SUBSCRIPT: Does anyone know what Obama said to Emanuel when he told him G8 was stiffing Chicago?
For several months, Chicago has been in the middle of a major debate as the city prepared for the May 2012 meetings of both the "G8" (the largest economic power countries on earth) and the NATO summits. According to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the corporate cheerleaders who relentlessly back him and reprint his daily talking points and publicity stunts as "news," the purpose of having both the G8 and NATO in Chicago at the same time in May was to recognize that Chicago is a "world class city" and part of the "global economy." Could it be that someone actually came to Chicago, reviewed the mayor's actual plans for May 2012, and then drove across the city south from what would be the site of the summits and witnessed, first hand and without media handlers, that tens of miles of tragedy and devastation that globalization and the "reforms" of the past 20 years ("housing reform," "welfare reform," "school reform," and the corporatization of medical care) have wrought?
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has yet to release the information about his discussions with President Barack Obama preceding the announcement that the G8 would meet at Camp David rather than in Rahm's Chicago in May. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.If so, then the real Chicago that would have been seen on a tour for the G8 and NATO leaders, had they dared, would have been better prepared with a showing of the HBO series "The Wire" than with another six hours of Power Point presentations at the Pritzkers' Hyatt Hotels or some economic analysis prepared with the cooperation of the Civic Federation and the Civic Committee and presented at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago behind a phalanx of security and rooftop snipers.
When something as big as the announcement that the May 2012 G8 summit would not come to Chicago is made, there is usually a back story that we need to know more about. The announcements by the White House and Chicago's City Hall simply do not tell the story, but it will be worth the wait to get more about what happened. This is especially true in light of the fact that Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel is supposedly still a mainstay of the Obama "team". Was it finally clear, even to the media-centric Chicago crew at the White House, that Rahm's "Government by Publicity Stunt" was not going to cover the security needed for the leaders of the "Point zero zero zero one percenters" who are represented by the G8? They can seal Camp David a lot more easily than they can seal the Loop, Magnificent Mile, and UIC, and it sound more and more like they are unaware of how many people will protest against them and how flimsy Chicago's security plans really are.
Could it be that after the last two weekends of drug gang violences in Chicago and the murder of Chris Wormley at that privatized special education "public" school that even former CPS IRIP teacher Valerie Jarrett told Michelle Obama and Barack that things were not going as well in Chicago as Rahm's press team was trying to claim, and that most of the West Side and South Side were going up like some unused scenes from "The Wire"?
Here's hoping that someone will use the Freedom of Information Act to get Rahm's phone lists and email materials to and from the White House on the G8 changes.
Here, for starters, is Rahm's announcement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2012
CONTACT:
Mayor’s Press Office
312.744.3334
press@cityofchicago.org
Statement from Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the G8 and NATO Summits
We wish President Obama and the other leaders well at the G8 meeting at Camp David and look forward to hosting the NATO Summit in Chicago. Hosting the NATO Summit is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Chicago to the world and the world to Chicago and we are proud to host the 50 heads of state, foreign and defense ministers from the NATO and ISAF countries in our great city May 19-21.
# # #
Comments:
By: John Kugler
Shhhh. All is well. Nothing to see here
Monday, March 12, 2012
Wrigleyville Riot
Shhhh. All is well. Nothing to see here. Move along.:
Authorities shutdown part of a North Side street after multiple reports of fights and general chaos were reported in Chicago’s Wrigleyville, Lakeview neighborhood.
Sunday, around 2:26 a.m., police were notified of a street brawl at the intersection of North Clark Street and West Cornelia Avenue.
A 911 caller said ten people were fighting in the street, said police dispatch.
At 2:37 a.m., an officer at the scene said the people in the area were “out of control” and there were “cars and people, everywhere”.
Shortly thereafter, authorities blocked southbound traffic at North Clark and West Addison Streets.
It's like the first wilding of spring!
A warm week on tap, summer on the way, baseball season hasn't even started yet and manpower still decreasing while all resources are being directed to the badlands of 007 and 011. Look for a boatload of these "mini-riots" popping up all over the "quieter" areas of the city as the ne'er-do-wells go to where there is no police presence and easy pickings.
http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/2012/03/wrigleyville-riot.html
By: John Kugler
Rham Crony Speed Cameras $$$$$$
Connected Company?
Wow, this is a surprise:
When Rahm Emanuel was a first-time candidate for Congress, Greg Goldner was behind him, quietly marshaling the patronage troops that helped get him elected. When Emanuel ran for mayor, Goldner was there again, doling out campaign cash to elect Emanuel-friendly aldermen to City Council.
And when the rookie mayor was looking for community support for his school reform agenda, there was Goldner, working behind the scenes with the ministers who backed Emanuel's plan.
Now, it turns out the longtime allies share another interest — the installation of automated speed cameras in Chicago.
But wait - it's all going to be fair now:
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said today that a city speed camera contract will be put out to bid and indicated it won't be handed to a company represented by his longtime political ally.
Emanuel said he has put in place the checks and balances to make sure the lucrative contract is awarded fairly. The mayor's comments came after the Tribune reported that Greg Goldner, a lobbyist and consultant with deep political ties to Emanuel, has been working as a consultant for Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., the company that currently has a city contract to install and maintain red light cameras. Goldner's responsibilities with Redflex include working to help the company expand nationwide.
Appearing today with Gov. Pat Quinn at a news conference to announce a new building at Olive-Harvey College, Emanuel reiterated his position that the speed cameras around schools and parks are important to protect children. And he said his administration has made the city's bidding process more transparent so members of the public can be sure he isn't playing favorites.
And hey, if helping the children means Redflex makes tens of millions, some of which will undoubtedly find it's way into Rahm's campaign coffers for his expected Senate run, that's not a bug, that's a feature!
The odds of Redflex actually winning the contract went from 100% to 99.9% on this news.
http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/
By: john kugler
Who's city? Our city!
Obama to 9.5
"You gotta be fuckin' crazy!"