How did a city long dominated by a notorious Democratic Machine become a national battleground in the right-wing war against the public sector? In Mayor 1%, veteran journalist Kari Lydersen takes a close look at Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and his true agenda.
With deep Wall Street ties from his investment banking years and a combative political style honed in Congress and the Clinton and Obama administrations, Emanuel is among a rising class of rock-star mayors promising to remake American cities.
But his private-sector approach has sidelined and alienated many who feel they are not part of Emanuel's vision for a new Chicago—and it has inspired a powerful group of activists and community members to unite in defense of their beloved city.
Kari Lydersen is a Chicago-based journalist, author and journalism instructor who has written for the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Progressive, In These Times, and other publications. She is the author of four books, including The Revolt on Goose Island: The Chicago Factory Takeover and What it Says About the Economic Crisis. She specializes in coverage of labor, energy and the environment. She has taught at Columbia College Chicago and Northwestern University and also works with youth from low-income communities through the program We the People Media. karilydersen dot com.