'Transforming' the U.S. – Into What?

Local businesses have been moving out. Greg Goodman, co-president of Portland’s Downtown Development Group recently wrote in a letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler and the city council that the number of businesses moving out of the city “is like nothing I have seen in 42 years of doing business in downtown”. Goodman said that the businesses leaving included Daimler Chrysler, Air B&B, Banana Republic and Microsoft, and argued that their departure “does have most everything to do with the lawlessness you are endorsing downtown.”

“I would encourage each of you to walk around downtown Portland in the morning. You aren’t sweeping the streets, needles are all over the place, garbage cans are broken and left open, glass from car windows that have been broken out is all over the streets, parks are strewn with litter… You are willfully neglecting your duties as elected officials to keep our city safe and clean.” — Greg Goodman, in a letter to Portland’s Mayor Ted Wheeler and the city council.

One influential national politician, however, promised with a smile that the “protests” are “not going to stop… They’re not going to stop before election day in November and they’re not going to stop after election day…. They’re not going to let up and they should not…”

America could indeed be “transformed,” but if safe and successful cities keep being transformed into places of crime-ridden lawlessness, is that what Americans want?

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