Chicago aldermen looking for Obama handouts

Even among legislators--a lowly regarded human subspecies--Chicago alderman are viewed as a greedy lot.

From the Chicago Tribune's Clout Street blog:

Asked what she expected an Obama presidency to mean to her West Side ward, Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) replied, “One word: money. You’re supposed to take care of home first, aren't you?”

More:

Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th) said there should be no shame in a local politician bringing home the proverbial bacon. When a reporter suggested that a sudden flood of federal dollars to Chicago would seem shady, Carothers disagreed, asserting that former Republican U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert of suburban Plano had favored home-state projects.

"I don't see why it’s suspicious – [Obama] is from Chicago," Carothers said. "I think that’s expected … He's from Illinois -- he's certainly not going to forget about Illinois … A lot of projects people call pork projects are actually good projects … A lot of organizations in the city need help as well."

Thankfully, there is at least on sane aldermen, a man I met while I was still in the hotel business, a friendly and intelligent gentleman:

But Ald. Ed Smith (28th) sounded a rare cautionary note, warning that local expectations for Obama may be unrealistic.

"We can't dump all the problems on him," Smith said. "There's thousands of cities out there and he has to look at all of those cities."

Alderman Howard Brookins (21st), however, who has been lobbying for a Wal-Mart in his ward for several years--Chicago has just one--thinks the unions will "ease up" and allow the big box to go forward on Chicago's South Side.

Huh? Obama supports the un-Democratic "card check," which will take employees' right to a secret ballot when deciding to allow a union to organize at their workplace.

As for Wal-Mart, Obama has made it clear that he is an opponent of the world's largest corporation, stating "I won't shop there." Of course, much of Chicago is underserved by grocery stores, something Obama seemed oblivious to while he was running for president.

H/T to Capitol Fax.

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