Parallel Universes

Recently I have fielded Facebook comments complaining about what a sitting governor or mayor or congressperson has done or not done. Usually the comments are simple broadsides without any context or facts. Having recent experiences in the COVID social distancing and protests against police brutality, I have watched elected officials traverse a loaded minefield. The ones with power and authority are doing a fine job, at least the ones here in Illinois.


Our governor jumped right into the heavy task of protecting Illinois citizens from a pandemic with sketchy facts known. He erred on the side of caution. He dared to make the big decisions. He did so with a poor budget and economy. He did it with the upstate and downstate political war that seems to always be with us in this state. He did it while still trying to clean up government, budget problems, pension funding and a host of other issues that always bedevil a governor, especially here in Illinois.


Mayor Lightfoot of Chicago faced almost the exact same conditions as the governor. Bad economy, horrific history of racial unrest, poverty, deficit budget, pension funding problems, and tough police relations. She leapt into the work, juggled several issues simultaneously, and performed very well.


Both the governor and mayor did well. The COVID battle data is improving. The war appears to be shaping up as a win. Time will tell but both the state and the city have weathered tremendous difficulty in battling this health crisis. We have learned as a society how interdependent we all are in handling a pandemic. And we learned to rely on scientists and medical personnel for the facts.


And then the George Floyd killing by police in Minneapolis. The fire of unrest was lit. Protests appeared spontaneously, looters and rioters had a field day, but the political battle remained focused on racism and police brutality. In the end those are the two issues that need to be championed. Two very difficult topics no politician wants on their plate, but there they are.


And both the Chicago mayor and Illinois governor stepped up and handled them. Now and in coming months and years.


Of course, they do not have 100% backing by voters. That is to be expected. But the childish harping on Facebook for pure political purposes is embarrassing. We are better than that. We face serious issues and they deserve our attention and attempts of solution. Backstabbing elected officials only harms our progress forward.


Having been elected to two different positions in the past, I understand the electoral process, campaigning and then delivering once elected. I also understand the many divisions among voters who throw barriers in the way on most issues. Office holders have the duty to study the issues, be aware of the political climate of acceptance or resistance and find a way forward to protect the community and all of its people. That is not an easy job. It is an honorable one, however.


Most voters don’t see this side of the authority equation. Elected persons are at the mercy of the public doing its homework and understanding the opposing factors toward solving a problem. Politicians thus are attacked from many directions simultaneously. That is one reason commissions and task forces are a worthy solution. Get unelected leaders to study a problem and sort out the options to solve it. Then recommend it to the governing body and chances are improved for a reasoned and acceptable solution.


Sometimes conditions are such that this cannot be done. COVID and the recent protests and riots are such conditions.


Of longer duration are the problems that need solutions: police oversight and control to root out ‘bad apples’; policing design that improves public trust; COVID treatment drugs and vaccines to manage the long-term end of the pandemic; pension funding solutions; economic investment in our infrastructure, small businesses, public education systems, and a whole lot more. [What about climate change and protecting our planet!]


We either can be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. Now is a good time to use our heads for logical solutions, polite interrelationships, and positive politics. Anything short of this is a colossal waste of our time and resources.  


June 14, 2020