Our national political leaders lie and fiddle, attempting to hide the extent of our trouble least we panic like children. However some of America’s elected officials know what we expect of them, and meet that challenge.
Today’s exhibit of leadership in action comes to us from TV station CBS 2 in Chicago, about Mayor Richard Daley.
Mayor Daley says corporate leaders told him huge layoffs will impact the city this month and next, and into the new year. He also says city, county and state governments should be prepared for their revenue to fall dramatically because of the souring economy. “This is going to be all year, so it’s going to be a very frightening economy,” Mayor Daley said. “Each one tells me what they’re laying off, and they’re going to double that next year. We’re talking huge numbers of permanent layoffs for people in the economy. It’s going to have a huge effect on all businesses.”
The mayor said the gravity of the situation cannot be underestimated. “We never experienced anything like this except people who came from the Depression,” Mayor Daley said. “When you have that many layoffs early – and they’re telling me this is only the beginning of their layoffs – that is very frightening.”
Mayor Daley also warned that local governments will be in jeopardy and may not have enough money to meet payroll, although he is not worried about paying City of Chicago employees.
… The City Council will take a vote on the 2009 city budget Nov. 19. The budget contains layoffs, a slowdown in police hiring, and new taxes and fines – some bad news for Chicagoans who remain employed.
Congratulations, Chicago. You have elected someone worthy of your City!
Afterword
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Posts about leadership
- The moral courage of our senior generals, or their lack of it, 3 July 2008
- Not every nation’s leaders lie to their people, always and routinely, 24 October 2008
- Is Obama running for the office of Chief Shaman?, 6 June 2008 — Weirdness from our next President.
- Does America need a charismatic President?, 15 July 2008
- More about charisma, by Don Vandergriff…(#2 in the “getting ready for Obama” series), 16 July 2008 — About charisma: know it before you buy it!
- Obama might be the shaman that America needs, 17 July 2008 — At what point does criticism of Obama’s charisma and rhetoric become criticism of leadership itself — and blind faith in technocratic solutions so loved by policy nerds?
- Obama describes the first step to America’s renewal, 8 August 2008 — Obama’s statement about America may be the simple truth; this may be why so many find it disturbing.
- Biden’s gaffes are a threat to American’s complacency!, 13 September 2008
- America gets ready for new leadership (or is it back to the future?), 14 November 2008
