The upcoming mayoral election, according to some, offers Chicago a choice between a just reform movement and a return to old-fashioned machine politics. The inaccurate stereotypes being used distract us from the realization that, on closer examination, the progressive coalition looks remarkably like a machine.
A political machine is primarily focused on the attainment and maintenance of power. It is obvious the reform movement`s goal is the re-attainment of power for its constituency. The reform movement`s position on quotas reveals that it is also interested in the maintenance of power through distributing the spoils of government to its supporters.
A political machine also has no tolerance for dissent. The reform movement certainly possesses this characteristic as it labels any black who does not support it an ”Uncle Tom.” The choice Chicago faces is not between reform and machine politics but rather between individual candidates with different records of public service and different leadership capabilities.
