Hey, Pilgrim -Read Progressive's Progress! It Will Give You Bunyans

Career Grifter and CTA Appointee Forrest Claypool just could not 'lean' right enough to avoid a photo-up with serial speeder and scoff-law Mayor Coon Eyes, while the daughter of Progressive Nepotism in Chicago Deb Mell works her face muscles ala Dick Durbin -feigned concern masking a cartoon cavalcade playing in the brain-pan.

“Mr. Worldly-Wiseman is not an ancient relic of the past. He is everywhere today, disguising his heresy and error by proclaiming the gospel of contentment and peace achieved by self-satisfaction and works. If he mentions Christ, it is not as the Savior who took our place, but as a good example of an exemplary life. Do we need a good example to rescue us, or do we need a Savior? ”
― John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come

The above photo from today's Chicago Tribune article offering Chicagoland's mythopoeic star and Red Light Running Mayor an opportunity to avoid blame, offers the face of Progressives.  You get what you vote for when you do back Progressives.  You get a metaphorical knife in the kidneys, if you happen to be an old time Ward healer.  You get betrayed, if you helped them nuzzle up to Power.  You get a daily shower of contempt and economic burden, if you pay taxes and work for a living in support of your wife and children.
Once the government cash cow is thoroughly milked as dry as a Progressive's heart, We all get stuck with bills and the clean-up.

We are all to blame for not laughing Progressives back into the crazy-house of pious secular platitudes and policy scams from whence they spring.  Laugh early, or cry often.

That is the Progressive Chicago Way.

Don't Be a Butt Flicker; Be A Butt Picker! Show 'Em Your Butts, Illinois Smokers!

Few things make me more astonished to be a resident of Cook County, Illinois than the lengths to which intellectually challenged and socially retarded individuals manage to find huge paying government jobs, especially with the Illinois General Assembly.

I have taught many young people to be good and sober minded citizens in classrooms from Kankakee to Auburn Gresham, even though my humanly flawed soul strays from the path now and then.  I am proud to say that a number of my students have gone on to careers in business, the church, government, the entertainment industry and the arts.  A few have even thanked me for my small part in their achievements and vocations.

A very few have gone on to unhappy lives of missed opportunities and disappointments public and private. One poor chap became a legislator in another State and ended up going to prison for violating the public trust.  He was always a sneaky little bastard.

As the new year dawned, I was compelled to think about the new punitive law in effect at midnight last.  This is the Deb Mell Butt Flicker Public Act:

Cigarette butts
HB 3243, PA 98-0483 Some Illinois residents will likely pledge to quit smoking cigarettes as a New Year’s resolution. Those who don’t may want to resolve not to flick their cigarette butts on the ground, or they could face a hefty fine. Cigarette butts have been added to the litter control act, and those who toss them on the ground could be charged with a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of no less than $50 and up to $1,500.

Now, with advent of the Medical Marijuana Law Illinois ( " . . . Patients must be at least 18 years old to apply for a medical marijuana card through the Illinois Department of Public Health and must prove they have one of 33 serious or chronic conditions specifically listed in the bill. They must have an established relationship with a doctor who approves their use of the drug. Successful applicants will be allowed 2.5 ounces of marijuana per a two-week period. Patients, caregivers, owners and employees of growing operations and dispensaries will all be required to pass background checks Owners of growing operations or dispensaries will be banned from making campaign contributions. "), is a Joint to be considered a Butt?  Is there a The Dude's Exempt Clause?  You know like that compelling scene from Big Lebowski?



( sotta voce - Can't hate Creedence and you can't stop bullshit, in my considered opinion. )

There's more.  A triple- repeat offender could go away to the Iron Hilton and pay up to $25,000 for the crimes committed against Mother Earth, Sanitary Issues, Public Safety and Deb Mell.

I smoke, or did, having resolved with my usual steely will to quit the foul talon-clutch of the Marlboro Man.  Through  my years as a tobacco weed fiend, I managed by dint of good manners and an expansive heart to deposit ciggy refuse in a proper receptacle ( ashtrays public and private, empty beer cans, or field stripped in the manner of a Forest Ranger).  I tended not to smoke in restaurants over the last thirty years and have never once lite one up in the house that shelters my bairns.

Like jaywalking, traffic scofflawing, toxic dumping, drug trafficking, or murdering for hire, I never needed a law or ordinance to know what I should or should not do.  That is because I was not educated in public schools (K-20).  Rather, I was taught by Catholic scholars to be a modestly Catholic scholar - Esse Quam Videre.  

Last spring, while suiting up for the Gay Marriage Warfare and Victory, Deb Mell took the time to amend legislation in the Illinois General Assembly to make sure that butt flickers, a particularly nasty breed of Eco-Vandals, got it good and hard.  Governor Pat Quinn who is always quick to sign his name to any and all idiotic legislation crafted with polling and pie charts from the Paul Simon Institute and fashioned by thought challenged activists and deep feeling snitches like Deb Mell signed this latest law against common sense by Cook County Progressives.

Cook County Progressives awe me.  I have yet to encounter one ( male, female, breeder, LGBTQ, hyphenated Irish, Swede, or Proud Black Brother) that was in any way shape or form an admirable, self-reliant, or nice person.  Yet, otherwise admirable, self-reliant and nice persons who take public office allow them to control Illinois.  Awesome.

That said,  Be not a Deb Mell Law Scofflaw.  Flick no butts from a fixed position, or, God Forefend, moving vehicle.  Don't be Flicker, not for fear of Law's Majesty and Might, butt, because it is the right thing to do.  Be a Butt Picker.  If you, or I, continue to absorb the fumes made fashionable by Walter Raleigh, pick the butt, strip the butt and save the butt for future use -recycle.

Illinois Butt Pickers might want to show Deb Mell and her cosponsors the fruits of being concerned Illinois voters, taxpayers and citizens.

Save your butts and show your butts! Collect your butts in gallon sized zip lock bags; drop them off at Alderman Deb Mell's office, or the offices of Bill's co-sponsors. My own Representative Fran Hurley jumped at the chance to savage butt flickers.

Show them your Butts!  Obey the Law with all of the intelligence and mutual respect it deserves.

Here's who want to see your butts: Show 'Em Your Butts!  It's the Law!
Representative Deborah Mell (D)
Represented the 40th District

Alderman Mell's 33rd Ward Service Office 3649 North Kedzie Chicago, Illinois 60618 Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00PM Ward Night: Wednesdays 5:00 PM - 7:00PM The Ward Office is also open the first Saturday of every month, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Please call ahead to confirm office hours.  Former Springfield Office: 247-E Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL   62706 (217) 782-8117 (217) 558-4551 FAX Former District Office: 3657 N. Kedzie Avenue Chicago, IL  60618 (773) 267-2880 (773) 267-2840 FAX

Email: staterep40@gmail.com

Years served: January 2009 - July 2013 Committee assignments: Biography: Full-time legislator; B.A. Political Science and History, Cornell College; California Culinary Academy; Mayor Rahm Emanuel Advisory Council for Human Relations; Award for Activism, National Organization for Women; Howard Brown Cornerstone Award for community excellence. Representative since 2009. Representative Frances Ann Hurley (D) 35th District Springfield Office: 252-W Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL   62706 (217) 782-8200 District Office: 10400 S. Western Chicago, IL  60643 (773) 445-8128 (773) 672-5144 FAX Additional District Addresses Email: repfranhurley@gmail.com Years served: January 2013 - Present Committee assignments: Appropriations-General Service; Cities & Villages; Health Care Licenses; Transportation, Regulation, Roads; Public Safety: Police & Fire Commit. Biography: Full-time state legislator and lifelong resident of the southwest community; graduate of Saint Barnabas Elementary School, Mother McAuley High School, and Saint Xavier University; former aide to Alderman Ginger Rugai and Matthew O’Shea; member of the Saint Christina Parish, Mt. Greenwood Civic Association; former director of the Saint Christina Manna Program and volunteer for Christ Hospital’s Ronald McDonald House, Misercordia, American Cancer Society Yme softball tournament, Bucks for Burn Camp, PADS, Marist High School, Mt. Greenwood Party in the Park, and Merrionette Park Youth Softball; lives in Mt. Greenwood with her three children (Nate, Nick, and Emily).

Representative La Shawn K. Ford (D)
8th District

Springfield Office: 239-E Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL   62706 (217) 782-5962 (217) 557-4502 FAX District Office: 4800 W. Chicago Ave. 2nd Floor Chicago, IL  60651 (773) 378-5902 (773) 378-5903 FAX Additional District Addresses

Email: repford@lashawnford.com

Years served: January 2007 - Present Committee assignments: Appropriations-Human Services; Health Care Availability Access (Vice-Chairperson); Health Care Licenses; Small Business Empowerment & Workfo (Chairperson); Restorative Justice (Chairperson); Tollway Oversight (Vice-Chairperson); Veterans' Affairs. Biography: Real estate entrepreneur and founder of Ford Desired Realty, Inc. Received his B.S. in Education from Loyola University in Chicago. Former history teacher and basketball coach for Chicago Public Schools. Licensed Illinois real estate broker, member of the Chicago and National Association of Realtors, board member of the Austin YMCA, board member of Circle Family Care, board member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, founding organizer of Zawadi Youth Group, and member of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Parish Council and Finance Committee. Representative Elaine Nekritz (D) 57th District Assistant Majority Leader Springfield Office: 245-E Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL   62706 (217) 558-1004 (217) 558-4554 FAX District Office: 830 S. Buffalo Grove Rd. Suite 120 Buffalo Grove, IL  60089 (847) 229-5499 (847) 229-5487 FAX Email: enekritz@repnekritz.org Years served: January 2003 - Present Committee assignments: Environment; Judiciary (Chairperson); Personnel & Pensions (Chairperson). Biography: Attorney; Law Degree from University of Michigan. Her experience includes working as a real estate attorney, later becoming partner, with the law firm of Altheimer and Gray. A community activist, she was chairperson of the Village of Northbrook's Community Relations Commission from 1997 to 2002. A member of the National Council of Jewish Women. She resides in Northbrook with her husband, Barry.

Representative Emanuel Chris Welch (D)
7th District

Springfield Office: 266-S Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL   62706 (217) 782-8120 (217) 524-0448 FAX District Office: 10055 W. Roosevelt Rd. Suite E Westchester, IL  60154 (708) 450-1000 (708) 450-1104 FAX

Email: repwelch@emanuelchriswelch.com

Feeding the Watchdog after Waking Andy from His Snooze - It's a Shakman Thing

Pre-Metra Madigan Missive (above); Immediate Above Andy Epic Fail Shaw of The BGA!

If Andy Shaw told me that I was ' the coolest guy, that is what am,'  I'd leap as lordly as my lard-ass would allow away the pit of Despair and hit the nearest confessional and hope that the priest could talk me out of taking a Brodie off of the Skway Bridge into the 10th Ward.

More so, I have empirical knowledge of Andy Shaw's capacity for in-depth reporting, dating back to Terry Teel's resignation announcement.  Andy and his poor but amused cameraman for ABC burst into the Department of Planning and Development on the 10th floor of City Hall and Andy bleated to the patient woman manning the sign-in desk, " Andy Shaw, ABC 7 for the Teele Resignation."

The lovely woman smiled, " You are on the wrong floor."

Andy shrilled, as is his wont, " Terry Teele!!!  The Mayor's Zoning and Development Man!" and again the lovely woman softly informed the news hound, " Mr. Teele works for the Mayor and that would be on the 5th Floor?"

Can you say MICROPHONE!!!????


Of course not; nor would you.  Andy Shaw is the media, writ nasty,. . .well, the media without work which means a padded sinecure - The BGA. What set me on the Shavian Media-tation was Andy's cuddles with 560 Am- WIND's Joe Walsh Show which struck my fancy while returning from a wake in Indiana.  Giggled me up no end, it did.

On June 24th, as the saga goes Andy of BGA knocked the Bosses of Illinois to canvas with his exclusive Sun Times write up breaking wind all over the Land of Lincoln! I remember it like it was three weeks ago.
It's Metra scandal, I guess.  The California CEO Alex Clifford was sent packing with a chute full of moolah.

Heavens.  It turns out that patronage is the root of this evil. Mercy sakes.

Alex Clifford lawyer ed up with Goo-Goo Mogul and past master Machine Baiter Michael Shakman, LLc.

Michael Shakman is founder of Shakman Industries based upon the fairy tale notion that Government can be good and Politics well-scrubbed . . . of people who actually know what the hell they are doing. I can well imagine plutocrat Good Seal of Shakman kicking wideawake Andy to another Call to Doody,   " Howdy Andy, Andy, Andy Shaw!  Rouse yourself, gird your loins . . .your loins . . .there's mischief afoot and scoundrels abounding the rails . . .open wide; here's your feed. Now, scurry and scat!"

Alex Clifford has Michael Shakman and Andy Shaw on his side, which means that he has deep thinkers like Carol Marin, WTTW, WBEZ, and the Abner Mikva Coalition of Hand-Wringers, Whistle-Blowers and Ambulance Chasing Bottom Feeders with his back Rep.Deb Nepotism (LGBTQ and 33rd Ward Landfill Blind Girl) with his back.

The way I see the Metra mess is this.

• A CEO with an Italian name does the Dutch Act
• Metra needs a Goo-Goo approved suit -Alex Clifford
• IL GOP is so screwed up it will nod with conviction when Andy announces a chance to hack Mike Madigan 
• The IVI-IPI already agreed to play nice with the IL GOP to beat the BossesIllinois newspapers will have Mike Madigan bon fire until Labor DayAlex Clifford will speak nasty about Metra Board, Madigan, Ward Bossism, Culture of Corruption
• Gov. Pat Quinn will attempt to kick Mike Madigan ala Charlie BrownThundering Dick Simposn will join Andy Shaw with a press conference about the latest UICC study Metra Bad/Mell Good/Mikva Good/ Paul Simon Institute polling
• The Red Line will be closed to working folks, without access to millionaires and lobbyists
• Andy Shaw will rail.in Pullman with the banjo activists Sheila Simon and Eric Zorn doing BoxCar Willie Hits in a display of Railroad Solidarity with Hobo-sexual panhandlers - A two disc set and video of this event for donations to BGA's RTA
• Carol Marin will narrate The Life of Alex Clifford by Michael Shakman
• Metra will provide transportation for summer travelers and working folks just the people Pat Quinn buys beers for at Stash & Stella's Stardust Saloon over by Midway.
• Mike Madigan will cut his lawn, go by the  Jewel on Pulaski over by Midway, smile wryly, because he is the only non-dope in Illinois government.
• Illinois Dems will continue to back dopes like Deb Mell, Toni Preckwinkle, Pat Quinn and whomever Boss Terry Cosgrove deems suitable to screw up Illinois further - Out of Chaos Comes More Chaotic Orders
• Illinois GOP will back dopes with less gravitas than Democrats.  BTW_ Personal PAC is pumping tons of moolah into the coffers of souless suburban GOP phonies (38.8%).
• Francis Cardinal George will continue to lead with his heart and head and maintain grace, calm and dignity amongst a Brookfield Zoo of ninnies clerical and lay
• Mount Carmel/St. Rita/Loyola and west suburban Montini will begin double sessions in August

I will continue to recover my breath after scanning the my pay stub choc full of Obama care padding to tune of less-$145 than the previous two weeks after taxes and marvel that a nice salary ain't what it used to be, while awaiting the next property tax payoff to Karen Lewis and Speed cameras every twenty feet on Western Ave..  

Like I said, if Andy Shaw said that it was hot today, I'd bundle up like Quinn the Eskimo . . . no relation to  Quinn the Governor. If Andy Shaw informed me that a bird pooped on my head, I'd say, "Call Me Blondie!"

Marriage Won a Close One in Illinois This Week.

Harris (left) is comforted by state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a fellow Chicago Democrat, as he announces he would not call the marriage bill for a vote.Harris' speech was met with a standing ovation, as was another speech by state Rep. Deb Mell, who discussed her marriage to wife Christin Baker. Harris, Cassidy and Mell are three of four openly LGBT members of the Illinois House.

Do I want every person in Illinois to have a happy life?  Why, yes I do.  Do I expect every person in Illinois and points beyond to behave, thinks and aspire exactly as I do?  Good God, no.

I am relieved that I have the right to step out of bed once again on what some people call the 'the wrong side of history.'  I am relieved and very surprised that Greg Harris could not come up with any where near the votes to redefine marriage in Illinois and set the table for lawsuits against my Church and many, many other faiths.  With scads of money and every editorial board in his vest pocket, Illinois Rep. Greg Harris, the LGBT Robespierre of the Illinois Religious Liberty and Marraige Equality Bill (SB 10).  Greg Harris catalogs the power political muscle and money behind this bill which failed to get the votes and turns to Lincoln as hammer.  Rep. Deb Mell catalogs her personal trail of tears and her great marriage as soccer moms, cooks and partners.



Greg Harris helped lead this effort through the Illinois Senate on Valentine's Day and it looked as if the House would fall to the narrative about happiness, civil rights, Stonewall is Selma, Catholics are haters and 'the right side of history'  - "a claim deployed in political debate to delegitimate one’s opponents." Custer told the Sioux that they were 'on the wrong side of history' at the Washita River in 1868.  The Sioux told Custer the same at the Little Big Horn River in 1876 with real gusto. This conversation continued until Wounded Knee in 1890.   History does not have a side, it has only sidelines packed with advocates who dress up in lab coats, take polls and random samplings of like-minded folks and pretend that science proves truth.

Political science is actually a form alchemy - scholars seeking to turn lead into gold or sex into love.  Sex, as I understand it, is a wonderfully pleasant after-effect of the inclination to perpetuate the species.  Sex is no more love than nails and wood are carpentry - Sandra Fluke notwithstanding.

In the case of Gay Marriage the alchemy demands that LGBT be thought of as 'strange fruit'


While African Americans swung in the breeze, Jane Addams accepted a Nobel Prize.  A black legislator mentioned this insulting simile of Gay is Black on So Many Levels and was immediately and wildly ridiculed on the Illinois Progressive lobbyists blog.

Love and happiness very often work in tandem, but not always.  Some people who love very, very, very deeply can be the most unhappy of God's creatures.  Happiness is happiness is hard to get. Ask Anna Karenina, or Jennifer Anniston, or Anthony Weiner.

Marriage is between a male and female and they different for very good reasons.  A male and male can have sex until Bill Moyers makes sense, but they will not procreate.  A male and female who marry may very well have sex once and produce a child of either gender inclined toward same (homo) sex and remain a very happy and loving family.  A male and female may breed outside of marriage and populate the earth with unloved and neglected males and females. A male and a male may bond in a civil union and adopt a child and love one another, but that is not a marriage any more than an abortion is a health initiative.

I do not know how my Representative (Fran Hurley) would have voted, but I do know that my State Senator (Billy Cunningham) voted for this law.  I will continue to send notes reminding Rep. Hurley that I strongly object to this artificial, dodgy and dangerous legislation.  Cunningham does not care about my vote. I object to SB 10 in the strongest possible terms and I refuse to defined by those who push its passage.

Greg Harris will continue lead the LGBT revolution in Illinois - he's paid to do that.  Let's see what history will eventually be written - a law in Illinois that makes war on marriage and religion, or not.