Democratic Party - 49th Ward

Cook County Democratic Party Reforms Are A Success

For the past two days, Sept. 6 & 7, the Cook County Democratic Party met to endorse candidates for the 2008 Democratic primary elections.  It was truly a breath of fresh air.  New Chairman Joseph Berrios promised that as our new Chairman he would open up the process.  I was skeptical to be honest, but Chairman Berrios delivered on his promise.  I am proud of him and his leadership.  For the first time in all of the time I have been a committeeman all 80 committeemen were part of the process of selecting the candidates that will represent the party.

Much of the work of the Central Committee is done is sub-committees.  In the past the sub-committees were hand picked and as a result a small number of people had tremendous influence over who would be nominated.  This time each committeeman was allowed to be on any sub-committee they chose and for the first time I was able to sit on the committee that made the recommendations to the full body.  I don’t think you will find a committeeman who wouldn’t agree that things have changed significantly at the Central Committee of the Cook County Democratic Party.  You may find a few who are not happy with the change, but the vast majority would tell you it is better.

The following is a list of the  Cook County Democratic Party endorsed candidates for the February 5, 2008 election:

                                                                   

Judicial Office (Name of Vacancy)	Endorsed Candidate
Supreme Court (McMorrow)	Anne Burke
Appellate Court (Burke)	Alan J. Grieman
Appellate Court (Campbell)	John O. Steele
Countywide Circuit Court (Glowacki)	Jesse G. Reyes
Countywide Circuit Court (Montelione)	Thaddeus L. Wilson
Countywide Circuit Court (Keehan)	Marilyn F. Johnson
Countywide Circuit Court (Murphy)	Paula Lingo
Countywide Circuit Court (Nowicki)	Michael B. Hyman
Countywide Circuit Court (Thomas)	Joan Powell
Countywide Circuit Court (Healy)	Maureen Ward-Kirby
Countywide Circuit Court (Disko)	Lauretta Higgins Wolfson
Countywide Circuit Court (Lott)	Thomas J. Byrne
Countywide Circuit Court – Alternate 1	Stephen J. Connelly
Countywide Circuit Court – Alternate 2	Diann Marsalek
Countywide Circuit Court – Alternate 3	Sandra G. Ramos
Countywide Circuit Court – Alternate 4	Dennis J. Burke

 

                           

Elected Office	Endorsed Candidate
States Attorney	OPEN PRIMARY
Clerk of the Circuit Court	Dorothy Brown
Recorder of Deeds	Eugene “Gene” Moore
Commissioner – Water Reclamation Dist.	Kathleen Therese Meany
Commissioner – Water Reclamation Dist.	Frank Avila
Commissioner – Water Reclamation Dist.	Dean Maragos

The item that is getting the most news is the fact that the party chose to have an open primary in the race for States Attorney.  In sub-committee the votes were divided between the candidates ranging from 25% to 40% for each candidate.  It may have been possible to try to squeeze the field to the top two candidates and force a situation where someone would have gotten 50% of the vote, but that would have been destructive.  Sometimes the best decision is to not force a decision.  The right decision was made in my opinion.

The one unfortunate thing that happened was the inclusion in the new by-laws of a clause that allows for Committeemen who did not support the endorsed slate can be stripped of the right to serve on a committee.  While there has been dramatic change and definite improvements in the process, this clause means that there is still room for improvement.  Maybe once they try to enforce this they will find that it is not advisable and will revise the by-laws. 

Election Judges

It is the thought of a few unhappy losers of the last election that being appointed as an election judge is some great position one gets by being connected and that normal people do not walk in off the street and become election judges.  They believe that some how there is a master plot every election to rig the process.  Nothing is farther from the truth. 

As the Democratic Committeeman I have always worked hard to fill all of the Democratic election judge spots.  I cannot remember the last time the Democratic slots were not filled going into Election Day.  I also have, as much as possible, worked to develop a group of additional people who want to serve as Election Judges that we call stand-by judges.  On every Election Day my actual volunteers go out, take campaign time to report shortages in judges, get names and pick up new judges and drive these people in that stand-by pool to the polling place.  That list is developed because it is reasonable to anticipate that approximately 25 Judges will no show at the polling place on Election Day morning. 

Most of these judges appointed on Election Day are people I do not know, have never meet and often never see again.  The point is to make the voting go as smooth as possible.  Make sure there are enough judges to give breaks for lunch, close down at night and handle the rushes in the morning and the late afternoon.

As for the long serving election judges, many of the them are people I know from visiting the polling places on Election Day to thank them for working.  The same few above mentioned critics think that is electioneering, but I consider it good management practices to acknowledge that these people are working a 15 to 17 hour day on what is often thankless work.  I will always take the time to thank them for the effort and their continued commitment in spite of these challenges.  I have on occasion seen some of them at community meetings, in the grocery store, at a block party or CAPS meeting maybe, but for many I never see them except on Election Day.

Finally, very few election judges are volunteers because the simple truth is that any campaign would rather have its volunteers working outside of the polling place on Election Day.  Of course some election judges support candidates in a race, but those who believe that Gordon didn't have any supporters in the ranks of the election judges are seriously deluded.

There are some who cannot seem to let go of the idea that our wards' election process is incredibly corrupt and that election judges are essential pieces in winning an election.  That is nonsense.  For  those who are so concerned please, become a judge yourself, experience the work first hand and see what being a Judge is really about.   There is always room for more hands provided you are willing to take training, show up on time, follow the law, be a good co-worker and work a very long day for not enough money.

Cell Phone Public Service Effort

Have you decided your cell phone signal just simply s#@ks and you want to know what is better?  Want to brag about your 5 bar service?  Lets all help each other.  Follow the link below and plot you signal strength on the map.  Lets see what works best in the 49th ward.  Thanks!

Map Your Signal

Judge dismisses lawsuit by 49th Ward challenger

Tribune staff report
July 21, 2007

CHICAGO - A Cook County Circuit judge on Friday dismissed the complaint brought by the challenger in the April 17 election for the 49th Ward aldermanic seat.

Don Gordon said that although Judge Marsha Hayes had tossed his suit alleging vote fraud in his runoff race against incumbent Ald. Joe Moore, his attorneys will submit a new legal complaint.

Gordon pushed Moore, who was first elected in 1991, into a runoff, which Moore won by 247 votes.

The citizens of this ward are left with this question: since the Judge has ruled that you don't have  facts to support your claims, nor a plausible resolution to address the case if you had won, are you ready to admit that you came close, were a little short and end the legal action or do you still intend to continue trying to take away the voting rights of thousands of voters in our ward?  Even by your own account, (which neither I, Judge Hayes nor your facts support),  this case is about a couple of  hundred people, not the thousands that are the  basis of your claims and  resolution.  Where is the protection of voter rights you're touting with VOTER49 when you want to strip several thousand voters of their vote in April 2007?

VOTER 49, your new group, seems to be about two things: making sure certain people can or cannot vote as determined by your campaign's judgment which is a position that is far more troubling than the things you have presented as "facts" supporting your case.  The second thing VOTER49 appears to be about is developing a self-serving political agenda for 2011.

Mar Dinkha IV Blvd.

On Sunday July 15, 2007 I had the honor of being part of a celebration of Mar Dinkha IV's 50th anniversary of becoming a priest.  It was an honor to be a part of this event.  I didn't go expecting this to be something truly memorable but it was.  As a Roman Catholic, the people of the Assyrian Church of the East are my religious brothers and sisters.  This man is a leader of the faith with a long and distinguished history.  In his presence I felt the goodness coming from him.  It was the same goodness that had so many in the audience smiling and cheering.  As I said in my comments on the church stairs, "a man who has served as a priest for 50 years has had a profound impact on the lives of thousands."

It was clear that the people who are members of the church believed this.  They were very moved by this man and his presence. This was an event that I will not forget anytime soon.  There was real passion for this man of God and I am happy to have been a part of this ceremony.  An honorary street naming is a little bit of recognition for a man who has done immeasurable good for the world.

More about Mar Dinkha IV

A Real World-wide Image Problem for Chicago

My wife recently returned from a visit to NYC and as we have heard the Michael Abbate video of him allegedly beating a small female bartender for not serving him more liquor was shown in New York.  As almost everyone in America, and now most of the televised world now knows, Chicago has a problem with police officers using the power of the badge to service their personal needs.  This is a huge public policy issue, and one can only hope that the State’s Attorney will follow up on these cases appropriately and that Mayor Daley’s proposed reform will help address these problems.

What I find fascinating is that this issue has given Chicago a very serious black eye on the world stage at a time when the city is competing for the opportunity to host the 2016 Olympics.  My question is this, where is the outrage?  Where are the continuous blogs from those so terribly troubled about the reputation of Chicago.  Where are the Alderman who had so great a fear about the city being ridiculed for something this terrible?

They all showed up for foie gras, when it promoted their political agenda, but I guess this real and serious problem isn’t quite as useful.  I believe that the foie gras story was exploited because the Tribune had its own agenda for the recent local elections supporting, as always, the local business community and wanting to make some elected officials look foolish.  At the local level nearly every blogger who wrote about the outrage of foie gras ultimately showed their colors and came out for Gordon.  There has been coverage in the papers, none or almost none on the blogs but I hope that the coverage starts or continues and intensifies to show that the policy this city has for addressing police malfeasance is broken, the department’s culture of not addressing these problems is partially to blame and that the citizens find this unacceptable.

Moving Forward Rather Than Standing Still

Don Gordon has gone on and filed his complaint regarding the election and it will make its way through court system until it reaches a conclusion.  If history is a guide, it will not change the election results in any significant way.  No matter what happens it could be days or could be years until a final decision in reached.  As a community we cannot afford to stand by and wait.

There are many things to do in the 49th Ward as we move past the campaign and into the next four years.  I don’t believe that anyone is content with things exactly the way they are.  I believe that while there are differences in the level of importance we assign to things, the differences in what things need to be done is small.  Things that most agree upon are perhaps a good place to start.  These are my top five not in any order of importance:

1.)  Crime should continue to decrease. 
2.)  Affordable housing should continue and increase. 
3.)  The lakefront must continue to be protected and preserved in a way that benefits those neighbors immediately at the lakefront and all of the rest of the 49th Warders which means more access, programs and activities.  (Maybe even the much debated dog park idea can be addressed with some space it the ward set aside for it.) 
4.)  We need to develop a strategy to increase the desire of people and business owners to invest their hard earned money into our business strips.  People will not invest because the Alderman says so or asks nicely.  It has to be in their financial interest. 
5.)  We need to preserve single family homes when it makes good sense and make smart choices on the very few occasions when it doesn’t.

Those things I list above are in and of themselves difficult tasks to accomplish.  But there are more.  CTA, Schools, Bad Landlords, a Boys & Girls club are just a few more.  And there are more, some of which are directly related to an Alderman and his power, and others that will require support from other politicians and branches of government. 

This new term is an opportunity to put many ideas on the table and have them looked over.  I would urge all of those who have some idea of how they would like to see things go forward to make written suggestions and send them to the Alderman’s office. I would hope that there are hundreds of these e-mails that come in so it might not be realistic to expect responses to each, but I do think that two things will come from this.  One is that the Alderman will get a very direct and a more refined sense of what you want.  Second is that in these suggestions will come good ideas that will lead to things that actually happen.

The start of a new term is a good time to take stock of where things are and where you would like things to go.  Send your thoughts and ideas.

Election Day Is Finally Here!

Election Day!  How glad are you to hear that finally?

The Polls are open tomorrow, April 17, 2007 and the future direction of our community will be decided by those who vote.  The best intentions in the world don't count in this case so make yourself available between 6:00 am and 7:00 pm.  Let your voice be heard!

All the information is available on this website and on the Board of Elections website.

49th Ward Map

49th Ward Polling Place List

49th Ward Voter Registration Status

49th Ward Sample Ballot for April 17

How to Vote   Pamphlet   and    Video

Finally, there has been talk that some of the pollwatchers may be trying to challenge your right to vote.  Some of them believe they can tell by looking at you that you are not registered, (or maybe they think they can predict your vote somehow by looking at you).  Please make sure that you provide whatever the Election Judges need to let you vote in the regular process.  The goal in challenging you is to silence you.  They want you to walk away without voting.  Stand up for yourself! 

If all else fails DEMAND to vote by a provisional ballot.  They will try and make you leave, by taking a long time, but stick it out.  Your vote will count if you are right.

As if there were any doubt . . .

Vote for Joe Moore on April 17. 

What else need be said.

Outside Interests

There are some who are quite concerned that union folks, namely SEIU, are in the neighborhood volunteering for one of the candidates.  They go so far as to suggest that there is no reason for them to be here based on that foolish theory that some have fallen in love with that goes something like "nothing is important if it isn’t between the boundary lines of the ward."

That theory leads to some very interesting policy positions.  One of many things an Alderman has done forever at city council meetings is vote to approve or deny any number of ordinances or resolutions that have nothing to do with the 49th Ward.  Would people who believe in this boundary theory suggest that the 49th Ward Alderman vote present unless he can verify that it impacts the ward?

There has to be a balance and a recognition that even if you are not a delegate to the United Nations, or sent to Washington, DC,  Springfield, IL, or any other level of government, but the city you are still a citizen of the United States and you have a right if not a responsibility to stand up and be heard on the most important issues of our time.  A resolution like the Iraq War resolution is not unimportant.  It is also not terribly difficult or time consuming to prepare, introduce and vote on.  It is an issue that thousands of 49th Warders care about and hundreds have shown their support for ending the war.  This was a simple statement about the war and how the city residents feel about it. In this case it is obvious that Bush isn't listening to anyone let alone this resolution, but it still sent a message that was important.

Many have said that the living wage bill is foolish because it will never apply to a business in the 49th Ward.  The candidate opposing a the living wage ordinace has said this in public citing the fact that there is no footprint that would suit this type of development.  Let me just point out that it doesn’t have to be a 49th Ward store for 49th Ward residents to work there.  When the living wage ordinance is passed by the city council and the county board and it becomes the first step towards raising minimum wages to living wages it will absolutely be for all of the people in the 49th Ward (even those who earn 10 times the living wage) because it will help to put more money in peoples pockets and create more disposable income.

No Alderman is elected to the Chicago City Council with the sole purpose of representing only their ward. The obligation is to represent your ward and the city.  Who ever wins this elections is going to do that regardless of what they say today and it would be a dramatic change from all Chicago history if they didn’t.

As to the objection to union folks I started this post with, there are thousands of union members in this ward.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of SEIU members that live in the ward and by the way, some of them work in the ward for various employers as well.  But if your real point is that organizations from outside the community shouldn't be here maybe you should start with your own candidate who has take money and support from the restaurant association and if he hasn’t already will be taking money and support from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, an organization that has a downtown address and a complete list of downtown interests that will do nothing for the 49th Ward.

And if you think that both sides don't have supporters from beyond the borders ask the resturant team where Chef Didier Durand was on February 27.