As I write this, it’s been less than a week since Chance the Rapper first demanded that Governor Rauner send more state aid to Chicago’s dead-broke public schools. I don’t want to say anything that might deter his mission, but it seems like Chance is looking to Rauner for something our governor doesn’t have—a conscience.
Chance was born and raised in Chicago. His father, Ken Bennett, was a political aide to Mayor Harold Washington and Barack Obama. (He also worked for Mayor Rahm, but hey, no one’s perfect.)
From the start of his political career, Rauner’s made it clear that one of his primary objectives is annihilating the Chicago Teachers Union. And anything that helped him achieve that goal—including bankruptcy—was a means to an end.
In appreciation for Rauner’s contributions, the local Noble network of charters named one of its schools after him.
And CPS still isn’t out of the woods, even with all that money borrowed at exorbitant rates. This year’s CPS budget was dependent on $215 million in state aid that was passed by the Democratic state legislature.
Until Chance spoke out, Rauner had seemed impervious to pleas from ordinary Chicagoans. His political base lies outside of Chicago, so his key voters won’t be directly affected if CPS goes bankrupt. And he basically owns the state legislature’s Republicans, having purchased their loyalty with his campaign donations. The Democrats, meanwhile, can’t find any Republicans to give them the votes they need to override Rauner’s veto. So we’re apparently incapable of keeping Rauner in check. And you thought the situation with Trump in Washington was bad.
