Chicago Wins!!
I am lucky enough to see the five major Chicago teams win a championship in my life. Even the Cubs for crying out loud.
On the surface, and in the long run, the failure of Mayor Lightfoot to win reelection is a win for Chicago. The departure of one of her biggest stooges, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department Brown, is also a long-term win. There will be other departures from city government as, arguably, the WORST administration since Prohibition departs City Hall.
For Chicago, a city notorious for shit politics, that is saying something.
Unfortunately, the damage done in the four years Mayor Lightfoot has been in office is significant and in the short term, things will get worse. There is always turmoil when administrations change over. It’s a given. Good ones will plan for their departure. There are supposed to be attempts made for continuity to lessen the impact on the City itself. You know, the people you are supposed to be serving as Mayor.
With the immediate response from Mayor Lightfoot, blaming everyone else but herself for her failure to stay in office, there will be no attempt to minimize the turmoil. Seriously, Ms. Mayor, if you are in Chicago as a Democrat, a woman, an African American, and a Lesbian and you cannot stay in office…that’s on YOU. But you OWE the people of Chicago the best you can give them. Unfortunately, you won’t. Like the rest of your time in office, you’ll waste this as well.
The murder rate has skyrocketed. Crime in general is on a massive uptick. Morale in CPD is bottoming out. Criminals are empowered. The Bears have committed to LEAVE THE CITY. Even the US Soccer Federation, who is headquartered IN CHICAGO couldn’t get the city to submit a decent bid to host World Cup games in four years because of all the turmoil.
Chicago will not be fixed quickly. The cuts are deep, and the bleeding continues. Mayor Lightfoot’s period as a lame duck may bring even more strife, out of spite. The departure of Superintendent Brown will be a short term morale boost for the CPD, but it isn’t going to fix the damage done. None of this heals overnight for the Windy City.
But, at the end of it all Chicago WILL WIN. It is difficult to imagine the next team that occupies City Hall being as inept as the current crew. It has to get better. Chicago WILL WIN but it won’t be soon.
I have faith that my home city will show the strength it is known for. The city will recover. This isn’t the famous drought of the Cubs and the curse of the damn goat. This isn’t the drought of the White Sox and the ghost of Shoeless Joe. This has the potential to be the Bulls drafting a kid out of North Carolina or the Blackhawks pairing up two kids wearing 19 and 88 on the back of their sweaters. This has potential to change the city.
It doesn’t happen as often as it should, and this is going to take some time, but I think this time…Chicago Wins!!