Chicago has a cliché phrase that goes something like this: 'We have two seasons here in Chicago: Winter and Construction' (while I'm sure this quaint colloquilism can be applied to just about every city north of the 40th parallel, I grew up in Chicago, so let's just pretend that it only applies here). While the phrase itself is an exaggeration, there is certainly an element of truth to it. I've personally sat in many 2-3 hour traffic jams due to construction that would have otherwise taken a quarter of the time. As a result, I've been afforded plenty of opportunity to stare wistfully at those orange strip-ed horses that accompany 100% of all construction projects. Which is why, this past local election, I took note of one particular candidate's lawn sign (pictured). The sign, as you can tell, is an obvious reference to the aforementioned construction horses.
Now, I work in marketing full time, so perhaps I'm just more accutely aware of brand image, but it just baffles me that this gentlemen would willingly choose to associate himself with something that all Chicago drivers have been frustrated by. As Highway Commissoner he likely could have chosen any number of images that would subconsciously leave a better impression on people. Wheels, the painted stripes that designate lanes, or just black asphalt. I just came up with that stuff off the top of my head, and all of those ideas would have differentiated himself from the typical droll signs that are used. Mr. Muehlfelt, I salute you with a /facepalm.