Ben and the Man
Classic, Ben. Glad you finally got your picture after all these years. About time to start writing that book and put “Junior’s” career in the proper perspective before the Cardinal canonizes him. “Good Government is Good Politics” was the chant of Carter Harrison I, the dad of the original father-son Chicago mayoral duo before even you and I were born. Ol’ man Daley perfected it, though, and the kid learned the lessons well on daddy’s knee. That northwest side lady is evidence of that—just pave my sidewalk, fill our potholes and pick up my garbage and I don’t care how you get it done. Good Government is Good Politics.
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We, the citizens of this city, are responsible for the corruption—not our duly elected politicians. We’re the ones who put up with this crap. We’re the ones with the high tolerance for corruption. Just throw a few bones our way and we’ll be sure to reward you come Election Day. Oh thank you, King Richard II. Your loyal servants will miss you, but I’m sure we’ll find another corrupt politician to take your place. We’re very good at that. Hmmm . . . King Emanuel has sort of an aristocratic and religious ring to it. And he has a son! —DonGordon49
The pen is mightier than the bayonet. —Joe Lake, Bucktown
Ride down the Dan Ryan, and you will see that those crime infested hell-holes that poverty pimps called housing no longer scar the skyline or victimize the resident-prisoners within. Look where Horner and Cabrini stood and see neighborhoods transformed and still emerging. Stroll through downtown and take a good look at all the people who actually live there and all those who have come to visit there. Ride down Ashland Avenue from Peterson to Roosevelt Avenue or down Milwaukee from Lawrence to Lake and you see a reclaimed city, a place where middle class folks really want to live. Ride along 22nd Street or MLK Boulevard or 47th Street, any place in Pilsen, Hyde Park, South Shore, the near west side, and you will see a vibrant, healthy multicultural city that was no sure thing in 1982, 1987 or 1989.
Re: “Let Them Roll Logs: The brouhaha about opening academic peer review to the hoi polloi assumes that peer review is effective in the first place” by Cliff Doerksen, September 16
