Chicago

I'll have some pictures to add once I get home [added!] but I just wanted to say that the HCAN people put together a great rally with several hundred people in the Federal Plaza.

William McNary led off with his usual rousing style. First Gov. Pat Quinn then Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Danny Davis spoke passionately about the need for health care now and what to do to make sure it passes. A number of other people spoke -- everyone from Lou Lang (who was in wonderful form) to Alexi Giannoulias, Julie Hamos, Toni Preckwinkle, Lou Harris and David Orr.

If you're in the Chicagoland area, you can show the teabaggers "Brooks Brothers Brigade" what a real grassroots movement looks like by coming to the HCAN Rally in the Federal Plaza (8/4, 4:30p-6p).

From Mitch Stewart, Organizing for America:

Congress is moving rapidly toward finalizing health care reform legislation, with crucial votes expected in both the House and the Senate within days. With so much at stake -- and the D.C. lobbyists going into overdrive -- we have to take our grassroots campaign to the next level.

The Sun-Times gets school reform right in this editorial:

There are lots of ways to improve failing schools. Charters are one way, but so is investing in traditional schools by offering smaller class sizes, better teachers, financial incentives for teachers and a longer school year.

I was happy to see all the ads in the buses and El's for the 'Young Chicago Republican' Event that took place on Monday. It's always nice to see them supporting public transportation in this way.

The write-up of the event from the Huffington Post had something that caught my eye.

First:

My thought upon reading this article on the fallout from the parking meter 'snafu' was, did anyone have a schedule of anticipated price hikes?

Working that 'Bill Ayers' angle seems to be an obsession for whoever's putting headlines together for the Chicago Sun-Times. In this one, what we have is an article from the AP about the routine activities of Obama as POTUS during Memorial Day. Ayers' only appearance is completely minor and indirect as one of 60 signers of a petition that in the article's own words is "ignored" by the White House.

Alderman Tom Tunney welcoming guests at the Young Chicago Lakefront Annual Mtg. & Elections Party held at Trader Todd's on May 19.

It's the hand of the Lord, I tell you!

Fran Spielman (Sun-Times):

Mayor Daley’s $2.5 billion plan to privatize Midway Airport collapsed today for lack of financing, leaving taxpayers with a $126 million down payment, but no apparent way to shore up city pensions and rebuild Chicago’s aging infrastructure.

The Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune never ceases to disappoint. Here's their latest attempt at delaying universal healthcare -- complete with warmed-over talking points circa 1993. Nothing learned, nothing remembered.

The column goes everywhere from denying that this is an urgent problem to warning that they're going to take away your private insurance.

Here's my email to them: