When Milton Friedman first proposed school choice in the 1950s, he famously argued that “The process by which we ensure a supply of basic goods is usually not done directly by the government, otherwise we would see cities own the supermarkets that provide us food.”

He was lampooning the idea, but believe it or not, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (who worked as a paid organizer for the teachers union until his election) has taken the idea to heart.

“We know access to grocery stores is already a challenge for many residents, especially on the South and West sides,” he said at a press conference on Friday. “I am proud to work alongside partners to take this step in envisioning what a municipally owned store in Chicago could look like.”

The mayor has no intention of stopping there. His key “partner” is a radical think tank called the Economic Security Project, which also hopes to create socialized banks, drugmakers, and child care providers – even though it can’t educate kids, it can’t fix the potholes, and it can’t stop rampant street crime.

Ironically, progressive policies are what caused the stores to flee. And by the way, the checkout lines to get milk and eggs will be as long as what you experience at the DMV.