The Regional Transportation Authority oversees the CTA, Pace and Metra in the six-county Chicago area. And the new Executive Director of the RTA is a great guy, Steve Schlickman. I've worked with him on increasing Amtrak service in Illinois, and he is an absolute pro.
Here's an article with a brief mention from the Trib.
I think the papers should write a profile of him soon. He'll be a big player in figuring out how to fund transit (raise the gax tax, I say) and help make the Chicago area even more civilized. Congratulations to Steve.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Want to get involved? Petitioning starts Tuesday
If you've ever wanted to get involved in politics, this Tuesday is an easy opportunity to do so. Petitioning starts for the March primary election (yes, this early in the season....we should have a September primary, but that's a different story). Every legislator would *love* to get some help from someone to gather petitions. The recent election omnibus raised signature requirements for state legislators (500 for representatives, 1000 for senators), so there are more to collect than before.
If you want to help out, call their office and offer. Or just show up.
Sorry I've been such a negligent blogger. I'll try to be more productive.
If you want to help out, call their office and offer. Or just show up.
Sorry I've been such a negligent blogger. I'll try to be more productive.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
AG: Innovative voting systems are legal in Illinois
Great news: Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued an Opinion today (read it here) that the state Constitution permits home rule municipalities to implement innovative election systems like instant runoff voting and cumulative voting rights without explicit state law authorization.
This means that if a city like Oak Park or Urbana or Berwyn or Carbondale or any home rule municipality wants to use a modern election system, the municipality can put a referendum on the ballot (or citizens can petition to put an initiative on the ballot), and if the voters approve the proposition, the city will use an innovative election system.
Instant runoff voting (www.instantrunoff.com) is one example that would work very well in Chicago or any other city that uses single-member districts and holds elections in both February and Apil. This ends the spoiler dynamic where similar candidates split the vote, and it also ends the expense of a second election.
Cumulative voting rights (http://www.midwestdemocracy.org/cv.html) as used in the Illinois House from 1870-1980, would be a great fit for any municipality that uses at-large elections. The right is to cast all three or four votes for one candidate, allowing a political minority to elect one of their own, creating a more diverse local government. There's a movement in corporate America to provide cumulative voting rights for corporate elections to get an independent, non-establishment director on the board.
Now municipalities in Illinois have an opportunity to modernize their voting systems beyond what the Illinois General Assembly can imagine.
Also, to see how San Francisco uses instant runoff voting (they call is 'ranked choice voting') for their local elections, check out their Department of Elections page here with a nice flash demonstration here. They had a similar non-partisan, runoff election like Chicago and Springfield, until they decided to consolidate the two elections into one. Instead of voting twice (once in the 'primary' and once in the run-off), they count the ballots twice and let people indicate their runoff-choice by ranking the candidates (1, 2, 3). Now they have all the benefits of a runoff election (the candidate with the most support wins, there are no split votes or manipulation with fake candidates designed to harm an opponent) without the expense of two, separate elections.
This is exciting news. Perhaps some municipalities will have the chance to vote on some interesting referenda this March....
This means that if a city like Oak Park or Urbana or Berwyn or Carbondale or any home rule municipality wants to use a modern election system, the municipality can put a referendum on the ballot (or citizens can petition to put an initiative on the ballot), and if the voters approve the proposition, the city will use an innovative election system.
Instant runoff voting (www.instantrunoff.com) is one example that would work very well in Chicago or any other city that uses single-member districts and holds elections in both February and Apil. This ends the spoiler dynamic where similar candidates split the vote, and it also ends the expense of a second election.
Cumulative voting rights (http://www.midwestdemocracy.org/cv.html) as used in the Illinois House from 1870-1980, would be a great fit for any municipality that uses at-large elections. The right is to cast all three or four votes for one candidate, allowing a political minority to elect one of their own, creating a more diverse local government. There's a movement in corporate America to provide cumulative voting rights for corporate elections to get an independent, non-establishment director on the board.
Now municipalities in Illinois have an opportunity to modernize their voting systems beyond what the Illinois General Assembly can imagine.
Also, to see how San Francisco uses instant runoff voting (they call is 'ranked choice voting') for their local elections, check out their Department of Elections page here with a nice flash demonstration here. They had a similar non-partisan, runoff election like Chicago and Springfield, until they decided to consolidate the two elections into one. Instead of voting twice (once in the 'primary' and once in the run-off), they count the ballots twice and let people indicate their runoff-choice by ranking the candidates (1, 2, 3). Now they have all the benefits of a runoff election (the candidate with the most support wins, there are no split votes or manipulation with fake candidates designed to harm an opponent) without the expense of two, separate elections.
This is exciting news. Perhaps some municipalities will have the chance to vote on some interesting referenda this March....
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
FEMA is run by patronage hacks from the Bush campaign
This is appalling.
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that is supposed to protect us all from the biggest disasters, is a patronage dump for Bush campaign hacks.
The Chief of Staff, Patrick Rhode, was a campaign worker for the campaign and has zero experience in emergency management. Here is his bio.
Same with the Deputy, Scott Morris. He had no experience either and worked on producing TV spots for the Bush campaign. Here is his bio.
No wonder the feds abandoned all those people for those four or five days. They didn't know any better because they were run by patronage hacks.
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that is supposed to protect us all from the biggest disasters, is a patronage dump for Bush campaign hacks.
The Chief of Staff, Patrick Rhode, was a campaign worker for the campaign and has zero experience in emergency management. Here is his bio.
Same with the Deputy, Scott Morris. He had no experience either and worked on producing TV spots for the Bush campaign. Here is his bio.
No wonder the feds abandoned all those people for those four or five days. They didn't know any better because they were run by patronage hacks.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Dick Durbin on North Side Saturday at 10 am
Wouldn't it be cool if you could meet the Senate Minority Whip -- the #2 person in the Senate on the Democratic Party side -- without having to drop $100 or $500?
Well, you can.
This Saturday, Young Chicago Lakefront, a North Side Democratic Organization, is sponsoring a breakfast with Dick Durbin at 10 am. It's $10 if you are a YCL Member or a college student, $15 if you're not.
If you want to get on YCL's email list, do this:
Well, you can.
This Saturday, Young Chicago Lakefront, a North Side Democratic Organization, is sponsoring a breakfast with Dick Durbin at 10 am. It's $10 if you are a YCL Member or a college student, $15 if you're not.
If you want to get on YCL's email list, do this:
| Join the YCL Mailing List |
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Springfield funder for Katrina victims
A friend of mine is putting on a fundraiser for the enormous need for Katrina victims in Springfield this Wednesday, the 7th from 6 to 9 pm at Floyd's Thirst Parlor at 210 South 5th Street in downtown Springfield.
It's $10 and you get all the draft you want.
If you're in Springfield, go on by.
For more information, email Matt at MErwin@hds.ilga.gov
It's $10 and you get all the draft you want.
If you're in Springfield, go on by.
For more information, email Matt at MErwin@hds.ilga.gov
Saturday, September 03, 2005
This is a massive Republican failure
Listen to this radio interview from the Mayor of New Orleans.
"They are feeding the public a line of bull. And they are spinning. And people are dying down here."
Consider that for five days there were no National Guardsmen in New Orleans. Five days. And about a third of everyone in Iraq is part of the National Guard.
The National Guard has been sent to fight in a foreign war. And then they aren't here to protect us when we need them.
And we don't have the money to fix levees because we cut taxes on the rich and pay for a war and an occupation of foreign lands.
What's going to happen to all these devasted people when they file for bankruptcy? The GOP bankruptcy bill will keep them in debt.
They better fix that bankruptcy bill.
I saw an article mentioning that the Republican Congress is thinking about tax relief for people in the area.
Are they still going to repeal the estate tax on the wealthiest Americans?
New Orleans is a picture of poverty.
And the Republicans have been forsaking the poor.
This is a disgrace.
It didn't have to be this way.
"They are feeding the public a line of bull. And they are spinning. And people are dying down here."
Consider that for five days there were no National Guardsmen in New Orleans. Five days. And about a third of everyone in Iraq is part of the National Guard.
The National Guard has been sent to fight in a foreign war. And then they aren't here to protect us when we need them.
And we don't have the money to fix levees because we cut taxes on the rich and pay for a war and an occupation of foreign lands.
What's going to happen to all these devasted people when they file for bankruptcy? The GOP bankruptcy bill will keep them in debt.
They better fix that bankruptcy bill.
I saw an article mentioning that the Republican Congress is thinking about tax relief for people in the area.
Are they still going to repeal the estate tax on the wealthiest Americans?
New Orleans is a picture of poverty.
And the Republicans have been forsaking the poor.
This is a disgrace.
It didn't have to be this way.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Katrina the topic on Beyond the Beltway Sunday from 6 to 8 pm on WLS 890 am
The topic will be Katrina and the incompetence the federal government showed with the hurricane.
What happens when you invade and occupy another country, avoid a draft and send the National Guard overseas?
There isn't anyone in the U.S. to protect the homeland.
And only today -- days after the flood -- does the National Guard finally reach New Orleans.
And, of course, when we spend hundreds of billions in Iraq, there isn't money left for levees and other infrastructure in the U.S.
So sad.
What happens when you invade and occupy another country, avoid a draft and send the National Guard overseas?
There isn't anyone in the U.S. to protect the homeland.
And only today -- days after the flood -- does the National Guard finally reach New Orleans.
And, of course, when we spend hundreds of billions in Iraq, there isn't money left for levees and other infrastructure in the U.S.
So sad.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
New Orleans and the South is looking biblically bad
This is like a plague. Very Old Testament.
A drowned city.
The McCormick Tribune Foundation is offering a 50 cent match on every dollar contributed and they are picking up administrative costs. You can donate here.
(Thanks, posters, for an enlightening conversation on global warming and climate change. I do wonder why we seem to have more extreme weather and spewing millions of tons of pollution in the atmosphere, in my book, probably has something to do with it.)
A drowned city.
The McCormick Tribune Foundation is offering a 50 cent match on every dollar contributed and they are picking up administrative costs. You can donate here.
(Thanks, posters, for an enlightening conversation on global warming and climate change. I do wonder why we seem to have more extreme weather and spewing millions of tons of pollution in the atmosphere, in my book, probably has something to do with it.)
Monday, August 29, 2005
New Orleans is in a bad place right now
This is scary stuff.The hurricane that is set to hit New Orleans in a few hours is the strongest hurricane in history.
This could be total devastation.
Let's hope the hurricane turns away somehow.
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