Rahm Emanuel Elected Mayor of Chicago

[NearWestSider]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

Just because the machine of today is not the same as it was years ago does not mean it does no longer exists.

If the 25th and the 47th wards are no longer "machine" wards in any reasonable sense of the word, where exactly is this great and powerful Chicago political machine? Can you name a few wards?

It seems to me that people who throw the term "machine" around are usually carrying a belly full of sour grapes, as in "my candidate lost because of the machine".

The truth is, there are democratic ward organizations. Each ward is allocated a budget that, in addition to an alderman, funds a number of operatives who function as community organizers and liaisons.

These are the guys whose job it is to field complaints, organize events, attend public meetings, and basically act as the alderman's eyes and ears to keep him informed of (and on the right side) of issues that affect the community. Every congressman has hired liaisons, as does every senator, governor or anyone else, because they can not be in all places to meet with all the people all of the time. When election time rolls around, these liaisons coordinate the election activities, and one of their jobs is to remind those that they have helped how important it is for them to get out the vote.

Compare this to the old-school ward organizations. You still have the, liaisons/organizers/campaign operatives. But add to that literally dozens of city employees (who obtained their job via the sponsorship of the ward organization) whose job it is to knock on doors, talk to businesses, put signs everywhere and do everything possible to remind the citizens that not only is the alderman asking for your support, he has a million eyes and ears watching and tracking who is reluctant to openly declare it. Each of those city employees has spouses, children, brothers, sisters, cousins, etc (big families is one of the reasons the Irish were so good at this game).

If you feel that the current system is somehow anti democratic, I would curious to hear what you would like to replace it with.

Even the most rabid, reactionary tea party Republicans in the US House of Representatives declined to include cutting their staffs as part of their budget cuts. Are they part of the "machine"?

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by NearWestSider

I would say that anyone who thinks there is a "machine" in Chicago was not around in the days of Fast Eddy or Ed Kelley and the fightin' 47th.

THOSE were political machines, although armies is a better description, and the fact that a no-name doorbell ringer is the new alderman of the 47th Ward shows what a strange new world we live in.

As I stated previously, I live in the 25th Ward, which, according to the soothsayers in this forum, is a "machine" ward.

I am not going to alter anyone's world view, but I am going to point out that the "machine"'s candidate for alderman is facing a runoff against a rag-tag self-appointed community leader, who has the good fortune of receiving the backing of the SEIU.

The incumbant's operatives are, for the most part, a merry crew of flakes. If this alderman is a dictator, he's a lousy one, and if his organization is a machine, it is of the Rube Goldberg variety. The challenger's operatives are, by and large, a bunch of bearded hipster weirdos. Either of these two would have been chewed up and spit out by the old guard ward organizations.

Instead, we are going to watch them duke it out, mano a mano, for the heart and soul of the 25th. I don't know what you call that, but I call it democracy.

Nothing is ever 100% cut and dry. When it comes down to individual wards there are power struggles especially when a leader is not working out or isn't taking care of the people that need to be taken care of.

Many times at that level I would completely agree that it's quite democratic.

When you get to the higher levels then which factions bless you and throw you their support has a big big impact on getting elected and at that point it's much less democratic.

[tonythetuna]

Rahm trying to establish his "aging hipster" cred.

"During the interview, Emanuel gushed about his excitement for the new Lucinda Williams album, “Blessed,” released on Tuesday. The DJs also played two songs selected by Emanuel: “Tonight, Tonight” by the Smashing Pumpkins and “I’m a Wheel” by Wilco. Emanuel has stated his love of both bands repeatedly."

Rahm Emanuel likes Wilco, Lucinda Williams

Will Rahm be behind the further revitalization of Uptown?

“You have the Riv [Riviera Theatre], you have Aragon, you have Double Door. . . . We have a downtown theater district. Should there be an Uptown music district, given our history with labels as well as the club scene, which is truly, truly unique around the country?” Emanuel said.

http://www.suntimes.com/4101220-417/...-district.html

[prairiestate]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

Rahm trying to establish his "aging hipster" cred.

"During the interview, Emanuel gushed about his excitement for the new Lucinda Williams album, “Blessed,” released on Tuesday. The DJs also played two songs selected by Emanuel: “Tonight, Tonight” by the Smashing Pumpkins and “I’m a Wheel” by Wilco. Emanuel has stated his love of both bands repeatedly."

Rahm Emanuel likes Wilco, Lucinda Williams

Will Rahm be behind the further revitalization of Uptown?

“You have the Riv [Riviera Theatre], you have Aragon, you have Double Door. . . . We have a downtown theater district. Should there be an Uptown music district, given our history with labels as well as the club scene, which is truly, truly unique around the country?” Emanuel said.

Rahm Emanuel likes Wilco, Lucinda Williams

At least he has his priorities straight. Who cares about the police and schools?

[tonythetuna]

See how your precinct voted:

2011 Chicago mayoral election: Results mapped by precinct ? Chicago Tribune

[j33]

While I didn't vote for him, as a fan of the arts, this makes me happy. Yes, I know that schools, police, etc. are important, as are myriad other parts of city life, but I'm happy to have a mayor who appreciates and supports the arts beyond lip-service.

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel on the arts: Dance, gritty theater and a shift towards neighborhoods - The Theater Loop

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by j33

While I didn't vote for him, as a fan of the arts, this makes me happy. Yes, I know that schools, police, etc. are important, as are myriad other parts of city life, but I'm happy to have a mayor who appreciates and supports the arts beyond lip-service.

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel on the arts: Dance, gritty theater and a shift towards neighborhoods - The Theater Loop

I agree.