Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Open thread

Posted in:

Illinois

* Good morning! Take a breath before the Chicago’s mayoral runoff turns March into madness. Anyways, what’s going on in your part of Illinois?

posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 7:44 am

Comments

Good cup of pour over chicory coffee… enjoying the sunrise… wondering… is Pat Quinn kicking himself for not running

I kid, I kid… I saw Quinn at Chuy’s

Still, the coffee is good, the sun is bright and warm

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 7:50 am
In the wake of Rich Daley’s 20 years- someone I read predicted the City would churn Mayors for several cycles as they were forced to make the hard choices Daley had not. MLL had her own difficulties but that seems to be playing out.

Comment by West Sider Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 7:58 am
Happy New Fiscal Year for the City of Springfield.

I have always believed that some of the city politicos and employees treat New Fiscal Year Eve as another New Year’s Eve, and party and drink accordingly.

Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:17 am
It’s a bright, sunshiny day (weather-wise, anyway).

Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:19 am
The former plainfield township supervisor, and former township republican chairman(same guy), was sentenced last week to 3 years in federal prison for wire fraud.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:19 am
Enjoy todays weather, supposed to get nasty later in the week. Question is would you rather have one more snow fall or heavy rain on Friday? I vote Snow , feels like we got cheated this year

Comment by NorthSideNoMore Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:24 am
The Patrick Kane era has now concluded. I wonder who will be the next star player for the Blackhawks.

Fare the well Patrick Kane. So long, and thanks for all the Cups!

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:31 am
I’m just imagining what it would be like to be a candidate for mayor for one of the most important cities in our country and not be able to get the endorsement of the President of the United States because of adopting a poorly thought out slogan that gained popularity because of its simplicity, and induced outrage because of its simplicity and is hard to nuance because of its simplicity.

I’m also imagining what it must be like to be a member of congress and be so thoroughly embarrassed by Paul Vallas. Ouch.

Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:39 am
- Candy Dogood -

It felt like Chuy’s heart wasn’t in it. It looked like it. Even sounded like it.

An unusual run to be polite.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:43 am
PQ would have cut into Vallas numbers.
Too bad he didn’t run.

Comment by Future Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:43 am
I voted for Chuy, but will now hold my nose and vote for Vallas. Johnson would be a disaster, imho, and completely owned by CTU, so we’d have 2 disasters running this city.

Comment by Old IL Dude Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:48 am
==is Pat Quinn kicking himself for not running==

Maybe he’s now reading Capital Fax, and many of us here telling him “Please go away.” And actually heeding our advice.

Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:49 am
Chuy was a good guy and would have been a good mayor for the city.
Weather is great and sitting overlooking the Chicago River is a good way to start the day.
All I’m missing is Cafe Du Monde Chicory coffee. That OW knows how to enjoy life.

Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:52 am
Is it for the simplest of mindless thinking…

FOP v. CTU?

Considering, according to stats in a tweet by Calabrese, Lightfoot carried many black wards/areas, could Lightfoot hold the keys to the eventual winner’s path?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:52 am
Bye, Kaner (I’m not crying, you’re crying).

We will probably never see the likes of him again (3-0 in the championship round). As a Blackhawk he’s in rarefied air that even LeBron and Brady don’t occupy.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:53 am
I voted for Chuy, and will now vote for Johnson. I’ll make my bets with teachers over cops any day.

Comment by ChicagoVinny Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 8:58 am
The birds are a-singing this morning & there’s the promise of spring. March coming in like a lamb? Reminds me of an early SNL Weekend Update bit where John Belushi is the ‘chief meteorologist’ & talks about other country’s proverbs for March weather. Google it for a chuckle today.

Comment by Loyal Virus Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:01 am
One word - water.

Comment by Aquaman Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:01 am
Let’s go brandon

Comment by Left of what Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:05 am
The takeaway for me was that 83 percent of people voted for someone other than the incumbent mayor. That’s quite an achievement for Lightfoot.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:10 am
My hat goes off to Brandon. Even if he doesn’t beat Vallas, he raised his profile and proved he can be a winner in a future Chicago Mayoral race. There’s a lot of support for his agenda in Chicago. A got a lot of Chicago Aldermanic support. More than a few people want to tax the suburbanites who work in the city and Brandon proved it.

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:12 am
Bright sunshiny day-to part clear tonight to see Jupiter and Venus cozy up less than 1 degree apart. Maybe it was the Christmas star? I predicted Vallas-Johnson (am a Forgottonian resident but keeping up here, Politico, Picyaune) yesterday as they are polar opposites reflecting most of the US

Comment by SLM Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:13 am
Friendly Bob,
Maybe she could rephrase that and say I finally united the voters.

Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:14 am
Vallas’s share will be down to 30-31% by the time all VBMs are counted.

And Brandon Johnson will win by 8-10% in April.

Comment by The Truth Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:14 am
===Cafe Du Monde Chicory coffee===

Like, “three or four times a month” I’ll do the pour over chicory, a real treat. It’s not that it’s difficult, it’s that Kuerig or “Starbucks” are too convenient.

Simple pleasures, bud.

Be well.

===A got a lot of Chicago Aldermanic support. More than a few people want to tax the suburbanites who work in the city and Brandon proved it.===

Your takeaway is taxing suburbanites?

(Sigh)

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:17 am
I just don’t believe Paul Vallas suddenly changed his stripes, no matter how much he protests otherwise.

Comment by Homebody Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:20 am
-Your takeaway is taxing suburbanites?-

Brandon/CTU have big dreams. It’s easy to dream big when your salaries come from the taxpayers. Brandon’s movement wants progressive taxation in the city and in the state of Illinois. They might just get it sooner than people think.

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:21 am
@Out of the Box,

Elections typically invite a roster of candidates from across the political spectrum. If they were all put onto one committee they would spend all their time undercutting each other’s decisions and nothing would get done. Or are they separately governing different departments without consulting each other? Does a wackjob conspiracy theorist who gets 1.01% get to hire one janitor in one department or something? How would proposing a budget work? Do they get to take turns deciding what to veto? Ect, ect, ect…

Comment by Angel's Sanctuary Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:22 am
===It’s easy to dream big when your salaries come from the taxpayers===

Vallas has been on the taxpayers dime for years and years and years too, all over the country.

Police, Fire, city services are on the taxpayers’ dime.

We are all taxpayers, including unionized teachers.

Keep up.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:25 am
@ OW -

I hope you had beignets with that chicory coffee.

Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:28 am
you have to laugh when the chant “Let’s Go Brandon” is actually for the candidate who could defeat the candidate of MAGA.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:28 am
===beignets===

I have this super easy recipe for them, but I’ve been a bit nervous that they won’t turn out, so I’ll try to make them sometime in an afternoon as a trial batch.

There’s a couple “pastry” shops in Oswegoland I frequent and today I’m having one of those pastries.

I’ll update when I get the courage to finally make them. Hope you’re well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:31 am
Interesting development, Hope the ghost of “before its too late” does not reappear. And the value of NASCAR tickets hold.

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:33 am
Will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the release of Dark Side of the Moon this evening at home in a dark room with the stereo turned up.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:35 am
Democrats want to hit Vallas as a Republican in sheep’s clothing. At the same time, he’s going to be the “cops’ candidate.” I’d be careful with that unless Democrats want to be seen as anti-police, which the party has gone to great lengths to avoid.

Comment by Torco Sign Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:36 am
United Working Families did a lot for Johnson to get him into the runoff with Vallas as did labor unions like CTU and SEIU. This is going to be a tough fight, with Vallas & Johnson each having a great chance to win.

Comment by Corruption Committee Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:36 am
==And the value of NASCAR tickets hold.==

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt today for NASCAR ticket buyers to check into the cancellation policy for July’s Grant Park race.

Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:37 am
@ OW -

I’m well, thanks. If you ever find yourself near the University of Chicago, I recommend the beignets at Roux.

Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:43 am
“This is going to be a tough fight, with Vallas & Johnson each having a great chance to win.”

Yeah, I don’t see this being a landslide the way it was for Lightfoot 4 years ago.

Comment by Techie Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:44 am
It will be interesting to see where the trade unions line up for the runoff. While Johnson is basking in the spotlight of national coverage etc Valllas should be running commercials today defining his opponent. Should be interesting.

Comment by regular democrat Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:49 am
===I recommend the beignets at Roux.===

Thanks (banned punctuation) I’ll try them out.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:50 am
Last night Chicago decided on the two best Democrat candidates for office of Mayor that were running and chose well. A solid technocrat vs. a feel good unifier candidate.

I’m impressed.

Chicago politics being the way it is, the mudslinging and character assassinations will be epic. I’m sure the national press will be gleefully reporting the mudslinging. The City Council elections will determine Chicago’s fate more than the next mayor and there are some interesting characters being elected or will be elected following the runoff.

Hopefully the voters see through that nonsense again and will choose wisely. Include who their Alderpersons are.

Chicago needs to get back onto its feet again. It is a major city and still a jewel of this state.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:52 am
“All I’m missing is Cafe Du Monde Chicory coffee.”

Always went there in New Orleans for cafe au lait and beignets. Even bought some beignet mix to make at home.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 9:55 am
===Chicago needs to get back onto its feet again.===

Interesting phrasing given the two candidates left.

Maybe the question is, and posed to me by someone far more intelligent (so it could be nearly anyone, but this person is wicked sharp)… “how low is Vallas’ ceiling?”

If Vallas stays at 31-33% in this race after it’s all said and done, and that’s Vallas’ “base”, where is Vallas looking to get to 50% +1?

The Johnson-Vallas race, with extreme differences between the two, which of these two can find a path where running as fast to the “middle” isn’t leaving the base they enjoy in the “extreme” thoughts.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:00 am
=I just don’t believe Paul Vallas suddenly changed his stripes, no matter how much he protests otherwise.=

Sometimes timing, as they say, is everything.

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:07 am
===I’d be careful with that===

Your concern trolling aside, he’s not gonna be labeled the cops’ candidate, he’s gonna be labeled the Catanzara FOP’s candidate.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:07 am
===Catanzara FOP’s===

That’s where the damage will be done.

Crime is a top issue for both, it can’t be denied or ignored, but it’s Catanzara that is the hurting element pushed on Vallas

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:12 am
Is Chicago ready for an income tax? Defund the police is an Achilles heel for Brandon but I think this issue is just as big. No thank you.

Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:15 am
=Let’s go brandon=

That made me laugh out loud.

=If Vallas stays at 31-33% in this race after it’s all said and done, and that’s Vallas’ “base”, where is Vallas looking to get to 50% +1?=

Interesting. I think he definitely gets Wilson’s voters. After that, who knows? Can he even keep his 30%+ from the primary?

=It is a major city and still a jewel of this state.=

In this, we totally agree.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:22 am
==I’d be careful with that unless Democrats want to be seen as anti-police, which the party has gone to great lengths to avoid.==

And still mostly failed to avoid, lol.

Still, I think there’s a way to thread the needle to be the anti-Catanzara candidate without being anti-cop. Not sure if BJ can quite pull it off, though.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:22 am
=I just don’t believe Paul Vallas suddenly changed his stripes, no matter how much he protests otherwise.=

He’s like a shape-shifting con man hustler. And he’s gotten quite good at it - had a lot of practice.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 10:58 am
=I just don’t believe Paul Vallas suddenly changed his stripes, no matter how much he protests otherwise.
=

And as my dad always said - a leopard never changes its spots.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 11:05 am
@Pot calling Kettle, thanks for the reminder on the Dark Side anniversary. fire up the herb and have wine and a bag of M and Ms nearby. Old days.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 11:16 am
The thing is one can be anti-CPD without being anti-cop. The officer who shot blindly up an escalator; the officer who killed a 36 year old woman in a car accident because he was conducting a high speed chase even though his dispatch had told him to stop; the officers through the years that have participated in or covered up illegal shootings of suspects; it all adds up to an ill-disciplined force. A force that can be more of a threat than a safety mechanism. Especially given that CPD seldom actually solve crimes. Stolen property is seldom recovered etc. A chunk of the homicides are simply vengeance for other homicides, a phenomenom that naturally results when homicides go unpunished.

Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 11:26 am
Vallas is arguably who we always knew him to be. But that somewhat misses the point. The city is in a very different place at this moment and Mayor Lightfoot refused to acknowledge that whereas Vallas exploited it. A similar strategy would not have worked 4 years ago. I’d at least give Vallas credit for reading the tea leaves correctly and running the best campaign. And I suspect that he’ll be a formidable opponent for Johnson.

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 11:27 am
Re: taxing suburbanites,

I fail to see how this would not be a winning strategy. Suburbanites by definition don’t vote in Chicago elections.

Also they aren’t talking about suburbanites in general but suburbanites who make their living in the city. It is true that the increase in commuters causes discomfort to Chicagoans. But they should probably commission a study first to see how much the commuters bring in in order to see if they contribute more than they take.

Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 11:30 am
ugh Jalen Carter. and no, I don’t care that the charges are misdemeanors. Bears don’t need someone who walks away from an accident.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 11:39 am
=I fail to see how this would not be a winning strategy.=

I can see lots of downsides in pulling this off. What defines a “commuter” particularly in this current point in time where hybrid and remote work is commonplace? Many of these “suburbanites” could in fact be working if the suburbs of other states. Does this become a payroll tax? If so does that help the city continue to attract businesses looking to relocate? Because the city is still doing fairly well in that regard. If it’s determined by the time spent actually working in the city would it serve as a disincentive to commuters? That’s not going to help the downtown business economy recover. I think it will be a tough sell to claim that commuters take more than they give to the city.

I’m not dismissing the idea out of hand, but it may not be the winning strategy you think it is.

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 12:01 pm
In non-mayoral news, glad to see the Caterpillar strike is averted, at least for now.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 12:40 pm
==I just don’t believe Paul Vallas suddenly changed his stripes, no matter how much he protests otherwise.==

On WGN last night his campaign manager was already pivoting and calling him a progressive lol. They figure his base won’t go to Johnson so they can say anything at this point.

Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Mar 1, 23 @ 3:03 pm
@ Angel’s Sanctuary,

Swiss have successfully shared executive power on small committee by forming coalitions that vary by issue. Chair is regularly rotated. Ensures public is far better represented in executive branch, unlike winner-take-all where billionaires tend to win it all and take it all in both parties.

Like printing press, internet will expand democracy fast as public learns ancient single-leader political systems are not very open, transparent, or inclusive. Resisting our future would be lose/lose, like the many wars after the printing press freed public minds.

Comment by Out of the Box Thursday, Mar 2, 23 @ 12:03 pm

Add a comment

Sorry, comments are closed at this time.

Previous Post: Isabel’s morning briefing
Next Post: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Last 10 posts:

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another supplement to today’s edition (05-15)
Isabel’s afternoon briefing (05-15)
SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Issue poll (05-15)
Question of the day (05-15)
Poll: Johnson disapproval at 57 percent, approval at 28 percent (05-15)
Rides For Moms Provides Transportation To Prenatal Care (05-15)
It’s just a bill (05-15)
Caption contest! (05-15)
Isabel’s morning briefing (05-15)
Vote YES On IHA’s Legislation To Address Unnecessary Care Denials By Medicaid MCOs (05-15)