Joe Ricketts Hates Obama And How It Could Kill Wrigley Fixes

[Sammy Sofa]

He's been easily the worst president of my lifetime.

 

This is like a Cubs fan in 2004 saying that the 2004 season was the worst one in their lifetime.

[Tracer Bullet]

Who is Joe Ricketts? Is he like the crazy cousin no one talks about?

Tom's dad.

[Sammy Sofa]

The money.

[Vinestal]

start a thread entitled "Joe Ricketts Hates Obama" and then not expect people to talk politics in it? That's pretty ridiculous.

[jersey cubs fan]

start a thread entitled "Joe Ricketts Hates Obama" and then not expect people to talk politics in it? That's pretty ridiculous.

 

the moderators didn't start the thread.

[Sammy Sofa]

start a thread entitled "Joe Ricketts Hates Obama" and then not expect people to talk politics in it? That's pretty ridiculous.

 

Who said that?

[Soul]

Sounds like Rahm wasn't inclined to help the Cubs anyway, but now he's got the easiest softball of a reason tossed into his lap ever.

Yes, he was. And unless he's the most irrational lunatic, he probably still is after some damage control.

 

Hopefully. Sounds like Tom has a fun task ahead of him, too. Kindly telling Dad to please shut the [expletive] up.

[J.R.]

Embarrassing, to say the least. Joe seems right at home with the Kochs.

[Banedon]

start a thread entitled "Joe Ricketts Hates Obama" and then not expect people to talk politics in it? That's pretty ridiculous.

 

Who said that?

 

Here's the deal folks. As long as this stays about the Cubs ramifications of this, we'll keep it open. It's relevant to the Cubs, and it's understandable that people not normally apt to discuss politics would be interested. But if it turns into a political pissing contest, the thread will get locked and further discussion can be had in the politics thread. If you want to talk about the political aspect of this, the political thread will be happy to oblige.

 

I know it's a fine line, but lets do our best to walk it.

[Fro]

So he's starting a SuperPAC called the "Ending Spending Action Fund", has enough money to donate $10 million to it, but the baseball team he owns turns around and asks for all this government money from the City?

 

Not very smart. Of course, one of the owners running nasty ads against Obama probably isn't smart for the the team's bottom line either.

 

If he wants to donate money to Romney and publically support/campaign for him, that's fine, but my opinion is we need a Constitutional Amendment to limit this SuperPAC spending.

[jersey cubs fan]

So he's starting a SuperPAC called the "Ending Spending Action Fund", has enough money to donate $10 million to it, but the baseball team he owns turns around and asks for all this government money from the City?

 

He's not asking for government money.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

The Ricketts have to realize that this kind of political alignment in a very public fashion will lead to boycotts, right? I'm not picking a side here, but a baseball team shouldn't have a political agenda.

[Cubswin11]

I don't see how you can say the Cubs as an organization have a political agenda here. If their owners want to support or run campaigns against candidates outside of their work for the Cubs that's their right. It's not like they are going to start running anti-Obama ads over the loudspeakers at Wrigley or posting Ricketts anti-Obama manifesto above the urinal troughs and throughout the stadium. Edited May 18, 2012 by Cubswin11

[WilcoFan]

I don't see how you can say the Cubs as an organization have a political agenda here. If there owners want to support or run campaigns against candidates outside of their work for the Cubs that's their right. It's not like they are going to start running anti-Obama ads over the loudspeakers at Wrigley or posting Ricketts anti-Obama manifesto above the urinal troughs and throughout the stadium.

 

Actually, the Cubs owners already support candidates outside of their work for the Cubs. Laura Ricketts is a fundraising bundler for the Obama Campaign.

 

That must be an awesome Thanksgiving.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Ricketts have to realize that this kind of political alignment in a very public fashion will lead to boycotts, right? I'm not picking a side here, but a baseball team shouldn't have a political agenda.

 

You have to realize that's kind of absurd, right? There's not going to be boycotts of Cubs games because the chairman's dad wants a republican in office.

[ConstableRabbit]

The Ricketts have to realize that this kind of political alignment in a very public fashion will lead to boycotts, right? I'm not picking a side here, but a baseball team shouldn't have a political agenda.

 

You have to realize that's kind of absurd, right? There's not going to be boycotts of Cubs games because the chairman's dad wants a republican in office.

Yeah that was a really dumb comment.

[NewUserName]

So I have read through a lot of this stuff today and really do not understand what this really has to do with the Cubs. I understand that Tom's money is tied with Joe's money and blah blah, but this seems to be an issue that Joe Ricketts is running with. Joe has really not been that personally invested in what the Cubs are doing or so it seems. I understand that Tom's politics seem to mirror Joe's, but still Tom is not tied to this. I may have my head in the sand I guess, but there really seems to be nothing to this issue as it is related to the Cubs.

[jersey cubs fan]

So I have read through a lot of this stuff today and really do not understand what this really has to do with the Cubs. I understand that Tom's money is tied with Joe's money and blah blah, but this seems to be an issue that Joe Ricketts is running with. Joe has really not been that personally invested in what the Cubs are doing or so it seems. I understand that Tom's politics seem to mirror Joe's, but still Tom is not tied to this. I may have my head in the sand I guess, but there really seems to be nothing to this issue as it is related to the Cubs.

 

Joe's money is still the primary money behind the Cubs. He is not involved with the team, but the kids had to get his blessing to make this purchase for the family. It has been completely overblown by the media and the politicians are seizing the opportunity to scold a 1%er, but that's all to be expected.

[Cubfanintheknow]

So I have read through a lot of this stuff today and really do not understand what this really has to do with the Cubs. I understand that Tom's money is tied with Joe's money and blah blah, but this seems to be an issue that Joe Ricketts is running with. Joe has really not been that personally invested in what the Cubs are doing or so it seems. I understand that Tom's politics seem to mirror Joe's, but still Tom is not tied to this. I may have my head in the sand I guess, but there really seems to be nothing to this issue as it is related to the Cubs.

 

Joe's money is still the primary money behind the Cubs. He is not involved with the team, but the kids had to get his blessing to make this purchase for the family. It has been completely overblown by the media and the politicians are seizing the opportunity to scold a 1%er, but that's all to be expected.

 

Joe Ricketts does not like the way the "wasteful way" in which the federal government spends it's money.

 

Joe Ricketts thinks Mr. Obama is at the forefront of all this wasteful spending.

 

Joe Ricketts thinks in order to get Mr. Obama out of the White House, he has to form a super-pac and start an ad campaign showing Mr. Obama to be someone who is not fit for the office of the President because of his ties to a black minister.

 

Joe Ricketts children own and operate the Chicago Cubs.

 

The Chicago Cubs are asking for government money (albeit local and not federal dollars) to renovate Wrigley Field.

 

Therefore, it's hypocritical of the Cubs to be asking for government money that many would view (perhaps even Joe Ricketts) as a "wasteful way" for the government to spend it's money.

 

Quite a jump at the end there, but bigger and way crazier leaps in logic are made in politics every minute of the day.

 

Edited to correct typo.

[Cubswin11]

So I have read through a lot of this stuff today and really do not understand what this really has to do with the Cubs. I understand that Tom's money is tied with Joe's money and blah blah, but this seems to be an issue that Joe Ricketts is running with. Joe has really not been that personally invested in what the Cubs are doing or so it seems. I understand that Tom's politics seem to mirror Joe's, but still Tom is not tied to this. I may have my head in the sand I guess, but there really seems to be nothing to this issue as it is related to the Cubs.

 

Joe's money is still the primary money behind the Cubs. He is not involved with the team, but the kids had to get his blessing to make this purchase for the family. It has been completely overblown by the media and the politicians are seizing the opportunity to scold a 1%er, but that's all to be expected.

 

Joe Ricketts does not like the way the "wasteful way" in which the federal government spends it's money.

 

Joe Ricketts thinks Mr. Obama is at the forefront of all this wasteful spending.

 

Joe Ricketts thinks in order to get Mr. Obama out of the White House, he has to form a super-pac and start an ad campaign showing Mr. Obama to be someone who is not fit for the office of the President because of his ties to a black minister.

 

Joe Ricketts children own and operate the Chicago Cubs.

 

The Chicago Cubs are asking for government money (albeit local and not federal dollars) to renovate Wrigley Field.

 

Therefore, it's hypocritical of the Cubs to be asking for government money that many would view (perhaps even Joe Ricketts) as a "wasteful way" for the government to spend it's money.

 

Quite a jump at the end there, but bigger and way crazier leaps in logic are made in politics every minute of the day.

 

Edited to correct typo.

The thing with the Wrigley renovations though is that it's not the Government "spending" money, if it's structured right the direct money they issue will be an investment for the city/state and they should see returns. If they issue bonds and/or loaned money to the Cubs they will eventually receive their principal back + interest, the entertainment tax or whatever Tom wants to tap into is already in place so it's no more added taxes just shifting of who gets it (and let's no fool ourselves here if that tax is already in place it's going to continue to exist even if it is set to expire sometime soon they will find a way to extend it). Plus with Wrigley renovations you have all the indirect benefits of the direct investment, conceivably you add jobs, increase payroll/income tax collection, lower unemployment, people employed by the projects will have more money to spend elsewhere, taxes will be collected on goods/services bought for the projects, Wrigley/added buildings/surrounding buildings would likely see their value increase which would mean added property tax is collected, the first few years of a renovation would likely see more people visiting Wrigley/surrounding area which likely would mean more money being put into the local economy there through Wrigley/Bars/Restaurants/Shops (state/city would be able to collect the sales tax that comes out of that).

[jersey cubs fan]

The Chicago Cubs are asking for government money (albeit local and not federal dollars) to renovate Wrigley Field.

 

I realize that is how the people who want to make this a story want to frame it for the uninformed, but the Cubs are not asking for government money.

[Cubfanintheknow]

The Chicago Cubs are asking for government money (albeit local and not federal dollars) to renovate Wrigley Field.

 

I realize that is how the people who want to make this a story want to frame it for the uninformed, but the Cubs are not asking for government money.

 

Which is why I put

Quite a jump at the end there, but bigger and way crazier leaps in logic are made in politics every minute of the day.

at the end of the story. It is not out of the realm of politics--no matter which side of the aisle it comes from--to make a jump from point A to point B without any rhyme or reason.

[ConstableRabbit]

He's been easily the worst president of my lifetime.

 

This is like a Cubs fan in 2004 saying that the 2004 season was the worst one in their lifetime.

The team everyone thought would be great and played like crap when it mattered most? That's actually a good analogy!

 

::ducks::

[Guest]

I don't think joe Ricketts desire to see Obama out will have any impact on what happens with regard to renovating Wrigley.

 

I wish they'd get it going though.

[questionmarkgrace]

The Chicago Cubs are asking for government money (albeit local and not federal dollars) to renovate Wrigley Field.

 

I realize that is how the people who want to make this a story want to frame it for the uninformed, but the Cubs are not asking for government money.

 

Last I checked amusement tax dollars are still government funds.