In recent years, the old adage, "The customer is always right," has given way to expediency.  Decision-makers seem more focused on achieving short-term, bottom-line goals, than on achieving and maintaining high levels of customer-satisfaction - even though the customer is the one who ultimately fuels the bottom-line.

Whether the manager or the decision-maker is in the private sector, or the public sector, the customer remains a primary force in the American economic system.

Monopolies, however, tend to distort the effectiveness and efficiencies of marketplaces; and in Chicago, the political landscape tends to reflect a monopoly, and not a market of diverse opinions.   The mayor, Richard M. Daley, has political power unlike his counterparts in other major American cities.  In February, Daley was re-elected to a fifth term with virtually no campaigning and no effective opposition.  He enjoys the loyalty of most alderman on the City Council; and he appoints and controls the City's department heads, which makes him the de-facto Boss of the City's patronage jobs.

In such an environment, it is not surprising that the Mayor has begun to make decisions that fail to reflect the will of the people and decisions that show an increasing disregard for democratic process and principles.

When the Mayor ordered City construction crews to tear up the single runway at Meigs Field - without warning and under the cover of darkness - it sent a chilling message to the aviation community, and to citizens everywhere who cherish freedom and democratic rule of law.  

Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, amongst Chicago's finest cultural and entertainment facilities, is Meigs Field, one of the best known and most scenic general aviation airports in the world. While its proximity to downtown Chicago makes Meigs Field a favorite for conventioneers and business people, that proximity is the very reason Mayor Daley wants the airport closed.  

Since September 11th, the Mayor has argued that the airport poses a threat to the security of the city.  He considers Meigs a potential staging ground for terrorist who might use private aircraft to attack the city and its landmark structures.  The general aviation community has disagreed vehemently.  Their leaders have argued that the closing of Meigs Field won't stop a terrorist attack involving aircraft. They point to the fact that the planes that struck the World Trade Center originated from airports hundreds of miles away.

But the current round of fighting over Meigs did not begin with the attacks on September 11th.  Mayor Daley has wanted Meigs closed for a while, and his mind is set on converting the the airport into a park.

On March 31st, under the cover of darkness, Mayor Daley took steps to realize his plan when he order City employees to rip up the runway at Meigs Field.

The President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), was so outraged, that he bought a full page ad in the Chicago Tribune and rebuked the Mayor for his actions.  He also encouraged his membership to take their convention business to other Midwest cities.  It represented the first call for economic sanctions against what many people believe was a wanton abuse of power by the Mayor.

In the end, the marketplace and the courts may ultimately remind Mayor Daley that regardless of how his power, Chicago is still a part of America - a land that embraces demand-driven markets; and in any market-driven economy, the consumer is always right.