It’s called plutocracy, a form of government where the wealthy few control the legal system, political process and socio-economic priorities to protect and expand their wealth, defend themselves from accountability and limit the capacity of the general public to utilize democracy to compel change. They don’t want less government they just want government to have less power to investigate, control, create or prevent their activities. Last week the Illinois Supreme Court gave us a prime example of just how pervasive plutocracy is right here in Illinois in minature when it ruled against “Silent Joe” Ferguson, the City of Chicago’s Inspector General (IG). It also made it plain how much frick-frackin’ trouble the rest of us are in.

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Some men live lives of such principle that others are inspired by having known them. Ron Chew was such a person and the fact that the general public does not know his name the way they should speaks volumes about how little our media and society value that most valuable of things… an active citizen in a civil society. Without people like Ron there is nothing civil about society and for as long as I knew him and knew of him he was always that, an active citizen and champion of a civil and more just society.

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Every once and a while the Tutorial is going to give grace and tribute to the people who actually have made this city great and this country work. Any and everything you like about America, paid vacation, free public education, the weekend, free speech came from a progressive. Conservatives have never been helpful and everything they’ve fought and are still fighting; civil rights, women’s rights, worker’s rights, safe work places, clean water and air you want. So who are the people you and I owe everything good in this country to and why aren’t they as well known as say the witless wonder Ronald Wilson Reagan? Today we meet Rudy Lozano Sr.; labor leader, community organizer, political activist and actual expert on so many pieces of public policy that he was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge.

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