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Olympic Minded
Mayor Daley Will Help UIC If UIC Helps Him
Beijing
London Chicago
Association (Chicago, IL): One,
effective, way to get what you want is to provide
incentive. In other words, promise a reward after whatever you want is
done. "Johnny, if you clean your room, first,
you can go out to play, afterwards."
It would appear, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is comfortable, with
the "you scratch my back, I'll
scratch yours", principle, as well; regardless, of whether the original "itch" was on his back or his father's. Mr. Daley, whose
desire to win Chicago hosting privileges for the 2016 Summer Olympic
Games is
no secret, ushered in the month of February 2007 by visiting the campus
of the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Once there, Mayor Daley, gradually, if not subtly, made
his point. The mayor started by complimenting the university.
Compliments
are a page right out of the play book on "getting people to do what you
want in order to achieve your objectives".
Next, according to the
perception of some, Mayor Daley proceeded to "call in old favors", by
revealing just how big a risk his father, late Chicago Mayor Richard J.
Daley, took in order to get the University of Illinois at Chicago
built.
"[It] ... was controversial because many people
wanted to build a campus in the western suburbs. But my father fought
in regards to building a university right here; ... [that decision was]
the most controversial my father made in his political
career." "[UIC is now] ... one of the finest research facilities in the
world and I don't think we get enough publicity for that".
Mayor Daley's tactic was brilliant, in its
efficiency. The mayor accomplished, at least, two things at once. Number
one, he "called in old favors". The "old favors" are on behalf of his father, because the current Mayor Daley had nothing to do with fighting to establish the UIC, but, apparently, "old favors", all the same. In other words, many Chicagoans,
especially those with strong ties to the UIC, or its resources, might
feel the University of Illinois at Chicago owes it to the current
Mayor Daley to do all it can to support him, and his objectives, because he is his father's son. Why?
Because, if it were not
for a Daley, namely, Mayor Richard J. Daley, the University of Illinois
at
Chicago would, almost certainly, not exist in the form it does
today;
which is exactly the way in which it benefits them (Chicagoans with
strong ties to it and, or, its resources). Perhaps, they see it as gratitude.
Secondly, in a stroke of genius, Mayor Richard M. Daley visited a
critically important issue that, recently, has begun to haunt his
political career; call it controversy. From
neutralizing Meigs Field to
allegations of police torture and brutality in Chicago, controversy
never seems to be far from the Office of the Mayor of Chicago. By, specifically,
pointing out just how controversial Mayor Richard J. Daley's decision
to build UIC
was, and perceived risks to which that decision exposed Mayor Richard J. Daley, Mayor Richard M. Daley would appear to be making a quick point. Daley
decisions can be tremendously controversial, maybe, even, downright
unpopular, but they are right, and the best
course of action for the
City of Chicago.
Mayor Richard M. Daley has revealed his desire to build an
aquatic center for water sports contests on the University of Illinois
at Chicago campus, if certain conditions are met, first. One thing seems
clear. Mayor Daley wants the UIC, and Chicagoans who benefit from it,
to know
that good things will happen to the university, if, or when, Chicago
wins the right to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. That bit of
"icing on
the cake" just may be strong enough incentive to get them to do what
some believe he wants them to do. "Johnny, it's getting late; have you
finished cleaning your room?"
Chicago, IL and Los Angeles, CA are the only
two remaining United States candidate cities competing to host the 2016
Summer Olympic Games. Any winning U.S. candidate city will face
international
competitors which may include Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Prague, or Madrid.
This
news story is: Mayor
Daley Promises UIC Aquatic
Center ZJ5ST
Richard J. Daley VINTAGE 5th Term Inauguration coin
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