Chicago - A message from the station manager

The [Tuesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“Chicago’s Trump street signs have gone missing,” the Tribune reports.
“More than a month ago, a city crew quietly removed the honorary ‘Trump Plaza’ signs from near President Donald Trump’s downtown skyscraper amid calls from aldermen to melt them down or auction them off for charity. Now, a spokesman for the city Department of Transportation says he doesn’t know where they are or what happened to them.”
First, how about auctioning them off for charity and then melting them down?


Second, paging Grant DePorter.
Third, the notion that nobody knows where the signs are is so Chicago because it’s either an example of gross incompetence, a lie or a scandal in that somebody with dollar signs in their eyes absconded with them.
Fourth, given Trump’s vanity, couldn’t Rahm have sent them to the White House in exchange for federal anti-violence funding?
Fifth, my first instinct is to say the signs are up somebody’s butt, which shows that sometimes I’m still 13.
Sixth, an idea: Find those signs and use them as part of a museum exhibit: “Trump In Chicago.” Proceeds to anti-violence efforts.
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“The City Council voted to take down the signs in November, just days before Trump’s surprise election victory. Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, spearheaded the removal, saying the then-GOP presidential nominee didn’t deserve the honor because he was ‘painting a distorted caricature of Chicago’ on the campaign trail by ‘comparing our great city to a decimated, war-torn country.’
“The measure also noted Trump was running a ‘hateful, racist campaign against immigrants and minorities,’ and that he had a ‘complete disregard for civil liberties dating back to the 1970s.'”
Boldface mine because I didn’t know the measure included that statement, which is both awesome, surprising and pretty hypocritical for a city council that hasn’t covered itself in glory when it comes protecting the civil liberties of its citizens.
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Aside from not returning Trump’s money, I actually agree with Rahm’s basic sentiment here – taking down the sign was probably the right thing to do, though a lot of offensive people have signs in Chicago – but the sturm and drang was a bit of overkill (and I obviously loathe Trump as much as the next reasonably sentient human):

“Look, he has a sign on a building, he has a sign on the street,” said Emanuel, who declined to return a $50,000 campaign contribution Trump made to him in 2010. “Here’s what I would say: I think he’s wrong for America. You know my view of what I think is right. The aldermen took the way they want to express themselves, so my recommendation: Don’t just take a sign down. Make sure we mobilize and get out and vote, because it’s a very important and big election.”

Finally, for your information: There are two signs that have gone missing, the Trib reports. A third sign had been stolen a few months before the other two were taken down.
“Chicago police say a member of Trump Hotel and Tower security told them it was stolen sometime between Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m.,” NBC Chicago reported at the time.
Also reported at the time:
“We’ll put the sign back up when he releases his tax returns,” Emanuel said.
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Maybe take his building down until he releases his tax returns.
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The Weekend In Chicago Rock
Featuring: Forever Grey, Silent Age, Heated, Starset, Shallow State, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Joan of Arc, Magas, Facs, L.A. Van Gogh, Andrew Bird, The Lumineers, and Kevin Griffin.
Last Week In Chicago Rock
Featuring: Julien Baker, Ben Gibbard, Void King, Khaki Blazer, Quicksales, Alkaline Trio, One Ok Rock, Badbadnotgood, and The Mattson 2.
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BeachBook
* Aetna Lied About The Sleazy Reason They Quit Obamacare.
* Wisconsin Sued As Teens Claim Unlawful Conditions In Youth Facilities.
* The Netherlands Welcomes Trump.
Rated “F” for Funny.
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TweetWood
A sampling.


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Financial trades.


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The Beachwood Tronc Line: Flimsy.

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Posted on January 24, 2017