Lori Lightfoot is Chicago's new Mayor: Please don't fool us again!
Change, hope and reform. Three words that many of us have been waiting eight years to hear. Eight long years. Out with the old, in with the new. Yesterday was inauguration day in Chicago.
We have a new Mayor of Chicago, people! There's a new leader in town and her name is Lori Lightfoot. If you aren't local and have never heard of her, that's okay. Most of us living in Chicago hadn't either until a few months ago. When Lori announced that she was running for Mayor about a year ago, it wasn't big news. Most of us assumed that our now former Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, was going to run for a third term. Those of us who wanted him gone sure didn't think an unknown entity could beat him. But then Rahm decided to abdicate his throne....and suddenly it got interesting....very interesting.
We'll be fighting in the streets With our children at our feet And the morals that they worship will be gone And the men who spurred us on Sit in judgement of all wrong They decide and the shotgun sings the song
After Rahm said no mas, the usual subjects entered the race. Preckwinkle, Vallas, Chico, Mendoza. Bill Daley, too...because it wouldn't be a Mayor's election without another Daley. The unknown beat them all. Yeah, there would still be a run-off election, but that was better than anyone expected. HOPE!
On April 2, 2019, Lori Lightfoot won the run-off election. The unknown underdog blew out Toni Preckwinkle, the political insider. Lightfoot received almost 74% of the vote. She won all fifty wards of the city. Every. Single. One. CHANGE!
We've been down this road before in Chicago. In the 1970's, Jane Byrne became our first female Mayor. She replaced the first Daley, who served in that position for a couple of decades before dying. We expected a lot and it wasn't delivered. Eight years ago, it was more of the same. Daley #2 done after serving for another two decades. Rahm moved into city hall with high expectations. He leaves with those expectations unmet. DISAPPOINTMENT!
The change, it had to come We knew it all along We were liberated from the fold, that's all And the world looks just the same And history ain't changed 'Cause the banners, they are flown in the next war
After Lightfoot was sworn in, she gave a speech for the ages:
“I stand here as your mayor, humble and hopeful, honored to be the 56th mayor in the history of this great city. For years, they’ve said Chicago ain’t ready for reform. Well, get ready…because reform is here. No matter who you are, no matter where you live [...] Chicago is now on a mission to join hands with you, to share power with you, and to give you reason to believe that we can all pull in the same direction to make Chicago, better, together. Folks, we are and must be in this together. Our challenges can only be solved if we face them together. We cannot fail. We will not fail. We are Chicago.”
Lightfoot said all the right things. She wants our streets to be safe. She wants our children to have great schools...all our children regardless of neighborhood. She wants economic prosperity for all residents of the city. She told the city council she wasn't putting up with their bullshit anymore...and backed up the talk by immediately signing an executive action stripping alderman of absolute power in their wards. “No official in the city of Chicago, elected or appointed, should ever profit from his or her office. Never. Ever.”
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution Take a bow for the new revolution Smile and grin at the change all around Pick up my guitar and play Just like yesterday
On day one of her administration, Lori Lightfoot talked the talk. She has four years to see if she can walk the walk. The pressure will be great. Millions of city residents have a lot at stake in her success. We don't want to go through this again in 2023.
Lori Lightfoot is the new boss. Hopefully, she's not the same as the old boss. We'll get on our knees and pray. We don't get fooled again.
*The lyrics are from the song "Won't Get Fooled Again", by The Who
Related Post: I voted for Mayor but I'm still undecided
Type your email address in the box and click the "create subscription" button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.