CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[lakeshoredrive]

Geez, this is ridiculous. I hope the election is called today or tomorrow.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Logically that does not make any sense. Truly progressive voters know that Chicago is not there yet so it's in their best interest to actually show up and vote. Especially how Johnson has been doing and the amount of criticism - these people and measures have the ability to change the city in some fundamental ways (for better or for worse). It wouldn't make sense for them to not vote. If that's what happens then they're truly even more idiotic than I could have ever imagined.

If you remember from a year ago, it was really some of the north and northwest side wards that turned out for Johnson and ultimately pushed him over the edge. When you look at the actual wards by percentage right now vs what Johnson got, you will see what I'm talking about. The 49th ward where Maria Hadden is, had Harris getting 11.27 percentage points LOWER than what Johnson got just 1 year ago. Hadden is the main sponsor of Bring Chicago Home bill that just failed.

This is a ward that went 73.6% for Johnson a year ago and now barely went just over 62% for Harris. In 2020, Kim Foxx did slightly better than Harris, but that was with 2 more candidates in the primary than this year. And in 2016, Foxx got 70% with 1 more candidate than this year.

There are others like this in wards that helped push Johnson over the edge and they had Harris underperforming vs. what Johnson did. I see some of this as a sort of buyer's remorse potentially about Johnson with some voters in the north side.

I have not seen any analysis of the voters in this primary. But across the nation generally, younger voters can be difficult to turn out. And this is especially true in low turnout elections. So if younger voters were more likely to align with progressive candidates and less likey to turn out, then that could affect an outcome. This was the primary point I was getting at. But to know if there might have been such an influence requires at the very least comparing demographics between the cycles

[Chisouthside]

A small batch went in a couple hours ago and Burke's lead increased by 11 votes.

[CrazyCres]

O'Neill Burke wins Democrat primary for Cook Co. state's attorney: AP

https://abc7chicago.com/videoClip/14590617/

[Steely Dan]

Nice!

A much-needed repudiation of the progressive agenda here in the windy city.

[LouisVanDerWright]

What a fucking shit show BJ has turned out to be. Utter embarrassment on all fronts and now I'm hearing that even some of his closest progressive allies are thinking of turning on him.

Meanwhile city council is debating making cancelling Shot Spotter a ward by ward decision and allowing some wards to keep it if they want.

Obviously BHC failed in humiliating fashion. Then his Chief of Staff resigns.

Instead of acknowledging that voters have resoundingly rejected his shitty agenda and calling for a change of course, he goes full Smollet and blames MAGA voters for his failures.

Given the mechanics of Chicagos system, he's not just a weak mayor, but the position of acting mayor is basically up for grabs. Whoever in city council can string together a block of 26 votes can basically appoint themselves mayor by totally taking over the legislative process since there's no veto and the Mayor has basically no powers if he doesn't have the backing of a council majority.

To make things even worse, the outcomes of this primarily imply Johnson has already done deep damage to the "progressive" cause. Voters are turning not only on his agenda, but associated candidates. I can't help but think there are many allies in city council considering the fact that continuing to tie themselves to this sinking ship will likely make them lose the next election. Again, knocking off rogue alders is how the mayor is supposed to rule. The consequences of not participating in his agenda are supposed to result in lost elections for noncompliant alders.

Instead we are looking at a situation where alders are probably more afraid of being associated with this clown show than of Bozo himself.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Given the mechanics of Chicagos system, he's not just a weak mayor, but the position of acting mayor is basically up for grabs. Whoever in city council can string together a block of 26 votes can basically appoint themselves mayor by totally taking over the legislative process since there's no veto and the Mayor has basically no powers if he doesn't have the backing of a council majority.

Which is why people need to be pressuring their Alders to move important things through the system and take back the control they ceded to past mayors. A more-powerful council and less-powerful mayor would be the best outcome of a Johnson admin.

Have you contacted your Alder about approving pending permits or otherwise encouraging development?

[UPChicago]

Put more power in the hands of alders………you all have lost it

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by UPChicago

Put more power in the hands of alders………you all have lost it

Better than hoping a single individual can solve everything and kowtowing to their every whim (parking meter deal, toss and scoop financing, skipping pension payments, etc.). An emboldened Council may have stood up to some of these bad ideas. It works just fine for lots of cities.

[UPChicago]

I’d agree if there weren’t 50 of them and many who refuse to work together.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

Better than hoping a single individual can solve everything and kowtowing to their every whim (parking meter deal, toss and scoop financing, skipping pension payments, etc.). An emboldened Council may have stood up to some of these bad ideas. It works just fine for lots of cities.

The problem isn't the City Council, but the fact that there are way too many alderpersons with competing agendas, a lack of a cohesive city-wide agenda, and oh yeah, still a shit-ton of grift going on.

At this point in Chicago's political era, I don't have faith in either BJ nor the Council; he's useless and lacks a clear, enforceable agenda, and the Council is full of schemers.

[BrinChi]

https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investiga...ne-data-shows/

There have been 111 murders in Chicago in the first three months of the year, down 5-percent from the same period last year. There were 410 shootings, down 7-percent. CPD says the number of shooting victims has declined to its lowest level since 2019. There have been 241 carjackings reported so far this year, down 22-percent from last year.