G-8 Problems?

What problems? Has anyone heard about this?

• Presumably as part of his long-term plan to run for president, Mayor Rahm Emanuel managed to bring the unique but risky combination of the international G8 and NATO summit meetings to Chicago next May.

  There is some obvious prestige for the city in hosting these events, though the economics are dubious. But there would be even more glory for Emanuel if all went well — even moderately well — considering that history shows much violence and damage stemming from the massive protests these meetings generate and battles between police and protesters.

  We don’t yet know all the details of how Emanuel plans to handle the protests: Will he easily grant the protesters marching and meeting permits, including adequate space proximate to the G8/NATO meetings? Will he make efforts to assure their voices will be heard? After all, Time magazine just named protesters everywhere the “persons of the year.”

  I don’t think we need these “prestigious” events held here, but it’s a done deed. What troubles me more is the first move Emanuel is taking by proposing a series of threatening, and repressive — if not outright dangerous — ordinances.

Of course, the Slum Times posts it in their Saturday edition, on Christmas Eve, so if the complete Doomsday scenario actually occurs, they'll be claiming, "We covered this possibility!"