Bryan W. Alaspa 1Understanding Clout
June 22nd 2009 00:09
There is a term that gets thrown around here in Chicago a lot, but a lot of people, even Chicagoans, do not understand what it really means and that term is “clout.” You may be a powerful person where you are now and think you have clout, but you may not really have it, especially not when it comes to Chicago. The other thing that is amusing about it, is that so much of the media of this town acts surprised to find out it exists in this town.
The man who wielded clout better than anyone was the first Mayor Daley. At one point the man was the second most powerful man in the country after the president. Sure, there was New York, but no one wielded the power and influence of Hizzoner. This was especially true if you were a politician who wanted to be successful in the Democratic Party. Just having your picture taken with the man could help win you votes.
Clout essentially means you have a connection with a powerful politician in the city. City politics here are still an amazing thing to behold and it is such a labyrinth that most here do not understand it. I barely understand it. As a politician, however, you make connections within the city and you, in turn, gain clout. If you can pick up a phone call and get someone you know a job that they want either within the city or at a big company in tow, then you have clout as a politician.
Of course, there is an inherent threat involved in clout. The threat is, if you don’t do what I am asking you to do, then all of the benefits you may have had by knowing me and by using my influence in the political machines in this town will suddenly disappear. Chicago is a mob-mentality town and by that I don’t mean that we all take to the streets like people in a “Frankenstein” film and make decisions. I am talking about wise-guys, DeNiro-looking, crazy-Joe-Pesci type of mob-style mentality. Al Capone may be dead and, officially, there may be no “mob” but you would be hard-pressed to tell if you live here.
These days clout has shown up in some interesting places. One of the major universities here was discovered to have a “clout list.” They had a list of students whose families were connected with powerful people in the city of Chicago. There is now an investigation to see if those students got preferential treatment. Do you want to make a bet with me if they did?
Most Chicagoans do not really have clout. We just know it exists. We accept it. As long as the city works, we don’t mind it. When the parking meters start costing a fortune and the streets are full of holes, then we start complaining. Of course, we only complain to each other and try to pass off the parking meters and hole-filled streets as tourist attractions to everyone else.
The man who wielded clout better than anyone was the first Mayor Daley. At one point the man was the second most powerful man in the country after the president. Sure, there was New York, but no one wielded the power and influence of Hizzoner. This was especially true if you were a politician who wanted to be successful in the Democratic Party. Just having your picture taken with the man could help win you votes.
Clout essentially means you have a connection with a powerful politician in the city. City politics here are still an amazing thing to behold and it is such a labyrinth that most here do not understand it. I barely understand it. As a politician, however, you make connections within the city and you, in turn, gain clout. If you can pick up a phone call and get someone you know a job that they want either within the city or at a big company in tow, then you have clout as a politician.
Of course, there is an inherent threat involved in clout. The threat is, if you don’t do what I am asking you to do, then all of the benefits you may have had by knowing me and by using my influence in the political machines in this town will suddenly disappear. Chicago is a mob-mentality town and by that I don’t mean that we all take to the streets like people in a “Frankenstein” film and make decisions. I am talking about wise-guys, DeNiro-looking, crazy-Joe-Pesci type of mob-style mentality. Al Capone may be dead and, officially, there may be no “mob” but you would be hard-pressed to tell if you live here.
These days clout has shown up in some interesting places. One of the major universities here was discovered to have a “clout list.” They had a list of students whose families were connected with powerful people in the city of Chicago. There is now an investigation to see if those students got preferential treatment. Do you want to make a bet with me if they did?
Most Chicagoans do not really have clout. We just know it exists. We accept it. As long as the city works, we don’t mind it. When the parking meters start costing a fortune and the streets are full of holes, then we start complaining. Of course, we only complain to each other and try to pass off the parking meters and hole-filled streets as tourist attractions to everyone else.
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