Chicago's Democrat Machine Votes Unanimously For Austerity

This is a declaration of war by the 1% against the 99% right here in Chicago. The bill cuts over $400 million out of city services: It shuts down 6 of 12 Chicago Dept of Public Health clinics, it cuts $63 million from Family and Support services (which has already eliminated 63 full-time jobs this year alone), slashes full-time public library staff by 32% (on top of the 10% cuts last year) laying off more than 300 librarians, reduces hours for libraries, makes cuts to firefighter pay and closes fire-stations, etc. Meanwhile Rahm is pushing hard for big tax breaks (e.g. $23 million for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) for the wealthy as well as public transit fare hikes.

If the Occupy movement is for taxing the rich, Rahm is for taxing the poor, cutting services and giving big tax breaks to the 1%. No wonder he spends most of his time fraternizing with millionaires. But let's not forget that he's one of them. Rahm made over $10 million during a brief two-year stint as an investment banker in between being a "public servant" of some sort or other.

The bill passed unanimously. This wasn't hard to see coming, but given the increasing levels of struggle in Chicago, one would have thought that were would at least be some hesitation. The City Coucil, like the rest of the city's government, marches in lock step with the Democrat Machine in general. And of course, when they aren't actually members of the 1% themselves, the leaders of the Machine march to the tune of the 1%. Sure, some of the so-called "progressives" on the City Council like Joe Moore made a few critical remarks before hand to keep up appearances. But in the end, they all voted for 100% of it (just like the infamous parking-meter privatization deal). Cuts, tax breaks for the rich and all. As Moore himself put it, “it's an honest budget." Yes, I agree. It's nothing if not honest. It's a ringing endorsement of the status quo. It's a huge gift to the 1%.