Sunday, July 23, 2006

OP ED: Dems Defy the Public

It is said that those the gods would destroy, they first make crazy. That leads me to believe that the gods are about to destroy Chicgo’s Democrat political machine.

In assuming that the Cook County Board presidency is a private political possession, albeit on permanent loan to the black community, the Democrat machine leaders have displayed more arrogance than common sense. In giving the back of the hand to such Democrats as Forrest Claypool, Mike Quigley and others, I suspect they have driven a lot of white ethnics into the GOP camp for this election season. In giving the back of the other hand to such peoples as Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson, Jr., they even may risk losing a chunk of the reliable black vote.

To make matters worse, the machine boys selected Commissioner Bobbie Steele to complete the term of John Stroger. A major blunder. Not because she is so BAD, but because she is so GOOD. For the rest of the campaign, the public will see Todd Stroger, the unqualified, inept candidate of the back-room-boys, running for a job being performed with professionalism and elegance by the truly qualified Bobbie Steele. The comparison can do young Stroger no good.

The only thing that can prevent a voter backlash from ending Democrat control of the county board is the ability of the local Republicans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. They are the Chicago Cubs of politics. It does appear that the Democrat slating committee is counting heavily on GOP ineptness to trump their own arrogance.

No comments: