By Ray Cardello for April 15, 2023, Season 17 / Post 30

There are many potential reasons for and sub-stories about the Democrat National Committee’s (DNC) decision to hold the 2024 Convention in the Homicide Capitol of the country. The DNC has named Chicago to host the convention that should start the reelection campaign of Joe Biden. That is if no indictments are waiting for him to leave the Presidency behind. The DNC plans to spend $90 Million to hold the convention, and the reason for the hefty number is the amount spent on security. The Chicago Police Department is already understaffed and cannot keep Chicago’s residents safe. There is no way the Chicago Police can ensure the safety of even the high-profile attendees, let alone the delegates.

Chicago claims it symbolizes the principles of the Democrat Party. The claims do not specify if the lawlessness and record homicides are part of these principles, but they will have to account for them at the convention. It is thought that the strength of the union’s presence in Chicago is drawing the convention to the Windy City as the DNC sees a need to shore up the relationship between the union brotherhood. The city of Chicago has a problem with its image regarding business, big and small. The companies leaving Chicago are contributing to the wind!

Just this week, Walmart announced the closure of four stores in Chicago. The company can no longer assure the safety of its customers and employees. The company can no longer absorb the millions of dollars lost due to theft. Walmart is not the only company pulling out of Chicago, but the list is growing.

McDonald’s is feeling the pains of the challenging business environment in Chicago. CEO Chris Kempczinski recently said that crime is “seeping into every corner of our city,” and he’s frequently asked, “what’s going on in Chicago? We have violent crime that’s happening in our restaurants … we’re seeing homelessness issues in our restaurants. We’re having drug overdoses that are happening in our restaurants,” he said last month at the Economic Club of Chicago. “So we see in our restaurants, every single day, what’s happening in society at large.” Though McDonald’s is not leaving yet, individual restaurants may be in jeopardy.

Boeing, Caterpillar, and Citadel also recently announced moves out of Chicago. Boeing is leaving for business and political reasons as they feel D.C. is a better fit for them as they move more to defense contracts.

Tyson Foods is the latest company to close its Chicago offices. They are closing numerous facilities and centralizing their operation under one roof in Arkansas.

The bottom line is these companies leaving is a negative signal about the business environment in Chicago and may influence other interested companies to look elsewhere. They also take employees with them or leave unemployed people behind. People pointed to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her lack of attention to the Chicago crime situation, but with the election of Brandon Johnson, they may have taken a further step to the Left. None of this puts out the Welcome Mat for the DNC and the attention the convention will place on Chicago.