Chicago Politics Today (Focus on Mayor) (Bush, Time: school, health, rated)

[waltlantz]

Much has been said about the corrupt nature of the windy city.

Yet despite that (or some say due to it) the city has been able to avoid the inexorbiant decline of it's rust belt cousins, in fact the city's population is overall fairly stable and the metro area is one of the few non sunbelt areas with strong growth.

TIME mag had an article out talking about the best big city mayors and Richard Daley was one of em.
The 5 Best Big-City Mayors - TIME

It says he wielded "imperial" style power in the city.

Wiki had also said that it was with his father that the true old school machine politics reign had ended.

I was wondering how you think the Mayor and the city government has been able to keep the city (and to a certain extent, area) healthy? Do you think corruption has been lessened somewhat? Also in what ways do you think corruption needs to be adressed?

(Note: I would prefer it if people were able to give good detailed evidence of something MAYBE JUST MAYBE in favor of the city government, cause I never hear about it. After all they must be doing SOMETHING right, right?

Also, I am primarily interested in opinions of long time Chicagoians and Chicagolanders here. Ones that have seen change over between at least an admin before Daley. admittedly that is a long time.

Also FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, don't just cop out with the "the city is a mess due to x,y or z, get out while you can" sound bite bruhaha, provide details please.)

[Irishtom29]

Anyone who really knows ain't sayin'. And that's all I'm sayin'.

[Lookout Kid]

The Machine is different now. It's less about patronage city jobs, and more about patronage city contracts. No-bid contracts are illegal, but the bids are often rigged. It's the same way the Federal Government operated under the Bush Administration, though he got away with actual no-bid contracts in some cases (Haliburton anyone?).

[Avengerfire]

Are you writing an article on the subject or something?