Stop Me Before I Vote Again

One of my very favorite people, Rahm Emanuel -- Likudnik, former DCCC chair, former Obie staffer, and now the occupant of Mayor Daley's throne in Chicago -- has joined the ranks of maximum-repression Democrats. Surprise, surprise:

In advance of NATO/G-8, Emanuel to increase fines for resisting arrest

Protesters who descend on Chicago for the NATO and G-8 summits would face extraordinary security measures, including dramatically higher fines for resisting arrest [and] more surveillance cameras ... under a plan proposed Wednesday by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

As extraordinary as the security measures are, Emanuel insisted that they are only temporary and would be repealed after the May event....

The ordinance introduced at Wednesday’s City Council meeting would dramatically increase fines for “resisting or obstructing” the performance of anyone “known to the person to be a peace officer” as well as the fine for assisting someone in escaping from police custody. Minimum fines for those violations would increase from $25 to $200, while maximum fines would jump from $500 to $1,000

Parks, playgrounds and beaches would be closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The current overnight closing only extends until 4 a.m.

The mayor’s plan would also empower Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy to “deputize law enforcement personnel,” make cooperative agreements with a host of state, federal and local law enforcement agencies, and forge agreements with “public or private entities concerning placement, installation, maintenance or use of video, audio telecommunications, or other similar equipment.”

Chicago’s Big Brother network of more than 10,000 public and private surveillance cameras is already the most extensive and integrated in the nation....

Shortly after taking office, Emanuel, a former congressman and White House chief of staff, used his formidable Washington clout to lure the NATO and G-8 summits to Chicago.

The historic event bumped the giant National Restaurant Association show to another date and forced the Chicago Police Department to brace and train for an onslaught of international protesters that threatens to wake up the ghosts of the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Concern that the same onslaught of protesters might come here has prompted high schools and colleges across the city and suburbs to either change the dates of their proms and graduations or consider rescheduling.

The mayor has apologized in advance for the inconvenience.

The critics of this ukase, quoted in the news item, mostly concentrated on the idea that such measures might be 'unconstitutional'. How this made me laugh. Talk about weak reeds.