The Do-It-Yerself Democrats

WGN describes the citizenry of Chicago reveling in decades of outstanding Democratic leadership.

Do you have gaping potholes on your street and feel the city is not fixing them quickly enough? How about patching them yourself?

That's what a group of residents on Chicago's West Side did Wednesday. Members of the South Austin Coalition bought eight bags of a pavement mix for about $100 and used shovels, rakes and a 250-pound push roller to fill 15 holes on the 4800 block of West Van Buren Street.

"The city's not doing it, so residents need to take the matter into their own hands," said Elce Redmond, an organizer with the coalition.

The group's members hope their efforts will shame the city into repairing neighborhood side streets and inspire other residents to band together and patch their own blocks. They also hope residents will create a citywide Pothole Repair Day...

...Leaders of the South Austin Coalition said they chose this residential street after a block meeting. They acknowledged the potholes were average size. The holes were not as bad as say the seemingly bottomless pits that scar Lake Shore Drive or those protested by community groups this week along Garfield Boulevard in the Englewood neighborhood.

Englewood, of course, is the downtrodden neighborhood represented by State Senator Barack Obama from 1997 to 2004.

Shockingly, it doesn't seem to have improved much since Obama's reign.

The pothole situation in Englewood has citizens up in arms. Just a few days ago, two dozen protesters demonstrated against the city's refusal to repair the streets.

Some held signs that read, "We need more city services" and "Mayor Daley, fix our potholes". Others sold cookies to raise money for pothole repairs.

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James Taranto suggests "getting your hands on a copy of Stewart Cowley's 1981 book, Do-It-Yourself Brain Surgery & Other Home Skills.

It may come in handy when the Chicago Democrats take over health care."


Hat tip: Ben.