THE CHICAGO WAY

The Chicago Way: Emanuel Appoints Daughter Of Outgoing Alderman To City Council

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME:

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has appointed Deb Mell, the daughter of retiring Alderman Richard Mell, to replace him as representative of the city’s 33rd Ward.

Mell, 75, “also known as Rod Blagojevich’s father-in-law,” represented Chicago’s Northwest Side for nearly 40 years. His daughter Deb Mell has been serving as a state representative for Illinois’ 40th district. Although Emanuel promised to consider “all qualified candidates,” Emanuel in the end opted to perpetuate Chicago’s machine politics.

R.I.P.

Helen Thomas, Grande Dame Of Washington Press Corps, Dies At 92

By Elizabeth Coady

SHE WAS THE FIRST LADY OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS, the feisty grande dame of Washington scribes. Now, at age 92, trailblazing journalist Helen Thomas is dead.

She had covered Washington unawed by presidents or anyone else.

Thomas died Saturday at home in Washington, three years after abruptly retiring from Heart News following release of a videotape on which she declared Jews ought “to get the hell out of Palestine.’’ The comment was in response to a question from a blogger seeking comment for Jewish heritage day.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Obama Delivers ‘Context’ Of Black Anger Over Zimmerman Case

PRESIDENT OBAMA STEPPED FORWARD TO explain to Americans the “context” of black Americans’ rage over the George Zimmerman case.

Suggesting that Trayvon Martin may not have died had he not been profiled by George Zimmerman, the President spoke of the reality that black men face in America: hearing car doors click as they approach outside; being shadowed inside stores; noticing women clutch their pocketbooks when they enter elevators.

“That happened to me, at least before I was a Senator,” Obama said.

A DRONE-FREE ZONE

Credit: Margot Plummer

Colorado Town Toys With Idea Of Licensing Hunters To ‘Shoot Down’ Drones

By Elizabeth Coady

IS IT TIME TO PULL UP THE STAKES AND MOVE TO Deer Trail, Colo., home of the “world’s first rodeo” 55 miles east of Denver?

That’s where an obviously liberty-loving town council is considering
allowing licensed bounty hunters to “shoot down unmanned aircraft violating its ‘sovereign airspace.’ “

WHO WILL STEP FORWARD?

Will Anybody Stand Up To Support Edward Snowden?

By Elizabeth Coady

EDWARD SNOWDEN REMAINS HOLED UP INSIDE Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport waiting for one head of state to display the courage he evinced by revealing the “criminal” U.S. worldwide surveillance state.

So far, none of the 20 nations to which he’s applied have stepped up to offer Snowden asylum from the long arm of the U.S. It’s a testament to the imbalance of power that the U.S. holds internationally that no one will dare anger our so-called leaders.

Is it possible that the world was safer during the Cold War when the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. tempered each other’s hubris?

‘COURAGE IS CONTAGIOUS’

Here’s The Transcript Of Glenn Greenwald’s Speech At the Socialism Conference In Chicago

GUARDIAN REPORTER GLENN GREENWALD delivered a rousing, impassioned and unbowed speech to the Socialism Conference in Chicago Friday night during which he praised Edward Snowden, lambasted actors who play “journalists on TV,” and mockingly praised the shy NSA agents who “scamper quickly under the kitchen counter” when the lights go on.

The Guardian reporter, who has been under fire for publishing revelations about the U.S. surveillance nation leaked by former NSA systems analyst Snowden,delivered his speech to conference attendees via Skype Friday night. The three-day conference drawing “hundreds of activities” from the U.S. and abroad, closes today. Greenwald’s speech was the highlight of the event. Here it is in its entirety.

EVEN STRAIGHT FRIENDS CAN CELEBRATE

Bert & Ernie Quietly Celebrate The Death Of DOMA

By Elizabeth Coady

THE NEW YORKER NOTED THE NATION’S GROUNDBREAKING CHANGE in laws regulating same-sex marriages with an image of Sesame Street puppets Bert & Ernie snuggling as they watch the Supreme Court presumably hand down this week’s historic decisions.

Because we humans are an argumentative lot, debate has broken over whether the cover denigrates gay couples or is, in fact, one of the “most awesome covers of all time.”

‘YOU BROKE THE FAITH’

Rep. Tammy Duckworth Pummels Government Contractor For Gaming Prep School Injury

ILLINOIS REP. TAMMY DUCKWORTH TODAY EXCORIATED A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR who she insinuates gamed the system to secure government contracts through a”set-aside” preferential for disabled veterans.

Braulio Castillo, owner of Strong Castle Inc., was awarded up to $500 million in government contracts by claiming he was disabled while playing sports at a military prep school in 1984.

Castillo filed — and received — a “disability rating” shortly before opening Strong Castle in 2012. Now the House Oversight Committee is investigating whether he received the contracts due to his relationship with IRS official Greg Roseman.

5-4 RULINGS

The Supreme Court Giveth; The Supreme Court Taketh Away

By Elizabeth Coady

THE SCOTUS GIVETH, THE SCOTUS TAKETH AWAY.

In two historic rulings handed down this week, the U.S.’ highest court invalidated two laws previously passed by Congress — one prohibiting federal benefits for married same-sex couples; the other, a groundbreaking law used for five decades to guarantee American minorities’ equal access to the voting booth.

By a vote of 5-4, the high court negated the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, which denied federal benefits to gay couples legally married in their states.

Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy declared DOMA unconstitutional because it deprived gay couples “the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment.”

BULLY IN THE PULPIT

The Emperor Has No Clothes: Countries Big & Small Send Message Of Disdain To Obama

By Elizabeth Coady

JUST ABOUT NOW PRESIDENT OBAMA might be wanting to throw himself a party so he can lead loyalists and celebrity friends in a conga dance, just like he did last January.

Because, at this very moment, diverse nations around the globe are sending Obama the message that they do not like his leadership.

As the “Where’s Snowden?” game captivates the globe, the one consensus emerging is that Obama and the American Empire have little respect from peers around the world.