Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 10:07 AMBy: Welcome to 2009!!! CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Glad to see a caucus promoting transparency for members. Hopefully more teachers will start following CORE's Twitter page...
www.twitter.com/coreteachers.

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 11:53 AMBy: George N Schmidt CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Although Marilyn Stewart ordered "security" to remove Raymond Wohl (delegate from Thurgood Marshall Middle School; there's a First Amendment irony in that alone), Marilyn's police state evaporated in the face of more than two dozen delegates who stood around Mr. Wohl and refused to allow "security" to remove him. Wohl was simply trying to make a point of order about the voting procedure when Marilyn (a) tried to turn off the microphones and (b) then ordered her secret police to take him away instead of doing her duty as the chair of the meeting (and listening to the point of order).

I had been out of the House for most of the nine years after Paul Vallas fired me (with Tom Reece and Co cheering him on) back in 2000, so I was surprised at several things, the most significant of which is that the House has been run with absolutely no regard to "Robert's Rules of Order" and in effect under a dictatorship. Even though I had edited Terry Daniels's reports for most of those years, it wasn't until I was elected back into the House (as a retired teacher delegate) that it was possible to experience this first hand.

While three "security" people were hovering around Ray Wohl on orders to move him out of the meeting, I asked each of them to identify themselves (two males; one female; all wearing badges that said "Security" but without further ID). They all refused. Then I asked them "Are you a Chicago police officer, and if so what is your name..." and they said "I don't have to tell you that."

Actually, if they are in fact CPD and working for Marilyn Stewart in "security" while off duty, they have to follow several clear procedures, and one of those is that they can't perform police duties anonymously. I have watched these guys (and ladies) tyrannize delegates and other union members for the past several years, but usually from the outside, where I was selling Substance. The closest I got recently was when they tried to block the door and not allow reporters to exit the room where Marilyn Stewart was holding forth in her press conference after she violated every rule and procedure in railroading through the contract vote on August 31, 2007. (That was videoed from inside, but I didn't know what had happened until later). Two of these people tried to hold the door shut so reporters couldn't leave the room where Marilyn was holding forth, but the combination of the protest against the vote that night and the fact that most of the press realized the real story was not the one Marilyn was telling carried the day.

This garbage actually began -- a kind of a police state -- when Marilyn Stewart, with the help of Ted Jajiharis and a couple of others -- had former union president Deborah Lynch arrested during the House vote for High School Functional Vice President in June 2005 -- four full years ago. I covered that sorry story for Substance (it's at the old site at www.substancenews.com, September 2005 edition) and listened to the stories of cheating and bullying since, but it really cannot be conveyed in words.

I've written today to Marilyn Stewart demanding to know, as a 40-year union member, who these anonymous "security" people are, who is paying them, how long they have been inside union meetings, and why she permits them to bully union delegates and (in the balcony, where the "visitors" sit) members.

I'm going to report on that story, among many others from inside CTU, in the weeks ahead, both in print and on line.

The good news from last night is that Marilyn Stewart and (most of) her screaming crazies were not able to turn the meeting into a circus. The bad news is that she's gotten away with it for five years. As chairman of the meeting, her duty is to respect points of order and call order when her supporters (e.g., Eugenia Hardaway) disrupt debate by screaming (literally) every time someone disagrees with Marilyn's Party Line. They save their nastiest venom for Deborah Lynch, but lately they've been getting lathered up in the face of others as well.

I actually thought Marilyn didn't have a gavel, which as everyone who has practiced Roberts Rules of Order knows is an effective way to gavel some order back. But it turns out she does. She just never uses it to call order when her own pack of "security" police state people and jeerleaders and in full froth.

We're also sending her a copy of Roberts Rules of Order. It's amazing that she has been President of the Chicago Teachers Union for five years and still can't chair a meeting according to the basic rules of parliamentary procedure -- let alone democracy, common sense, and simple decency.

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 12:20 PMBy: John Whitfield it started with Lou From what I observed, Lou Pyster was ordered to leave first, and from what you described, also happened to support his being able to stay, as members lined up to back him up, and he ended up staying, though he had been told to leave, and though sergeant of arms members, and whoever, seemed to be contemplating removing him, he remained, because of the solidarity exhibited.
This was after Lou had just pointed out that he was a 30 plus yr. member, and a retiree delegate.
As a HS delegate, I say: "an injury to one, is an injury to all."

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 1:02 PMBy: Ditto Ditto CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Que Sera Sera!! I have heard so much about this blog but never taken the time to check it out. However, when word went around school today that someone was twittering during the HOD meeting last night I felt the need to stop by and say THANK YOU! I can't believe it took this long for someone to use their brains and do something for the teachers. Many school delegates rarely show up at those meetings let alone give teachers insight to what is going on. Thus, thank you so very much CORE for the tweets! You have made numerous teachers very happy today. The word is already spreading around. I have heard from fellow teachers at other schools how relieved they are to finally have the curtains lifted giving teachers the opportunity to hear what REALLY goes on and who does what. I can speak for all of us when I say we think it is horrific that the so called "leadership" has the nerve to accept such excessive perks on our bill. Teachers have to drive to school, do we get a car allowance? NO! Teachers have to speak to parents on a daily basis. Can we expense our cell phone bills? NO. Disgusting sums it up. I don't want to hear anyone from the current "leadership" claim they are working to help teachers. All they are doing is stealing from teachers! Time to clean house and put in new, fresh, untainted faces. Thanks again CORE!

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 4:08 PMBy: Danny CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Where did all those votes for the budget last night come from?

There wasn't that much support at the beginning of the meeting. How did Marilyn end up with her 250-144 vote of approval?

I've heard that when the district supervisors close up shop (late check-in begins at 5:00), they simply distribute all those unclaimed voting badges to UPC supporters and non-voting delegates.

Is the "new" UPC really that dishonest?

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 4:58 PMBy: Jessica Jones CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Correction: from the votes last NIGHT, not last not.

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 9:01 PMBy: xian from CORE CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Beyond the factions, I fail to understand why anyone would be satisfied with the current dynamic of the house of delegates.

The leadership themselves stated that the most productive meeting in recent memory was at the special meeting. Perhaps that was because we were allow to set the agenda with actual meaningful items and open discourse, and no one was shouting down members for not being part of the ruling caucus.

Meanwhile, when was the last time our $500,000 a year union rag had more pictures of members in it than officers and field reps? Maybe it should be called the Chicago Union Field Rep? If so, would their dues pay for it instead?

In the last year, I've been floored by how effective and engaged our union membership can be when treated with dignity and respect. If we the membership, who make -$1000/year each can out organize, and throw better meetings than the leadership, isn't it time we took our union back?

I look forward to the day when all of us--even at polar opposites of our teaching and union perspectives, can work together to make the best teaching and working environment for each other. You know--the day we take our union back...

Thu Jun 4, 2009 at 9:36 PMBy: John W. Lou not Disruptive I disagree with the person above claiming that Lou Pyster was being disruptive. He had gone to the mic, and brought up an important issue about PAC $, that is, the contributions that go to "politicos", and how that designated $ has customarily been decided on, where it goes, around the first of the year. that question while discussing the budget, didn't go over well, as the Prez., who often has referred to Pyster as "Louie", in the past, in a non-confrontational manner, somehow, like an instructor who loses her / his cool and kicks the student out of the room, ordered the "sergeant at arms" to remove him, shortly thereafter. Stewart had warned delegates that they would be asked to leave, but Pyster being asked to leave did not warrant such a request, nor should any delegate elected by dozens of rank n' file members at their school be asked to leave a house meeting.
It was admirable how some in the PACT caucus, and others backed him up to prevent his removal. Like Dylan sang: "you got to serve somebody." I suppose.
I would like to see UPC support their treasurer, while she is still part of the Union leadership, and to stop trying to scapegoat her, like what was done to Ted Dallas.
with revolutionary regards,
J.W.

Fri Jun 5, 2009 at 9:25 AMBy: To: xian/CORE CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting Ah, the CUT rag! You underestimate the cost per year substantially...even with the reduction in issues this year. Betcha IFT's quarterly 2 color paper costs substantially less. Many teachers may want to rethink subbing and deliver the papers instead. You don't want to know what the off-duty police make!!!

Speaking of the rag, my fave article was on Michael Kane, FR from hell! Read it and ask anyone who has dealt with him what bs that was.

It's also lovely that CTU pays Linda Porter but doesn't allow her to work.

Bet Ostenberg got a healthy raise for his new title and now that the Stewart v. Dallas case is settled, won't they have to pay Ted? Also for doing no work. Plus the legal fees which I'm sure were in the mid 6 figure range. Tip of the iceberg!!!

Fri Jun 5, 2009 at 2:53 PMBy: Jessica Jones CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting to Leadership vacuum
You make the point that it should be the LEADERSHIP" leading the troops to victory" A good point, but the leadership of the school is the SCHOOL DELEGATE. If there is apathy at the school level, it is because the delegate is not taking his/her responsibility seriously. A delegate who cannot motivate the faculty and staff is a delegate who is all mouth and no action. Don't blame it on the officers. They are not the substitute for a poor delegate.

Sat Jun 6, 2009 at 2:19 AMBy: George N Schmidt CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting "...Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federations of Teachers, said Arne Duncan's focus on the worst schools was "the right strategy". What does Marilyn Stewart think? P.S.- Wells High School a "Fresh Start" school is really about to get a "fresh start", when their staff will be looking for new jobs in the fall of 2010!..." (retired principal, yesterday).

None of the major sellout programs that are being promoted in the name of the Chicago Teachers Union by Marilyn Stewart has been submitted to the House of Delegates and membership for a vote.

One of the reasons why Stewart has avoided House meetings for the past two years (basically, since she lied about the House vote on August 31, 2007 when the contract was brought in the Friday of Labor Day weekend) is that she wants to continue ruling the union by executive order, just as the mayor tries to run Chicago (and certainly CPS) that way. Almost the day after Stewart won here second term in May 2007, she joined Arne Duncan to announce the union's support of merit pay (at the time the program now called "TAP" was called "REAL"). Her support for the merit pay thing has been continuous since then. In December 2008, she proudly pranced across the stage at Wentworth with Mayor Daley, Margaret Spellings (then U.S. Secretary of Education), Arne Duncan (soon to be U.S. Secretary of Education) and others when the first merit pay checks were given out.

Stewart's presence there was an endorsement of the merit pay piece of the Daley (now also, Obama) agenda.

But Stewart had never put the program before the House and membership, in any form. She simply claims that because she is the "CEO" of CTU she can do anything.

The same is true of "Fresh Start." The originator of Fresh Start, a guy named Dal Lawrence from Toledo, Ohio, was featured at a CTU press conference in February 2008 -- two days before the Board voted to reconstitute Orr and Harper high schools and Copernicus, Fulton, Howe and Morton elementary schools. They call it "turnaround," but at the Board Report it's reconstitution because Illinois doesn't have a legal thingy called "turnaround" -- and only reconstitution can result in the firing of tenured teachers, principals, and all other staff). At Stewart's press conference, she promoted "Fresh Start" and Dal Lawrence bragged that he had had a hand in firing more "bad teachers" (as a result of the union work he did in Ohio) than all the superintendents in Ohio combined.

Marilyn's collaboration in the closing and reconstitution of those schools is also a matter of record. When the Board voted (on February 27, 2008) to turnaround those schools, Marilyn wasn't even at the Board meeting.

Flash forward to July 2008. Marilyn Stewart's local is hosting the national convention of the American Federation of Teachers. Part of the build up to the main stuff at the convention is hoopla on behalf of "Fresh Start" in Chicago (it was even included in the introductory video), even though Fresh Start has never been debated and approved in the House of Delegates. Again, CEO rules.

The only thing that's changed in the House of Delegates since January has been that there are more delegates recently elected from the schools who are no longer willing to take this kind of nonsense.

As a result, Stewart cancelled the March meeting (just as she had cancelled the October meeting)

Then she filled the April meeting with a media event. That was the puffery about organizing the charter schools, which leaves out her refusal to lobby to abolish the Amendatory Act in Springfield, a change that would allow the charters to join CTU rather than have to jump through these stupid hoops being established by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board. Of course, the only media there were Substance (me, mostly) and WBEZ (Linda Lutton). But all that BS was enough to keep the House from meeting in April, 2009.

Finally, by May 2009, she had to hold a meeting or two. But because most of those meetings were on mandatory business (the budget), she was able to avoid even mentioning all the things she had dumped from the agenda beginning with her re-election in May 2007. The delegates had to focus on the budget and, at the special meeting, only on the topics for which the meeting had been called.

In the past, the only thing that's forced the union's leadership to stop this kind of nonsense has been massive direct action, or a lawsuit. Nearly ten years ago, the local courts held that CTU members have a contract with the union and have certain rights based on that fact.

Anyway, below is the reality of the House of Delegates now that the final meeting of the 2008-2009 school year has taken place as of June 3, 2009.

September 2008. Meeting held. Adjourned early on motion from Marilyn's people.

October 2008. Cancelled by Marilyn Stewart. No meeting held in October.

November 2008. Meeting adjourned early after quorum call.

December 2008. Meeting adjourned early after quorum call by UPC.

January 2009. Meeting adjourned early after quorum call by UPC.

February 2009. No meeting.

March 2009. No meeting.

April 2009. Meeting held, but taken over with a media event until 6:00 which filled the stage with people praising the unionizing work at one charter school (CICS) and three "campuses." Meeting adjourned after a quorum call.

May 2009. Meeting held, discusses budget. Marilyn's faction flips the vote on a key motion, but a division of the House proves her people had lied and the motion goes to the other side on a count.

Mid-May 2009. Special meeting at Dunbar. Marilyn rules the meeting can't do any business because of lack of a quorum.

June 2009. Marilyn's faction packs the meeting with delegates appointed by Marilyn's field reps. Attacks on democracy continue, but two attempts to remove delegates from the House are beaten back when dozens of delegates rise up to support their fellow delegates. Marilyn refuses to divide the House for the key vote on the budget (why? it would have enabled her opponents to see all of the "delegates" who were voting for her side in one place and ask where the heck they all came from!).

You didn't know that Marilyn Stewart has been appointing delegates from the schools? Pay closer attention.

Enough for one night...

Sat Jun 6, 2009 at 7:21 PMBy: Danny CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting If you made it through his novella above, George S- lists this term's House of Delegates meetings:

January 2009. Meeting adjourned early after quorum call by UPC.

February 2009. No meeting.

March 2009. No meeting.

Unfortunately, he's not quite right. (Ahem.)

Actually, the House of Delegates did meet in February (the 18th). Since the terms of all delegates (excepting Executive Board) expired in January and new elections had to be held, the February meeting was a mass swearing-in ceremony.

He should have remembered that because due to the lateness of VIP Jesse White, we were twice sworn-in.

Makes you wonder how many other details George has gotten wrong.

Sun Jun 7, 2009 at 1:23 AMBy: John Whitfield extrinsic motivation, no !, Jessica It is a mistaken notion young one, that the school Delegate motivates the school staff / faculty, not to sound condescending. Just as it is a mistaken notion that teachers motivate students, as much as we would like to take credit for it. The extrinsic devices that teachers and administrators use for control, as well as other techniques, are largely ineffective., and in fact might well produce a cluster of symptons that may be described as "burnout". The rank n' file will feel the vibes you provide by choosing the right battle, getting your advice from the most veteran of your staff members, etc. Then "intrinsic motivation" will come about, as the staff will pick up on what your doing.
Try thinking about these three components of motivation: collaboration, content, and choice while contemplating bringing quality to the workplace, or to the the classroom for that matter.
Again what we should NOT be asking ourselves is: How do you motivate people?" Like students hungry to make sense of their world, our colleagues are hungry to make sense of what "unionism" means. In that sense our colleagues will generally exhibit an abundance of motivation, and will step up to the challenge when the situation presents itself.
To think "How do I get these instructors motivated" misreads the nature of motivation , and operates within a paradigm of control, the very thing that is the death to motivation.
If you haven't realized that I am quoting Alfie Kohn's research to a large extent here, you haven't read him.
In his "Case against competition" "Why we lose in our race to win", if you applied what he says to the house meetings, it wouldn't say much for the caucuses competing for control of the CTU leadership, while union busting lingers in our midst.
I would hope that "CORE" just might stay above that fray, as CSDU, with now a new beginning, seems to be doing. After all, Stewart and other CTU leaders were out there in the zero degree weather just months ago, protesting with you over the school closings.
That came from "intrinsic motivation" that they felt over the issues, as much as CORE might want to take credit for "motivating them".
Peace to all of you.

Sun Jun 7, 2009 at 2:48 PMBy: John W. I HEAR YOU "CORE" It is fully understood why the former "Safety & Security", CTU person says what he does about our Prez., having had his highly valued research thrown into the trash bins, a man who risked his life at Bowen working with their security, while teaching English on top of it. Both one of CORE's top advisors and I attended the appellate court to witness his hearing after publishing the "not so good Case exams", and we were given a symbolic Susan B. Anthony silver dollar for attending, only to have his case go on to the Supreme Court. I went to the micro. at a Bd. of Ed. meeting to speak on the editor / teacher's behalf, and invited him to a GDC meeting to see what the General Defense Committee of the IWW could do for him. This was before I again became a delegate. That is what we need is one big, revolutionary IWW type union, not bickering caucuses that steal the precious needed time at the house meetings. Time we need to solve the problems we are confronted with at our schools, from age discrimination, to other types of it, to teachers being harassed, etc. I once held up a sign during the Prez. Debates when Thomas Reece was speaking: "Four years of toxic fumes at Chavez", as UPC did not move on it as quickly as they should have. So I went public, and the board retaliated against me, finally ending in a "whistleblower / 1rst amendment settlement. There is a local dictatorship running this city, and if the editor feels that the Prez. Is part of it, you can understand why, having been displaced from his CTU position without a justifiable reason, only for the CTU to have to write him a check for winning that battle. As it is fully understood, while some that were formerly with PACT left to help in the founding of CORE, after being told to "get out if you don't like it", during those long ago contract negotiations. Their voices should have been respected, when the then Walsh leadership should have respected their voices. "I am just a "Voice in the Wilderness", and have not aligned myself yet with anyone, which is why the day before the invasion of Iraq, before the first micro session started, no one surrounded me to prevent PACT from removing me from the house meeting for singing "Study War no More", even though there was a radio blaring in front of the house meeting, and it was not yet 4 o'clock. I went peacefully and so no press even in Substance about this. But that is okay. I hope it keeps raking up all the other muck and putting it into perspective.
As for CSDU, before I put my button on, I will hear them out. For right now, though it is a year away, it would seem to me that PACT has the upper hand in "rank n file" vote getting, given all the splits, etc. Good luck to all of you however.
"For one big union".

Sun Jun 7, 2009 at 9:38 PMBy: PACT??? CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting You've got to be kidding if you think PACT is anything more than the leader and her stawarts. A young guy and a couple of "politically correct" types and a bunch of retirees. The former president is tainted and doesn't have a chance if she doesn't pass the baton. You need to check out some of the other caucuses before you pass judgement.

Mon Jun 8, 2009 at 12:16 AMBy: jessica jones CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting As I understand it, there was a call for a quorum from Ray Wohl(?) BEFORE your lamendment could be voted on. Since there was no quorum, the meeting was disbanded and no vote was taken.

Also, I belileve your request on PAC was an interruption of the proceedings and the parliamentarian declared you out of order. In view of this, I guess there would be nothing to respond to.

Mon Jun 8, 2009 at 3:24 AMBy: George N Schmidt CORE "Twitters" Delegates' Meeting "...Actually, the House of Delegates did meet in February (the 18th). Since the terms of all delegates (excepting Executive Board) expired in January and new elections had to be held, the February meeting was a mass swearing-in ceremony..." Danny, Saturday, correcting my description of how the House of Delegates has been undermined this school year.

An accurate accounting of the CTU House of Delegates since August 2004 is very important, now more than ever, for both local and national policy. The contemptible inaccuracy (and ludicrous censorship) of the official Chicago Teachers Union's version of events (especially as rendered at www.ctunet.com) is hugely important.

Danny's right about that detail. So very what?

Now we're faced with what I'd call the 'Wikipedia Paradox.'

Where to find accurate information?

You would think that the Chicago Teachers Union's Web site (www.ctunet.com) would at least be accurate in regards meetings of the House of Delegates during the past 12 or 24 months. Sadly, while that spot in Cyberspace as a few things right, so much is distorted that it is not a reliable source for much of anything.

The discussion here involves serious questions, as well as relatively trivial ones, and much rests on the credibility of the present owners and "CEO" of the CTU.

For example, since last summer, the CTU Quest Center's "Fresh Start" program has gone national. As a pseudo-"mentoring" program for teachers who supposedly need refreshing (we used to have sabbaticals for that, by the way) it is getting a lot of attention. Furthermore, CTU pushed it as the alternative to the school closings two days before the Board meeting in February 2008 that voted to close ("consolidate," phase out; "turnaround," etc.) dozens of schools.

Then, in July 2008, the American Federation of Teachers launched Fresh Start as a national thingy. So, at this point it is cited (when anyone asks) as an example of how Arne Duncan and "the unions" cooperated, part of the "Why Arne Duncan?' narrative that (last Tuesday) reached page one of The New York Times.

But Fresh Start was never submitted to the CTU House of Delegates or membership for complete review and debate. The only place the members can actually find the Fresh Start materials is by navigating through the CTU Web site to Quest, and then reading the PDF of the Fresh Start agreement between Duncan (and CPS) and Marilyn Stewart (and CTU). The document was actually signed off on several years ago! But there is nothing in the record of the CTU to indicate that it ever went before the House in its full form, for a full debate.

The same is true of "TAP", which is now one of the other toxic national assets that has taken on life outside of Chicago courtesy of the Duncan appointment (and The New York Times and Washington Post). TAP begins with a $26 million U.S. Department of Education grant to Chicago for merit pay. It morphs by May 2007 into a thing jointly sponsored by Marilyn Stewart and CPS. Stewart spoke at a press conference on the program (then called something other than TAP) on the Monday after her May 2007 re-election to the CTU presidency.

But no form of merit pay, TAP or otherwise, was ever submitted to the CTU House of Delegates for complete review and thorough debate. Nevertheless, like "turnaround," and "Fresh Start," it's now being cited, by the U.S. Department of Education, as a model of management-labor cooperation and a successful model for the nation.

Finally, to complete CTU's relationship to the radical agenda of the Obama administration, there are charter schools. In October 2008, those who were paying attention discovered that the President of the Chicago Teachers Union had endorsed the charter school concept (actually, "Renaissance 2010" and "New Schools") by joining with Local 73 of SEIU to create a "new school" to be opened on the West Side of Chicago as a (presumably) contract school jointly operated by IFT (Quest?), SEIU, and some university.

But Marilyn Stewart's support for that was in her incarnation as the ($100,000 per year) Secretary Treasurer of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) -- not as President of the CTU. That deft maneuver gets CTU in bed with the Board and Illinois charter schools (or at least "New Schools") people.

And, again, it was never submitted to or debated by the people elected from the Chicago schools (i.e., the delegates) nor by the members themselves.

So...

Details may be important, but when the question of the February meeting of the CTU House of Delegates is finally resolved, there are, as I've noted (and many others here are noting) the bigger questions of the Mega Programs that CTU is credited with joining with Arne Duncan on: Fresh Start; TAP; and charter (contract, "new schools") schools.

Not one of those now nationally important projects was every approved by the members of delegates of the Chicago Teachers Union after an informed debate anywhere.

The are in effect the edicts of the "CEO" of the Chicago Teachers Union, with enormous national (and international) implications for teachers and democratic public schools everywhere.

Had the conflicts between CPS and CTU (and democratic public schooling) been evident prior to this year, Arne Duncan's credibility as a pseudo-centrist alternative to the Bush programs would have been undermined. Because Duncan was given credibility by two people -- Marilyn Stewart in Chicago and Randi Weingarten in New York and Washington, D.C. -- the people who support public schools (and oppose Wall Street and DLC programs from merit pay to attacks on tenure to charter schools) are at a loss to even begin joining the debate. The simplistic talking points repeat the "fact" that Duncan (and the most controversial policies of the Obama administration) has the support of the "unions" -- both before he was appointed and since.

Can it be possible to overstate the historical significance of these realities? I don't think so. And while the details continue to be significant (and "Danny" will continue to troll for slight inaccuracies -- and probably typos -- here), the overriding fact is that the national policies now being forced on every state in the USA come out of lies that were first told and repeated here in Chicago.