When Rahm Emanuel's residency was challenged, did anyone seriously think that things would not go his way in the decision as to whether he lived in Chicago one year prior to filing his intention to run for mayor? If you thought that Rahm Emanuel had to follow the law just like everyone else, you just don't get it. That's not the 'Chicago Way.'
Even though everyone in the country knows Rahm Emanuel lived in the Washington D.C. area for two years as Obama's chief of staff, and rented out his house here in Chicago, and we have tax documents, rental agreements and video tape to prove it, none of that matters. None of it whatsoever. The laws do not apply to Rahm Emanuel, or anyone on the inside of Chicago political Democrat thuggery. They just do what they want, and know they will get away with murder. It's just the 'Chicago Way.'
The law clearly intended to specify that any candidate for mayor of Chicago 'shall have lived within the city of Chicago for one year prior to filing.' The intent of this law was that any serious candidate should be up to speed on the current political climate, issues and concerns of the day in order to properly govern on matters of current interest to the citizens of Chicago.
A judge now has ruled on the matter, stating that Rahm Emanuel never intended to renounce his residency, and that the residency law doesn't prohibit his running for mayor. This is how it's done in Chicago. The Democrat Party has run this city for nearly a century, with no input from Republicans whatsoever. The 'Chicago Way' was created, mastered, tweaked and perfected by Democrats in its entirety. To think that justice, or the rule of law would interfere with the 'Chicago Way' runs counter to the thug politics that the nation now sees clearly.
Obama was a product of the 'Chicago Way.' His political pedigree is clear in every single action of his administration, starting even during the campaign (recall Obama swearing to accept public money and its limitations for his campaign, and then blowing that promise off once he saw his war chest grow to self sufficiency). As one of the club, Rahm Emanuel, he of the famous 'never let a crisis go to waste' fame, does not have to abide by the laws the rest of us are burdened by, not one bit.
And why does Rahm want to run for mayor? He cares about Chicago, and wants to change things. Once Rahm is in (and we all know he is the next mayor), what is going to change? The city's profligate spending on social programs, and its crushing city sales tax (highest in the nation), property tax(one of the highest in the nation), tobacco tax (one of the highest in the nation), gasoline tax (one of the highest in the nation), this tax, that tax, etc. etc. etc, all of this will remain intact. Rahm is still a Democrat, and that' s what Democrats do: tax, tax and tax. Then take the tax money and spread it around to favored constituencies, and fatten the wallets of their thug buddies, and further entrench the 'Chicago Way.'
The only thing that will change for Chicago is the signs at O'Hare Airport welcoming visitors to Thug Town: instead of 'Mayor Richard M. Daley Welcomes You to Chicago,' cross out Daley's name and stencil in Rahm's. That, and that alone are the only changes Rahm will make. And maybe a new tax here or there, you know Democrats.
That's what they do. It's the 'Chicago Way.'