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I'm sorry, but the corruption in Chicago has been going on for a long time, and has been well documented. It would be better to try to clean it up than to live in a dream world where you don't want to accept it as the norm.
And, to a large extent, it is being cleaned up. Blago is proof that a lot of the big politicians still try to pull off ridiculous stunts, but Blago also got caught... There was a time when that might not have happened.
A lot of the day-to-day corruption you mention is a thing of the past. Cops are either too smart or too honest to be on the take for tickets. (Then again, it can't be THAT big an issue, because I never see anyone pulled over for speeding around here... Bigger fish to fry.) "The Pipe" sounds like a myth. I can't speak for every restaurant in town, but a friend of mine owns a couple of places and I've helped him out. No pipe. Health inspections were something he took very seriously.
In short, while your tales of Chicago as wild-wild-west are entertaining, they aren't really accurate. Hopefully, in time, Chicago will continue to clean itself up.
And, to a large extent, it is being cleaned up. Blago is proof that a lot of the big politicians still try to pull off ridiculous stunts, but Blago also got caught... There was a time when that might not have happened.
A lot of the day-to-day corruption you mention is a thing of the past. Cops are either too smart or too honest to be on the take for tickets. (Then again, it can't be THAT big an issue, because I never see anyone pulled over for speeding around here... Bigger fish to fry.) "The Pipe" sounds like a myth. I can't speak for every restaurant in town, but a friend of mine owns a couple of places and I've helped him out. No pipe. Health inspections were something he took very seriously.
In short, while your tales of Chicago as wild-wild-west are entertaining, they aren't really accurate. Hopefully, in time, Chicago will continue to clean itself up.
Actually, I'm not the one who mentioned the day to day stuff, just for the record. I lived in Champaign and have no first hand knowledge of Chicago's hanky-panky, though when I was married to my ex, I had a bro-in-law who was part of Mayor Daley (I)'s "Irish organized crime family". The corruption does spread south, however, there was plenty of it in Champaingn, too. Also I once heard a University of Illinois professor, who certainly should have known better say, "Just because there was bribery involved in the road-building doesn't mean the roads are bad"! This was in reference to the Kerner administration.
Actually, I'm not the one who mentioned the day to day stuff, just for the record. I lived in Champaign and have no first hand knowledge of Chicago's hanky-panky, though when I was married to my ex, I had a bro-in-law who was part of Mayor Daley (I)'s "Irish organized crime family". The corruption does spread south, however, there was plenty of it in Champaingn, too. Also I once heard a University of Illinois professor, who certainly should have known better say, "Just because there was bribery involved in the road-building doesn't mean the roads are bad"! This was in reference to the Kerner administration.
Just to clarify, though I was quoting you, I was doing so more for the bit about attempting to clean it up than anything else.
I have lived and worked in both Chicago suburbs and southern Louisiana. Illinois and Louisiana are both politically corrupt. They also both have a strong French influence. I have always wondered if the historical French influence was the problem.
How so? Two colourful and corrupt leaders that come to mind are Eddie Edwards and Huey P Long. How were they influenced by the French?
KevK's post about Chicago could've been written almost verbatim about any city in this nation, big or small.
I've heard people describe to me the exact same thing about small towns in Germany where they were stationed with the U.S.Army. There was a 'fixer' in each town to whom you went to make things work smoothly. It was normal there. As it is here.
People talk about corruption in Chicago or New Orleans. Give us a break. Hasn't anyone heard of Bernie Madoff this past week? For years he was the toast of the town, a great guy, everyone loved him, he ran a great Hedge Fund. Ooops. Seems that Madoff's hedge fund was nothing but an illegal Ponzi scheme. A fraud. A lie. It went on for YEARS. People told the SEC. The SEC did NOTHING. Corruption anyone? The tab for this mess: $50B. That's B as in Billions. Was Madoff in Chicago or New Orleans. No. He was in the big apple. For sure Blago is a creep. But did he cost anyone a cent? Madoff cost people at least $50B. Can we even find words to describe what a creep Madoff must be by comparison? Is anyone saying enough hateful words about Madoff as they are about Blago?
Everyone likes something for nothing. It's human nature. I wish things were more honest everywhere. Only thing I can say or advise is that Chicago is NOT unique and may not even be the worst example. It's everywhere.
I lived and worked in Chicago for many years- 14 to be exact. During the 80s and early 90s. What is shocking to me is that Americans are so "shocked" by the "scandal" of Gov Blago trying to "sell" Obama's Senate seat! I am not at all surprised. In fact, I would not be surprised to find the thing for sale to the highest bidder on Ebay!
But I guess that you have to actually live in Chicago to understand the culture of the place. It is not just the politicians that are "corrupt" there. It is actually about 75% of the people that live there! Who do you think elects all the politicians there (well at least those that don't steal the election)?
The fact is that Chicagoans just considers payoffs, sexual favours, bribes and "horse trades" as a way of business and a way of life. They do not even consider it to be "corrupt". Everybody does it.
There are few, if any, restaurants in Chicago that are not paying off the health inspectors. Everybody there knows the deal. Every restaurant in town has "the pipe". "the pipe" is just that- an actual pipe in the corner of the kitchen area that goes to nothing. It just sticks out of the wall or floor and has a cap on it. The health inspector goes in to inspect, opens the cap and finds $100 in it, takes the cash and leaves his A+ inspection report for the owner.
The cops are all on the take too. Next time you get pulled over for speeding on Lakeshore Drive, put your drivers license or insurance card in a plastic holder and then slip $40 in behind it. 80% of the time, the cop will take the thing to his car and return it to you minus the cash and tell you to slow down- no ticket. The other 20%, the cop might say "hey are you trying to bribe me with this $40?" to which you say "oh no sir, I meant to put in $60" to which he will say "oh, that's better".
And if you need a telephone technician, yeah, you can call Illinois Bell and they will send somebody out- maybe in a week or so. But if you want your service back on fast, write your phone number on a $20 bill and find the tech working in your area and ask him if he can "work me in today" and of course he always will.
If you do business there, knowing the UNION stewart is MORE important than knowing the contractors! You always take care of the union man on Christmas and you never forget his birthday either! You take care of him and your job gets finished on time and done right! You don't and your job will be sitting there for a very long time (ask people who have conventions there and has to deal with the Teamsters at McCormick Place).
Do you need something from City Hall (a permit, a trash container)?? Well you can call City Hall and it will show up maybe in the spring time but if you need it now, you call your Alderman and he checks his list to see how much you contributed to him or how much time you gave to his last campaign and, if he sees your name, you will get what you need today! And, if you want a city job, you had better give a whole lot!
You don't want UPS or FedEx to "lose" you packages? You "tip" your driver every now and then and he takes care of your stuff! You want a taxi because you need to get Skokie really fast? The taxi is going to say "I only go to the Loop or the Airport" to which you are expected to say "I will pay you the Loop fare (usually $40) to go to Skokie" and he will gladly take you there. Otherwise, catch the EL.
So this thing with the Gov is probably pretty small potatoes for Chicago. You just have to understand it better.
And people wonder why we have issues with the new president coming from there?
And people wonder why we have issues with the new president coming from there?
Yes, we wonder why people have a problem with the President coming from Chicago because it is an unarguable flaw in reasoning to assume that just because someone comes from a corrupt area, they too must be corrupt. When your political bias take place of an empirical real-world link or solid evidence, why should anyone take you seriously?
Yes, we wonder why people have a problem with the President coming from Chicago because it is an unarguable flaw in reasoning to assume that just because someone comes from a corrupt area, they too must be corrupt. When your political bias take place of an empirical real-world link or solid evidence, why should anyone take you seriously?
1. Rev Wright.
2. Bill Ayers
3. Father Phleger
4. Rezco
5. Blago
Ever hear the phrase "Birds of a feather flock together"?
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