“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”
― H.L. Mencken
Radical Left-Winger Brandon Johnson Wins Race for Chicago Mayor
Brandon Johnson, the far-left, self-professed “progressive” candidate who ran on a plan to defund the Chicago Police and raise the city’s taxes, has won his runoff campaign for mayor of Chicago. Moderate Democrat Paul Vallas led Johnson for most of the night until around 8 p.m. when Johnson began overtaking the former Chicago Public …
In a Facebook post on March 28, the police union said that if Johnson won, there would be a “major exodus” from a group of 2,900 officers with either 20 years of service or those who are above the age of 50.
Brandon Johnson’s Chicago Election Win Is the Police’s Worst Nightmare
By Khaleda Rahman On 4/5/23 at 5:13 AM EDT
Brandon Johnson winning the election to become Chicago’s next mayor was a significant moment for progressive organizations like the city’s teachers’ union, but a cause for concern among police who are worried about his policies on tackling crime.
Johnson, a Cook County commissioner endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, won a close race against Paul Vallas—a moderate Democrat backed by Chicago’s Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police. During his campaign, Johnson was forced to defend past statements in support of “defunding” the police.
The new mayor will succeed Lori Lightfoot, who became the first incumbent in 40 years to lose a reelection bid after being criticized for her response to rising crime in the city.
The number of homicides in Chicago hit a 25-year high in 2021 with more than 800, according to the Chicago Police Department. That number decreased to 695 last year but is still far higher than when Lightfoot took office in 2019. Crimes including carjackings and robberies have also increased in recent years.
…
[Johnson] has argued that more money for policing and incarceration isn’t the answer to safer streets and that more should be invested in mental health care, schools and affordable housing. He has also supported the use of social workers and EMTs to respond to some 911 calls instead of police officers.
…
Vallas, whose campaign concentrated on the safety of citizens and support for the police, said he would hire hundreds more police officers if elected mayor. In a recent debate, he said he expected that officers who have retired would return to the department under new leadership, describing it as “an infusion of experienced officers.”
Meet the ‘Defund the Police’ Advocate Chicago Just Elected To Deal With Its Crime Spike
The looting, Johnson said, is just a response to “a failed racist system” of policing. He went on to hand-wave the anguish of entrepreneurs whose businesses were destroyed by the looters, saying …
PA Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 38 