The Chicago Way

In these days of tough economic conditions, it's nice to know that some folks have work.  Take this fine upstanding fellow from Illinois:

Xadrian McCracken may be the poster child of the dysfunction of Illinois government. Fired last year from a state job, McCracken took a senior position in July with the Illinois Department of Corrections, earning $110,000 a year. He secured the position advising on parole policy in spite of a criminal history with "at least" 24 criminal arrests.  

McCracken's criminal history includes arrests for arson, illegal gun possession, attempted robbery, drug possession and aggravated assault. He plead guilty to a weapons charge in 1989 and was found guilty in 1999 for a charge related to domestic battery assault.

He has worked for IL state government since 2000. Prior to that, McCracken had sought to become a Chicago police officer. His application was rejected after a criminal background check. McCracken sued the department, arguing that the background check was racial discrimination.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys threw out McCracken's suit, noting in his ruling that the police background investigation found McCracken to be a known “drug dealer, gang member and supplier of guns to other gang members."

Keys' ruling was in August 2000, the same year McCracken went to work as a child protection worker with the state's Department of Children and Family Services. He has been in and out of state government since then.

Just remember....that's YOUR tax money funding his employment.  And given the lousy state of Illinois finances, you can be sure that federal funds will be there to prop up the corrupt Democratic government.  Word to the wise -- whenever you hear the words "federal funds", that means it's coming from your taxes.  Not some mystical pot of money found in the forest.  And there's no Rumpelstiltskin to spin gold from straw.

But hey...you gotta admit McCracken's got a nice gig at the taxpayer's expense.  After all, that's the Chicago Way.

H/T to Big Government at Breitbart.

Son of Santelli?

Three years ago, Rick Santelli had his famous rant from the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade.  Here's a trip down memory lane.



Now comes a rant from the floor of the Illinois state House of Representatives in Springfield.  Representative Mike Bost let loose during a "we have to pass the bill to find out what's in it" moment.

Long time Democratic power boss, Speaker Mike Madigan, had introduced a "pension reform" bill into the house in the morning.  It passed a quick committee vote and was then rushed to the floor of the Illinois House.  Bost objected to the "business as usual" tactic of ramming bills through the legislature without giving legislators time to digest what they were going to vote on.  This particular bill was several hundred pages long.



First Santelli, now Bost.  Maybe there's something in the water back there.  Whatever it is, I'd love to bottle it and give it every Republican in America.

Hat tip to The Blaze.