Rahm's priorities

“I’m not making the case that people hate Rahm right now, but they have clearly shifted their thinking. His negative job performance ratings are where the most precipitous movement is.’’ -- Daniel Gotoff of Lake Research Partners

My hat's off to the 7 out of 48 City Council members (I hope they don't find a horse head n their beds) who dared to vote against the mayor's $7.2 billion Infrastructure Trust scam. That's the one where the city borrows billions of dollars from Rahm's billionaire pals, like (Bill Daley's J.P. Morgan bank) who get a healthy return on their investment from the taxpayers. That way Rahm doesn't have to look like he's raising taxes. Paying back the loans is different -- get it? Brilliant!

The money can be spent, with little or no oversight, on any project the mayor wishes. It's what the Sun-Times calls, Rahm's Trust Me Plan. You can bet on one thing. All those projects will put big profits into the hands of those same pals. They make out coming and going.

It all depends on Rahm's priorities. And what are his priorities? I'm guessing mental health care infrastructure is not one of them.

So far this , dozens have been arrested trying to save the city's few remaining mental health clinics.

"Where are our priorities? The clinic closings are already a disaster," Horace Howard, a client of the clinic for the past six years who arrested Monday, said in a statement. "We tried to become a part of the process, but the city refuses to give us access. Mayor Emanuel doesn't want to be a public servant, he would rather that private companies run this city." -- Huffington

Speaking of arrests, school-based arrests appear to be Chicago's current version of school reform:

Posted inside Chicago high school

[The student group] VOYCE says police made 2,546 school-based arrests between September 2011 and February 2012, according to data supplied by the civil rights organization Advancement Project. The VOYCE analysis pointed out that the arrestees included three 9-year-olds, eight 10-year-olds, and 17 children who were age 11. Of those arrested, 75 percent (1,915) were African-American, 21 percent (540) were Latino and 3 percent (75) were white. -- Catalyst

This must be what former schools boss Ron Huberman meant by Culture of Calm.

Autocrat Rahm apparently has already succeeded in polarizing the community. Latest polls show his approval ratings tumbling faster than an alderman's drawers. Forty-seven percent of likely voters polled in late March rated Emanuel’s job performance as “poor’’ or “just fair”— 16 percent more than did so in August.

A big reason for the drop --the schools. Chicago Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard’s job performance was viewed as “just fair” or “poor” by 44 percent — twice as many as those who rated him favorably.

Maybe Rahm can rent-a-poll taker like he rents protesters.

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Aside from their $7.2 billion windfall, the machine boys can also celebrate Fast Eddie V's return to the streets after doing less than a year in the joint. Yes Fast Eddie's back in town. Let the good times roll!