Why can't Johnson accomplish what Mandani has in NYC?
Like many in Chicago, I've been pretty disappointed in Johnson's time in office. Sure, he's done some good, removing sub-minimum wage, granting paid sick time, building mental health facilities, condemning ICE, and Trump. But he continues to have a very adversarial relationship with his constituents and has committed numerous political blunders, from simply being ill-prepared for the job.
But I can't help but feel jealous of my friends and family who live in NYC. It's insane to see the sweeping reforms Mandami has accomplished in his short time in office. While I understand Chicago and NYC are very different cities, they're both sprawling metropolises with vast amounts of corruption embedded in their political systems. Mamdami is a great example of walk it like you talk it. So many Democratic politicians act as though their hands are tied constantly, and Mandami is proof that most of these solutions are, in reality, quite simple. He just reduced the deficit to ZERO! He's taxing millionaires, he's providing free train passes for low-income people, and he's holding landlords accountable. It's incredible!
Is it just his prickly personality and shitty relationship with the Governor and city council? Is he just kind of dumb? Why can't we just follow Mamdani's playbook!