Tribune Opinion quotes of the week ending Aug. 31

It’s nearly the end of summer in Chicago, which means back to school and business. The mayor gave a preview of the upcoming budget session reporting that the city is facing a whopping $982 billion shortfall. Two conservative radio show hosts got heat for mocking comments they made on air about Gus Walz, son of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance also said some words he may regret later. And a Chicago influencer tells us why we should be wary of overconsumption when it comes to shopping. 

Read past quotes of the week here

“The size of the budget gap is significant. It’s going to require decisions that will speak to our overall collective desire to build an economy that works for working people. There are sacrifices that will be made.”

 — Mayor Brandon Johnson

Johnson spoke about the $982.4 million shortfall Chicago faces next year, as quoted in the Tribune

“I don’t expect everyone to adore my child, but I expect kindness, compassion and empathy. I worried Ms. Jacobson would not intervene to stop bullying or worse, take part in mocking my child, if they didn’t conform to her expectations.” 

— Beth Hegelund

Hegelund, a Chicago parent, was speaking about Amundsen High School volleyball coach Amy Jacobson, who resigned after parents decried her mocking the son of vice presidential candidate Tim Walz on Dan Proft’s radio show, as quoted in the Tribune

“Sometimes I get frustrated and pissed off.” 

— JD Vance on telling Kamala Harris that she can “go to hell”

Vance was responding to Harris supporters’ criticism of Donald Trump’s controversial Arlington Cemetery appearance. 

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 24 years. I’ve traveled the world, and I’ve lived in cities all over the country. I have never seen anyone better than you. You lead an exceptional police department.” 

— Derek Mayer, deputy special agent in charge, U.S. Secret Service Chicago

Mayer spoke regarding Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling. 

“We get the opportunity to come to the ballpark every day. In comparison to whatever else we could be doing in our world, in our society, I think we’ve got it pretty good, even though we’re going through tremendous struggles at the major league level.” 

— White Sox general manager Chris Getz 

Getz spoke about the White Sox’s worst season in team history. 

“If we stop buying things at the speed that they want us to buy things at, then their business model falls apart. If we’re buying things more slowly and more thoughtfully, we will want to buy things that are better quality and last longer.”

— Chicago TikTok “deinfluencer” Rosie Albrecht on the “underconsumption core” trend

Albrecht spoke about the trend of influencers discouraging people from buying things, as reported by the Tribune.

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