http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/chicago/ en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:06:54 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2416345/posts Myron Thomas was sitting in a car in the South Side’s Chatham neighborhood Sunday night when a gunman opened fire on him two separate times, leaving him dead with 13 gunshot wounds, sources said. Thomas, 25, of the 6500 block of South Harvard Avenue, was shot multiple times East 82nd Street and South Evans Avenue and was pronounced dead at 8:36 p.m. Sunday at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. Thomas was sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2001 Oldsmobile when an unidentified gunman approached at 7:41 p.m. and... Chicago Sun-Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2416345/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:06:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2415784/posts Long time Democratic Chicago Pol Monique Davis hasn't paid the rent for her offices since 2002. Apparently it doesn't matter either. After all, she's a Chicago Democrat and the rules real people have to live by don't apply to a Chicago Democrat. And like a true Democrat Davis is blaming everyone else. It isn't her fault, you see. Remember the scene close to the end of the Blues Brothers where Jake Blues (John Belushi) was on his knees in the sewer pleading with Carrie Fisher not to kill him? Jake Blues told his jilted and angry lover, "I ran out... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2415784/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:19:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415483/posts Jarrett: Accusations of 'seedy Chicago politics' at WH unwarranted By Jordan Fabian - 12/26/09 03:30 PM ET One of President Barack Obama's closest advisers Saturday said claims that the White House is engaging in "seedy Chicago politics" are "completely unwarranted." Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett pushed back against the Republican refrain in a year-end interview with Politics Daily. Jarrett focused specifically on Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) use of the phrase in a recent CNN interview. "It was definitely a cheap shot and completely unwarranted," said Jarrett, who is one of several Chicagoans to join the Obama administration. "I think what people... The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415483/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:11:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2415331/posts Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's brother, William, is warning the Democratic Party that it is going too far left and will end up "in the wilderness" in 2010. William Daley has been a longtime political operative that has been connected with the Clintons for many years but that doesn't make him an extremist lefty, apparently… at least in his opinion. Daley wrote an op ed for the Washington Post today where he warns that the Democratic Party is in danger of going over the leftwing cliff... Read the rest at Publiusforum.com... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2415331/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:22:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415078/posts William Daley, brother of Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley has placed the equivalent of the head of a dead horse on President Obama's bed. In today's WaPo, Daley pens an op-ed where in part he writes: Either we plot a more moderate, centrist course or risk electoral disaster not just in the upcoming midterms but in many elections to come...Witness the drumbeat of ominous poll results. Obama's approval rating has fallen below 49 percent overall and is even lower -- 41 percent -- among independents. On the question of which party is best suited to manage the economy, there has been... Economic Policy Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415078/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:41:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414796/posts On the day before Christmas, President Obama found two presents under his tree. One was the health care reform bill passed that morning by the Senate, a historic measure so freighted with promise and problems that it could blow up. The other was an op-ed article in the Washington Post by William Daley, his fellow Chicagoan and one of the canniest Democrats I know, warning Obama that he is on the verge of losing his grip on the vital center of politics. Former Commerce Secretary Daley, who shares with his brother, Mayor Richard M. Daley, and their late father an... Investors.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414796/posts#comment Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:50:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414187/posts CHICAGO (CBS) ―The City of Chicago will be shutting down early for the Christmas holiday, as part of Mayor Daley's plan to save the cash-strapped city money. City Hall, public libraries, health clinics and most other city offices will be closed on Christmas Eve as those city workers are being forced to take the day off without pay. Police and Fire Department operations are not affected and will remain fully staffed. Any other worker needed to provide for the public's safety will also be on the job. As part of the 2009 budget, three reduced-service days were planned for 2009:... CBS 2 Chicago http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414187/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:51:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2413070/posts Maybe it's time to revisit an incident that illustrates what is meant by direct citizen action. The issue: The 1988 Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act The target: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, D-IL The Chicago Tribune from August 19, 1989 tells the story: "Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, one of the most powerful politicians in the United States, was booed and chased down a Chicago street Thursday morning by a group of senior citizens after he refused to talk with them about federal health insurance. Shouting 'Coward,' 'Recall' and 'Impeach,' about 50 people followed the chairman of the U.S. House... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2413070/posts#comment Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:08:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411917/posts The head of the UN's climate change panel - Dr Rajendra Pachauri - is accused of making a fortune from his links with 'carbon trading' companies, Christopher Booker and Richard North write. No one in the world exercised more influence on the events leading up to the Copenhagen conference on global warming than Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and mastermind of its latest report in 2007. Although Dr Pachauri is often presented as a scientist (he was even once described by the BBC as “the world’s top climate scientist”), as a former... Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411917/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:14:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411591/posts The Chicago public schools’ [CPS] response to a recent court desegregation ruling — a plan to use students’ social and economic profiles instead of race to achieve classroom diversity — is raising fears that it will undermine the district’s slow and incremental progress on racial diversity. Chicago schools, like the city itself, are hardly a model of racial integration. But a Chicago News Cooperative analysis of school data shows the district has made modest gains in the magnet, gifted, classical and selective-enrollment schools, where, for nearly 30 years, race has been used as an admission criterion. Those advances may be... New York Times / Chicago News Cooperative http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411591/posts#comment Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:49:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2411575/posts nd anti-nausea medicines, steroids and chemotherapy pills, choked down some rank iodine and drove to the hospital for CT scans checking the progression of his terminal lung cancer. It's been that way every morning for the 47-year-old Northbrook resident since his diagnosis in the spring of 2007. "The only kind of care they can give me now is palliative care. It's not curable," said Zisook, a lifelong smoker. "If they can't cure it, they have to make you comfortable and keep it from taking over your body for as long as possible." Jessica Neal typically begins her day darting off... Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2411575/posts#comment Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:26:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411220/posts President Obama's scramble to close Guantanamo is picking up speed as his arbitrary one-year deadline approaches, with Yemen and Illinois as the latest detainee destinations. Neither decision will enhance U.S. security. The government of Yemen announced yesterday that it will take six detainees, and more could follow if this transfer goes smoothly. Yemenis account for 97 of the 210 men still left at Gitmo, and 34 have been cleared for release. The problem is that Yemen is emerging as one of the world's sanctuaries for al Qaeda, and its government has essentially run a nonaggression pact with the terrorists. The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411220/posts#comment Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:32:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410864/posts On Tuesday, the Weekly Standard's Michael Goldfarb, citing an unnamed Senate aide, wrote that "the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn't fall into line." Translation: Goldfarb is reporting that, according to his source, the Obama administration is suggesting to Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska (left), who has been hesitant to support the Senate health care bill due to his concerns over abortion, that it will close the base if Nelson doesn't back the bill. It was, the source said, a "naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and... DNCBS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410864/posts#comment Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:14:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410694/posts "One of the most erudite, prolific and acidic critics of national education policy." That's how the Washington Post memorialized Gerald Bracey shortly after his death in late October. One of his regular targets was President Obama's basketball buddy, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. In an eerie parting shot from waaaay off-court, Bracey just slam-dunked Duncan. At the time of his death. Bracey was about to publish an article about the Save-A-Life Foundation's (SALF) relationship with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) when Duncan was in charge. "The Skeleton in Arne Duncan's Closet" was supposed to appear on Halloween in Bracey's... The Cincinnati Beacon http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410694/posts#comment Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:32:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2410568/posts This Wednesday, we went to a big Christmas party here in Chicago — one of the ones we weren’t invited to last year — purposefully — because we worked for the McCain campaign and were thus branded “traitors” here in Boystown. So, we were punished, and cut off from the really good parties, where all the really interesting people go for the holidays. This year, because so many people realize what a mess the current administration is, suddenly people don’t mind so much that we were DeMcCrats for McCain and remain Democrats for Palin (though that last one does make... Hillbuzz http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2410568/posts#comment Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:24:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401637/posts President Barack Obama’s past continues to haunt him. A friend e-mailed me this revealing post by Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr., pastor of The Exodus Faith Ministries in Chesapeake, Virginia. Bishop Jackson wrote it last June, but I have not seen it circulated or mentioned before now. Now, someone found it and put it on their own blog. Like so many of us, Bishop Jackson describes himself as once a leftist Democrat; an African-American who grew up in a black urban community in Pennsylvania, and a man who is disturbed about what he calls “a strain of anti-Semitism in the black... Pajamas Media http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401637/posts#comment Sun, 6 Dec 2009 20:22:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409923/posts One of Rod Blagojevich's attorneys said Wednesday it was possible the defense could call President Obama to take the witness stand if the corruption charges against the former governor go to trial, but added that it wasn't clear that doing so would be necessary. Defense attorney Samuel E. Adam said following a hearing in the case that it would be "an awesome experience in any career" to question Obama, who is not accused of any wrongdoing but did answer questions from federal investigators. Blagojevich is charged with scheming to sell or trade Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, campaign fundraising abuses... AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409923/posts#comment Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:38:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409322/posts "...The charity was the Joyce Foundation on whose board of directors Obama served and which gave nearly $1.1 million in two separate grants that were “instrumental in developing and launching the privately-owned Chicago Climate Exchange, which now calls itself “North America’s only cap and trade system for all six greenhouse gases, with global affiliates and projects worldwide.” And that’s only the beginning of this tawdry tale, Mr. Barnes. The “privately-owned” Chicago Climate Exchange is heavily influenced by Obama cohorts Al Gore and Maurice Strong. For years now Strong and Gore have been cashing in on that lucrative cottage industry known... Canada Free Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409322/posts#comment Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:57:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2408732/posts Alonzo Monk, Guilty plea background, Obama, Blagojevich, Rezko, Levine, Kelly, Harris, Cellini, Indictment, Rezko trial transcripts, Chicago IL corruption, Crime, Board rigging, Evelyn Pringle articles ### Lest we forget about crime and corruption in Chicago and the involvement by Rod Blagojevich Tony Rezko Stuart Levine Christopher Kelly William Cellini John Harris Alonzo Monk et al and Obama’s ties to these corruption figures Alonzo Monk Guilty Plea Part II In part I of this two part series on Alonzo Monk’s guilty plea, the Citizen Wells blog presented background on Monk’s involvement in corruption and how it impacted health care in Chicago... Citizen Wells http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2408732/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:25:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408245/posts Note: Telephone transcript and web posts included. 15 December 2009 "AMF X 2" SNIPPET: "Ehsanul Islam Sadequee and Syed Haris Ahmed were sentenced to prison yesterday in US District Court in Atlanta, Georgia. Sadequee got 17 years, and Ahmed 13 - both are subject to 30 years court supervision upon release. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the second link and read some of Judge Duffy's remarks to Sadequee). • Terrorism Defendants Sentenced • Federal Judge Sentences 2 Muslim Americans for Conspiring to Aid Terror Groups Sadequee and Ahmed were part of the global network of jihadis that... INTERNET HAGANAH.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408245/posts#comment Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:30:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408194/posts The push to socialize U.S. health care came not from the "people," but from a small clique of Marxists, led by a man with close personal ties to President Barack Obama. This group's goal is fully socialized, government run "single payer" health care-as long promoted through Congressman John Conyers' National Health Insurance Act, or HR 676. The leader of this Marxist clique is Quentin Young-a retired Chicago physician, a life-long Marxist activist and long time friend and political ally of Barack Obama. Young has known and worked with Obama for years in Chicago and has reportedly directly influenced Obama's views... Accuracy in Media http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408194/posts#comment Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:18:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2407761/posts Note: Informative hyptertext links at the article link. -Cindy # "Chicago: Anti-Democracy Hizb ut-Tahrir Group Event in Lombard, IL on December 20" SNIPPET: "Once again, another village in the Chicago suburbs will be the target of a public event by the anti-democracy, Islamic supremacist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir on Sunday, December 20 – this time using a government-managed community center in Lombard, Illinois. Hizb ut-Tahrir is an extreme group that is opposed to democracy and religious freedom, has called for the killing of Jews, recently called for whipping of homosexuals and stonings to combat AIDS, has reportedly called for the murder... Muslims Against Sharia - Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2407761/posts#comment Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:44:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407633/posts When Mayor Richard Daley spoke at the private and final meeting of Chicago 2016 volunteers, he was, according to one attendee, "in rare form." Another described him as "on a rant. It was straight off the cuff. ... He looked angry, and he was angry." Now, we weren't there. The press was barred from last week's meeting at the Aon Center and the reception that followed at the private Mid-America Club on the top floor of the building. About 150 to 200 volunteers attended, and four shared their impressions on the condition of anonymity. Daley started his remarks by calling... Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407633/posts#comment Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:28:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407605/posts Justice: A leaked memo exposes the hypocrisy of those who opposed indefinite detention of terrorists without trial at Guantanamo. For the right price, they're willing to hold detainees without trial indefinitely in America's heartland. The plan to ship as many as 100 unidentified terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay to a little used prison in Thomson, Ill., a sleepy town of 450 people near the Mississippi River about 150 miles west of Chicago, is well under way, according to a Justice Department memo unearthed by Andrew Breitbart and biggovernment.com. The memo allegedly from Eric Holder's Department of Justice to Defense Secretary... Investors.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407605/posts#comment Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:08:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407502/posts CHICAGO (Reuters) - A Pakistani-born Chicago businessman charged with helping plan an attack on a Danish newspaper knew about the assault on Mumbai in advance and discussed other potential targets in India, prosecutors said on Monday.U.S. In arguing against releasing Tahawwur Rana from jail on bond, federal prosecutors in Chicago gave more details about a conversation authorities recorded earlier this year between Rana and accused conspirator David Headley. In the September 7 conversation during a long car drive, Rana, 48, and Headley, 49, discussed Rana's meeting in Dubai days before the November 2008 attack on Mumbai with an associate referred... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407502/posts#comment Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:45:05 GMT