Monday, September 11, 2006

A bad day for Ald. Joe Moore: City Council may vote to repeal foie gras ban

As far as September 11, 2006 goes, I don't think any legislator on any level of government has had as bad of a day as North Side Alderman Joe Moore (49th) suffered through.

Earlier today, the centerpiece of Moore's drive to elevate himself into a national presence, the "big box living wage ordinance," was vetoed by Mayor Richard M. Daley.

And according to the Chicago Tribune, a side front in Moore's drive for political celebrity-hood, the foie gras ban he engineered through Chicago's City Council, might be repealed.

Two other North Siders, Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) and Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd)voted for Moore's bill, but they're now are having second thoughts.

From the Chicago Tribune, free registration required:

Stone contended that Chicago has become a national laughingstock since outlawing the delicacy, which is made from the livers of geese and ducks.

He acknowledged that inserting long tubes down the bird's neck and force-feeding it to produce foie gras is torture to the animal. And "in principle [the ordinance] is probably correct," he said.

But "anybody who has traveled anywhere in this country knows that people are just laughing their heads off at us," Stone said.

Natarus, who said he isn't worried about ridicule, favors repeal as "a matter of logic. It is a matter of reasonableness."

Mayor Richard M. Daley enjoys foie gras and has mocked the ban. He called the it the "silliest law" the Council has ever passed.

If Moore wants to make a name for himself, it's best that he stick close to home and improve matters for the 60,000 residents of his ward. For more on Chicago's 49th Ward, visit Morse Hell Hole and Rogers Park Rake. The former is a "loudmouth" according to a poster on my blog. I replied that Rogers Park, Moore's turf, needs more loudmouths.

Moore gets this consolation: He was named a Wal-Mart Watch Person of the Week a few months ago.

Hat tip on the foie gras story to Rich Miller's Capitol Fax.

Related post: Daley slams Ald. Moore over tying tragic fire, "big box" living wage ordinance

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