Quick Hits – May 4, 2016

It’s rarely random

There’s something truly terrifying about that word because, the stark reality is, through absolutely no fault of our own, something completely random can change – or end – our lives in a nanosecond.

And we frail humans don’t handle that kind of lack of control very well.

The tragic death of Buffalo Grove mom Tracy Czaczkowski is a perfect example. She was simply coming home from Wisconsin only to run into a man randomly shooting into cars for no particular reason.

Then there was the South Elgin incident in which, after a man helped a woman change a flat tire, he tried to abduct her. Thankfully, she fought him off.

Now we’re enraged about transgender folks using public restrooms because we fear for the safety of our children.

But here’s the thing, despite how difficult the stilted media coverage makes it, these kinds of violent crimes are rarely random. Ninety percent of sexually abused children were groomed by their molester. Eighty-five percent of homicide victims knew their killer. And eighty percent of rape victims knew their attacker.

Of course we have to keep those random possibilities in mind because random things do happen, but the truth is, the vast majority of violent crime comes at the hands of people we know.

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And I just defended him too!

Regarding his weekly lunches with Elgin City Manager Sean Stegal, that is. But apparently, Elgin City Councilman John Prigge firmly believes the stroke that finally tossed Elgin into the abyss was U-46 expanding their dual language program to include the middle schools.

For the uninitiated, dual language classes consist of English speaking children who want to learn Spanish, and Spanish speaking children who want to learn English. It’s what we call a win-win, well… to everybody but John who took to Facebook to issue this eminently irrational statement:

The thud every U-46 homeowner heard Monday night was their home’s value crashing to the floor after this vote happened. Or, maybe it was the bodies of the desperate people who have been trying to sell their home and get out of this district hitting the floor. I wonder how their non-selling neighbors feel about the value of THEIR homes now?

And you thought I was over the top!

Geez John! Chill! The only thing expanded DL classes are gonna do to district property values is nothing. And when you consider how our Hispanic brethren and sisteren will outnumber Caucasians by 2044, being able to speak Spanish will be a bonus.

Please get a grip sir!

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They’ll be singin’ Kumbaya soon!

The Illinois General Assembly, that is.

First, even though it’s a small step, they passed a bill that keeps our institutions of higher learning open through the summer. They’re even talking about extending that funding too.

But then the Governor said something said something that made me downright giddy! Playing off the progress made by bi-partisan legislator groups meeting on their own, Rauner said he’s “hopeful” that a “grand [budget] bargain” can be worked out by the end of May.

Better yet, Bruce seems determined to let those compromise inclined legislators continue their negotiations without any meddling on his part. Should he keep his word, I would certainly encourage Speaker Madigan to follow suit.

I know, I know! I’ve harbored high hopes before, only to have them dashed on the rocks of intractability. Dare I hope the stalemate end is near?

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It’s the end of the national GOP as we know it

Wasn’t that an REM song?

Say it ain’t so Kurt (Kozjarek)! In a scenario nobody could’ve possibly predicted – least of all Kurt and me – with Ted Cruz diving headlong into political obscurity last night, Donald Trump will, indeed, be the GOP Presidential nominee.

Ah well! At least Republicans can take solace in the fact that Bill Clinton will be a fascinating First Lady.

And the national Republicans have no one to blame for this blatant self-destruction, but themselves. Donald Trump is the only possible outcome of years of GOP fear-mongering and playing to the electorate’s basest bigotry while failing to govern in any meaningful fashion.

So now they’re stuck with a middle-school minded egomaniac who, not only can’t win, but his converse “coattails,” will probably cost Republicans the House. There’s no light at the end of this downward spiraling tunnel either because there’s no Great White Republican Hope waiting in the wings to right the ship.

So the question they’ve all gotta be asking themselves is, as the great Alan Parsons one inquired, “Where do we go from here?” I’d say there’s nowhere to go, but up at this point, but the Republicans have certainly proven me wrong before.