The New Chicago Way: Lessons from Other Big Cities

For all the wrong reasons, a national spotlight is shining on Chicago. The city has become known for its violence, police abuse, parent and teacher unrest, population decline, and mounting municipal and pension debt. The underlying problem, contend Ed Bachrach and Austin Berg, is that deliberative democracy is dead in the city. Chicago is home to the last strongman political system in urban America. The mayor holds all the power, and any perceived checks on mayoral control are often proven illusive.

Join AF-Chicago and authors Ed Bachrach and Austin Berg for a conversation on what Chicago can learn from other big cities to fix the problems it’s currently facing.

Happy hour begins at 6pm. Conversation begins at 6:30pm. Tickets are $10 and include complimentary food and two drink tickets. Books will be available for sale.

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About The Authors – Ed Bachrach and Austin Berg

Ed Bachrach is the retired CEO of Bachrach Clothing. He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School and is the founder and president of the Center for Pension Integrity in Chicago.

Austin Berg, an award-winning writer, is the director of content strategy at the Illinois Policy Institute. He contributes opinion columns to the Illinois News Network and wrote the documentary film Madigan: Power. Privilege. Politics.