Chicago to Demolish Ronald Reagan's Home

Raised in the rural Illinois townships of Dixon and Tampico, Ronald Reagan seems to have accumulated a nearly endless supply of childhood homes by also spending ten-month stint in Chicago. He'd be just like Mitt Romney, were it not for the transience, insecure family life and general lack of privilege.

Now the least-famous of these buildings, a six-story Hyde Park flat, is about to be torn down after the Commission on Chicago Landmarks turned down an application to have it preserved.

Who is behind the demolition? None other than the University of Chicago, former academic home of Barack Obama–yes, THAT Barack Obama–and a possible site for Obama's presidential library.

To make matters worse, the pseudo-historic structure isn't even going to be replaced with something Reagan could appreciate, like a missile battery or a jelly bean factory, but with a grassy strip that will border an expanded University of Chicago Medical Center.

The University's plans have prompted strong reactions from the right and the left. In fact, this is the rare case where liberal preservationists and conservative Reagan worshipers can reach an agreement. Nothing would pay better tribute to Reagan's legacy than a vacant house in an inner-city neighborhood.

Previously
Quote Unquote: The Reagan Wit
Even Rob Portman's Mistakes are Reaganesque

Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Tags: Barack Obama, Chicago, Illinois, Ronald Reagan

Rahm Emanuel to Fundraise for Obama Because Chicago Has No Problems Left

Excited for the opportunity to yell at wealthy donors instead of measly interns, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is slated to leave his honorary position as co-chairman of  the Obama campaign to focus on fundraising for Priorities USA Action, a super PAC founded by two former Obama aides. It's a good thing he doesn't have some other job requiring his attention…

According to statistics compiled by the Tribune, there were 366 homicides in Chicago from the start of the year until Sept. 2 as compared to 282 for the same period last year. The numbers of shootings increased from 1,547 to 1,704 over that span.

This morning, the police are investigating a spree of weekend shootings that left at least 11 people wounded and 2 dead. Or as it's known in Chicago, Monday.

But give Rahm a break. All too often we forget all the Chicagoans who haven't been murdered on his watch. Like the kids still going to Chicago Public Schools…

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Tags: Chicago, Crime, Education, Illinois, Rahm Emanuel, Unions

Our Endorsements: Dirty Bankers

* The Bugle podcast serves up some fishy political chips.

* A coupon for your traditional family.

* Take it from Uncle Bill…sex advice, that is.

* Senator McCain buddies up with Leslie Knope.

* The only two ways we can fix America, from Hahajk.

* Lenny Bruce and Steve Allen on our right to bear words.

* Another installment of American Policy Suggestions from a Chicago Sports Fan.

* Olympians making derp faces. NSFW if you didn't bring an extra pair of underwear.

Tags: Amy Poehler, Bill of Rights, Chicago, Comedians, Conspiracies, Daily Links, Funny or Die, John McCain, Marriage Equality, Olympics, Rick Santorum, Sports

Liberals Discover Joys of Government Discrimination Against Chick-fil-A

Like a proud parent witnessing his child's first steps, it's been a pleasure to see liberals grow to embrace the wonders of government-backed retaliation against political views they oppose.

You might remember the Ground Zero Mosque debate, the controversy surrounding a proposed community center that in the great American tradition of Joe the Plumber was neither a mosque nor at Ground Zero. Newt Gingrich suggested that we adopt the Saudi Arabia standard of religious tolerance ("There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia,") and use zoning laws to create a mosque restriction zone in lower Manhattan. A conservative candidate for governor of New York, Carl Paladino, suggested the government use eminent domain to prevent construction of the community center.

Liberals were rightly outraged, not just at the right-wing desire to limit buildings for Muslims to Guantanamo Bay, but because of the constitutional principles at stake. Whatever the merits of the mosque, the Free Speech Clause of the 1st Amendment means the government generally may not discriminate against an entity because of what it says or teaches.

Now witness the celebratory lefty reaction to Boston mayor Thomas Menino's take on Chick-fil-A, the fast food chain bent on protecting us from the threat of homosexual chicken marriage, or something.

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Tags: Boston, Chicago, Chick-fil-A, Islam, LGBT, Liberals, Marriage Equality, New York City, Religion

Our Endorsements: Political Pets

* Your pet says a lot about what kind of political animal you are, from Animal Planet.

* Were we supposed to come to any sort of conclusion about last night's results? The Onion says no.

* Funny or Die's Super Tuesday spin room is dizzyingly funny.

* A group of hilarious McSweeney's articles is called murderously funny:  here, here, and here.

* Here's a new alcoholic drink you're going to want to throw up at the end of the night.

* Mother Jones article or Walking Dead fan fiction?

* It's a Free Country does a live video broadcast of Super Tuesday featuring comedian Baratunde Thurston.

Tags: Barack Obama, Chicago, Daily Links, Mother Jones, Sports, Super Tuesday, The Onion, Washington