Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Politics In General Where have all the conservatives gone?

If the Democrat’s political machines are ancient history why are 45 out of 50 wards in Chicago predominately Democrat?

If you mean racism you are wrong! If you are talking about a “criminal mindset” that too is wrong. Yes, Nixon was a crook but his "criminal mindset" did not spread into the Republican Party any more than it did into entire American population. To think that “welfare queens” is racist is not true. The percentage of welfare recipients is 39.8% white and 38.8% blacks. That means the “welfare queens” are white women. The saying “A rising tide lifts all boats.” was first said by Pres. Kennedy. Was JFK a racist?

Over the last 20-30 years it seems our election campaigns have become name calling and mud slinging. No room for new ideas, possible solutions to our problems or visions on where the candidates want to take our country. It's negative personal attack after negative personal attack.

I sick and tired of Republicans automatically opposing anything put forward by Democrats and vice versa, Democrat automatically opposing anything suggested by Republicans. The merits of the proposals or legislation are never considered anymore, just who proposed them.

This era of polarization and ultra high partisanship very well could be the beginning of our downfall. I've been interested in politics since watching the Democratic and Republican conventions on TV way back in 1956. I never seen the likes or the hateful politics of today before.

On what do you base this assertion? (I acknowledge up front that this is a trap.)

Because Chicago is predominantly Democrat? I don't see how this correlates to Democratic "political machines".

Friend, your posts sometimes remind me of ricocheting bullets - they travel off on wild tangents and I have trouble following the trajectory. I'm not sure exactly how we got here, or what path we traveled to get here. I acknowledge that I did mention Reagan's racism - which was always apparent to me. He was a consummate huckster, too. But that was far from the point I was aiming at. Let me adjust the sights.

Yes, Nixon was a crook, but the point was that his behavior was symptomatic. Nor was it corrected by the actions of the other "carriers". The point of the "criminal mindset" is not, specifically criminality, but the attitude it represents: not caring about consequences.


More later. Got work to do.

The wards were run by Democratic political bosses. If your ward didn't vote for and contribute to the machine your ward didn't get services from the city. The snow wasn't plowed, the garbage wasn't picked up, the police & fire departments were slow to respond. Then to get a job with the city you had to vote for and contribute to the machine. If people do that for 70 years or so it becomes a habit. That is why 90% of the wards became and stayed Democrats.

The wards were run by Democratic political bosses. If your ward didn't vote for and contribute to the machine your ward didn't get services from the city. The snow wasn't plowed, the garbage wasn't picked up, the police & fire departments were slow to respond. Then to get a job with the city you had to vote for and contribute to the machine. If people do that for 70 years or so it becomes a habit. That is why 90% of the wards became and stayed Democrats.

And you know what? Last time Karen and I went up to Chicago, we saw HELP WANTED and NOW HIRING signs ALL over the stinking place.
That was in 2015.