Chicago's population THROUGHOUT its history: always growing (Washington, Bridgeport: neighborhoods, subsidized)

[IrishIllini]

^ People throw rocks at things that shine. You know you've made it when you have irrational haters hovering like vultures waiting to sensationalize the slightest bit of bad news. Chicago and Illinois have problems, but the crowd on C-D would have you believe every house is for sale and there are nothing but moving trucks on the interstate headed to Indiana/Arizona/Texas/Atlanta/Wherever...

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

^ People throw rocks at things that shine. You know you've made it when you have irrational haters hovering like vultures waiting to sensationalize the slightest bit of bad news. Chicago and Illinois have problems, but the crowd on C-D would have you believe every house is for sale and there are nothing but moving trucks on the interstate headed to Indiana/Arizona/Texas/Atlanta/Wherever...

Yes, they're like a pack of vicious St. Bernard's dogs, who wonder just why are you so thirsty?....

[chet everett]

Being a homer is one thing, denying reality is another. There are idiotic proposals to massively raise taxes on higher income earners and businesses being cooked up by the same sort of "reality deniers" that want to believe everything is simply swell -- Taxpayer group opposes Democrats' graduated tax proposal - Illinois Review

...would give Illinois the fourth-highest top marginal rate in the country (behind California, Oregon & Minnesota for single filers). The $1.9 billion in anticipated revenue covers less than 50 percent of the deficit of the Democrats’ most recently-passed budget. ... Illinoisans should not be asked to entrust Springfield politicians with – literally – a blank check.”

[King Harold]

Sorry, but a graduated tax is not really an idiotic proposal, it is how most places in the world do it. Chicago has never been able to make up its mind about what kind of city it is, so every other idiotic proposal has been implemented instead of the obvious.

[chet everett]

What Illinois currently has is a FLAT TAX, there is single page for all filers, it takes about 5 minutes to complete and insures that no "insiders" get special treatment.

The mess that would result by putting EVEN MORE POWER into the hands of crooks that "run the house" in Springfield are too terrible to contemplate.

Decades of economists have decried the negative effects of complicated tax systems and should Illinois try to shove one down the throats of the helpless citizenry the result will all but certainly DECREASED revenues and increased outward migration of the high income earners and business owners that are most desperately needed -- Progressive taxation is an inefficient and costly system

[King Harold]

Indeed, Illinois made its bed with the flat tax long ago, and now looks like it will be lying with it forever.

Somehow, nobody in Illinois in 1970 put 2 and 2 together and considered that constitutionally protecting both state pensions and a flat tax might lead to an untenable situation down the road.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by King Harold

Indeed, Illinois made its bed with the flat tax long ago, and now looks like it is stuck with it forever.

Somehow, nobody in Illinois in 1970 put 2 and 2 together and considered that constitutionally protecting both state pensions and a flat tax might lead to an untenable situation down the road.

The do-gooders that authored the Constitution assumed that no legislators would be so stupid as to promise benefits then recklessly spend the money that was collected to eventually pay those benefits.

Of course those do-gooders did not anticipate an idiot as incompetent Blago being able to bluff his way into power while a wheeler-dealer as sly as Madigan controlled the whole legislature either. They two of them were a toxic combination that allowed funds that should have remained earmarked toward pensions to be spent with abandon and they borrowed to fill the budget with even more IOUs.

Quite the pair, Chicago borne and bred...

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by chet everett

The do-gooders that authored the Constitution assumed that no legislators would be so stupid as to promise benefits then recklessly spend the money that was collected to eventually pay those benefits.

Of course those do-gooders did not anticipate an idiot as incompetent Blago being able to bluff his way into power while a wheeler-dealer as sly as Madigan controlled the whole legislature either. They two of them were a toxic combination that allowed funds that should have remained earmarked toward pensions to be spent with abandon and they borrowed to fill the budget with even more IOUs.

Quite the pair, Chicago borne and bred...

We've sent other Governors to prison in addition to Blago...I think 4? This freight train has been heading towards us for decades. It seems the populous of Illinois has finally starting waking up, but it's going to be an uphill battle to get this situation resolved and implement reforms that prevent it from happening again.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by tommy_407

can this be framed??

may i second the nomination

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by edsg25

BS.....my "amazing" was merely the highlight the absurdity of claims chicago is losing population. Personally I think it's all insanity in how we look at population and its rise, as in "Also, why compare New York City and Chicago MSA growth stats? Why not use New York MSA stats instead?" Is it a race? Is NYC's growth an asset. Will NYC find that it is a better place when today's 9 million New Yorkers becomes 18 million? As I've said before a million (or 9 million) times here: the only thing that continues to grow forever is cancer...until it kills you.

I take it you prefer stagnation to steady, healthy growth? I'm sure you're also ok with someone like Madigan festering in office for nearly 5 decades as he runs the state into the ground finacially.

Originally Posted by edsg25

"You've got to be the biggest homer on this forum and that's saying something."....perhaps, but if so, it comes in the form of a reaction on my part to the incredible Chicago-bashing that goes on in the Chicago subforum, a venue that, IMHO, has become somewhat of an open sewer.

So damned right, CSS....I'm a homer; and I admit it proudly. I love Chicago. I adore this city. I think it's the best city anywhere. And when addressed as "You've got to be the biggest homer on this forum and that's saying something.", I can only say, thank you; I very much take that as a compliment.

Apparently, you love this place so much that you can't think rationally. There's always some excuse from you when it come to Chicago. But, hey, maybe you'll get your wish one day and Chicago will lose the west and south sides.