Obama News (Chicago Sun-Times) Columnist Mark Brown is a left leaning reporter but generally a fair one. His column today while tastefully written, defines political dynasty in a whole new manner. The bulk of his column details the Aldermanic race in Chicago’s 7th Ward where incumbent Darcel Beavers was defeated by newcomer Sandi Jackson, wife of Rep. Jessie Jackson Jr.

Prior to November the 7th, ward Alderman had been Darcel’s father William Beavers, now a Cook County Commissioner. Following his election to the County Board Alderman Beavers did what all good Cook County politicians do, he passed his position on to one of his children. Beavers was originally elected to the City Council in 1983 as part of the Harold Washington sweep and had held the position ever since. While an impressive run, one cannot call a single person a dynasty. Darcel worked for her father for 22 years and though she makes claims to the contrary, probably figured the job to be her birthright, considering all of the hereditary elected positions in the state and county. Even though it was handed to her on a platter Darcel could not hold her position for more than three or four months. This does not a dynasty make, William Beavers and his defeated daughter.

Now a case could be made for calling the nascent Jackson political organization a dynasty as Jesse Senior is still peripherally involved in Democratic politics while Junior and his wife have been elected in their own right to City and Federal positions. Whatever the case though the Beavers family does not qualify as dynastic material. Let’s face it, the second generation here couldn’t even hold her own ward with leg up assistance provided by Dad.

For a real dynasty one need look no further than Chicago’s own Daley Dynasty headed up by King Richard II. Here is a family that knows about patronage and taking care of his people. Since 1955 when Richard J. Daley was elected the Daley family has controlled the Mayors office of Chicago for 39 of the 52 years. Now THAT is an accomplishment. They have been able to pillage the City of Chicago at will and leave the bill to the taxpayers. Even with his inner circle falling around him in corruption scandal after scandal, Rich Daley is able to garner 72% of the vote. You don’t have to like it but it kind of makes you stare in amazement. The man is able to turn chubby white guys into minorities and give them set aside contracts, he can tear up a functional airport in the middle of the night without warning and sell off city assets for a quick political boost while leaving the bill for a subsequent mayors and future taxpayers. This happens while the peasantry cheers him on. Get them their grease money and make sure the trains run reasonably on time and there is peace in the city. In addition to the Mayor we have County Commissioner John who is a brother of the Mayor and former Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley another brother, who also ran Al Gore’s failed bid for the presidency in 2000. All quite impressive in the information age.

So you see Mr. Brown, the Beavers are not a dynasty. That would fall to the Madigans, Lipinskis, Hines, Strogers and most importantly the Daley clan. Hail King Richard, may you see wrought iron and flowers as far as the eye can see, today and always.

Posted by Biloxi in Chicago, Illinois Politics, Politics at 11:53 PM EST

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Al Gore is a hypocrite. Do you think anybody is really shocked? It has long been the province of the left to tell the rest of us how we should live with no real intent of doing so themselves. Guys like John Edwards who tell us about ” two Americas” and their compassion for the underclass while they build an ostentatious 28,000 square foot mansion in North Carolina or Nancy Pelosi who promises the most ethical congress in history as she endorses John Murtha (D - Abscam) for the majority leader post. We have an example like the Kennedys who oppose windmills off of Cape Cod while they cry for renewable , clean, energy sources and then we have the former Vice President screaming the loudest about global warming and the contributing role of humankind. Especially the evil, selfish energy hogs in the United States.

While it was no shock that Al Gore uses 20 times the energy of the average American in just one of his three homes I did find his excuse amusing. I believe he has the right to buy whatever size house(s) he can afford and to use the electricity as he desires. That said, I expect him to back off the lame excuses when called on it. Just ignore us or tell us tough beans or something. The concept of offsetting your carbon footprint now allows Al to glom onto his happy thoughts without having to sacrifice at all. He can purchase absolution by buying carbon credits to his heart’s content.

The second step involves buying ‘carbon offset’ credits from emission reduction projects. Such projects will prevent / have already prevented or removed an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere in the World. As CO2 emissions are distributed across the World, it does not matter whether you make the reduction in Manchester or Mumbai – the positive effect on the environment will be the same.

Isn’t it a little bit against the spirit of the matter to not reduce your own carbon dioxide emissions? What Al seems to be saying here is that it is okay for Joe Sixpack to live in a hovel with no air conditioning and ride his bike 6 miles to work while all the Alster has to do is buy his conscience clean. While we are separating our plastic, cardboard and newspaper, old Al need only buy a few more credits and avoids carrying the blue tubs to the curb.

What an interesting concept, how does one buy credits for resale? Are they really tied to reductions elsewhere or is this more feelgood crap from the left? I suspect the latter. The only inconvenient truth here is that Al is reluctant to give up even the most minute of his creature comforts while he expects a significant amount of sacrifice from the little people. You have got to appreciate the ingenuity of the left, only they can assuage their own guilt by using their checkbook with little concern for the footprint that is left anyway. It is still there but they blame it on another this way, it’s a cleaner process and adds less clutter to the conscience.

Posted by Biloxi in Liberal Illogic at 11:09 PM EST

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These little scattershot posts are meant to clear my mind of the flotsam and jetsam that our media regurgitates on a daily basis. It is meant to flush the brain of the pablum that floats through our media, eventually getting snagged in our memory like cigarette butts and chewing gum on a urinal screen. I had titled previous such missives “Quick Hits” until I noticed a column in the sports section of the Obama News (aka, the Chicago Sun-Times) with the same name. I am sure it was a subliminal theft as I did not consciously start using it. I apologize for the plagiarism and will not use it again. Knowing what’s on my mind may be detrimental to your health and carries a parental advisory. Keep these posts away from small children or anyone with an IQ that exceeds 70, it can cause a permanent reduction in brain cells. Now on with the show:

Amillia Sonja Taylor was born October 24 after a little less than 22 weeks in her mother’s womb. She was just 9-1/2 inches long at birth and weighed less than 10 ounces. She is now over 4-1/2 lbs and 15-1/2 inches long. She did have some health issues due to her premature birth but doctors believe there will not be any long term effects. While not many preemies survive after less than 22 weeks gestation there is no doubt that they are human beings and worth every effort. NARAL can say all they wish about a woman’s “right to choose”. Babies are a gift from the divine and should not be snuffed out at any stage in the pregnancy. What choice do you think Amillia would make? God bless this tiny human with a great big fighting spirit. May she grow up to do great things. Choose life, always.

Carson Pirie Scott’s flagship store on Chicago’s State Street closed today after 108 years. Carson’s owner, York, Pa.-based Bon-Ton Stores Inc. claims the store was too costly to operate. Many Chicagoans lament the closing and bemoan the changing face of the State Street shopping district. Time marches on no matter how we relish the past but one can only wonder; if all the sorrowful had shopped at the store on a regular basis do you think it might still be open?

Cingular Wireless has given into the political correctness police. It seems a recent commercial where a prospective son-in-law comes up with nicknames for the father of his bride to be was offensive to some. The Dad was named Jim so the young suitor started calling him Jimbo, Jimster, and progressed on to Jimmy Crack Corn and I don’t care. It seems that the lyric comes from an 1840’s song called the Blue Tail Fly about a slave mourning the death of his master. This leaves a couple of questions…How widespread was the knowledge of this song in the modern lexicon and who was offended enough to call Cingular? I admit to hearing the phrase dozens of times over the years and not knowing its origin. Slavery was a terrible thing and a dark part of our national history but we cannot ignore it happened nor should we walk around on eggshells for the next couple of centuries. Actor Dave Dastmalchian who plays the son-in-law in the commercial was quoted as saying; “I was afraid I was going to be lumped in with Michael Richards.” Let’s be serious, an innocuous song versus an unglued relic lobbing N-Bombs? Methinks we have gone a little overboard. Cingular has since edited out the song lyric.

“The Governator” Arnold Schwarzenegger has come thisclose to endorsing Sen. John McCain for President. To a conservative, this would be like praise from Rosie O’Donnell or Michael Moore. But then McCain cannot exactly be confused with a conservative any more than Barack Obama could be expected to say anything substantive regarding policy. Why is it that the media always confuses those who use polls to decide their positions with actual “mavericks” who take a principled stance that is at odds with their party? Go away Senator, your 15 minutes are up.

Posted by Biloxi in On My Mind at 11:10 PM EST

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A deal of fuel oil for the halting of North Korea’s nuclear programs was struck last week. Unfortunately the deal does not mandate a specific disarmament deadline, leaving it up to some undetermined point in the future. Considering Kim Jong Il’s record of breaking deals, I’m not sure why this agreement was struck at all. In an energy starved country, threats and fear are the only commodities they have to barter for the fuel oil they need. It should not be accepted as currency nor given the legitimacy of negotiation.

We have been here before during the Clinton Administration, let’s not repeat the naive mistakes of the past. Kim Jong Il was given fuel oil and a promise to build light water nuclear reactors for power generation. Reactors selected because the plutonium from the spent fuel rods was supposedly ‘proliferation resistant” though it still can be enriched to create nuclear weapons. North Korea broke the agreement almost immediately. The linked article could be written today as far as addressing the concerns about the North Korean governments propensity to break deals and act in a selfish interest. With their communist economy unable to produce enough food to feed their own people and unable to provide any products or commodities that can be exported to pay for food or fuel to feed the people and keep them warm, they have gone back to their fall back position of threats and fear.

Without a GDP to speak of and their agricultural system unable to feed their own people, Kim Jong Il must do the only thing he knows when it comes to procuring the needed food stores and fossil fuels for his starving and oppressed people; bang his chest, rattle his saber and threaten the world with nuclear attacks if he does not get his way. He pulled out of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty and restricted inspections of his nascent nuclear program during the Clinton years while he blissfully continued his enrichment efforts. The US eventually got smart and pulled out of the light water reactor deal but the Dictator still got millions in fuel oil shipments. Now 10 + years later we offer a similar deal (minus the reactors) for promises to disarm…shame on us.

As long as Kim Jong Il is alive and breathing the North Korean economy will remain the stunted child that it is, unable to grow to any size near its potential due to lack of nutrition. Before the current deal’s ink is dry the quirky little totalitarian will begin his nuclear program anew so he can work up his next batch of threat with a side of fear to use as leverage for more fuel and food in the future. With no positive history or recent experience of cooperation coming out of Pyongyang, what is possibly there to lead us to believe he will keep his word this time?

This is a bad deal for the American people and all of the world community. Without any teeth in the disarmament portion the pact it is as useless as previously broken deals. Now is the time to reject commerce by threat and diplomacy by nuclear warhead. It is imperative we reject this deal and force Kim Jong Il’s hand. Fear is a poor foundation for peace and lies as the mortar binding things together will most assuredly turn to sand causing the whole ill-conceived structure to fall in on itself.

Posted by Biloxi in Foreign Policy at 9:55 PM EST

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I had seen this presentation before but someone brought it back to my attention today. God Bless our troops and a pox on those who would have their sacrifices and heroism go in vain. Damn the resolutions, the negative outlooks and the 20-20 hindsight. We are in this to win, plain and simple and we have the people with the strength of character to do it.

It is time we understand the importance of the fight they are engaged in and the consequences if we pull out too early. They are on one front in a global war on terror and it is the most important. We will win in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is imperative that we do so. While mistakes have been made there is no reason we cannot right the ship and move forward. Give the surge a chance and give our military the faith and benefit of doubt that they have earned. It is the very least we can do. I support them and the war because you cannot back one without the other. If only it weren’t necessary.

Pray for our troops that they may retain the strength and fortitude needed to finish the job, and finish they will. God Bless America.

Posted by Biloxi in War on Terror at 10:52 PM EST

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Now get out there and show your sweetheart how much you love them! I try to do it every day.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 7:28 AM EST

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Presidential hopeful John McCain fears an Iraqi insurgent offensive that would bring numerous casualties much like the NVA and Viet Cong “Tet Offensive” of 1968. In a statement on Monday, McCain professed that he believes the American people are more averse to the amount of casualties than they are to our actual presence in Iraq.

The Tet offensive inflicted nearly 43,000 casualties on American and South Vietnamese forces but often unreported is the 45,000 NVA and Viet Cong fatalities during the same offensive. While one American death is too many we can stop this from becoming anything close to another Tet by fair and balanced reporting of the war. We need to stop the incessant death counts without a counter report on the effectiveness of our forces and how the lives of our heroes were not wasted or lost in vain. Rather we should highlight how they died to protect us from terrorism. We can point out how relatively low our casualties are compared to other wars waged over shorter periods. Finally we need to report accurately as to our mission and why it is imperative we stay until the job is finished. Tet was effective in lowering American morale and eroding resolve and support for the war because of a compliant media. Do not think AL Qaeda and our other enemies aren’t aware of this and will do everything they can to insure coverage that will get them a reaction that is favorable to their cause.

What we should be seeing is non-stop reporting on how they blow up innocent civilians at the market, how their bombs target mosques and how they hide and stash weapons in the schools and homes of innocents. It is not the fault of the United States that these barbarians kill the most helpless among them in their efforts to destabilize Iraq. It is imperative we highlight these unconscionable savages for the inhuman beings they are and not give them the upper hand of a sympathetic media. The war may have been poorly prosecuted in the initial stages but it was the right thing to do. A stable Iraq will give us a strategic jumping off point should hostile Iran attack or escalate their nuclear plans. As with so many of the faux parallels between this war and Vietnam; the only way this can really be similar is the reaction of a manipulated and uniformed people and the pressure they bring to bear on the politicians. Unlike Vietnam, it time our troops are allowed to win this war. Through their excellence we will find a path to peace, the peace of a vanquished AL Qaeda and an end to the killing of the innocent. A premature exit from Iraq will achieve neither.

They have the will to in this thing, unleash them.

Posted by Biloxi in Politics, War on Terror at 12:29 AM EST

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The Federal deficit has shrunk due to record tax collections. Now if we could only get those guys in Washington to cut their non-military spending.

The continued strong growth in revenues reflects the record profits corporations have been recording in recent years and low levels of unemployment, which means more Americans are working and paying taxes.

That kind of kills John Edwards‘ “two Americas” don’t you think?

Posted by Biloxi in Politics at 9:42 PM EST

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With all of the hoopla about Gardasil you would think doctors and patients alike would be clamoring for it without a state mandate such as that issued by Texas Governor Rick Perry last week.

With all the benefits supposedly offered by this vaccine, why would anybody even think twice? A Chicago Tribune article from last Sunday may shed some light on the issue. It seems that doctors are hesitant to invest the $50,000 or more to stock the vaccine and at $360 for a 3 shot regimen most insurance companies won’t reimburse the physicians at what they consider to be an adequate level. Merck & Co., the vaccine manufacturer has been bankrolling efforts to get the states to mandate this product for their residents but doesn’t have enough confidence in its effectiveness to lower the price slightly and let the free market take over. If there is a need the people will find their way to the product.

“I don’t know where to turn,” said Julie Falco, a Marlboro, N.Y., elementary school teacher trying to get her 13- and 15-year-old daughters vaccinated.

Her pediatrician, Dr. Herschel Lessin, told her his 20-doctor Children’s Medical Group in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., can’t afford to stock Gardasil. Lessin said insurers paying their executives millions won’t give him $25 to cover his costs but will spend tens of thousands if a patient develops cervical cancer.

His practice will provide prescriptions but warned Falco that her insurer might not reimburse her and pharmacies might mark each dose up to $200. Falco then tried her gynecologist, who sent her back to the pediatrician.

“I still don’t have the shot, and now I have to decide whether I want to make a $1,200 investment to get them vaccinated,” she said. “I really don’t want to deny them what I think is right.”

Note the woman feels so strongly about this vaccine that she has gone to two different doctors trying to get the vaccine but neither felt it was so “can’t miss” that it was worth stocking for their patients. She feels it is right but won’t spend $600 per kid out of her own pocket to protect them from cervical cancer. The shocking truth to Ms. Falco might be that there is alternatives. The first being that miracle device known as the condom. The one that Planned Parenthood and many school districts are so fond of distributing to our children. The one that is supposed to protect the world from AIDS and other STD’s. Latex Crusader aside, there is one option that will absolutely , sure fire, guarantee effectiveness in staving off HPV, AIDS, Gonorreah, Syphilis, Crabs and other sexually transmitted afflictions of the genital region. It will also prove 100% effective in avoiding unwanted pregnancy. The super technique is known as abstinence and while it is unpopular in today’s hedonistic world it has worked EVERY time.

As with so many other issues in modern society we ignore the root cause and go after the consequence. We avoid blame by treating the aftermath or in this case we try inoculate them against future poor and irresponsible behavior by assuming that “they’ll do it anyway so it might as well be safe“. This vaccine is also not 100% effective and does not work against all forms of HPV. I’m not saying that this might not be a beneficial vaccine that can save the lives of thousands of women over time, I just would prefer it not be mandated by a government with the financial burden of the treatment being placed upon the general public, ie…the taxpayer. I have 4 daughters and I refuse to give into the inevitability of them always making the wrong choice. If at their age of majority they deem the vaccine necessary, I would have no problem with them taking the regimen. We need to stay involved with our children, teach them and guide them and yes, they will make mistakes from time to time. We must never give up by teaching them respect for themselves so they can in turn respect others and make the proper decisions. We must not ignore the psychological and physical harm that may befall our children but we must not offer tacit approval either. For a state to mandate this type of vaccine is especially egregious because it is not their role to assume our children will be sexually active in the near future and that they insist on this course of action using the people’s money.

If this product is can’t miss, it will find the people but it should never be forced upon our daughters by an overreaching nanny of a Government. It is a usurpation of parental rights and guidance that should never be accepted. Now or ever.

Posted by Biloxi in Politics, Social Issues at 11:55 PM EST

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My beloved Chicago Bears were resoundingly defeated in Super Bowl XLI by a 29-17 score that looks closer than it actually was. They were dominated in every phase of the game. I firmly believed they had the ability and players to win the game. I still do. The Bears never adjusted to the defense of the Colts in this game and along with a sloppy tackling defense, that was a recipe for disaster. The Colts played the adjustment game well and completely shut down what appeared to be our only weapon left, special teams. Congratulations to the Indianapolis Colts on a well deserved win. For the Bears we can hope this is the beginning of a path to bigger and better things.

Having the talent and performing up to that talent are two entirely different things. The Bears did not perform at the level needed in a big game against a top notch opponent. After the electrifying opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Devin Hester the Bears could muster no more than a 52 yard run by Thomas Jones. Yes Rex Grossman laid an egg with a fumble and two picks but this was essentially his rookie season. He was by no means the sole reason the Bears lost the game though I can already hear the Chicago radio sports station callers demanding his head on a pike. The future looks bright and he will get better. On the defensive side of the ball the Bears defense showed an inability to tackle on initial contact and allowed the tandem of Colt Running backs to run on them at will, thus controlling the clock and keeping the Bears defense on the field.

In the end the Colts played an excellent workman like game and deserved their win and all the accolades they get. They executed an excellent gameplan and out-coached the Bears as well as out-playing them. Tony Dungy is a championship winning coach because he is a good coach, not because he is African-American. That he had the opportunity to be a head coach was the breakthrough and that happened years ago. I believe in the excellence of the human being and Tony Dungy as well as Lovie Smith fit the bill. To spend as much time concentrating on their race as the media has done in the run up to and now in the aftermath of this game detracts from the excellence of character and the strength of spirit these two coaches possess. Tony got the better of it this time and in the future I hope Lovie will as well.

I expect the Bears players remember the feeling after their loss and work harder so they can experience the exhilaration of winning the big game. Remember the sting and don’t let it happen again. This is not to say they didn’t try, try they did but they came up woefully short. To the Bears players, thanks for the season and please don’t make us wait another 21 years before we see such magic again. To the coaches keep up your hard work and strength of character but please learn to adjust in game, it will serve you well. To management, do your best to keep the team in tact and secondly try to keep the game affordable for the working class fan. You’ve raised ticket prices yearly for the last three years. Let us catch our breath before you hit us again.

With the proper attitude we will see this again and mark my words Rex Grossman will only get better and that promises a bright future indeed.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 10:24 AM EST

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