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Danny Davis
Quick Hit
by Progress Illinois
12:45pm
Wed Jan 25
1 comment

Library Commissioner Resigns, Aldermen Send Loving Letter To Emanuel On CPL Hours

Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey has resigned from her position as head of the system after 18 years in the role. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has already announced her replacement, tapping Brian Bannon, Chief Information Officer at the San Francisco Public Library.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to expand the library, engage new users and build new services beyond the four walls,” said Bannon in a press release. “The Chicago Public Library is already a national leader in educational media for teens and I look forward to working with the Library staff to build on that great foundation.”

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Quick Hit
by Aricka Flowers
3:48pm
Mon Nov 7, 2011
2 comments

Seniors Rally With Occupy Chicago Against Cuts To Medicare, Safety Net Programs

More than 1,000 Chicago-area seniors and their allies took part in an act of civil disobedience today to push back against cuts to safety net programs, like Medicare and Social Security. The group rallied outside of the offices of U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D) and Mark Kirk (R) at Federal Plaza. 

“I made the decision to participate in civil disobedience as an act of conscience," said Emily Byrd with the Jane Adams Senior Caucus (JASC). I could no longer stand idly by while vital safety net programs are in danger of being cut. What is at stake is not only seniors' ability to live with dignity and economic security, but the future of our country. I am here today to fight not just for seniors, but for my children and grandchildren.”

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Quick Hit
by Aaron Krager
5:49pm
Tue Sep 13, 2011

Understanding Obama's Jobs Bill And Why Some Say It's Not Enough

A stagnant economy has pushed nearly one in ten Illinoisans to remain on the unemployment rolls, including 11 percent of unemployed workers in Cook County. The numbers do not take into account the people working part-time or the so-called 99’ers. National figures put real unemployment north of 16 percent. Slow private sector job growth combined with public sector job losses have left many workers competing against hundreds of other applicants for a small pool of jobs.

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Quick Hit
by Progress Illinois
3:51pm
Tue Jan 11, 2011

Security For Lawmakers Becomes Major Concern

Following the tragic shooting in Arizona this past weekend that left six dead and U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition after surviving a gun shot to the head, local legislators are focusing their attention on beefing up security. The public is suddenly hyper-aware of threats to lawmakers, like the one received by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis; U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush is planning on moving his office to a safer location; and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is, in the midst of anger over the size of the federal government, calling on Congress to increase members' budgets to add to their security detail.

But the problem, of course, is deeper than simply money or even safety. Politicians are constantly toeing the line between their security and access to their consituents. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley called any suggestion of 24-hour security for lawmakers "wildly expensive and impractical." Chicago mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel, who helped recruit Giffords to run for office when he was the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006, said security is something he worries about, but that he "would never want to remove [himself] from hearing directly from people."

Indeed, that is precisely what Giffords was doing when she was shot. Speaking about the importance of giving access to constituents, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky told WIND's Big John & Amy that the "ability to freely interact" with voters is "one of the most precious things about our democracy." Listen to her comments below (and hear the full interview here):

Quick Hit
by Adam Doster
11:57am
Thu Dec 30, 2010

The CPS Board: To Elect Or Not Elect?

Hoping to capitalize on the upcoming change in leadership at City Hall, a coalition of Chicago teachers, community organizations, and parents are calling on the next mayor to cede control of the Chicago Public Schools.

At a news conference in Chicago yesterday, education advocates who argue that CPS is not improving quickly enough demanded a "fundamental change in school governance." Under their plan, which would require a change in state law, Chicago School Board members would not be appointed by the mayor's office. Rather, the board would be elected by voters. Of the 13 proposed seats, seven would be reserved for parents and community members (three from the South Side, two from the North Side, and two from the West Side) while six would be filled by education professionals. The current board, which Daley has controlled since 1995, consists of seven officials drawn from influential financial and consulting firms, none of whom have a background in education. This proposal comes on the heels of a push by the increasingly-assertive Chicago Teachers Union and its allies to ensure that the next appointed CPS CEO has experience in schools.

Three mayoral candidates -- Rahm Emanuel, Carol Moseley Braun, and Gery Chico -- expressed skepticism about the plan. Chico, who once served as Chicago Board of Education President under Mayor Richard Daley, said in a release that the change would "create 13 new politicians." Miguel Del Valle offered qualified support for the idea, so long as the city implements public financing of political campaigns to open up the election process. U.S. Rep. Danny Davis backs school board elections but is wary of mandating "what kind of people will be on a board." Expect this proposal to be a heavy topic of conversation in 2011.