The Rise and Fall of La Macchina
There was a time when one name had a huge impact on local politics: La Macchina, or “The Machine,” in Des Moines, Iowa. It wasn’t just a name but it was a powerful group that controlled elections and helped make big decisions. La Macchina created a strong community where everyone looked out for one another. As per best-selling memoir From the Tip of the Boot to the Top of the Heap, La Macchina was built on loyalty, trust, and people helping each other out.
But as time passed, things began to change. What happens when the people who built that power step back, and a new generation takes over? The Rise and Fall of La Macchina is the story of how things shift, as told in Ned Chiodo’s best-selling memoir, it is a story about power, community, and what happens when a once unstoppable group starts to lose its hold.
Formation and Early Beginnings
Many of the Italian-Americans lived in the Southside. It was a neighborhood where people worked hard to overcome challenges and build a better future. This is where La Macchina started in the mid-20th century, as Italian immigrants and their families settled in Des Moines.
Moreover, best-selling memoir like From the Tip of the Boot to the Top of the Heap shows details of how the political landscape shifted. The political machine was needed because, even though the Southside was a close community, it didn’t have much influence in the city’s politics. Most of the political power in Des Moines was held by established families and elites after World War II. The Italian-American community didn’t have much say in important decisions, especially those made at the courthouse, although it was strong in many other ways. La Macchina was created to change that by uniting the Southside under one political force.
La Macchina was built on loyalty, mutual support, and a strong sense of community. It wasn’t just about politics but it was also about helping each other out in everyday life.
La Macchina’s Expansion
La Macchina’s influence started to spread beyond the neighborhood and had a big impact on the city’s politics as it grew stronger on Des Moines’ Southside, as mentioned in Ned’s best-selling memoir. What began as a drive for local victories soon turned into a push for lasting power throughout the city.
La Macchina expanded into city government and even state politics in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauro and his team worked to gain more support to make sure that La Macchina’s influence was felt not just in the Southside, but across the whole state.
This expansion was about more than just winning elections; it was about securing the Italian-American community’s representation and influence in Des Moines’ political life. By securing key government positions, La Macchina ensured the Southside’s needs were addressed, gaining access to resources and influence that had once been controlled by more established political groups, as mentioned in Ned’s best-selling memoir.
La Macchina played an important role in local government, influencing policy and securing funding for community projects. The organization’s presence in Des Moines politics remained strong, keeping the Southside at the heart of the city’s political operations.
The Mechanics of La Macchina: Loyalty and Secrecy
La Macchina’s power relied heavily on loyalty. Every member followed a strict code of loyalty; not just to the cause, but to the organization and each other. This loyalty was built on a network of favors, patronage, and personal connections, where members helped one another rise through the political ranks.
The organization also thrived on secrecy, as shown in Ned’s best-selling memoir. Unlike other political groups, La Macchina worked quietly behind the scenes, making deals and decisions without attracting public attention. Members were expected to keep the inner workings of the group hidden from the media and public, which helped maintain its influence.
However, secrecy became a challenge as the group grew bigger. While effective in the past, the reliance on secrecy and patronage led to complacency among some members. As the political landscape changed, La Macchina struggled to adapt, and the same methods that built its power eventually contributed to its decline. Learn more about it in Ned Chiodo’s book with the potential of being the best-selling memoir.
The Decline of La Macchina
La Macchina, like all political machines that you can read about in the best-selling memoir, From the Tip of the Boot to the Top of the Heap, struggled to adapt as times changed. As the Southside community evolved, younger generations became more politically active and independent, questioning the old structures of power. The traditional methods like loyalty, patronage, and secrecy, lost their effectiveness in a city becoming more diverse.
The turning point came when John Mauro, La Macchina’s longtime leader, ran for re-election against Matt McCoy. Despite raising significant funds, Mauro made a crucial mistake: he didn’t take enough credit for his past work. By then, many of his supporters took his contributions for granted. McCoy, with a campaign focused on change, took advantage of this complacency and won.
Mauro’s defeat made broader shifts in Des Moines’ political history. As the Southside became more integrated into the city’s politics, La Macchina’s grip on power weakened. The community, once dependent on the machine, began to change, and with it, the power structures that supported La Macchina faded.
The decline of La Macchina reflects how political landscapes and communities evolve over time in the best-selling memoir by Ned Chiodo.
The Legacy of La Macchina
By the time John Mauro lost his re-election bid, the Southside of Des Moines had changed. The once close-knit Italian-American community had spread across the city, and the political influence La Macchina had once held was fading. Younger generations, less tied to old traditions, began shaping the city’s future.
This wasn’t just about one political machine; it was part of a bigger shift. The old ways of politics focused on loyalty, patronage, and secrecy, began to give way to a more open, modern system. Though La Macchina lost its power, it left a lasting impact, helping the Southside gain political representation and influence that had been missing before.
Today, La Macchina is gone, but its legacy still lingers in Des Moines. It’s a reminder of how political machines once worked and how communities fought for their place in the political world. The machine may no longer exist, but its influence still shapes how Italian-American communities engage in politics. You can read more about the Italian-American political history in the best-selling memoir written by Ned Chiodo.
Endnote
In the end, the rise and fall of La Macchina shows how communities and political systems evolve over time. From its humble beginnings to becoming a powerful force, La Macchina made a lasting impact on Des Moines and its people. Thank you for exploring the story of La Macchina, the political machine that once defined Des Moines’ Southside. This article is an excerpt from the best-selling memoir, From the Tip of the Boot to the Top of the Heap, which tells the story of La Macchina’s journey; highlighting loyalty, community politics, and leadership. It’s not just a political history, but a reflection of the Italian-American experience in post-war America.
If this story resonated with you, and you’re eager to learn more about Ned Chiodo’s personal journey and the lasting influence of La Macchina, order your copy of the best-selling memoir to access exclusive content. Let’s keep the conversation going about politics, community, and the legacy that still shapes Des Moines today.
oh, what a book! Chiodo, he got this way of telling story, like he’s talking right to you, you know? He make you laugh, even when he talk serious. I like when he tell how he call every single person who no vote. It feel like I’m listening to my uncle telling me all the things I don’t know about the old days. highly recommended.