City Politics

[47of74]

Thought I'd start a thread for talking about city politics in general for towns and cities of all sizes.

First off Chicago will have a new mayor later this year.

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The runoff to decide the next mayor of Chicago is set, and America’s third-largest city could not have asked for a clearer choice.

On the one hand, Paul Vallas, the hardline law-and-order candidate who was the head of the city’s public school system. On the other, Brandon Johnson, a teacher and organizer with the Chicago Teachers’ Union who promises to fight the “root causes of crime and poverty.”

They will be fighting for Chicagoans whose sympathies lie somewhere in between—voters who supported outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who finished third with 17 percent of the vote. Vallas, who took 33 percent of the vote, and Johnson, who got 20, will face off in a runoff election next month.

The contrast between Vallas and Johnson is a familiar one. It looks a little like the recent mayoral contest in Los Angeles, which also featured a white, tough-on-crime candidate whose critics said was not really a Democrat and a Black candidate backed by unions and other progressive groups. More broadly, the candidates represent the divide in the urban Democratic coalition about how to respond to rising crime rates. Is crime a problem whose solutions lie with the police department, or elsewhere? That is what Chicago voters will decide in April.

Seems like a lot of it was over how cities approached COVID.  A lot of mayors decided not to run again, resigned, or if term limited aren't leaving with their approval ratings intact.  She seemed to be out of touch with people a lot of time.  One thing that really pissed me off during the pandemic was politicians - especially Democrats wanting people to do all sorts of stuff like staying at home or not getting haircuts then turning around, thumbing their noses at the same rules, and coming up with all sorts of excuses as to why it was OK for them to engage in the behavior.  Like Lightfoot did with her infamous haircut.  One of my biggest hangups when it comes to candidates for political office is that they never ask anyone to do anything they aren't willing to do themselves and she failed that test.

[47of74]

Oh and Dubuque is now planning to put cameras in to take pictures of license plates to track who's been in town lately.

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Dubuque Police Department officials propose installing cameras that automatically would track and record vehicles by their license plates.

During a hearing this week on the budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, Police Chief Jeremy Jensen explained the proposal to install 22 cameras throughout the community that would use an automated license plate reader system to identify vehicles that have traveled in the city.

Jensen described the proposal as a “force multiplier,” providing officers with a system that automatically would notify them of vehicles that have been flagged by law enforcement as stolen or connected with a crime.

However, some Dubuque City Council members took issue with the proposal and insisted that the public be allowed to weigh in before it can move forward.

Yeah the reich wingers took immediate issue with that.  But I also made sure to say to the mayor and the police chief "lemme tell you something pendejo.  You harass a Chevy Bolt with a certain set of Minnesota license plates you're gonna find yourself in fucking state or Federal COURT a lot sooner than you wanted."

[47of74]

The mayor in Cedar Falls backed down when it was clear the rest of the council wasn’t going with his branch trumpvidian bullshit. 

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Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green says that he will sign a Pride Month proclamation, which passed the city council in a 7-1 vote.

The decision comes after Green said he'd abstain from signing it due to his religious beliefs. People spoke out in support of the proclamation on Monday night's city council meeting. Some people even called for Green's resignation.

Those who spoke said the Mayor has a duty to serve and represent everyone in the city, regardless of his personal beliefs.

Some people mentioned how they've felt unsafe in Iowa in recent months due to recent legislation passed in Des Moines, and how representation is important for younger people. Most of those who addressed the council spoke in support of the proclamation.

I’m not surprised how this went. Cedar Falls is a college town with the University of Northern Iowa being located there.

This clown really wants to be a Branch Trumpvidian he really ought to resign and ask Covid Kimmy for a job.