One Of Da Mare's Patronage Kings: Rahm's A Suburbanite

From NBC Chicago's Ward Room:

Is Rahm Emanuel "Chicago" enough? 

Still spry at 90 years old, Ed Kelly -- the former Chicago Park District Superintendent -- answers in the negative, not holding back when asked about the embattled mayor during a free-wheeling interview with the Sun-Times. 

"I feel sorry for Rahm, I really do," Kelly tells the paper. "Rahm had no idea what he was getting into. Rahm’s not a Chicago guy. He’ll never be a Chicago guy. He’s not a street guy. He’s trying to be, but he’s not. He’s a suburbanite. He’s not a Chicagoan, he really isn’t. He’s smart, very smart. I think what he inherited is going to continue on, he’s going to find out more problems, money problems and things."

Emphasis, ours.  

He also talks a bit about patronage.  To be a fly on the wall back in the day...

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios Cuts Staff...

But...AMAZINGLY....none of those cut were part of his family.  Mark Suppelsa points out this (inconvenient) truth.

Even though the Cook County Ethics Board fined him $10 grand for hiring family and told him to fire them. He didn't and hasn't paid.
— MarkSuppelsa (@MarkSuppelsa) November 13, 2013

Thank God for patronage.

SunTimes: "Mike Madigan's January pension scenario could lead to big property tax hike"

Dave McKinney, reporting from the DNC in Charlotte, picks up on Illinois House and Senate GOP Leadership's thoughts on Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan's bad plan to jam a bad pension bill down  the throats of Illinois residents.

"We fear that Democrat leaders' recent comments about passing a pension reform bill in January with Democrat-only votes will lead to a massive property tax increase, just like they shoved through the largest income tax increase on Illinois residents two years ago," Cross and Radogno's joint statement said.

That's the Chicago way, isn't it?  Speaker Mike Madigan knows that when he can't get his way, he'll just take his ball and go home and do whatever he wants.  Regardless of what the people of Illinois want.

You can read the full Cross & Radogno statement here.