Why US Cities Are Failing, but Austin Might Not.

[tailfins]

Now every one of these cities has to look to Washington for signals as to what their futures should be. With the growth of the federal government, the “owner” elites who once quarterbacked the competitive stance of their cities were displaced by professional elites in Washington. Now our cities are largely supplicants, looking to Washington for direction on all manner of municipal life.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carlschr...united-states/

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carlschr...united-states/

The progress to centralized power. Not that it is a good thing when it is government. In fact when it's the Federal government and the power becomes too great (as it is now)we the people get to see our freedoms slowly taken away from us (as is happening now).
Government propaganda works its magic to consolidate it's power.
Washington has taxed and spent in such a manner as to now have majority of the state dependent upon its directives. That happened as an agenda and not by "accident".
Power, money, greed all brought this upon us because we failed in our civic duties and cast way our moral values when casting our votes!
Schools no longer teach about civic duties. Why?
Answer : the government agenda to grab ever more power stopped such teaching ! -Tyr

[cadet]

Uncle sam has died, or is at least in critical condition.

I'm saying that the pursuit of happiness is gone. You are no longer free to do as you want. If you try to hard the gov't will come in and tax the f- out of you to keep you down.
You are forced to take care of those who mooch off of you with unemployment and food stamps.
Your guns will be gone within a few years.
You're already being forced into buying the gov'ts products or suffering a penalty tax.
The gov't is dabbling it's fingers into business, life, etc. It is no longer a free country to live and let live.

We DESPERATELY need a reorganization of the gov't and it's power.

[tailfins]

As someone who society has essentially forced to be either a nomad or a ward of the state (I chose the former), it's really sad to see cities forced into a cookie cutter mold. Like the article stated, each city used to be motivated by pride in their unique talents and specialties. Exhibit A is Detroit. If you liked automobiles, Michigan was the place to be. Now what can Detroit pride itself in? What compelling reason is there to move there?

[fj1200]

As someone who society has essentially forced to be either a nomad or a ward of the state (I chose the former), it's really sad to see cities forced into a cookie cutter mold. Like the article stated, each city used to be motivated by pride in their unique talents and specialties. Exhibit A is Detroit. If you liked automobiles, Michigan was the place to be. Now what can Detroit pride itself in? What compelling reason is there to move there?

I think we've got to be careful tying all of this in to Detroit, for example, as opposed to the Detroit metropolitan area. The city has been clearly dying for years but the auto business is largely driven in the metro area around Detroit. GM might still have it's headquarters in RenCen downtown but most of its business is done outside of the city proper. I could be wrong about that though. I think the examples they gave aren't just applicable to the cities, they apply to the whole country. It's just that the cities have gone above and beyond in taxes and regulations whereas the suburbs were still flexible enough to adjust.

[aboutime]

Uncle sam has died, or is at least in critical condition.

I'm saying that the pursuit of happiness is gone. You are no longer free to do as you want. If you try to hard the gov't will come in and tax the f- out of you to keep you down.
You are forced to take care of those who mooch off of you with unemployment and food stamps.
Your guns will be gone within a few years.
You're already being forced into buying the gov'ts products or suffering a penalty tax.
The gov't is dabbling it's fingers into business, life, etc. It is no longer a free country to live and let live.

We DESPERATELY need a reorganization of the gov't and it's power.

cadet. Though what you have said is probably very accurate. I must respectfully disagree..as long as our Constitution is still there, and Obama with the Democrats who ignore our laws keep trying. WE CANNOT STOP FIGHTING to keep it in force.