Baltimore Needs Revival, Not More Federal Money

American Thinker.com ^ | August 5, 2019 | Trevor Thomas

[Kaslin]

One could consider the billions trillions of dollars in taxpayer funds already spent on places like Baltimore a form of reparations.  But it should be clear by now that more money from the government is not going to fix places like Baltimore.

Ever since Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic Party gave us the infamous promises of the "Great Society" — which was supposed to result in "the total elimination of poverty and racial injustice" — for decades, liberals across the U.S. have promised minorities, especially black Americans, that if they would only vote for Democrats, life would be better. Fifty-five years, dozens of welfare programs, and $20-plus trillion later, modern Democrats are still making the same empty promises. Even Charles Barkley sees the folly of this.

Lyndon Johnson's famous speech touting the Great Society was the commencement address at the University of Michigan in May of 1964. It was before a massive audience of about 90,000 people. The Michigan Quarterly Review published the text of the speech. The tagline at the top of the page boldly declared the purpose of the Great Society: "To Prevent an Ugly America."

Whether we're talking about Baltimore, Detroit, Seattle, the homeless-lined streets of Los Angeles, the poop-filled streets of San Francisco, or the violent streets of Antifa-plagued Portland, I think everyone in his right mind can agree on how "ugly" much of America still remains — especially urban America.

[ActresponsiblyinVA]

The government needs to provide subsidizes for stable, two-parent families.

[central_va]

Bad economic policy begets bad social problems. The social poverty problem that we now see in the once mighty major industrial cities of the east and mid west was caused by the senseless off shoring of industry since the 1980's. That was the original mortal sin of greed that killed urban ares all over the USA. So until we get our industrial base back the lower half of the country will have no way to contribute to wealth creation.

In a few words to fix the underlying problem a uniform across the board import tariff is what is needed. Protectionism with a capitol 'P".

[central_va]

Baltimore needs its industry back.

[Rapscallion]

Revival will not do it. Memtal wards and jails will stop it.

[Rapscallion]

Baltimore needs hard-nosed judges

[i_robot73]

Govt $$...when/where/how does govt get penny ONE??

Let alone the authority to give said taxpayer $$ to ANY entity via ‘welfare’.

The people of Baltimore, my home town, can FIX, should they wish, the bed they’ve made. It’s of ZERO concern for any non(Balto/MD)-resident.

[snoringbear]

“I like ideas like that, but I think it would have to be tied to ideas like “end welfare” in some form. Many people in the inner cities have no incentive to work. They don’t like the concept of a job. You propose a program where they will remove garbage and tear down vacant buildings. I say they won’t do it for a paycheck. But if such work is a requirement for public housing and EBT cards, then they might do it.”
*

Agree. Excellent points. Even though Unemployment is now about 3.5% the Participation Rate has only improved marginally. And, this is where the chronic institutional unemployed reside and is the most meaningful metric. As you stated in order to “incentivize” these people to work there needs to be a negative consequence if they don’t. No work means no money, no more free stuff....

[Kalamata]

>>It is our triune God, the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and the Golden Rule.
***********************************************************
This is EXACTLY what Baltimore and the entire nation need. Actually, the entire world needs exactly this!

[SunkenCiv]

Fifty-five years, dozens of welfare programs, and $20-plus trillion later, modern Democrats are still making the same empty promises... Lyndon Johnson's famous speech touting the Great Society was the commencement address at the University of Michigan in May of 1964. It was before a massive audience of about 90,000 people. The Michigan Quarterly Review published the text of the speech. The tagline at the top of the page boldly declared the purpose of the Great Society: "To Prevent an Ugly America." Whether we're talking about Baltimore, Detroit, Seattle, the homeless-lined streets of Los Angeles, the poop-filled streets of San Francisco, or the violent streets of Antifa-plagued Portland, I think everyone in his right mind can agree on how "ugly" much of America still remains -- especially urban America.

• Democratic Debacle -- 1964 convention, repercussions [7/27/2004]

[snoringbear]

“How about we cut out the freebies and let nature take it’s course.”
*

Philosophically, I have no problem with your suggestion. But, as you are aware it would never get through Congress. Frankly, even though there are pockets of White chronic unemployment such as Appalachia where my suggestion of a New CCC Program would be applicable I doubt that it would get through Congress either. And so it goes....

[gogeo]

Until “racism” ceases to be an operative term with weight in the political arena, no strong measures will be possible, and no fixes can be affected.

It will happen when people realize there are two kinds of people...those who seek to live by their own efforts, and those who feel entitled to live by the efforts of others.

When the latter understand the former, then it will change.

[gogeo]

Much of these unemployed don’t know how to work, have the self discipline, how to interact with coworkers in a collaborative manner. There’s plenty of work to be done in Baltimore. Why not use the unemployed labor pool to remove garbage and discarded junk and to tear down all these vacant structures and create new open spaces that could be used for new structures, parks, even agriculture?

The second part contradicts the first.

[Liz]

IS KEEPING BALTIMORE SCHOOL KIDS FREEZING A DEMOCRAT
SCAM TO SCROUNGE MORE TAX DOLLARS FOR THEMSELVES?
<><> NPR reported students at Baltimore’s public schools are freezing.....
<><> Baltimore winter classrooms do not have any heat. Kids are freezing.
<><> Baltimore public schools spend a whopping $15,000 plus per student per year,
<><> but Democrat PTB say they can’t afford to heat the classrooms.

Bloviating hypocrite Cummings needs to come clean.
Explain why he doesnt give a damn about the children of his constituents,
but gets all riled up about if extra blankets arent available for kids at the border.

[snoringbear]

“The second part contradicts the first.”
*

Well, I didn’t specifically spell out reshaping institutional bad habits that what the suggested CCC Program supervised by veterans and ex NCO’s implies. Assuming you didn’t “get” that, what’s your point - other than being a contrarian troll?

[GOPJ]

One could consider the billions trillions of dollars in taxpayer funds already spent on places like Baltimore a form of reparations. But it should be clear by now that more money from the government is not going to fix places like Baltimore.

The politically correct position is that Baltimore needs billions of dollars and that anyone who notices Baltimore might have misspent money is a racist.

All racists must be turned over to the FBI for 'hate' prosecution... The FBI has been notifies that Trevor Thomas is a hate criminal and should be fired from his job. If Trevor Thomas keeps writing hate his family will also be brought in for interrogation. /s

[Berosus]

After fifty-five years of this “war on poverty,” can we finally admit that poverty won?

[sweetiepiezer]

Thank God for the good guys!!!
You go Scott!!!

#ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) / Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/ScottPresler

[gogeo]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were grumpy today.

What does a CCC type program provide that an economy begging for workers doesn't?

[snoringbear]

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were grumpy today.
What does a CCC type program provide that an economy begging for workers doesn’t?”
*

Well, I’m old. So I do indeed have my days of grumpyness. And, I don’t have any patience with those who criticize but don’t offer constructive solutions. In this instance you asked a valid question. So, I’ll give you my answer. I’m retired now but during my long tenure of working I have managed and supervised many of the institutional unemployed. It’s expensive to hire and train these people as many (maybe even most) lack even the most rudimental skills to be productive reliable employees. Consequently, there is little incentive for the private sector to invest the time, money to develop these folks as the failure rate is high and the process is disruptive and much of the time non-value-added (in layman speak, its a waste of time). Thus my suggestion for a government program modeled somewhat similar to the old CCC Program. Having said that I do realize that times have changed, people have changed. So, this would be much more difficult than almost a century ago. Back to the private sector to close; in order to incentivize the private to go into these blighted inner city areas the government would have to offer huge tax credits and other tax write-offs. Otherwise they’ll do as they’ve historically done which is take their business off-shore. Calf rope, I’m done and now I’ve gotta reward my cup of coffee. Btw, interested reading in your solution.

[gogeo]

The solution? I'm not sure a simple one exists.

I think the ability to be reached and redeemed, to define it loosely, varies. Greatly.

We've been creating problem cases for at least 50 years because of the "Great Society." That's toxic enough, as generations of families have lived never having been employed, or knowing anyone who was. You would predict each successive generation would be progressively more dysfunctional and - by golly, they are.

Add to that grievance mongering toward minorities. Obama's community organizers, white liberal guilt on parade. Add to that decades of fill-in-the-blank studies, and now- local charities running programs to create 'wokeness." And drug abuse and homelessness...

All of this makes people less employable, and frankly some were never all that employable to start.

It will take recognition by a working majority that these are pathologies and not a normal state...and will not be tolerated.

Step one is to stop digging. We can't make headway against pathology if we keep infecting new subjects. Go to war against wokeness.

Once it's understood that the status quo is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, change will happen. On the extremes there will be low hanging fruit who just require placement in a training or apprentice program. On the other extreme lies the hardest core of the hard core. The career criminals, druggies, homeless by choice, the terminally angry. We may have a lost generation that will never be able to participate in society.

This is the legacy of decades of 'good intentions,' of years of liberal policies.

Some maybe have to lose welfare benefits before change becomes imperative. Others may have to come in contact with the legal system and given an alternative...prison or prison ranch/farm/factory. A structured, compulsory environment.

That's my thoughts.