by admin | Feb 15, 2016 | Government, History, Political philosophy, Religion
Back in the Great Depression, amid the New Deal, when the Republican Party was the very face of the Establishment, a good-natured, lasso-twirling Oklahoma humorist named Will Rogers quipped, “I belong to no organized political party. I am a Democrat.” To some extent,...
by admin | Jan 26, 2016 | Disaster, Disaster policy, Floodplain management, Government, Public policy, Public safety, Resilience, Urban Planning, Wildfire
Across the United States of America, about one in five people live under the rules and structures of some sort of private association that governs common property interests. These can be condominium associations, homeowners associations, or similar entities that are...
by admin | Nov 29, 2015 | Activism, Books, Chicago, Civil rights, Government, Immigration, Public safety, Racism
Over the years, I have met some types of people who, strangely in my opinion, have believed that anger is unbecoming for a Christian. Most people understand that there is a place for anger in our lives, although it needs to be tempered with judgment and compassion....
by admin | Jul 8, 2015 | Books, Chicago, Economic development, Education, Government, Political philosophy
A very curious op-ed article appeared Monday (July 6) in the Chicago Tribune. Tom Geoghegan, best known as a liberal lawyer who represents labor unions, made a plea for more taxes. Not just any taxes for any reason, but “Tax me, please, so Illinois can compete.” Let...
by admin | Jun 21, 2015 | Civil rights, Government, History, Public safety, Racism, Religion
Less than three weeks ago, on June 2, a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus mysteriously crashed a red light on Lake St. during the evening rush hour, jumped the curb on the eastern side of Michigan Ave., and killed one pedestrian while injuring several others. The...
by admin | Jun 2, 2015 | Climate, Disaster, Disaster policy, Government, Resilience, Urban Planning
Two years ago, in June 2013, I participated in a day-long meeting in New York hosted by the Regional Plan Association (RPA) and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, helping explore the coastal policy implications of Hurricane Sandy. These two organizations were...
