In fact, the Daley regime spent two decades feeding and unleashing its own brown Machine, the HDO, or Hispanic Democratic Organization. Mayoral candidate Gerry Chico, who finished second to Rahm Emanuel with a quarter of the vote, is a product of HDO.
The genuine progressive candidate in the mayoral race was former state senator Miguel del Valle, who finished with just under 10% of votes cast in a lackluster 40% turnout. Del Valle was overwhelmed by the power of big money, which monopolized access to media, and the fragmentation of black and Latino Chicago, the destruction of most grassroots organized infrastructure, and the sheer weight of what Chicagoans call "the Machine."
Chicago's Daley regime was a half century circus of arrogance, racist inequality and corruption. Thanks in part to President Obama, whom Daley launched toward the White House, the Machine has been allowed to succeed itself in the person of Rahm Emanuel. Chicago's new boss will look and act a lot like its old bosses. Chicago's near term future, too, looks a lot like its past, but with fewer resources left to steal and privatize.
But that's OK. The Daley Machine has cloned itself, donned blackface, and gone national.
May the gods help us all.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
