Chicago Alderwoman Leslie Hairston has vaulted
into the ranks of David vs. Goliath audacity, even
beating President Obama, methinks. Sneed's
Chicago Sun-Times column (01/15/'14) profiles
Ms. Hairston's well-reasoned attempt to rein
in the USA's most infamous, yet prestigious
bank, J P Morgan Chase--when it comes to
Chicago's taxpayers' monies. I'm impressed
to the extent I'm even entertaining fantasies
about her running against Rahm next time
around, should the rest of her record shine
as brightly upon examination.
The Alderwoman's points seem flawless:
Why not require a huge business concern
to comply with Chicago's City Code when
it is routinely applied against small companies
and contractors? She introduced an ordinance
today to remove Chase as a municipal depository
for the city; some $350 million dollars in
municipal funds (taxpayer monies) reside
there.
J P Morgan Chase has been the subject
of no less than two major banking scandals,
one of which contributed heavily to the
Great Recession of 2007 (and still counting,
in my book). The other crime admitted by
Jamie Dimon's bank allowed Madoff to
continue his merry little Ponzi scheme while
Chase practiced denial, not contacting regulators
--of course, Jamie Dimon is STILL a member of the
NY Fed, so why would they? (Why is THAT legal,
again?)
Ms. Hairston explains that the city code states
any person or business entity admitting to
dishonesty/deceit or failing to report suspicions of
fraud is not compliant with the code, therefore
ineligible to do business with the City of Chicago.
Huzzahs, Hairston! Keep up the fine work. We'll
keep watching. You get Chicago's "pats" for the
week...
Whereas the aldermen complaining that regular
rock salt is too expensive and ineffective to easily
deploy get the "pans". At least two of the city
fathers suggested Chicago residents merely lower
their expectations regarding snow removal. Look
out, aldermen, elections aren't that far off.
Has the city looked into calcium chloride? IT
DOES work when temps dive near and below
freezing. Yes, it is more expensive, and I'm not
sure how available it might be in the requisitely
large amounts. I'd like to hear the city on calcium
chloride. It sure seems that the way trucks and
salt are now applied flies in the face of logic. The
media will faithfully state that ~250 trucks are out
plowing, etc., in what looks like TV file footage and
sounds like Streets and San PR.The trucks should
continue to come out at intervals WHILE the snow is
falling, and apply the calcium chloride just BEFORE
temps dive down near zero. Up to that point
regular rock salt works well.
Thus this week's "political pats and pans".
What will we see next week?
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I was born and raised in Chicago. I lived there 31 years of my life. Wish we could have left there when I was ten. Lady Amber as you know it was once not that long ago a great place to live.
ReplyDeleteNow if that code thing passes THERE MAY BE ONLY A HAND FULL OF BUSINESSES LEFT!The neighborhoods where more homes are being raised daily look more like ghost towns.IS THIS THE NEXT DETROIT? Maybe near down town will be where the RICH MINORITY( excuse that bad word) will dictate and live. Look up the native AMERICAN meaning of CHICAGO. it is living up to it;s name now..
Stinky onion?
DeleteI give Chicago Streets and San mixed reviews regarding their snow-related activities. A few Sundays ago, they were caught off-guard and traffic was paralyzed. However, the State of Illinois and surrounding municipalities didn't fare any better.
ReplyDeleteOther than that one occasion, I believe that Streets and San have been doing a decent job. During the most recent heavy snow spell, many side streets were plowed, but not salted. Traffic on those streets was not seriously disrupted, nor was safety compromised.
Regarding the use of calcium chloride on the streets, I really don't think it's doable. For starters, it's a lot more expensive. Secondly, applying either salt or CC before a snowfall wouldn't work. It would be scattered by passing traffic.
Regarding Leslie Hairston, I'm with you. She really seems to be a dedicated, conscientious public servant. Also to her credit, she was one of only five of 50 aldermen to vote against the notorious, and universally hated street parking contract that became such a fiasco. Whether or not she'd ever be interested in running for mayor, I don't know. But I'd definitely support her.
So we'll keep watching her progress. I think I'll call or email her, ask her to consider running--but bet on it, others already have. The street parking fiasco is rightly hated; I've been with people trying to deal with its intricacies and failures--glad I don't drive.
DeleteRE: calcium chloride, I know it costs more, know it might not be available in vast amounts--but did the council actually look into it, is my point. Scattering of the granules isn't the biggest problem, I don't think. Best Wishes!
The FEW caring politicians there and other big wigs( Most I feel Lady Amber give ALL Most that is the business. These selfish Polls as my Ausie friends call them and what they do STINK like a rotten onion.
ReplyDeleteI remember back in the sixties when my family, friends , and I were big fans of ROLLER DERBY they used calcium chloride on the tracks when they got wet to keep skaters ( ESP JAMMERS! ) from falling. Good stuff!
Today, Feb. 20th, 2014: The Wall Street Journal quotes
ReplyDeleteBernie Madoff as firmly stating JP Morgan Chase certainly knew about Madoff''s Ponzi Scheme--i.e., Chases's board. Time for Jamie Dimon to leave the NY Fed and go to JAIL, where he and his greedy minions belong.