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* Rahm Emanuel was sworn in as Chicago’s new mayor today…
“Today, more than any other time in our history, more than any other place in our country, the city of Chicago is ready for change,” Emanuel said after welcoming the dignitaries and the crowd.“
His entire address is here.
* The Question: How much of a “change agent” do you expect he will be? Explain, please.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:25 pm
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Whether you like him or not, Rahm Emanuel is an effective manager, strategist, and, yes, change agent. A fresh perspective, coupled with his knowledge of government gives him an edge. I think he will excel because more than anything else, he hates to lose and equally hates to fail.
Comment by Knome Sane Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:29 pm
Like changing the course of the Titanic, anything you want to see happen immediately needed to happen a long time before. At best, Rahm will have no immediate effect since he really has little of the entrenched power structure, but can shape Chicago in a number of areas in the future as he builds his own power base, and if he decides to stick around a while.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:33 pm
Rahm will be different, but more smoke than fire.
Comment by Louis Howe Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:38 pm
Anmyone notice he did give the GOPs any credit for the ed bill? Anyone else notice he did not mention casinos, pensions, work comp?
That should put a capper on those issues for the year
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:39 pm
Let me reread Animal Farm…
Oh, yeah.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:56 pm
The only thing that will change are the faces at the trough. Oh yeah, and all municipal employees will get screwed. Rahm likes to blame the victims. I want change as much as anyone but NOT change for the worse.
Comment by Bill Monday, May 16, 11 @ 1:58 pm
i gotta agree with Knome Sane. rahm will bring change, sometimes apparent, sometimes not so much. some of it we will like, and, i’d expect, some we won’t. but he will be effective, he will bring national attention to the city and continue the city’s tradition as a municipal leader that the white house and world’s politicians must pay attention.
whether or not the real political leader in illinois has to pay attention remains to be seen…
Comment by bored now Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:03 pm
Depends on what you mean by change; is it change if you do thing differently but end up with the same result?
Rham is a control freak. Dont get me wrong, I think control freaks can make great leaders, but I would say he will seek to consolidate as much individual power as dailey ever had, and possibly more. He will do it so he can direct a differenft agenda, one more people may support then they did under Dailey, possibly, but you will still have a lot of power concentrated in one person atr the end of the day.
Comment by Ghost Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:13 pm
I’m sure Rahm will do a good job. He can never play dumb as Daley did at times, we all know he is smart. I like the fact he has a chip on his shoulder. Look out boy’s the new Sheriff’s in town.
Comment by mokenavince Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:16 pm
There could be significant change, as evidenced by the challenge already to the CTU. The public employee unions took a swing at him and he still got 55% of the vote. He doesn’t owe them a thing.
The “black leaders” who brought you Carol Mosely Braun as the “consensus candidate” could be nudged out the door by some young up-and-comers who might want to hitch their star to a new mayor.
I’d watch Streets and Sans and the Water Department for evidence of serious change on the efficiency front. There’s been a lot of dumping of political hacks over the years in those departments.
And if your Chicago garbage is picked up by a one-person, privately operated truck, you know something’s going on.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:16 pm
I am glad Rahm is the new mayor. Southern Illinois was in need of a new mayor to lord over us!
Comment by nieva Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:18 pm
Depends on how much he can take away from Ed Burke and the current top cronies, and re-apportion to his own faithful.
Comment by Newsclown Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:19 pm
“And if your Chicago garbage is picked up by a one-person, privately operated truck, you know something’s going on.”
Specifically, that you are being fleeced.
Comment by chi Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:21 pm
He’ll change things for sure…or at least the players will not all be from Bridgeport…I/m sure Ed Burke has a back up plan…
Comment by Loop Lady Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:39 pm
I think he and Toni Preckwinkle will work out some agreements to share some departments/workers that will cut costs for both the city and the county. The city Park District and the county Forest Preserves could be administered from the same office, for example. We probably don’t need a city and a county Health Department either.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:45 pm
@nieva: funny that chicago’s mayor “lords” over downstate, but has little influence in chicago’s south suburbs. we must be the fly-over region in illinois…
Comment by bored now Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:46 pm
With Rahm’s contacts in Hollywood, will Chicago Code be renewed?
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:48 pm
Rahm’s effectiveness is tactical, not strategic. He will need to listen to planners and dreamers and put that into action to have a greater Chicago.
Comment by Geek Marine Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:48 pm
Until I see otherwise the only change I really expect to see is the name change on the banners, festivals, tournaments and, oh yeah, the office door to the Mayor’s office.
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, May 16, 11 @ 2:53 pm
“The more things change, the more they remain
the same.”
Comment by Esteban Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:03 pm
Expect to see a bunch of new initiatives, programs, reforms. But don’t expect any fundamental changes in the trends. Mayor Emanuel will be the mayor of the business community and lakeshore elites, just like Daley and the earlier Daley were.
The senior Daley segregated the city, the younger Daley drove African Americans out of the city. Both enhanced and beautified the downtown area and made Chicago a “world class city” business and the prosperous. I don’t see any desire on the part of Mayor Emanuel to achieve different goals.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:13 pm
It depends upon the definition of the word “change.” If the Axelrod definition employed by the President ad nauseum in his campaign is used, not all that much will change.
More should change in the first four years than in any subsequent terms should Rahm feel like sticking around for subsequent terms.
Should be fun to watch.
Comment by Jake From Elwood Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:24 pm
the city’s budget will be tougher to balance each year, so he’ll be forced into more change than he probably likes. he’ll probably war with unions that didn’t support him as well, which will represent change.
Comment by Robert Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:33 pm
Rahm will make significant change.
Compared to his predecessor, he’ll shine.
Compared to expectations, he’ll fall short.
He’ll be judged by how he does on schools and the budget.
If he goes to war with the Chicago Teachers Union, he’ll be judged against the Tribune’s expectations for reform and undoubtedly come up short.
If he works out a compromise with the union, he’ll be praised as a new era reformer.
The budget is going to require significant cuts and new revenue.
If he goes to war with the City Council, anything short of 100% capitulation by the Council will be viewed as Rahm’s defeat.
If he brokers a compromise, he’ll be praised as a fiscal hawk compared to his predecessor.
If he’s planning on going to war, he ought to do it in his first 100 days and bring a #10 can, while he’s still got some wind in his sails and everyone else is still figuring out how to work him.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:49 pm
Depends on if he pardons Blagojevich.
Comment by Rubicon Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:55 pm
Rubicon, what planet are you from?
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 16, 11 @ 3:59 pm
Definitions of Rubicon (n)
point of no return: a point at which any action taken commits the person taking it to a further course of action that cannot be avoided
An appropriate name indeed…
Comment by Jake From Elwood Monday, May 16, 11 @ 4:04 pm
I think he has the potential to really shake things up, how effective he is and who this actually benefits (or harms) remains to be seen. I’m sure his recently hired Dept. heads will take the blame if things don’t change, but Emanuel will claim he’s getting the job done four years from now.
Comment by Wensicia Monday, May 16, 11 @ 4:16 pm
“With Rahm’s contacts in Hollywood, will Chicago Code be renewed?”
That’s one change I can support!
Comment by levois Monday, May 16, 11 @ 4:17 pm
–Like changing the course of the Titanic, anything you want to see happen immediately needed to happen a long time before.–
Cincy, how do you get up in the morning, living in this terrible, terrible time and place?
Seriously, what era and place could you have derived any contentment or optimism? Anything yet, in human history?
Rubicon, I’ll have what you’re having.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 16, 11 @ 4:36 pm
I would love to see some serious factions emerge in the Council. Maybe a north side / south side feud? Actually have some debate amoungst themselves. Have the negotiations happen on the floor instead of just individually between each alderman and the mayors office.
Comment by Been There Monday, May 16, 11 @ 4:48 pm
Wordslinger,
Let me borrow your rose colored glasses. I for one don’t think we will see any short term improvements just because a different mayor is in Chicago.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, May 16, 11 @ 5:03 pm
Cincy, I don’t have rose-colored glasses. The Titanic reference was yours, just part of your chronic victim act (strange, for a self-sufficient, libertarian, “conservative” like yourself).
Again, I would ask you: Things are so bad for you in 2011 Illinois, America, where and when would be the “good” place and era for a fella like you? Where you could make it through the day without being outraged and scornful at your fate?
Western civilization hasn’t made it easy enough for you yet?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 16, 11 @ 7:12 pm
- the Other Anonymous -
[The senior Daley segregated the city, the younger Daley drove African Americans out of the city. Both enhanced and beautified the downtown area and made Chicago a “world class city” business and the prosperous. I don’t see any desire on the part of Mayor Emanuel to achieve different goals.]
I’ve been thinking the same thing. However, it is my hope that Mayor Emmanuel prove us wrong. In terms of administration, it appears that it leaning towards maintaining the ’status quo’. Time will tell.
Comment by the shadow crusade Monday, May 16, 11 @ 8:27 pm
You should re-read what I have said, Wordslinger, for surely your over interpreting what I said in my initial post. Chicago finances are a mess, and the only thing that would have helped them today were changes made many years ago. Like the Titanic heading for the iceberg, Chicago’s almost $1B deficit needed addressing years ago, and there is little Rahm can do about it now. That’s all I said, but I am happy to hear that you think Rahm can have an immediate effect, although I doubt it.
I then went on to say that Rahm can set a new path for Chicago that if he hangs in for a few years can have a significant effect. Unfortunately, you must feel the opposite, or something, since you seem to be down on a positive outlook for the future, or something.
I really don’t know why you always devolve into an attack on me or personally on anyone else who doesn’t agree with your liberal point of view, although I can understand your frustration since we have been trying to implement it for the past few years and it is failing miserably, as it has everywhere in the world it has been tried. Keep your chin up, we’ll make it in spite of your backward viewpoint!
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, May 16, 11 @ 10:48 pm
I expect Rahm to reach out to a large hispanic coalition to give him some leverage - that’s the up-and-coming voting bloc. HDO was the wrong way, Rahm now has a chance to do it the right way.
Comment by Gregor Tuesday, May 17, 11 @ 12:40 am