Posted on 11/03/2012 8:51:38 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
In some towns, visitors are warned to keep an eye on their stuff, or to watch out late at night. In the Californian city of Stockton, the anxiety is more precise – and it kicks in early. "Take care downtown after 5pm," one local person told me. "Don't hang out too long."
A few hours later, I saw what she meant. Almost as soon as the offices shut, the city centre empties. Then the sun goes down and a different cast takes to the streets: the homeless, the drug dealers, and clusters of young men patrolling up and down on bicycles.
Stockton ranks among America's 10 most dangerous cities, and everyone here seems to operate under a self-imposed curfew. The commuter admits she doesn't dare go to the cinema after 8pm; the father expects his 18-year-old daughter home by 10 – "and she totally gets why." Others prefer not to go out at all. All give the same reason: the spiralling number of violent crimes.
Last weekend, the city notched up its 60th murder of the year, up from 24 for all of 2008. At just under 300,000 residents, this river port has about the same population as a London borough. Imagine a couple of your neighbours getting killed every week, and you'll understand why almost all the conversations here touch on a recent homicide.
It happened in this park, they tell you; outside that drive-through; on a first date. Then the inevitable coda: "It happened in broad daylight."
The last time Stockton attracted so much attention was in 2008, as the biggest housing bubble America had ever enjoyed was turning into the biggest bust it had ever suffered.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Same question above to you....
I understand your frustration. However, it’s the old adage - out of sight and out of mind. Truly, a majority of Americans need to see the inner-city and mentality for what it is. We pay for it and it has been created in our name. The children born into this are the real victims. My children are victims because they will be forced to pay for such a system.
The war on poverty has failed miserably and it now accounts for the majority of government spending (and taxes). One political party has completely sold out to the system for their own gain and the unions that completely support them.
We are brainwashed. They are brainwashed. What is the difference?
People see their salvation in government. The inner-city poor see their salvation in government. Enough of the productive among us must see the salvation of the poor in government because they vote to sustain it. The unions that represent the government workers that take over half of each dollar “directed to the poor” see their own prosperity in their vote to sustain the system.
A majority of our nation now votes for this evil.
I couldn’t agree with you more (though I support the state taking over any area that is basically funded by the state, rather than deal with rampant cronyism and theft that results when free money is handed over to Dem areas). You get to vote on a state level, and thus have some say in the Harrisburg situation; without the state takeover, they’d be spending your money and you’d have no voice in it. Newark & Camden were very generous (and very larcenous) with the NJ taxpayers’ money.
You fail to realize that the politicians and public employees and public sector capitalists have all done quite well under these progressive policies.
There is a politician running for a House seat in Illinois whose wife retired after 20 years of government service with a $156,000/yr pension — and he has the audacity to talk about helping the little guy.
California is all about CalPERS — the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that some politicians are cashing in on and some to the tune of $500,000/yr + colas.
It is an issue of discernment. The ability to discern what is good and evil is a complex product of education, experience, and the very nature of one’s soul and spirituality.
The majority of our citizens lack the discernment to recognize the evil nature of government. Our founding father’s predicted this before the first welfare program and government school was formed. The people of California and the wards of the state vote for what they believe to be good when it is evil.
I realize it quite well and agree with you. The system is comprised of three parts - the ignorant wards of the state, the people who benefit (unionized government workers/politicians), and the rest of the country (producers) who can’t discern that the first two are evil and still vote for and/or allow politicians to redistribute their wealth to feed the system.
This is the tipping point we have arrived at.... I don’t think there are enough Americans that recognize the reality of the system to cast more votes than the dependent and thieves. We might elect Republicrats, but I have little faith that they will change the war on poverty. Their formula seems to be to grow the productive (a good thing) so that the redistribution can be continued (a bad thing).
It won’t work forever, and you and I both know it.
They dangle the notion of “free” stuff and people lose all common sense
I visited California for several days in MAY.
My conclusion was that the Liberals have it right. California has too many people. The population must be reduced to make it livable. The influx from Mexico has presented a delima they can not handle within their ideology.
I'd believe you except Michigan hasn't changed yet.
The ad features a lot of celebrities saying how people think there is nothing in California besides celebrities. They show skiers, surfers, shoppers, etc (all celebrities) and then “Come to California”
It’s funny for those of us who live here.
Thank you American media outlets for repor.... uh, oh. Never mind.
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