RANTS Rahm Emanuel Shouldn't Be Biden's Transportation Secretary -- Or Hold Any Other Public Office
Rahm Emanuel Shouldnt Be Bidens Transportation Secretary Or Hold Any Other Public Office
Miles Kampf-Lassin
Today 3:00PM Filed to: RAHM EMANUEL
On June 14, 2018, Rahm Emanuel, then the mayor of Chicago, joined Elon Musk for an underground press conference in the bowels of the citys downtown. The location was the site of an abandoned project from the mid-2000s that had been conceived to create a public transit superstation. ... Here, the two would announce what would become another high-profile transportation boondoggle.
Musks aptly named Boring Company had been selected by the Emanuel administration to use its unproven technology to build a high-speed transit link between downtown Chicago and OHare International Airport. At the press conference, Emanuel boasted that the project was a sign of the citys foresight, saying, Chicago is always on the cutting edge, Chicago is always looking over the horizon to see whats next.
But what came next would turn out to be a whole lot of nothing. This would be the last the city would hear from Emanuel and Musk jointly on the plan, and two years later, Chicago has been left with a huge chasm below the city streets and no Chicago Express Loop, as the project was to be called. ... The aborted scheme provides a window into how Emanuel governed during his time in public office cozying up to billionaires, turning to private interests to provide public services and ultimately failing to deliver.
Today, Emanuel is reportedly under consideration by the incoming administration of Joe Biden to serve as a cabinet member, heading the U.S. Department of Transportation. The potential appointment has been met with outrage by progressives in the Democratic Party, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, as well as residents and elected officials in Chicago. Over 5,000 signatures have been gathered on a petition urging Biden not to select their former mayor. ... The animus is understandable.
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50 Shades Of Blue
(9,773 posts)He is condescending and divisive, without any mitigating factors to make him a less bitter pill to swallow.
murielm99
(30,656 posts)condescending and divisive.
She knows nothing about what he did for transportation in Chicago. She needs to do a better job of serving her own constituents before she yells about Rahm. She is inexperienced, but I am no longer giving her the benefit of the doubt for that.
Can't we have a few days of unity as Democrats?
50 Shades Of Blue
(9,773 posts)are based on. As for AOC, she is not underconsideration for any position on Biden's staff AFAIK. I'm glad she isn't because her voice is too important in Congress.
murielm99
(30,656 posts)50 Shades Of Blue
(9,773 posts)democrank
(11,052 posts)KPN
(15,587 posts)frazzled
(18,402 posts)Being a Chicagoan, I can attest that if theres one thing Emanuel did really well for this city, it was public transportation. When we moved here in 2004, we were met with decrepit, dirty trains running on old tracks, such that that noise was ear-splitting and the fear level on the curves of the elevated trains was pretty high. They had been neglected for many decades. Rahm took that 2009 stimulus money and first improved the line that ran to the poorest neighborhood on the South Side, extending the route to accommodate more people in underserved Black communities. Then he put brand new trains on the line that runs from the equally poor West side to the South side. He updated all the stations across the city as well, and initiated electronic information signage and apps.
He also was extremely gung ho on bicycle transportation and put in many miles of state-of-the-arts commuter bike lanes, and started the bike share rentals.
New hybrid and electric buses were purchased and dedicated bus lanes and well designed large shelters were built. Safety was increased.
And the raggedy streets were improved as well.
The guy, for whatever faults you may find, was totally dedicated to public transit and remaking it for cities of the future. You need to give him that.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)sometimes you need an asshole to get things done.
you cant run this city if you arent an asshole when you need to be.
daley did all the parks, but rahm improved transit immensely. esp extending the red line south.
an epic undertaking that got done right.
i think he would be a good pick, myself.
frazzled
(18,402 posts)that make me think he could really change the course. But there are just so many bugaboos about the guy floating out in the Twittersphere, I don't think he can overcome the noise.
i hope he puts him somewhere.
joe's gonna need someone who can send ppl dead fish and make them wonder how he means it, exactly.
elleng
(130,147 posts)I'd moved from Chicago by the time he was in position, so all I really know is what I've read on 'major media,' so don't feel I have an educated opinion otherwise.
BootinUp
(46,924 posts)Because Biden knows all about Rahm. If he were to choose him, its because he is viewed as effective at carrying out Biden's policies. And we all lived happily after.The end.