If I were to become the mayor of the burg I live in, I would create some changes. That’s what everyone says, otherwise why run for mayor.
My changes would mostly impact the rather large area I like to refer to as Little Venezuela. This does not refer to the people who live there, but rather to what has happened to this part of the city after decades of socialist/democratic policies. You know, like what has happened in Venezuela because of socialist/democratic policies. And of course, corruption.
About 25 years ago, I read an article in our local newspaper about how vibrant this area was back in the 20s, 30s and 40s. I will give the old socialist mayor we had for about one hundred years some credit for this. He established parks and outdoor band shells, bridges,and beautified the city in many ways. It may have had ties to the progressive decisions made by FDR. And the money given to build those things. There was also commerce. There were major department stores, grocery stores, (My aunt and uncle had a grocery store that was smack dab in the middle of the riots in the 60s) bowling alleys, movie theatres, and of course, what is a major burg without a gazillion taverns and churches. It’s possible to drive around and pass what was once a thriving community and see the evidence of the old theatre marquee, the stores that still have their former names painted indelibly on their brick sides and taverns converted into day care Centers. And the schools, thriving like they sure aren’t now. But that’s a rant for a different time.
So what happened? Quite a bit. Redlining happened. I don’t know who to blame that on except the realtors who were doing it. But, interestingly, people who were employed in the industry of our burg were making enough money to buy a better house. The houses they were living in were already old 100 years ago. They were good, solid houses, but people wanted to move away from the city. Redlining prevented that.
Then, all the industries of the city were paying living wages to all, one, by one, were called to strike by their unions. This eventually took a toll on our burg after one by one, industries left, leaving thousands of people out of work. And nothing came to replace them. Little Venezuela became very poor. The poor had no recourse but to live there. The people who were able to buy a house in the suburbs before this happened were able to adjust and find new jobs. There were no new jobs in Little Venezuela. No one could afford the department store prices. No one could afford the movies and nobody could afford to bowl. They maybe didn’t need cars before to get places, a person could walk or take a bus, so now they couldn’t afford to seek employment farther away. They were pretty much stuck.
Enter the 60s. People who had never heard of redlining are now being blamed for it. The fact that there are no jobs, well whose fault is that?It was an eye opening time for everyone in this burg and the country.
Enter Lyndon Baines Johnson.
President Johnson happened upon a great idea, a way to help people AND guarantee their votes for the Democratic Party for generations to come. Welfare. Food stamps. And early in the process, more money was given to family’s on the basis of how many children they had. More children, more money.
Without having anywhere for people to work, this welfare program became a way of life for generations. Where factories and industries with good paying jobs left the city, Walmart’s popped up. And fast food restaurants. These were at best part time jobs meant for high school and became the only jobs available for adults in Little Venezuela. There were (and) are laws that prohibit those who receive Welfare from making over a certain amount of extra income from a job. Why work?
Good grief! It’s bedtime. More tomorrow .
Musings over 50 