Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Chicago's Dirty Politics ...

I think Chicago has the dirtiest politics you ever want to see and every week we have new scandals popping up all over the place. Chicago is a good example that even when the Democrats are in office, they are not a party that Black people should unilaterally support. As a people, we must start critically analyzing the deeds of each person/party and let that analysis be our guide. Although a growing number of Blacks are becoming Republicans, I still see the same type of naiveté when it comes to the unilateral support of something even if this party/people are consistently voting on bills that are not in our favor. This blind loyalty will be our undoing.

Courtesy of the Economist.com

A federal investigation into corruption in City Hall continues to plague the administration of Richard M Daley, the city's mayor. Patrick Fitzgerald, the federal prosecutor heading the investigation, handed down indictments of two top city officials, charging them with fraud hiring (delivering jobs based on political affiliation). Such practices are banned under the Shakman Decree, a 1972 edict forbidding the hiring or firing of employees for political reasons. But a report by the Chicago Tribune newspaper counted 1,200 city employees with dubious qualifications, including “goofballs” and “a drunk”, according to Mr Fitzgerald.

Mr Daley has won plaudits at every level for his 16-year tenure, during which Chicago has become one of the best-run American cities. But now the vultures are circling. The largest among them is Congressman Jesse Jackson, who is expected to pose the toughest challenge to Mr Daley in the next mayoral election. The corruption charges recall the “machine politics” mastered by Mr Daley's father, Richard J Daley, a former Chicago mayor. Though the mayor has not been implicated in anything personally, an expanding list of indictments is gradually moving up Chicago's political ladder, at the very least threatening his legacy.

Last time I heard from Congressman Jesse Jackson, he wasn't interested in running for Mayor of Chicago, so I think this is wishful thinking on somebody's part or maybe a vicious rumor. Only time will tell if this is true.
posted by Cynthia   Permalink| Comments(3)|

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