August 2016, the most violent month in Chicago in nearly 20 years.

@FireEmblem_Man: I realise he is actually a democrat. But just like Hillary his policies are more republican than progressive. He will spend no money in the poor neighborhoods and close down schools there but has no problem building DePaul a new stadium and investing in the north side. And full disclosure here, I now live on the north side and have for some time. He is an arrogant self serving politician. I don't care about the democratic party, I care about liberal, progressive policies.

The Democrats are liberal and progressive, but they have done squat in Chicago!

@FireEmblem_Man: you are preaching to the choir. Just because I'm a liberal does not mean I'm impressed with what the Democratic Party has done here. Bruce Rauner is ten times worse than any of the democrats we have had. But the governorship is a whole other topic. Politicians are corrupt in both parties. Rahm cares only for the rich which makes him more aligned with republicans regardless of his political shit talking.

The democrats are not liberal at all. If they were, they would not give time to BLM, and all the billions of sjw groups, and regressives who push fascistic ideas about limiting free speech, coupled with unrealistic policy ideas based in nothing but feelings. Our country is built upon the freedom of the individual. The progressives, who are actually regressives, do not value the individual, they only value the collective. Real liberals would not give a platform to people who spout communist slogans, and try to suborn the silencing of free speech. Like always though, our democratic politicians fall for the communist viewpoint, mistakenly believing it to be a moral system. In practice, it is awful.

It's the same way the republican establishment does not actually represent conservative values.

@hillelslovak: most politicians represent only themselves and their own interests. They pander to whomever they feel they need to to get votes. There are exceptions but that is the rule. I don't think I agree with the jist of the rest of your post but I can't be sure. I'm for workers rights, good pay, and not allowing companies to outsource jobs to sweatshops. I am also fond of healthcare being a basic human right and having a fair social safety net for those who fall through the cracks of our economy. That may sound like communism to you but I can't say for sure.

That does not sound like communism to me. Communism is when you see those examples a good idea, then determine it is the state's job to do everything about it. I think in a battle of ideas, Capitalism, warts and all, murders communism. We do not have capitalism though, we have crony capitalism. That is where our problems come from. I feel it is the job of the government to set up certain frameworks, legally, for business, not stick it's nose in every aspect of the implementation of rules within businesses. The GOP stance seems to be no regulation, no safety nets, no checks and balances within business or banking, nothing. The democratic side seems to want regulation everywhere, on every level, with a gigantic administrative sector to control markets and banking systems.

My motto is **** anybody who says "I'm all for free speech, but..." I'm a free expression absolutist, and they can tandem jump off a bridge.

@hillelslovak: I think I can go along with that. Im used to people being reactionary and calling everything outside of everyone for themselves communism. People need a few things. A good paying job, access to education and health care. Guarantee that and I will be satisfied. That and not waging unproductive war around the world.

A typical gun-lobby reaction to this would be, "guns don't kill, rappers do."

Geez, 400 people shot in one month. Yea the amount killed isn't as high. But a huge chunk of those shootings must have been intentionally targeted to kill. Or people caught up in gang crossfire. Which just last week, claimed the life of Chicago Bulls star D-Wade's cousin.

There's definitely a ton of social issues in the south and west side of Chicago. Where the chunk of these shootings occur. And not enough is being done in communities in Chicago (and elsewhere) to get kids away from gang life. And it all starts in the home. Being poor isn't an excuse for bad parenting. If you can't afford something nice, that's part of life. And you best start getting used to it when your young. Cause your likely not gonna be buying houses and cars straight out of high school with cash.

I like mar1974