Posted on 07/31/2020 5:45:09 AM PDT by Kaslin
Rising crime. Coronavirus woes. Small business closures. Higher taxes. Bipartisan displeasure with Democrat dominance of cities.
These concerns give urban residents, roughly 81 percent of the total U.S. population, good reason to flee cities for suburbs and rural localities.
Sadly, Republican retreat from urban areas gave Democrats carte blanche to rule cities unchallenged for decades. Nevertheless, given the current circumstances, Republicans must and can offer a contrast to the chaos unfolding nationwide.
Retreat from Cities Problematic for Party’s Viability
In 2000, Republican mayors dominated half of the nation’s dozen largest cities. Today, Republican mayors only oversee 13 of the 50 largest U.S. cities.
City Journal noted in 2013, “The Republican move away from the cities is also bad for the cities themselves, which have hugely benefited—and could benefit a lot more—from right-of-center ideas.”
Given how lawless cities like Portland, Seattle, New York City, and Los Angeles have become, there is a ripe opportunity for the party to make its case to cities—if done so genuinely and effectively.
How the GOP Can Make Inroads in the Cities
Republicans have touted how palatable their ideas are to all Americans. And they are easily marketable to many people—especially to those residing in metropolises. Issues that resonate include school choice, occupational licensing reform, freelancing, lower taxes, and deregulation, among many issues.
As life in Democrat-run cities proves more challenging, could this propel residents there, who generally lean left, to abandon Democrats?
Lawrence Jones, a conservative commentator and Fox News Contributor, told Townhall the Republican Party can make meaningful inroads and lasting change if it actually engages people there.
“I’ve been reporting on the crisis in liberal cities for years,” said Jones.
“Many ask why won’t the voters in those cities simply vote Republicans? Well, those Republicans aren’t there or at least on the ground working before election time.”
Jones recently hosted a Fox News special called ‘One Nation’ where he highlighted the current state of race relations in America.
“If we truly want to improve these communities we must give them a choice. I guarantee you they won’t pick continued death, poverty and destruction,” Jones added.
Shoshana Weissmann, a center-right think tank employee previously involved with CityGOP, said Republican operatives must learn how to effectively campaign in urban settings.
“Republicans have to stop campaigning in cities the same way they would in rural areas,” said Weissmann.
“Voters care about different issues and different issues affect them, and that varies by city, too. A smart Republican won't burst in Leeroy Jenkins style saying "Look at me! I'm Republican! Rather, he or she will show up, show they care, listen, and show solutions.”
San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer, a two-term Republican who runs the eighth largest city in the country, has contrasted liberals at the helm of other major American cities.
“My approach has been to run an efficient and effective government, not just for the sake of efficiency, but with the goal of taking tax dollars saved and reinvesting them back in our communities,” said Falconer.
While other mayors’ coronavirus responses were quite extreme, Mayor Falconer employed a more balanced approach.
“During COVID-19, San Diego has also launched a robust effort to help small businesses recover from the pandemic's devastating effects,” Falconer added. “Just recently, I signed an Executive Order that cuts fees and streamlines permits to help businesses expand outdoors to stay open as the state closes down sectors of the economy again due to the virus.”
nbsp;The mayor believes his work in “America’s Finest City” could be a blueprint for Republicans elsewhere.
“It's time for a new approach, with a revitalized party that moves beyond the echo chambers of Sacramento and D.C. and works for our families,” he said.
“Instead of looking to Washington for the way forward, or trying to invent something entirely new, Republicans should look to what is working in our cities. And that’s what I’ve worked toward during my time as mayor.”
Conclusion
President Trump brashly claimed, "All Democrat-run cities, in every case, they're going to hell."
And he’s not wrong. Pull up social media or turn on the TV to see for yourself.
Despite disarray marking Democrat-run cities today, there is hope for Republican ideas there.
Efforts are currently underway in North Carolina and Wisconsin to grow the party. Rand Paul attempted it in Detroit a few years back, and Republican-aligned candidates recently won local city races in Virginia.
It’s long past due for Republicans to articulate a conservative vision to our fellow Americans calling cities homes. Let’s hope the party begins to plant the seeds to cultivate necessary electoral change.
Reclaim the big cities? Too late. Can’t be done. They’re colonies of an alien culture now.
I say we blow the bridges and go full “Escape from New York” on ‘em.
I think Legend is more after felons in possession of firearms and possibly RICO stuff in the big dem shitholes. Throw in some USMS fugitive arrest teams.
Easy solution to save the cities: ban all elevators. Elevators aren’t green at all, stairs are. Elevators are communal virus and bacteria distribution rooms.
Agree.
I would much rather we completely write off the big cities. Let them become city / states, their own entities.
Then, let the rest of the country be governed by sane people with some sense of moral honor.
Cities fail on multiple levels and the gap only gets wider. They haven't kept up with infrastructure changes for over a century. Cities fail at integrating even older technologies such as passenger and freight rail, automobiles, and aviation.
-Seaports are too small for the previous generation of ships, much less the current one
-Airports are too small for their locations
-Street and highway lanes are too narrow
-Street and highway distances are too tight for safe visibility as well as vehicle turns
-Bridges are too low
-Tunnel lane heights and widths are substandard
-There isn't room for enough roadway lanes to handle the traffic volume
-Sidewalks are too narrow
-Vertical buildings are too restrictive for modern business and industry processes (have always been that way)
Many of these older cities were built up near waterways and are now limited by them.
I mean, doesn't ANYONE go to school anymore?
Apples and oranges.
6/12 compared to 13/50????
Come on!
How many of the 50 had Republican mayors in 2000. And which are the six cities "dominated" by Republican mayors in 2000?
This article is a pile of crap.
Cities are full of non-whites and lib whites. AKA the democrat base aka brainwashed idiots. Look at Portland, the Mayoral Election is between the idiot lib Mayor and a literal communist. Larry Lightfoot in Chicago? On paper at least she was less bad than her opponent.
Decent people flee the cities every day (so do no-decent people who infect the suburbs, a virus much worse than Kung Flu)
I’m not sure winning them over is possible. Can we win over ISIS supporters?
27
Yea, and there’s an oversupply of homes in the cities ... when you try to sell, there’s a glut of other houses on the market and not enuf buyers
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