CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Question of the day

Re: Question of the day

cool hand claudio — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 12:15:52 -0000

grandfather was a GOP state rep from proviso twp. i recall sitting in his chair on the house floor at age 7, then driving back north in his big black caddy with sec. of state charlie carpentier & president eisenhower's brother (earl?)

first walked precincts in '62 (elmer hoffman for SOS) with my dad, who was on the dupage county board & later ran against pate.

i flipped from R to D in '68. vietnam, bobby, rock & roll.

have since volunteered for, staffed or consulted on about 50 campaigns, mostly lefties, populists, iconoclasts & underdogs. faves: luis davila, holewinski, all 3 of harold's mayorals, orr, joe moore (whose best years are still ahead), harkin, anita cummings, moseley braun, sandra otaka (1st asian american elected to the cook county circuit court), most of quinn's races, lance pressl (i agree with the poster who said pressl would've been a great congressman) & a seattle gig running field for deb senn's senate race.

it's still a blast!

Re: Question of the day

the ole precinct captain — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:45:50 -0000

I got an internship with the City of Chicago during council wars and began working precincts. I eventually joined the local ward org. and got hooked. Also, my Irish upbringing also had something to do with getting involved with politics.

Re: Question of the day

Taxed — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 03:54:23 -0000

I became interested in politics and government after I received my first ever paycheck.

Re: Question of the day

Near West Side — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 03:13:53 -0000

I was born on Election Day! My godmother's dad was Alderman Vito Marzullo.

Re: Question of the day

Daxx — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 01:45:06 -0000

State Rep. Robert Winchester got me involved. Lots has changed since 1982, but then again, no they really haven't.

Re: Question of the day

Establishment Republican — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 01:05:18 -0000

Nobody in my family has ever been involved or particularly interested in politics, although I have a Grandmother who has been a pretty staunch Democrat but I have memories of hearing stories on the tv news or headlines in the paper about campaigns, going all the way back to the 1983 Chicago Mayoral race.

Then, in 1988, when I was 10, I really became interested in following the Presidential campaign, and rooting for the candidacy of George Bush. One of my first memories though was watching the Democrat National Convention and rooting for Dukakis to beat Jesse Jackson, because I had the impression that Jackson did not like Jewish people.

I think I decided back then that I would be a Republican though because of Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties.

So, I basically have been hooked on politics since the age of 10. When I was in Jr. High in 1990, I amazed and probably frightened my classmates and teachers alike by knowing such inane things as the names of the nominees for Comptroller and State Treasurer.

I remember attending my first ever political rally before the 1994 elections in Arlington Heights and it was just thrilling. The entire statewide ticket came on a bus, minus George Ryan and Judy Baar Topinka. I have the whole thing on video and I got to shake hands with Phil Crane.

Re: Question of the day

Bridget Dooley — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 23:58:03 -0000

I agree, it is definitely typical for Irish families to be quite political! My maternal grandparents were lifelong Democrats. My grandfather was a WWII vet who hated war more than anything and never felt it was justified. He was one of the few that survived the USS Indianapolis sinking. He was also an ironworker and very involved in the union.

Both of my parents were hardcore Vietnam war protesters, both members of the SDS, my father in some other more militant groups as well. My father grew up in rural Indiana (KKK country in the civil rights era) with two fundamentalist "Christian" minister grandfathers. He witnessed their hypocrisy with every other word out of their mouths being racial epithets. He took a 180 degree turn from their politics and their religion.

Politics has always been a part of my life. I would say that the first politicians that truly inspired me were the Clintons. I was 14 when Clinton was elected. I was in complete awe over Hillary. She was such a strong personality, so smart, such a leader in her own right. She was much different than any first ladies that I had been familiar with at that point. I remember feeling so upset when people attacked her. I took it personally because I looked up to her.

Re: Question of the day

Ihadit — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:52:14 -0000

When Ted Kennedy called 9-11 a trajedy and Abu Ghraib an atrocity I knew things in the U.S. were upside down. I joined a local state senate campaign and was quickly appointed as precinct committeeman. I'm now elected to that position.

Re: Question of the day

So-Called "Austin Mayor" — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:26:02 -0000

I have no idea but when I was in kindergarden, I said, "When I grow up I'm going to be President like Richard Nixon."

And today -- although I am not the President of the United States -- I am bitter and paranoid.

Re: Question of the day

anonymous — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:17:30 -0000

my whole family--democrats. I argued politics with my high school teachers and joined college democrats. What politician has inspired me the most? Ann Richards. a co-worker gave me a book about her to read, and I became a big fan. I was sorry to hear about her death and can just hope that there will be more women like her in politics

Re: Question of the day

NoGiftsPlease — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:10:04 -0000

Working in and around our own Chicago local governments. As they say, the best theater in chicago is FREE. They don't need any special effects to show you unbelievable things. You may not believe your eyes, but it is all true! That goes without saying for the entire state. There are intertwined story lines, family dramas, secrets running under the currents, mysteries to solve and "to be continued"...at the end of each episode. I always end up wishing I knew more, so it is addictive.

Re: Question of the day

anon — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:31:07 -0000

Eric Wallace. I met him five months ago.

Re: Question of the day

Rex — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:16:29 -0000

My father was a GOP precinct committeeman for 18 years. My father was a disabled veteran and had very limited mobility. I started walking precincts for him when I was 5 years old. I have been involved in politics since.

Re: Question of the day

Bottom Line — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:57:49 -0000

I was on a field trip to the Illinois State Capital with my daughter and there was a Edgar for Governor rally, I couldn't believe the excitement in the air. I had always leaned republican, so I looked up some issues and have followed ever since.

Re: Question of the day

Irish Anon — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:52:21 -0000

It may be an innate irish thing. I grew up talking about current events and politics with my family. My grandfather had been democratic chairman for our county. My dad is a millitary veteran who volunteered to go to vietnam. He always realized the importance of national security and that freedom isn't free. He also realized that by its veering toward liberalism, the democratic party had left him, so he left the democratic party. My earliest political memory was being outraged by Carter's weakness with regard to the Iranian hostage crisis. I was 9 at the time. I remember begging my parents to let me stay up to hear the 1980 election returns. I was 10 by that time. What 10 year old does that?

Re: Question of the day

Beowulf — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:50:15 -0000

As a businessman, I felt I had to walk in the magic middle of everything so you didn't offend any of your customers. It was "simply a good business practice". You never were a Republican nor a Democrat, a Protestant nor a Catholic, etc.

Then one day, my 17 year old daughter said something to me that hit me like a freight train. She said, "Dad, don't you have a passion for something besides your business? Haven't you ever wanted to stand for anything or believe in someone? To let others know how you feel about something?"

She will never know how profoundly she changed the way I was living my life or how I viewed the world? It was, for some unknown reason, a defining moment in my life. I became passionate about what I viewed to be injustices taking place around me to my fellow members of my state and local community. I had experienced and saw corruption take place around me when in business. Yet, I initially tolerated it as simply being the way business and politics and government was conducted in Illinois. I never took part in anything unethical but I also chose to let it happen around me by not wanting to get involved. In 1999, I saw corruption in our business community taking place. I reported it to one of our state of Illinois regulatory agencies. They chose not to do anything about it. Two years later, my prophesy and numerous warnings to this state regulatory agency of fraud and corruption taking place in one of the larger business firms in northern Illinois finally reached the point where the perpetrators of the business fraud that I saw taking place were uncovered by an out-of-state bank that did a surprise audit on the corrupt firm. Thousands of people in Illinois were negatively effected financially, estimates of the losses suffered by people and lending institutions were in excess of $100 million. The FBI became involved in this mini-Enron that took place in Illinois.

The state regulatory agency quickly tried to hide their incompetence by throwing a couple of the bad guys in federal prison. The head of the state agency that allowed this fraud to occur under his watch was quickly and quietly transferred to another state department where Governor Ryan created a newly formed job at over $80,000 per year for him. Other personnel from the state agency that allowed this major fraud to occur under their noses quietly took "early retirements" or were transferred to other state agencies. Yet, none were made accountable for their actions or "lack of actions". It was the normal state governmental reaction of "cover your own ass and don't admit to incompetence or government corruption".

That finally stoked my fire and my passion quota leaped off of the charts. It was unbelievable. That was back about 6 years ago. The passion within me was released and directed at bad government and political corruption. I decided to volunteer to be a precinct committeeman and try to perhaps make a small wound in the beast known as bad government in my state of Illinois.

Re: Question of the day

annon. in central illinois — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:39:56 -0000

From my Dad...a behind the scenes guy who worked with friends on the local races in our community & county.

Re: Question of the day

Angie — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:26:23 -0000

I decided to take some college courses as a returning adult student and realized that the liberals were generally crazy. Upon the realization that there was so much political stuff going on even in courses that were unrelated to some of the topics brought up, I thought to myself, "Gosh, but we had better keep the Marxists out of power."

Fortunately, I'm reading that Gen-X (my generation) trends Rightward, albeit with some more libertarian social views. Thank God.

Re: Question of the day

Ronald Krol — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:19:24 -0000

I started in politics due to Allen Fiore.

Re: Question of the day

Roy Slade — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:18:09 -0000

I had an internship with the local Chamber of Commerce while in college- which put me in contact with both Democrat and Republican legislators. One treated me great- and is still friends with me 20 plus years later. The other was rude and condescending- and promptly got beat two years later. I have been a Republican ever since.

Re: Question of the day

Someone — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:14:58 -0000

Barack Obama.

Re: Question of the day

47th Ward — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:56:14 -0000

One of Pat Hickey's colleagues at Bishop Mac taught an elections class and we had to volunteer on a campaign of our choosing. I chose to work for state rep candidate Chuck Pangel against Ed McBroom, the locally powerful chairman of the Kankakee County GOP.

I spent weeks going door-to-door, stuffing envelopes, answering phones, etc. It was a very close race and when the results were finally in, Pangel won in about the biggest upset in a house race that decade.

Being in the room that night drinking champagne with Chuck, Jerry Joyce, Ray Christiansen and the campaign staff was about the coolest thing in the world for a sixteen year old. I was hooked.

Re: Question of the day

Bill — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:16:13 -0000

Fitzpatrick for alderman, 1967

Re: Question of the day

So Il Gal — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:09:05 -0000

As a child of my stepfather who was a Democratic County Official. I remember having to go to fair after fair, shaking hands and ALOT of smiling! Then walking neighborhoods knocking on doors and asking for the vote. Working in the courthouse, being a Young Democrat. When I moved to Chicago, I worked hard to become a precinct captain. A woman precinct captain...amazing. Loved my precinct.

But, politics got pissy. Payback nearly killed me. And surprizingly, here I am again. Love the game, not nearly as smart or eloquent as you folks. But enjoy being a part of system again.

Good question, Rich.

Re: Question of the day

Disenchanted One — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:00:15 -0000

During an internship at Congressman Jackson's office in 2002. Keep HOPE alive!