The mayor’s playbook
Friday, May 20, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not only does Ben Joravsky provide us with a sound argument that Friends of the Parks is far from an “elitist” or “white” organization, we are also treated to this spot-on analysis about the Lucas Museum push…
In many ways, the mayor and his allies are following a script written by Emanuel’s predecessor—Mayor You-Know-Who—when he tried to cram the Children’s Museum into Grant Park or turn Chicago’s parks into construction zones for the 2016 Olympics.
Call it a four-step process.
Step one: The mayor announces, Great news, Chicago! You’re getting something you didn’t know you wanted.
In this case, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, assembled by Star Wars creator George Lucas.
Step two: The mayor pressures his oversight boards and bodies to approve the deal without anything resembling serious oversight.
In this case, that means Emanuel got the Plan Commission, the City Council, and the Park District board to enthusiastically approve putting the Lucas Museum on the lakefront.
Step three: The mayor gets scions of civic and corporate Chicago—always willing to oblige—to praise the plan. Usually they quote Daniel Burnham, who’s not around to defend himself since he’s been dead for more than a century.
Finally, if there’s any resistance, the mayor brings out the heavy artillery—often Father Pfleger—to denounce the opposition as elitists.
Thus Father Pfleger wrote on his Facebook page May 3: “How dare this Elitist Group of Unknowns decide they control Chicago. . . They are friends of NOBODY, especially not of JOBS AND CHILDREN!!!!”
Yep. It’s definitely the playbook. And it’s used by far more people than whoever happens to be the mayor. Regulated utilities often do the same thing at the Statehouse.
- 47th Ward - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:07 am:
It’s hard for me to type this, but Ben Joravsky is exactly right.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:12 am:
Father Pfleger, the man should not be a priest. He disappoints me.
- DuPage - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:15 am:
Is it violating any law to build where the city wants to. Does “Friends of the Parks” have authority over the city and park district?
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:16 am:
DuPage, this isn’t Google. Use that first. Thanks.
- Red Ranger - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:22 am:
Kudos to the Friends of the Parks for their steadfastness on this issue. MRE’s insistence on this issue is indicative of an elected official that has lost control and is grasping for anything. It looks very similar to the end of the Daley reign. Outside of pulling off a major miracle with CPS and city finances, I don’t see how he regains the power he once had.
- lake county democrat - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:23 am:
Except there’s no comparison between the Children’s Museum and the most recent proposal for the Lucas Museum (tearing down McCormick Place East). The former would have taken lakefront park land from the public, the latter increases the amount of lakefront land. The former was not Chicago “getting something” as the Navy Pier location was just fine. The latter arguably *is* getting something (though you can legitimately question and criticize the public funding required in the second proposal). And the McCormick Place site is sooooo sparsely used right now - I’ve biked the lakefront path on some of the busiest weekends of the summer and have never seen it crowded around there (for that matter, the only time I see big crowds in the south part of the lakefront is when the 4th of July fireworks are happening).
Yes, Rahm will resort to smears and yes Pfleger is a blowhard (and in this case a paid one - I read that Lucas contributed a lot to Pfleger’s church) but in this case they are right: Friends of the Park is acting very elitist.
Have any aldermen backed the Friends of the Park on this one?
- Juvenal - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:42 am:
It’s hard for me to type this, but the Chicago Tribune editorial board is exactly right.
- Juvenal - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:45 am:
=== the latter increases the amount of lakefront land ===
At the cost of $720 million to the public, correct?
There are better ways for the taxpayers to spend $720 million, don’t you think?
- logic not emotion - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:46 am:
I couldn’t agree more with “Father Pfleger, the man should not be a priest.”
- Regular democrat - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:47 am:
Joravsky is spot on. I would like to see his writings im an everyday publication. He sure understands the chicago way.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:50 am:
==How dare this Elitist Group of Unknowns decide they control Chicago. . . They are friends of NOBODY==
Without Friends of the Parks, the entire shoreline would rapidly be covered with high rise buildings catering to lake views for the ELITES.
They would quickly monopolize the lakefront, the view and the best open space where CHILDREN currently play sports, watch fire works and go with family.
- TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:55 am:
A museum glorifying a 20th century futuristic movie gets a 99-year lease for 10 bucks with an option to renew for a total of 297 years - what could possibly go wrong?
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
Still coughing from reading ***lake county (alleged)democrat*** comment that Friends of the Parks sound elitist.
If it’s so great, find some Lake County shoreline for it.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
==I read that Lucas contributed a lot to Pfleger’s church==
==Pfleger’s St. Sabina Catholic Church received $200,000 from the George Lucas Family Foundation in the 2014 tax year, according to the foundation’s tax form.==
That had to be disclosed. Personal donations from Lucas could be much more. Maybe someone should ask him his next Facebook comment.
- Amalia - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:16 pm:
Friends of the Parks thinks it saved the lakefront. that would be “Open, clear and free” and Lois Wille from days of yore. p.s. how’s Soldier Field doing under your “leadership.”
build the museum. it is a museum campus. this is a museum of the future, even if one imagined. and technology. it would be a great addition to the campus.
- Bleh - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:17 pm:
The public face (director) of Friends of the Park is not white or anything but an elitist.
- lake county democrat - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:29 pm:
Juvenal - that’s the one point that’s debatable, and I’m not sure about the $720 million figure, but Lucas is spending $800 million on the museum.
- lake county democrat - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:34 pm:
Crazy - of course there’s no way to verify it in anonaland, but pretty sure I’ve done more to elect Democrats than most here (at least who don’t have a direct stake). Indeed, having voted for Quinn, I’m often surprised how often I post mildly pro-Rauner material here, but the stakeholders are so over-the-top and/or blind to any reason he might act as he does other than a 1% characiture of evil that I can’t help myself.
To your point: Waukegan DID offer to take it and I’d be delighted if that could happen - add a lakefront casino and a minor league baseball team while you’re at it - one day the entire shoreline between Waukegan and Racine is going to be prime property (well, I hope - but it’s real nice and a lot cheaper than Cook/south Lake County). If we had high-speed rail between Chicago and Milwaukee, Lucas might even go for it.
- lake county democrat - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:37 pm:
FKA - $200K and maybe more? I had no idea they get that kind of money. Ranting pays!
I’ll give Pfleger kudos on one thing: when the US government declared the Darfur crisis to be a genocide - a first for a genocide while it was ongoing - his response was better than most local clergy.
- The Historian - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
I have *great* respect for Mike Pfleger’s courage over the years, but once St. Sabina’s taken that sum from Lucas, he should know better in terms of his reputation than to become a shill like this…
- Tone - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:57 pm:
- Juvenal - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:45 am:
=== the latter increases the amount of lakefront land ===
At the cost of $720 million to the public, correct?
There are better ways for the taxpayers to spend $720 million, don’t you think?”
The first plan on the parking lot was free. 100% Lucas money.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 2:05 pm:
Friends of the Park aren’t the problem; Emanuel tried to muscle through a public lakefront site for private purpose, in likely violation of the law, to show what a macher he was.
How’d that go?
Judge Darrah has rejected every argument Emanuel’s mouthpieces have made to toss the suit and has ruled there’s a strong case that Friends of the Park will prevail, as a matter of law.
And laws matter, even for Emanuel, Lucas, Hobson and Pfleger.
- Chicago 20 - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 2:16 pm:
To appreciate the play book moves you need to know the end results.
The Chicago Children’s Museum never moved to Grant Park and never spent $150 million on a new facility or on their old facility for that matter.
They did receive more floor space at Navy Pier with the MPEA paying for the build out.
They also received a new 99 year lease for free rent at that taxpayer owned facility.
On top of the free rent they are now receiving $550,000 in parking revenue from parking lots that the taxpayers own and are still paying for.
Over at McCormick Place there are reports that the east building is barely used, but it has an occupancy rate of 53% while McCormick Place as a whole sits at 55%.
If the east building is torn down before a replacement structure is built, Chicago will lose many more trade shows than the 14 that have left since the “reform” legislation in 2011.
If and when the Lucas Museum is built in Chicago it will have little to do with the red herrings and circuses that are currently circulating in the media.
There is one thing that you can count on, the taxpayers will be on the hook.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
When did we start reclassifying millionaires’ toy collections as “museums”?
– MrJM
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:52 pm:
George Lucas is no mere millionaire.
- Tone - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:57 pm:
Um, Degas, Renoir, Rockwell and Warhol to name a few. Museum worthy.
- lake county democrat - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
Well, Lucas’ collection is reportedly valued at $1 billion - that says “art” more than “toys” to me, or at least a toy collection that people have an interest in seeing.