the tax breaks that the Governor of Illinois eventually gave to them.
Currently, American law allows the states to pay companies to locate within them, but does not allow them to demand payment from companies when they pick up and leave. Perhaps that unbalance ought to be changed, but it does not appear that Griffith has expressed any interest in that larger issue.
It's also interesting to note that Griffith does not mention the duties that a CEO might have to anyone other than the shareholders.
The next issue to surface was gambling.
Griffith has made many contributions to local politicians and the one issue that he has raised with them is casinos.
He doesn't want any in the city of Chicago.
Melissa Harris then asked him how speculation in the stock market was any different from gambling in a casino, to which Griffth replied:
I think there's a huge difference. Gambling is entertainment. We have great destinations for that, like Las Vegas. Just not in Chicago. Financial markets, what one often refers to as speculation, is really the force by which we move capital to the best and highest use. Investors who find the best businesses to put their money behind are rewarded for their research. It's not the prettiest way you can ever imagine to allocate capital. But if you look across the entire world, it's the best way we know to allocate capital.
Ok - so if gambling is entertainment, one still might ask why it does not belong in the city of Chicago where entertainment is a major industry.
And businesses that own casinos can be traded on the stock exchanges just like any other, can't they? So wouldn't they qualify as "the best and highest use" as they attract investment?
Just how did that notion of "best and highest" get attached to financial investments anyway? That makes the financial markets part of an ideology, a belief system, rather than just the practical matter of either raising cash or looking for high returns on investment.
Griffith is more than a little sensitive about the morality of gambling, possibly because he recognizes that his own career was built upon taking risks for the benefit of nobody but oneself.
The next issue was his relationship with, and his admiration for, the Koch brothers "primarily because I share their fundamental belief that economic freedom is core to the ethos of our country. It's the idea that any person can pursue their dreams, whether it's starting a business or who they choose to work for. It's made America America. Our founding fathers came to the country for freedom and the Kochs embrace this idea of economic freedom in a way I rarely see put forth today
It would be more accurate to say that the founding fathers embraced the idea of freedom for some and slavery for others, and that the change to the idea of freedom for all required a civil war and then a hundred years of patience and determination.
But it's more important to realize that nobody is currently challenging anyone's freedom to "pursue their dreams, whether it's starting a business or who they choose to work for." -- unless those pursuits are deemed harmful to others.
Once upon a time, it was reasonable to be concerned about the USSR and Communism, but that disappeared in 1990, and actually was in decline for the 40 years previous.
Then Melissa Harris asks a good question:
Don't you also see how some of their (the Koch brothers) ideas are economically reckless, in that they involve pretty much a destruction of our regulatory system?
In response, Griffith totally avoided the issue of regulation, but raises, instead, the issue of government subsidizing green industry, like the support that was given to the now-defunct Solyndra company - reminding us how the principles of that company contributed to the Obama campaign and exemplified the Koch brothers' belief that
" it's a matter of principle first and foremost that where government finds itself involved, corruption finds itself at the table."
But happily, Harris holds him to her question and asks whether government has a right to regulate a company (like Midwest Generation) to keep it from polluting the Chicago neighborhoods near its facility - and Griffith must concede that :
"no company is entitled to engage in acts that hurt innocent third parties." (regardless, one presumes, of how the revocation of that entitlement infringes on their right to pursue their American dream)
At this point, Harris returns to an issue raised earlier, the access and influence that wealthy contributor have upon the political candidates whom they sponsor.
Is it too much?
Those who have enjoyed the benefits of our system more than ever now owe a duty to protect the system that has created the greatest nation on this planet. And so I hope that other individuals who have really enjoyed growing up in a country that believes in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness "
As you can see, Griffith is quite idealistic in his response, and I do feel that his idealism is genuine, if self serving. But he has, indeed, avoided the question which asked whether super-wealthy people had too much influence on the American political process, rather than whether each one had the responsibility to contribute as much as he could.
There are many highly responsible career paths, in education, the military, scientific research, medicine etc that will never make a person super-wealthy. So one might ask whether our political process is best served by skewing it towards the interests of those professions that specialize in building wealth.
At this moment in time, these values are under attack. This belief that a larger government is what creates prosperity, that a larger government is what creates good (is wrong). We've seen that experiment. The Soviet Union collapsed. China has run away from its state-controlled system over the last 20 years and has pulled more people up from poverty by doing so than we've ever seen in the history of humanity
Has Chinese capitalism run away from the state -- or has it been sponsored by a one-party system that controls and has been enriched by it? (sort of like the local politics of Chicago) And will it be sustainable without an endless pool of peasant workers willing to work for negligible wages?
Griffith's capitalist idealism is sustained by a rather narrow and distorted view of both American and world history.
Finally, Harris takes us to Griffith's primarily concern with politics: the regulation of the financial industry.
Is the crash of 2008 analgous to the pollution caused by unregulated factories?
Griffith pins it mostly on a corrupt and inept government programs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but allows that there was a "lack of discipline" on Wall Street that contributed to the disaster.
Here's the concluding exchange:
Q. How would you try to convey to someone on the street, that you and your ilk are not evil? How would try to explain to them that you're not just acting out of self-interest? What would you say to them to make them trust you?
A. (45 second pause.) I think if you look at the realm we're discussing, which is the political realm, I think it would be impossible to find an action by any politician intended to specifically favor either my firm or myself. That's not the driver of my involvement. And with respect to the role my firm plays, I'm proud that we've created well over 1,000 high-paying jobs in Chicago, and I'm very proud of the involvement of my leadership team in the city.
Since Griffith equates economic self interest with public interest, I'm one person on the street who is not inclined to trust him to act for anyone's benefit other than his own.
And if he has never sought a specific favor from a politican, I would guess that it's only because the opportunity has not yet arisen.
After all, in his mind, he would only be asking for "a gift"
But since an election is now pending -- and since our local newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, has offered this fine interview with local billionaire, Kenneth Griffith, I thought I might waste a few minutes responding to his ideas.
The first interesting topic to be raised were the recent tax breaks that the State of Illinois gave Sears and the Chicago Board of Trade to keep their central offices in Illinios.
Griffith said that"as morally corrupt as it is for me to imagine asking for that check, it is profoundly more corrupt for the state to pay it."
So then, the journalist, Melissa Harris, asked him whether he would speak about that moral corruption with his colleague, Eddie Lampert, the Chairman of Sears Holdings.
To which Griffith replied: That's not fair; given CEOs have duties to their shareholders. If the state's willing to hand out gifts, there are many who feel compelled to go get them.
But a payment that has been extorted could hardly be called a "gift", could it? Sears was threatening to move to another state in order to get the tax breaks that the Governor of Illinois eventually gave to them.
Currently, American law allows the states to pay companies to locate within them, but does not allow them to demand payment from companies when they pick up and leave. Perhaps that unbalance ought to be changed, but it does not appear that Griffith has expressed any interest in that larger issue.
It's also interesting to note that Griffith does not mention the duties that a CEO might have to anyone other than the shareholders.
The next issue to surface was gambling.
Griffith has made many contributions to local politicians and the one issue that he has raised with them is casinos.
He doesn't want any in the city of Chicago.
Melissa Harris then asked him how speculation in the stock market was any different from gambling in a casino, to which Griffth replied:
I think there's a huge difference. Gambling is entertainment. We have great destinations for that, like Las Vegas. Just not in Chicago. Financial markets, what one often refers to as speculation, is really the force by which we move capital to the best and highest use. Investors who find the best businesses to put their money behind are rewarded for their research. It's not the prettiest way you can ever imagine to allocate capital. But if you look across the entire world, it's the best way we know to allocate capital.
Ok - so if gambling is entertainment, one still might ask why it does not belong in the city of Chicago where entertainment is a major industry.
And businesses that own casinos can be traded on the stock exchanges just like any other, can't they? So wouldn't they qualify as "the best and highest use" as they attract investment?
Just how did that notion of "best and highest" get attached to financial investments anyway? That makes the financial markets part of an ideology, a belief system, rather than just the practical matter of either raising cash or looking for high returns on investment.
Griffith is more than a little sensitive about the morality of gambling, possibly because he recognizes that his own career was built upon taking risks for the benefit of nobody but oneself.
The next issue was his relationship with, and his admiration for, the Koch brothers "primarily because I share their fundamental belief that economic freedom is core to the ethos of our country. It's the idea that any person can pursue their dreams, whether it's starting a business or who they choose to work for. It's made America America. Our founding fathers came to the country for freedom and the Kochs embrace this idea of economic freedom in a way I rarely see put forth today
It would be more accurate to say that the founding fathers embraced the idea of freedom for some and slavery for others, and that the change to the idea of freedom for all required a civil war and then a hundred years of patience and determination.
But it's more important to realize that nobody is currently challenging anyone's freedom to "pursue their dreams, whether it's starting a business or who they choose to work for." -- unless those pursuits are deemed harmful to others.
Once upon a time, it was reasonable to be concerned about the USSR and Communism, but that disappeared in 1990, and actually was in decline for the 40 years previous.
Then Melissa Harris asks a good question:
Don't you also see how some of their (the Koch brothers) ideas are economically reckless, in that they involve pretty much a destruction of our regulatory system?
In response, Griffith totally avoided the issue of regulation, but raises, instead, the issue of government subsidizing green industry, like the support that was given to the now-defunct Solyndra company - reminding us how the principles of that company contributed to the Obama campaign and exemplified the Koch brothers' belief that
" it's a matter of principle first and foremost that where government finds itself involved, corruption finds itself at the table."
But happily, Harris holds him to her question and asks whether government has a right to regulate a company (like Midwest Generation) to keep it from polluting the Chicago neighborhoods near its facility - and Griffith must concede that :
"no company is entitled to engage in acts that hurt innocent third parties." (regardless, one presumes, of how the revocation of that entitlement infringes on their right to pursue their American dream)
At this point, Harris returns to an issue raised earlier, the access and influence that wealthy contributor have upon the political candidates whom they sponsor.
Is it too much?
Those who have enjoyed the benefits of our system more than ever now owe a duty to protect the system that has created the greatest nation on this planet. And so I hope that other individuals who have really enjoyed growing up in a country that believes in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness "
As you can see, Griffith is quite idealistic in his response, and I do feel that his idealism is genuine, if self serving. But he has, indeed, avoided the question which asked whether super-wealthy people had too much influence on the American political process, rather than whether each one had the responsibility to contribute as much as he could.
There are many highly responsible career paths, in education, the military, scientific research, medicine etc that will never make a person super-wealthy. So one might ask whether our political process is best served by skewing it towards the interests of those professions that specialize in building wealth.
At this moment in time, these values are under attack. This belief that a larger government is what creates prosperity, that a larger government is what creates good (is wrong). We've seen that experiment. The Soviet Union collapsed. China has run away from its state-controlled system over the last 20 years and has pulled more people up from poverty by doing so than we've ever seen in the history of humanity
Has Chinese capitalism run away from the state -- or has it been sponsored by a one-party system that controls and has been enriched by it? (sort of like the local politics of Chicago) And will it be sustainable without an endless pool of peasant workers willing to work for negligible wages?
Griffith's capitalist idealism is sustained by a rather narrow and distorted view of both American and world history.
Finally, Harris takes us to Griffith's primarily concern with politics: the regulation of the financial industry.
Is the crash of 2008 analgous to the pollution caused by unregulated factories?
Griffith pins it mostly on a corrupt and inept government programs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but allows that there was a "lack of discipline" on Wall Street that contributed to the disaster.
Here's the concluding exchange:
Q. How would you try to convey to someone on the street, that you and your ilk are not evil? How would try to explain to them that you're not just acting out of self-interest? What would you say to them to make them trust you?
A. (45 second pause.) I think if you look at the realm we're discussing, which is the political realm, I think it would be impossible to find an action by any politician intended to specifically favor either my firm or myself. That's not the driver of my involvement. And with respect to the role my firm plays, I'm proud that we've created well over 1,000 high-paying jobs in Chicago, and I'm very proud of the involvement of my leadership team in the city.
Since Griffith equates economic self interest with public interest, I'm one person on the street who is not inclined to trust him to act for anyone's benefit other than his own.
And if he has never sought a specific favor from a politican, I would guess that it's only because the opportunity has not yet arisen.
After all, in his mind, he would only be asking for "a gift"
Thursday, February 9, 2012
2012 - March Primary (Democratic)
One last mailer, on the weekend of the election, has helped me make some choices in several contests.
It's a cooperative effort among many candidates, including Chris Welch.
Since his mis-behavior as a public official is a matter of public record (as explained below), his endorsement by all the other candidates listed on the flyer is serious mark against their sincere interest in public service.
So they have made my job a lot easier.
........................................................
U.S. Representative: 7th District
Jacques A. Conway
Danny K. Davis
I might just sit this one out.
Davis is so complacent, he hasn't yet changed his campaign website from the February 2010 primary.
While Conway seems to be in over his head. He recently resigned his elected position on the Oak Park school board because he was too busy with personal matters -- but now he wants to run for Congress?
And apparently he's still too busy to make his own campaign website.
State Representative : 7th District
Emanuel "Chris" Welch
Princess C. Dempsey
Beyonca Johnson
Rory Hoskins
Some relevant journalism:
Here's the report of Welch using the Proviso 90 School District funds (he's been chairman of the board) to defend himself from a lawsuit for libelous statements published on an anonymous blog that was proven to be his.
And here's the report regarding the aftermath of a relationship he had with a school district employee, Beyonca Johnson, whom he fired after they broke up and who is now running against him in this election.
Sounds like Welch and Johnson should be in the Jerry Springer show, not the Illinois state house.
Princess Dempsey still seems to be all about herself.
Hoskins served admirably on the Forest Park city council, providing an alternative to the voice of the majority. I'm voting for him.
This campaign has featured many mailings, and I don't want to know where all the cash came from to pay for them.
But the above is the most pathetic - as Welch compares himself to Barack Obama, suggesting that an endorsement might run in both directions.
Here's the flip side of the above mailing, with the list of who actually has endorsed Chris Welch.
The various suburban mayors and teachers unions like to trade favors, but why is the Sierra Club endorsing a candidate who has a negligable record on the environment and a damning record otherwise ?
And it's interesting to find two Cook County Commissioners, Earlean Collins and Jeff Tobolski on the list.
I won't be voting for them anytime soon.
----------------------
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Vote For 3
Stella B. Black
Debra Shore Democratic -- NO
Kari K. Steele Democratic --- NO
Patrick Daley Thompson Democratic
Patricia Young Democratic
Patricia Horton
------------------------
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County
Dorothy A. Brown Democratic
Ricardo Munoz
------------------------
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Cahill)
Pamela E. Hill-Veal Democratic 111
Mathias William Delort Democratic 112 --- NO
Kay Marie Hanlon Democratic 113
Mary Brigid Hayes Democratic 114 -- YES
James Michael McGing Democratic 115
Laura Marie Sullivan Democratic 116
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Johnson Coleman)
Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr. Democratic 117 -- YES
Kathleen G. Kennedy Democratic 118
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of Gallagher)
Patrick J. Sherlock Democratic 119
P. Scott Neville, Jr. Democratic 120 --- NO
Marguerite Anne Quinn Democratic 121
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of O'Brien)
Jesse G. Reyes Democratic 122 --- NO
Rodolfo (Rudy) Garcia Democratic 123
William Stewart Boyd Democratic 124 --- yes
Ellen L. Flannigan Democratic 125 ---- no
Don R. Sampen Democratic 126
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Conlon)
Karen Lynn O'Malley Democratic 141 -- YES
Jo Anne Hopson Guillemette Democratic 142 --- no
Stanley L. Hill, Sr. Democratic 143 -- NO
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Kirie Kinnaird)
Kevin Cunningham Democratic 145 -- YES
Erica L. Reddick Democratic 146 -- NO
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Moran)
Vote For 1
Russell W. Hartigan Democratic 147
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of O'Brien, Jr.)
Vote For 1
Cynthia Ramirez Democratic 149
Gerald V. Cleary Democratic 150 --- yes
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of O'Mara Frossard)
Nichole C. Patton Democratic 151
Kevin W. Horan Democratic 152 ---- yes
Diann Karen Marsalek Democratic 153
Rodrick F. Wimberly Democratic 154
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Pucinski)
Edward J. Maloney Democratic 156 --- yes
Lorna Ellen Propes Democratic 157 -- NO
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Simmons, Jr.)
Michael A. Forti Democratic 158
Jessica A. O'Brien Democratic 159 -- yes
James A. Wright Democratic 160
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Stewart)
Pamela M. Leeming Democratic 161 --- yes
Terrence M Jordan Democratic 162
Deidre Baumann Democratic 163
Mary Margaret Burke Democratic 164
Sammy W. Lacey Jr. Democratic 165
Rhonda Sallee Democratic 166
Steve Demitro Democratic 167
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Ward)
Alfred M. Swanson, Jr. Democratic 169
Denise Marie Nalley Democratic 170 --- no
Elizabeth Mary Hayes Democratic 171 --- no
Joan Marie Kubalanza Democratic 172
Peter J. Vilkelis Democratic 173 -- yes
Brian J. Stephenson
Judge, 7th Subcircuit (Vacancy of Toney)
Arthur P. Wheatley Democratic 187 --- yes
Mable Taylor Democratic 188
Kimberly D. Lewis Democratic 189
Mark Battaglia Democratic 190
Saturday, March 26, 2011
2011 - Deja Vu
Look Familiar?
This is almost identical
to the last minute
attack flier
mailed out in the
2007 election
except then it was called
the "Proviso First Party"
and it consisted of
Robin Foreman, Carla D. Johnson, and Robert Cox.
Even though the flier decried
the district's miserable test scores
demanding that the leadership
be held accountable,
when elected, they turned around
and voted to return the incumbent, Chris Welch,
as President of the Proviso District 209 School Board.
(this time, Theresa Kelly
is still on the hit list,
but Robin Foreman must have
fallen out with her cronies,
so she is being attacked now, as well)
It's these kind of antics
that continue to make the strongest argument
against having public schools at all.
There is not enough public interest
to provide any kind electoral control
over self-serving politicians.
(Note: the Forest Park Review
has refused to endorse
any of the candidates at all
as
"the downward spiral of District 209 continues")
Saturday, March 19, 2011
2011 - Proviso Elections
Proviso Township High School District 209
4 Year Term, Vote For 3
There is incredibly little informaton about any of these candidates.
From what I can gather, the following slate supports Chris Welch,
the incumbent President of the Board and
poster child for self-serving politics.
Readith Ester (once ran on the Serpico slate for Melrose Park)
Francine Harrell
Eduardo "Eddie" Anguiano
joining them on Welch side is incumbent, Robin Foreman
Opposing them are the following:
Carlos Anderson
Frank Montgomery
Theresa L. Kelly
Megan E. Sawa (who is the only one to put anything on the internet)
Kelly is a long time adversary of Welch, Anderson ran for the board last time, and Sawa actually has something to say -- so those three get my vote.
************
Board Member, Forest Park School District 91
4 Year Term, Vote For 3
John A. Tricoci, Jr.
Rafael Rosa
Francis J. Mott
Sean A. Blaylock
There is absolutely nothing
about of these people on the internet.
Shouldn't a member of a school board
be interested in something/anything
enough to be posting something about it?
Since Mott and Rosa are incumbents,
and still remain invisible,
I'm inclined to vote for their opponents.
*************
Trustee, Triton Community College District 504
6 Year Term, Vote For 2
The only information is found here
Jesus "Jay" Reyes (incumbent by appointment)
Roberto "Bobby" Sepulveda
Donna Leoni Peluso (incumbent)
Elizabeth Ann Potter
Ms. Potter wouldn't even be interviewed
for the above newspaper article,
so I'm writing her off.
Nothing stands out about any of the others,
even Ms. Peluso who has been on the board
for nearly 20 years.
And none of them seem to have
anything like intellectual interests.
It seems to be all about business, business, business.
I might not vote on this one at all.
4 Year Term, Vote For 3
There is incredibly little informaton about any of these candidates.
From what I can gather, the following slate supports Chris Welch,
the incumbent President of the Board and
poster child for self-serving politics.
Readith Ester (once ran on the Serpico slate for Melrose Park)
Francine Harrell
Eduardo "Eddie" Anguiano
joining them on Welch side is incumbent, Robin Foreman
Opposing them are the following:
Carlos Anderson
Frank Montgomery
Theresa L. Kelly
Megan E. Sawa (who is the only one to put anything on the internet)
Kelly is a long time adversary of Welch, Anderson ran for the board last time, and Sawa actually has something to say -- so those three get my vote.
************
Board Member, Forest Park School District 91
4 Year Term, Vote For 3
John A. Tricoci, Jr.
Rafael Rosa
Francis J. Mott
Sean A. Blaylock
There is absolutely nothing
about of these people on the internet.
Shouldn't a member of a school board
be interested in something/anything
enough to be posting something about it?
Since Mott and Rosa are incumbents,
and still remain invisible,
I'm inclined to vote for their opponents.
*************
Trustee, Triton Community College District 504
6 Year Term, Vote For 2
The only information is found here
Jesus "Jay" Reyes (incumbent by appointment)
Roberto "Bobby" Sepulveda
Donna Leoni Peluso (incumbent)
Elizabeth Ann Potter
Ms. Potter wouldn't even be interviewed
for the above newspaper article,
so I'm writing her off.
Nothing stands out about any of the others,
even Ms. Peluso who has been on the board
for nearly 20 years.
And none of them seem to have
anything like intellectual interests.
It seems to be all about business, business, business.
I might not vote on this one at all.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
2011 - Forest Park Elections
The defining moment in Calderone's last term, at least as I see it, was choosing a personal friend and ally, instead of an urban professional, to be Village Manager.
Along with accepting donations from city contractors, this is why so many concerned citizens complain about him and possibly why he was unable to push through the two most recent major developments (the YMCA and the Roos Building.)
So I would probably vote for anybody else - just to get a new face in there and open up new possibilities.
But, thankfully, Tellalian seems to be an honest, serious, efficient alternative.
****************
Candidates for Commissioner (vote for 4)
Michael R. Curry (incumbent)
Matthew Walsh
Eric D. Connor
Chris Harris
Rory Hoskins (incumbent)
Mark S. Hosty (incumbent)
Steven R. Johnsen
Samuel J. Tarara
Tad P. Mossell
Elsie Norberg
Tom Mannix
Why would anybody run for office and not at least put up something on the internet, even if its only a free Facebook page?
So Tarara, Mossell, and Norberg are eliminated immediately.
Matthew Walsh appears to be a fine young man, but he shows no more thoughtful maturity on his website than one would expect from a high school senior.
Hosty and Curry are incumbent members of Calderone's council majority, and their websites show it -- i.e. they have nothing to say (and Curry hasn't changed his since the 2007 election - why bother?).
It does not appear that they intend to be independent minds in the council deliberations, so why vote for either one?
Tom Mannix is the fellow whose mother challenged the petitions of so many of his opponents. His responses to the questionnaire seem shallow, and since he doesn't mention it, I'm beginning to wonder whether he's ever even held a job.
So....
that leaves me with 4:
*Connor
*Harris
*Hoskins
*Johnson
*Hoskins has experience and he's been willing to flout the council majority.
*Johnson has a very heavy resume and also pledges not to take contributions from those doing business with the village.
*Harris at least took the time to answer the candidate questionnaire.
*And I don't know what to say about Connor except that at least he's a few years older
than Walsh.
***********
Commissioner, Forest Park Park District
6 Year Term, Vote For 2
John R Hosty
Cathleen M. McDermott
Roy J Sansone
McDermott and Sansone are the incumbents,
but I can find nothing
about them or the third candidate.
So, I probably just won't vote on this one.
Friday, October 15, 2010
2010 - General elections
Senator, U.S.
6 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Mark Steven Kirk Republican 1
Alexander "Alexi" Giannoulias Democratic 2
LeAlan M. Jones Green Party 3
Mike Labno Libertarian 4
The Obama presidency has been so extraordinary, this year's congressional election is nothing less than a plebiscite on whether we wish it to continue - so the personal records of the candidates have become relevant.
Do I agree with Obama's attempt to extend health care to the un-insurable and control the financial markets so that they can't again be mainipulated to provide short-term wealth for players and long-term catastrophe for everyone else?
You bet I do - and I'm not buying the bone-headed American fundamentalism that conflates liberty with anarchy.
The job of government is to regulate for the public interest - the job of everyone else is to create, manage, invest, execute etc.
But in any other circumstance, I might be tempted to vote for Mark Kirk who might possibly accomplish more as a moderate Republican than Giannoulias would achieve as a liberal Democrat--- and God knows, the world needs more moderate Republicans
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Bill Brady & Jason Plummer Republican 17
Pat Quinn & Sheila Simon Democratic 18
Rich Whitney & Don W. Crawford Green Party 19
Lex Green & Ed Rutledge Libertarian 20
Scott Lee Cohen & Baxter B. Swilley Independent 22
Illinois has had a bad track record with governors lately - with one in prison and the other fighting hard to stay out. So honesty is a top priority as far as I'm concerned.
Quinn has proven himself to be a public service kind of public servant for many decades.
While, right off the bat, Brady is running an oblique campaign -- i.e. he's running against Obama instead of running for governor of Illinois -- by making "free market opportunities" and private health care issues in the campaign statement linked to the Cook County Clerk's website.
Attorney General, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Steve Kim Republican 24
Lisa Madigan Democratic 25
David F. Black Green Party 26
Bill Malan Libertarian 27
The primary job of State's Attorney is to keep politicians honest, so I can't imagine anything more foolish than electing the daughter of the state's biggest political boss. Mike Madigan, to do it.
Nor am I impressed by David Black's shopping list of liberal causes (even if I agree with all of them)
So even though I know nothing about Steve Kim, I'm hoping he will do a good job.
Secretary of State, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Robert Enriquez Republican 30
Jesse White Democratic 31
Josh Hanson Libertarian 32
I don't see why this job should be a life-time tenancy for Jesse White, but neither of his opponents even bothered to put their bio up on the County Clerk's website.
Comptroller, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Judy Baar Topinka Republican 35
David E. Miller Democratic 36
R. Erika Schafer Green Party 37
Julie Fox Libertarian 38
This one's a tough call for me.
I personally like Judy Baar Topinka, and am glad she's getting back in politics.
But why didn't she put her bio up on the County Clerk website?
And though I have zero patience with Libertarians, I like the fact that Julie Fox touts herself as a CPA for a job that should have one.
But even more, I like that David Miller promises to put the state budget online and make it interactive. So -- he's got my vote.
Treasurer, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Dan Rutherford Republican 41
Robin Kelly Democratic 42
Scott K. Summers Green Party 43
James Pauly Libertarian 44
I've got to vote for Green candidate sometime -- and none of the other candidates bothered to represent themselves on the County Clerk's website.
Representative, 7th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Mark M. Weiman Republican 47
Danny K. Davis Democratic 48
Clarence Desmond Clemons Independent 49
Once again, elections for national representatives are a plebicite on Obama, so I've got to vote for the Democrat.
It also helps that Danny Davis is the only one who bothered to put anything up on the County Clerk's website.
State Senator, 4th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Kimberly A. Lightford Democratic 50
It's really a shame that nobody was willing to run against this life-time incumbent.
State Representative, 7th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Karen A. Yarbrough Democratic 52
Princess Cynthia Dempsey Independent 53
How can you not vote for a woman named "Princess"?
(reminds of one of the characters in Catch-22: "Major Major")
But I'm voting for Yarbrough, anyway.
Primarily because she has made voucher schools an issue (probably because our local high school district, Provise 90, is a poster-child for shameless political corruption)
But also because the Princess has no respect for English grammar, and comes accross as a frightfully stupid jock. (she plays football and teaches martial art)
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD
6 Year Term, Vote For 3
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Paul Chialdikas Republican 55
Jimmy Lee Tillman II Republican 56
Mariyana T. Spyropoulos Democratic 57
Barbara McGowan Democratic 58
Michael A. Alvarez Democratic 59
Diana Horton Green Party 60
John "Jack" Ailey Green Party 61
Nadine Bopp Green Party 62
None of these candidates stand out, so I'll just vote Green.
Who else would you want to get rid of all our shit?
Board President, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Roger A. Keats Republican 63
Toni Preckwinkle Democratic 64
Thomas Tresser Green Party 65
At least Stroger isn't running!
Tresser just sees the campaign as a soapbox, and Keats is more concerned with taxes than services.
Clerk, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Angel Garcia Republican 66
David D. Orr Democratic 67
Here's a no-brainer.
On the one hand, we have the incumbent who has many innovations to his credit, including the voter info website that is so useful to me.
On the other hand we have the challenger whose website says "Angel Garcia wants make the political process more accessible to his constituents" -- but he won't even take the time to put a bio up on the country clerk's website.
Sheriff, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Frederick Collins Republican 68
Thomas J. Dart Democratic 69
Marshall P. Lewis Green Party 70
The Green Party candidate thinks he reminds people of
"Marshal Dillion and Wayatt Earp"
But he reminds me of someone who not only can't spell,
but doesn't even care enough to have someone proof read his text.
While neither Dart nor Collins put any info up on the County Clerk site.
Collins doesn't doesn't show much on his website other than his face, and Dart doesn't even have a website.
So this is a tough race to pick - and maybe I just won't vote on it.
Treasurer, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Carol A. Morse Republican 71
Maria Pappas Democratic 72
Here's another race in which I just won't vote.
Neither candidate puts anything up on County Clerk site,
Morse has nothing to say on her website, and Pappas doesn't even have a website.
It's very depressing.
It's as if both candidates believe that the less you know about them, the better chance they have of getting elected.
Assessor, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall Republican 73
Joseph Berrios Democratic 74
Robert C. Grota Green Party 75
Forrest Claypool Independent 76
Since Berrios has directed his campaign against Claypool, I'm concluding that Claypool is his closest challenger.
And since Berrios has attacked him by creating two phony Claypool websites , he's totally lost my respect.
Plus -- I'm buying the argument made by all the Chicago newspapers that the Assessor's office has been a major asset in the toolkit of the Cook County Democratic Party.
Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall argues that she is the only candidate with experience in assessing the value of real estate, but that skill is not the most important issue here.
Commissioner, Cook County Board, 1st District
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Earlean Collins Democratic 77
Ronald Lawless Green Party 78
Incumbant Collins has been so invisible, the Chicago actually endorsed Lawless, the Green Party candidate.
And I think I will too.
Collins doesn't even have a website - I get the feeling the she's tired of doing this job, but doesn't have the gumption to quit.
.................................
Regarding the judges:
Here's some recommendations.
There's only one contested seat, and I'll vote for the candidate
who put something on the County Clerk site, Maureen Masterson Pulia
Regarding retention, here's the ones identified as bad apples:
Susan Jeanine McDunn
Dorothy F. Jones
Jeffrey Lawrence
while the Chicago Bar Association adds these two:
Dennis J. Morrissey
William D. O'Neal
(and none of them chose to speak up for themselves on the County Clerk site)
.................................
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of McNulty)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
James R. Epstein Democratic 84
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of O'Malley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Aurelia Marie Pucinski Democratic 85
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of South)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Mary Katherine Rochford Democratic 86
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Berland)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
William H. Hooks Democratic 87
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Bronstein)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Terry MacCarthy Democratic 88
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Dolan)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Susan Kennedy Sullivan Democratic 89
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Hayes)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Raymond W. Mitchell Democratic 90
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Kelley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
John Patrick Callahan, Jr. Democratic 91
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of McCarthy)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Maureen Masterson Pulia Republican 92
Daniel J. Gallagher Democratic 93
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of O'Malley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Thomas V. Lyons Democratic 94
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Riley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Sandra G. Ramos Democratic 95
Judge, Illinois Supreme Court (Retention)
Candidate Name Yes No
Charles E. Freeman 200 201
Thomas R. Fitzgerald 202 203
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Retention)
Candidate Name Yes No
Joseph Gordon 204 205
Shelvin Louise Marie Hall 206 207
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)
Candidate Name Yes No
Sophia H. Hall 208 209
Irwin J. Solganick 210 211
Alexander Patrick White 212 213
Donald J. O'Brien, Jr. 214 215
Vincent Michael Gaughan 216 217
William D. Maddux 218 219
Robert W. Bertucci 220 221
Richard J. Billik, Jr. 222 223
Jennifer Duncan Brice 224 225
Thomas Michael Davy 226 227
David Delgado 228 229
Deborah Mary Dooling 230 231
Timothy C. Evans 232 233
Allen S. Goldberg 234 235
Susan Ruscitti Grussel 236 237
Cheyrl D. Ingram 238 239
Raymond L. Jagielski 240 241
Dorothy F. Jones 242 243
Daniel E. Jordan 244 245
Carol A. Kelly 246 247
Bertina E. Lampkin 248 249
Jeffrey Lawrence 250 251
William Maki 252 253
William D. O'Neal 254 255
Robert J. Quinn 256 257
Leida J. Gonzalez Santiago 258 259
Daniel J. Sullivan 260 261
Sharon Marie Sullivan 262 263
Susan Frances Zwick 264 265
Susan Jeanine McDunn 266 267
James Patrick McCarthy 268 269
Paul P. Biebel, Jr. 270 271
Nancy J. Arnold 272 273
Arnette R. Hubbard 274 275
Thomas L. Hogan 276 277
Nicholas R. Ford 278 279
Charles Patrick Burns 280 281
Thomas P. Fecarotta, Jr. 282 283
Denise Kathleen Filan 284 285
LaQuietta J. Hardy-Campbell 286 287
Nathaniel R. Howse Jr. 288 289
John Patrick Kirby 290 291
Diane Joan Larsen 292 293
Daniel Joseph Lynch 294 295
Kathleen Mary Pantle 296 297
Kevin Michael Sheehan 298 299
Paul Stralka 300 301
John D. Turner, Jr. 302 303
LeRoy K. Martin, Jr. 304 305
Paula Marie Daleo 306 307
Laurence J. Dunford 308 309
Robert Balanoff 310 311
Jeanne R. Cleveland Bernstein 312 313
Kathleen Marie Burke 314 315
Kay Marie Hanlon 316 317
Michelle Jordan 318 319
Thomas J. Kelley 320 321
William J. Kunkle 322 323
Clare Elizabeth McWilliams 324 325
Mary Lane Mikva 326 327
Patrick T. Murphy 328 329
Timothy Patrick Murphy 330 331
Sheryl Ann Pethers 332 333
Jim Ryan 334 335
Edward "Ed" Washington, II 336 337
6 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Mark Steven Kirk Republican 1
Alexander "Alexi" Giannoulias Democratic 2
LeAlan M. Jones Green Party 3
Mike Labno Libertarian 4
The Obama presidency has been so extraordinary, this year's congressional election is nothing less than a plebiscite on whether we wish it to continue - so the personal records of the candidates have become relevant.
Do I agree with Obama's attempt to extend health care to the un-insurable and control the financial markets so that they can't again be mainipulated to provide short-term wealth for players and long-term catastrophe for everyone else?
You bet I do - and I'm not buying the bone-headed American fundamentalism that conflates liberty with anarchy.
The job of government is to regulate for the public interest - the job of everyone else is to create, manage, invest, execute etc.
But in any other circumstance, I might be tempted to vote for Mark Kirk who might possibly accomplish more as a moderate Republican than Giannoulias would achieve as a liberal Democrat--- and God knows, the world needs more moderate Republicans
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Bill Brady & Jason Plummer Republican 17
Pat Quinn & Sheila Simon Democratic 18
Rich Whitney & Don W. Crawford Green Party 19
Lex Green & Ed Rutledge Libertarian 20
Scott Lee Cohen & Baxter B. Swilley Independent 22
Illinois has had a bad track record with governors lately - with one in prison and the other fighting hard to stay out. So honesty is a top priority as far as I'm concerned.
Quinn has proven himself to be a public service kind of public servant for many decades.
While, right off the bat, Brady is running an oblique campaign -- i.e. he's running against Obama instead of running for governor of Illinois -- by making "free market opportunities" and private health care issues in the campaign statement linked to the Cook County Clerk's website.
Attorney General, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Steve Kim Republican 24
Lisa Madigan Democratic 25
David F. Black Green Party 26
Bill Malan Libertarian 27
The primary job of State's Attorney is to keep politicians honest, so I can't imagine anything more foolish than electing the daughter of the state's biggest political boss. Mike Madigan, to do it.
Nor am I impressed by David Black's shopping list of liberal causes (even if I agree with all of them)
So even though I know nothing about Steve Kim, I'm hoping he will do a good job.
Secretary of State, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Robert Enriquez Republican 30
Jesse White Democratic 31
Josh Hanson Libertarian 32
I don't see why this job should be a life-time tenancy for Jesse White, but neither of his opponents even bothered to put their bio up on the County Clerk's website.
Comptroller, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Judy Baar Topinka Republican 35
David E. Miller Democratic 36
R. Erika Schafer Green Party 37
Julie Fox Libertarian 38
This one's a tough call for me.
I personally like Judy Baar Topinka, and am glad she's getting back in politics.
But why didn't she put her bio up on the County Clerk website?
And though I have zero patience with Libertarians, I like the fact that Julie Fox touts herself as a CPA for a job that should have one.
But even more, I like that David Miller promises to put the state budget online and make it interactive. So -- he's got my vote.
Treasurer, State of Illinois
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Dan Rutherford Republican 41
Robin Kelly Democratic 42
Scott K. Summers Green Party 43
James Pauly Libertarian 44
I've got to vote for Green candidate sometime -- and none of the other candidates bothered to represent themselves on the County Clerk's website.
Representative, 7th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Mark M. Weiman Republican 47
Danny K. Davis Democratic 48
Clarence Desmond Clemons Independent 49
Once again, elections for national representatives are a plebicite on Obama, so I've got to vote for the Democrat.
It also helps that Danny Davis is the only one who bothered to put anything up on the County Clerk's website.
State Senator, 4th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Kimberly A. Lightford Democratic 50
It's really a shame that nobody was willing to run against this life-time incumbent.
State Representative, 7th District
2 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Karen A. Yarbrough Democratic 52
Princess Cynthia Dempsey Independent 53
How can you not vote for a woman named "Princess"?
(reminds of one of the characters in Catch-22: "Major Major")
But I'm voting for Yarbrough, anyway.
Primarily because she has made voucher schools an issue (probably because our local high school district, Provise 90, is a poster-child for shameless political corruption)
But also because the Princess has no respect for English grammar, and comes accross as a frightfully stupid jock. (she plays football and teaches martial art)
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, MWRD
6 Year Term, Vote For 3
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Paul Chialdikas Republican 55
Jimmy Lee Tillman II Republican 56
Mariyana T. Spyropoulos Democratic 57
Barbara McGowan Democratic 58
Michael A. Alvarez Democratic 59
Diana Horton Green Party 60
John "Jack" Ailey Green Party 61
Nadine Bopp Green Party 62
None of these candidates stand out, so I'll just vote Green.
Who else would you want to get rid of all our shit?
Board President, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Roger A. Keats Republican 63
Toni Preckwinkle Democratic 64
Thomas Tresser Green Party 65
At least Stroger isn't running!
Tresser just sees the campaign as a soapbox, and Keats is more concerned with taxes than services.
Clerk, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Angel Garcia Republican 66
David D. Orr Democratic 67
Here's a no-brainer.
On the one hand, we have the incumbent who has many innovations to his credit, including the voter info website that is so useful to me.
On the other hand we have the challenger whose website says "Angel Garcia wants make the political process more accessible to his constituents" -- but he won't even take the time to put a bio up on the country clerk's website.
Sheriff, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Frederick Collins Republican 68
Thomas J. Dart Democratic 69
Marshall P. Lewis Green Party 70
The Green Party candidate thinks he reminds people of
"Marshal Dillion and Wayatt Earp"
But he reminds me of someone who not only can't spell,
but doesn't even care enough to have someone proof read his text.
While neither Dart nor Collins put any info up on the County Clerk site.
Collins doesn't doesn't show much on his website other than his face, and Dart doesn't even have a website.
So this is a tough race to pick - and maybe I just won't vote on it.
Treasurer, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Carol A. Morse Republican 71
Maria Pappas Democratic 72
Here's another race in which I just won't vote.
Neither candidate puts anything up on County Clerk site,
Morse has nothing to say on her website, and Pappas doesn't even have a website.
It's very depressing.
It's as if both candidates believe that the less you know about them, the better chance they have of getting elected.
Assessor, Cook County
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall Republican 73
Joseph Berrios Democratic 74
Robert C. Grota Green Party 75
Forrest Claypool Independent 76
Since Berrios has directed his campaign against Claypool, I'm concluding that Claypool is his closest challenger.
And since Berrios has attacked him by creating two phony Claypool websites , he's totally lost my respect.
Plus -- I'm buying the argument made by all the Chicago newspapers that the Assessor's office has been a major asset in the toolkit of the Cook County Democratic Party.
Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall argues that she is the only candidate with experience in assessing the value of real estate, but that skill is not the most important issue here.
Commissioner, Cook County Board, 1st District
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Earlean Collins Democratic 77
Ronald Lawless Green Party 78
Incumbant Collins has been so invisible, the Chicago actually endorsed Lawless, the Green Party candidate.
And I think I will too.
Collins doesn't even have a website - I get the feeling the she's tired of doing this job, but doesn't have the gumption to quit.
.................................
Regarding the judges:
Here's some recommendations.
There's only one contested seat, and I'll vote for the candidate
who put something on the County Clerk site, Maureen Masterson Pulia
Regarding retention, here's the ones identified as bad apples:
Susan Jeanine McDunn
Dorothy F. Jones
Jeffrey Lawrence
while the Chicago Bar Association adds these two:
Dennis J. Morrissey
William D. O'Neal
(and none of them chose to speak up for themselves on the County Clerk site)
.................................
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of McNulty)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
James R. Epstein Democratic 84
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of O'Malley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Aurelia Marie Pucinski Democratic 85
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Vacancy of South)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Mary Katherine Rochford Democratic 86
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Berland)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
William H. Hooks Democratic 87
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Bronstein)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Terry MacCarthy Democratic 88
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Dolan)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Susan Kennedy Sullivan Democratic 89
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Hayes)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Raymond W. Mitchell Democratic 90
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Kelley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
John Patrick Callahan, Jr. Democratic 91
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of McCarthy)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Maureen Masterson Pulia Republican 92
Daniel J. Gallagher Democratic 93
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of O'Malley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Thomas V. Lyons Democratic 94
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Vacancy of Riley)
4 Year Term, Vote For 1
Candidate Name Party Ballot #
Sandra G. Ramos Democratic 95
Judge, Illinois Supreme Court (Retention)
Candidate Name Yes No
Charles E. Freeman 200 201
Thomas R. Fitzgerald 202 203
Judge, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District (Retention)
Candidate Name Yes No
Joseph Gordon 204 205
Shelvin Louise Marie Hall 206 207
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit (Retention)
Candidate Name Yes No
Sophia H. Hall 208 209
Irwin J. Solganick 210 211
Alexander Patrick White 212 213
Donald J. O'Brien, Jr. 214 215
Vincent Michael Gaughan 216 217
William D. Maddux 218 219
Robert W. Bertucci 220 221
Richard J. Billik, Jr. 222 223
Jennifer Duncan Brice 224 225
Thomas Michael Davy 226 227
David Delgado 228 229
Deborah Mary Dooling 230 231
Timothy C. Evans 232 233
Allen S. Goldberg 234 235
Susan Ruscitti Grussel 236 237
Cheyrl D. Ingram 238 239
Raymond L. Jagielski 240 241
Dorothy F. Jones 242 243
Daniel E. Jordan 244 245
Carol A. Kelly 246 247
Bertina E. Lampkin 248 249
Jeffrey Lawrence 250 251
William Maki 252 253
William D. O'Neal 254 255
Robert J. Quinn 256 257
Leida J. Gonzalez Santiago 258 259
Daniel J. Sullivan 260 261
Sharon Marie Sullivan 262 263
Susan Frances Zwick 264 265
Susan Jeanine McDunn 266 267
James Patrick McCarthy 268 269
Paul P. Biebel, Jr. 270 271
Nancy J. Arnold 272 273
Arnette R. Hubbard 274 275
Thomas L. Hogan 276 277
Nicholas R. Ford 278 279
Charles Patrick Burns 280 281
Thomas P. Fecarotta, Jr. 282 283
Denise Kathleen Filan 284 285
LaQuietta J. Hardy-Campbell 286 287
Nathaniel R. Howse Jr. 288 289
John Patrick Kirby 290 291
Diane Joan Larsen 292 293
Daniel Joseph Lynch 294 295
Kathleen Mary Pantle 296 297
Kevin Michael Sheehan 298 299
Paul Stralka 300 301
John D. Turner, Jr. 302 303
LeRoy K. Martin, Jr. 304 305
Paula Marie Daleo 306 307
Laurence J. Dunford 308 309
Robert Balanoff 310 311
Jeanne R. Cleveland Bernstein 312 313
Kathleen Marie Burke 314 315
Kay Marie Hanlon 316 317
Michelle Jordan 318 319
Thomas J. Kelley 320 321
William J. Kunkle 322 323
Clare Elizabeth McWilliams 324 325
Mary Lane Mikva 326 327
Patrick T. Murphy 328 329
Timothy Patrick Murphy 330 331
Sheryl Ann Pethers 332 333
Jim Ryan 334 335
Edward "Ed" Washington, II 336 337
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
