Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Politics as Usual?

Today's mailbag included a JoMo tree killer (well a small tree I'll grant) trumpeting Senator Obama's endorsement. This is what I sent to the good Senator:

I am in receipt of the mailing from Joe Moore, the 49th Ward Alderman in Chicago, trumpeting The Senator's endorsement. I will assume that the endorsement is a pro-forma process intended to satisfy the Democratic machine that is alive and well in Cook County. I can think of no other reason to support an alderman who is so out of touch with his constituents that he considers the wasting of political capital on a Hollywood celebrity's personal peccadillo a worthwhile cause. That is probably the most egregious example of Mr. Moore's lack of political wisdom.

Mr. Moore has run on his record, standard Electioneering 101, and consequently has lost this voter's respect or trust. His 3 opponents have raised critical issues, which he chooses to ignore, trumpeting instead the fact that 16 years ago he brought CAPS to Rogers Park, which the academicians supported as a worthwhile effort to address community policing efforts. The fact that the current CAPS process appears to be broken is not a consideration. He has claimed to be a progressive alderman, while assiduously protecting a slumlord whose negligence aided and abetted the deaths of 6 immigrant children.

I want very much to support Senator Obama in his run for the Presidency, but I have no interest in supporting anyone whose behavior and actions amount to "business as usual" politics, including tit-for-tat endorsements, whether for aldermen or mayors.

The Senator needs to carefully consider just what it means to be a leader, and a visionary, before he travels much further in his quest for the White House. He may find himself lumped in with the rest of the so-called leaders of both parties who would rather count votes than serve the best interests of this country. The voter dismay that thumped the Republicans in 2006 can just as easily make itself felt in Democratic ranks in 2008, which is how the Republicans gained control in the first place.

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bravo!

Kheris said...

I can't help myself. I am too old for this B***S*** masquerading as leadership. I could go on but I'll stop with that.

The North Coast said...

Great post, Kheris. I'm glad Craig published it on his blog.

I received this little piece of garbage, too, and was unhappy to see Obama, the only candidate with real ideas running for the presidency, link himself with this discredited local pol.

He needs to know that his endorsement does not elevate Joe one notch but takes him down a couple. We should all write to his office and tell him so and I intend to do so today.

CNB said...

Excellent. Let this be further proof of Moore's relationship to his masters at the DNC, the same ones who TELL Obama to endorse fools like Stroger, as well. Sadly, Obama is no different from any other major politician.