Congratulations to the Pipe Trades! Rahm Owes Skilled Labor Big Time.

The first sign that Rahm Emanuel might hold Chicago for another four years went up on the Dan Ryan Expressway on east side near 79th Street.  Sometime in October, the huge sign praising Rahm for that he is went up at expense of the United Piipe Trades of Chicago;shortly, thereafter, the skilled trades unions sided with the plumbers and pipe fitters in a marshaling of labor forces that eclipsed the public salaried unions - The Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU.

Anyone of the two people in my legion of readers knows that I am a constant critic public sector unions and fierce defender of the skilled trades, but I found myself on the side of SEIU and CTU in this mayoral election - general and runoff.

It is a headscratcher. I am no fan of Rahm Emanuel - not now;not no how.  He is a what is wrong with the Democratic Party which since the 1972 Democratic Convention became a torts platform and grievance utility.

I believe in neighbors. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia is a neighbor.   Rahm Emanuel is Richard M. Daley with better syntax, better tailor and better barber.

Rahm Emanuel and all of his polls won.

The congratulations go, not to the $ 1,200 suits and $400 haircuts, but to the skilled trades locals of Chicago.  They put Rahm over.  Now, swell haircuts should be consigned to the back of the elevator going up to the 5th Floor of City Hall . . .for a couple of weeks anyway.