Anybody familiar with Chicago politics? Congressial Republicans are the Vrdolyak 29 of 2009

[wndycty]

Even though they don't have a majority like the Vrdolyak 29 the GOP is the 2009 version of that famed group of obstructionists.

-snip-
Though Washington won a plurality of the primary vote, "organization" Democrats won most of the 50 aldermanic seats in the City Council. 16 black aldermen, even those who had been organization supporters, now followed Washington, as did 4 white reformers, and one other white, Burton Natarus, who had been a loyal organization man, but whose 42nd Ward voted for Washington.

The other 29 aldermen (28 whites and 1 Hispanic) formed an opposition group led by "the Eddies": 10th Ward alderman Ed Vrdolyak and 14th Ward alderman Ed Burke. The Vrdolyak 29 voted as a solid bloc. In the first session of the 1983-1987 term, the "29" voted themselves complete control of every Council committee. Over the next three years, they voted down all the mayor's proposals and appropriations. They also voted down all of his appointments. This last was purely symbolic, as the appointees could still serve as interim officeholders.

Some of the 29 admitted that they blocked the mayor's proposals even when there was merit in them, because they did not want Washington getting any credit for anything. Such credit might help re-elect him, which the 29 saw as a disaster for themselves and for the city.

The Vrdolyak 29 had a majority of votes, but not enough to override a mayoral veto, thus creating legislative gridlock. Chicago became known as "Beirut by the Lake." Some legislation was passed and city budgets were approved, but it was a drawn out and ugly affair.
-snip-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_Wars

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. no. today's GOP

are even stupider and more petulant that V's crowd.
In many ways, the Chicago scene was akin to comic theater. Not so the DC scene, with the collapse of our economy.

[firedupdem]

2. I remember that. I was a senior in high school when Harold

won the primary and those students and those nuns were sick! LOL! They suddenly came up with a new rule that we couldn't wear political buttons on our uniforms. They ran a republican guy that had just come out of a mental hospital against Harold.

My freshman year in college, I could see WGN from school (WIU) and would watch with disbelief as the Vrdolyak crew would act like an unruly bunch of animals screaming and yelling and voting against anything Harold wanted to do. It was horrible and downright racist. That was a very awful time. My man Harold! I can remember my father taking us to 55th and State (I think) to see Harold at a campaign stop and I got to shake his hand.

okay..I know that went way OT...sorry :)

[wndycty]

3. Harold!

:kick:

[charlyvi]

4. I used to live in Fast Eddie's ward when I lived in Chicago.

On the Southeast side--back when he was a Democrat. His house was WAY out of place in that working class neighborhood. One time he was campaigning at the South Chicago IC station in the beginning of November, shaking hands and passing out Vote for Vrdolyak stickers. It was one of those Chicago winter days when the snow had turned to dirty slush and the people walking to the morning train had that wintery pastelike cast to their skin. And there Fast Eddie stood in a cashmere coat, with a Boehner-like tan and perfectly white, straight teeth--back before people used whitening strips. He looked like the stereotypical slick politician. Like reality couldn't touch him. Damn, I haven't thought about him in years!

[mucifer]

5. I agree. But, Harold handled it well. So will Barack.