Posted on 02/04/2007 8:50:53 AM PST by Chi-townChief
Class differences in and around Chicago appear to be crystallizing so much that it is increasingly easy for folks to see. One of the most recent examples of this was the release of a report last month titled "Gold Collar -- How State Job Subsidies in the Chicago Region Favor Affluent Suburbs," which details the inequities in the distribution of state-funded subsidies to the detriment of inner-ring suburbs. The study was released by Good Jobs First, a national resource center promoting accountability in economic development and smart growth for working families.
The study states that the wealthiest regions of the metropolitan received benefits they did not need and that this practice has made economic differences worse. "Rather than promoting urban revitalization and offsetting the forces promoting sprawl," according to the study, "these government incentives have exacerbated the problem and worsened economic inequality in the region."
Class or economic divisions have increased in the city of Chicago in recent years. In 2005, the Sun-Times ran a series of articles on increasing class conflict in Chicago's neighborhoods as a result of gentrification.
An article titled "Class conflict hits home" described conflicts between middle class African-Americans in the North Kenwood/Oakland neighborhood on the South Side and the long-term residents who are being forced out of this neighborhood, with its easy access to the lake and downtown Chicago, by rising property values and increased taxes.
The article describes how the neighborhood that once existed in the shadow of public housing is now filled with BMWs, Range Rovers and Mercedes Benzes. Renovated buildings and new construction were only part of the issue; the attitudes of the new upscale residents appear to have hardened in relationship to their "poorer cousins."
During the early stages of this political season, local television stations reported on a fund-raising event for Mayor Richard M. Daley hosted by Desiree Rogers, the president of Peoples Gas, and attended by a bevy of Chicago's African-American elite amid protests from grassroots political activists.
State Sen. James Meeks, D-Chicago, pastor of the mega-church, The House of Hope, drew the ire of everyday black men and women because of a statement he made after appearing at a press conference on education with Mayor Daley. Meeks stated that he was not going to "back no loser" in the upcoming election.
This statement caused Dorothy Brown, clerk of the circuit court and a candidate for mayor, to shed some tears in response while citing her credentials to prove she was no loser. This prompted callers to WVON radio to demand an apology from the Reverend Senator for showing disrespect for such an accomplished black woman.
Was Meeks speaking as a politician or was he speaking for a middle class whose members are increasingly concerned about their individual and class interests?
As if the loose utterance of Meeks was not enough, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, after coming to Harvey and deriding corrupt politicians, turns around and endorses Mayor Daley. U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Chicago, has also declared his support for the incumbent mayor.
It looks like all of these well-known political figures appear to have forgotten the Burge police brutality case, the Hired Truck scandal, the political hiring scandal, the increases in user fees and the literal buying of the city council with pay increases. All of these men also seem to have overlooked the fact that African-Americans are the largest voting bloc in the city, with the highest voter turn-out.
Once again, callers to WVON railed against Barack's lapse in judgment.
They wondered out loud: If all politics is local, then what kind of representatives are being sent to Springfield and Washington, D.C.?
Are we seeing the declining significance of race for a significant segment of the African-American community and the elevation of class and economic interests?
Has the American myth of rugged individualism taken hold of large segments of African-American politicians, religious leaders and business types so much that they are willing to forsake about one-third of their community for personal gain? I wonder what the Rev. Jesse Jackson has to say about these developments?
Its ironic that these developments in Chicago's African-American community are taking place so soon after the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Dr. King made it clear where his loyalties rested. King gave his support to garbage men in Memphis and was planning to organize the poor of all races and nationalities to force the country to deal with growing economic inequality.
It would be interesting to hear what Dr. King would have to say about the Chicago area's political landscape today. We do know he was not fond of racism, militarism and what some call classism.
David Johnson's "Subject to Change" appears every other week in The Star. Johnson is a professor at South Suburban College in South Holland and a former mayor of Harvey. He may be reached at djohnson@southsuburbancollege.edu.
-"Pastor" Meeks is one of the Cadillac clergyman who, above all else, is keenly aware of which side his bread is buttered on. For example, Meeks' comment on his own support for the IL Senate pay raise: "The Scriptures speak of the fact a workman is worthy of his hire. Just because we're elected officials, it's not fair to come to work every day and then to not be able to expect adequate compensation."
- Likewise, Obama is no surprise either. In spite of his make-over and repackaging in the last few years, it's well known that Barack Hussein is, and probably will always be, a Chicago democrat machine hack.
- "Defense Minister" Bobby Rush is the only slight oddity here. Back in the 60s and 70s, Rush used to rail at those in government office as "the pigs of the power structure" but now Bobby has been in office for so long that he has begun to oink and squeal quite a bit himself.
CHICAGOLAND PING
"The study states that the wealthiest regions of the metropolitan received benefits they did not need and that this practice has made economic differences worse".
...EVERYONE who gets benefits receives them without needing/deserving them. This distribution of wealth is just going to get worse. There is no turning back, too many people are dependant on them and feel they "deserve" them.
Neil Boortz did a GREAT show a few years ago on anyone who gets ANY sort of government assistance should NOT be allowed to vote. THAT ALONE WOULD SHIFT THE TIDE. That would help rid our society of it's leeches and the politician amoeba that prey on their stupidity for their vote.
The article describes how the neighborhood that once existed in the shadow of public housing is now filled with BMWs, Range Rovers and Mercedes Benzes. Renovated buildings and new construction were only part of the issue; the attitudes of the new upscale residents appear to have hardened in relationship to their "poorer cousins."
Huh? This is what I'm getting:
How DARE they improve the neighborhood!((((( cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo ))))
This was our Ghetto and we want to keep it that way, dang it!
What an amazing article. The author thinks it is a bad thing if people improve real property and think of themselves first as individuals, rather than as members of a particular race. He dismisses individualism as a myth while simultaneously deccrying its existence in middle and upper class blacks. Does he get paid for writing this drivel?
Actual contact with them will tend to do that.
Although I doubt the actual issue is one of how many dollars they have. It might vert well be more an issue of hygiene, crime, etc.
That had to be the most ignorant thing I have ever seen in print in a long time. This guy needs to get out of the ghetto!
What the well intentioned liberals fail to learn from history is that government programs borne of good intentions don't work out that way.
TIF and UDAG were intended to benefit struggling small businessmen. But in reality they are used by Target and Walmart against the small businessman.
Urban Renewal, Public Housing were intended to help the poor. But just the opposite happened.
Jimmy Carter was more for helping the poor obtain decent housing than any other president. Yet his 23% interest rates hurt the poor seeking decent housing more than any effort to build houses for them.
Blue states send more money to Washington than they get back. Red states get back more money from Washington than they send. The Blue states never learn. Regardless of whether it is Rahm Emmanuel, Bob Michel, Denny Haster, Ev Dirksen or Dan Rostenkowski who is expected to bring the bacon home, the fact is that Illinois has always been short changed.
The solution is not to try to get more money from Washington, But to send less to Washington in the first place. That is the way to even the score. But the liberals never learn from history and thus repeat it.
But the three liberals Johnson cites: Meeks, Obama, and Rush, are certainly getting more than their share and that's what's important to them.
The Meeks/Obama/Rush (and JJ) districts are almost certainly paying more in taxes than they are getting back in spending. That has been the pattern since the New Deal, at least.
That is the stupidity of the liberals. They think that the solution is to increase taxes and increase spending so that more spending can come back to their district. It NEVER works out that way.
For example, the liberals increased the Social Security and Medicare taxes. Black have short life spans and thus they pay much more in those taxes than they get back in benefit. They usually die before they can get the benefit.
The same is true if you lump ALL taxes and ALL government spending together. The spending goes to the pinstripe patronage, etc. Even with the social service programs, the good money goes to the children of the New Trier who get grants to "study" the problem and come up with proposals for new programs to be administered by the children of New Trier on behalf of the poor, oppressed peoples.
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