Trying to keep the CHicago stuff all in one place....If you find anything else please feel free to add it and/or ping me to it.
The Chicago Way: The Mayor Daley Machine & Chicago Politics From The Inside
The Chicago Way: The Mayor Daley Machine & Chicago Politics From The Inside
Dan Zanoza, Executive Director of RFFM.org, interviews Carl Segvich, a Republican Committeeman in the 11th Ward—the ancestral home base of Mayor Richard M. Daley. Segvich discusses what it’s like to be a member of the GOP in the city of Chicago, Chicago-style politics, the Chicago way and “pay to play”. It is an insightful look into one-party, big city liberal politics which sould be an eye-opener for those wanting to learn more about President Barack Obama’s political roots.
Biography:
Carl Segvich is currently serving his first four-year term as Republican Committeeman of Chicago’s 11th Ward. After running for delegate for Jack Kemp to the 1988 Republican National Convention, Segvich didn’t run for public office again until 2003 when he ran for the Chicago City Council – Alderman of the 11th Ward. In 2004, he ran the first time for Committeeman. In 2006, he ran against Mayor Daley’s brother John Daley for 11th District Cook County Commissioner. Segvich continued to increase his vote percentages from the people when he ran for Alderman in 2007. In February 2008, Segvich won and became the 11th Ward’s Republican Committeeman.
Segvich was born and raised in Bridgeport where he still resides. He spends much time as an activist for several conservative causes including defending the unborn, immigration law, capitalism, school vouchers, freedom of religion, respect of marriage and respect of law by prosecuting corrupt politicians.
A former lector and church board member, Segvich is a Roman Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Segvich worked in the health field at Mercy Hospital, 1995 - 2001. Segvich has worked voluntarily and as paid staff on several political campaigns. He ran and completed six Chicago marathons, 1994-1999.
Volunteer: 1993, Segvich traveled to Bosnia as Member of the Croatian Youth International Corps, counseled and assisted war orphans to shelter during Bosnian War.
Education: Studied political science at Richard J. Daley Community College of Chicago. B.A., Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1985
Carl Segvich — In His Own Words
Q. Mr. Segvich, you have lived in Chicago your entire life. In fact, you live in the 11th Ward, the ancestral home base of Mayor Richard M. Daley. How did you get involved in politics?
A. At the prodding of a local activist in the neighborhood, I recall conducting a poll in front of a grocery store for Richard M. Daley who was running for state senator. It was the 1970’s and I was an unwitting 15 year-old. I had no idea at the time I was helping a spoiled young man who would go on to be an extreme leftist, stunningly selling out his Catholic religion and country by being the most responsible for foisting on us, a conman as President in 2009.
I would go on to learn better. I entered college as a democrat, studied political science and sociology and became a republican. It was the mid 1980s and President Reagan was becoming an American hero, and aldermen actually debated in Chicago.
In 1988 I decided to run for the Republican National Convention as a Jack Kemp delegate. In Mr. Kemp I saw a man who knew how to tackle urban problems and who could continue President Reagan’s successful policies for America.
So my political interest was sparked by Chicago city council debates, Jack Kemp, President Reagan and honest professors at University of Illinois. Today Bill Ayers teaches there.
I love politics. It’s very interesting to study human behavior as it relates to politics.
The biggest phenomenon that keeps me interested is this: Professed Christians and conservatives painfully and ironically continue to vote for liberal democrats such as Daley, Carol Mosely Braun, Durbin and Blagojevich. I’m interested in stirring them to their untapped courage. I’m interested in fighting the forces of money and clout, for the sake of justice.
Q. As you very well know, Chicago is dominated by the Democratic Machine, but you are a Republican. In general terms, can you talk about some of the challenges you have met as a member of the GOP living in the heart of Democratic Machine country?
A. It’s painful to watch conservatives vote for liberals, because of the false illusion that they “have to”. It’s difficult to get employment (public or private) when you stand for truth. One is not “accepted” if he doesn’t go along to get along. I’ve had many folks tell me, “Carl, you say things that others won’t say” or “You say what everybody else is thinking, but is afraid to say”. This makes me sad because I do not consider myself an extraordinarily brave person; I just say what is on my mind; it’s that easy. So what is so brave about speaking one’s mind? Nothing. The opposite is true: Something is rotten when people don’t speak their mind, especially here in America. Money and power corrupts.
The greatest challenge is fighting for others when they won’t fight for themselves. The world is upside down. You see, this is so important: There are large numbers of people throughout Chicago, not just the 11th Ward, who are Republicans, but just don’t know it or won’t show it. The Daley Liberal Democrat Political mafia has demoralized a huge segment of our society. This machine makes you think you must not be honest, and you have to be crooked and pay fealty to the Daleys. As if that isn’t enough, pop culture led by secular media says it’s mean to be Republican and cool to be Democrat.
So, it’s quite challenging to fight a machine that tells society you “have to” and media that says it’s “cool”.
Q. Recently, you ran for 11th Ward Republican Committeeman and won. What are some of your duties as a Committeeman of the 11th Ward?
A. I’m responsible for gauging the people’s opinions on government and politics, and answering with candidates who will be accountable. I’m responsible for recruiting and campaigning for Republican candidates in all offices, from city council to state representative to President of our U.S. of A. It’s my duty—along with our precinct captains—to knock on every door and encourage our American patriotic neighbors to vote wisely. It’s my responsibility to organize a political apparatus that will promote the conservative Republican Party, which in turn will promote the greater general welfare of all people and provide for ourselves a better representative government.
Perhaps most importantly, I am responsible for appointing 125 Republican election judges. An election judge is there to protect the very foundation of our republic: honest and fair elections of integrity. Unfortunately, fairer honest elections will take more time to re-introduce to an utterly corrupt Chicago.
I am also responsible for filling vacancies on the ballot. (That too was recently corrupted as my powers were violated by the “machine”) I’m also responsible for our Ward’s weighted vote to fill Republican offices when they become vacant.
It’s been noted that: The office of Committeeman is the most powerful office in America. While the President is the most powerful man in the world, the committeeman’s office is more powerful because of grass-root politics. It determines whose names will appear on the ballot for public office and, what the philosophy and platform will be of the party and candidates. In other words, values and morals.
Right now Illinois is a 1-party state. My job is to make Republicans compete.
Q. During the last election, it was reported there were some election irregularities in your Ward. Can you elaborate about this for RFFM.org’s readers?
A. By “irregularities”, we mean illegal activities which occur regularly, election after election in Illinois and more so in Chicago. These “irregularities” must be stopped!
First of all, our election contests between Democrats and Republicans, are run by Democrats. Can we draw any clearer a picture of what is wrong in Chicago, America?! The entire thing is run by Democrats!! Government bureaucrats, whether they work for the state, county or city board of elections are card-carrying members of the Democrat Party. They are card-carrying, dues-paying members of unions which are undeniably, irrefutably and incontrovertibly tied to the Democrat Party. These partisans prepare for months ahead of time, the election process. They put up the booths. They troubleshoot problems on election day. They monitor. They are our “watchdogs”. They take the booths down. They count the votes. Enough said?
More with real estate/corruption: WOnder if Nancy P’s husband or Rahm E brother was involved?????
FROM
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/business/07properties.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&emc=eta1
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In 2007, Sam Zell, the billionaire Chicago investor, sold a portfolio of 573 properties he had assembled over three decades, Equity Office Properties Trust, to the Blackstone Group for $39 billion. It was the largest private equity deal in history, but Blackstone did not stop there: it immediately flipped hundreds of the buildings for $27 billion
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investment banks that financed them. If the owners cannot make their loan payments, it could create a financial crisis for the pension funds, hedge funds and insurance companies that hold securities based on Equity Office mortgages.
The list of Equity Office buyers reads like a Who’s Who in American real estate. In Stamford, Conn., RFR Properties, a partnership headed by Michael Fuchs and Aby Rosen, who owns Manhattan landmarks like Lever House and the Seagram Building, spent $850 million to buy seven Equity Office buildings that analysts say are now worth less than their mortgages.
In Los Angeles, the founder of Maguire Properties, one of the largest commercial landlords in Southern California, was forced to step down last year as the company struggled with crushing debt from buying 24 Equity Office buildings.
And in New York, the real estate mogul Harry B. Macklowe lost seven Equity Office towers he bought from Blackstone, along with much of his empire, after he was unable to refinance the $7 billion in short-term, high-interest debt he used to buy them.
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Mr. Zell, who became chairman and chief executive of the Tribune Company after selling Equity Office, amassed his supersize real estate portfolio over many years
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Blackstone’s purchase of Equity Office in February 2007 began a series of other record-breaking deals in Stamford; San Francisco; Portland, Ore.; Orange County, Calif., and Chicago, as Blackstone quickly sold about 70 percent of the portfolio to 16 other companies. The company still owns 105 Equity Office properties.
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