Johnson continues to ignore this timeless valuable proverb
Cutesy saying will continue to doom the mayor's ini
There are those who feel the proverb “a camel is horse designed by committee” is a headscratcher. It simply means by establishing a committee, especially comprised of inexperienced individuals, the final product won’t look like the original plan. That is a reality that Mayor Brandon Johnson doesn’t know, eschews or simply doesn’t care about conventional wisdom.
Last week, to much acclaim, the mayor announced the city will reinstitute a $500 monthly guaranteed income for certain Chicago families. That enthusiasm waned just as quickly when it was discovered, although his predecessor had successfully initiated the program; Johnson had no specifics on how his version was going to work.
Rather than follow the playbook successfully set out by Lori Lightfoot, Johnson’s predecessor, this mayor decides to leave the details to a committee of 36 individuals. It is mind-boggling what this advisory committee can offer given the work Lightfoot’s team as well as the University of Chicago’s Inclusive Economy Lab’s research have already put in.
Maybe he is of the mindset that the heat will be on the advisory committee and not him if their conclusions aren’t favorable to many Chicagoans. Realistically, it is another sign that this mayor believes everything city related must have his thumbprint; yet he often fails to realize it is like a thumbprint covering the lens of a camera- you get nothing.
Another fact the mayor seems oblivious to is that committees, for any number of reasons, take much longer to arrive at conclusions and recommendations than would a small cohort of learned folk on a given topic. It might be a way to engage the public, but not necessarily the best, most cost-effective or timeliest.
The Johnson Administration also shies away from expertise in marketing its initiatives. While it chooses brief, easy-to-remember themes; those words carry no meaning to those outside of the inner circle-most of Chicago.
The mayor’s signature referendum “Bring Home Chicago” was eviscerated by voters in April. Countless theories and speculation about the measure being defeated failed to recognize the theme didn’t tell voters it was intended to alleviate homelessness, or that it involved a transfer tax on real estate. That, along with a passel of other factors meant the measure was destined for failure before the first ballot was cast.
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Johnson’s “Treatment Not Trauma” ordinance; something else with a catchy name that doesn’t address its focus, in a clear way is another marketing blunder. The move has come to be called affectionately TNT which doesn’t come close to defining the moniker as dealing with mental health and new mental health centers. Both Bring Chicago Home and TNT reflect Johnson’s propensity for elocution that usually misses the mark on communicating.
Speaking of communicating. . .
Anyone who has watched more than a couple of Johnson’s news conferences knows he has a penchant for giving responses he wants to in lieu of answering the question asked. It’s his way of getting a key message across. The problem with that approach is those responses don’t always make the newscast or the next days’ paper; not to mention it rubs reporters the wrong way. Winning over any of the media is a challenge the mayor is still grappling with, and he did himself no favors when last Wednesday he literally ran away from a television reporter who was attempting to ask a question about the apprehension of the suspect in CPD Officer Luis Huesca’s murder.
That video (see below) is campaign fodder for Johnson’s opponent in the next mayoral election in three years. His entire communications team, at the very least, should face some severe reprimands, if not firing.s
In an instance where a mayor, not just Johnson, any mayor doesn’t want to engage journalists; it is the duty of the press secretary or designee to immediately step in, find out what the reporter wants to ask and explain why the mayor is in a rush and promise to get answers to any questions.
The see-Brandon-run is a black-eye for the mayor that should have been mitigated by an experienced communications team.
Mayor Johnson runs from reporter
Over the last several decades we have witnessed Chicago mayors and other pols go toe-to-toe with some legendary news reporters, columnists and editorial boards; but to literally run from a single septuagenarian reporter. Calling that act cowardly is being kind. Reporters are accustomed to being told “no comment” or “I am not taking questions on that now” by elected officials. Interacting with the news media is and has always been part of the job. It is fulfilling an obligation of keeping constituents informed.
The following day at a news conference Johnson flippantly indirectly acknowledged his sprinter move when he was called to the podium at an event and on the way to the microphone he uttered “as long as you don’t make me run.” It was reminiscent of one of his earliest news conferences after being elected when he facetiously offered, he was on a payment plan to thousands of dollars in unpaid parking tickets. Johnson missed the mark in both instances that he can’t wisecrack his way out of shortcomings.
It is the same jocularity he offered up when asked about a July 2023 meeting with former Mayor Rahm Emanuel; he told reporters Emanuel explained to him how to “sequence vulgarity.” The supposed joke fell flat.
At this stage of his mayoral career Johnson can’t afford to continue his feeble stand-up comedy routine. He is embroiled in yet another controversy over the migrant issue and his plan to move a group of asylum seekers from a downtown location to a shelter on the South Side. Neighbors, and the alderperson in that neighborhood are opposed to the move.
It is a mystery what the mayor chooses to continue to attempt to address the migrant issue without calling upon outside help. It is apparent that his designees are clueless of how critical it is to his image and ability to govern.
The mayor was forced to scuttle his plans for that move to the South Side for asylum-seekers after it was learned his migrant team never explained to the building’s owner why the city wanted the venue. The owner also emphasized the building was never intended for anything other than corporate use. That blunder will be laid at the feet of Johnson and not his underlings. Hopefully, he won’t try to joke his way out of this.
It is the second time an alderperson has rallied residents of a nearby proposed migrant shelter to force the city to reverse course. The first was at a 29th Ward park district field house in the Austin neighborhood.
Another Johnson about face may be in the works as he is the only high-ranking Illinois elected official on what is turning out to be the wrong side of the proposed stadium issue for Chicago Bears and its proposed location on the lakefront. Both Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois House Speaker Emmanuel (Chris) Welch, as well as U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin have given the idea two thumbs down.
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The future
Despite all of his missteps there is still a contingent of Chicagoans, primarily older Black folk, who want to see this mayor succeed. This going to be a tough row to hoe. The older generation participated in the Black political highlights of seeing Carol Moseley-Braun become the first Black female elected to the U.S. Senate, helping William Dawson become the first Black person from Illinois elected to Congress; participated in two historic runs for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States; as well as threw in their dollars to help Harold Washington become Chicago’s first Black mayor
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Many see in Brandon Johnson the possibility of a relatively young Black man rising to political prominence in the future. Of course, Johnson must first abandon his foolish talk about being the longest serving mayor in the city’s history. That is utter folly. When he returns to reality, Johnson can consider coalescing with those within the Democratic Party who can help propel his career. That should start with billionaire-turned-politician Gov. JB Pritzker. If it is a matter of pride, Johnson must recognize it doesn’t take a tall glass of water to swallow that.
Johnson has demonstrated he is missing the skillset to sit in the executive chair of mayor or governor; however, that doesn’t rule out the fact that odds are in his favor of advancing on the legislative side-maybe state senator and then a run at Congress.
Unfortunately, the insatiable need to appear in front of television news cameras at every turn, might make being a legislator unattractive. If that is the case, he may as well enjoy this, his last and only term as mayor.