Which Aldermen voted 100% with Mayor Daley?

Written by: Sandra Verthein on Jun 2, 2008 8:52 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Northside DFA, Chicago-Goose Island, Loop DFA, Greater Lincoln Park DFA

UIC Political Science Professor Dick Simpson just came out with a new report on Aldermanic voting scores since the 2007 election.  Here's how some of our north side Aldermen scored in a recently released report (percentage reflects agreement on the 13 divided roll call votes in the past year):

- Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward) - 85% agreement with Daley
- Margaret Laurino (39th Ward) - 85% agreement with Daley
- Patrick O'Connor (40th Ward) - 92% agreement with Daley
- Vi Daley (43rd Ward) - 92% agreement with Daley
- Tom Tunney (44th Ward) - 100% agreement with Daley
- Helen Schiller (46th Ward) - 100% agreement with Daley
- Eugene Schulter (47th Ward) - 85% agreement with Daley
- Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward) - 100% agreement with Daley
- Joe Moore (49th Ward) - 38% agreement with Daley
- Bernard Stone (50th Ward) - 67% agreement with Daley

One of those aldermen, political new-comer Scott Waguespack, will be one of our guest speakers at our NDFA meeting this Thursday.  In 2007 Scott defeated 32nd Ward Alderman Ted Matlak, who for years had also voted 100% with Mayor Daley.  Also in 2007 NDFA candidate Michele Smith narrowly lost to 43rd Ward Alderman Vi Daley, but Michele then went on just a few months later to win as 43rd Ward Democratic Committeman.

How did they do it? What was the key to their success? Find out at our next
meeting where Scott and Michele will be our guest speakers:

Northside DFA June Meeting: "How I Beat The Machine"
- Thursday, June 5th
- 6 pm dinner (optional) and socializing, 7 pm meeting
- Furama Chinese Restaurant, upstairs, 4936 N. Broadway
- sign up at our website: http://democracyforamerica.com/groups/247-northside-dfa

Here is a quote from Simpson's report:

The 2007 election of eleven new aldermen in the Chicago City Council may indicate the beginning of the end of two decades of Daley administration domination. A new council was officially sworn in on May 21, 2007, and a solid bloc of opposition to Mayor Richard M. Daley, the Independent Caucus, has begun to form. They meet before each city council meeting to coordinate strategy and to support each other’s efforts. As a result, more aldermen are voting more consistently against the mayor than in previous councils. The votes on critical issues are more polarized between supporters of the mayor and members of the Independent Caucus.

[...] In short, the council is more polarized in its voting patterns. It remains to be seen if this new oppositional bloc will undermine the rubber stamp city council that Daley has carefully cultivated since his first election in 1989, or if they will merely be a thorn in the Mayor’s side.

http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/City%20Council%20Report%205-13-08.pdf

At the meeting we will also have updates on our Northside DFA adopted and endorsed
candidates which include:

- Dan Seals (adopted), Democratic candidate for Congress in IL-10
- Daniel Biss (adopted), Democratic candidate for State Representative District 17
- Barack Obama (endorsed), candidate for United States President
- Carol Javens (endorsed), candidate for State Representative

Hope to see you Thursday! Sign up, see other upcoming events, and get more details at:
http://democracyforamerica.com/groups/247-northside-dfa

Peace,
Sandra Verthein
Chair, Northside DFA

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Location: Chicago, IL 60640