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Alderman Sandi Jackson, who won office last year promising to be a leading voice of reform, independence, and just economic development in the City Council, has kept a fairly low profile recently. So Chicagoans will surely be inspired to hear that she’s speaking out on a pressing civil rights issue: airline baggage handling fees.
Naturally, Jackson herself best describes her bold stand. "This week I've begun challenging Gerard Arpey, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Airlines, to 'suspend' American Airlines' plan to charge $15 for the first checked bag of luggage and $25 for the second bag on the basis that the proposed plan discriminates against those who can least afford the fee," she said in a press release issued in nearly identical forms by her office, her husband, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., her ally Kenny Johnson, and Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed.
In his e-mail about the effort, Congressman Jackson admits that the fight against these fees won’t be easy, so he invites citizens to go to his wife’s Web site, where they can donate some money to her campaign. "This will inaugurate a national effort to stop the Airline industry from gouging vacationing families this summer," he wrote. "Sandi is going to need our financial help as well. Forward this email to your list serve and let’s fight back! Help Sandi now!"
Few people have been clamoring to add to their already-soaring transportation expenses, so Jackson is probably wise to take on this issue, as opposed to getting involved in other undoubtedly tempting matters (decrying a violation of City Council protocol, examining mayoral initiatives and appointments before they're rubber-stamped into law, wondering whether it’s proper for taxpayers to pay for aldermen's cars and gas, challenging the arms-race reasoning behind the push to arm cops with assault rifles, or challenging discrimination, in, say, police stops and arrests). If there were only some way--any way!--for her to look into the burden on the poor created by the city’s parking ticket and towing policies, or to make sure all that parking ticket money is being invested in better roads and public transit . . .
"I know times are tough for many families right now," Alderman Jackson says in a statement on her Web site. "We're all feeling the pinch from these difficult economic times. That’s why I promise to continue standing up for you and your families as we all work together to bring a brighter tomorrow to the 7th Ward."
This is racism but many Italian Americans were scared to take on a powerful Congressman.
May 27th - 10:37 p.m.
News Maker your right. Informat Patrick McDonough the Plumber lives in DesPlaines, yet still works for the City of Chicago. Hows that work? Pat McDonough put a wire on and hurt other City workers than they give him a pass. Any worker he burned could go to his house at 1970 Everett-DesPlaines and see for yourself he lives outside Chicago. Thats breaking the law McDonough. How can you bust other workers , when YOU break the law yourself. call 1312-685-4333 or ask the IG why they condone that behavior. Mr. David Hoffman and Loevy and Loevy are supporting someone who breaks the law?
That said, Sandi Jackson, as the spouse of a Congressman, is probably is well positioned as any alderhuman to engage in this particular species of grandstanding.
wha?
The phony who takes credit for it is Patrick McDonothing. He lives in DesPlaines at 1970 Everett. The only thing he exposed was himself !
Jackson is a racist corrupt hypocrite a real arrogant (for no good reason).
Thank God Jackson did not become Mayor.
Jesse Jackson should be called out for calling Italians Scungili heads what if Alderman Banks called Jackson an eggplant.
VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION
HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT
Before every election, compile a list of the Incumbents seeking reelection, from every branch of government, Executive, Legislative and Judicial, and for every contested office, be it city, county, state or federal.
Bring this list with you when you go to vote.
In Primary Elections:
Vote in the Primary of the political party of your choice, preferably that party which has the most Incumbents seeking their party's nomination to be that party's candidate in the General Election.
The goal is to deny Incumbents reelection in the General election, so, if the Incumbent fails to win their party's Primary Election, that Incumbent will not be that party's candidate in the General Election.
If the Incumbent has only 1 challenger, vote for that challenger.
If the Incumbent has 2 or more challengers, then, to maximize the votes for a single challenger, vote according to ballot name position, following these two, simple rules of thumb:
1. If the Incumbent's name is listed FIRST, vote for the Challenger whose name is listed LAST
or
If the Incumbent's name is NOT listed first, vote for the Challenger whose name IS LISTED FIRST.
Denying the Incumbents their party's nomination to run in the General election will ensure that those Incumbents will now be Ex-Incumbents.
In the General Election, if given the opportunity, vote for any candidate who is NOT a member of the Democratic or Republican party.
Breaking the stranglehold these two party's have on our governments is the only means of returning democracy to Our Democracy, Of the
People, By the People and For the People.
Anything less is, and has been, proven to be futile.
HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT
May 27th - 10:37 p.m.
News Maker your right. Informat Patrick McDonough the Plumber lives in DesPlaines, yet still works for the City of Chicago. Hows that work? Pat McDonough put a wire on and hurt other City workers than they give him a pass. Any worker he burned could go to his house at 1970 Everett-DesPlaines and see for yourself he lives outside Chicago. Thats breaking the law McDonough. How can you bust other workers , when YOU break the law yourself. call 1312-685-4333 or ask the IG why they condone that behavior. Mr. David Hoffman and Loevy and Loevy are supporting someone who breaks the law?
Sandi, ride CTA sometime and maybe you'll connect with your ward.
She should rally against the high price of gasoline, which impacts more people. Someone spending $$$$ on a trip to Orlando for Disney is not gonna miss another $15 bucks. But Joe six pack driving to Wisconsin Dells with the family really feels the gas crunch.
Students say they feel let down because the choice, announced this week, doesn't carry the cachet of recent speakers, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain, or even last year's speaker, Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Seinfeld."
Some were hoping for the Dalai Lama.
"If your goal in the speaker selection process was to make graduating seniors happy about leaving this university, then mission accomplished," Matthew Braslow of Vernon Hills wrote on Tuesday to Northwestern President Henry Bienen. Braslow also said he will not attend.
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Comments: ' Elitist, spoiled, rich brats'
"Matthew, grow up," Bienen wrote back Wednesday morning. Bienen's e-mail added: "You also sound like a very unhappy person. I am sorry for that. Hopefully things will improve for you over the years."
But other seniors also seem to be taking the choice as a personal slight, calling the decision to honor Daley everything from "lame" to "a letdown" in interviews with the Tribune and in some of nearly 200 messages posted on The Daily Northwestern student newspaper's Web site.
"The people who are vocal are disappointed. If it's a majority of people who are happy, it's a silent majority," said senior Abe Rakov, who was editor of The Daily Northwestern until March. "Almost everyone who has spoken out has been against it."
While Rakov said he thinks Daley will be a "great speaker," he says students are upset because they had been pumped about the prospects after Bienen told the student newspaper this month that the speaker is an "extremely well-known person" and somebody who "doesn't make a habit" of giving graduation speeches.
Bienen's vagueness led students to speculate that the choice could be former British Prime Minister Tony Blair or the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, Rakov said.
"I thought we'd have someone with a much higher profile, especially after President Bienen hyped it so much," said senior Simon Lu. "I thought it would be someone with a national or international profile . . . I was hoping someone more famous would show up."
It's true that Daley rarely delivers college graduation speeches, said Daley spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard. He has turned down numerous university requests, she said, instead opting to speak at a couple of Chicago high school and elementary school graduations each spring.
The students "are right he is not nationally known," Heard said. "He is an internationally known civic leader who is widely recognized for transforming this city into a culturally rich, economically diverse global center that draws business, visitors and residents from all over the world."
Northwestern spokesman Alan Cubbage said he had seen "a couple" of e-mails from students upset about the choice of Daley to speak and receive an honorary doctor of laws degree at the commencement ceremony June 20.
In a statement, Bienen cited Daley's national reputation as a leader who has addressed "the challenges facing Chicago and other American cities." He also said the honor was appropriate because Northwestern's founders met in Chicago when making plans for the university. Six other people, including Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton, will receive honorary degrees.
NU's other commencement ceremony choices have come under fire this year as well. Some Law School students were upset by the decision to have controversial talk show host Jerry Springer speak this month. And the university rescinded an offer to bestow an honorary degree on Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Jennifer Cota, a junior and president of the Northwestern Class Alliance, the student government branch of the school's alumni association, said the choice of Daley was a hot topic among the 35 students in her Chicago Way literature class Wednesday.
"I think it's a great choice compared to Jerry Springer," said Cota, 21. "I think people were hoping it would be a famous Northwestern alum. I think people just really wanted someone huge"
Social policy major Alexandra Broin had another take.
"I know that there are some different questionable ethical things going on as long as one or both of the Daleys have been in office," said Broin, 22. "He is a questionable source for giving graduating seniors advice on how they go about taking that next important step in life."
Senior David Lassiter, 22, said he was satisfied with the choice—sort of.
"Obviously he's part of a Chicago legacy," he said. "It's not a disappointment, but I wanted Barack."
Jodi S. Cohen is a Tribune reporter. Brian Cox is a freelance reporter.
Tribune reporter Steve Schmadeke contributed.
jscohen@tribune.com
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So is Vincent Fry.
That bizarre show they did on Black bisexual men revealed a lot.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/chur...
BUT, her no good cheating arrogant megalomaniac extortionist husband should NOT be a Congressman with his money buddies and Nigerian drug dealers. Jesse Jackson cheats on poor Sandy with women who could not even hold a candle to her and even men. Jesse James Jackson Jr is an extortionist.
Read and learn:
http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/