{"id":10760,"date":"2016-08-24T01:11:50","date_gmt":"2016-08-24T07:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/?p=10760"},"modified":"2016-08-24T01:11:50","modified_gmt":"2016-08-24T07:11:50","slug":"from-the-chicago-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/?p=10760","title":{"rendered":"From the Chicago Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"trb_ar_h\">\n<div class=\"trb_ar_hl\">\n<h1 class=\"trb_ar_hl_t\">Road to urban despair paved by Democrats<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"trb_ar_main\">\n<div class=\"trb_ar_la\">\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88189237\" data-content-size=\"leadart\" data-content-type=\"image\" data-content-slug=\"ct-urban-unrest-kass-0821-20160819-003\" data-content-subtype=\"photo\" data-role=\"socialshare_item imgsize_ratiosizecontainer\" data-state=\"\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"Investigating the damage in Milwaukee\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b887f4\/turbine\/ct-urban-unrest-kass-0821-20160819-003\/750\/750x422\" alt=\"Investigating the damage in Milwaukee\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b887f4\/turbine\/ct-urban-unrest-kass-0821-20160819-003\" data-c-nd=\"2048x1365\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"750\" data-height=\"450\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related_credit_and_caption\">\n<p>A member of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigates the scene of a Milwaukee gas station that was destroyed during protests following a fatal police involved shooting the day before.<\/p>\n<p>(Armando L. Sanchez \/ Chicago Tribune)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"trb_ar_by\">\n<figure class=\"trb_ar_by_i_f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_ar_by_i\" title=\"John Kass\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-559db6dc\/turbine\/chinews-john-kass-20130507\/70\/70x70\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-559db6dc\/turbine\/chinews-john-kass-20130507\/140\/140x140 2x, http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-559db6dc\/turbine\/chinews-john-kass-20130507\/210\/210x210 3x\" alt=\"John Kass\" width=\"70\" height=\"70\" \/><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"trb_ar_by_nm_pm\"><span class=\"trb_ar_by_nm_au\" data-byline-withoutby=\"\"><a class=\"trb_ar_by_nm_au_a\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/columnists\/kass\/chinews-john-kass-20130507-staff.html#nt=byline\">John Kass<\/a><\/span><a class=\"trb_ar_by_cl\" href=\"mailto:jskass@chicagotribune.com?subject=Regarding:%20%22Road%20to%20urban%20despair%20paved%20by%20Democrats%22\" data-role=\"socialshare_sEmail\">Contact Reporter<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"trb_ar_dateline\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"trb_ar_page\" data-role=\"pagination_page\" data-content-page=\"1\">\n<p>Riots broke out in Milwaukee the other day, and before that in other cities, each erupting with familiar sights: fire and pain, anger and looting.<\/p>\n<p>It will likely happen again in some other urban area, perhaps after a black man is killed by a police officer, whether the shooting is justified or unjustified. Was the victim a known criminal pointing a gun at a cop? Or not? These are reasons, but reasons really don&#8217;t matter now, do they?<\/p>\n<p>The fire is the thing. The anger is the thing.<\/p>\n<p>And all we&#8217;re doing now is waiting for the next one.<\/p>\n<p>Our media high priests \u2014 the guardians of the political establishment \u2014 come to us with reasoned explanations for the urban tinderbox.<\/p>\n<p>They tell us of hopelessness and despair. But ignore the one thing that binds them all, the one inconvenient truth of things.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88162456\" data-content-size=\"small\" data-content-type=\"story\" data-content-slug=\"ct-donald-trump-black-voters-20160819\" data-content-subtype=\"story\" data-role=\"socialshare_item  imgsize_ratiosizecontainer \" data-state=\"\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"Trump's pitch to black voters: 'What the hell do you have to lose?'\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b7a5d2\/turbine\/ct-donald-trump-black-voters-20160819\/400\/400x225\" alt=\"Trump's pitch to black voters: 'What the hell do you have to lose?'\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b7a5d2\/turbine\/ct-donald-trump-black-voters-20160819\" data-c-nd=\"1300x867\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"250\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\"><a class=\"trb_embed_media_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/nationworld\/politics\/ct-donald-trump-black-voters-20160819-story.html\"><span class=\"trb_embed_related_title\">Trump&#8217;s pitch to black voters: &#8216;What the hell do you have to lose?&#8217;<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>We know that institutions have broken down. Generations of black families have been shattered by the welfare state.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve created government systems that maintain human beings in poverty and ignorance so that politicians can count on their votes.<\/p>\n<p>And that is a crime against morality.<\/p>\n<p>You know this. There are schools that don&#8217;t work and haven&#8217;t for decades, schools where teachers are overwhelmed, where children arrive thoroughly unprepared, where too many parents are indifferent.<\/p>\n<p>Political corruption is an epidemic, a hidden tax upon urban economic wastelands, where there are no jobs for people who aren&#8217;t trained and educated for work.<\/p>\n<p>During a riot, when businesses begin to burn and rocks are thrown and guns are fired, political actors in those little boxes on TV begin to bark in cliches.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88182693\" data-content-size=\"small\" data-content-type=\"story\" data-content-slug=\"ct-milwuakee-unrest-david-clarke-edward-flynn-20160820\" data-content-subtype=\"story\" data-role=\"socialshare_item  imgsize_ratiosizecontainer \" data-state=\"\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"A controversial black sheriff clashes with the city's white police chief in Milwaukee\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b84c73\/turbine\/ct-milwuakee-unrest-david-clarke-edward-flynn-20160820\/400\/400x225\" alt=\"A controversial black sheriff clashes with the city's white police chief in Milwaukee\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b84c73\/turbine\/ct-milwuakee-unrest-david-clarke-edward-flynn-20160820\" data-c-nd=\"2048x1528\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"250\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\"><a class=\"trb_embed_media_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/nationworld\/midwest\/ct-milwuakee-unrest-david-clarke-edward-flynn-20160820-story.html\"><span class=\"trb_embed_related_title\">A controversial black sheriff clashes with the city&#8217;s white police chief in Milwaukee<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>They use words like &#8220;empowerment&#8221; and &#8220;investment&#8221; and &#8220;social infrastructure&#8221; and &#8220;social justice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Blame is assessed and pressed like hot iron into the flanks of the rich, or of &#8220;corporations,&#8221; and others with means, a moronic and frightening misunderstanding of how jobs are created. It is as if &#8220;The Big Rock Candy Mountain&#8221; has become economic policy.<\/p>\n<p>And by such logic all we must do is lower the rich into a giant cauldron, add salt and bay leaves and boil them down for soup to soothe the neighborhoods on fire.<\/p>\n<p>And while we&#8217;re at it, why not find that magical unlimited federal checkbook and a committee of the best and the brightest to guide us?<\/p>\n<p>But we&#8217;ve already had government run by the best and the brightest. And we&#8217;ve spent trillions of dollars in America&#8217;s war on poverty.<\/p>\n<p>And just what has been accomplished? The crime statistics tell you. The jobless numbers tell you. The graduation rates tell you. Open your eyes and see the despair.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88189238\" data-content-size=\"large\" data-content-type=\"image\" data-content-slug=\"ct-urban-unrest-kass-0821-20160819-002\" data-content-subtype=\"photo\" data-role=\"socialshare_item imgsize_ratiosizecontainer lightbox_container \" data-state=\"\" data-embed-id=\"88189238\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_modalBox\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"Burned out car in Milwaukee\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b887f7\/turbine\/ct-urban-unrest-kass-0821-20160819-002\/750\/750x422\" alt=\"Burned out car in Milwaukee\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b887f7\/turbine\/ct-urban-unrest-kass-0821-20160819-002\" data-c-nd=\"2048x1365\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"750\" data-height=\"450\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related_credit_and_caption\">\n<p>The interior of a car that was burned during protests following a fatal police involved shooting in Milwaukee.<\/p>\n<p>(Armando L. Sanchez \/ Chicago Tribune)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>What isn&#8217;t discussed enough when riots happen and neighborhoods burn is the one thing most common to all these decaying urban tinderboxes.<\/p>\n<p>They&#8217;re run by Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>Baltimore is a Democratic city, Milwaukee is a Democratic city, Chicago, Detroit, and on and on.<\/p>\n<p>This is a most inconvenient truth. This is what binds them.<\/p>\n<p>For decade after decade, Democrats have controlled policy and politics in the broken cities. This is the proof of Democratic success.<\/p>\n<p>The broken schools have been run by Democrats for decades. The broken institutions are run by Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>The political corruption in these cities is Democratic corruption, where government is the hammer used to beat others into forking over their cash.<\/p>\n<p>The corruption tax presses down upon the economic wastelands, where there are no jobs to be had.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88104517\" data-content-size=\"small\" data-content-type=\"story\" data-content-slug=\"ct-milwaukee-protest-aftermath-20160814\" data-content-subtype=\"htmlstory\" data-role=\"socialshare_item  imgsize_ratiosizecontainer \" data-state=\"\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"360 degree views: Milwaukee protest destruction\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b1ef06\/turbine\/ct-milwaukee-protest-aftermath-20160814\/400\/400x225\" alt=\"360 degree views: Milwaukee protest destruction\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b1ef06\/turbine\/ct-milwaukee-protest-aftermath-20160814\" data-c-nd=\"2048x1365\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"250\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\"><a class=\"trb_embed_media_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/nationworld\/ct-milwaukee-protest-aftermath-20160814-htmlstory.html\"><span class=\"trb_embed_related_title\">360 degree views: Milwaukee protest destruction<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Urban school systems remain broken for students and families. Yet they feed the bureaucrats and the vendors who sell goods and services to education bureaucrats.<\/p>\n<p>And the well-fed know what they&#8217;re supposed to do on Election Day: Vote Democratic.<\/p>\n<p>Big city school bureaucrats are political creatures, loyal to their sponsors in the statehouse or at your City Hall. The teachers unions, by definition, are about protecting their members. Everybody&#8217;s covered but the desperate.<\/p>\n<p>And the kids? They don&#8217;t have a union. They can&#8217;t vote. They don&#8217;t write campaign checks to politicians.<\/p>\n<p>Those who suffer the most from broken urban policy are those who are told that Democrats are the only ones who can protect them.<\/p>\n<p>Protect them from what? Poverty, violence, joblessness and bad schools? All that has been provided.<\/p>\n<p>Those who push broken government programs and liberal policy aren&#8217;t evil people. Most intended to work for the good.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88117619\" data-content-size=\"small\" data-content-type=\"story\" data-content-slug=\"ct-milwaukee-police-shooting-20160816\" data-content-subtype=\"story\" data-role=\"socialshare_item  imgsize_ratiosizecontainer \" data-state=\"\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"Decades of grievances come to a head in Milwaukee after police shooting\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b304ec\/turbine\/ct-milwaukee-police-shooting-20160816\/400\/400x225\" alt=\"Decades of grievances come to a head in Milwaukee after police shooting\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b304ec\/turbine\/ct-milwaukee-police-shooting-20160816\" data-c-nd=\"2048x1377\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"250\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\"><a class=\"trb_embed_media_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/nationworld\/midwest\/ct-milwaukee-police-shooting-20160816-story.html\"><span class=\"trb_embed_related_title\">Decades of grievances come to a head in Milwaukee after police shooting<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>But they made a terrible mistake in thinking that the strong arm of government is the answer. It isn&#8217;t. It never was.<\/p>\n<p>Are there alternatives to the crushing cynicism of the Democratic welfare state? Yes. Liberty is the answer, not some politician using government to &#8220;empower&#8221; people. Growth is the answer, not government control.<\/p>\n<p>People need hope. And meaningful work \u2014 which doesn&#8217;t mean waltzing around with a clipboard on some government payroll \u2014 is essential for self-respect.<\/p>\n<p>So here are some alternatives:<\/p>\n<p>Radically cut taxes and change workers&#8217; compensation and other anti-business laws in urban areas to promote business job growth.<\/p>\n<p>And support true school choice \u2014 meaning vouchers \u2014 so impoverished minority students aren&#8217;t deprived of a future.<\/p>\n<p>Democrat bosses, the trial lawyers and public unions hate such ideas. But then, they&#8217;re the muscle of Democratic politics.<\/p>\n<p>That strong arm of government helps politicians to maintain power and control.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"trb_embed\" data-content-id=\"88117617\" data-content-size=\"small\" data-content-type=\"story\" data-content-slug=\"ct-milwaukee-toughest-city-for-blacks-20160816\" data-content-subtype=\"story\" data-role=\"socialshare_item  imgsize_ratiosizecontainer \" data-state=\"\">\n<div class=\"trb_embed_media\">\n<figure class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_figure\" data-role=\"imgsize_item\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"trb_embed_imageContainer_img\" title=\"By many measures, Milwaukee is toughest U.S. city for blacks\" src=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b304d9\/turbine\/ct-milwaukee-toughest-city-for-blacks-20160816\/400\/400x225\" alt=\"By many measures, Milwaukee is toughest U.S. city for blacks\" data-baseurl=\"http:\/\/www.trbimg.com\/img-57b304d9\/turbine\/ct-milwaukee-toughest-city-for-blacks-20160816\" data-c-nd=\"2048x1365\" data-ratio=\"16x9\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"250\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"trb_embed_related\" data-role=\"lightbox_metadata\"><a class=\"trb_embed_media_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/local\/breaking\/ct-milwaukee-toughest-city-for-blacks-20160816-story.html\"><span class=\"trb_embed_related_title\">By many measures, Milwaukee is toughest U.S. city for blacks<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>But as we&#8217;ve seen, the strong arm of government can also pave the road to hell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Road to urban despair paved by Democrats A member of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigates the scene of a Milwaukee gas station that was destroyed during protests following a fatal police involved shooting the day before. (Armando L. Sanchez \/ Chicago Tribune) John KassContact Reporter Riots broke out in Milwaukee the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/?p=10760\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">From the Chicago Tribune<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10760"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10760"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10761,"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10760\/revisions\/10761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/the-glen-blog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}