'The Chicago way' is Obama's way

It was in the 1987 movie "The Untouchables" that we learned first about "The Chicago Way." Overall, the gist is that when someone's done something wrong, the victim retaliates with something slightly worse.

The administration is teaching "The Chicago Way" to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Fox News and the health insurance industry. During presidential addresses, Obama drops hints of who's irritated him.

Obama mentioned the amount the chamber has spent on lobbyists, he pointed to Fox News' criticism and in a weekly address he railed on the health insurance industry. What had they done? They issued a report about the costs of nationalizing health care and how Obama's proposals would deepen our nation's economic crisis.

The report was just too much. Immediately, the Democratic-led Congress began pushing through legislation to tie up the health insurance industry in federal regulations. Under the guise of busting monopolies, Obama paid them back "The Chicago Way."

The health industry reported facts that could have stifled Obama's grand plan for a government takeover of the nation's health care. Obama retaliated by berating the study in an unpresidential manner.

"It's smoke and mirrors," he said. "It's bogus. And it's all too familiar. Every time we get close to passing reform, the insurance companies produce these phony studies as a prescription and say, 'Take one of these, and call us in a decade.' Well, not this time."

Obama's "too familiar" slur shouldn't be quickly overlooked. The president is very familiar with using cherry-picked data to manipulate as a means toward an end.

Just before his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004, Obama used a self-serving report to push the Illinois Senate Health and Human Services Committee into investigating Advocate Health System's billing practices. Along with a full court press from Obama's political friends, the Service Employees International Union - which also authored the report Obama used - the hospitals eventually succumbed to union demands.

In 2004, SEIU's Hospital Accountability Project released a study on Chicago's largest medical employer, Advocate Health Systems, pointing to Advocate's system of bill collecting. SEIU said Advocate recouped medical costs from uninsured persons by overcharging and resorting to liens on private property when collections were not successful.

Advocate's hospitals are located for the most part within Cook County, where county hospital facilities offer public care to the uninsured and indigent.

Based on that 2004 SEIU/ACORN report on Advocate, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and then-state Sen. Barack Obama urged and initiated investigations into Advocate's billing practices. Obama also wrote to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, urging them to consider Advocate's allegedly faulty billing practices when determining whether to allow the company to build a hospital in the southwest suburbs.

Obama urged the hospital planning board "to examine hospital pricing and debt collection policies as well as the provision of charity care, as you determine whether or not to award permits for new hospital construction in our state."

It was the ACORN branch of SEIU that pushed for more charity on uninsured patients. It, Obama and Lisa Madigan were successful in getting Advocate to forgive hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, and they pressured Advocate to revamp its collection program.

But it was the unionization of the largest Chicago-area medical company that the SEIU wanted more than anything. Advocate employed at that time more than 25,000 non-union employees.

And coincidentally, Madigan and Obama were recipients of some of the millions that SEIU has donated to Illinois elected officials over the years

Ultimately, Advocate revamped its billing and collection practices and forgave a number of uninsured patients hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills. The company also sued SEIU for defamation.

"Our purpose is to defend Advocate's integrity and to protect our legal rights," Advocate spokesman Ed Domansky told Crain's Chicago Business in 2004. "Through the counterclaim we aim to correct misrepresentations about Advocate and our treatment of the uninsured."

Advocate claimed that SEIU's media pressure to prevent the hospital expansion was all about forcing Advocate to allow the union to campaign among its employees without a comment from the system's management. Another report says the SEIU wanted "card check," which would force employees to vote publicly rather than secretly on whether they wanted union representation.

All this should sound familiar because this is exactly what many believe Obama has promised SEIU to help facilitate health care reform nationwide.

Advocate's plan to build a hospital in the southwest suburbs were ultimately rejected by the hospital planning board. When recently asked as to whether the company plans to apply again to the state board to allow the new hospital, an Advocate spokesperson said there were no plans in the near future.

We in the southwest suburbs have been firsthand witnesses to what America may soon learn: how Barack Obama - with the help of unions, phony studies, the media and well-positioned legal authorities -may adopt "The Chicago Way" nationwide.

The way to get the attention of the Chicago Mob, aka the “Daley Machine”, is to hit them on their home turf. Since they want to run the federal government, they should find out how much fun it is to have the federal government run *them*

Specifically, the Republicans should propose that when they are returned to power, that the federal government would impose “non-partisan charter government” on Chicago.

What does this mean? Many years ago, the government of Phoenix was both partisan and corrupt, so a charter government was imposed on the city, prohibiting candidates from affiliating with the political parties. This meant that candidates had to run as *individuals*, not as part of the Democrat or Republican ticket.

And this meant that the voters had to decide if they were good candidates instead of just good party members. This blew a large number of corrupt politicians out of the water, ending their careers before they were set for life.

Of course, it is highly unlikely that a charter government could ever be imposed on Chicago. But the Daley Machine would get the message—to back off from trying to impose mobster rule on the federal government.

“Isn’t the Southtown Star the old Southtown “Communist” (Economist). I used to write letters to the editor quite often and they never got published. A total left wing rag. They must need money so they added a conservative commentator.”

Yes.

Last December I canceled both my subscription to the Southtown and Chicago Sun-Times. The Southtown is a part of the Sun-Times corp. When asked why by customer service I told them I no longer wished to pay for the Obama Gazzett.

I now get the Wall Street Journal delivered and get all of my local news on the internet for free.

The publications have been in bankruptcy and just purchased.

Bankruptcy judge approves Sun-Times Media sale to Tyree group

NO MODEST EXPECTATIONS | As he prepares to take control, Tyree convinced there’s future for ‘high-quality’ media

October 8, 2009
BY DAVID ROEDER droeder@suntimes.com

There’s a new kingpin of media in town — James Tyree, 51, chairman of Mesirow Financial and scheduled to be the next owner of the Chicago Sun-Times and most of the leading newspapers in the suburbs. Media kingpins aren’t what they used to be, but Tyree said he’s not content with modest expectations.

Chicago way - example. Thursday the Cook County Sheriff arrested drug dealers along Mannheim Rd and near O’Hare. Of course, nobody operates there except the FAMILY.

Chicago way? Not so subtle hint from the 19th Ward that the FAMILY had better provide money and soldiers for the favorite son of the 19th Ward if they want the protection to continue.

Of course, the FAMILY has candidates in both primaries. The two factions of the FAMILY compete with each other for which faction will win more power from the other faction.

And some of you thought that Savianno had no problems.

Believe it or not, Chicago's municipal government has been officially "non-partisan" for many years. As big a democrat as he is, when Daley is on the ballot for mayor there is no party affiliation. Same goes for Chicago Aldermen.

Cook County government is run by partisan affiliations. You can actually call a rat a rat.

Chicago way - example. Thursday the Cook County Sheriff arrested drug dealers along Mannheim Rd and near O’Hare. Of course, nobody operates there except the FAMILY.

By 'The FAMILY'? Do you mean 'The Outfit'? If so that's no secret.
'The Outfit' has controlled that Unincorporated area of Crook County for ~~decades~~ ever. They raked in millions from the Nudy Bars. But the Feds closed them all down in the 1980's. Many top 'wiseguys' went off to prison. Now all they do is collect quarters from video poker machines in Stone Park.

Chicago way? Not so subtle hint from the 19th Ward that the FAMILY had better provide money and soldiers for the favorite son of the 19th Ward if they want the protection to continue. ... Of course, the FAMILY has candidates in both primaries. The two factions of the FAMILY compete with each other for which faction will win more power from the other faction.

I'm confused. The 19th Ward is on the far South side of Chicago. Nowhere near Mannheim Road & O'Hare. So what does 'The Outfit' have to do with that? And what "two factions" are competing? 'The Outfit has always had one boss and always will - from Paul 'The Waiter' Rica to Joey 'the Clown' Lombardo, whose now in prison.

And some of you thought that Savianno had no problems.

Who is Savianno?

I disavow any personal first hand knowledge of The Outfit or any alleged Wiseguys, past and/or present.
My comments are based solely of published newspaper articles, 'capisce'. (/s)

19th Ward controls the Sheriffs office and Hynes over Quinn. They don’t want their GOP combine partners diverting money from Hynes for his favorite combine Republican.

At no point in my time in Chicago has action in Leyden Twp been suspended for more than a couple days. It is highly organized, sophisticated with many levels of protection ... and of separation between the real bosses who don’t get their hands dirty and the people who have customer contact.

But the current situation in Franklin Park and Cicero where politics makes strange bedfellows does keep it interesting for those who follow local politics ... and all politics is local when you come down to it.

1) The Chicago Mob is both R and D.

2) Alderman have always been “non-partisan”. Mayor has been “non-partisan” since the BernieEpton-HaroldWashington race of ‘81 that scared the R-D combine back into better cooperation to push through the “non-partisan” mayor so the combine/Daley could regain control and avoid any future races that they could not control on both ends.

Skippy the Godfather just happens to control all Republican money that goes to St Rep races. Not even Tom Cross can get money except to do his bidding. Skip also controls a major chunk of the money available to St Senate Candidates ... especially those in Chicagoland.

But it should be noted that the various Chicagoland families are well connected with the Quad Cities families that go back to Charlie Carpentier, the most corrupt Secretary of State in my 50 years in IL.

And, of course, the Chicagoland families have close ties to the Springfield families that make money of knowing in advance where the Abraham Lincoln Library and every State Office building will be built ... and built by whom and whether the State will own or lease it from you know whom.

And, of course, all of those families have close ties to the Asphalt Pavers Association family. See all the new asphalt Ray theHood is buying in Illinois? Just think how close he is the the Asphalt Pavers Association ... now run by the daughter as the head is busy preparing his defense of his indictment.

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