By Steve Rhodes
“Two weeks ago, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) came to Hinsdale to raise money for Republicans to fight the congressional map drawn under the direction of state Democratic Party chief and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan,” Dave McKinney and Abdon Pallasch report for the Sun-Times.
“The very next night, the congressman broke bread with Madigan (D-Chicago) at a fund-raiser for Boehner’s leadership fund at the Lemont home of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Chairman Terry Duffy.”
Oh, but wait. It gets better.
“After making the Boehner event, Madigan skipped last week’s Governor’s Day Democratic day at the Illinois State Fair, opting instead for an out-of-state vacation with his family. His absence drew murmurs from some Democrats about why the speaker would miss the traditional Downstate party pep rally.
“That same day, Madigan was a no-show for Obama’s visits to four stops in northwestern and central Illinois and didn’t attend Obama’s Aug. 3 birthday fund-raiser on Chicago’s North Side, which Gov. Pat Quinn, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mayor Rahm Emanuel and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) attended.”
What in the world is Madigan thinking?
“We’ve said for more than a year, one of the messages of 2010 is the need for people to cooperate, and that’s what Madigan’s tried to do,” Madigan Mouthpiece Steve Brown told the Sun-Times.
I wonder if that includes cooperating with Democrats. But I digress.
“‘I don’t think anybody can question the success of Democrats in Illinois since Mike Madigan has been chairman,’ Brown said, referring to a stint as Democratic Party of Illinois chairman that began in 1998.”
After all, Republican George Ryan was elected governor that year, followed by Democrat Rod Blagojevich in 2002 and again in 2006, before being impeached, removed from office and convicted of federal corruption charges. Good job!
“That record speaks for itself.”
Unlike Madigan.
*
Maybe Madigan is thinking about changing parties. After all, he has a long history of running against Democrats.
The record speaks for itself.
Losing Traction
“Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ investment firm now owns nearly 6 percent of equipment maker Deere & Co.’s stock,” AP reports.
And so it begins.
*
But seriously, why? Maybe a global food shortage has something to do with it.
*
Gates also has also invested in the Chicago Public Schools and left them vulnerable to a destructive virus.
Sycamore Tree
“The two biggest airlines at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport route their jet fuel purchases through an outlying Illinois town, shaving millions of dollars off their tax bills but raising the hackles of Chicago officials,” Kathy Bergen reports for the Tribune.
“The airlines’ tax break agreements with Sycamore, which have flown under the radar for years, have allowed United and American subsidiaries each to trim as much as $12 million to $14 million off their annual tax bills in recent years, documents show.”
*
“The commercial district of Sycamore is based on Illinois Route 64, and stretches about a mile down starting from the intersection of route 64 with Illinois Route 23 and ending at Center Cross Road,” according to the town’s Wikipedia entry. “The district is composed of 2 story shops, a bank, a small movie theater, and The Midwest Museum of Natural History.”
Let’s see if a proactive Wikipedian edits that to include “the post office boxes where United and American airlines collect the sales tax proceeds absconded from Chicago.”
*
“The Sycamore Police Department will transition into the new Police Station on DeKalb Avenue in May,” the town’s website says. “This summer Hyvee will open in the completely renovated shopping center on DeKalb Avenue and Oakland Drive and City’s annual street maintenance program will be underway.”
Thanks, United!
*
“Sycamore is the embodiment of classic small town Mid-America, a place where smiles are a way of life.”
Serving your tax haven needs since 2001.
Bee Thousands
“Here’s a clever and judicious use of the open space that is required around a busy airport like Chicago’s O’Hare: An apiary. There are now 1.5 million bees living in beehives in this open space,” the Mother Nature Network reports.
All honey purchases are routed through Sycamore.
Schooling The Prez
“One day after the Chicago Teachers Union bailed out of talks over a rescinded 4 percent pay hike, [CPS schools chief Jean-Claude] Brizard said he would be willing to give elementary teachers a 2 percent raise worth $30 million if they agreed to work 90 extra minutes daily this coming school year,” the Sun-Times reports.
The day Karen Lewis has better negotiating skills than Barack Obama is a sad day for America indeed.
Genius Bar Hiring
“United and Continental airlines are replacing pilots’ paper flight manuals with 11,000 iPads, which the airlines say will reduce weight and save fuel,” AP reports.
Which explains why Apple just opened a store in Sycamore.
Blu Flu
“The restaurant will be called Fellini.”
*
“Even if I set out to make a film about a fillet of sole, it would be about me.”
Fantasy Fix
WRs are deep, but not a single Bear makes our list.
–
The Beachwood Tip Line: Felliniesque.
Posted on August 24, 2011