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Remember your Election Laws Des Plaines

Tom Becker.jpg
While out on assignment in Des Plaines, Illinois, I had to remind the current Alderman Tom Becker to stay away from the 100 foot line. Election Laws must be enforced to keep things equal for everyone. Also, the suburb had no Hispanic speaking interpreters at the polls. I provided Spanish speaking interpreters at every polling place, there was some resentment by some white candidates. Becker is a realtor and wants to stay on Des Plaines city boards that deal with airport issues. I think that will be good for his business after retirement. Look, what the heck is that man parking his car inside the 100 foot line? The Election Judge booted him out of the area. Photo by Patrick McDonough.

Comments

How can you spread such lies and live with yourself. A group of Des Plaines residents have organized and have decided to get the truth about our city, you, and the election. Unlike you we have proof for our presentations, and it will clearly show you for the lier you are. I believe you will be quit empressed with our research and video we have from the election in Des Plaines. By the way, the election judge you have shown here in the picture is ready to file a formal complaint against you for what you did at the election. This will be fun. (Response) e-mail and name allows you to post anything you wish. Pass on this.

A few more VERY interesting comments gleaned from the 'Clout City' blogs:

"How About....
April 24th - 6:29 p.m.

How about truly dismantling the machines ability to put forward their own candidates and maintain their control over the Democratic party by dominating the committeeman positions.

This party does not reflect were the members of the Democratic party in Cook county are at. By allowing them to manipulate who is put on the Ballot - the Todd Strogers and Lipinski's kid - not to mention the many state rep seats, we are seeding our voice to a handful of insiders. You are never going to have a real voice in the next mayor, much less over the way issues like this one in the 32nd ward are handled, until you dismantle the political machinery at the ward and precinct level.

Do you know who your precinct captain is? The machine is vulnerable - all we need is a slate of individuals willing to run - who don't owe their jobs to the city.

The one individual who might have some influence over this issue is Committeeman Gabinski – and I have a hunch he wouldn’t do anything unless he felt pressure."


"re How About....
April 24th - 7:01 p.m.

Thank you for your post.

You bring up a VERY interesting subject, namely, that most, and I do mean MOST, citizens have no idea how ANYTHING concerning politics is done.

A clear and concise essay on the workings of political parties and election rules and laws, the procedural mechanics of everything, the slating of candidates, appointments within the party structures, legalities relevant to contributions, nominating petitions, etc., would be MOST HELPFUL in educating us all on exactly how we can make things change.

Anyone out there willing to give this a try?

Maybe one, or more, of the many independent candidates, who have been thwarted in their attempts to participate in a truly free and fair election, could provide the details of their experiences, details which would prove to be extremely enlightening to us all.

I'm willing to read and understand, if there are any who are willing to write and post same."

"re re How About....
April 24th - 7:26 p.m.

My name is Chris Lawrence - and I have been following the 32nd Ward aldermanic race - as a supporter of Alderman-elect Waguespack - but attempted to run for Alderman in the 48th Ward. I will work on writing up an essay as you have suggested. I believe that the 32nd ward's race is perhaps the best example of how the 'machine' has not evolved to meet the needs of the current residents, most Democratic leaning politically, but are being stifled and ignored by folks concentrating on high profile positions such as the mayor... In the meantime, they push through developments like this - which is an opportunity for those of us who are being ignored to start to demand accountability from those who are part of the machine like our committeeman.

I will have to provide a link as I don't think it is appropriate to highjack the Readers blog with an essay. Give me a few days and maybe Mr. Joravsky will indulge us with a link. I think everyone in Chicago should be grateful to the work Mr. Joravsky and Mick Dumke have done during the recent elections - one of the few press institutions that truly paid attention and helped the citizens in making a decision we will have to live with for the next four years."

"thank you
April 24th - 7:37 p.m.

Thank you, Chris.

Take all the time you need, the obviously important thing being to get this type of information out, it's been kept 'secret' for far too long.

Any efforts you make on this will be most appreciated.

As to the appropriateness of 'highjacking', I would hope that Ben and Mick and the Reader would welcome your contribution to informing their readers of these essential details relevant to the very subjects this blog is all about, namely, political corruption and mismanagement in Chicago, Crook county and our state as a whole, let alone our nation.

I'm curious as to why Ben or Mick haven't attempted to do this before, or have they?

Knowledge is power, so the saying goes, and, thus lack of knowledge results in being power-less.

The more we all know, the better we can use the tools of our freedoms to reverse the generational patterns of having those tools used to 'screw' us.

Thanks, again, for being willing to help out on this, as I, for one, am substantially ignorant on the subject.

But I'm willing to learn. :)"

Would you be interested in participating in this proposed 'adult/voter educational' endeavor?

Chris Lawrence would have made a fine candidate in our 48th Ward. Before anyone knew him, I attempted to give him a boost by writing about him in Chicago Clout. I warned Chris to watch his tail because Mary Ann Smith will fight dirty and is the momma hen of our growing gay community in the 48th ward. (Note to idiots, not a slant to Chicago Gay Community) It is difficult for me personally because I could have ran against Mary Ann Smith and won. I thought the other two candidates were smart enough to cross the t's and dot the i's. If Chris gets more involved in the 48th ward he could make a good run next time. Patrick McDonough.

Would you be interested in participating in this proposed 'adult/voter educational' endeavor?