Tribune readers buzzed me all day Thursday with the bad news that they couldn't get through to the politicians in Springfield, to demand reform for the most corrupt state in the union -- the Land of Obama.
I had asked you to call House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Lisa's Daddy) and state Senate President John Cullerton and the guy who helped make him, state Sen. James A. DeLeo. And, for good measure, his highness, Mayor Shortshanks.
The idea was that you'd get them on the phone and convince them you're serious about political reform in Illinois.
And that if they diluted the real reforms being offered in Springfield on Friday by the Illinois Reform Commission -- led by its chairman, former Assistant U.S. Atty. Patrick Collins -- that you'd remember them come election time, including Madigan's daughter, Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan.
But before they considered reform, the legislature legalized payouts on video poker in taverns and "social clubs," though video poker is a business long associated with the Chicago Outfit.
You think they won't use the video poker revenue to pay for contracts for the tough asphalt kings and bridge repair guys?
As Al Pacino once said to Diane Keaton: "Who's being naive, Kay?"
#4
And the contestants for the Contempt Stakes here at Socialista Downs are running neck and neck...it's Obama, no wait here comes Pelosi pulling up the rear....ladies and gentleman this has become one hell of a match up.
Posted by: Jack Salami ||
05/22/2009 8:53 Comments ||
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#5
raising campaign funds
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/22/2009 10:31 Comments ||
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#7
Since Pelosi already did that hiding her hair thing in muzzieland, will she bind her feet for the Chinese trip? I already know she has a fine collection of Mao jackets at home.
PS. Can a mod post the Kow Tow pic? Never did figure out how to include a pic from the menu when posting an article.
Posted by: ed ||
05/22/2009 11:25 Comments ||
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#14
As much as I despise Nancy Pelosi, I do think she's gotten a bum rap about wearing a kerchief on her head while visiting a mosque. If you visit someone else's religious building, you should follow their customs.
For many, many years, women were expected to wear something on their heads when visiting a Catholic church. Only in the last 35-40 years has this gone away. Men were never to wear headgear in church, except priests, bishops, cardinals and popes.
As I understand it, men visiting the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem are expected to wear a yarmulke. They have some available for unprepared men. I am not sure about women.
Pick on SanFran Nan for something legitimate. It is a target rich environment. But not for wearing a scarf at a mosque.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
05/22/2009 16:30 Comments ||
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#15
Rambler,
They have little paper yamulkes at the West Wall but you do not have to wear it if you don't want to.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
05/22/2009 16:45 Comments ||
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#16
This is the first of many "Thank You" tours From the Dems for financing the prez election.
The Chinese, who are watching the value of their US Treasury Bonds sink faster than the setting sun, are probably and pragmatically coming to the conclusion they'd better back the other horse in the next race [which is why Nancy is trying to avoid through her visit].
Former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson pleaded not guilty yesterday to another 23 corruption charges - dating to 2002 - alleging she pocketed thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for her influence on a city land deal. Yes she is a Democrat
The new indictment, returned last month, alleges that Wilkerson accepted payments, from $500 to $1,200, from an unnamed businessman from 2002 to 2006 in exchange for help on his plans for a $100 million development on state-owned land on Harrison Avenue. She declined comment.
Wilkerson, 53, already is facing charges that she took $23,000 in bribes connected to the stalled Parcel 8 project and a separate deal involving a would-be restaurateur seeking a liquor license.She resigned from the state Senate after being busted in an undercover FBI sting that allegedly caught her on camera stuffing a cash bribe into her bra. Picture of the bra stuffing from Oct 2008 is here
Posted by: Lord garth ||
05/22/2009 14:28 ||
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Link ||
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Since the Geneva Convention was signed in 1929, name one adversary the US has fought that adhered to the Torture Clause. Under the below terms being sent to bed without dessert could be considered torture.
For the purposes of this Convention, torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.
This article is without prejudice to any international instrument or national legislation which does or may contain provisions of wider application.
For instance:
4. (Cheney) "It's hard to imagine a worse precedent filled with more possibilities for trouble and abuse than to have an incoming administration criminalize the policy decisions of its predecessor. Apart from doing a serious injustice to intelligence operators and lawyers, who deserve far better for their devoted service, the danger here is a loss of focus on national security and what it requires."
(Harnden) Obama's suggestion that Bush administration officials might be prosecuted for legal and policy judgements about what was an was not permissible in interrogations was chilling. I doubt most Americans have any enthusiasm for such a witch-hunt and it flies in the face of Obama's stated desire not to "re-litigate" the Bush years.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit China this month, state press said Thursday.
