What happend to make Illinois so Democratic since 1990? (Chicago: neighborhoods, income)

[Cuito]

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

...We also pushed out Jack Ryan when his divorce records were unsealed (not smart, he could have recovered). Jack Ryan had been running neck-and-neck with Barack Obama. Then when came time to replace him Bill Brady, Jim Oberweis, Andy McKenna, and others who had been contenders in the primary, declined to run! This screw-up by the ILGOP is 100% why Barack Obama is president right now. ...

Respectfully, that statement lacks logic. For that to be true everything that happened after Obama's 2004 Senate election would have to be irrelevant to the presidential election in 2008. You are suggesting that the human toll in Iraq, the failure to capture Bin Laden, Bush's deficits which were a record at the time, the recession, Obama's performance as a Senator, the actions of Obama's rivals, and Obama's ability to mobilize support and inspire a nation were all irrelevant to the 2008 presidential election outcome.

Your statement is 100% wrong.

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

I really disagree with your characterization of Sarah Palin's speeches. She also loves the suburbs! She said that Northern Virginia was one of the most beautiful and most American regions she had ever been to, and she also visited Wilmette and called it a "little slice of Americana."

That is the kind of language that doesn't belong in politics - it is a cancer on our society. The idea that some parts of the country are more American than others (and, presumably the people there are more American than others) is repulsive and offensive to the American spirit of equality.

"...(A)ll men are created equal..."

But some Americans are more "American" than others?

It is a black mark on America that anyone can give Palin 1 gram of respect.

[US-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Cuito

Respectfully, that statement lacks logic. For that to be true everything that happened after Obama's 2004 Senate election would have to be irrelevant to the presidential election in 2008. You are suggesting that the human toll in Iraq, the failure to capture Bin Laden, Bush's deficits which were a record at the time, the recession, Obama's performance as a Senator, the actions of Obama's rivals, and Obama's ability to mobilize support and inspire a nation were all irrelevant to the 2008 presidential election outcome.

Your statement is 100% wrong.


That is the kind of language that doesn't belong in politics - it is a cancer on our society. The idea that some parts of the country are more American than others (and, presumably the people there are more American than others) is repulsive and offensive to the American spirit of equality.

"...(A)ll men are created equal..."

But some Americans are more "American" than others?

It is a black mark on America that anyone can give Palin 1 gram of respect.

How is my statement 100% wrong? How could Obama have run for president if he had never become a senator? If you don't remember he was behind in the polls until all of the stuff came out about Jack Ryan.

I think all of you are overinterpreting Sarah Palin's remarks. I am not a Sarah Palin fan, however it is clear that what she means by "real Americans" or "slice of real Americana" is that this is an area that holds American values near and dear or is more of a traditional area.

[LexusNexus]

Originally Posted by HamlinandLyndale

From 1964-1988 the GOP nominee carried Illinois for President. This seems like a century ago. The GOP has declined big time in Suburban Cook county and the Collar counties. Areas that were 2-1 GOP a generation ago are now 50-50 and areas that were 50-50 are now 2-1 Democratic. Lake County where I live was 3-2 GOP for years is now 50-50.. It hard to see how the GOP ever turns this around. where did the Illinois GOP go wrong? They can't blame Ryan for everything.

Obviously, the reason is that the state is PROGRESSING. Increasing popularity of the GOP in any area or state signifies that some serious REGRESSION is occurring.

The popularity among a certain segment of the population over Palin, the racist airhead from podunk, indicates that this very backwards element still persists...even in Illinois.

[pvande55]

He is not the sole reason, but you cannot ignore Jack Ryan's shenanigans. At first he stated that his divorce records were sealed to protect the children. How many divorce records are sealed? Maybe 12 in the entire state? When public pressure caused the opening of those records, information embarrassing to the whole party came out. Replacement candidate Alan Keyes was rushed in to take his place, but to no avail.

[Cuito]

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

How is my statement 100% wrong? How could Obama have run for president if he had never become a senator? If you don't remember he was behind in the polls until all of the stuff came out about Jack Ryan.

You said that is 100% why Obama is president today. What ILGOP did during the Senatorial run is not the total (100%) explanation as to why Obama is president right now. Events prior to Obama's Senate run and after helped make him the president today. Your statement attempts to take all of that away - to take away all of Obama's accomplishments.

I think all of you are overinterpreting Sarah Palin's remarks. I am not a Sarah Palin fan, however it is clear that what she means by "real Americans" or "slice of real Americana" is that this is an area that holds American values near and dear or is more of a traditional area.

Maybe you find this language acceptable. To me, these are slogans design to divide America and to appeal to base emotions. Palin's speeches don't offer solutions to anything, only slogans. Like Sen. Bayh said a few days ago: "We need solutions not slogans."

[krock1dk]

The reason Illinois almost always goes Democrat is........Chicago. Period. Thats where the population is, and thats where the REAL politicial power of Illinois is. If you win Chicago, you win the state of Illinois. Besides, Daily is a political machine and practically runs it with an iron fist.

[vilmer laktow]

How is blind faith in a corrupt Washington DC, of Pelosi, Reid, Frank and Dodd, how is this rabid faith progressive?? Seems regressive to me to believe that politicians, with monopolistic power, can be trusted.

[j33]

Originally Posted by vilmer laktow

How is blind faith in a corrupt Washington DC, of Pelosi, Reid, Frank and Dodd, how is this rabid faith progressive?? Seems regressive to me to believe that politicians, with monopolistic power, can be trusted.

What is this 'blind faith' you are speaking of? I believe the subject matter is why Illinois has been recently leaning Democratic instead of Republican in national and (sometimes) statewide elections. I know of no thinking person, Republican, Democrat or otherwise who has blind faith in his or her elected officials.

[Cuito]

Originally Posted by vilmer laktow

How is blind faith in a corrupt Washington DC, of Pelosi, Reid, Frank and Dodd, how is this rabid faith progressive?? Seems regressive to me to believe that politicians, with monopolistic power, can be trusted.

Actually, the progressives have been rather annoyed with and critical of the Congressional leadership for the lack of progress on healthcare reform and the lack of prosecutions of Bush Admin. officials.

Rachel Maddow has been critical of the Obama Admin. since Feb. of 2009.

[ihynes]

The more urbanized the population gets, the more government is required. Simple, really.