The Capitol Fax Blog » The stunt was goofy, but the problem is real

The stunt was goofy, but the problem is real

Thursday, Jul 17, 2008

* From what I gather, yesterday’s announcement by Gov. Rod Blagojevich that he wanted to “help” Chicago fight crime by sending in more police and possibly the National Guard was an “off script” moment.

Blagojevich had apparently mused about the idea in private, and then kinda blurted it out at a bill signing ceremony. Oops. Here’s how it started..

“Something is wrong, and this violence has to stop. And we have to do something constructively to try and make that violence stop,” he said. “Maybe, we can play a role and provide more manpower so that the mayor doesn’t have to make that choice between taking a police officer from, let’s say, the North Side and putting that police officer on the street in the South Side.”

* And then after the governor mentioned the state cops and the National Guard, he decided to take it one step further…

“The mayor can be a great help in this in getting the House Democratic leadership to pass that big capital program,” he said.

* To which the House Speaker’s office replied…

“My guess is the governor may be smarting because the mayor was quoted publicly as saying he tried to convince [Blagojevich] to have a more common-sense approach to the capital plan, and that advice was ignored,” Brown said. […]

“Making sure that kids aren’t shot and guns aren’t in the hands of bad guys is far from political,” [Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero] said.

* And the mayor’s office was not amused…

“It is, at the very least, a little disconcerting that we’re only hearing about this as the media does,” she said.

* But the governor does have a good point about the violence…

The governor noted 16 children — “almost one child a day” — have been gunned down in Chicago since June 26. The shooting death toll for Chicago Public School students stands at 29 since last fall.

“Twenty-eight of those kids are African-American and Latino. Hard to imagine that that would be acceptable if that were, in fact, the case in other parts of the city or in a middle-class suburb somewhere. . . . Something is wrong, and this violence has to stop,” he said.

* And this response from the city’s police department seems a bit odd, considering…

But [police department spokeswoman Monique Bond] took issue with the governor’s contention that crime is “out of control” in Chicago.

In fact, she said if the current murder rate holds in the city, 2008 may end with fewer than 500 homicides and that it is expected to be one of the least deadly years in the city in the last 40 years.

It’s kinda weird that the cops think that 500 murders is something to be proud of.

In the end, this was a goofy stunt. But Chicago is overrun by gangs. Nobody knows how many gang members there are, but one report has the Gangster Disciples alone with 70,000 Chicago-area members.

Was the governor’s splash a goofy stunt? Yes. Is there an urgent problem in Chicago? Heck yes. Will the leaders be able to put aside their egos and work on that problem? Ha.

* Related…

* Daley’s $1 mil. push to buy back guns misfires

* Daley: Media has made cops timid

* Daley Goes After Media Coverage of Police

* Daley dodges questions about backing cops

* Blagojevich: State Troopers Could Help Stem Chicago Violence

* Blagojevich Answers Questions

* Crime’s up. Why?

- posted by Rich Miller

57 Comments

- Redbright - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:41 am:
Mayor Daley must be screaming mad in private; this is not the press he wants for the Olympics bid. (And Matt Drudge did pick it up.)

Gangs are everywhere; there’s nothing special about Chicago.

- Honest Abe - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:41 am:
I cannot believe that the governor chose to hold his media event with the controversial Reverend Michael Pfleger at his side. Has Blago stopped reading the newspapers? Hello…

- phocion - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:44 am:
To the extent it helps keep a spotlight on a serious issue, the Governor’s “stunt” was on balance positive.

- Greg - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:46 am:
I think today’s Sun-Times cover demonstrates the level of respect everyone has for our Governor. That hilarious photoshop makes the New Yorker profile look flattering.

Somewhat surprised that Blago hasn’t asked the White House to re-assign all Illinois US attorneys personell to Chicago gang issues.

- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:49 am:
Just another glaring example of how this Governor has zero leadership skills and is nothing more then a deranged politacal hack who is neither qualified nor interested in doing the job he was eleceted to do. IMPEACH NOW

- Snidely Whiplash - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:55 am:
Dan S., I said that here and elsewhere during both of his elections, and was viciously attacked. Funny how occasionally one is proven right over time. Now, about Barack …

- fed up - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:57 am:
The police have been working for over a year without a contract and are undermanned. I dont think the chicago school teachers would show up for work without a contract. They could use a raise the price of everything has gone up. Emil Jones evens says he needs more money and he isnt working midnights in the ghetto. Crime is up because of the citys continuing to use clout to promote. Ald. Ike Carouthers chairman of the police committee’s brother has been “merit” promoted twice. Its still who you know in the city not what you know. No contract, severly undermanned and icompetant clout leadership has taken its toll on the CPD.

- Springfield Alum - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 10:58 am:
I had to drive into Chicago today. I normally dread it because it is such a violent, crime-riddled place. This morning was the first time in years, though, that I can remember not being accosted by a thug or two. I guess Sheriff Rod scared them off with yesterday’s tough talk. Heck, forget about sharing any concrete ideas with the City, Sheriff Rod. Keep on talkin’ because it sure is cheaper and probably about as effective as you can be.

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:02 am:
The problem is real, but what Monique Bond said is also true. Violent crime has been on a downward trend, but we’re currently experiencing a spike. It’s too early to tell if it’s an upward trend. It certainly isn’t the Crack Wars of the 80s yet.

A lot of the interest in this stems from the Taste of Chicago shootings and the City Council heat on the new, out-of-town superintendent who drummed out, I believe, 21 of 25 clout-heavy commanders.

Historically, when the temperature rises, more guns come out. The mayor’s office had a good question for the guv: It’s mid-July; where’s the summer jobs program?

In a related bit, Fox News Chicago this morning had a simultaneously hilarious and infuriating piece on summer jobs at the Metropolitan Water and Reclamation District. Hundreds of summer jobs paying $13 an hour. They don’t advertise them. Guess who gets them? The progeny of commission members, aldermen, county commissioners, etc. Take a look if you get a chance.

- Jim Rockford - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:05 am:
Perhaps the Gov should look at his State Police crime statistics. He may conclude that the deployment should be in Springfield.
www.isp.state.il.us/crime/cii2006.cfm

- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:06 am:
I want to know what our senator, who has been busy running for president, thinks about the situation in his hometown. What has he done over the past decade to address this issue, and what has he done over the past four years as senator regarding this issue?

We only have two senators in Washington DC. One is the Majority Whip and the other a prospective Democratic Presidential Nominee. What have they been doing to help us? What good are they if even with this level of political power, they stand by silently and are useless to us?

I’m not voting for a presidential candidate that can’t prove an ability to handle the problems within his own hometown - or even address them.

- Cassandra - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:06 am:
This is where we need a newspaper series to tell why there are so many gangs, and gang members, in Chicago. They have to live somewhere. They have to do business somewhere. They don’t have invisible shields. They have a whole lot of money, though.
Untaxed money. Free money. Do they make political contributions? Where do they live? Why do the neighbors put up with them. Does anybody check their tax returns? After all, many of them own property even if their “income” remains theoretically hidden from the tax department.

The police can’t do it all. A city like Chicago which easily tolerates a huge gang presence without asking too many questions has to take
some responsibility above and beyond sending out
the drug squad. And given Chicago’s and Illinois’ history of rampant corruption one has to wonder if
a lot of anti-gang activity isn’t, well, for show.

When you run a city where gangs live and operate openly and freely, gun control laws and putting street level drugs sellers in (downstate) jails isn’t going to cut it. But that is likely all that our feckless politicians (including Daley and Blago) have the courage to do.

If Daley can’t get the gangs out of Chicago, Chicago shouldn’t win the Olympic bid. There have to be consequences for failure to act on serious, obvious crime problems and there is no evidence yet that Daley is challenging the gangs where it matters…in the wallet.

- Jaded - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:10 am:
Gangs produce violence and are financed by drugs. Drugs are demanded by addicts. Hmmmm. Maybe his eminence should have considered this before he slashed $15 million out of DASA’s drug abuse programs.

Nah, lets just call in the National Guard and blame it on a lack of a capital plan instead. After all, he is the solution, how could he ever be part of the problem.

- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:20 am:
Blagojevich has a long history of considering crime and gun legislation in Springfield and in Washington. He has spotlighted this as a candidate for governor in 2002.

So now you are governor, Governor! What has your decade-long work in this area showed you? Exactly what has gone wrong if you have been a leader in this area for the past ten years? If a guy with your experience ends up as governor, but can’t handle this issue, then what good are you, your ideas, and the “work” you have done?

It is beginning to appear that we have been wasting our time debating the finer points of law and crime, while children are dying and gangs are growing. Instead of stemming social disorder, it appears that social disorder is becoming a new norm in parts of Chicago.

When something isn’t working, stop fine-tuning it and dump it for something else. The first job of a government is to protect it’s citizens within the boundaries established by those citizens. Chicago government is proving to be a utter failure concerning it’s most basic responsibilities. It cannot educate it’s children, keep them out of gangs, and prevent them from killing one another or us.

Instead the governments in Chicagoland are discussing banning food items, smoking, and whether doggies can eat with their owners in outdoor cafes! Marie Antoinette would fit right at home in the post social scenes in Loop skyscrapers as doormen and bodyguards keep commoners out of the lobbies below.

We have bigger problems than convincing international business leaders Chicago should be home to the Olympics. We have the problem convincing families that Chicago should be home to them.

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:37 am:
===Chicago government is proving to be a utter failure concerning it’s most basic responsibilities. It cannot educate it’s children, keep them out of gangs, and prevent them from killing one another or us.===

It can and does. Is every kid in Chicago uneducated, in gangs and a murderer? That’s a ludicrous statement made for cheap political points with no concern for the issue at all.

Thousands of kids in the city overcome their environment every year and become educated, productive members of society. Give them some credit.

Drugs, gangs and crime are issues in virtually every big city on the planet. If it were a simple problem, it would be solved in virtually every big city on the planet.

And before anyone plays the race card, during Prohibition, the gangs that terrorized the cities of America were exclusively white.

- Anon - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:51 am:
===When you run a city where gangs live and operate openly and freely, gun control laws and putting street level drugs sellers in (downstate) jails isn’t going to cut it. But that is likely all that our feckless politicians (including Daley and Blago) have the courage to do.===

If I were looking for the simplest answer to the problem, I would pin it on the war against drugs. It’s just like prohibition — people who wanted alchohol could get it despite the law, and in doing so funded major crime organizations and government corruption, and helped create a culture of disrespect for law and police that fostered crime.

- Joe D's Cousin Ralph - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:52 am:
Why are there so many gang members? Fathers not parenting. The percentage of gang members that come from broken homes is staggeringly high -better than 90%. Drugs. A culture that accepts gangster rap as a serious art form. An education system in the cities that is too political and simply ineffective in reaching the children. Fathers who give up on their children while they are still in utero, and a system that gives up on minority children while they are still infants because politicians do not want to address these kids’ plight out of fear that they will lose votes and/or that they will be accused of political incorrectness.
There is your article. All that’s needed are some photographs.

- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:53 am:
==Is every kid in Chicago uneducated, in gangs and a murderer?==

C’Mon! You can bury your head in the sand deeper than that! You are right! Since not every kid in Chicago is undereducated, in gangs and a murderer - there is no issue here! We’re just making this stuff up because of politics!

Push you head in deeper, I can still see your Adam’s apple.

- Irish - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 11:58 am:
Once again here is a political stunt by Blago.

First of all where is he getting the state troopers? That agency has been cut along with all the others in the gov’s tunnel vision on universal health care and his practice of taking from existing programs to start new ones that give him press. Many of the Districts are short already with patrols being reduced, the Lab does not have enough staff to get DNA testing done in a timely manner, the Crime scene investigation division and the maintenance department, especially the telecommunications equipment repair department are all short. The only group that has not been cut is the gov’s security detail.
I see this as a way to show the gov trying to work with his opponenets to make the statement that the problem isn’t him.
There are many things that contribute to the increase in violance being seen in Chicago. The gang unit has been reduced due to budget cuts. The tearing down of gang controlled public housing high rises and then spreading those people out across the city means you are putting members of one gang into areas controlled by other gangs. Turf wars result while the gangs try to take or maintain control of the neighborhood. Finally the economy has many peole feeling as though they are trapped with no chance to improve their lot in life. With some the anger and hopelessness of their situation leads them to crime as they feel they have no choice. I am no bleeding heart by any means but when folks that have liitle see large amounts of tax money being used to subsidize large corporations, the possible Wrigley deal, or being used for personal gain as has been done in this state and in Chicago it angers them and they take it out on others. While the Olympics might be great for Chicago, that is a lot of money to spend when there are other areas wanting desparately.

- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:16 pm:
I’m interested in the question of whether 500 murders is something to be proud of. How many murders would be a number the Chicago PD could be proud of then? 400? 100? 10? Surely, zero murders would be something to be proud of, but it is something that won’t and can’t ever be achieved. Does that mean the Chicago PD can never be proud? I don’t think so. I think they can be proud of progress.

- Anon - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:22 pm:
We in Chicago would be much better off without any guns. Those caught with them would do mandatory time. Those who committ crimes with them would get mandatory life. Simple.

- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:23 pm:
I am no bleeding heart by any means but when folks that have liitle see large amounts of tax money being used to subsidize large corporations, the possible Wrigley deal, or being used for personal gain as has been done in this state and in Chicago it angers them and they take it out on others.

Get rid of the TIF districts, and the gang problem is solved!

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:24 pm:
Vman, read the rest of that and other posts I’ve made on the subject (didn’t you just write something about legislators who don’t listen? Self-apply your self-righteousness).

I don’t bury my head in the sand on anything. I also don’t find every public policy issue signifies the decadence of Chicago, or the dereliction of Obama.

It’s a big world. Take a look around. Problems all over. If every one had a simple solution, you’d be the man.

- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:28 pm:
Social disorder is “becoming” a new norm in Chicago? What next? Gang violence? Drugs? Crime? Black Panthers? School dropouts?
Social disorder of the type being referenced has been a problem in parts of every major city in the country for at least 40 years. And it’s because of what the Governor has and hasn’t done? Jeez. Anyone who denies Chicago is far more liveable today than 25 years ago either doesn’t go there or is too blind to see or simply being dishonest.

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:34 pm:
Amen to that, Steve.

Pingback In Chambers » Gone For Now, But Maybe Not for Long - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:35 pm:
[…] Just when you think you’ve seen it all with these characters, it gets even goofier. Yesterday, Blagojevich declared that he might send state troopers or even the National Guard into the neighborhoods of Chicago to help stem “out of control” violence. Only, Blagojevich hadn’t bothered to mention this to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley before mentioning it to rolling television cameras. As CapFax Blog noted, Blagojevich apparently just “blurted” it out. […]

- Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:46 pm:
==What good are they if even with this level of political power, they stand by silently and are useless to us?==

Good question for Chuck Percy…

- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 12:58 pm:
===I’m not voting for a presidential candidate that can’t prove an ability to handle the problems within his own hometown - or even address them.===

VM, considering your previous comments about Obama over the years, this latest statement of yours is just flat-out intellectually dishonest.

- TaxMeMore - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 1:19 pm:
“Anyone who denies Chicago is far more liveable today than 25 years ago either doesn’t go there or is too blind to see or simply being dishonest.”

Or they actually earn their money from someone besides the government. Anyone that can’t see that Chicago has become even more unlivable for families and the middle class than 25 years ago probably helped created that environment and would rather ignore the fact that their policies created even more poor people in Chicago and more of these violence problems.

High unavoidable taxes on the poor, greedy unaccountable teacher unions, and the failed drug war are creating even more violence as we speak. Anyone who doesn’t see all three of these as the main problem behind the increased violence must be deluded enough think Chicago is more livable today than 25 years ago.

- cermak_rd - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 1:34 pm:
Oh come on, Chicago is much better than it was 25 years ago. It’s safer in more neighborhoods for random strangers and it’s cleaner to boot. The cops, also, aren’t nearly as scary as they used to be.

I would agree the drug war hasn’t helped the crime problem, but the drug wars between the gangs was much, much worse back in the ’80s.

As for the greedy teacher unions, I don’t think the average CPS teacher is all that motivated by greed, and I think they work as hard as they can. The selective enrollment and some of the magnet schools are very fine places of learning indeed. The general neighborhood schools aren’t as good, depending on the level of poverty in the neighborhood, and don’t forget, most of the better students in the neighborhood school areas are already skimmed off by the selectives and magnets. There simply aren’t a lot of general neighborhood schools (meaning they must take all comers) in any city that are good at educating an urban, high poverty population. That’s not unique to CPS.

As for high taxes, yes, the sales tax is pretty darned high, but there’s no city income tax, and the property taxes aren’t that awful. Again, it seems a wash compared with other comparably sized cities.

- Anonymous45 - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 1:48 pm:
yeah, this will help Chicago’s Olympic bid in 2016…Da Mare would like to offer his personal thanks you Rod…

- anon - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 1:49 pm:
Same old thing, Blago opens mouth before engaging what little brain he has. He must think the state has recall rights on the retired Troopers like the Military. Just another publicity stunt without doing your homework. Nice one Rod really brings out your intelligence.

- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 2:06 pm:
I am not smart enough to solve a problem like inner city crime but I do know what doesn’t help and that is the Governor’s flyin’ by the seat of his pants programs and statements.

A well planned and administered summer jobs program could be a benefit to the high crime areas. To do this, it would be necessary to put thought into projects and job assignments to be performed. The goal would be to actually do something of benefit for the community. Quality supervisors and managers would need to be hired and trained months before the actual program begins. Education and training could be part of the work day for these summer employees.

This Governor started his summer jobs program in the middle of summer. I am sure it is barely, if at all, functional.

He cut Cease Fire’s funding and then announced he wants to provide funding for programs to stop violence in inner City’s.

He announces he will send in the National Guard or maybe not.

He has no real motivation other then the initial press pop. This is a complex problem that needs to be confronted from many directions. It takes a united and concerted effort to even make a dent in the problem. The situation is not insurmountable but with Governor Blagojevich, it is impossible.

- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 2:11 pm:
Notwithstanding the comments by the governor, children and residents of Chicago do have the right to live their lives without fear of gunfire, harm and violence. Not just Chicago, but the entire state.

Lost in all of this is a long term solution to the problem?

- Maggie - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 2:27 pm:
Picking another fight. Rod’s mad at Daley because he doesn’t condemn Madigan. So this was just another stunt to try and embarrass this mayor.
He wants everyone to know Daley isn’t in control of his city. So Rod will rush in to the rescue.
Rod better be careful. Daley will not appreciate these little stunts.

- Captain America - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 2:29 pm:
The picture in the Sun-Times was a classic - Blago looked ridiculoua with his preposterous proposal. Blago can’t govern the state effectively, but wants to solve the city’s crime/violence problems.

It’s somewhat ironic that a future white-collar felon is grandstanding as a champion of law and order. Fitz -please rescue us from this political slapstick.

- fed up - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 2:38 pm:
I am by no means a fan of the current administration but Chicago is a much better place than 25 years ago or 10 years ago. Crime has decreased a great deal from the 80’s 90’s and even early 2000’s. This is a spike in crime from the previous year. Crime will not go down every year demographic trends like the number of males in the high crime age groug 16-25 and the economy have a huge impact on crime. Yes I think there is a morale problem in the city police bwcause of no contract, manpower shortages and some bad manangment(not neccasarily the top boss). Remember when Daley was holding press confrences proclaiming the big decreeses in crime. Well someone shouls have told king Daley that crime doesn’t always go down. But Blago is a putz just taking a shot at the mayor for not supporting his capital plan.

- Irish - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 3:03 pm:
Six; I didn’t say that eliminating TIFs would get rid of the gangs. What my point was; when people have no future they don’t care. Not caring leads them to do things that they might not ordinarily do. Families can do only just so much. But promises that they will be rewarded with better jobs etc. in an economy where the lower and middle class have to struggle to eat and provide shelter for themselves does not provide much incentive. When they see the rich getter richer because of lies and deceit and some of these are the leaders of their government that is supposed to be helping their anger ncreases. Some might say that going to prison for three square meals, air conditioning, color TV, health, and dental care, is a better life than they had on the street.
Even our public aid system penalizes these people for getting jobs. The minute they begin earning money their aid is cut putting them right back where they were. The public aid system ought to be graduated. You get a job and your aid will continue for six months to a year, if you keep your job. This allows the folks that want t work to get over the initial hump of transitioning to the working force. In the long run this would save more than the current system by getting more people into the work force. Instead of the kids of political heavyweights and the connected getting government summer jobs they ought to go to those from the lower class who are trying to make it out.
Bottomline is that those in power pay lip service to these problems nut are unwilling to give up their “extras” to try to solve the problem.

- The Mad Hatter - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 3:28 pm:
I’ve lived in this city all my life, the last 40 years on the south side. It’s never been all that safe, but I do think it’s worse now.

Back in the day the gangbangers stayed in their own hoods and mainly fought each other over turf. Now they are all over the entire metro area, fighting each other over the lucrative drug trade. They are no longer neighborhood gangs, but regional (indeed nationwide) drug gangs.

There were also fewer gangbangers with automatic weapons, and the gangbangers tended to be somewhat older (upper teens, 20s and up). Now we have 10-year-old drug lookouts armed with glocks and willing to shoot anything that moves.

I may be getting old, but I don’t recall daily stories of drive-by shootings in the ’60s and ’70s. That phenomenom started in the ’80s and has worsened each passing year.

Last, gangbangers of old (right on through the ’90s) were more interested in mixing it up with other gangbangers. They weren’t deliberately menacing the general citizenry (ala the Taste of Chicago fiasco) or invading the homes of innocent civilians on a near-daily basis.

The solution to this problem is already available to us. Just declare the gangs a criminal enterprise, arrest anyone affiliated with same, throw them in solitary and wait 40 years until they finally come to their senses.

- ANON #2 - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 3:47 pm:
As a lifelong Chicagoan I can tell you without hesitation that Chicago is a far better place to live today than 25 years ago. And while I don’t think the Mayor deserves all of he credit…..he surely deserves most of it. Gangs, crime, murder and drug dealing are the products of a far greater issue than how many back up state troopers the Governor can send in to ” solve” the problem. He ( the gov) truly is an embarassment when he tries to trade state troopers and national guardsmen for support for his dead capital program. WHAT A GOOF!

- Bill - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 3:52 pm:
Why is it “goofy” to have the large contingent of state police that are assigned to the Chicago district to write tickets and investigate accidents assist the CPD in patrolling the neighborhoods and just show an increased police presence in problem areas. They would do a lot more good in high crime areas than they do on the interstates.
So maybe Rod isn’t exactly Lincolnesque. Does that mean that whatever he does is wrong, goofy, corrupt,or stupid? Maybe after seeing the numerous child murders recently, he like many of us, felt compelled to do something, anything. It is really not a bad idea. It is better than just blaming the parents of the victims which seems to be Daley’s and Weis’ strategy.

- ANON #2 - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 3:58 pm:
Maybe he’d look a little more credible if it wasn’t one of his stunts and he actually worked with the mayor on how the state could be helpful rather than try to embarass he mayor. Whether you admit it or not this guy can turn even good ideas into dumb political stunts.

- Say WHAT? - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 4:24 pm:
We’d all be better off if this guy would just stay at home in his house in Chicago and play video games.

- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 4:27 pm:
25-35 years ago there were parts of Chicago I wouldn’t drive thru day or night. There are no such places left for me. In fact, I’m not sure there are areas I wouldn’t walk thru in the daytime.
But what does any of that have to do with Obama, much less Blagojevich?

- Anon - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 4:28 pm:
From Bill “Maybe after seeing the numerous child murders recently, he like many of us, felt compelled to do something, anything . . .”

. . . except think. The National Guard is the truly goofy part. Thanks for not trying to defend that part of the proposal.

- ANON #2 - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 4:44 pm:
If the governor really wants to help lets convene a meeting with the mayor, the police supt, the director of the state police and the SAC of the FBI and develop a strong intelligence network to get to the heart of these gangs. This is not just the killing of kids ( although this is the most appalling part of this problem) this is organized crime, not just thugs, but a highly sofisticated crime network that uses murder to intimidate and recruit their young street soldiers. If you fight them you die. If you don’t get to the head of this crime network you’ll never solve the problem. Good intelligence gathering costs money and requires highly trained personnel. Show yourself a leader gov and do it.

- Little Egypt - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 4:47 pm:
Who advises this guy - anyone? What amazes me is how hungry Blago is for press coverage, when he can control the content 100 percent. It would have been a great gesture for him to pick up the phone and call Richey Daley to discuss the possible need for intervention. Of course, Daley would have said no thanks. So instead, Blago has this big PR stunt because he wanted the thunder all for himself. Well Elvis, sometimes you have to take the lightening strikes with the thunder. But you should know that by now. Not knowing is worrisome because in 6 years you have learned NOTHING! Go home, watch TV reruns, wait for the next two years to pass, hope that you can stay in seclusion in your home while doing so, and don’t answer the door, unless it’s Fitz knocking a little earlier than anticipated.

- Cassandra - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 4:52 pm:
We like to talk about economics and family breakdown and bad schools and so on, but I think the gang stuff is all about money. A whole lot of money, at least some of which may well be lubricating some political careers. And I’m not sure that either the CPD or the state police have sufficient employees with the smarts to fight the financial battles necessary to end gang activity in Chicago.In fact, we hear little about gang crimes officers doing much more than going out and arresting street seller. They have to do better than that.Gang don’t keep all their money under the mattress. It shouldn’t be that hard to make it substantially less profitable to sell drugs in Chicago by freezing bank accounts, seizing property and so on. It’s easier (and less intellectually demanding) to just do drug busts, though.

- Bill - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 5:07 pm:
VanMan,
con con, state budget deficit, Chicago gang problem, global warming, Bears losing the Super Bowl….all Obama’s fault. If I were you I wouldn’t vote for him, that loser!

- anon - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 5:20 pm:
Luis just released another announcement ahbout the partenrship between the ISP and CPD

- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 5:30 pm:
Bill, shame on you for being sophomoric in your derision of VM. Global warming, not a Chicago but a worldwide problem, is clearly the fault of President Bush, not Sen Obama. I think I will never vote for Bush for President again. Twice is enough, thank you. I also don’t think I will be voting for Barack for Illinois State Senator in the foreseeable future, either (unless, of course, Keyes resurfaces)

- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 5:36 pm:
Oh Bill, don’t try to defend the indefensible. Your boy called an audible and fumbled the ball for a large loss. Again. His ideas get called goofy because most of them are.

You write “the large contingent of state police that are assigned to the Chicago district to write tickets and investigate accidents” should help out the CPD. Can you say to the nearest five how many troopers are on patrol on a given shift of that “large contingent?” No? That’s what I thought. Oh, and while the ISP are working alongside the CPD, what happens to the expressways? No speed limits? It’s not like they have few extra Troops out in the suburbs they can bring in to cover the load, and it’s illegal to take tollway Troopers off the tollway detail.

As a union man, wouldn’t you take offense if someone say, characterized the work of educators as “babysitters and testgraders?” Well, that’s what AA reads you as doing to our fine State Police. If they have devolved in recent years into ticket-writers, the primary reason for that is the little mop-headed clown whose picture is probably atop a shrine in your house.

Further, maybe the two labor organizations involved, at least one of which deeply regrets their endorsement of the aforementioned mop-headed clown, may have an interest into a rather significant change in the work rules for both police departments.

Oh, and where are we with the deployment of the tactical narcotic National Guard helicopters?

You know, if you want to do your boy some good, you should go sign up to be a Dunn Fellow in the Press Office because the BoyToys are tanking faster than a subprime bond. Your quote “So maybe Rod isn’t exactly Lincolnesque” is better than anything that has come out of there in the past 3 weeks.

- southern illinoisan - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 5:48 pm:
Gangs=crime and violence. Chicago has a huge gang problem and it is not going to go away with ceasefire programs or more gun control. Gangs are nationwide. Professional sports are sanctioning million dollar athletes for displaying gangs signs during games(Paul Pierce). Gang members have moved in to many professions and are doing well. But they are still gang bangers who use fear and violence to promote the drug trade.

As a society we have said no more and have increased prison sentences for gang bangers. And then you have advocates like Rep. Davis who wants more programs to assist gang bangers. What people don’t want to honestly discuss is that this is a race issue. Not all gang bangers or criminals are black but according to the data they are the largest %. You can say that blacks are incarcerated at a higher rate than any other race because whites want legal segregation. That is bull! Ask Antoine Walker if he is racist because if he wants his attackers to go to prison. Criminals are criminals period.

If you want to address violence in Chicago or any other urban area, you must use a comprehensive approach, that includes prevention and also stiff sentences for offenders. It can’t be one way or the other. It has to be a combination and yes it will cost money.

- Bill - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 6:02 pm:
Now, AA, don’t get your badge in an uproar. State Troopers assigned to Chicago do exclusively traffic control. It is not a slam against them. That is what they are assigned to do. I don’t see anything wrong with re-assigning them to patrol the neighborhoods. You are right. I don’t know how many are assigned to a given strech of expressway. On the 10 mile stretch that I regularly drive I see at least five different state troopers traveling in my direction. I assume that there are that many going in the other direction and I’m not counting the dunnies that they put in parked marked squads along the shoulders and in construction zones. Sure, cutting down on speeding is important. Saving children’s lives should be a higher priority.
As for the Dunn Fellowship, no thanks! I’m not on very good paper over there, lately.

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 6:16 pm:
There is an issue (violence) that we obviously need to keeping addressing. Unfortunately, it’ll never go away and one death will always be too many.

Obviously, the major prob with this approach (”blurting it out” and “not notifying the Mayor’s office in advance”) is that it reeks of a political play (even though it may be sincere) and even worse, opens up “motivation” to all sorts of scenarios and speculation among the public.

Olympic bid and political posturing aside (because many might not have even made such a connection, true or not): Some were probably in agreement and relieved that potential help could be on the way soon, but I’m sure many were also shocked, wondering what happened in the City to call for such a response.

Now, the Gov and his staff can toss all sorts of excuses at it, but it’s still going to leave some wondering whether there may not be more behind all of this–and that’s obviously not a good thing even if it’s a small percentage of the population.

It’s a blunder, but it’s still going to leave some paranoid and that’s never a good thing.

- proudstatecopper - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 6:23 pm:
all one need do is log onto www.secondcitycop.blogspot.com to begin to understand the mind of the Chicago cop in 2008. There is no longer the threat of the blue flu because that is unlawful. What we are seeing is a strong coordinated case of the blue cough. These officers are sick and tired of being the whipping boys for the press, command, mayor, reverends, aldercreatures, newly hired J-Fed, the Federal Government, residency requirements, and no contract for several years. They have turned a blind eye to suspicious vehicles and gangbangers, refusing to give the city the opportunity to set them up for aggresive police work and then pounded them for violating civil rights or brutality. You cant have it both/all ways Chicago. Cops doing tough police work, or gangbangers running roughshod over the sheep.

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 17, 08 @ 7:04 pm:
Just got off the Blue Line in Oak Park after another day in the out-of-control city. Somehow I made it.

You know, what’s funny, on every stop through the West Side, a lot of men and women who had obviously been at work all day got off and on the train, too. Gee, they were kind of like me.

I grew up DeKalb, have lived in Springfield and the Quad-Citiies, and am no stranger to Chicago-bashing. But this fear-mongering is a joke.

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