Life after 2016

Let me start of by saying that I was a supporter of the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid. I think it could have revitalized parts of the south side if done properly. I know that many argued that it would be done in classic Chicago fashion, with the usual suspects benefiting, but I was optimistic that it would have turned out differently. Moot arguments to say the least. So now what?

The public schools and the violence that surrounds them should be priority numero uno. I think saturating the area with police to at least slow down the tide of violence while social programs reach out to try and figure out/fix whatever it is that has gone horribly wrong at home. At the schools themselves, that's a trickier task. the school that Derrion Albert attended has an abysmal 5% performance rating...5%! Charter schools will help, but not everyone can afford to go to these schools. I think that Chicago is just a small part of a larger problem in America when it comes to education. Kids just don't give a damn. I say that at the risk of sounding like my father, but I also speak from a position of experience. When I was in high school I didn't give a damn either, and the teachers didn't do much to drive home the fact that without a good education, my prospects for living a productive life were severely diminished. Luckily I figured that out on my own.

So I don't think that this problem is limited to this generation (wipper snappers). If you look at developing countries like India, you see a thirst for knowledge, a hunger to learn that drives many of them to attend college. They see the importance of education. So what is it about American schools/teachers/students/society that is failing to convey this critical message? Why do so many students not aspire to better their lives? One argument is that they view their prospects as hopeless, that because of their parent's current financial situation there is little reason to try. Yet education is the perfect tool to help dispel this myth that you can't make it no matter what you do. I don't care where you start in life, with a proper education you truly can make anything of your life. It's this message that isn't reaching students, be it the fault of parents, teachers the CPS or all three.

The movie Boiler Room quoted Notorious BIG best: "Either you're slingin' crack-rock, or you've got a wicked jump-shot." Nobody wants to work for it anymore. There's no honor in taking that after school job at Mickey Dee's, honor's in the dollar, kid.

I think parents are the front line of reversing this train of thought. They HAVE to take a more active roll in instilling the ideas of the importance of education. Secondly, teachers have to reinforce this while the students are at school, and lastly, the CPS has to do everything in its power to make schools safe and modern. The CPS also has to set higher standards for teachers, we need more qualified teachers, simple as that. With that would come higher salaries for teachers, which would in turn, draw more people to become more qualified teachers.

I think it's imperative that we address this problem of lack of passion in education on all levels. Get people in the CPS who really, really care about this, social programs to get parents to understand it starts with them, qualified teachers that are passionate about teaching and school programs that really drive home the importance of education to students. I can't help but believe that a lot of our problems Chicago and America faces in general, could be greatly contained, even reversed with highly educated and motivated kids instead of gang bangers that beat honor roll students to death.

What does the (new) new economy mean for Chicago

I was reading an article in the June issue of Wired. One of the many touch points was how businesses of tomorrow will not be the hulking, bloated, top down giants we are used to, but rather nimble, interchangeable, low-drag companies that wont crash the entire economy if they happen to fail. I love progress, especially when it creates new jobs, financial stability and educes innovation.

However, what does this mean for Chicago architecture? What will happen to our great skyline, and other skylines when the giants that once needed all the 50 story, AAA rated, office buildings are gone. Will our skylines stall, frozen in time like steel, glass and concrete monoliths from a bygone era? Who will fill up the Sears (yeah yeah) Tower when there are no more Willis Insurance companies to fill them up?

If Wired's predictions are correct and we will have a slew of startups and fewer mega corps, then what will this mean for urban sprawl? If you look at Chicago from even some of the highest views in Google Earth, it looks like a giant gray urban octopus, spiraling off the bottom of Lake Michigan. Some even consider Chicago a mega region that extends past Illinois and that's today. What about tomorrow when you have far more smaller companies that can't afford downtown Chicago?

Will these startups even be in the Midwest? It doesn't take an economic crash and the virtual collapse of Detroit to see that the technology sector and big pharma are going to be dominating the playing field for years to come. If you believe The Milken Institutes's map of top tech cities Chicago ranks #14 on the list of fifty hot spots. California has five cities ranked higher and we barely beat Toronto. I know these lists are often times arbitrary and most are non scientific city vs. city bash fests, but deep down we all know there is some grain of truth to them. I've touched on this before in previous blog postings, but I think it's time to take a fresh look at these ideas now that it seems there is some light at the end of this very dark economic tunnel.

In addition to some of things I've written about before, such as city wide WiFi, leading clean energy, genetic research and same sex marriage, I think there are some key lessons we can learn from Detroit, the economic meltdown and the possible future of business. Just like Detroit being in the position of being able to rewrite the automotive game (assuming they can get their act together) What other games are there that Chicago can rewrite and capitalise upon? Again, I say clean energy and genetics. The world's need for energy will exponentially increase as time goes on and the population goes up. As will diseases and the need to combat them.

The windows to capture these markets is closing fast, now is the time to create the right conditions to grow these businesses. I say, raise the gas tax instead of the income tax, this will promote a more centralized, city focused, anti sprawl mindset, and with the governments push for HSR, it's the right time. Sales and income taxes must be lowered, this shortsightedness is forcing people out of the city and out of the state. Quinn, if your listining, you got the wrong idea. Start by allowing legal unions between same sex couples. If Chicago is going to be the leader in any field, we have to be able to draw in the best tallent, and by denying basic civil rights to certain people we are limiting the chances of that tallent to want to move here. Let California seem like the close minded state, we'll gladly take their tax payers and tallent. Citywide WiFi and green transportation, green roofs and finishing up the last 4 miles will be the icing on top of the pervervbial cake.

Is Chicago up to these changes? Will we roll with the coming punches or will we become just another rust belt ghost town?

Should we let it all fall apart?

Someone recently said that change only comes when you hit rock bottom. Or another way to say it; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well, America's economy may be down, but I would hardly call it out. That's a good thing right? I'm not 100% convinced it is. Let me preface this by saying that this approach isn't applicable to all sectors, but lets focus on the auto industry for the sake of argument.

I don't believe that there was a lot of thought put into the future of the American auto industry. Why not? The writing was on the walls! I think none of us are really innocent. We should have been demanding change from Detroit as apposed to flirting with quaint ideas of electric and hybrid cars. So far Detroit only managed to come up with ONE car to carry the torch of the US auto industry into the future? The Volt. Good job. I'm not being sarcastic. Truly, good job. Now give us 12 more options. But is a shift like this even possible with the old guard still at the helm of Detroit? What will it take to convince American business (not just Detroit) that the old way needs a revamp? We invented capitalism, why cant we get it right? What can we do to prevent our financial institutions and businesses from being ran by greedy idiots? Should we let it all go to hell and hope we have what it takes to rise from the ashes smarter, faster and better? That's a dicey proposition.

Energy Independence, Nanotechnology, Genetics, and yes, even simple things like cars. I believe these are huge growth sectors that America is in the greatest position to capitalize upon. We need a new breed of company and leadership that is going to charge full steam ahead in these areas. We need CEO's that aren't obsessed with big bonuses, companies that don't do things on the cheap while still being profitable and keeping shareholders happy. Who are going to be the new leaders? I think we are on the cusp of learning how to create an economy of this nature, but if we let the same old school way of doing things prevail, we will have squandered one of the greatest wake up calls we have ever had.

Are we lucky that the economy isn't worse, or have we not been pushed far enough to enact true change? I'm hoping that we are smart enough to figure out the next move without having to start from scratch, but only time will tell.

Obama Reverses Bush Stem Cell Policy

AP

WASHINGTON (March 9) – President Barack Obama on Monday cleared the way for a significant increase in federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research and promised no scientific data will be "distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda."

Finally. This is great news for America. While private companies have been able to research stem cells, up until now, there has been no government funding in this area. All that has changed, which city is going to be the Silicon Valley of genetic research? Obviously I'm hoping its going to be Chicago. As I've stated in previous posts, I believe there are a range of issues, social, financial and urban, that are on the cusp of change throughout the United States, and whatever city or mega-region embraces these inevitable changes first is going to gain a great foothold in an ever transforming and competitive global economy.

A Few Ideas

With Chicago on center stage, I was mulling over what the city could do to really start to distinguish itself from other metropolitan areas and emerge as one of (if not THE) greatest cities of the new American century. Quite simply, capitalize where others have not.

Without a doubt, Chicago is culturally diverse, with all creed and color calling our fair city their home. With that in mind, why not lead the way in immigration reform. Be the city that finds the acceptable solution. What I don't understand is why you hear so many people screaming about building a wall between us and Mexico, when it would be smart of us to find a way to bring people into the system, get them paying taxes and buying/owning land. More people equals more demand for services, food, housing, jobs you name it. No one has capitalized on this yet. Everyone just tries to push these hard working people somewhere else. It's time to think about this differently.

Even though its a state issue, Chicago should really push to pass marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. Don't wait for the whole country to do it, lead the pack! By allowing same sex couples the right to get married, we will undoubtedly be increasing our tax base. Beyond our tax base, we will inherit a flood of cultural and scientific talent that would view a major metropolitan area like Chicago with same sex marriage rights as a safe haven. This will eventually happen, but Chicago should lead the way on this, by the time it's nation wide, the benefits of being early adaptors will be greatly diminished.

Citywide WiFi. This is a no brainer. Several other cities are pushing to make this a reality, but no one has been able to achieve it. Chicago should be the first. No doubt there are large obsitcals in the way, but this will happen and like I said above, we don't want to be behind the curve, we want to define the curve. If we can achieve this, coupled with my next point, will go a long way to establishing Chicago as a technologically advanced new metropolis.

Chicago is in a unique position, we have the ear of the president elect, and if we're smart, and I know we all are, we will use that to the fullest advantage. Barack Obama speaks about creating new jobs in renewable energy and almost just as importantly, opening the floodgates to genetic research. We can ill afford to let such big sectors of commerce pass us by, I don't know any Chicagoan who wouldn't want the next Silicon Vally not to be based very close by. The benefits to local job creation and the tax base would be overwhelming. With that in mind, we should consider lowering the taxes on large businesses as well as start ups, to entice them into moving here. In the past few years, high taxes have drove businesses to financially greener pastures like Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. It's time to get that business back, to look at the future sectors and start making the necessary changes to ensure that we get them.

Last but not least, we have to do something about the advertising industry in this city. Last week, Avenue closed its doors after decades of quality work. Just the latest in a growing list of advertising and post production houses to close up shop. And while 'the biz' has always been a tough one to make it in, at least there was still a market to take that shot. Now with a lot of these houses going away, the talent will have less and less reason to stay here. We cannot forget that the advertising industry and the people it employs is vital to promoting a diverse market place. Talent is not always the top CEO or the highest payed ball-player. Chicago needs to keep an eye on its shrinking markets and make sure they don't dry up.

Great article

Who You Calling Second City?

by Scott Turow

How an Obama win would make Chicago the new world capital.

Chicago, my hometown, and far more significantly, that of Sen. Barack Obama, appears poised with his election as president—pooh, pooh, pooh!—to become the Center of the Known Universe. For a city with a permanent chip on its shoulder, a place that willingly refers to itself as the Second City and which deeply identifies with the perpetual failures of the Cubs, who, as I like to say, teach us to take the bitter with the bad—for that place, becoming in many senses the most important city in America will require some serious attitude adjustment.

But the transformation appears imminent. The president’s home city and state traditionally prosper from added attention and influence, as well as the influx of visitors inspired by curiosity about our nation’s leader. More important, Barack has already signaled that Chicago will also be America’s political center. In June, the candidate-designate merged the Democratic National Committee into his own campaign apparatus and officially moved the DNC to Chicago. The decision produced not only a more efficient and less rivalrous organization, but it also, in some eyes, deepened the political insight. Roland Martin, the esteemed radio host and CNN political commentator, credits Obama’s decision to move the Democratic National Committee to Chicago as one of the key factors in keeping his campaign in touch with the “real” America, by removing campaign officials from the barrage of conventional wisdom absorbed in the media capitals and the beltway. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. As president, Obama’s political apparatus is virtually certain to stay here.

But that is not the only reason that Chicago is about to become a place with formidable political swack. There is a kind of perfect storm brewing that will greatly enhance Chicago as a power center. The Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate, Dick Durbin, the likely Majority Leader if Harry Reid ever steps down, is from Illinois, and on the House side, Rahm Emanuel, a representative from Chicago, is Chair of the Democratic Caucus, the number four position in the Democratic leadership. Jan Schakowsky, a congresswoman whose district includes parts of the North Side of Chicago, is also a member of the House leadership, as a Chief Deputy Whip. All three—Durbin, Emanuel and Schakowsky—have unusually close relations with Obama. Emanuel, a fabled political operative, who was Director of Finance in Bill Clinton’s original presidential campaign and then a senior adviser to the president, has emerged as an important figure in the Obama campaign this fall. Durbin and Schakowsky may be even closer to the man who would be prez. As the private lore goes, it was those two who were the first major elected officials in 2005 to try to convince Obama to take on Hillary Clinton in the primaries. They argued, reportedly, that Sen. Clinton would make a wonderful president, but that she would prove unelectable in November and that Obama was the only figure in the Democratic party who could seize part of Clinton’s base and wrest the nomination from her, thus saving the party—and the nation—for another four years of ruinous Republican rule. Durbin may be the closest of all to Obama, a sage figure with a sharp political wit, who mentored our junior Senator even before his election and who, should he care to leave the Senate, could end up as Attorney General.

Not only is there an unusually strong coterie of congressional leaders from Chicago, but the city is also the home to David Axelrod, Obama’s chief political strategist. Axelrod has been the keeper of the flame from the start. Even in the grim days last October, when Hillary Clinton was blowing Barack away in national polls, Axelrod was sanguine, even in private. He reminded friends that at the same point four years before the “inevitable” Democratic nominee had been—remember him?—Howard Dean. Instead, Axelrod was confident that Obama had been handed a unique advantage that would lead to victory in the Iowa caucuses. The date of the event had been pushed so far forward in the game of leapfrog being played with New Hampshire and other states that the college students, who were Obama’s chief bastion of support, would still be home on Christmas vacation. Axelrod was sure they would arrive in record numbers to caucus for his—and their—man. They did. It is great to be loyal in politics. But it is even better to be right. Axelrod’s crystal ball has been the best in the business this year.

Axelrod is a lifelong Chicagoan—a former reporter for the Chicago Tribune—who is also close to our Mayor, Richard M. Daley. Axelrod claims that he will be staying put in Chicago, but it is hard to believe that the president is going to proceed without the counsel of the man who got him this far. Axelrod can be expected to keep the perspectives and interests of Chicago on President Obama’s screen.

The most obvious consequence of all this power congregating in one city will be not only that Chicago and Illinois will clearly get more than its share of pork, but that the fondest dream of Mayor Daley is suddenly far closer to reality. For a few years, Daley has been ardently pursuing the 2016 Summer Olympics for Chicago; the city has now been short listed along with three other cities—Tokyo, Rio and Madrid—by the International Olympic Committee. Daley has been heard to say in private for months now that the best thing that could happen to Chicago’s chances would be an Obama victory. Even as a mere candidate, Barack Obama is probably the most popular political figure in the world, capable of drawing Pope-sized crowds on every continent he has visited. Even his quiet support is likely to have a huge impact on the IOC selectors, especially since it brings with a tacit promise to lend the prestige, power and even the fundraising prowess of a uniquely magnetic and unifying figure to the games.

The Olympics will provide an extraordinary valedictory for both men. Mayor Daley sees the Olympics as the capstone of what had been almost without dispute the most successful long-running mayoralty in America in the last couple of decades. Chicago has flourished under his leadership in almost every way, far more unified, economically vital, and even boasting an improved public school system, a claim almost no other large city can make.

Obama would probably be happy enough to aid the Mayor, who has emerged as an important political ally, after a rough patch early in Obama’s career. While Obama was a young state senator, Daley persuaded the then Republican Gov. George Ryan to support important gun control legislation. The bill was called in the veto session and Obama was absent, off on his family’s annual holiday pilgrimage to see his grandmother and other relatives in Hawaii. Obama explained that one of his daughters was seriously ill and that he did not feel he could leave her. But Daley, a man of many grudges, was angered when the gun bill went down to defeat by a tiny margin.

That hatchet was buried during Obama’s successful run for the U.S. Senate. And the Mayor was a pivotal and early supporter of Barack’s presidential quest. Nonetheless, Barack’s support for the Olympics in Chicago will serve his own interests as well. The Chicago Olympics in 2016 would fall in what is surely envisaged as the last year of the Obama presidency. The prospect of the world’s leading summer festival, a celebration of world unity, taking place in his hometown cannot help but be appealing to a man who will then be intent on his legacy, especially since not only the athletes, the city and the mayor, but the president will be an implicit object of veneration.

A city that has seen its Cubs snatch defeat from the warm grasp of victory on so many occasions is likely to carefully look all these gift horses in the mouth—and to remain nervous until all the votes are counted. But even the most hard-bitten Chicagoans have to see very good times on the horizon.

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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