By Cyryl Jakubowski

It sure is beginning to look like an old fashioned, backyard cockfight between Alderman Bernard “Berny” Stone and state Senator Ira Silverstein in the race for 50th Ward Democratic Committeeman. We’re talking two roosters, one old skool and one hip hop, with Sweeney Todd-sharp claws ready to fight and tear at each other’s feathers for a non-paying political post on the city’s Far North Side. Figuratively speaking, mind you. I’m sure neither would like to be compared to fighting roosters.
But this time it’s personal, its about power and control, and its about what the future holds for Berny Stone.

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Posted on January 30, 2008

By Steve Rhodes

“Neighbors call it ‘the French Embassy,'” the Tribune reported in the opening to its groundbreaking series on the scam of neighborhood development.
“The new, 8,200-square-foot mansion is by far the biggest house on the 1800 block of North Wood Street, leaving Fred Ehle’s four-bedroom home next door in its shadow.
“‘I don’t mind gentrification and development – I live in Bucktown – but it has gone out of control,’ Ehle said. ‘It’s crazy. It’s so obviously different than what the neighborhood was and still is.’
“Zoning rules had prohibited such a behemoth from going up on the block. But that was before the developer got a break from then-Ald. Ted Matlak (32nd). Two weeks after the developer applied for a lucrative ‘upzoning’ so he could build a much bigger house, one of the developer’s companies gave the alderman a $2,000 campaign contribution.
“The real zoning code in Chicago is unwritten, but developers know it well: Changes in zoning go hand in hand with contributions to aldermanic campaigns.”

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Posted on January 29, 2008

The Republicans, Episode 9

Followers of Mystery Debate Theater know that I haven’t been able to convene the Mystery Debate team at Beachwood HQ recently and last night’s Republican fiesta in Florida was no exception. After all, a new episode of Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew was on, as well as an episode of Ocean Force: Huntington Beach called “Beach Blanket Bedlam,” whose highlight was the defiant perp who said “So take me to jail, I stole a volleyball!” One has to live a little.
But I’ve reviewed the transcript this morning because that’s how much I care about you, the reader. Here is what we might call a tape delay version of Mystery Debate Theater. Let’s give the Republicans their due.
As always, this transcript has been edited for clarity, space and sanity.
*
MODERATOR BRIAN WILLIAMS: Governor Romney, the president just today signed off on this economic stimulus plan that would send out 116 million checks to American homes. The plan is somewhat contrary to yours. Are you disappointed that your recipe for the economy was not embraced by the president?
ROMNEY: Mine was a little different. It had a permanent tax cut for people at the lowest income tax bracket. I also have a savings plan for individuals that allows folks who are making under $200,000 a year to save their money tax free.
STEVE: Plus, I offered credit cards with no interest until July 1.

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Posted on January 25, 2008

The Democrats, Episode 13

Due to distractions caused by the impact of a severe recession at Beachwood HQ and emergency efforts to stave off a Great Depression, the Mystery Debate Theater team was unable to meet to watch the Democratic debate in South Carolina, but once again that didn’t prevent Steve Rhodes and Tim Willette from exchanging witty e-mails during the proceedings. As always, this transcript has been edited for clarity, space and sanity.
*
JOE JOHNS, CNN: How much money would your stimulus plan put in the pockets of the average South Carolinian?
STEVE: More than North Carolinians will get!
STEVE: Alternate answer: Is that a stimulus plan in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

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Posted on January 22, 2008

By Michael Pitula , Kyle Schafer and Peter Zelchenko

Chicago residents have narrowly escaped another CTA “Doomsday,” but at what cost? We are thankful for the funding H.B. 656 provides but recognize that the transit crisis runs far deeper than the bill addresses. It is time to turn our attention to these issues and develop long-term solutions.
Transit riders want improved service. Yet the state bill only provides funding to maintain service. Recent cuts remain in effect, and the entire system remains in desperate disrepair. Streets will remain mired in traffic and pollution, affecting riders and non-riders alike.
Where the CTA is acting to expand, its skewed priorities are reinforcing the system’s current racial inequities. The South and West Sides of the city are drastically underserved compared to the North Side, with less frequent bus service and scant rail service. Yet, the CTA’s prized projects – the airport express and Circle Line – represent luxuries.

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Posted on January 20, 2008

The Democrats, Episode 11

Due to various unpleasant tasks that needed attending to, the Mystery Debate Theater team did not convene at Beachwood HQ to observe the Democratic debate in Las Vegas last night, but team members Steve Rhodes and Tim Willette corresponded via e-mail during the proceedings to bring what is surely one of our best episodes – it gets better as it goes along, so stick with it. The transcript, as always, is edited for space, clarity and sanity.
*
BRIAN WILLIAMS: As we sit here this, as you may you may know, is the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday. Race was one of the issues we expected to discuss here tonight. Our sponsors expected it of us. No one, however, expected it to be quite so prominent in this race as it has been over the last 10 days.
We needn’t go back over all that has happened, except to say that this discussion, before it was over, involved Dr. King, President Johnson, even Sidney Poitier, several members of Congress and a prominent African-American businessman, supporting Senator Clinton, who made what seemed to be a reference to a part of Senator Obama’s teenage past that the senator himself has written about in his autobiography.
The question to begin with here tonight, Senator Clinton, is, how did we get here?
CLINTON: Well, I think that what’s most important is that Senator Obama and I agree completely that, you know, neither race nor gender should be a part of this campaign.
STEVE: Therefore, we’re endorsing John Edwards. It’s a unity ticket.

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Posted on January 16, 2008

By Steve Rhodes

Checking in on the vapid coverage of new police chief Jody Weis.
*
So now we know the details of new police chief Jody Weis’s workout routine, his favorite movie, and what kind of motorcycle he owns. It took three Sun-Times reporters to find out. (The Tribune did a little better, but just a little.)
Can we get to the real questions now?
Just for starters, check out Tracy Jake Siska’s “11 Questions for Jody Weis” over at his Chicago Justice blog.

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Posted on January 14, 2008

New Hampshire Edition

The day started with So-Called Austin Mayor sending me these photos with the comment, “I don’t understand why the paramedics don’t just let the woman touch the hem of Obama’s garment so that she can be healed . . . ”
The night ended with me being impressed by an Obama speech for the first time. It was New Hampshire’s Bizarro Primary. Here is my real-time, one-man Mystery Primary Theater journal.
– Steve Rhodes
*
The Preliminaries
CHANGE We Can Believe In, the Obama slogan plastered all over his signs, says you can’t believe Hillary. Just to make sure we understand what kind of campaign he’s running – the same one the right-wing ran in the 90s.
*
“This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale that I’ve seen,” Bill Clinton just said. He was talking about Obama’s war position. He added something like “Just because you sanitize it doesn’t mean the facts aren’t out there.”
Wow. That’s a pretty bold move. But he’s right.
*
Huckabee too. Why wasn’t he vetted earlier? The media doesn’t like to do its job until it’s too late. And what about the Tribune’s big series on Obama? Why aren’t those questions still being asked and those points still being raised?
*
How quickly we forget.

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Posted on January 9, 2008

The Democrats, Episode 10

The Beachwood Mystery Debate Theater team did not meet at Beachwood HQ for the New Hampshire double-header on Saturday night. But we did end up covering it.
Earlier in the day.
Steve: There are two debates tonight, but I just don’t think I have the strength or time to cope with it. I’ve got a lot of other things to do.
Tim: Me too.
Debate starts. Steve calls Tim.
Steve: This sucks. There’s no way I can not watch this. I’m really getting a lot done and I’d prefer to have some dumb sci-fi flick on in the background, you know?
Tim: I know! Son of Svengoolie is having Son of Frankenstein tonight!

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Posted on January 7, 2008

The Republicans, Episode 8

The Beachwood Mystery Debate Team did not meet at Beachwood HQ for the New Hampshire double-header on Saturday night.
Earlier in the day.
Steve: There are two debates tonight, but I just don’t think I have the strength or time to cope with it. I’ve got a lot of other things to do.
Tim: Me too.
Debate starts.
Steve: This sucks. There’s no way I can not watch this. I’m really getting a lot done and I’d prefer to have some dumb sci-fi flick on in the background, you know?
Tim: I know! Son of Svengoolie is having Son of Frankenstein tonight!

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Posted on January 7, 2008