April Fool's Day Comes Early for the Tribune

The Chicago Tribune continues its quest for the most idiotic paper in the country. I saw this story headline in today's edition and laughed out loud:

"City agrees to ban patronage"

Did you ever hear anything as stupid in your life? Chicago, the City founded on machine politics, doing away with the political currency of patronage. We're talking about a city which has been run by a father and son for 39 out of the last 52 years.

Daley has Chicago so firmly in his grasp that I did not realize he had been re-elected this month until after the election was over. Think about it, this is the third largest city in the United States. You can't turn on the news without hearing about Obama, Hillary, Guliana, McCain, et al, even though the presidential election is not for 18 months. But, here in Chicago, the election of the City's chief executive is such a foregone conclusion that the "campaign" isn't even news! I don't even know who, if anyone, ran against him!*

Patronage is how Daley rewards his friends and punishes his enemies. Saying the City is banning patronage is like saying an addict has voted to give up his vice. Usually, the only person their fooling is themselves. Except in this case, the "addict" also managed to convince the useful idiots over at the Tribune.

* I just checked the Chicago Board of Elections site. Two people "ran" against Daley: William Walls got 8% of the vote; Dorothy Brown got 20%. Daley won with 71% of the vote. Incredible.