Republican Reader: "Liberal Cities in the United States Leaving the Rest Behind"

5/19/2014

I could type a 5000 word hellfire opinion here between sips of coffee... But you came for news so I'll let you do the mumbling.

The liberal mayors of several American cities incubate policies that will lessen the gap between the middle class and the wealthy. These policies, blocked by Congress at the national level, now come to the local city mayors who have the support of city councils and poverty-stricken citizens. If these incubators of liberalism prove successful, will the federal government take over, or will these cities leave the rest of the United States behind?

The cities

The Democratic liberals elected to office in several cities want to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund programs for the poor who, they feel, live in poverty by no fault of their own.

The American Prospect lists the following cities and mayors as those leaving America behind:

• Pittsburgh Mayor, William Peduto;
• Minneapolis Mayor, Betsy Hodges;
• Seattle Mayor, Ed Murray;
• Boston Mayor, Martin Walsh;
• Sante Fe Mayor, Javier Gonzales;
• New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio.

Each of these cities comes with the advantage of a population to tap for the money needed to make the proposed changes, as reported by the New York Times.

However, cities like Modesto, Detroit, Peoria, Birmingham and St. Louise do not have the luxury of residents’ wealth from which to secure funding.

According to the New York Times website, wages in these cities average 57-percent less than the cities listed by Myerson.

Policy changes at the city level

Harry Myerson, editor of the American Prospect, reports that elected to office in 2013, these officials quickly began pushing:

• Higher minimum wage or higher pay in sectors funded by city money;
• Video or audio documentation of all police contacts with the public;
• Ending police cooperation with immigration officials;
• Taxpayer funded programs for toddlers and young children;
• Higher taxes on the wealthy.

New York’s outspoken mayor

New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio’s war against the wealthy has seen only half victories so far, reports the CBS New York website. The mayor’s pre-K signature program, which he wanted funded entirely by a substantial tax hike on those earning $500,000 or more, passed, but the funding comes from existing city funds.

The New York City mayor denied certain charter-schools space in public school buildings, and Michael Goodwin of the New York Post reports that the continued funding of charter-schools threatens de Blasio’s backing by unions.

The price of liberalizing American cities

Taking from the rich to give to the poor will not solve the economic problems existing in cities nationwide.

As reported on the New York Post website, the wealthy are leaving the cities where pushing liberalism have begun. They move to states like Florida where no state taxes and inheritance tax exist. When the money providers leave the city, the liberals lose their targets and their funds.

The answer; provide incentives for those who stay instead of imposing higher and higher taxes.

The New York Times website also addresses the fact that small businesses cannot leave easily. Yet, despite the fact that they may not have the mobility of big businesses, there comes a point when closing the doors becomes more attractive than the little profit left after paying taxes.

Hiring new employees also prohibits small businesses from earning profits when they must pay a higher minimum wage, provide health insurance and pay for mandated paid sick time, as stated on the New York Times website.

Time will tell

These Robin Hood-like proposals made by Democratic liberals who have the advantage of wealth in their cities to tax, have the support of the people. The realities of their plans live on drawing boards, but, historically, their ideas fail when introduced to a 3-dimensional world.

Too much government and government regulated capitalism depletes the wealth of the nation. A future of third-world wages and working conditions looms ahead, if the liberal incubators continue their labors.

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