Rahm Emanuel using Mafia tactics in his war on guns.

[Twotonsteak]

With a growing problem related to gang (and gun) violence, and an apparently ineffective police force, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has decided to target law-abiding banks and law-abiding gun makers who don't agree with his (and, by extension, Obamas) gun-ban. He did this by sending out two letters, one to BoA (Bank of America) and one to TD Bank, telling them to "use your influence to push" the gun companies "to find common ground."

I'm not even sure this is legal. And even if it is illegal it can't be morally acceptable for someone to abuse their office to attack legal, law-abiding, companies because they don't share the same political view-point.

Perhaps Rahm should target the gangs, the gun-runners, and the people actually breaking the law and spend less time going after people and companies obeying the law?

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/01/...ng-gun-makers/

[Reeve]

With a growing problem related to gang (and gun) violence, and an apparently ineffective police force, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has decided to target law-abiding banks and law-abiding gun makers who don't agree with his (and, by extension, Obamas) gun-ban. He did this by sending out two letters, one to BoA (Bank of America) and one to TD Bank, telling them to "use your influence to push" the gun companies "to find common ground."

I'm not even sure this is legal. And even if it is illegal it can't be morally acceptable for someone to abuse their office to attack legal, law-abiding, companies because they don't share the same political view-point.

Perhaps Rahm should target the gangs, the gun-runners, and the people actually breaking the law and spend less time going after people and companies obeying the law?

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/01/...ng-gun-makers/

There's nothing wrong with the mayor asking certain businesses to support his agenda, so long as he's not attaching any sort of concessions to their support. Politicians ask for support in the business community all the time. I didn't see anywhere in the article where Emmanuel was threatening to withhold permits or anything like that if those companies didn't comply. It looked like he was just asking for their support.

[oblivionx]

It's an indirect threat though, very unmayorlike.

[Daelak]

With a growing problem related to gang (and gun) violence, and an apparently ineffective police force, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has decided to target law-abiding banks and law-abiding gun makers who don't agree with his (and, by extension, Obamas) gun-ban. He did this by sending out two letters, one to BoA (Bank of America) and one to TD Bank, telling them to "use your influence to push" the gun companies "to find common ground."

I'm not even sure this is legal. And even if it is illegal it can't be morally acceptable for someone to abuse their office to attack legal, law-abiding, companies because they don't share the same political view-point.

Perhaps Rahm should target the gangs, the gun-runners, and the people actually breaking the law and spend less time going after people and companies obeying the law?

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/01/...ng-gun-makers/

Says the guy that thinks the US is on the verge of an "indeterminable time" financial collapse.

So sending a letter to two businesses in your city is a mafia tactic?

Stop listening to talk radio, stop being a paranoid libertarian/conservative.

[Reg]

It's an indirect threat though, very unmayorlike.

Threats require a hypothetical consequence. It's merely asking for assistance in addressing a problem with gun violence in the city.

[Roose]

Or they could take away the main reason that gangs are fighting and make drugs legal and regulate them instead of letting gangs control the supply.

But they won't because Obama and his cronies are in the pockets of bankers and lawyers who make billions off the war on drugs.

[Twotonsteak]

There's nothing wrong with the mayor asking certain businesses to support his agenda, so long as he's not attaching any sort of concessions to their support. Politicians ask for support in the business community all the time. I didn't see anywhere in the article where Emmanuel was threatening to withhold permits or anything like that if those companies didn't comply. It looked like he was just asking for their support.

We ARE discussing the same Mayor who DID threaten to withhold permits from Chick-Fil-A. So it's not unreasonable for the banks and, by extension, the gun makers to expect him to do that (or worse) again.

As Oblivion said it's very unprofessional and bordering (at best) on abuse of his power and immoral. I mean I would be more sympathetic if he were chasing after criminal organisations. But neither the banks or the gun makers have broken any laws. The only thing the banks did wrong was conduct business with the gun makers. And the only thing the gun makers did wrong was, well, make guns. Neither activity is illegal.

[Nalnik]

Personally, I'd like to see the letters. A news report is nice and all, but I'd like to see the actual news.

Anyone have a link to that?

[Twotonsteak]

Says the guy that thinks the US is on the verge of an "indeterminable time" financial collapse.

So sending a letter to two businesses in your city is a mafia tactic?

Stop listening to talk radio, stop being a paranoid libertarian/conservative.

1. I'm not even sure where you got that first part. It's not something I've ever written or said.

2. Rahm Emanuel has, in the past, abused his power to deny law-abiding companies permits because he didn't agree with the political leaning of the owner.

3. Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws on the books. Perhaps the police should work on enforcing those instead of creating new ones?

4. What he's doing is ethically wrong. It would be like me writing your boss and TELLING him to "use your influence" to FORCE you to see and do things my way. It's simply not appropriate when talking about law-abiding companies.

---------- Post added 2013-01-25 at 03:07 PM ----------

Personally, I'd like to see the letters. A news report is nice and all, but I'd like to see the actual news.

Anyone have a link to that?

There were some quoted sections in the article. Beyond that I have yet to find the full letters. And I doubt they will be published unless Rahm, himself, offers them up.

[Daelak]

1. I'm not even sure where you got that first part. It's not something I've ever written or said.

2. Rahm Emanuel has, in the past, abused his power to deny law-abiding companies permits because he didn't agree with the political leaning of the owner.

3. Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws on the books. Perhaps the police should work on enforcing those instead of creating new ones?

4. What he's doing is ethically wrong. It would be like me writing your boss and TELLING him to "use your influence" to FORCE you to see and do things my way. It's simply not appropriate when talking about law-abiding companies.

---------- Post added 2013-01-25 at 03:07 PM ----------



There were some quoted sections in the article. Beyond that I have yet to find the full letters. And I doubt they will be published unless Rahm, himself, offers them up.

1. A couple days ago, you were talking about the national debt and all the other blah blah stuff on another thread.

2. He's a citizen of this country, he can speak his mind, and that is what he did with Chik-fil-A.

3. I don't see how this connects with this story. He wrote a fucking letter for christs' sake. Find something with more red meat if you want to rouse up the fellow conservatives and libertarians.

4. Again, he wrote a freaking letter, not a gag order, not martial law, not a city-wide confiscation program, not a tax hike, a fucking letter.

[chadwix]

He is the mayor of the murder capital of the united states, people are being killed with handguns, not assualt rifles. Not sure if he is just out of touch with his community or politically driven.

[ptwonline]

Um, that's not really mafia tactics. Mafia tactics would be more like if he threatened to illegally shut them down for not agreeing with him.

Politicians use their influence all the time. And more importantly, companies try to use their influence on politicians all the time too so maybe a bit of turnabout is fair play.

[Twotonsteak]

1. A couple days ago, you were talking about the national debt and all the other blah blah stuff on another thread.

2. He's a citizen of this country, he can speak his mind, and that is what he did with Chik-fil-A.

3. I don't see how this connects with this story. He wrote a fucking letter for christs' sake. Find something with more red meat if you want to rouse up the fellow conservatives and libertarians.

4. Again, he wrote a freaking letter, not a gag order, not martial law, not a city-wide confiscation program, not a tax hike, a fucking letter.

1. I never said the country was headed towards financial collapse. I did raise concerns over the national dept in regards to excessive spending. However anyone who is not concerned is either delusional or not living in the US.

2. The owner of Chick-Fil-A is a citizen of this country. He, to, was expressing his Freedom of Speech. Rahm's response was to "vow" to block plans to open a Chick-Fil-A in Chicago. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...e-scandal.html

3. You have failed to address my example. Would you find it acceptable if I, or someone else, wrote your boss and TOLD him to "use your influence" to MAKE you see things my way?

So far you've attempted to put words in my mouth. You've attempted to mislead and distract. And you've attempted to play party against party. All I want from you is your honest, open, opinion as to whether it's acceptable to use outside influence to try and force someone to do what you want?

---------- Post added 2013-01-25 at 03:43 PM ----------

He is the mayor of the murder capital of the united states, people are being killed with handguns, not assualt rifles. Not sure if he is just out of touch with his community or politically driven.

Given Rahms history with Obama, I would almost promise you that it's politics. The crime and murder in Chicago is just a nice cover for him to push his former boss's agenda.

[Reeve]

1. I never said the country was headed towards financial collapse. I did raise concerns over the national dept in regards to excessive spending. However anyone who is not concerned is either delusional or not living in the US.

2. The owner of Chick-Fil-A is a citizen of this country. He, to, was expressing his Freedom of Speech. Rahm's response was to "vow" to block plans to open a Chick-Fil-A in Chicago. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...e-scandal.html

3. You have failed to address my example. Would you find it acceptable if I, or someone else, wrote your boss and TOLD him to "use your influence" to MAKE you see things my way?

So far you've attempted to put words in my mouth. You've attempted to mislead and distract. And you've attempted to play party against party. All I want from you is your honest, open, opinion as to whether it's acceptable to use outside influence to try and force someone to do what you want?

---------- Post added 2013-01-25 at 03:43 PM ----------



Given Rahms history with Obama, I would almost promise you that it's politics. The crime and murder in Chicago is just a nice cover for him to push his former boss's agenda.

Obviously Chik Fil-A would have violated Chicago's anti-bigot zoning restrictions.

[Twotonsteak]

Obviously Chik Fil-A would have violated Chicago's anti-bigot zoning restrictions.

I never said I agree'd with what was said. However it's his right to say those things and my right to not eat at his establishment for it. That's the entire point being free as well as obeying the law.

[oblivionx]

It's like some people don't actually understand who the bad guys are.

[Daelak]

1. I never said the country was headed towards financial collapse. I did raise concerns over the national dept in regards to excessive spending. However anyone who is not concerned is either delusional or not living in the US.

2. The owner of Chick-Fil-A is a citizen of this country. He, to, was expressing his Freedom of Speech. Rahm's response was to "vow" to block plans to open a Chick-Fil-A in Chicago. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...e-scandal.html

3. You have failed to address my example. Would you find it acceptable if I, or someone else, wrote your boss and TOLD him to "use your influence" to MAKE you see things my way?

So far you've attempted to put words in my mouth. You've attempted to mislead and distract. And you've attempted to play party against party. All I want from you is your honest, open, opinion as to whether it's acceptable to use outside influence to try and force someone to do what you want?

---------- Post added 2013-01-25 at 03:43 PM ----------



Given Rahms history with Obama, I would almost promise you that it's politics. The crime and murder in Chicago is just a nice cover for him to push his former boss's agenda.

1. Ok cool.

2. Yea Rahm's response was his first amendment right as well. This is a free country, people can voice their opinions, regardless they are the president or citizen.

3. Again, it is a piece of paper with Rahm's opinion on it. Stop blowing this up into some kind of tyrannical government forcing lowly business owners to do their bidding. It is a LETTER.

Of course I would find it acceptable because I would be confident that my boss, CEO, pizza delivery boy could make up his own damn mind and not a freaking letter.

Again, find something with more red meat, it's a letter.

[Reeve]

I never said I agree'd with what was said. However it's his right to say those things and my right to not eat at his establishment for it. That's the entire point being free as well as obeying the law.

And Chicago is free to decide whether or not a business that supports that sort of thing is allowed in their city.

That said, I do think it's a bad precedent to set to deny permits based on the political persuasion of a company that is doing things within the law.

[Hiricine]

Bank of America was one of the top banks to receive bailout money during the housing crisis. This is basically Rahm saying "you owe me one". I don't think it takes a tinfoil hat to see when taxpayer money has been used to aim for political influence.