Chicago murders

[CTA_Busa_LE]

Here's an interesting email I received.

Interesting facts on Chicago
Body count. In the last six months 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago, 221 killed in Iraq.

Sens. Barack Obama & **** Durbin, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Gov. Rod Blogojevich, House leader Mike Madigan, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, Mayor Richard Daley.....our leadership in Illinois.....all Democrats. Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago. Of course they're all blaming each other. Can't blame Republicans, they're hardly aren't any!

State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country. Cook County (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% highest in country. (Look'em up if you want). Chicago school system one of the worst in country. This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois. He's gonna 'fix' Washington politics?


So I get to thinking about this and began searching to try to find the actual stats in an attempt to verify or discredit the claims here. Hard to find as Chicago doesn't really want to publisize their body count for the year, not good for tourism. Anyone with a link to the actual counts??

Did find this in looking:
In May, cbs2chicago.com began tracking city shootings and posting them on Google maps. Information compiled from our reporters, wire service reports and the Chicago Police Major Incidents log indicated that 123 people were shot and killed throughout the city between the start of Memorial Day weekend on May 26, and the end of Labor Day on Sept. 1.

According to the Defense Department, 65 soldiers were killed in combat in Iraq. About the same number were killed in Afghanistan over that same period.

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

Found this on the sales tax

Chicago (March 4, 2008)
By WebCPA staff

| After the Cook County Board voted over the weekend to double the county's sales tax rate to 1.75 percent, Chicagoans found themselves about to pay the highest sales tax rate of any major city in the nation: 10.25 percent.


WebCPA - Chicago Leads in Sales Tax Rate

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

Illinois Pension funding, looks to be right on the money, here's a couple interesting links

Illinois Senate Republicans - Governor’s Pension Diversion

Quote from the last link
"The state’s pension debt will exceed $44 billion this summer, increasing at a rate of about $120 per second, according to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration. The debt already tops $42 billion — enough to give every one of Illinois’ 12.8 million residents a check of $3,300 or buy 937,000 Cadillacs at $45,000 a pop."

Illinois pension debt worst in nation - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

In researching the numbers on soldiers killed in Iraq this year it looks like the numbers may be a bit off, actually over the last six month the total is lower than what the email quotes. only 154 soldiers killed in Iraq since end of March 2008, 262 for all of 2008 according to this link

iCasualties: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count

I'm still looking for that Chicago body count for the year

 

[UncleSteve]

boy, that's a shocker.. I thought the streets would be lined in gold with all the handouts and government programs.

They need to raise taxes and fix that...

 

[Scar]

Wow. Amazing...

Really lends perspective on a number of subjects.

Distressing, at best.

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

I still can't find an actual count for Chicago but I think everyone gets the idea, the numbers may be off a bit but not by much, at least not enough to really change the outlook of things.

Did find this, although it wasn't what I was trying to find it makes a very good point.

Quote from link below:
"July casualty figures are nearly finalized for Iraq and Chicago, with Chicago having 4 times the number of murders as US Military Casualties in Iraq."

Chicago Daily Observer | Homicide

 

[street]

They are all in the pocket of one man. Chicago is his YARD.

 

[thrasherfox]

So what you are saying is if you are living in Chicago you might want to move to Iraq for safety reasons until they get it under control?

I was looking for a smiley to post then started thinking that is actually pretty sad.

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

So what you are saying is if you are living in Chicago you might want to move to Iraq for safety reasons until they get it under control?

I was looking for a smiley to post then started thinking that is actually pretty sad.

I was just pointing out the condition of the state of IL and the city of Chicago. They both have been controlled by the same political machine that has put Obama where he is today. If he is such the breath of fresh air why hasn't he implemented some of his policies here in IL??

OR HAS HE ALREADY??

 

[GSXTacy]

CTA quit messing with my job security! LOL

Seriously though, I cant stand Blago. But look at what he was left to work with. Its not all the Dems fault, remember Ryan.....the Republican. He is in prison.

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

I agree, George Ryan was a crook as well. Everything was given to Ryan in good order from Gov. Edgar and what Ryan didn't destroy, Hot Rod has. At the end of the day when Rod Blagojevich leaves office he will be in prison as well. Just shows how corrupt Illinois politics are regardless of the party.

The one thing that should be noted though is that the Dems have had complete control of everything and it has only gotten worse, not better.

 

[06limited1st]

One of the reasons I will be voting for Mccain.. If he couldn't help fix a STATE how can he fix a whole dam C"OUNTRY?!?! I live in cRook country myself and experience all of this garbage first hand...

Cant wait til November!

 

[300Busa]

One of the reasons I will be voting for Mccain.. If he couldn't help fix a STATE how can he fix a whole dam C"OUNTRY?!?! I live in cRook country myself and experience all of this garbage first hand...

Cant wait til November!