Gov. Blagojevich is using the surge of violence in Chicago for political reasons.
Blagojevich said the $150 million for his anti-violence initiative, which includes up to 20,000 summer jobs for young people in high-risk communities, isn't an unreasonable amount of money.
"This is an emergency. Children are being shot and killed. And for lawmakers to say we can't do it, that's exactly the reason why there's so much violence out there today and so we're just not gonna take no for an answer," Blagojevich said as he left the youth center surrounded by reporters trying to ask him questions.
Blagojevich's proposal includes spending $30 million to provide summer jobs statewide. He's proposing another $20 million to fund grants for after-school programs and other activities to keep kids off the streets. And he wants to invest $100 million to revitalize neighborhoods, support local businesses that create jobs and help police departments buy equipment, according to his office.
I'm shocked - shocked, I tell you - that anyone would use the deaths of children to push a political agenda.
I am numbed by the past actions of our Governor and President therefore no shock - just disgust.
Blogovich has done nothing to curb the drug traffic in Chicago, and Daley has allowed the open air drug dealing and the violence that it produces to continue. This has been going on in the poor neighborhoods forever. When the City of Chicago wanted the near west side cleaned up after the Cabrini-Green complex closed they did a sweep and ran off some of the gang bangers, and a lot of them migrated south to CU and Bloomington-Normal ,Danville, Decatur, ect. Daley let this get out of control, The last real effort to clean up Chicago was in the early90's was done by the Feds in a gang infiltration "Jeff Fort and the "El Ruken" street gang. Let "Richie "Daley clean up His own yard with His own money!
Perhaps Chandra Gill could snag a couple more million bucks from the Guv for ah, you know, uhh...the kids. Yeah that's the ticket!
I'm shocked - shocked, I tell you - that anyone would use the deaths of children to push a political agenda.
As well you should be. Just because other do it doesn't make it right.
Yeah, I don't see the problem here. There's a lot of BS political posturing and opportunism. But providing summer jobs is one of the few things likely to actually help the situation.
Using violence to promote feel-good government programs = acceptable speech.
Using violence to question effectiveness of same = unacceptable speech.
"Using violence to promote feel-good government programs = acceptable speech."
Not true.
"Using violence to question effectiveness of same = unacceptable speech."
True.
"Not true."
Au contraire.
He is pandering to the folks that he knows he has to win in 2010... he could win cook and lose the rest of the State and still win re election.
Please explain how summer jobs for at risk kids are a "feel good" program.
There are some problems with the program, but it would appear to be one of the only things that's being done that actually addresses the problem you were discussing...
"Please explain how summer jobs for at risk kids are a "feel good" program.
There are some problems with the program, but it would appear to be one of the only things that's being done that actually addresses the problem you were discussing... "
Sure - the "feel good" part of it is that it'll never happen. There wasn't any funding for it when it was announced, and there won't be in the final budget. It's a great example of the shameless use of violence to push for political goals in a way that elicits nothing but warm-fuzzies from "progressives." And it's a great example of political speech using violence which is politically correct.
If this was thought out, was presented with a specific design and not some hurried money toss by an administrator with a questionable history of pay-off politics (okay, I know that that is pretty much most politics) where the money just seems to drift into the ether, then it could be worth considering. I'd like a little time to find out what the plan is, including how all of this cash is controlled and will be raised and allocated. These problems are not new, if Blago and Dailey were truly interested in long term solutions they would have been building something like this up a long time ago and not suddenly coming up with a huge and still unfunded program.
Chicago had a month that stood out, but there have been plenty of months before that where the accumulated carnage was every bit as bad. Using one short period of time to promote a huge program is disingenuous at best.
There wasn't any funding for it when it was announced, and there won't be in the final budget. It's a great example of the shameless use of violence to push for political goals ...
So the governor should never push for things he feels would be beneficial if the funding is not already in place?
"So the governor should never push for things he feels would be beneficial if the funding is not already in place?"
He should never exploit violent deaths to get a cheap press pop when he hasn't made any effort to ensure the program might actually be implemented.
But as I said above, according the unwritten rules of politically correct discourse:
The program is already in place. If the funding doesn't come to expand it, we'll roast him. Most of us don't like him anyway, but it's crazy to attack him for proposing something that will actually help when most people are just using it to give police more weapons or worse.
There is nothing that this governor won't do to achieve his goals, whatever they are. He knows that the State is broke and won't be able to find $150 million dollars to fund yet another new program, and yet he's out there, shamelessly plugging away for something that can't possibly happen, regarding of how good a program it is. What will he cut, underfund, sweep or otherwise take in order to do this?
Wasn't this the same website where people said it was cool to be flippant about student deaths to make some sarcastic point about the war or something?
"We'd like to save kids' lives but it's not fiscally responsible" doesn't sound very honorable.
Did I miss the part where people were questioning the effectiveness of specific programs? All I remember about the deaths in Chicago was that it was laid at the feet of Democrats, with hardly a specific policy mentioned. I think Glock brought up something about CPD having assault weapons and, frankly, I agreed with him.
Here: It sucks that so many young people are dying violently in Chicago. Now take a look at the _________________ law(s) that are contributing to this violence. We should repeal these laws immediately so we can start solving these problems.
Fill in the blank, and give us a decent argument that you are right, and I'll support your right to use violence to make your point every time.
"We'd like to save kids' lives but it's not fiscally responsible" doesn't sound very honorable." Especially not to somebody who does not wish to take into account the negative consequences of some caring government action. However, if you refuse to sacrifice 1000 kids to save 100, that's pretty honorable, especially when it gets you called bad names by supposedly intelligent and empathetic people. It sucks that so many young people are dying violently in Chicago. Now take a look at the _________________ law(s) that are contributing to this violence. We should repeal these laws immediately so we can start solving these problems. 1. Gun control - criminals feel safer 2. Minimum wage - uneducated (despite Xian's efforts) black kids aren't worth $7 an hour or whatever it is these days, so they go unemployed. 3. Drug - If you want to commit a crime, do it to somebody who is also committing a crime. 4. Insane Chicago taxes - property and sales - slows down economic growth (real jobs don't come from tax dollars)
Well, I was hoping for something a little more specific. All gun laws? All drug laws? Which laws, specifically, are we talking about.
Frankly, I don't disagree with much of what you have written. I do think the drug laws are creating/have created a prison culture in black America. Especially with mandatory sentencing laws, with are just barbaric. And I know the Chicago City Council has addressed reduced tax rates for some of these neighborhoods to encourage development. I would be in favor of completely abolishing property taxes in these areas to spur development. Why not?
But this kind of crap:
uneducated (despite Xian's efforts) black kids aren't worth $7 an hour or whatever it is these days, so they go unemployed.
Undercuts your entire argument. I see the opposite as true. Many incredibly intelligent young black kids don't work because working barely pays off. Eight hours at McDonalds results in what ... $40 after taxes? Would you work eight gruelling hours at McDonalds for $40?
On May 8th, 2008 at 04:18 PM, xian said:
The program is already in place. If the funding doesn't come to expand it, we'll roast him. Most of us don't like him anyway, but it's crazy to attack him for proposing something that will actually help when most people are just using it to give police more weapons or worse.
Sorry to disagree. He could cancel this program and still win in a landslide. What ever the "machine" in Chicago tells the people to do, they do.
Well, thank you for telling me what those of us involved with Chicago Summer Programs will do. Are you the "machine"? Why do you get to tell me what I believe?
D. Boon - First of all, an "incredibly intelligent young black kid" surely can find a job better than McDonalds. At any rate, if it is true that nobody will work at McDonalds for the pay that McDonalds offers, how can you explain the fact that every McDonalds restaurant in the country has employees? I'm sure every single one of those employees would like to earn more - but I also am sure that if they had a better job opportunity they would take it.
I would not work eight hours at McDonalds for $40 because I can earn more elsewhere and thus benefit society to a greater degree. But if my best job opportunity was $40 at McDonalds, yes, I would take it. And you'll find that there are billions of people in this world who can only dream of such a wonderful job.
On the other hand, McDonalds would certainly not pay $10 an hour to somebody who can only produce $5 an hour.
If that is the best you can get - yes. And if you do a good job, you get a raise. And then, you can get a better job with a positive reference and a good work record.
Uh..................your the one who said that if this wasnt done you would "roast" him. I was just pointing out that regardless of what he does or doesnt do, as long as he makes nice with Stroger, Daly and the rest who run Chicago, it really doesnt matter what you or any other citizen of Chicago wants or believes... There are kids down state who need jobs too... Where is the money for that going to come from> or is it staying in Chicago. If a kid wants a job in Chicago, my feeling is that he can find one w/o the taxpayers paying for it,/....
If that is the best you can get - yes. And if you do a good job, you get a raise. And then, you can get a better job with a positive reference and a good work record.
Yes, and then you can go eat ice cream with all of your friends from the Mickey Mouse club.
So much for the great American work ethic.
Have you ever actually worked in the environment you describe? You can't go off on the "American work ethic" to me.
I'm not mocking hard work, I'm mocking the situation you describe.
Uh..................your the one who said that if this wasnt done you would "roast" him. I was just pointing out that regardless of what he does or doesnt do, as long as he makes nice with Stroger, Daly and the rest who run Chicago, it really doesnt matter what you or any other citizen of Chicago wants or believes... There are kids down state who need jobs too... Where is the money for that going to come from> or is it staying in Chicago. If a kid wants a job in Chicago, my feeling is that he can find one w/o the taxpayers paying for it,/...
Are you telling me that you think that money flows from downstate UPstate?
Perhaps I will go stand in my East facing windows to watch the sunset...
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