Exercise in Futility

This popped up in the comments:

• To the caller who asked Andy Shaw of the Better Government Association to define what "merit", is in relation to promotions on the Chicago Police & Fire Departments.
  
  Andy Shaw was the guest host on WLS 890AM this morning, filling in for Don & Roma. This caller called in at 8:15AM and asked very poignant and focused questions. Andy Shaw attempted to initially weasel out of it, stating,"that merit is the law".
  
  The caller asked, "why there is no definitive definition of "merit"?
  
  Andy Shaw asked for an email detailing the problem with merit on the CPD and CFD.
  
  Everyone, please take a minute and drop a brief and courteous email to the Better Government Association, c/o Andy Shaw.
  
  E-mail; info@bettergov.org
  
  Better Government Association
  11 East Adams Street, Suite 608
  Chicago, IL 60603
  Phone: (312) 427-8330
  Fax: (312) 386-9203

Good questions. And all covered here in great detail over the years. But Shaw is a former media type. And media types by-and-large are owned by Daley Inc. And call us cynical, but Shortshanks has tentacles everywhere, so a media-type who used to crave access to the administration for scoops and tidbits from Jackie Heard isn't going to inspire us with the greatest of confidences even if he's at the BGA. Especially as he tried to "weasel out" of answering the questions as posed and then pushed it off to, "Send me an e-mail and I'll look into it." Sure he will.

But anything is worth a try at this point. Prove us wrong Andy Shaw. We're typing our e-mail as we speak. Let's see how many you actually answer. Or investigate.