December 14, 2023 - 1:05pm
Is sanity finally returning to America’s blue cities? The places that incubated inept policies such as “defund the police” and “sanctuary cities”, but welcomed open-air drug use, are beginning to have second thoughts. In Seattle, Portland and San Francisco (which featured in a recent UnHerd special), lawmakers are looking at ways to curb public drug use — a move that has been symptomatic of a wider pushback against progressive policies.
Take Houston as a different example. This week, progressives lost two-to-one in the mayor’s race, electing a moderate Democrat, John Whitmire, and rejecting Sheila Jackson Lee, one of the reliably far-Left Democrats in Congress. In addition, the city elected more conservatives and moderates to the city council.
In Houston, as elsewhere, crime was cited as by far the city’s biggest issue. It was also behind the defeat last month of a Soros-backed prosecutor candidate in Pittsburgh’s district attorney race and in Seattle’s contest for city attorney, which a Republican won. Meanwhile in Dallas, another city with a serious crime problem, Mayor Eric Johnson, an African American, felt compelled to change parties, becoming the second major city (after Miami) to go to what many urbanistas call “the dark side”.
None of this suggests that Republicans will inherit the cities. The demographic shifts in recent years have eroded the party’s potential base of middle- and working-class white ethnic groups, who are being replaced by both minorities and millennials, both of whom vote heavily Democratic.
The key here is a potential coalition of moderate Democrats with conservatives and family-oriented multi-racial groups. This is the formula that two decades ago helped elect reformist mayors from both parties across the country, ranging from Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg in New York, to Richard Riordan in Los Angeles, to Ed Rendell in Philadelphia. Their elections played a critical role in the reduction of crime and economic resurgence in all these cities.
Like now, progressive politics, lax law enforcement and stupefying regulations brought these cities close to bankruptcy and decay. But today, the problem is arguably worse: an influx of undocumented immigrants and soaring real estate prices have made the situation near untenable for Democratic leaders.
The real struggle, however, will take place largely within the Democratic Party. This conflict has been intensified by shocks from the Israel-Palestine conflict, with cities tending to have both large Jewish and Muslim populations. Disruptions and violence have become commonplace in metropolises like New York, the world’s second-largest Jewish city after Tel Aviv, and Los Angeles, the fifth-largest.
Traditionally, Jewish voters, and donors, have tended to back Democrats. Yet there are signs that this may be changing. Almost all the cities that have backed anti-Israel resolutions, such as Oakland, tend to be controlled by progressive Democrats. The far-Left’s anti-Israel stance, combined with its disdain for law enforcement, decent education and private enterprise, are pushing many traditional Democrats to seek ways to challenge Left-wing groups, such as Democratic Socialists of America, in local elections.
Will these efforts succeed? Urban demographics make it tough and the poor state of almost all city schools make it nearly impossible for all but the most affluent families to choose to stay in town. To create a saner urban future, city residents will have to keep voting out progressive politicians until they start abandoning their various hare-brained schemes. Until this is achieved, the state of America’s cities will continue to deteriorate.
Joel Kotkin is the Hobbs Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University and author, most recently, of The Coming of Neo-Feudalism: A Warning to the Global Middle Class (Encounter)
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SubscribeIt’s odd that, according to the progressive Left, the solution to every Govt and Institutional problem is greater funding. Yet the solution to policing problems is defunding.
It’s almost as though there was an agenda at play.
Socialism…at least in Marxist form is an intentionally destabilizing and disorienting ideology in the first place. The whole point is disrupting order. It’s literally based on creating Group Conflict.
But this is a horribly constructed, syncretic variant of Marxism that just produces Doublethink.
All Progressives can do at this point is repeat vague cliches about Systems of Oppression, Injustice, Inequality, Occupation and Liberation and hope enough people will remain confused enough to blame their opponents.
Yup, it seems that Gramsci got his way!
“Socialism will triumph by first capturing the culture via infiltration of schools, universities, churches and the media by transforming the consciousness of society.“
Indeed he did. Written in 1915 that quote exemplifies the ‘long march’. His ideas were embraced and embedded by academics across the West where they were left to grow unchallenged.
Its almost as if you don’t have the faintest idea what you are talking about!
I’d stick to the bubbly if I were you.
Socialism is a wholly discredited economic and political theory – as are your apologetics for it.
Those aren’t apologetics, just random potshots. So to speak.
A lifetime of observing how ‘progressive’ policies invariably produce outcomes that are the polar opposite of what was supposedly intended has made me wonder whether their failure to improve the lot of the poor or eradicate racism etc might not be a feature rather than a bug.
After all, if these policies were successful then how would the middle class progressives responsible for implementing them go on earning such a lavishly rewarded living?
Spending by the state at national and local levels outside of defence is controlled by state employees and Labour /Democrat politicians who reward supporters with jobs.
Indeed, identity politics is self perpetuating. Highlighting the grievances between social groups real or imagined reinforces the notion of said groups being separate and distinct from one another. It encourages zero-sum thinking where one group’s loss is another’s gain, thus setting up a perceived intergroup competition over limited resources. This perception of collective struggle between groups encourages herd mentalities and increases the level of conformity within designated groups through the psychological mechanisms of peer pressure and tribal identification. These artificially created tribal groups become self-sustaining, reducing behavioral and cultural variability within individual members of the groups and making their behavior more predictable, and therefore more easily manipulated and controlled on a large scale.
In other words, identity politics facilitates purposeful social engineering. Eliminating the distinctions between identity groups would rather defeat the purpose. The groups would become meaningless and useless without the critical elements that created the separation and perceived conflict. How could the notion of race be sustained without racism, when racism itself is defined as a preference showed towards one’s own racial group over other racial groups? If there were no preference, the existence of the group would have no practical meaning or real implications. There would be no grounds for conflict nor any need for the group to enforce collective norms that preserve and advance group interests. Thus, the existence of the one will always logically necessitate the existence of the other for either to have any meaning. So long as the notion of race exists, so too will racism, and vice versa.
The people peddling anti-racism are either ignorant of these basic facts, motivated by irrational ideologies, or are simply taking advantage of group dynamics to advance personal agendas with no real intention of eliminating racism. I suspect there are plenty of individuals in all three categories. Similar logic can be applied just as easily to other social groups.
Nice analysis. Your typical Gen Z stooge would have been lost by the third sentence.
Excellent thank you
Great post, this would be labelled ‘toxic’ of course, by any of the new ideologues.
“The people peddling anti-racism are either ignorant of these basic facts, motivated by irrational ideologies, or are simply taking advantage of group dynamics to advance personal agendas with no real intention of eliminating racism.”
As the primary reason I’ll pick #3.
Exemplar exhibit #1: Ibram X. Kendi (aka: Ibram Henry Rogers)
Apropos “defund the police” movements, I didn’t half enjoy watching Vienna’s pathetic half-a*sed equivalent (all 50 of them) come marching self-importantly down our street the other day – in driving snow and sub-zero temperatures…accompanied by 20 freezing cold police officers who were there to make sure they could exercise their democratic right to spout utter codswallop.
Yes, I enjoyed that irony considerably. And thanked my lucky stars that I live in a place where such idiocy will never EVER become policy.
Another Unherd fantasist!
I guess life is pretty miserable for you right wing extremists so you have to make up these littles stories to cheers yourselves up…
Speaking of fantasists Damn Shame isn’t time you abandoned that clapped out old socialist jalopy you seem so reluctant to give up. Presumably you cling on to it for sentimental reasons even though you’d have to admit in all honesty it’s never been much use. It may even be the cause of that rather sad paranoia of yours (right wing extremists lurking in every corner?).
I find CS to be refreshingly honest for a Socialist. Nearly all Socialists prefer luxury values but promote mass poverty. It’s time the rest of the Socialists to become as honest as CS.
Oh look! My faithful puppy is yapping!
Who’s good boy? You are!
Look CS your tolerated around here because that is the point, toleration of others speech but just name calling and put downs make you nothing but a troll (which I suspect is your goal) but if you are looking for dialogue, stick to your point and the high road…
I think Champagne Socialist is a version of another troll who was hanging around here a few years ago.
Socialists are supposed to eschew champagne, lest they appear elitist and look like they’ll take champagne and the plebs can drink beer. typical elitist garbage, typical of them thinking they are better than everybody else.
Yawn. Snarky brain dead lefty cicada all sound the same, whatever the forum. Meaningless chitter.
Honestly, I should know better than to react to this, but I have to ask: what about my post makes me a right-wing extremist? I fully support the anti-police movement in exercising their right to demonstrate and express their opinion. But I also support my own right to think that they spout utter nonsense – especially when it is the police who were protecting them while demonstrating.
That doesn’t make me a right-wing extremist. That makes me a democrat.
I used to vote centre left and was supporter of green policies, but my horror at the Hamas attacks on Israel and disgust at homophobic and misogynistic trans activism now gets me labelled an extreme right TERF. Just shows are stupid labels are and labelling people is clown-in-chief Champage Socialist’s only trick.
I’ve noticed that your way of addressing contributors whose opinions you dislike it to resort to insults and nothing more. Not a good look for a liberal.
While I am hopeful for a political shift in major urban centres, I’m not convinced it’s happening.
It happens every time as soon as the economic consequences of leftism start to hurt people. Just look at Germany. The entire media landscape is what would be considered extremist left in most other parts of the world, and the center right AFD (which the establishment denounces as extremist right) is at least second in most polls and elections.
It ain’t happening in Chicago. Mayor Brandon Johnson (D, Teachers Union) is a progressive disaster who succeeded another progressive disaster. Hizzonner won because he had more melanin than his pale opponent, who ran on a low crime program backed by the police union. Mayor Johnson’s backers put the word out that opponent Paul Vallas, a lifelong Democrat, was a closet Republican.
I dunno. Voter “anger” in Dem cities seems to be the difference between entirely soft on crime and not quite so soft on crime. It’s the difference between tapioca pudding and jello.
“Will these efforts succeed?”
No.
What I find strange about modern political nomenclature is that ‘progress’ was always thought of as a good thing. I get that change is assuredly not always good, but progress is, or certainly was. So how come that ‘progressive’ has become a hate word for the ‘right’ (another label I now find troubling, as ‘left’ seems to have crept all the way over to nestle up against Genghis Khan!)?
‘conserve’ is also a word with positive connotations. We conserve fruit for the winter. We conserve things that are precious to us…
Also ‘choice’ is a positive thing (as in ‘pro-choice’). As is ‘life’ for that matter.
It’s almost like the other side can see past the cheerful euphemisms to the substance of what they oppose!
“progress” presumes that one knows the criteria progress is being quantitative measured against. “Hope & Change”… “MAGA”… probably don’t have universally understood definitions and they certainly were not set against quantitative metrics by which one could assess progress… or not. Unless of course one follows the DC way of thinking success as how much money you can throw at a problem without every asking yourself if what one was doing was actually producing results worth pursuing.
I think the radical left have taken on the name progressive. The right has embraced it as a term of derision, not hate.
‘Progressivism’ is what you get when middle class leftist graduates get rich and no longer want to talk about money.
Succinct and witty – and has the ring of truth. Bravo, sir.
“So how come that ‘progressive’ has become a hate word for the ‘right’ (another label I now find troubling, as ‘left’ seems to have crept all the way over to nestle up against Genghis Khan!)?”
“Progressive” has come to be used with tragic irony by those who can see through it because of the demonstrable failure of progressive policies.
Progressive law enforcement and sentencing has led to more crime and poor communities losing basic amenities like shops and the jobs they bring.
Progressive drug policy has led to a huge increase in public drug taking and everything which goes with it.
Progressive speech codes have led to less freedom of speech and science denialism.
I agree with most of your posts that I can read, but I am distracted by your username. It is like rotating lights in an old time disco.
Might have to repeat this post cos I’m on an old thread.
Because leftists call themselves progressive for the same reasons North Korea calls itself a democratic republic.
There’s a paragraph by C S Lewis, not sure of the source, where he points out that progress is ‘progress to a good’, and that if so-called progress is actually towards a bad or mistaken destination, then the most progressive person is the one who turns round first and starts moving backwards. Difficult (apparently) to make this clear to the progressives in charge of Definitions and Destinations everywhere at the moment.
Which is why I personally use the terms ‘progressivism’ and ‘progressivists’.
Perhaps consider “progressive” to have become an inherently ironic term? Look at actions rather than self-description and it’s a lot clearer. Self-described progressives are typically a pretty regressive, repressive bunch, should you dare to disagree with them, after all. At the risk of cliche (though it doesn’t undermine the point), recall the slogans of the Ministries in Orwell’s 1984…
‘ Urban demographics make it tough and the poor state of almost all city schools…’
I wonder why Democrats have not been funding these city schools properly.
“This week, progressives lost two-to-one in the mayor’s race, electing a moderate Democrat, John Whitmire.”
If are still voting Democrat you have learned nothing
“To create a saner urban future, city residents will have to keep voting out progressive politicians until they start abandoning their various hare-brained schemes.”
They will never abandon heir various hare-brained schemes, they will just be loss open about what hey intend to do until the fuss has died down.
Progressivism = luxury beliefs
Proofreading is important. Barbara Lee is from California, Sheila Jackson Lee is from Texas.
These people want everything to collapse so they have an excuse to put facial recognition software everywhere and enforce draconian policies.
Well I absolutely do not have to comment so I will. Amsterdam wants to roll back on its drug use freedom and it is not the “success” in Portugal that they all claim.
The particular YouTube channels I follow are full of USA folk of the creative,liberal persuasion who are all moving to France (or Italy) from Portland Oregon that is now so rough that even Walmart has left town. The rats at least can afford to abandon the sinking ship,the cockroaches can’t.
As folk like me predicted,the tax income from legal drug sale is much less than anticipated.(surprise,surprise) so not much of that compassionate rehab care is available. And last point,druggies do not do their drug use in a sort of clinical vacuum. Misery loves company and crime of all sorts festers around them. Cheap and easy access to their drugs of choice does not cut out crime. Even if they dont need to mug someone to get whatever substance,yet still plenty of crime attracts around them.
They like to do it in the bushes,in the park,this is also where they vomit and defecate. Sex workers gather in the vicinity too. And everyone is discarding garbage and littering around.
The pimps,procurers and suppliers add the element of violence. Peace and Love it is Not.
On the flip side, Democrats have defeated right-wing book banners in school board elections. Most of these races were in red districts. I guess even Republican parents want to be the ones who check out what their kids are reading.
“The key here is a potential coalition of moderate Democrats with conservatives and family-oriented multi-racial groups.” This never works, because in the long-run the far Left has the determination and staying power of radicalism that keeps it on task and ready to resume power either when conservatives tire of public life (they’re fundamentally private people, after all, home and family oriented) or eager to sneak their progressive policies into action by way of a compliant bureaucracy. It says something important that “Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg in New York, to Richard Riordan in Los Angeles, to Ed Rendell in Philadelphia” all turned out to be mere pauses in the progressive destruction of American cities.
M Shalamov said the last emotion to survive in the Gualag was spite. Spite does appear to give people tenacity and this emotion gives power to middle class leftwingers. Looking at today’s Conservatives, they lack toughness and tenacity.
If one looks at the paintings of the Duke of Wellington his face is lean, the shoulders broad and body lean. He was called the “Iron Duke “. His calm patience was a sign of mental strength and courage; he did not panic. Wellington was awarded massive honours but he considered that the most important was to be a gentleman. Wellington lacked spite and it’s absence is noticeable in his face.
thomas lawrence duke of wellington – Bing images
Booker T Washington said the African Americans had to develop entrepreneurship and education; Kennedy said Americans to accept any burden to defend freedom and not ask what the country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country and M L King judge me on my character. Basically, become emotionally mature competent responsible adults by making use of the opportunities to better yourself, your family and country. An individual is not entitled to be carried by others through life. From the first settlers onwards, North America gave people the opportunity to better themselves and keep the fruits of their honest competent hard work.
“None of this suggests that Republicans will inherit the cities. The demographic shifts in recent years have eroded the party’s potential base of middle- and working-class white ethnic groups, who are being replaced by both minorities and millennials, both of whom vote heavily Democratic.”
This quote says it all, their fate is pre-determined.
The “anti-Israel” stance is the right one. Voters are becoming more sympathetic to the cause of the Palestinian people.
If you’re really sympathetic to the plight of Palestinians, then Hamas needs to be destroyed.
I think what needs to be destroyed is the circumstances that brought about that choice,a need for a vengeful terrorist organization.
Don’t get me wrong, i have no solutions however de housing the Palestinians and moving them about is un-human
Where should they go?
None of the neighbouring countries will have them because they export terror and trouble. Staying where they are they are expedient to Iran and many others.
You mean Hamas, just say it already.