Hubris and Conceit - Part 2

Lest anyone think I am strictly a basher of the Republican party, and cannot see abuses of power elsewhere, let's take a little stroll through the current City of Chicago administration.

At least two major scandals have plagued the Daley administration in recent months - the Hired Truck scandal and hiring of city employees. In both cases, political ties and influence have been used illegally.

What has come of the investigations into those scandals? Convictions of city employees, some as high as direct reports to the Mayor himself, on charges including racketeering, mail fraud, tax fraud, bribery and corruption - just to name some of the more serious charges.

In the Hired Truck scandal, dozens of individuals in the adminstration took bribes from people who owned or operated companies that wanted city contracts for various trucking jobs - tow trucks, truckers hauling asphault and other construction materials, etc., were involved.

In the employment scandal, it is estimated that well over 1000 city positions were preferentially awarded to candidates who were less qualified than others, but who had political ties to the administration. Many of those awarded positions come from Daley's home ward in Chicago. The expectation, in return for the job, was politicking on behalf of Daley's cronies in City elections.

The kicker to all this - these nepotistic hiring practices have occurred in Chicago before. A consent decree was ordered in that case, popularly known as the Shakman decree, that was put in place expressly to prevent these types of abuses.

So far, two top city officials have been convicted on charges related to the hiring scandal to date, with more charges and trials pending.

The list of remaining cooperating city employees was supposed to remain under seal. But guess what - somehow, the list was faxed to city employees, so now the list is widely known within the adminstration. No doubt with reprisals against those on that list - protestations from Daley himself to the contrary not withstanding.

Through it all, Mayor Daley has professed his innocence and ignorance of these problems. It's due to "a few bad apples" within in the adminstration (some of whom report to him), and he was unawares.

I believe that about as much as there are still WMDs to be found in Iraq. The entrenched political machine in Chicago is as corrupt as they come.

In the case of this administration, ignorance, hubris, and conceit all have come into play:

- Ignorance, not in the form of not knowing about the various illicit activities, but in terms of being ignorant and arrogant enough to think he would get away with it;

- Hubris, in the form of extreme self-confidence and confidence in his cronies to carry out such egregious acts with anticipated impunity; and

- Conceit in his own worth to the city.

Mr. Daley, the city will operate just fine without you at the helm. In fact, I would hazard to say that it might operate significantly better because the best, most qualified people would fill city positions - IF abuses such as those exposed are stopped.

Your actions have led to the appointment of an external court-appointed monitor to oversee hiring within your adminstration. That action, in a city as large as Chicago, is unprecedented. It is embarrassing, humiliating, and flies in the face of the attempts some are trying to make that the city is a progressive, forward-thinking place.

I, for one, welcome such oversight. Since you can't seem to run a clean organization, perhaps it can be forced upon you.

Better yet, be a man. Confess your knowledge of the scandals, at whatever level that is, and take your lumps. It will be a further black eye to Chicago, but perhaps you can retain some personal dignity.

As you are fond of saying - "Let the voters decide". If you are truly the best at what you do, then you should be reelected even in the face of such scandal. (Unless, of course, there are felony convictions involved).

There is a famous saying that comes to mind in this case - "The buck stops here". That was used in reference to personal responsibility for all that happens in a high-profile adminstration.

Not in reference to lining one's pockets with money, as seems to be the case here.