From a reliable reader (and one whose opinion I respect):
I have read a number of times your obvious admiration for Mayor Daley; indeed, in a recent post you said that your appreciation for him has grown since being exiled to a city that doesn’t work, and that he has molded Chicago into a remarkable metropolis. Although you note occasionaly that he shouldn’t be left unchecked, your and most other people’s admiration of him leaves him just that — unchecked. And there in lies the rub: Mayor Daley has what he has and does what he does because there is no politics in Chicago, which, in effect, means that there is no democracy in Chicago. To be sure, we have elections, but Daley has so effectively neutered his opposition that elections are a sham, a foregone conclusion. Public policy is not debated, the future of the City is not open for discussion, and the Mayor’s agenda cannot be questioned. He is beyond being unchecked — he is a dictator, a benign one for most, perhaps, but a dictator nonetheless.
Democracy is messy; but Daley hates mess. Democracy means you don’t always get what you want; but what Ritchie wants, Ritchie gets. Although many of us — the prosperous ones, the ones who feed at the public trough, the courtiers — benefit form his largesse, his love of the City, many don’t. Those who can’t use the pretty parks because of violence in the streets don’t. Those who need affordable housing don’t. Those who need good schools don’t. Those who need adequate public transportation to get to and from jobs and school don’t.
Visit the Englewood neighborhood, or Robeson High School, or ride the Brown Line.
When democracy fails, inconvenient questions can’t be asked. Like how is it that we can’t find enough money to rebuild schools, or public transportation, yet we can find the money instantly to rebuild Soldier Field, or build the massive boondoggle, Millenium Park. No one can ask about how in the world trees, and flowers, and medians, and wrought iron will be paid for. No one can ask about the Duffs, or Jeremiah Joyce and his clan, or Grace Barry.
Chicago has improved. So have other great cities — but not without having to sacrifice that difficult, messy American institution that, in the end, holds public officials accountable: democracy.
End
Fair enough, and true. I do need to call Daley out more often and I will when it comes up. I hope my bobblehead post on Political State Report makes clear that I do want to see independent voices in Chicago. All of the points above are true.
Part of the reason I think I give Daley so much credit is that I see St. Louis and other midwestern cities struggling with the same problems cited, and yet doing even less than Daley accomplishes. To a point, Daley does more with what he has. That being said, Chicago would be a far healthier place if it had open debates and opposition. Later in the week, I’ll do some flashback posts about Harold Washington and the 1983 race.
What is absolutely unacceptable are his refusal to take questioning seriously ("What do you want me to do, take down my pants?") and his acceptance of shady characters like the Duffs. They are outfit clowns who have no business in the public trough–not only do they cheat taxpayers, but they cheat the workers underneath them.