John Kass comes out in favor of forcing Mayor Emanuel into a run-off in his bid for re-election:
But there is one thing that is necessary. Think of it as a gift, one that can be given to Chicago on Tuesday, Election Day, Feb. 24.
Only those who live in the city and love Chicago the most — those who will vote Tuesday — can give this gift to the city. I live outside the city. So I can’t. But you might.
What is this one thing Chicago desperately needs?
It needs Mayor Rahm Emanuel to fall short of winning re-election outright Tuesday.
There, I said it.
I’m not saying he should lose the election and get tossed on the ash heap of history, no, no, no. Nothing of the kind.
I’m just asking that on Tuesday, he fails to receive the 50 percent plus one vote that would make him the outright victor.
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8The oligarchs who installed him want him to win Tuesday. They don’t want a runoff. They installed him as a caretaker to protect their interests and as a janitor to clean up the mess of the last mayor, who spent the city into oblivion.
A runoff might impress upon Rahm that this isn’t Rome and he’s not Rahmulus.
So a runoff is exactly what the city needs.
Oddly, Emanuel needs it too. If he survives, it would make him a better, perhaps more humble mayor, rather than that Mayor Antoinette that erupts on occasion.
If Rahm doesn’t win outright, there would be a runoff election campaign between two candidates, one of them most likely Rahm and his $30 million political war chest.
He’d have to spend it. And my motto for weeks has been: Make Rahm spend it all.
For your edification and enlightenment here are the results of the Trib’s investigation of the mayor’s campaign finances:
In an unprecedented look at the intersection of Emanuel’s political fundraising and his public duties, the Tribune analyzed years of his public schedules, thousands of administration actions and all of the more than $30.5 million in contributions to his campaign funds since he first ran for mayor in 2010.
The examination found a pattern of mutually beneficial interactions between the mayor and his major supporters. Some of those actions play out in public as part of the Emanuel administration’s high-energy marketing strategy. But the political piece typically takes place behind the scenes.
Emanuel is at the center of it all, moving seamlessly between his roles as chief executive and chief fundraiser.
The pattern may be best viewed through Emanuel’s top donors.
Nearly 60 percent of those 103 donors benefited from his city government, receiving contracts, zoning changes, business permits, pension work, board appointments, regulatory help or some other tangible benefit.
Nearly 60 percent of those 103 donors benefited from his city government….
What’s wrong with the other 40+% of his top donors?
Also, why shouldn’t Emanuel be tossed on the ash heap of history? Has he got anything going for him that should be saved from the fate of the dinosaurs?
Well, for one thing the guys who are running against him make Richie Daley look like William Jennings Bryan. None of them can utter two coherent simple declarative sentences in succession. They only have one prescription for the city: spend more money on public employment. No ideas on where to get the dough, though.
But that’s not really an argument FOR Emanuel, simply a series of arguments more strongly opposed to the other candidates. Is there a positive declaration about Rahm’s abilities that can be made that aren’t relative in nature?
You know, something about the crease in his pants, or something of that nature.
It’s like the P. T. Barnum come-on: World’s Shortest Giant.
Now that’s what I’m looking for! I can bet behind protecting midget giants.
Oddly, Emanuel needs it too. If he survives, it would make him a better, perhaps more humble mayor, rather than that Mayor Antoinette that erupts on occasion.
If he survives Emanuel has as much of a chance of becoming a humble mayor as Obama had of becoming a “humble president,” after his 2014 midterm losses. It just won’t happen, especially with the superiority shown in the social progressive circle of politicians.