The [Wednesday] Papers

What do Will Burns and the Hammond police chief have in common?

They both want to control other people's art.

"South Side alderman's effort to tweak filmmaker Spike Lee for using 'Chi-raq' as the title for a movie about Chicago violence fell flat Monday with his colleagues," the Tribune reports.

"Ald. Will Burns, 4th, was pushing a symbolic resolution urging the state to reject Lee's application for $3 million in tax breaks for filming in the city."

Sort of like Lee is making a symbolic movie about violence in Chicago. It's all just theater.

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He should make a movie called Willraq next, just out of spite.

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"Burns said the movie's title - based on a rapper slang term used to evoke the violence in predominantly African-American neighborhoods - could harm attempts to promote economic development on the South Side."

I love how the Tribune feels the need to explain, at this late date, what the term "Chiraq" means. Also, we're a long way from "Chiraq" being rapper slang; at this point it's worldwide pundit slang.

But I digress: the film might harm attempts to promote economic development on the South Side? Because it will tell business interests something they don't already know?

I'll tell you what's harming economic development on the South Side: the total lack of any meaningful plan coming out of Rahm Emanuel's office.

Also: I'd love to hear Burns' big ideas.

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"But before the issue even came up at the City Council Finance Committee, Burns opted not to call his resolution for a vote, saying instead that his only goal was to give residents a chance to speak out."

Riiiiiiight. Because without a symbolic city council resolution that most people never knew existed, residents wouldn't have had a chance to speak out. No one had said a word before Burns' resolution!

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Let us now pause to consider Will Burns:

"Yes, I have friendly relations with the mayor. He respects how hard I work, my interest in policy, my willingness to work with everybody. If you're going to pass a bill in the House, you talk to speaker Madigan; in the City Council, you talk to the mayor. Yes, I have conversations with the mayor; the best negotiations are done behind closed doors."

Okay, first, Burns is hardly known as a hard worker. Apparently he refers to his work with ASGK as his "real job."

Second, if you are a member of the Illinois House and you want to pass a bill, yes, you would naturally speak to the House leader. The mayor of Chicago is not, however, the leader of the city council; he is the leader of an entirely different branch of government. The idea that, as a member of the city council you speak to the mayor just shows how perverted the (lack of) separation of powers is in this town. No wonder the Progressive Caucus (according to Burns) stopped inviting him to their meetings.

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Back to the Trib:

"At the start of debate, state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago, said the tax credit decision is not the city's to make. 'The city has no power to grant or to withhold a tax credit, an Illinois state tax credit,' said Collins, who added that Lee met the required tax break criteria by hiring many people and vendors from the Englewood neighborhood."

Well, doesn't that mean that we hired all those people? After all, it's our money.

And just what business does Spike Lee have asking for a tax break from a state that has cut funding for children on ventilators? Has anyone asked Spike that?

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Spike Lee ought to be ashamed demanding tax breaks; the State of Illinois ought to be ashamed granting them; and Will Burns ought to be ashamed for trying to use the power of government to punish someone for the name of their movie.

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Let's throw Rahm and Ald. Joe Moreno into the mix too: It's not up to government to decide which role models are "acceptable" nor which companies have the correct values to do business here.

Talk about separation of powers.

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Also, not government, but . . .

WLS refused to play "Society's Child" ... https://t.co/Ph9wFpHZRN | #chicago

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) July 29, 2015

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Your Chief Keef Hologram Reader
When I wrote "Mayor Rahm vs. Chief Keef" a week ago, there was hardly a peep. But now that the hick Hammond police force has done essentially the same thing as Rahm, the pundits are outraged.

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Fantasy Fix: Your 2015 NFL Top 20!
Matt Forte over Aaron Rodgers?

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BeachBook
* Rich Dumb Kids More Likely To Get Jobs Poor Smart Kids.

* U Of M To Create Dataset Showing Access To Jobs.

* Comcast Hiring Hundreds In Chicago.

* Secret TPP Talks Continue At Luxury Hotel In Hawaii As Deal Becomes More Controversial.

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TweetWood
A sampling.

John Kerry / State Dept. has invited reporters to an off-the-record discussion on Iran... pic.twitter.com/5pFHlMLWN2

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) July 28, 2015

Only tools will attend. Meaning it will be packed.

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Astonishing that Obama says Ethiopian govt is "democratically elected" http://t.co/TajVkcxe5f - @HRW's @FelixHorne1 http://t.co/uWcWI2OH57

— Gerry Simpson (@GerrySimpsonHRW) July 29, 2015

But we're reassessing his legacy!

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.@chicagobars @robertloerzel Reminds me of 20 years ago in Wicker Park when an old, aged diner was replaced with a new retro diner ...

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) July 29, 2015

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