No Surprise, Just Business As Usual.

Okay, Rahm won.  I don’t know that anyone is truly surprised (I’m not), but I sense disappointment from most of my friends.  And from 44.3% of the voters who got off their fucking asses.  I’ll assume the low turnout has to do with the cynicism that has festered here in Chicago since well before the era of Richard M., as most of the people who could get it up to actually discuss the runoff in terms beyond an apathetic shrug cited elections A.H. (after Harold) as examples of whaddya gonna do? 

Let’s not address the fallacy of slacktivism.  (Okay, just for a sec. Yes, these two jerks were far from ideal candidates; yes, Chicago is a politically corrupt town; sure, your vote wasn’t really going to change the inevitability of the Raht’s reelection; but maybe...  “But maybe” are words born of optimism, perhaps misplaced and certainly laughable, but goddamnit, the easiest way to guarantee that shit stays fucked is to do nothing.  Hiding behind some sort of “I’m not going to sell my vote this cheaply” pseudo-ideology is nothing short of horseshit.  I’m not stupidly optimistic, but I’d sooner be that than a defeatist posing as a revolutionary.  I’m looking at you, Russell Brand.  Shave already.) 

Low voter turnout aside, what were Chuy’s chances?  Well… apparently they were better than many of us imagined.  He did get 44.3% of the vote.  Imagine what that number might have looked like if more people showed up to the polls.  If we can agree that Rahm did not exactly slide back into the office on five, maybe we can see the runoff in a positive light.  Maybe Rahm learned a lesson: that reelection was not going to be as easy for him as it was for his predecessor.  Maybe he’ll think again before closing mental health facilities and schools; maybe he’ll be a little more responsible with the TIF money and stop using it for projects that will do nothing for the city and its citizens; maybe he’ll see that his tough guy persona is alienating and that talking like an asshole does not make you a strong leader.  It makes you an asshole.  Maybe he’ll see that his job is tenuous and that he has to actually work to keep it. 

Nah.  He’s rich.  He’ll win again.  And again.  As often as he wants the job, he’s got the job.  And we let him have the job when we give up hope.  So please, my fellow cynical Chicagoans, get off you fucking asses and vote next time.  Or don’t.  Whatever.  You deserve mayor 1%.  Good job, Chi.  Summer’s coming.  Duck.