Peraica!

“[A] squalid playpen for political cronies who pillage it for jobs and contracts” is what Chi Trib calls Cook County govt. in an editorial endorsing Tony Peraica (R-Riverside) for county board president. 

This sorry government, with a $3.1 billion budget that's bigger than those of many states, needs to be fumigated and streamlined. With those two priorities paramount, the Tribune today opens its endorsements  . . .

There’s more.

[M]illions of tax dollars that could go to helping people are wasted on slow-mo patronage humps, do-nothing bureaucrats and clout-heavy vendors. Democrats and Republicans alike have to stop their complicity in this swindling of poor people who rely on Cook County.

Trib promises the challenger no rose garden.

[E]xpect to hear Peraica accused of many things [between now and Nov. 7]. You won't, though, hear him accused of being less than maniacally diligent about his public work. For four years he has teamed with Republicans and reform Democrats on the County Board to downsize featherbedded offices, expose county corruption and stymie John Stroger's planned tax hikes.

Maniacally diligent, yes.  No candidate has worked harder to be elected or made more sense in the process.  If this be an endorsement, make the most of it.  Meanwhile,

The Democratic politburo prays that a disgusted electorate won't show up, so that party loyalists armed with palm cards can elect Stroger.

So the race comes down to this: Will fed-up Democrats--the thousands of reformers who supported Forrest Claypool in his primary race against John Stroger--now help Peraica? If they do, they can help to finish what Claypool started.

Yes.

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From Reader Jake:

Having worked for Cook County for 16 years, I agree that it is "a squalid playpen for political cronies who pillage it for jobs and contracts."  You wouldn't believe how squalid it is.  If I still lived in Cook County I would certainly vote for Peraica, even though I am a registered democrat.  John Stroger was a con artist, and I'm sure that the same is true for Todd.  Anyway, Todd doesn't know diddly-squat about Cook County.  Hell, I probably know more than he does.