Editing Goo-goos (section)

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The '''goo-goos''', or '''good government''' guys, were political groups working in the early 20th century to reform urban municipal governments in the [[United States]] that were dominated by graft and corruption. Goo-goos supported candidates who would fight for political reform. The term was first used in the 1890s by their detractors.

In [[New York City]], the exclusive [[City Club of New York]] was the domain of "goo-goos," who sponsored "Good Government Clubs" in every assembly district. Their efforts led to the election of a reform mayor in 1894, a setback for  the political machine known as [[Tammany Hall]].

Members of several political reform movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were often labeled as goo-goos, including the [[Mugwump]]s and the [[Progressives]]. While old political labels like ''mugwump'' and ''progressive'' have been reinvented several times, and have shifted in meaning as a result, the term goo-goo still has political currency, and has changed little since it was first used in the late 19th century.

In American politics, the term is still used occasionally as a mildly derisive label for high-minded citizens or reformers. [[Mike Royko]], a [[Chicago]] political columnist of the late 20th century, revived the word without reinventing it. Royko was a critic and astute observer of Chicago politics. When Royko wrote about the "goo-goos" along [[Lake Shore Drive]], he may even have agreed with them, but [[Slats Grobnik]], his fictional Chicagoan, was very cynical about them.