Brandon Johnson Best of Bad Options for Chicago
For a mayor that is ripe to be replaced, the nearly dozen candidates looking to remove Lori Lightfoot from office in one of the world’s best cities, leave a lot to be desired. Like it or not, on February 28, citizens will begin the process of making their choice. After careful evaluation of the candidates, for me the choice is clear: Brandon Johnson should be the next Mayor of Chicago. I am indeed rolling my eyes and clutching my stomach at the same time I’m writing this.
For me, Chicago will always be home. While I haven’t been a resident since 2016, what Chicago has been dealing with the last few years leaves a pit in my stomach. There is a lot of blame to go around, but some of that sits with Lightfoot and the current members of the City Council, who in my opinion, all should be looking for new jobs.
Chuy Garcia, while the most experienced candidate, is also the person most responsible for putting Lightfoot into office in the first place. During the 2019 election, he endorsed Lightfoot over her opponent, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, with whom Garcia had a working relationship with. This gave Lightfoot a boost from African American and Latino voters, who have been kicking themselves ever since. Garcia had given Rahm Emanuel a run for his money in 2015, losing in the mayoral general election. Had he just kept building momentum, he probably could have won in 2019 after Emanuel chose not to run. Instead, he chose to go to Congress and has been there since. Chuy can’t make up his damn mind what he wants to do. So how can Chicagoans trust he won’t become Mayor and then decide to run for governor, the U.S. Senate or presidency? He also swims with political sharks who have done damage to Chicago in the past. So I’ll pass.
Paul Vallas is a complete joke. Plain and simple this guy is just desperate to win any publicly elected position and is just a disgrace. He has ruined at least four different public-school systems (Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Bridgeport, Connecticut) and has run for Mayor, Lt. Governor and Governor of Illinois. He has not come close in any of those previous elections. Vallas, ala Garcia, also endorsed Lightfoot for mayor in 2019. But it is his career failures that standout more than anything else.
He was dismissed by the Board of Trustees at Chicago State University in January of 2018 after they believed he was only serving in the position of Chief Administrative Officer to bolster his political career. He had wanted to become president of the South Side school, which has a predominately Black student population. Thankfully the Board said no because the track record as a school leader is horrible.
As CEO of the public schools in Philly, Vallas presided over the nation's largest experiment in the privatized management of schools. He turned 40 schools over to outside for-profits, nonprofits, and universities beginning in late 2002, according to the Connecticut Post. He used primarily African American students as Guinea pigs in this well-documented, mostly failing experiment.
In July of 2013, a judge on the Connecticut Superior Court ordered for Vallas to be removed from the position in Bridgeport because he never completed required coursework and certification for the position. So, he can’t even dot I’s or cross T’s.
His cozying up with the likes of the Fraternal Order of Police and MAGA sympathizers should concern all Chicagoans. And no matter what his lying ass says, he does not live in Bridgeport. His son, a police officer in Texas, was also involved in the questionable shooting of an offender that is still being investigated.
Willie Wilson is a good person. Willie Wilson gives away free gas. Willie Wilson is a successful businessman.
Willie Wilson has also run for President of the United States, Governor of Illinois, Mayor of Chicago (three times) and is 74 years old. The last fact alone should disqualify him. It is the preacher in the Black church who refuses to get out of the pulpit syndrome. You took your shot(s) Willie. You missed. His Wikipedia page describes him as a “perennial candidate.” Nuff said.
Ja'Mal Green, Sophia King, Kam Buckner, Ald. Rod Sawyer, one question: Why? I mean you do realize this is not the Kentucky Derby where the horse with the longest shot on the board still has a legit chance at winning right (Rich Strike 2022)?
Lori “Lying” Lightfoot has been one of the worst mayors in the history of Chicago and that says a lot. More than anything it is her nasty attitude, disposition and inability to get along with ANYONE, that makes her such an ulcer in the ass. Her inability to build a coalition of people throughout Chicago is an indictment on her personality and leadership style. Chicagoans took a chance on her in 2019 basically because Preckwinkle just had to have her soda tax, which doomed her election.
Black Chicagoans always had questions about Lightfoot’s commitment to the South and West Sides and with good reasons. Bottom line is she is from Ohio, is a transplant who basically only cares about downtown and the North Side where she lives. She had no understanding about other parts of Chicago life and if she had any sense would have brought in people who understood the needs of those communities from the jump. Instead, she waited until she needed to run for reelection to start showing up at events in those communities. Young, old and middle-aged Black Chicagoans don’t like her. While social media is no way an end all and be all surveyor, you can get a glimpse of how people feel about her just by visiting Black Twitter. Votes she got from the Black community in 2019 she won’t get in 2023. She might not even make it out of the preliminary round this time, and thank God for that. Good riddance Lori.
That leaves us with Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson. He was born in Elgin (which is not Chicago, despite folks that try to say it is) but taught in the Chicago Public Schools. Brandon is a married father of three and has not been linked to any scandal, which counts for a lot in Chicago politics. He has been a commissioner since 2018 so that gives him some political experience. Unlike Vallas, he actually lives in Chicago, the Austin neighborhood to be exact, so he understands the challenges in the hood. He obviously understands the importance of organization and working well with others by his work with the Chicago Teacher’s Union.
Johnson in no way is a perfect candidate. Johnson’s socialist policies are a mild concern, especially his raising taxes on higher earners and the real estate transfer tax he supports. However, as Mayor he would still have to get approval from the city council on ordinances and his hands would be tied on many of his controversial policy ideas. On the flip side, he is the only candidate who has been putting an emphasis on mental health, which is a big part of why crime in Chicago is so bad. You can’t police your way out of crime, which has been the focus of the other candidates. Brandon has a plan that may work.
Believing any politician cares about you, is like believing that stripper at the club loves you. That said, Brandon Johnson is the best Chicago has to offer this time around. Enjoy the dance.