Byline:

Gary N. Darby

Body:

Leadership is not measured by speeches delivered from safe, remote locations. It is measured by presence, accountability, and the courage to stand in the public square when unrest begins. Yet in Illinois and Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson have perfected what I call the “Wizard of Oz effect”: loud voices behind the curtain, incendiary rhetoric designed to inflame anger, but no courage to face the consequences when that anger spills into the streets.

Brandon Johnson’s tenure has been a masterclass in victimhood. His speeches paint him less as a leader and more as a perpetual victim of circumstance. Every setback becomes someone else’s fault — the City Council, the press, or unnamed forces conspiring against his vision. Yet the facts are plain: his tax proposals were rejected unanimously, his advisors are mired in scandal, and his approval ratings have collapsed to historic lows. Chicago doesn’t need a mayor who pleads for sympathy while the city demands solutions. Johnson’s rhetoric may win applause from those who thrive on grievance, but it leaves citizens with nothing but excuses. Leadership is measured by results, not self‑pity, and on that score Johnson has failed Chicago completely.

JB Pritzker cloaks himself in the language of fairness, yet his record exposes a man who games the system for personal gain. The infamous toilet‑removal tax scheme revealed a billionaire willing to manipulate rules that ordinary citizens must obey. His policies have deepened Illinois’ divide, driving rural counties to openly discuss secession as they reject his heavy‑handed taxes and energy mandates. Pritzker’s speeches present him as a benevolent reformer, but the reality is clear: he is a machine politician in billionaire’s clothing, insulated from the consequences of his own decisions.

The irony is unmistakable. Both Johnson and Pritzker deliver incendiary rhetoric from safe, remote locations to incite anger and unrest. But when that unrest begins, they are nowhere to be found. It is the Wizard of Oz effect — loud voices behind the curtain, but no courage to stand in the public square when accountability calls. Citizens are left with a vacuum of leadership, forced to endure the consequences of policies and speeches that divide rather than unite.

Chicago’s history makes this even more troubling. Under Richard J. Daley in the 1960s, the city became synonymous with machine politics, patronage, and corruption. Allegations of fraud and manipulation were common, and the city’s reputation suffered for decades. Today, Johnson and Pritzker echo that same corrosive style, cloaking themselves in lofty rhetoric while their actions betray the citizens they claim to serve.

The Republic deserves better than victimhood and hypocrisy masquerading as leadership. Citizens deserve leaders who stand in the public square, who own their decisions, and who measure success not by grievance or privilege but by results. Johnson and Pritzker have failed that test. Their rhetoric corrodes trust, their policies divide communities, and their absence in moments of unrest reveals the hollowness of their leadership.

The Wizard of Oz effect may fool some for a time, but eventually the curtain is pulled back. And when it is, citizens see the truth: leaders who talk loudly from afar but shrink from accountability when it matters most. Illinois and Chicago deserve better. The Republic deserves better.