In the 1950s Detroit was a city of 1.8 million and one of the wealthiest cities in the country. Chicago was the, "Second City," the city that worked with the largest airport in the world. Baltimore was a pleasant city in Maryland, just entering the Major Leagues with the Orioles and Colts coming to town.
Now over a half century later Detroit just emerged from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. financial history. The once thriving metropolis has lost 1.1 million citizens from the glory days of the 50s. Chicago might very well be the next Detroit, with under-funded government employees pensions totaling $20 billion and circumstances are so dire the city had to close 50 public schools in the largest mass school closing in U.S. history. Baltimore is now enduring some of the worst rioting since the 60s and pictures of the city remind one of Berlin after the war.
So what caused these once vibrant cities to disintegrate into chaos and insolvency? Well one might first look at the leadership(or lack thereof) of all three cities. Detroit hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1962. Chicago has been led by Democrat mayors since 1931 and Baltimore hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1967. These are three of the most Democrat cities in three of the most Democrat states. All three cities have very few Republicans in any positions of leadership and haven't for decades.
So I would offer a friendly word of advice to Baltimore, Detroit and Chicago. You think it might be time to do something different?
Douglas Jones
Ooltewah
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Baltimore. Detroit. Chicago. Liberals. Bad. Repeat as often as possible.
Obviously, Detroit and Baltimore (and Chicago to a lesser extent) must have liberal caused problems because we know conservatism has all of the answers. Nevermind that some of the most affluent areas in the United States such as Silicon Valley, the bay area of San Francisco, Seattle, Wa. and Cambridge, Ma. lean Democratic. Nevermind that Detroit was a single economy based on automobiles and over the last 30 years has faced devastating competition from Japanese auto manufacturers.
Finally, ignore the fact that Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana either face budget cuts in multiple areas or get more subsidies (per tax dollar) from the federal government than many of those other so-called "liberal" states.
Maybe, like the President says, we should stop being red or blue states, and just be the United States. Not likely in these politically charged times, but one can always hope.
Herb Montgomery
Chattanooga
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Herb, we pay too much in federal taxes for little or no return to our state. Look at how hard it is to get an almost 80-year-old lock replaced on the Chickamauga Dam.
But when it comes to necessary local funding like our schools, public health and roads, school officials are berated for asking local leaders for additional money. Our local leaders promised to keep taxes low. But no one seems able to slow a bloated progressive federal government from spending and taxing.
States then resort to more creative ways to tax-Minnesota's Democrat Governor proposed an income tax on people who live in his state for more than sixty days, even if they pay an income tax in their home state. Martin O'Malley's state of Maryland withholds a portion of real estate sales' proceeds in an attempt to discourage residents from moving out of state.
And yes, Doug Jones is exactly right. If progressive theories of government and economics should have worked, it should have been in the three cities he cited.
I would go one more step beyond Doug's points and say after billions and billions of federal tax dollars having been spent on the centerpiece of progressivism, The War on Poverty, poverty is winning.
Progressivism is not moving forward, it's the disguise of tyranny.
Ralph Miller