A Tale of Three Cities: Once Shining Beacons of America's Success, Now Sliding to Chaos

American Thinker ^ | 08/10/2018 | By Brian C. Joondeph

[SeekAndFind]

Charles Dickens wrote the classic A Tale of Two Cities a century and a half ago. It's a story about two famous cities of the times, Paris and London, around the time of the French Revolution. These cities were the height of sophistication and enlightenment in the world, long before American cities caught up.

Three American cities did catch up and were at one time shining beacons of American success: San Francisco, Chicago, and Detroit.

San Francisco was the gateway to the Pacific and lands beyond – beautiful city on hills with the Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County, one of the wonders of the modern world. Chicago was the hub of transportation and commerce, connecting the eastern and western halves of the United States. Detroit was an industrial behemoth, home of the auto industry and the assembly line, bringing prosperity and convenience to millions.

Songs were written to celebrate these great cities. Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco. Chicago was Frank Sinatra's kind of town. And the Motown music genre began in the Motor City.

As Dickens wrote, "[i]t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness." Perhaps the best of times for these American cities was 50 years ago, when they and their leaders basked in the age of wisdom. Today, these cities are facing the worst of times, due to their own foolishness. What happened?

San Francisco is being overrun with the homeless and illegal aliens due to its sanctuary city status and virtue-signaling leadership. The streets are littered with human feces, hypodermic needles, and syringes, turning the once beautiful "City by the Bay" into a cesspool. What's the response of San Francisco leaders? Banning plastic straws.

[Salvation]

Same thing with Portland in Oregon.

[upchuck]

I feel so sorry for all the people whose lives have been totally screwed by having the unfortunate circumstance of living in one of these hell holes. May God have mercy and richly bless them.

[aquila48]

You can add Seattle and Portland to that list.

[DownInFlames]

Portland’s in a state of Anarchy supported by the Democratic mayor.

[Oatka]

And that if we don’t figure out a way to blunt their ability to control vast areas of less densely populated territory,

That's why I thump the tub for awarding Electoral College votes by Congressional District. It would take that power away from the cities. Dunno how they could do it in statewide elections though.