Democrat Todd Stroger, who replaced his father on the ballot (he died earlier this year) after suffering a stroke in 2006, just successfully engineered sticking it to the 5 million residents of Cook County with the least fair of all levies, the regressive sales tax.
From Eric Zorn's Change of Subject in 2006:
Obama's staff released a profoundly disheartening letter to voters this week in which Obama, joined by Sen. Dick Durbin, endorsed Cook County Board presidential candidate Todd Stroger.
The letter, which puffs lots of hot air into the saggy balloon of Stroger's legislative resume, refers to him as "a good progressive Democrat" who will "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."
Todd Stroger was a "strong voice" in Springfield, the letter says. He has "worked assiduously" for the poor as an alderman. Yet, of course, the record reveals that Stroger is an unimaginative legislative drone whose reform credentials are wholly imaginary--an unlikely trailblazer to a new era.
The letter was right, Stroger did "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."
Voters smelled the stench of Todd Stroger, but a late push by prominent Democrats, led by Obama, bailed Stroger out and Republican Party's best chance in 40 years to win the presidency of the Cook County Board was dashed.
The county budget is packed with goodies for the public service unions--there will be 1,100 new county jobs.
Audacious!
This is absolutely sickening news. It's not that bad for someone like myself, sales taxes are a little bit less in the Cook suburbs; I can order things online, and if I have to buy a big-ticket item, I can always drive to DuPage or Lake County.
But the poor of Chicago and Cook County, the higher sales tax will hit them the hardest.
This is not change I can believe in.
Cook County government, even considering the low standards of Illinois, is notoriously ineffeicent and corrupt. In fact, in a recent article published by the Heartland Institute, a "corruption tax" was discussed.
Thanks for the link:
Hoosiers for McCain
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Perhaps it's because he might agree with it. He might think it's OK to raise taxes for the betterment of the poor.
ReplyDeleteMcCain would jump all over him for that..."Nation's highest sales tax..."
ReplyDeleteMcCain should jump all over him for this.
ReplyDeleteThat aside, anyone who votes for Obama is a chump.
What little experience he would have to bring to the White House is steeped in the lessons of the Chicago Democratic machine.
Raising the sales tax, and adding 1100 new jobs doesn't work "for the betterment of the poor". It hits the poor harder than any other group, since they can least afford the sales tax increase.
ReplyDeleteGood point! But that's how they will rationalize it. Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin said he voted for it for the good of the county health care system. It's a little shortsighted if you ask me. Why raise taxes when there are some cuts to be made.
ReplyDeleteYeah - Larry said he voted for it for the benefit of the health stuff .. which is good, because jacking the sales tax might mean that the poor won't be able to afford good foods and the medicines they need to stay OUT of the county health system.
ReplyDeleteOy!
Exactly
ReplyDelete