Rahm Emanuel and the Albany Park Library

Question: What can we look forward to if Rahm Emanuel is elected President of the United States?

Disclaimer: Anyone who navigates this blog will easily discover that I have an intense dislike for Rahm, such as is normally reserved for traitors, so keep that in mind while reading the following.

Guiding Principle: You can tell an awful lot about a leader from the little things he does, the kind of things that don’t usually call attention to themselves – not even on a slow news day.

So what? It’s only a library

You’d have to try awfully hard to find a more non-descript, unimposing little building than the Albany Park Library, a single-story structure on the corner of Kimball and Foster Avenues in Chicago. Albany Park is the name of one of 77 community areas in Chicago, situated on the far North side. Anyone familiar with Chicago politics understands the value of being so situated; a substantial value indeed when compared to perennially impoverished neighborhoods situated on the south and west sides.

I believe the fate of this library will prove to be a useful indicator of what kind of president Rahm Emanuel would be. [Make no mistake about this: He very much wants that job.]

In a nut shell?  Rahm has approved the use of money meant to combat urban decay in order to tear down a perfectly good library and build another in the exact same spot. Of course, the Illinois judiciary being what it is, Rahm will never be brought up on charges of violating the TIF law (more on that, later). This is from the official City of Chicago website:

QUOTE:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2011/november_2011/chicago_city_councilpassesmeasurestosupportcommunitiesacrossthec.html

The Albany Park branch library at 5150 N. Kimball Ave. will be replaced by a new structure that's twice its size through $15 million in TIF assistance.
The new 16,000-square-foot facility will rise on the site of the current library, which dates to 1963.

Being planned by the Public Building Commission, the new library will create eight full-time positions and 35 temporary construction jobs. Work could start in spring 2013.

:UNQUOTE.

Chicago, even in the Albany Park neighborhood, has many needs. But replacing this library is not anywhere near the highest priority. Here I’d like to quote from an article that appeared in the August 1, 2012 Chicago Tribune newspaper; the article is entitled: “City debt payments set to spike next year.” Here’s a link, followed by the material I’m quoting, into which I’ve inserted my yellowed highlights and bracketed comments:

http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

QUOTE:

City of Chicago debt payments are expected to soar by $278 million next year to the record level of $1.55 billion, stated a city financial analysis released Tuesday by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. [I am so distrustful of Rahm, that I call into question the accuracy of this analysis. It is written: “Figures don’t lie. But it is also written, “Sometimes, liars ‘figure.’”]

As a result, about $1 of every $4 the city will spend in 2013 could go to paying off long-term debt, complicating the city’s already strained financial situation. [Tell me, does $1 of every $4 in your personal budget go for such payments?]

This year, the analysis shows a projected budget shortfall of $369 million, half of what it once was expected to be. [It might be tempting to credit Rahm with this reduction, but perhaps it would be more accurate to conclude that Rahm did nothing more than take long-overdue measures which long-term Mayor Daley didn’t.] But it’s still a big hole that will force the city to find ways to spend less, bring in more money or both. Part of the expected gap results from higher pension and debt costs, the analysis states. Paying those costs diverts money from being used for day-to-day city operations.

The debt problem began to grow a decade ago, under former Mayor Richard Daley [perhaps because he had for so long been neglectful of Chicago’s overall social and economic health]. Overall city long-term debt has nearly doubled during the past 10 years as the city borrowed money to expand O’Hare International Airport, upgrade its sewer and water systems, fix streets and build new libraries [hopefully, where they were needed] and police stations.

More than $1 billion also was borrowed to pay retroactive police and fire raises and cover legal judgments against the city. [Say, what?!  $1 billion?  Shouldn’t there be some kind of law against borrowing for pay raises? You may be very sure, though, that Rahm Emanuel would never propose such a law.] Payments are expected to surge in 2013 because of the way the debt is structured.

Pension costs, meanwhile, are a financial time bomb set to go off in 2015, when a state law requires the city to step up its payments to the funds for police officers and firefighters, the analysis states. [2015, you say? At that point, Rahm can claim to be too busy campaigning for the presidency and will leave that in “the capable hands of my successor.” Yeah, right!]

:UNQUOTE.

A bit of background: What is a TIF?

TIF stands for “Tax Increment Financing,” which this next quote defines, and which includes my bracketed comments and yellowed highlights:

QUOTE:

http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/chicagos-1-7-billion-in-tif-spending-aided-public-and-private-projects-almost-evenly/

The city [Chicago] began using TIF in 1984, after state lawmakers authorized the financing technique to help cities spur development in blighted or declining areas. Once the city designates an area as a TIF district, the amount of property taxes that the city, county, schools and other local governments can collect from it is frozen for 23 years. [That means, for instance, that such increases in tax revenue wouldn’t be available to help the Chicago Public School system but would, instead, be diverted into a TIF account, forcing CPS to find alternative sources for operational funding.]  Any new tax revenue generated from rising property values — the tax increment — is collected by the city and must be spent within the district or in a bordering one. [And in Chicago, the Mayor has decisive say in how TIF dollars are spent.]

The intent is to use these pots of money to lure investment from private real estate investors [And we “lure investment” by knocking down one library to replace it with another on the exact same spot?] by fixing infrastructure, acquiring properties for developers or subsidizing them directly. As the developers build or renovate offices, homes and factories, property values presumably rise, leading to incremental increases in property tax revenues.

:UNQUOTE.


Basically, the underlying idea of a TIF is to fight urban blight by helping support the local economy. Specifically, it was intended to help the poorest of the poor among our communities, which would not include Albany Park. More specifically, it wasn’t intended to be used so that a mayoral ally (local alderman Margaret Laurino) could look good during the next election by having a new building constructed for (in essence) her benefit.

Which it would, since many of the locals would see a new building being constructed as a sign of the influence of their alderman.

Rahm Emanuel as President

Based on this incident of the redundant library, how are we to envision Rahm Emanuel as President of the United States? He would use the existing system, benefitting his cronies and allies and therefore himself, instead of reforming it. He would run the presidency for the benefit of the Democratic Party, much as he operates for its benefit as mayor in the one [Democratic] party town which has been Chicago since way before I was born. His experience as (specifically) a Chicago mayor wouldn’t give him any practical experience in dealing with political opposition. In fact, he’s very much programmed, as is a pit bull, to take such opposition personally to the point of lashing out.

Moreover, I don’t think Rahm Emanuel has the temperament for policymaking that aims for long-term impact. And I suppose that’s just as well, at least as far as his personal plan is concerned – which (again) is to run for the US presidency in 2016. Rahm knows that he can’t afford to be Chicago’s mayor for another term, since too many chickens will have had time to come home to roost. He can boast now about having made some reforms, since that’s relatively easy in terms of simply reigning in the bad practices of his mayoral predecessors.

But with too much time at the helm, pundits will begin to notice that Rahm will start to run out of rabbits to pull out of the hat. And that could lead to them concluding: “What’s wrong in Chicago is Rahm Emanuel’s fault.” That’s a definite drawback to being in charge for too long, especially over an enterprise as hopeless as Chicago will turn out to be without the benefit of a long-term vision.

Rahm Emanuel will prove himself to be a leader satisfied with the appearances of short-term gain (enough to fool the voters), while ignoring long-term solutions. But doesn’t that describe the mindset of our voters when they cast ballots in a national election? If so, then those voters and such “leaders” as Rahm Emanuel would be a perfect match.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Steven Searle for US President in 2012
Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party

“I hope that, somehow, we can manage to stave off the disaster that would most surely result from a President Rahm Emanuel.”

Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com

Rahm for US President in 2016

In 2016, Rahm Emanuel will be elected President of the United States. At least, that’s the Game Plan. For an agent of the Israeli Mossad, that’s quite a stunning achievement.

[Side note: I am far from being alone in believing Rahm to be an Israeli agent. What’s even more stunning: The CIA knows this as well and has absolutely no objection. As for proof, all I can do is cite two sources: My own intuition and the factors cited on one of my previous blogs: http://ind4prez2012.blogspot.com/2011/01/rahm-emanuel-mossad-agent.html ]

Inner Circle Thinking

In the Zionist inner circle, the thinking goes something like this:

“We’ve got Obama in our pocket. We know he won’t be making any waves concerning Palestinian independence or our encroachments in the West Bank. Since the GOP doesn’t seem poised to mount a serious challenge to Obama in 2012, we’ll have Obama on our side for four more years.

“After that, the GOP might think it’s their turn to take over the presidency. The problem is, we don’t know who might emerge as their standard-bearer. That person may very well turn out to be [to use an overworked expression] good for the Jews. But we can’t take any chances. There’s too much at stake. So it’s far better to have one of our own in the Oval Office than an unknown.

“Our current strategy is to squeeze slowly but surely like a python. Keep nibbling away at as much of the West Bank as possible. Keep adding more settlers and building to the point of no return. Prevent the Palestinians from developing any kind of economic infrastructure, thereby grinding them into deeper poverty. And before you know it, the Palestinian question will become moot.

“But all this takes time. Not much more time, to be sure. But if we could assure ourselves of four more years of Obama and (hopefully) eight of Emanuel, we will have succeeded. We could then formally annex the West Bank, since there wouldn’t be many left to object. Perhaps we could even be generous and offer a relocation allowance to the pitiful remains of the Palestinian population who did not emigrate to the EU or to some newly democratic Islamic country.

“Success will be ours – most likely so with Rahm at the helm.”

The next step: Make Rahm look good

Rahm Emanuel will be sworn in as Mayor of Chicago on May 16 – my birthday, by the way.

In order for the Game Plan to work, Chicago must at least appear to have benefitted under his leadership. As far as appearances are concerned, Rahm doesn’t have to worry. His predecessor – Richard M. Daley – was a terrible mayor fiscally and holistically speaking. But you wouldn’t know it, to read mainstream media which dubbed him one of the nation’s greatest. That’s the same media, by the way, that didn’t bother asking any hard questions of presidential candidate Obama four years ago. They fell over themselves fawning over this rising star. They will do no less for Rahm Emanuel.

“But surely,” you might protest, “Rahm Emanuel must do something for the city of Chicago to conjure up a track record.”

Actually, “conjure” is a pretty good word. Just as with Richard M. Daley, there will be some flashy types of crown jewels to show off. [“Give them something shiny to gawk at.”] But the overall state of the city’s well-being won’t improve. It might not worsen but it won’t improve.

There are mighty forces behind Rahm Emanuel who will (again) open their pocketbooks to his benefit. Businesses (more precisely, the owners of certain businesses) will line up to offer their support for his various projects. And to sit on his various blue-ribbon committees. Many among these “mighty forces” are, shall we say, friendly to Israeli interests and they know the Game Plan. For that reason alone, they will be supportive. Besides, they might even get some trickle-down once Rahm is elected. Gratitude has many ways of showing itself and can come from truly unexpected places. Perhaps even from as far away as Israel itself.

Nothing but a Pyramid Scheme

Rahm is at the top of the pyramid. His fellow tribesmen, donors and contacts in the business community occupy the tiers immediately below. His supporters in the Democratic Party, including a huge number of misguided Black voters who don’t know where their interests truly lie, are a bit lower down on the pyramid. Next down, we have independents who don’t have any reason to oppose him and would see him as a strong candidate against a (possibly) resurgent GOP. Lower down, will be those who might conceivably oppose him but could be bought off. I’m talking about local union leaders and Black politicians who might object if their constituencies suffer in any obvious ways in order to make Rahm look good.

Generally speaking, pyramid schemes don’t work – especially for those at the bottom. That doesn’t stop people from buying in, though, thinking they’ll be close enough to the top to rake in some benefits. Also this: It seems, the bigger the pyramid, the less likely it will be seen as one.

How ironic – that a symbol of the Pharaoh so much hated by the Jews over the centuries could become something to their liking. Could become such a useful tool for the benefit of Israel. Of course, the Zionists won’t much care what becomes of the United States as a result of their machinations. For surely, even if reduced to a shell of its former self due to the ravages of time or to its own ineptitude, the United States will still prove to be a useful ally of Israel – ready to leap to its defense should the Prime Minister pick up the phone. And say to Rahm, “Could use a little help here.”

However, there will be others among us who will look at the former magnificence of the United States in much the same was as historians look at the pyramids of Egypt. As signs of an ancient glory that had faded into oblivion over time.

Steven Searle for US President in 2012

Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party

“If you thought the rise of Barack Obama was amazing, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com