Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is, to say the least, controversial. And now he’s on the cover of Time magazine. He has his detractors, sure, but it’s not hard to figure out where Time comes down: They’re standing with Rahm.
As the cover text puts it, “Mayor Rahm Emanuel Is Fighting Both Crime and Failing Schools. So Why Are People Mad at Him?”
The magazine tells you plenty of reasons you should like him—and very little about why anyone would be mad with the mayor’s many “reforms.”
Richard Stengel’s editor’s note at the front says it pretty clearly. There is, he explains, a
reason pragmatic mayors are likely to be criticized from everywhere on the political spectrum: If you make decisions based on what works, you’re sure to alienate someone whose position is based on special interests. I don’t know whether everything Mayor Rahm Emanuel is doing in Chicago makes sense, but I do know he doesn’t mind making enemies, which is a healthy sign for a mayor.
So he’s “pragmatic” and trying to do what “works”—as opposed to “special interests” (by which Stengel likely means teachers’ unions).
And the cover story by David Von Drehle comes from a familiar corporate media vantage point: the cheering of a Democratic politician willing to challenge party orthodoxy and take on entrenched interests—in other words, moving the party to the right.
Chicago is a Democratic town, so “all great conflicts are intramural,” Time explains—adding that Emanuel’s “clash with the left may prove to be a proxy for a broader fight nationwide over the identity of the Democratic Party.”
Emanuel “has taken on some very large issues, the kind presidents give speeches about: education reform, job creation, unsafe streets”—all of which are showing that Emanuel is “a pragmatic, pro-business New Democrat.”
Time explains:
Emanuel inherited a cash-strapped city in a flat-broke state. Chicago has budget problems and crime problems, problems of inequality and racial division, problems of mutual suspicion and failing schools, of high unemployment and aging infrastructure. And behind it all, special interests so deeply entrenched you need spelunking gear to go after them.
But Emanuel has picked the fights his predecessors avoided.
Again with those “special interests.” Which means…well, what, exactly?
The most high-profile issue has been the mayor’s education policy. Emanuel is a vocal proponent of the pro-corporate movement mislabeled in the corporate media as “education reform.” As Time explains:
Skirmishing among Chicago Democrats escalated to all-out war after the mayor’s handpicked school board voted on May 22 to shutter 50 city public schools. Facing a billion-dollar deficit in the schools budget, Emanuel had good reason to tackle the problem of half-full buildings and underperforming kids.
So he’s trying to do something about empty buildings and, umm, “underperforming” kids. Who could be against that?
Time doesn’t dwell on criticisms of Emanuel’s policies; readers are told that “the Chicago Teachers Union, a power unto itself, loosed its heavy artillery”—which sounds menacing—and that some people “charged that the closures targeted majority-black schools with majority-black faculties.”
Could it be that people “charged” that because it was true? As the Chicago Sun-Times reported (3/6/13), “Nine out of 10 of the Chicago Public School students potentially affected by school closings this year are black.”
And does closing schools do much about that deficit? According to a WBEZ factcheck piece about the city’s schools (5/16/13):
But despite all the references to the deficit, Chicago Public Schools has admitted that closing 54 schools will not reduce this year’s budget deficit at all.
While Time skimps on critics, we get Emanuel-approving quotes from the CEO of United Airlines and the Chicago Tribune editorial page. The magazine knows the score: “The mayor’s efforts at school reform, urban redevelopment, infrastructure repair and job training all seem to irritate the status quo in favor of other, often corporate, interests.”
In Time‘s worldview, the “status quo” seem to be unions, parents, teachers and students who want to save their public schools. And on the other side? Reformers and big corporations, standing up to those “special interests.” It’s a curious way to see the world, but that’s where Time is coming from. And there’s no doubt whose side Time is on.
I was struck by this line from the article: “Changes he has made in the police department have put a dent in crime, but that hasn’t won him the confidence of residents who experience the worst of it.” Actually, as the piece acknowledges later on, murder soared in the first full year Emanuel was in office. Maybe that has something to do with residents’ lack of confidence.
That’s a mighty constricted “everywhere” on the political spectrum, and a lopsided list of enemies, don’t you think?
But TIME did capture the essence of Emanuel’s governance with its cover headline, however inadvertently.
Although I’d have added four more letters to it.
My wife, a 24 year veteran teacher and former administrator (and absolutely, like so many other teachers in the system, a dedicated first-rate teacher), simply calls this man “El Diablo.” Emmanuel perfectly embodies the modern Democratic Party: A corporate monster and mean-spirited self-aggrandizer. The President’s former hatchet man, who once referred to liberals (the real ones) as “fuckin’ retards,” isn’t all that different from his ex-boss, who is simply a kinder and gentler version of the over-bearing Rahm. Major media acolytes and boot-lickers of course love Emmanuel–he’s kicking union ass–or is he? This last round, he badly underestimated his foes, and got his head handed to him. We’re going to be ready for round two, and we’re going to put this sorry little bastard on his lying ass again. I’m also looking forward to cowardly media types like the sycophant who wrote the above article coming to Chicago–if they’ve got the balls. They’re going to have the riot act read to them, so they better be ready. Goddamn the modern Democratic Party and all its works.
Moving the party to the right, isn’t that like selling the american east coast harbors to the Arabs? Oops, the bush already tried that, well their is a similarity between the Chicago major and bush, they both seem to hate workers, unions, women and corporate taxes. This Rahm Emanuel is a poor Democrat, but a great republican, and like Obama is making new enemies everyday. No not the right, they would stab him in the back for a dime tomorrow, I am talking about the liberal majority of the Democratic party. The progressives were the conscious part of the party early on, they were the first to draw attention to Obama BS and flaky stands. on say the unions! Or the corporate court cases, so these s.o.b could be indicted, charged, fine, and jailed, you know the real criminals, the crooks on wall street and the banks, who so righteously deserve to have their asses kicked. My party, to save itself, must hold our senate majorities feet to the fire, and not let a compromise slither through that is nurtured in the bile of politics, behind closed doors, between an almost republican democratic president and a international corporate ran congress. For the secret intent to finish a scheme to steal whatever is left of our treasury. The senate must hold the line, the small elected offices must be filled with professional humanitarian human services type democrats at the the root. With bodacious denunciation of all gop candidates, loudly and continuously. Being Positive 100% they will of course all be crooks, [gop=crook] so much the better. New standard for elections,no more electing full time crooks, expose them as corporate spys/shills in our goverment who will take our money, then help bigger crooks rob us. Rahm Emanuel is like the twig, I mean bush, he is going to settle the debt by closing 49 Afro-American ghetto schools. That quite obviously will solve the problems, and if it makes him look like a racist, well he acts like a Republican, he’s starting to talk like one, maybe..? Rahm Emanuel should be removed from office by the local and state Democrats, who’ assistant major? Better to deal with a open crusader for the rich, then a closet pimp for the right. Time for Rahm Emanuel to leave. Joe6pK
Moving the party to the right, isn’t that like selling the american east coast harbors to the Arabs? Oops, the bush already tried that, well their is a similarity between the Chicago major and bush, they both seem to hate workers, unions, women and corporate taxes. This Rahm Emanuel is a poor Democrat, but a great republican, and like Obama is making new enemies everyday. No not the right, they would stab him in the back for a dime tomorrow, I am talking about the liberal majority of the Democratic party. The progressives were the conscious part of the party early on, they were the first to draw attention to Obama BS and flaky stands. on say the unions! Or the corporate court cases, so these s.o.b could be indicted, charged, fine, and jailed, you know the real criminals, the crooks on wall street and the banks, who so righteously deserve to have their asses kicked. My party, to save itself, must hold our senate majorities feet to the fire, and not let a compromise slither through that is nurtured in the bile of politics, behind closed doors, between an almost republican democratic president and a international corporate ran congress. For the secret intent to finish a scheme to steal whatever is left of our treasury. The senate must hold the line, the small elected offices must be filled with professional humanitarian human services type democrats at the root. With bodacious denunciation of all gop candidates, loudly and continuously. Being Positive 100% they will of course all be crooks, [gop=crook] so much the better. New standard for elections, no more electing full time crooks, expose them as corporate spys/shills in our government who will take our money, then help bigger crooks rob us. Rahm Emanuel is like the twig, I mean bush, he is going to settle the debt by closing 49 Afro-American ghetto schools. That quite obviously will solve the problems, and if it makes him look like a racist, well he acts like a Republican, he’s starting to talk like one, maybe..? Rahm Emanuel should be removed from office by the local and state Democrats, whose assistant major? Better to deal with an open crusader for the rich, then a closet pimp for the right. Time for Rahm Emanuel to leave Chicago and go back to a job he is qualified for.. Joe6pK
What do you expect from TIME, accuracy? No surprise at this coming from the same pack of yes men who put Rhee on the cover for inflicting the same atrocities on teachers, schools and children. No due diligence from this bird cage liner, just keep the brown noses brown and the bosses happy.
I’ll never regret cancelling my subscription to Time many years ago when they became the hacks for the Bush/Cheney wars. I’m sorry I can’t cancel it again.
I applaud Tim N.’s comment- I hope you can put Rahm & his Democratic party on notice that when you loose your base you loose elections.
What the hell is going on here….Again I find nothing to argue with TimN about.Look lets cut to the quick ,….Rahm is neither a good man, or an honest man.I would not trust him, as far as I could throw him.Is he doing a good job within the seething cauldron of inbred political discussion ,debate, and bloodletting that is the Chicago political environment? I don’t live there ,and sadly I don’t give a hoot.I look at the gem in the presidents eye.The ward he made his bones in.The area he dumped a hundred million into.All he could make, borrow,and steal.It is a wasteland.A place were he tried his liberal theology first.A place far worse off than before he began.So his hatchet man follows the master back to his home.Figures.As far as Time magazine, I have not read it in years.Like Playboy its “time” has come and gone.
Je 6pk…Gotta tell you one thing.I give no credit to Rahm for realizing that the unions in Chicago(as in Phila and elsewhere)are a wrecking ball.They don’t help and in fact cripple most situations.I give him no credit because it is simple math.What sickens me is how he played that card going the other way in working for Obama.Now he sees the facts of life without the unending Federal purse and he sees the light?Bullshit……..Just another pawn in his game.
I went to a Chicago school. Budget was basketball. Teachers could barely get by without selling candy after class. Only reason I thought easier to fire would be good would be if the students could teach themselves, or if the teachers couldn’t learn the boundaries. Yes we had TWO teachers in trouble for that. Since we invited Emmanuel here to govern us he should address which one of those nonunion schools intends to fix. All I see is testing crappolla, which pretty much only improves schools if you teach the test.
Alright I’m going to correct this: I went to a Chicago school. Budget[ing] was [favored almost exclusively for] basketball. [The t]eachers could barely get by without selling candy after class. Only reason I thought about having easier-to-fire [teachers] would be if the students could teach themselves or if the teachers couldn’t learn the boundaries. Yes we had TWO teachers in trouble for that. Since we invited Emmanuel here to govern us he should address which one of those nonunion schools intends to fix. All I see is testing crappolla, which pretty much only improves schools if you teach the test.[which is a kind of education, just not the kind I had before it repeated itself for me in 2nd grade.] Demands are simple. Hire more women teachers. Then the unions aren’t forced to protect creeps. Move funds from sports to the teachers and special needs. Then the students don’t get fat eating candy. Keep the unions. Then the teachers are invested in the safe schools they work at with steady income. Sounds pretty nice to me.
Emanuel also recently announced a plan to build DePaul University a new basketball stadium with public funds, so any implication that he’s trying to trim the budget deficit is a bit dubious. Dave Zirin wrote an article on this for The Nation:
http://www.thenation.com/blog/174478/rahm-emanuels-zombie-pigs-vs-chicagos-angry-birds#
He’s been one of the worst Mayors in the nation. Crime has skyrocketed. Corruption continues to be a way of life and no one is holding Rahm accountable. Instead, a glowing piece in a news magazine.
Lovely. Keep voting for democraps.
Closing the PUBLIC schools so he can open more Publicly -funded corporate-run, Charter Schools…that’s Rahm Emanuel. He is just implementing the policies of his buddies: Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education and proponent of Charter Schools and the destruction of Public Schools and President Obama who looks more and more like a Corporate Enabler everyday…forget the bogus witch-hunts going on in Congress right now, the ReThugs really love him…their hate is all a show…he is doing everything they and their corporate owners want , just like Clinton did (with signing NAFTA and abolishing the Glass-Steagal Act which sucessfully stopped the crimes of banks, Wall Street and insurance companies for 70 years). All that noise about the IRS? The ReThugs are going to use this to try to abolish the IRS and replace it with the (UN-)Fair Tax or the Flat Tax or the national Sales Tax which will hurt the poor(who currently don’t pay income tax because their incomes are so low), the elderly with fixed incomes, the disabled with fixed incomes and the middle-class…those that don’t currently pay taxes because of their poverty or fixed income are the people Romney dismissed as the 43% who don’t pay taxes(and won’t vote “for me”…boo-hoo, which was a statement as profound as Richard Nixon stating after his loss to Kennedy that we wouldn’t “have Richard Nixon to kick around any more…”, if only we had been that lucky…scum has a way of rising to the top, like in a pond…Rahm and the “new Democrats” are part of that scum, as is Time.
@ m.e.:The unions are the wrecking ball? You don’t know what you’re talking about, you dummy. And really–do you honestly think Rahm and his ex-boss aren’t on the same page on this? Hell, Hollywood “liberals” like Rob Reiner hate the teachers’ unions as much as Rahm and you. True New School Democrats, all of you.
Tim as I told you…My uncle was business head of the biggest union in the country.I have lived them since I was very young.The problem is…and yes my uncle agrees …..is that what unions set out to do have been so distorted that even to old union leaders they are a disaster.So you as always know more than people who have led the biggest unions in this country.You should listen more
Oh and as far as the teachers union…….Fifteen hundred tenured teachers…… with one fired.And that was for sexual diddling with a student.Nuff said.It is fantasy land.What industry has 1500 workers where no one gets fired?And people who see something wrong with that are dummies huh?My guess is you or your wife are teachers.Again…nuff said.Your axe to grind is showing.
he will treat everyone like Palestinians .