Quite the opposite. Home of the Chicago Economic school of conservative economists. Hayek et al, aka Austrian school, if you will. Home of much of commodity trading. And home of my old friend, a retired pilot. Some very good appraisers there too...the late Stephen Vertin comes to mind. I was shocked at his sudden death. Hatch and others know his contribution on this forum well. And I have a lot of respect for appraisers like Chris Posey who works out of Chicago as well.
However, their politicians are morons. The gun laws of Chicago, rather than protecting anyone, has made the place more dangerous and crime there is far worse than it should be. That's poor governance on the part of the city and state government who would rather virtue signal than deal with crime.
Yes, there are conservatives in Chicago, but they are busy bees and not that politically focused or capable. There is also a history of communist activism in Chicago and on its tail, leftism that expresses itself in political activism and unionism. It is the politics in Chicago that exudes critical control of the infrastructure. The politics is largely liberal, one might say
radically liberal. And its sister city is New York, less liberal, - but with a communist activist (aka "Democrat Socialist" currently in lead for mayor.
Grok Analysis:
New York and Chicago are both major urban centers with predominantly Democratic governance, shaped by historical immigration waves, economic challenges, and social issues such as crime, housing, and inequality. The following table summarizes core parallels:
| Aspect | Description |
|---|
| Party Dominance | Both cities are Democratic strongholds, with limited Republican representation in local government. Chicago has not elected a Republican mayor since 1931, while New York has occasionally done so (e.g., Rudy Giuliani from 1994 to 2001 and Michael Bloomberg from 2002 to 2013). |
| Progressive Trends | Recent mayoral elections reflect shifts toward progressive candidates backed by grassroots movements. Chicago elected Brandon Johnson in 2023, emphasizing equity and reform; New York followed with Zohran Mamdani's primary win in 2025, focusing on similar issues like affordability and public services. |
| Policy Challenges | Both grapple with crime, migrant influxes, and housing shortages. For instance, public safety reforms and economic equity initiatives have been central, often leading to debates over policing and resource allocation. |
| Historical Contexts | In the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, both cities experienced sociopolitical crises involving labor strikes, policing, and regime changes, fostering machine-style politics focused on local constituencies. |
Differences in Political Dynamics
Despite overlaps, distinct structural and cultural factors set the cities apart:
| Aspect | New York | Chicago |
|---|
| Ideological Spectrum | More ideologically diverse, with conservative pockets (e.g., Staten Island) and consistent Republican presence on the City Council (typically 4+ members). | More uniformly left-leaning, with 0-1 Republicans on the City Council and a stronger history of Democratic machine politics. |
| Governance Outcomes | Has demonstrated effective crime reduction under certain administrations (e.g., a 19.4% drop in murders in 2016 under Bill de Blasio through precision policing). | Faces persistent challenges with violence, exemplified by a 40% murder increase in 2016 under Rahm Emanuel, often linked to governance shortfalls. |
| State-Level Influence | Policies often require coordination with Albany, where progressive agendas can face resistance, but the city's size grants significant leverage. | Relies on Springfield for support, where mayors like Johnson have struggled due to limited alliances, contributing to policy failures (e.g., rejected homelessness funding initiatives). |
| Corruption and Culture | Historical machine politics (e.g., Tammany Hall) with periodic reforms. | Notorious for "Chicago-style politics," involving entrenched corruption and patronage, which has endured longer than in New York. |
Chicago's recent trajectory under Mayor Brandon Johnson (elected 2023) has been cited as a predictive model or warning for New York, particularly following Zohran Mamdani's 2025 nomination. Johnson's progressive policies—such as rent stabilization, police reforms, and public safety alternatives—have encountered significant setbacks, including low approval ratings (as low as 14%), failed initiatives, and persistent crime issues. These challenges are presented as potential pitfalls for New York if it pursues analogous reforms, with analysts urging New Yorkers to heed Chicago's "cautionary tale" in areas like housing and policing.
Historically, both cities have evolved in parallel rather than sequentially, influenced by shared national trends like urbanization and civil rights movements, without one consistently leading the other. If the query intends a different interpretation of "preshadow" (e.g., resemblance or overshadowing), the cities exhibit notable similarities but also clear distinctions, with neither dominating the other's narrative.
