Quote:
Originally Posted by Broadsword2004
Detroit became so crime-ridden probably in part due to the excessively left-wing policies of the city's government. Look at how New York City used to be in the 1970s-1989. Here are some pictures: LINK It practically looks dystopian, like out of some sci-fi film or something. Then Rudy Giuliani became mayor and fixed many of the problems. Detroit is more gun-friendly now with the current police chief, but most cities with major crime problems have not been run by conservative Republicans. |
This comment bothers me. I would agree that major crime
seems to be a by-product of liberal policies in city government. I disagree that instituting a conservative government would result in a one or two term fix if that is what you're implying. Left-wing governments are the result of the citizens' world view. They are a symptom not a cause. Maybe you think that's a distinction without a difference but I think understanding the cause is crucial to curing the disease. Perhaps we both might agree that a liberal view of the world seems devoid of the concept of personal accountability. Becoming a criminal is a choice. There may be conditions which make one more susceptible to making that choice, but ultimately an individual bears sole responsibility for their own actions. I think that liberal policies foster an environment that breeds a mindset which makes the jump to lawlessness easier.
Detroit is not New York. One can’t talk about Detroit and not discuss race. Detroit has always been and remains today one of America’s most segregated cities. Detroit's first race riot was in 1863 when the Nation was laboring to correct prior injustices. It's second race riot in 1943 left 34 dead. The one In 1967 left 43 dead and hastened White Flight. The exodus left a diminished tax base and zero new employment opportunities. Mismanagement of the auto companies and poor quality vehicles reduced their market share further reducing the tax base and employment opportunities. The Great Society decimated the black family. I find it easy to see how a kid born into an inner city family with no strong male in the household, minimal City services, and no employment opportunities would look out into the very different world of the suburbs and focus only on the difference in the color of his skin. So while most of south east Michigan's attitudes have moved on with the rest of America, there is still a core group in the City proper who's world view is more akin to the previous century than the present.
Trading Detroit's liberal government for a conservative one would not solve her problems in one or even several terms. To compound matters, Detroit now has a structural deficient. With a footprint large enough to support the 1.8 million people of its heyday it finds itself with a population of just over 700 thousand. Its tax base is not sufficient to pay for City services and pension obligations. Time's too short to do a job twice. We need to clearly and correctly define the problem before throwing limited resources at symptoms. Unfortunately there is no consensus on what the problem is.