Election Campaigns

With the Chicago Mayor’s race, it is amazing how many people think they have a better solution to the city’s ills, and how much better their management will be than the incumbent. Taking pot shots at the incumbent is old school, during the term and especially during election campaigns. But one thought strikes me every time. If these candidates really support the city, and think they have a good idea on how to solve problems, why don’t they get involved year-round to offer advice, counsel and volunteer effort? Why don’t they help the incumbents build successful futures for the city and its many, diverse inhabitants?

The crime problem has been around for over a hundred years. Lots of different solutions have been tried. Some worked well, others did not. But crime continued just the same, like death inevitably follows birth.

Same with problems with the public education system. Transportation challenges, too. And safety of air, soil and water? What can we all do about those issues.

Mayor Lightfoot has done a credible job during her first term. And she did that in spite of having to deal with the first public health pandemic in a hundred years. With that challenge she did extremely well.

She has also maintained a strong ethos despite a constant campaign by naysayers just because she is a woman, or black or whatever other negative someone ascribes to another person. I think Lightfoot is a superb mayor, and has courageously attempted to solve many long term problems. She has remained true to her job description and her campaign promises. She alone had to manage the nightmare of issues everyone else complains about. They didn’t have to do squat about any of it. She did.

Why anyone is willing to take on an election campaign and run for office is beyond me. What one does that is solid and good, is often ignored or downplayed. Then problems are heaped on the incumbent that no one else expected to be handled anytime soon. Even successes are covered over and hidden.

It is my opinion that we all have a duty to do what is right for our communities. Not to do so is irresponsible and evidence the person is not eligible for public office. Furthermore, if we truly believe all the rhetoric contained in campaigns, then we have become an ungovernable people.

Think about that for a while. Then think what we can do about it. If we can’t do anything to improve on our leadership of public bodies, then we must rethink our own form of government to reform it. I doubt anyone wants to do that.

So much more easy to collaborate with one another and support cooperative governance with many different voices. That’s something I doubt has been tried in recent times.

February 23, 2023

   

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