Please Pick Me Up, I’m FREE There is much to be learned in these pages Fall / Election - 5767/2006 CHICAGO’S MOST RESPECTED JEWISH PUBLICATION Judy or Rod? Big Differences! Detailed Analysis Inside These Pages • Morris J. Amitay says “New York Times — Enough is Enough” MWRD President Terry O’Brien • Complete In-depth Political Roundup, Analysis and Endorsements Who are these people and should you be voting for them? Stroger & Peraica Battle to Wire for County Board Presidency The New York Times – Enough is Enough by Morrie Amitay After 50 plus years of reading the New York Times, I just couldn’t take it anymore. “All the news that’s fit to print” gave me that final push when it published the details of an effective secret surveillance program of terrorist financing. This, plus the incredible anti-Israel bias in its reporting finally convinced me to dump “the Gray Lady” for both emotional and political reasons. In recent months the Times has almost become a caricature of itself in pushing an uncompromising far left agenda with its selective reporting, disclosures of sensitive information which helps our enemies, and its extreme editorial pages. A steady diet of the “blame America” inanities spewed forth from the pens of Krugman, Herbert, Kristof and Dowd just became too much to stomach. For too long now Times readers endured not only blatant bias, but an unbelievable hatred expressed not only for the President, Vice President, and White House staff, but for our own country. With their motto – “my country, always wrong”, - it is reasonable to assume that despite any lip service about supporting our troops, they are secretly cheering for the insurgents in Iraq so that their own misbegotten views might be vindicated. With Bill Safire no longer on the editorial pages – and columnist David Brooks a valiant but pale imitation, why would self-respecting Americans subject themselves to these daily doses of ultra-liberal drivel? Not me. The only question I ask myself is why didn’t I do it much sooner? The answer might be that a 60 year habit is hard to kick. As a precocious reader during WWII (ages 6-9 years old) I followed the war on the radio, but also by scanning the Daily News, Tribune, Journal - American and PM. I would even take a peek at the Communist Party’s “Daily Worker.” My ready access to most of these newspapers (along with my favorite comic books) was provided by “Max the Bookie,” who operated a kiosk around the corner from my father’s Army/Navy (clothing) store at the corner of 82nd St. and First Ave. in Manhattan. In exchange for letting me borrow and read anything I wanted (as long as it was returned in mint condition), I would take his place in the kiosk standing on an empty soda case, making sales, giving change, and telling everyone “Max will be right back”. (Much later I was told he was busy running bets to a much bigger betting operation two blocks away). But I didn’t get into the New York Times. It looked too big and foreboding and besides, it didn’t have any “funnies”. But by the fifth grade or so I began to eschew the lurid headlines of the tabloids for the Times. There was really a whole lot of information crammed into its pages and, being a natural speed-reader I could get through most of it on a daily basis – forget the Sunday edition. I credit this accumulation of so much useful and useless knowledge to getting one of the highest possible scores on the Foreign Service Entrance Exam some years later. This either says something about the Times or from where the State Department takes its cues. The New York Times followed me through high school, college, law school, grad school, the Foreign Service, as an aide in the House and Senate, Director of AIPAC, - and as a Washington lobbyist the past 25 years. During this time I, of course, relied on numerous other sources to keep me up to date – particularly during the past decade with the growth of the internet. But the Times was a staple. Up until the mid-nineties my own political views were not that far removed from those of the Times. However, in recent years as the Times has lurched increasingly leftward, I moved toward the center – and on national security and Israel related issues – definitely to the right. The gap between us increasingly widened. The editorial page and reporting from the Middle East created doubt at first, then unease gradually leading to nausea – and finally, I began to retch. The Times’ anti-Israel, blame American agenda is now so pronounced that this once respected newspaper has become not only infuriating, but utterly predictable and boring. So who needs the aggravation when better daily print media is available – like The Wall Street Journal, or The New York Sun? But, as I stated at the beginning of my diatribe, the proverbial straw that broke this camel’s back was the second time in seven months that the Times, with malice aforethought, exposed classified information about programs designed to protect America from terrorist attacks. This goes far beyond the sarcastic, supercilious style of its editorials, and the slanted coverage of its reporters who report only what fits with their bosses’ biases. The latest disclosure demonstrated a flagrant disregard for our safety in order to score political JEWISH CHICAGO points against an Administration the Times openly loathes. No matter that it aids those Jewish Chicago is a complimentary publication whose goal is either to convert us or kill us. The Times, I’m afraid, just doesn’t get it – and that is usually published just prior to elections. Copyright 2006 The opinions of our columnists and writers do not Publisher and Editor .................... Avy Meyers that’s why I no longer get the Times. necessarily reflect the opinions of Jewish Chicago. Graphic Artist .................... Marvin B. Simcha email - [email protected] Phone 773- Columnists .............................Morrie J .Amitay I am reminded of the old saw about why radios would never replace newspapers – 290-2677. Our website is at www.avyworld.com. .......................Emanuel Winston because you couldn’t wrap a herring in a radio! Well, as far as I am concerned that is We invite you to visit www.ntnm.org. for all the Contributing Writers ....... Francois T. Fressier latest on the North Town News Magazine hosted by about the only proper use nowadays for the New York Times. Afleck L. Arine, Simcha Magid publisher, Avy Meyers. Morrie Amitay, a Washington attorney, is a former Executive Director of AIPAC and Photography ..................................Sonny Hersh founder of the pro-Israel Washington PAC (www.washingtonpac.com). Elect Terrence J. O’Brien BALLOT #55 BALLOT #55 DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT • O’Brien was elected to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago in 1988 and has served 17 years on the Board of Commissioners and 9 of those years as President. • O’Brien’s extensive knowledge, professionalism and integrity have allowed him to streamline many tasks and responsibilities of the District at the lowest possible cost to every household in Cook County. • O’Brien, a taxpayer advocate, whose efforts brought a 1.1% reduction in your property tax bill for 2006, and maintained the AAA bond rating for the District. • O’Brien continually pursues funding of the Deep Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, and spearheaded the successful introduction and passage of a storm water management program which gives the MWRDGC sole responsibility to manage storm water in Cook County Vote Democratic, November 7th www.terrencejobrienmwrd.com. If there is no specific Jewish angle in a race, it may not be touched. There are regular Jewish Chicago Election Analysis newspapers and various political experts in other media who can perform that function. by Avy Meyers This is a Jewish newspaper and I focus on Jewish concerns. The bottom line is that Jewish Chicago looks for candidates of quality for the community Tuesday November 7th is election day and this year you can actually vote early at a as a whole who will take care of Jewish concerns as they arise. The primary Jewish number of locations through out the area. You don’t need to file for an absentee ballot. Just concerns are on a national level and concern Israel. walk in and vote. You can take Jewish Chicago into the voting booth with you There are very serious local Jewish issues, but not every election. The recent actions If for whatever reason you are not registered, register now. The location is different than by Governor Blagojevich with the Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate the early voting centers. In Chicago, call the Chicago Board of Elections at 312-269-7936 Crimes and that of State Representative and Niles Township Democratic Committeeman to find the location nearest you and join the ranks of registered voters. Lou Lang among others, show us that we always must be on guard and all too often, the Before I get started with the rundown, it is important for everyone to know the criteria enemy is within. The Governors race analysis contains a detailed description of these used in making endorsements. events. Just being Jewish is not enough, not even close. If a Jewish candidate is pitted against a I recently hosted a live one hour election preview show on CANTV-19, Sunday morning non–Jewish candidate and all things are equal in terms of their ability to do the job, there October 22nd that featured County Board president challengers Todd Stroger (D) and won’t necessarily be an endorsement.