Illinois’ Bizarro World politics.
“We don’t want nobody nobody sent,” is the old Chicago Democratic Machine response to newcomers who are trying to get their foot in the door for a job or political office.
It means, “Get lost.”
Paul Vallas is no newcomer to Illinois. Before Arne Duncan there was Paul Vallas.
But we don’t want nobody sent.
I thought the speculation that Squeezy would pick Linda Chapa LaVia made political sense, promoting her to the highest state political spot held by a Latina.
But this?
It only makes sense as an inside job. In the byzantine world of Illinois politics a decision like this is all about screwing somebody and paying back somebody else. And it’s too early to figure who is getting screwed and who is getting paid back.
Oh. Teachers are getting screwed. That we know.
And so it begs the questions: What will the teachers unions – the IEA, the IFT and the CTU – do now?
How far will they bend over to endorse a Democrat?
Even an Illinois Bizarro World Democrat with Paul Vallas as a running mate?
To many it is a stick in the eye.
It seems to be pay-back.
The question is to who and for what?
UPDATE: Capitalfax:
Gov. Pat Quinn has selected Paul Vallas, who ran for governor in 2002 and lost in the Democratic primary. Vallas has talked about giving politics a try again on several occasions, and four years ago, he told host Jeff Berkowitz on the Public Affairs cable TV show that he’s now a Republican.
VALLAS: “I would take a Republican primary ballot.”
BERKOWITZ: “Do you think of yourself as a Republican?”
VALLAS: “I’m more of a Republican than a Democrat.”
BERKOWITZ: “If you run again for office you’d be running as a Republican?”
VALLAS: “I would, yes, yes.”
Rich Miller also reports that Obama’s man, Davied Axelrod, applauded the decision.
Fred Klonsky 
I suspect the teachers unions will continue to try and “make nice” and support Quinn and Vallas. I’m sure Quinn is counting on us to do what we ALWAYS do…support the least objectionable candidate. I am tired of the “there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies argument.” It’s time to quit contributing to those who don’t support us – we don’t HAVE to give our money to anyone… We don’t have to fund our own demise.
ENDORSE NO ONE!
Unbelievable. What on earth is causing this Democratic Party war on teachers and state employees?
Vallas always seems to turn up somewhere and in reality he’s everyone’s leftovers. Republican or Democrat his stances are not union worthy, and I wonder why it’s so hard for unions to take a principled stand. I had never heard that expression ” no permanent friends and no permanent enemies.” That could mean in a practical sense but certainly not in an ideological one. Let’s work togetherism is rather restricted when your enemies are out to do away with you.
How does he claim that he lives in the state of Illinois?
This state has far surpassed the moniker Bizarro.
I thus declare it be known–forevermore–by the name ILLAnnoy, as in all of the beyond annoying politicians and their ilk are making all of us ILL.
It’s not really too hard to figure out the shenanigans here–we already know that most of our professed Dems are REALLY (just like Paul) Republicans. Also, Paul simply has to have a JOB–to be unemployed (tossed-out-by-Bridgeport-Connecticut)–like so many, many other ILLAnnoy residents, simply won’t do for our Paul. And–why shouldn’t he be able to relax in a non-job (but one that pays so well!)? He’s worked his fingers to the bone, what with his “fixing” of the schools in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Haiti (did he open some charter schools there among the people sleeping in the streets? Ka-ching for those charter operators! OR–are Haitian schoolchildren {if there are, in fact, any} taking high-stakes “standardized” tests sold by Pearson?) and Bridgeport.
C’mon, ILLAnnoysians–he has earned a well-deserved ( and well-paying) rest!
Time for the unions to band together and run candidates, not only for the governor’s mansion, but also the legislature. Anything less is just stupidity.
Pat Quinn was in danger of having the CTU sit out the last election, but Karen Lewis realized that the alternative then to Quinn was Brady — and we would have been near to being a Wisconsin.
So in early October, after a previous “no endorsement”, the CTU House of Delegates voted to endorse Quinn. Karen led that change, and I helped her with it
The last-minute CTU endorsement (and infusion of people and funds) was one of the reasons why Quinn won. Remember, he only won two (or perhaps three) counties out of the 101 in Illinois, and even Quinn will admit he won Cook County because of the “teacher vote.”
So now he has basically insulted all of us in Chicago’s schools and in the CTU.
There is no way the CTU’s 800-member House of Delegates will vote to support Quinn or spend any money on his re-election now that he had _______ (utilize your own creative metaphor for this excrement filled action on Quinn’s part) on our faces.
The real hit is to the newly revitalized CTU PAC fund. Last Wednesday we had done a lot to begin to convince delegates to up contributions to the PAC — and to take that message to the schools. During the two days after that House of Delegates meeting, most delegates didn’t have the time to go around and push PAC.
Once the Vallas news came out by noon on Friday, the negative reaction from the CTU delegates and rank-and-file was unanimous.
It will take some time for the union leadership to make it clear to the membership that our money won’t be going to Paul Vallas — or to “Quinn/Vallas.”
But given the number of people we want to elect, we can find lots of use for well organized political action. I live in Chicago’s 45th Ward (John Arena, alderman), and already Rahm has his candidate against John (see the blog “45th Ward Mom” — that’s Rahm’s candidate). But until it’s clear that not one penny of union money will go to Paul Vallas, I suspect that the PAC funds will be slow. Once it’s clear, then we can rebuild.
George: How do you feel about the Republican candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor? Most of them don’t believe public workers should be allowed to organize. They’d let us join Wisconsin and Indiana and the other “right-to-work” states.
I’ll fight for Quinn/Vallas over any of those clowns, any day.