By Steve Rhodes
Tom Skilling’s forecast predicts a high of 52 today and a low of 9 tomorrow. I uselessly call on the news to act like we’ve lived here before.
Now on to the news.
Alexi’s Authenticity
From Alexi Giannoulias’s dormant U.S. Senate campaign website:
“This election presents a stark choice between Congressman Kirk, a Republican politician who has abandoned small businesses in favor of catering to big Wall Street interests, and Alexi, who is a proven fighter for our businesses and communities.”
From today’s Crain’s reporting that Alexi has accepted a job working for and catering to Wall Street interests:
“The banker-turned-politician, who won a statewide race for Illinois treasurer and then lost to Republican Mark Kirk in a bid for President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat, is joining the Chicago office of Bank of New York Mellon Corp. as senior adviser for strategic relationships. In the newly created post, Mr. Giannoulias, 35, will take on a business-development role for the New York-based bank’s new wealth-management business in Chicago.”
This is fun. Let’s do more.
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Alexi’s campaign website:
“He believes in a government that belongs to the citizens it represents. With the worst economic downturn in a generation sending shockwaves through our nation, the American people want their government standing up for them instead of the corporate special interests that have been running Washington for the past decade.”
Crain’s:
“He also will help BNY Mellon win new municipal, state and federal government clients nationwide, the company announced.”
Alexi’s campaign website:
“Wall Street continues to make billions in profit and enjoy countless corporate tax breaks while wages remain stagnant, and executive bonuses continue to grow while the average worker is seeing their benefits cut.”
Crain’s:
“BNY Mellon is a global giant that administers trillions in assets for institutions and also manages about $170 billion for well-off families and individuals in its private client business.”
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Look, Alexi Giannoulias is free to take whatever job he wants. But a true desire to fight for the little guy and work on behalf of average Americans against a system that is gamed for the wealthy doesn’t start and stop with a political campaign – especially for a self-described progressive who already has immense wealth. Authentic lives are led with a certain kind of consistency. In that respect, I guess we can be happy for Giannoulias going back to his banking roots now that he doesn’t need us anymore.
Quite Contrary
Lombard Man Wins $1 Million Lottery Prize Twice In A Decade.
Once wasn’t enough? Man kept playing even after winning the Merry Millionaire game nine years ago.
ObamaCare
For $35,800 a couple, you could be having dinner with the president tonight.
Similar fundraisers are being held around the country – including one hosted by Spike Lee.
So the next time the Obama campaign claims that most of its money comes from small donors, remember that raising $38,506 can be done through small donors by a 2:1 ratio if two people give $3 each and one person gives $38,500.
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Her policy views are more important than yours.
Raise Stakes
“A pair of Chicago aldermen on Tuesday called on city library workers to give up pay raises so branch libraries can stay open six days a week,” the Tribune reports.
“The proposal came in a letter from Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, longtime chairman of the Finance Committee, and Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, vice chairman of the Budget Committee.”
That’s rich.
Contrast and Compare
Emanuel Defends Daley As Chief of Staff.
“He made me look really good!”
File Under . . .
. . . You Know Times Are Tough When . . .
The Patisserie Protest
Trouble at Rolf’s.
Grinding Rich Munnich’s Gears
Cash, politics and the evening news.
Tim Tebow vs. Ryan Braun
In Fantasy Fix.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Meet the new news, same as the old news.
Posted on January 11, 2012