Op-Ed: Brandon Johnson’s Marxist Mandate Is Breaking Chicago
Chicago didn’t fall overnight. But under Mayor Brandon Johnson, it’s collapsing at record speed—and it’s no accident. His leadership doesn’t simply reflect inexperience or mismanagement.
It reflects something deeper, more deliberate: a governing philosophy rooted in neo-Marxist ideology, repackaged as “equity,” “justice,” and “community investment.” The results have been devastating—and Chicagoans are paying the price.
Let’s be clear: Johnson didn’t inherit a perfect city. But instead of reversing course or offering pragmatic solutions, he doubled down on the same failed socialist playbook that’s been bleeding Chicago for decades.
Lawlessness as Policy
Since taking office, Johnson has treated law enforcement like an afterthought and criminal behavior like a minor inconvenience. He repeatedly downplays organized flash mobs as “youth expression” and has publicly resisted calling for stronger consequences—even as businesses are looted, neighborhoods are terrorized, and officers leave the force in droves.
This isn’t just bad policy—it’s textbook Marxist theory in action. Undermine law and order, dismantle traditional authority structures, and then reframe chaos as the “will of the oppressed.” The result? Communities of color—the very people Johnson claims to uplift—are left defenseless in the name of ideology.
Punish the Producers
Johnson’s economic vision is pulled straight from a manifesto, not a balance sheet. He’s championed:
A “mansion tax” to punish homeowners.
A tax on financial transactions, which threatened Chicago’s position as a global trading hub.
Support for defunding the police while expanding city bureaucracy.
The message is clear: if you build, grow, or succeed in Chicago, you’re the problem.
In Marxist theory, wealth creation is inherently oppressive. Under Johnson, that belief becomes policy. But here’s the truth: you can’t tax your way into prosperity. And you can’t demonize employers while expecting jobs to stick around. Small businesses are closing. Corporations are relocating. And the working class? They’re stuck with fewer opportunities and higher prices.
Education and Dependency
Instead of fixing schools, Johnson has embraced union-driven agendas that keep kids trapped in underperforming classrooms while protecting underperforming teachers. He resists school choice and refuses to challenge the Chicago Teachers Union—even though they essentially funded his campaign and now act as his puppet masters.
Meanwhile, he’s expanding free programs with no accountability, making government the only option for more and more families. That’s not empowerment—it’s dependency by design. That’s what Marxism looks like: a centralized state that controls education, the economy, and your options.
Rhetoric Over Results
Johnson excels at one thing: rhetoric. Every crisis becomes an opportunity for a press conference about “root causes,” “systemic harm,” or “reimagining public safety.” But ask Chicagoans if their lives have improved, and you’ll get blank stares or angry rants. Under his watch:
Homicides remain sky-high in many neighborhoods.
Migrant crisis mismanagement has drained city services.
Working-class residents are fleeing the city they once called home.
Marxist leaders often win over the public by promising utopia and blaming every failure on “the system.” But in practice, it’s the people at the bottom who suffer most—and that’s exactly what’s happening in Chicago.
The Bottom Line
Brandon Johnson isn't failing because he’s unqualified. He’s failing because his entire political worldview is incompatible with reality. You can't build a safe, prosperous city by declaring war on merit, responsibility, and enterprise. You can’t govern a diverse metropolis with 20th-century collectivist ideology dressed up in 21st-century buzzwords.
What Chicago needs isn’t another activist-mayor with a megaphone and a movement. It needs a leader with courage, practical solutions, and the willingness to put people above politics.
Until we reject this ideological experiment, Chicago will continue to crumble—not from a lack of resources, but from a lack of truth.
And truthfully? We’re running out of time.
