Violent weekend in Chicago ups the homicide rate

In what is another regrettable entry into the logbook of Chicago violence, last weekend saw the heretofore lowered homicide rate, increase, when 7 people were shot dead in one day last weekend.. Making headlines on the local and national media, of course, but overall changing little in what is seen as tragic, and now accepted as an inevitable fact of life in certain city neighborhoods.

As the death toll increases, it sweeps indiscriminately of young and old alike, toddlers and teenagers, bus drivers as well as honor roll students; as this Northernmost city becomes almost synonymous with gratuitous gun violence.

Here are the numbers from the Chicago Tribune: “As of Monday morning, the city had logged 103 homicides, compared with 101 this time a year ago, according to data compiled by the Tribune. At least 513 people have been shot this year, compared with 466 over the same time last year.

President Trump has said he will send in the feds, if things don’t improve; yet according to Chicago Police Superintendent, Eddie Johnson, that help has failed to materialize. Blaming the ease of guns, especially those from neighboring states, and especially Indianna, most if not all local lawmakers, right down to Mayor Rahm Emanuel have wrung their hands in despair.

Johnson wants to have more assistance from the FBI, the DHEA and the ATF, yet even if their help is received there needs to be a plan written to target their help. Right now, most of those plans, seem to be aired only in meetings. Many are looking to see if the Trump’s joint address to Congress on Wednesday, can give solidity to his tweets: “Can you believe what’s happening in Chicago?” and “. . . this is totally out of control.””

Centered in three poverty stricken areas, mostly populated by poor blacks, areas that Sen Dick Durbin defined as being responsible for 50 percent of the murders in January of 2017. In Englewood, and on the South and West sides, the communities of Harrison and Austin, the unemployment rate is 21 percent compared to 11.1 in the Chicago, overall.

Since the violence does not exist in a vacuum, it has created public health problems, in addition to one of social and economic behavior, and the increase in unemployment, foreclosures, and other factors has led to a gnawing self-devaluation among those area residents.

The situation, seems to not abate, as myriads of opinions flow, especially faulting the lack of jobs, weak schools, and lack of community resources. And, while these assessments are correct , the solutions that they offer: mentoring, job development, enhanced or new resources, these will all take more time than most realize. Even the mayor's promise of hiring more policeman, will take time as class instruction is only the beginning of the learning curve; the real lessons are to be learned on the street.

Time is what Chicago really doesn’t have, to give this city, on what was once a prairie, and its residents -- all of its residents -- a sense of hope. As Johnson noted, somewhat plaintively, in an interview, “The mayor made the request in person as recent of last week and we are hopeful the Administration will finally respond.”

Possible steps to resolution might include a greater attention to illegal gun acquisition, as the arsenal increases outside of the standard sources of gun shows and dealers. Joined with narcotics, this duality might increase the police the power to raid ,as they have done recently, and when Chicago Police gave the stats, the mind boggled.

What stood out? 61 previous convicted felons, 49 documented gang members, 19 priors on drug related charges, 14 currently on parole, and 65 identified by police as being  high risk.

Of the weapons confiscated, there was a machine gun that could roll out 40 to 50 rounds in seconds

When we take a closer look at the behavior of those involved, the detail may surprise some. Last year, NPR reported, in an interview with a reporter from The New York Times, who had been embedded with a local gang, some surprising news on the changes in gang behavior.

“Gunfire was so common in their lives that to me, it seemed like they were not necessarily traumatized by it anymore in the sense that a lot of times, if there were - if someone was killed, of course they were talking about it. You would go on their social media page, and you'll see them grieving about it openly.But if someone gets shot in the hand or the foot and they're alive, in some ways, they actually joke about it,” said John Eligon, the reporter.

He also noted, “For them, it's because it's not necessarily something that's uncommon or traumatic. In Chicago, in the part that I hung out in, the ambulance comes. They put the people in the ambulance. Police come. They try to talk to people. They put up police tape. It goes down, and then life just kind of continues.”

The desensitization may be just as damaging as the behavior, especially since in this racially divided city, it affects mostly black.people, a fact that is equally corrosive to the lives of the city’s black residents, especially its elders, who after the Black Migration, brought homes in these areas, alive with hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow, than the yesterdays of their lives in the Jim Crow South.

Much of the violence stems from episodes of “dissing” be it on social media, or in person, retribution becomes routine. As Eligon remarked, “And I think that that's why you see this kind of continuation, this perpetuation of it. So I think that's one thing. And a lot of them tried to tell me, how would you feel if your brother, uncle, father, cousin was shot and killed? Would you let that go? And for a lot of them, it's really hard to let that go.”

Coupled with a sense of helplessness that delivers a hopelessness, then these actions almost make sense. Almost.

While we can agree that there is no single solution, to the problem, it solutions cannot begin without money, a plan, and a commitment; and with so many thinking of the violence as a black problem, political will may be lacking.

In other areas, there has been a decrease - Oakland, California has a 41 percent decrease in violent crime since 2012 -- and much was centered on recalibrating the systemic problems of employment, opportunity, and self-esteem. There was also the use of psychological techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, gun control and mentoring, and one essential ingredient:, police and community reconciliation.

Can it be done in Chicago? Only time, along with will can begin to stem the tide of violence. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent - a period of both holy self-denial, and also self-reflection for Christians. Can we add to the list the prayers of hope, and the prayer of commitment for a reduction of violence? Let us pray.

Chicago Public Schools sue Republican governor citing racism

For Chicago Public schools, the intersection of money, race, and class has entered the  political picture with a new twist -  born from one part desperation, two parts public relations, and one part spin; as it emerged with a lawsuit on Tuesday with CPS suing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Illinois School Board of Education, that the current school funding formula violates the civil rights of its mostly black and Hispanic students, who make up 9 out of every 10 students.

The move is more symbolic, than anything lawful, but it allows CPS make one last grand attempt at wresting more money for the nation’s third largest school system. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that it was influenced by the “landmark education civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, CPS railed against the state of Illinois for maintaining what it calls “two separate and demonstrably unequal systems for funding public education in the State: one for the City of Chicago, whose public school children are 90% children of color, and the other for the rest of the State, whose public school children are predominantly white.’”

Gathering together five Black and Hispanic families, as plaintiffs, the suit represents an enduring frustration with the formula which benefits wealthier and whiter schools, which been well documented over the years. While the inequity is not new, neither is a lawsuit, because a similar one was done by the Chicago Urban League, in 2008 and the ISBE alleging civil rights violations of minority students throughout the state While it is still is pending in Cook County Court, it does not deal with pensions, said the Sun-Times.

As we have seen, and possibly will continue to see, especially on the national level is symbolic politics - and this action is part of that.. Left out of the loop was the Chicago Teachers Union, whose president Karen Lewis, who had this to say: “Why aren’t we co-plaintiffs on this? Why didn’t they ask us or talk to us about it? Because CPS does stuff on their own. They don’t bother to think that we may have some value,” Lewis told reporters at CTU headquarters Tuesday afternoon.

Characteristically, she said that she had no faith in CPS, and emphasized that “They don’t hold up their end of the bargain,” and “I don’t trust them. I have no trust in what CPS will do. I have no trust in what they’ll ask for. And I have no trust in what they’ll do when they get the money.”

In the absence of notification by CPS; Lewis called the legal battle “a fake fight” between Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Rauner’s education secretary, Beth Purvis, issued a statement saying “it is important to remember that the bipartisan, bicameral school funding commission just issued its report, which recommends an equitable school funding formula that defines adequacy according to the needs of students within each school district. The Governor remains focused on moving forward these recommendations and hopes that CPS will be a partner in that endeavor.”

That plan while revealing a need for more funds for minority students and those well below the poverty line, did not specify details, or deliver a plan to be debated,  and there is still the question of who would write the new formula?

With an unrealized windfall from the state government, which was more hopeful thinking than reality, “Chicago’s schools system has slashed about $104 million with furlough days, spending freezes and other cuts, and expects to pass another version of its $5.4 billion operating budget later this month that likely still will be short $111 million.”

"I want to reinforce the urgency of what's happening today, and that this really is our last stand," CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson said. "We have hoped for a legislative solution, and that has not happened. Therefore, we're left with this as an option,” reported the Chicago Tribune in their coverage.

In the stalemate, or rather standoff between the Republican governor and the Democratically controlled state legislature has been fought with name calling, mudslinging, and everything but a budget, as Rauner wants to hold hold the state to an agenda of union busting, workmen compensation changes (for the worse) and a deregulation menu. While the interim provided some stopgap measures, for some budgetary costs, schools in particular have suffered, not only grammar schools, but colleges and universities.

Neither side has refused to budge and Chicago schools face more and more of a financial burden. The future seems less bright, than ever before. But, the results are even more disturbing, and the erosion of social capital, more dire every day, as students and administrators are forced to make more budget cuts, in every way, every day.

The lack of political will for black and brown children makes it more galling for social progressives, but also shows that race and economic class holding sway, make the effects even more debilitating. In fact, the inaction helps no one, and will increase not only reverse migration among black families, headed South, but also an increase in overall population shrink for Chicago.

Added to the mix is the politicization of education that has educators pitted against politicians, Emanuel against the teachers, the teachers union, and Lewis, against the mayor; and the whole crazy patchwork quilt of bureaucracy, where no one seems to know the end result, giving credence to the old baseball adage, “can’t tell the players without a program.”

In Wednesday’s budget address, Rauner’s attempts at portraying the truth - not saying that he is as much to blame as the Dems, was missing. In a disingenuous manner he said: “This isn’t about pointing fingers or assigning blame. We are where we are. It’s not about the past; it’s about how we move forward together. It’s not going to help us move forward if right after this speech, Democrats run to the media claiming we’ve never proposed a plan to balance the budget. And it’s not going to help us move forward if Republicans run to the media to point out that the Democratic legislature’s never passed a balanced budget.”

Specific references to education abound, but the governor noted, “We propose a record level of funding for our schools. We supported our K-12 schools at an unprecedented level in the last school year, and then we came back and did even more for this school year. Let’s begin to implement the recommendations of the school funding reform commission to make sure every child gets a shot at the American dream, no matter where they live.” But, yet again, no real plan, only reports to gather dust, and no real money for Chicago schools? He vetoed much needed funds before, so what makes this statement different?

With the addition of support for the earned income tax credit and broad support for the Senate leader, John Cullerton and minority leader Christine Radogno “grand plan,” and coming together in earnest,  it is apparent that the needle has not moved and neither has the governor. So, we are back at square one, with mostly retreads from previous speeches and positions.

Carville and Matalin square off on the Trump era at Northeastern Illinois University

Mary Matalin and James Carville

Tough times call for tough measures, so bringing veteran political strategists James Carville and Mary Matalin, both with long resumes, and opinions, for a free-wheeling political discussion, on Thursday evening, seemed a wise decision by Northeastern Illinois University to launch the new Daniel L. Goodwin Distinguished Lecture Series.

Moderated by award-winning Chicago journalist and Northeastern alumnus Thomas Corfman, the evening provided insights, often pointed, and barbed, at both the current Trump administration, and that of Barack Obama. It also showed that age had not dimmed the opinions of this marriage of a liberal and a conservative.

Carville is America’s best-known political consultant, having managed numerous successful political campaigns, including the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992. In recent years, he has focused on campaigns in more than 23 countries around the world.

For Matalin the evening was aso a homecoming; as a native of Illinois; she is one of the most celebrated and popular conservative voices in the United States. After successful work in Illinois campaigns, Matalin moved on to Washington, D.C., where she served under President Ronald Reagan, and was campaign director for President George H.W. Bush.

Tackling the opening question was temporarily waylaid by some of the marital pokes and jabs, that seemed reminiscent of the old Elaine May and Mike Nichols skits, of the 60s, as they parried and thrusted, in sidebar comments, that gave the audience a few chuckles, and even gasps. But when Carville questioned why Trump, even before his inauguration would “agitate China”, and especially in these “tumultuous times” take the risk, the seriousness began.

Matalin countered that his was a “cynical view” and that there was a “new paradigm” afoot, and it was a time to “incentivise democracy,” Carville then countered that the country had “war fatigue” and that beginning something that might end with aggression would not be welcomed. Her rapid response was that any actions would be symbolic of strength [and promote] an image of strength.”

She also remarked that in the 10 days that Trump has been in office, he has not been given even a “scintilla of a honeymoon,” that other newly inaugurated presidents have received.  And while acknowledging that she is no longer a Republican, but a Libertarian, and that criticism by Sen. John McCain, and others, is premature.

In a near incendiary exchange Matalin was concerned that some of these criticisms, at this stage was like “going down the briar patch” and her husband quickly and sarcastically commented that if that were so, then men like James Farwell, was “a real visionary.”

With a rapidly increasing pace, Carville sped into a full throated critique that the “wall is a terrible idea, as well as a fight with the Chinese,” and, furthermore, that these moves “are impulsive and that we have “a right to be scared” and warned against “undoing alliances [would have effects] that would last a long,long time,” and that all of these actions by the president “frighten the Dickens out of me.”

Like many Americans who heard Trump on the campaign trail make fun of the physically disabled, relate crude stories to previous sexual exploits, disparage women’s looks, ridicule war heros, and make xenophobic remarks about other ethnicities, Carville stated that because of these Trump “does not embody the values we have,”as Americans..

Echoing one of the many reasons for a Trump ascendancy Matalin said that there had been a “despondent electorate,”  and bemoaned the “absence of diversity on college campuses, where conservative voices were not heard, or given a forum, and that Trump was not “an overnight phenomenon,” and that the antecedent in many ways was Obama whose losses did serious damage to the Democrats.

There is some truth in what she said, and while not all of it can be attributed to Obama, Democrats in the previous years, did not capture the so-called down ballots in statehouses, city councils, school boards, and governorships that make a political power base, but one that Republicans wisely embraced.

Thomas Corfman

In an interesting segue, the conversation turned to the electoral college votes that gave “touchdowns” to the victor. While many would disagree and say that the game has been rigged with the college, (the second most recent popular win vote by Democrats, but losing in the electoral college) the point to be be taken, Matalin emphasized was that to the victors come the spoils.

Carville made perhaps the better point, that many others have said, and that is the Democratic message has to be better articulated; while the fact remains that all must be considered;, including revamping the down-ballot elections where political power is solidified.

One area that was not discussed were Democrats that failed to work harder in black neighborhoods,during the campaign. This cost them much needed support that could have turned into votes for Clinton, especially since the Hispanic firewall melted away. The black vote remained the same as it did for Obama, in the last two elections, just over 60 percent, but a greater margin might have helped towards a Clinton victory.

In an era of intense partisanship, many of the audience might have been surprised to hear Matalin heap praise on former president Bill Clinton, who she gave her imprimatur as a grassroots hero when she praised him as “a political genius” and asked, rhetorically: “Where are the rustbelt redneck Bill Clintons?”

Her point, while in the aftermath of the Democratic loss, did point to a hole in the Democratic effort, especially with retail politics, because as she noted, “The Democrats ceded populism to the Republicans.”

Returning to the current efforts from the White House, Matalin emphasized the need “for an empiricist” to take the reigns of health care effort that has traversed 25 years and that she was taught to “measure twice and cut once,” and that there was a role for cross state cost shifting, health savings accounts. To which Carville said simply, “Do it. Get it done!”

Getting it done may prove to be problematic with the paradigm shift that Matalin has defined, but it’s also worth summarizing that this type of bipartisan effort, genuine, bracingly honest, and directed, is a scarcity in Washington now, and that veteran stalwarts like Matalin and Carville may be an endangered species.