As a former state lawmaker, Mayor Daley surely knows that dissentis a vital and fundamental ingredient in the procedures and roll callvotes of any authentically democratic legislative body. He must know,too, that his angry and indignant response to the fact that fivealdermen chose to vote "no" this week on confirmation of James Joyceas Chicago's new fire commissioner was out of order.
The mayor cannot expect to win 50-0, as he did in the case of hisbudget this year, on everything he presents to the aldermen. Mostmayors or other political figures would be pleased with having theirway by a 42-5 vote, as Daley did on the Joyce appointment.
Instead, Daley verbally lashed the dissenters for their votes andfor not joining in a standing ovation for Joyce after the vote wastaken. "This will be a vote we'll remember," he said, "You'llapologize some day."
Dissenters in the Council actually serve the mayor's politicalpurposes in that the nay votes are a comforting reminder that Chicagodemocracy is not, and is not supposed to be, a one-man show. Surely,he must realize that.
No comments:
Post a Comment