Monday, May 16, 2011

Will Rahm Cut It As New Chicago Mayor?


From all early indications, it seems best to take a wait and see attitude with Rahm Emanuel (pictured right), who was sworn in as the new mayor of Chicago today.
Emanuel replaces the retired Richard M. Daley, who was the mayor of Chicago since 1989.
Emanuel has been called by some pundits a "corporatist."
That may the be case as many of the base that support President Barack Obama have stated that Emanuel's comments and actions the two years he was Chief of Staff for the Obama Administration proved just that.
Emanuel was quoted as saying the money the labor unions would spend in support of Democratic (or progressive Democrats) candidates in the 2010 elections would "be like flushing (tens of) millions down the toilet."
He must have known something as a result of the "Citizens United" (which should really be called 'Corporations United') case that our inane U.S. Supreme Court ruled on.
Of course, the decision allowing "anonymous" groups and corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns and campaign issues had a HUGE effect in the 2010 mid-term elections that helped swing the majority back to the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Not to mention the hell it has unleashed on the middle class and working people in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Maine, Indiana, Arizona, etc. that have fallen under the iron fisted rule of Republican governors and/or GOP majorities in the state legislatures.
Even here in Illinois, where a Democratic governor (Pat Quinn) and a majority of Dems rule the state legislature, seem to be going the way of corporate boot lickers as they passed a bill that severely limits bargaining rights for school teachers, which happen to be Union workers.
Sad, but true as the anti-worker mentality strikes again among political figures, further relegating the middle class to a tough luck, suck it up status while (politicians) grease the palms of corporate executives with more tax breaks, etc.
Emanuel also seems to be anti-union when it comes to his stated policies as mayor of Chicago.
More union cut backs regarding teachers' collective bargaining as well as pension plans they have worked for along with even more privatization of services.
Remember this one thing...
Chicago is the city that works and the "City of Big Shoulders".
The 'Windy City' is a blue collar town ... Always has been and always will be.
Emanuel is in for a real struggle if he thinks he can change that.
In fairness to the new mayor, the outgoing mayor (Daley) was already going in that direction with his fondness for privatizing everything in sight the last few years in the city.
Apparently, former president George W. Bush made a huge impression on Daley.
Hopefully, Emanuel will work with the City Council and try to improve the city for everyone, not just the corporate elite as nearly ALL politicians seem to be doing these days.
However, I am not holding my breath because Emanuel has already announced he would like to cut the size of the City Council by nearly half of the current number.
Phooey!
This guy needs a large slice of HUMBLE PIE for dessert following his dinner at the Inauguration Ball tonight.
Hopefully, sanity will prevail and Emanuel will not attempt to bulldoze his way to changing the city that works into the city that is unemployed and under paid as far as workers go.
As the late great Frank Sinatra once sang... "It's My Kind of Town, Chicago is..."
To which I say ... Mayor Rahm Emanuel, let's try and keep it that way for everybody.


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