[Rhodes22-list] Politics: How 'Bout That Bill Effros?

Tue Dec 30 19:36:25 EST 2008

Bill,

Just an interesting aside, Centralia is the closest community near my
hometown that has a black population.  That is where my brother used
to go to fill minority set-asides on 'gubment' projects.  Mostly he
(and every other contractor) just built the 10% set-aside into the
cost of the project and passed it on to the taxpayer and did the work
themselves.  Burris' law firm specialized in minority set-asides.  I
don't hold that against him.  He wasn't like Jessie Jackson and shook
companies down.  As far as I can tell, he's a straight-up ethical
player.  That might explain why he didn't go any further in Illinois
politics.

Yeah, the non-feather Indian is concentrated on saving his ass.  So is
everyone else.

Got popcorn?

Brad

On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 6:20 PM, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
> Brad,
>
> As you well know, these guys play spikes-up hardball.
>
> Eliot Spitzer resigned 3 days after they leaked that he was "Client
> Number 9".  What he did was barely illegal, and probably couldn't have
> been prosecuted anyhow.
>
> Fitzpatrick first indicted Rezko and implicated Blago and Obama 1 month
> before Blago's second term election.  Didn't stop Blago.  Didn't stop
> Obama from endorsing Blago.
>
> I'm not sure Blago committed a crime with regard to selling the Senate
> seat.  If he did, Obama and Rahm Emanuel are also in trouble for
> misprision.  The story about not knowing Blago was insisting on pay to
> play won't hold up.  Please remember that Jesse Jackson Jr. was one of
> Obama's very early supporters, always mentioned on the short list to get
> his seat.  Jackson's Indian (with a dot) emissary has already let it be
> known that he is prepared to tell everything he knows.
>
> I still think Fitz was merely trying to send a message to Obama--"Don't
> even THINK of firing me!"
>
> We'll see how that plays out. Fitz loves to amend his indictments,
> adding names as he rolls up underlings.  Talk about high-stakes poker!
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Brad Haslett wrote:
>> Bill,
>>
>> Give Blago credit, he is crafty.  I like this guy Burris already, he
>> sure looks good on paper.  Burris grew up in Centralia, about 30 miles
>> where I did and graduated from SIU, my first college. Based on his age
>> and the times, you can't say he didn't earn everything he achieved.
>> He's no affirmative action candidate for sure.  I know my parents will
>> be happy to have someone with downstate roots as their Senator.  But
>> again, what a crafty move on Blago's part.  It would be totally unfair
>> to Mr. Burns to deny him a seat in the US Senate.
>>
>> Brad
>>
>> On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 3:09 PM, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Wally,
>>>
>>> Did you notice that Blagojevich just selected someone to serve as
>>> Senator from the State of Illinois?
>>>
>>> The person is black, a Democrat, qualified, and in no way connected (as
>>> far as we know) to the issue of "selling Obama's Senate seat."
>>>
>>> However, the Democrats have backed themselves into a corner of
>>> Fitzpatrick's making.  They have called Blagojevich (the duly twice
>>> elected, un-indicted, Governor of the State of Illinois) a liar, and a
>>> crook--and they have said they will not honor any of his legally
>>> performed duties based on their decision that whatever it is Fitzpatrick
>>> has charged, (and the wiretaps he has illegally disclosed) are as good
>>> as convictions as far as they are concerned.  IN THIS CASE (please read
>>> the words carefully) the accusation is as good as a conviction.
>>>
>>> Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Blogojevich were named as un-indicted co-schemers
>>> IN THIS CASE.  Mr. Fitzpatrick has charged that both participated in a
>>> giant "pay to play" scheme in the State of Illinois, and he warned the
>>> whole nation that "The defendants and their associates put the word out
>>> loud and clear: YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY IN ILLINOIS."
>>>
>>> Mr. Obama is one of the named defendants IN THIS CASE.  The FBI had him
>>> under surveillance even before he became a Senator.  They produced
>>> photographs of Obama attending meetings he said never happened.
>>> Informants described bribes paid to Obama, and the FBI tracked the
>>> payments right into Obama's bank accounts--the same way they tracked
>>> Eliot Spitzer's prostitute payments.
>>>
>>> What will the Democrats say about Mr. Obama's decisions when he is drawn
>>> into this case?  Just another "bone-headed play?"
>>>
>>> What will you say?
>>>
>>> When Mr. Fitzpatrick called Mr. Blagojevich a liar and crook last May, I
>>> believed him.  When Mr. Fitzpatrick said Mr. Obama was also a liar and a
>>> crook I believed him also.
>>>
>>> Do you believe Fitzpatrick?  Or not?
>>>
>>> Bill Effros
>>>
>>> TN Rhodey wrote:
>>>
>>>> Bill,Get a freaking clue and get off your high horse. Take your own advice
>>>> and be careful. I have not called anybody a racist. I did not even vote for
>>>> Obama. Do you think I am calling my self a racist? Your assumptions about me
>>>> are based on your own ignorance and bias. Play the race card with some one
>>>> who gives a shit. Do you just make stuff up as you go?
>>>>
>>>> I gathered from your dozens (hundreds) of anti O post you hated him. You
>>>> have called him a liar, crook and a racist. So now you claim you do not hate
>>>> him. Ok if you say so. I guess you are showing tough love. Frankly I don't
>>>> care. I didn't vote for O.
>>>>
>>>>  Pat B has some good ideas and plenty of bad ones. . Mostly I think his
>>>> international views are idiotic. I am sure he has a decent IQ.
>>>>
>>>>  Every time you bring race up it makes me wonder why.  So ask your self why
>>>> you responded to MY post with your race implications? Who is guilty of
>>>> making assumptions? Frankly Bill your response to me was way off base. Race
>>>> didn't have anything to do with any of my post.You are confused  and  also
>>>> an idiot  if you think other wise.Were you confused?
>>>>
>>>> Oh yeah.....I don't think Israel is over reacting.
>>>>
>>>> Wally
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 12:59 PM, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Wally,
>>>>>
>>>>> Be careful of falling into propaganda stereotypes.  First, anyone who
>>>>> disagreed with Obama's candidacy was a racist.  Now, it has become
>>>>> "obvious you hate".
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't "hate" Mr. Obama, so my personal feelings toward him are, by
>>>>> definition, not obvious.
>>>>>
>>>>> Brad, and I, and countless others--including many Obama supporters at
>>>>> the highest levels--warned the Obama transition team not to permit the
>>>>> perception of a policy vacuum to encourage world-wide complication of
>>>>> United States foreign policy objectives.  Mr. Obama had no compunctions
>>>>> about stating his views on foreign policy prior to his election--in fact
>>>>> he ran on the platform of repudiating Mr. Bush's foreign policy, and
>>>>> telling the whole world he would reverse that policy in virtually every
>>>>> area--including Israel.
>>>>>
>>>>> Mr. Obama has repeatedly violated his "one president at a time" mantra
>>>>> when it suits him, most obviously in the domestic economic policy
>>>>> sphere, where he is dictating the bills he wants on his desk the moment
>>>>> he is inaugurated.
>>>>>
>>>>> I disagree with Mr. Buchanan on many many things, but an "idiot" he is
>>>>> not.  He is smart, principled, consistent, and a much better scholar of
>>>>> American history than I, and most other Americans.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do now, and have long agreed with his consistent position that
>>>>> supporting Israeli attacks on civilian populations comports with neither
>>>>> our goals nor our values.
>>>>>
>>>>> Obama's silence on this matter at this time will hurt him and us
>>>>> strategically and morally.  We have allowed Israeli politics to trump
>>>>> our own national interests.  One could easily interpret Team Obama's
>>>>> silence in the same way we interpreted Team Bush's silence on the
>>>>> aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
>>>>>
>>>>> Lives are being lost right now.  Good will is being flushed down the
>>>>> toilet.  The voices of peace and reconciliation are being drowned out
>>>>> both by the belligerence of those on the right, and the silence of those
>>>>> on the left.
>>>>>
>>>>> Winning elections is not supposed to be the end of imposing your values
>>>>> on the political sphere, it is supposed to be the beginning.
>>>>>
>>>>> Bill Effros
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> TN Rhodey wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Bill, I suppose he could say that but shouldn't Bush speak for the US? I
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> am
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> not sure if I agree with Pat. Bush's mouth piece has come out in support
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> of
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> the action. For Obama to come out against would be counter productive. It
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> is
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> obvious you hate O. Your advice seems foolish. I would advise him the
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> exact
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> opposite.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think Pat B is an idiot.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Wally
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 11:38 AM, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Wally,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Here is what Pat Buchanan has to say on this issue:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "While the United States must support Israel's right to defend her towns
>>>>>>> and to strike bases from which Israelis are being attacked, Obama should
>>>>>>> denounce the collective punishment of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza,
>>>>>>> by Israel's cutting off their electricity in the dead of winter and
>>>>>>> denying them the food and medicine many need to survive.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For us to remain silent in the face of this comports neither with our
>>>>>>> interests or our values. Israel's policy of withholding from the weak
>>>>>>> and innocent of Gaza, women and children, the necessities of life, to
>>>>>>> punish the guilty who rule at the point of a gun, is a policy that Obama
>>>>>>> should declare the United States will no longer support with tax
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>> dollars."
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>> To paraphrase another part of the same article, "Obama can't just sit
>>>>>>> mute at the table like the 'dummy' in a game of bridge."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Bill Effros
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> TN Rhodey wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Bill, What should Obama be doing? Should he fly to Crawford and join
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>> Bush
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>> on
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> vacation? Perhaps go Grouse hunting with Dick C.? Heck what should Bush
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> do?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The only control we have over Israel is money. They will do as they
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> please.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If Hanas attacks they will respond. Rightly so. It would be hard fo use
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> be critical of this considering our attack on Iraq.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I think Israel is itching to fight and if Hamas continues to provoke
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>> they
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>> will get pounded even worse. The last Isreali ops in Lebanon did not
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>> have
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>> the normal kick ass results.  I think both Hamas and Hezbollah were
>>>>>>>> emboldened by the poor Israeli tactics.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I suspect Israel will take care of any nuke plants in Iran long before
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>> we
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>> feel the urge.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Do you see it different?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Wally
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Sat, Dec 27, 2008 at 10:50 AM, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Ed,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> 150 people who were alive yesterday morning are dead this morning
>>>>>>>>> because Israel massively attacked Gaza.  That includes women and
>>>>>>>>> children because the Israeli's attacked targets at a time that ensured
>>>>>>>>> civilian casualties.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> They attacked when no one in this country was on the job.  Right now
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>> we
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> have no President at all.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Obama is on both sides of this issue--where are you?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Bill Effros
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Tootle wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Bill:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> He is not President of USA yet.  You want him stirring the pot like
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Captain
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Rummy?  He said that there is only one President at a time.  Calm
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>> down,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> enjoy the holidays.  While the liquor stores are still open go get a
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> bottle
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> of Mt. Gay Rum.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Ed K
>>>>>>>>>> addendum from where there is a lot of snow:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> "Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleded sucess.  A
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> whole,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> clear, glorious life lies before you.  Achieve! Achieve! - Andrew
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Carnegie
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> (borrowed from from the cover of the Pennsylvania Travel Guide.)( I
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> would
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> have expected some of the native Pennsylvanians on this forum to have
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> quoted
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> that.  Where is Ben C, Frone, John S., et al????)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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