Tom, I'm privileged to have been involved in a few "Tresser Enterprises" in my life. I've learned a lot from you and you know we're all grateful to have had you and your confident smile at our side during the toughest times.
After all of the political fallout we've seen from corruption, there remains a massive concern, perhaps the largest, that I hope you can write about. There are so many compromised officials throughout our generation -- and the ones who were found out are probably only a portion of those who are actually on the take. Given this situation, vast swaths of the policy landscape -- many if not most of the laws of our state and city -- have been compromised in turn.
This means that every day, you and I and all Chicagoans will continue to experience a lifetime of inconveniences and difficulties due to the lasting "policy implications" made by these compromised officials on behalf of their clout.
These problems don't go away when the officials are finally put behind bars -- they live on, often forever: selling our streets for parking meter rights permanently impacts revenue opportunities; the TIF (and SSA) circus continues unabated and has even gotten worse; stolen public land remains in the hands of private interests in perpetuity; special zoning and building favors affect quality of life for neighbors for decades to come. I'd like to see a survey of the extent of this damage due to compromised officials who forgot long ago whom they are appointed to represent.
Peter -This is a tough one. The "Chicago Is Not Broke" book attempted to total up the annual amount of LOST, HIDDEN, and UNCOLLECTED revenue that stem from corruption, mismanagement, and untaken opportunities - it is about $5 billion/year! And this is not even approaching the question of Chicago's share of MISUSED FEDERAL dollars. For example, if we cut the Defense Budget by 50% abnd could keep the share of $ that Chicago taxpayers had been sending to Washington doe war and arms - we would have around another $2 billion to spend loclly every year. And all this is just looking at dollars - it does not take into account lives lost or shattered from the many abuses we document. :(
Yes! That last sentence is what I'm on about. But this is also where we get when we discuss reparations for Black America. My close friend here is literally a rocket scientist (well, you know, it's not brain surgery). He insists that AI is going to save the world and vouchsafe all humans a guaranteed minimum income. I said, "Steam looms were supposed to do that. Tractors were supposed to do that. Computers were supposed to do that. And yet we still have people cleaning your toilets and flipping burgers at McDonald's." We're going in the opposite direction.
Bcck when I operated the CivicLab in the west Loop (https://www.civiclab.us/our-work) we had workshops, classes, and convenings on a wide range of civic topics - seeking to expand civic imagination and skill sets. One really interesting project/group was Chicago Time Share - seeking to build a basis for people to swap time for services - like Ithaca's Time Dollars (https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/eric-fleischmann-a-brief-look-back-at-ithaca-hours) as well as workshops on creating co-ops under Illinois law. All part of a look at programming under the heading of "Another Economy is Possible."
I'd add that many of the indecencies we've been subject to only skirt the edge of legality, or are even perfectly legal. Most exist as latent civil cases, but have the same effect on people as if they were criminally inspired.
re term limits: I concluded that the real need is term limits for leaders. Some stsrt out with that pledge, then, when the time comes change the rule. I'm thinking specidically of GOP Houjse leader (small "l" deliberate)Tom Cross.
The one financing problem you don't address is the advantage your plan gives to those who are independently rich.
The Feds had a scheme in the `1990's by which one could deduct from Federal taxes up to a $50 political contributi9on. That is worthy of re-enactment, I think.
I was told thar Madigan hung out in the Carpenters Union hall (through someone who worked there, I believe0.
Tell IL Senators Harmon, Hastings, and Simms to give back the $100,000s of money to the state nursing home industry and assure that nursing home residents do not suffer dire retaliation for grievances made. This money is why we can't have nice things
Another excellent article. We live in a capitalist system built on profit. The people who run the government are beholden to money and big business. Some may have good intentions but reality sets in in order to get elected. The reason our military spending is outrageous and far exceeds social spending to help people is because this country is an empire. And a vicious empire at that. We as a people need to completely overturn this disastrous system that is destroying our planet. Thanks so much to people like Tom to fight the fight. But WE need to make a new system run by the People.
Tom, I'm privileged to have been involved in a few "Tresser Enterprises" in my life. I've learned a lot from you and you know we're all grateful to have had you and your confident smile at our side during the toughest times.
After all of the political fallout we've seen from corruption, there remains a massive concern, perhaps the largest, that I hope you can write about. There are so many compromised officials throughout our generation -- and the ones who were found out are probably only a portion of those who are actually on the take. Given this situation, vast swaths of the policy landscape -- many if not most of the laws of our state and city -- have been compromised in turn.
This means that every day, you and I and all Chicagoans will continue to experience a lifetime of inconveniences and difficulties due to the lasting "policy implications" made by these compromised officials on behalf of their clout.
These problems don't go away when the officials are finally put behind bars -- they live on, often forever: selling our streets for parking meter rights permanently impacts revenue opportunities; the TIF (and SSA) circus continues unabated and has even gotten worse; stolen public land remains in the hands of private interests in perpetuity; special zoning and building favors affect quality of life for neighbors for decades to come. I'd like to see a survey of the extent of this damage due to compromised officials who forgot long ago whom they are appointed to represent.
Peter -This is a tough one. The "Chicago Is Not Broke" book attempted to total up the annual amount of LOST, HIDDEN, and UNCOLLECTED revenue that stem from corruption, mismanagement, and untaken opportunities - it is about $5 billion/year! And this is not even approaching the question of Chicago's share of MISUSED FEDERAL dollars. For example, if we cut the Defense Budget by 50% abnd could keep the share of $ that Chicago taxpayers had been sending to Washington doe war and arms - we would have around another $2 billion to spend loclly every year. And all this is just looking at dollars - it does not take into account lives lost or shattered from the many abuses we document. :(
Yes! That last sentence is what I'm on about. But this is also where we get when we discuss reparations for Black America. My close friend here is literally a rocket scientist (well, you know, it's not brain surgery). He insists that AI is going to save the world and vouchsafe all humans a guaranteed minimum income. I said, "Steam looms were supposed to do that. Tractors were supposed to do that. Computers were supposed to do that. And yet we still have people cleaning your toilets and flipping burgers at McDonald's." We're going in the opposite direction.
Bcck when I operated the CivicLab in the west Loop (https://www.civiclab.us/our-work) we had workshops, classes, and convenings on a wide range of civic topics - seeking to expand civic imagination and skill sets. One really interesting project/group was Chicago Time Share - seeking to build a basis for people to swap time for services - like Ithaca's Time Dollars (https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/eric-fleischmann-a-brief-look-back-at-ithaca-hours) as well as workshops on creating co-ops under Illinois law. All part of a look at programming under the heading of "Another Economy is Possible."
I'd add that many of the indecencies we've been subject to only skirt the edge of legality, or are even perfectly legal. Most exist as latent civil cases, but have the same effect on people as if they were criminally inspired.
re term limits: I concluded that the real need is term limits for leaders. Some stsrt out with that pledge, then, when the time comes change the rule. I'm thinking specidically of GOP Houjse leader (small "l" deliberate)Tom Cross.
The one financing problem you don't address is the advantage your plan gives to those who are independently rich.
The Feds had a scheme in the `1990's by which one could deduct from Federal taxes up to a $50 political contributi9on. That is worthy of re-enactment, I think.
I was told thar Madigan hung out in the Carpenters Union hall (through someone who worked there, I believe0.
We need to be able to recall Alders, too.
Tell IL Senators Harmon, Hastings, and Simms to give back the $100,000s of money to the state nursing home industry and assure that nursing home residents do not suffer dire retaliation for grievances made. This money is why we can't have nice things
Another excellent article. We live in a capitalist system built on profit. The people who run the government are beholden to money and big business. Some may have good intentions but reality sets in in order to get elected. The reason our military spending is outrageous and far exceeds social spending to help people is because this country is an empire. And a vicious empire at that. We as a people need to completely overturn this disastrous system that is destroying our planet. Thanks so much to people like Tom to fight the fight. But WE need to make a new system run by the People.