Patch Poll: Will NATO Summit Give the Chicago Region a Global Boost?
In an earlier poll, 59 percent of voters in the six-county metropolitan area and 58 percent of city voters agreed that hosting NATO would improve Chicago's international standing.
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Geneva, Switzerland. London. The Hague. And now, Chicago?
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has touted the NATO summit as a way to showcase Chicago on an international stage, and much of the Chicago area agreed with that notion, according to a Tribune/WGN-TV poll, conducted days before the NATO Summit began.
A total of 59 percent of voters in the six-county metropolitan area and 58 percent of city voters agreed that hosting NATO would improve Chicago's international standing, the poll found. About 3 out of 10 surveyed disagreed.
"If everything goes smoothly, it's a great opportunity for Chicago to step outside the shadows of other major cities in the U.S. and the world," Marc Hetherington, a professor of political science at Vanderbilt University, told the Tribune.
Now that the NATO Summit is winding down today, Monday, May 21, do you agree with this early poll?
Jim Court
8:59 am on Monday, May 21, 2012
With exception of vandalism or terrorist threatens, it might have been better for the police to take a more casual and less militaristic approach. The goal should be to maintain the peace, allow for somewhat orderly protests, and simply prevent problems. Creating a wall of policeman to wall off protesters almost surely creates the right condition for confrontation. As long as protesters were peaceful and did not completely disrupt the norms of community, the police should have ignored them. John Kass was correct in stating that this country was founded by protesters who did not ask for permission to protest or seek or need permits.
Vegasdog.
9:59 am on Monday, May 21, 2012
To compare the early "patriots" to these ne'ar-do-well/malcontents who dont want to pay their student loans-thats a stretch. If your not happy with the way things are-effect change within the system. Thats what the "patriots" fought for. They did not throw pee filled baloons at the King George. I'm not a tea party fan per se but like them or not-they exist by working WITHIN THE SYSTEM! To stand in front a Citibank branch and bother some 30k a year teller, is that courage? If they belive in the cause so much why do they hide behind bandanas? 99pct? It's a joke. Steve Jobs was part of the 1pct, I dont see anyone protesting in front of the Apple stores concerning their questionable slave labor in China! The so-called "movement" is as hypocritical and phony as what they rally against. As for police, the same cops they throw excrement baloons at-if they get their cell phones stolen or mugged while in the city, who will they go crying to? A policeman-thats who! When you enter that arean, taunt & throw stuff at a cop, you better know what your in for! In closing, all the 60's radicals went back to school, got jobs and now live among us. Today's group probably wont have that option so the sooner they figure out what their going to do with their lives as opposed to crying in their own poop(the NY Central Park gang-they literally were!), the better off they'll be!
Kent Frederick
10:08 am on Monday, May 21, 2012
It seems that the media coverage has strictly been protesters clashing with police. That doesn't do a lot for getting the attention of foreign business leaders and tourists to put Chicago on their "must see" lists.
Think how much Atlanta spent on the 1996 Summer Olympics. While Atlanta is the business hub of the South, I doubt that Olympics had as much to do with the growth of the northeast Georgia economy as the favorable business climate (lower corporate taxes and right-to-work laws), and Atlanta still isn't on the list of must-see cities for foreign tourists, at least compared to the likes of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, New Orleans, Orlando, and Las Vegas.
Chicago would have been better served, if the money spent on planning and manpower had been used for tourism and business marketing in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
G.Ryan
10:58 am on Monday, May 21, 2012
Please folks do not be naive this was all for the "dog and pony" show for Gangster Rahm as he wants to meet all the world leaders as he thinks he is going to be President someday. It is all about them in the meantime, business is suffering, we are taxed up our butts, no jobs and the City and State are broke. Now if you were broke and had no money would you put on the party of your lives?
Mouse
12:36 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
SO, what you have done instead? You copy/paste the same nonsense all over the Interwebs but never seem to have any alternative plan.
Kent Frederick
8:07 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Rahm had the G20 for the same reason that cities try to get the Olympics, host party nominating conventions, and lure sports teams from other cities. They believe that the exposure will lure tourists and businesses.
There was a study that showed that the movie "Mama Mia" did far more for Greek tourism than Athens hosting the 2004 Summer Olympics.
As I posted earlier, Chicago should have simply run ads on European, Asian, and Latin American television, showing the Art Institute, great restaurants, the lakefront, and the view from the Sears Tower. It would have created far fewer problems for the police, the residents, and the people who commute into the Loop.
Ray
11:43 am on Monday, May 21, 2012
Great restraint on the part of law enforcement. Would be soooo tempting to use the batons more forcefully on those pointless idiots I saw on tv.
Jim Court
1:21 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Some are just that, malcontents. Some have legitimate issues such as the nurses.
Is it wrong to protest against the war, the implosion of capitalism, corporate greed, banking, etc. The Patriots as you call them lived in a much smaller society, did not have the media scope and presence that exists today. Globalism was hardly a concern. Terrorism on the scale potentially possible did not exist. Cities were small, the population was much less educated and socially aware. Nato did not exist.
For me to make a complete judgment, I would have to actually witness the dynamics that were taking place. Working within the system is not always effective.
Whistle blowers often pay a great price and the system has the resources and desire to maintain the status quo. Try changing the system under Stalin, Saddam, or the myriad of dictators and for some reason I do not think you will get far.
G.Ryan
3:52 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Mouse, which I cannot believe is your real name. I speak the truth and I guess people like you cannot face the truth. This is nothing but a political show.