New York City, July 5, 1979. Subway train in upper west side with overgrown wagon and graffiti.
There’s a series on Netflix called Fear City. It’s a documentary series on the New York City mafia in the 1970s and 80s. It’s quite well done.
As I watch each episode, I am struck by the images from that era. My first business trip to New York was in 1973. I was a mere lad. New York City was a scary place – as I was constantly reminded by the locals. Don’t be alone on a subway platform they told me. Take cabs at night, don’t walk. Avoid Central Park altogether. The same for Times Square.
The city was filthy and covered in graffiti. Aggressive panhandlers blocked the sidewalks. Buildings like Grand Central Terminal were open toilets.
Going to New York was awful.
But that was before Rudy Giuliani. As you learn watching Fear City, Rudy Giuliani was a federal prosecutor and he was instrumental in taking down the New York mafia. Following his tenure in the U.S Attorney’s office, Giuliani became mayor of New York in 1994. He was the first Republican mayor of the city since Fiorello LaGuardia left office in 1945.
In his two terms, Giuliani almost single handedly saved the city. By the time he left office in December 2001, New York was regarded as the safest big city in the country. The rate of serious crime, like homicide and robbery, had dropped by two thirds. The graffiti that had covered nearly every flat surface had been scrubbed off. The squalid, filthy, pornography and peep show-riddled version of Times Square was replaced by a Times Square that is clean, tourist friendly and a spectacular nighttime visual treat. Broadway flourished. Restaurants flourished. Tourism boomed.
My business trips to New York became a pleasure.
Giuliani’s successor, Michael Bloomberg – to his credit – continued most of Giuliani’s policies.
But now, radically far-left Bill de Blasio is mayor and New York is quickly reverting to an even worse version of its 1970s form. Under de Blasio’s no bail policy, most accused criminals are released back out onto the street within an hour or so of being arrested. Predictably (unless you’re a far-left ideologue), crime is exploding.
People with the means to do so are leaving New York. The city is seeing its middle class and high-income residents depart in alarming numbers, hollowing out the tax base necessary to support the city’s greatly expanded social welfare programs. As a result, de Blasio is promising tax increases.
All of these things began before COVID. Post-COVID, New York stands to lose a third or more of its restaurants and street-level businesses.
The city may never recover.
So, why do I tell you this? Because the comparison of the New York City of Rudy Giuliani against the New York City of Bill de Blasio offers a useful preview of a Trump United States vs. a Biden United States.
It also validates two axioms of mine. The first is that conservatism works every time it’s tried. And the second is that leftism destroys everything it touches.
As Yogi Berra would say about NYC: “it is deja vu all over again”. After almost 50 years of Democratic malfeasance, Rudy was able to rehabilitate the city from the war zone that Paul visited back in 1973. The current “Fear City” desperately needs another dose of Rudy, and I think that he has expressed some interest in the job. In my opinion, the situation is not quite dire enough for anyone, other than another Socialist, to win the office. After much thought about NYC, as well as so many other Democrat controlled jurisdictions brings me to a very delicate subject……should every citizen 18 years and older be allowed to vote? When you consider that a qualification test is required for many other less important privileges, it seems suicidal to allow uninformed and gullible people to determine the fate of your city, state, or country. Let us not forget, de Blasio was elected by a large majority of the citizens of NYC, as is the case in Chicago, St. Louis , Baltimore, etc. etc. Let us also not forget what Thomas Jefferson said: “a well-informed electorate is a prerequisite to democracy”. I cannot wait to hear the howls from some in this forum, but first, please take an unbiased and analytical look at these cities. I rest my case!
Please keep up your excellent and important work of telling all who read your columns the truth.
I hate to admit that I am 59 years old and have never voted. However, that is changing. For the first time in MY adult life, I am scared about what WOULD occur during the presidency of the opponent. It would not be a United States I would recognize nor enjoy. If the democrats win a majority in both houses of Congress life as we know it would be over. The end of our existence as “world police” and protectors of democracy would be near. We will be sold to the highest bidder, likely China, since Biden has such close ties there. This IS a turning point in the future of the country.
Good For You! One of my life long friends was in your shoes; he saw the light in 2016. Never too late and YOUR vote does count.
Another excellent column, Paul. I plan to remember and quote you two axioms: Conservatism works every time it’s tried. Leftism destroys everything it touches.
Darrell, welcome to the voting crowd, I voted as soon as I was old enough and have never stopped (I’m now 73), but don’t vite just the presidential elections, you need to voted in all elections inan informed way, top to bottom, from president all the way down to dog catcher. The Antifacrats will destroy this nation if they get the chance. Our duty is to see that they never get that chance.
As for the NUMBERS, hat-tip to veteran Washington newscaster Bill Thompson (Facebook)…
“How bad are big cities run by Democrats? Donald Trump and his supporters want you to think that they are crime-ridden hellholes.
But we also know that Trump values as strong economy over virtually anything else. We know that because he keeps bragging about how good a job he is done with the economy.
So, pre-pandemic, which big cities had America’s strongest economies?
According to Business Insider:
1. San Francisco Democrat
2. Austin – Democrat
3. Seattle – Democrat
4. Dallas – Democrat
5. Boston – Democrat
6. Denver — Democrat
7. Washington DC – Democrat
8. San Antonio — independent
9. San Diego – Republican
10. Portland Ore – Democrat
11. New York – Democrat
12. Los Angeles – Democrat
13. Charlotte — Democrat
14. Houston – Democrat
15. Atlanta – Democrat.
By Trump’s own measure of success, all of those cities run by democrats are big success stories. Right?”
No, Mr. Cooke. President Trump values the AMERICAN people first. That means, our lives, our livelihoods, our country, and our American Way of Life — something which is alien to Democrats* *i.e. Biden and his party fellows.
Why is it, that in all the large Democrat run cities, are the fascists/marxist/communist groups of Antifa / BLM, are being ALLOWED to riot and terrorize innocent law abiding citizens who only want to go about their business of building, working, and living? ANSWER: Because the Democrats in charge couldn’t care less for them and will not accept help from President Trump in the form of the National Guard to restore order. AND there is the matter of the election on November 3, 2020. Just can’t have Republicans [Trump] looking good and Democrats [Biden] looking bad.
I should clarify, the Democrats ALREADY look very bad and it should be the mission of every voter who loves America, to vote EVERY Democrat OUT and to vote FOR EVERY Republican from President Trump going all the way down ballot.
And make no mistake, the lawless rioting and China virus lock downs will continue if Democrats have their way as in “if” Biden were to be elected. DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN.
DEMOCRAT = Law Abiding Americans Don’t Matter, Lock Downs, Lawlessness, Godless
REPUBLICAN = All People Matter, Freedom, Law & Order, In God We Trust
Vote Republican Vote Trump. God bless America.
Shoot-the-messenger all you want.
I was merely forwarding the numbers.
Dude, been to Austin, TX in the last 5 years? I’ll never go back unless I absolutely have to. My buddies and past co-workers call it “Little San Francisco” due to homeless (or those who might want one to think they are homeless) on literally every intersection off of IH 35, street walkers panhandling, horrific traffic, everything is expensive, no one goes out alone. Yes, I have been and stayed more than one night in San Fran ever since 1990; will not go back there either. Both cities were fun to visit and offered safety for a family and a decent priced venture. Now, HA!
Yes! Austin 5 years ago, maybe 4.
Uber driver seemed “preppier” than others-I’ve-had-elsewhere who only-drive-Uber.
Every time I Uber, I chat-‘em-up, asking “What’s your day job?”
He replied “I’m a motivational speaker. I travel the world presenting at conventions.”
“So why do this?” I asked.
“I’m researching a book on small talk,” he told me.
Noted with all due respect.
However, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to name but three are NOT well run cities today, nor are their citizens safe from riotous thugs who have been given a de facto hands off policy by the current respective cowed leftist democrat city leadership, if you can even call it that.
LAW & ORDER* *i.e. citizen safety and far better management was the rule not the exception under the sound archetype mayoral leadership during the tenure of a Giuliani or of a La Guardia administration, both Republican mayors.
Holland, you are hopeless. That many large businesses tend to be located in big cities (a historic legacy) in no way suggests they are a product of liberalism. They are not. That capitalism survives even in liberal sinkholes (that were once great cities) is a tribute to the thing the Antifacrats most hate (apart from religion), which is capitalism and a free market. Even as zany liberals burn the cities under their feet, smarter people are moving out
Big-companies-in-big-cities, you say?
YOU’VE never pitched Wal-Mart!
Clue: There are NO direct flights.
Here in The Ocean State, CVS HQ is in glittering Woonsocket; and though they evolved from toymaker to intellectual property giant a while back, Hasbro is still in hometown Pawtucket.
And after an extensive series of tests, I can vouch for a vodka brand distilled off-the-beaten-path there in Tejas.
More travelogue:
https://www.businessinsider.com/big-companies-based-in-small-us-towns-2017-5
Call me HOPEFUL.
Most expensive cities to live in 2020, according to Kiplinger:
1. Manhattan
2. Honolulu
3. San Francisco
4. Brooklyn
5. Washington D.C.
6. Seattle
7. Oakland
8. Arlington, VA
9. Orange County, CA
10. Boston
11. Queens
12. Los Angeles
13. Bethesda, MD
14. San Diego
15. Alexandria, VA
Most, if not all, democrat-controlled. Strong economies, outrageous cost-of-living. Manhattan C.O.L. 145% above average! As Buddy points out, surviving (barely) in spite of, not because of, liberalism.
AMEN about DC. Though, after 13 years there, I moved to somewhere no-less-expensive…but RURAL, a trend now playing-out bigtime.