Show me numbers. If you want to convince me of something, just show me some numbers.
Well, the numbers are bad. And, like the Daily News Editorial board, I'm convinced.
So the question, Mssrs. Nutter and Taubenberger, is what are you going to do to improve our grades when it comes to the health and welfare of children and youth?
(My other question is, do we have report cards for any other indicators of quality of life?)
Comments (5)
In line with what you're saying, Sbadeau, in order for the goal of AND/BOTH to be met, it does little good for any of us to skirt around the fact that this city has not generated prosperity for many many years now. Rather, we are a wealth-absorbing city constantly having to beg for money in order to have any cashflow, whether through our services-based economy or constant bailouts from the state and federal governments. And, of course, we pull in money through a whole array of underhanded means which will become even more so once the casinos rise up here. And from those sources and other questionable ones I can name you want to draw from for the betterment of our city, whether having to do with child medical care or anything else?
For therein lies the big problem, this constant skirting around what has to be said, and addressed, and remedied.
Whether you know it or not, we were once a cashcow city. We PRODUCED wealth instead of absorbed it. We were the heart that pumped blood into the system. WE were the source that lit all our city services up and then some. But now the nature of how Philadelphia acquires its wealth is totally different. We operate now on a principle very much like the spider web, and we accordingly reason, if we're not catching enough flies in the spider web as it is, make the spider web look more alluring (re: the failed Pennsylvania Convention Center, etc.) And from these mechanisms designed to absorb wealth instead of produce it you expect there to be financial assistance where it's needed? For even our medical facilities throughout our city operate on that absorb the wealth principle now. That is their whole principle, to absorb money, not to produce and distribute it where it's needed. Not that they can do the opposite if they choose to. But what we need back in this city right now is wealth generators. Not absorbers, but generators. And that's not the Convention Center -- even if it does expand. And it's not the new Comcast tower. And it's not the coming casinos. And it's not Northeast Philadelphia's Fox Chase Cancer Center if it pulls off expanding where it's located now. Rather, it's all the things that our idiot politicians -- and I'm sure Nutter is going to do the same -- keep blocking and standing in the way of re-emerging here. And under those conditions of course there's no money to pay for the things that are really important. Money that flows down the drain does not flow upwards the last time I checked.
Posted by Steve W. | June 20, 2007 12:28 AM
Steve - the Convenvention Center, Fox Chase Cancer, the Casinos...thousands of new jobs, taxes, etc. What exactly is bad about this stuff?
Posted by Friedman | June 20, 2007 9:17 AM
The " Report Card " - a mixed picture of the well-being of children and efforts to help them seek honest assessment and intervention for their suffering.
Teen homicides increasing
Teen pregnancies
Children living in poverty
Huge systemic society problems
Truancy and curfew violations
Gun offenses and drop-outs
Teen suicide and no medical insurance
If Mr. Nutter and Mr. Taubenberger have a major concern in prevention or combating irresponsible parenting , how about sharing some focus and resources devoted toward ending this pitiful crisis.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | June 20, 2007 12:16 PM
Friedman, if you're a sucker for propaganda, and you feel such things as the Nazi third Reich was great but simply misunderstood at the time, then no, nothing's wrong with the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Fox Chase Cancer Center and the coming casinos, and forget I said anything.
But if you really are concerned that there might be something wrong with these things, let me spell it out for you: These three things in and of themselves do not generate wealth but merely absorb that which already exists. It's the same exact principle as when the Nazi Third Reich rose up on the basis of looting neighboring countries, seizing and liquidating the estates of wealthy Jews and others, and so on rather than being productive, which is what the U.S. was back during that same time period.
And how it works is this: When the Convention Center, Fox Chase Cancer Center, casinos and other things I could name provide revenues to this city and the state, and good paying jobs for certain citizens, it will come at a great toll elsewhere, while the "elsewhere" aspect will not be covered by the media, just as when the Nazi Third Reich was at its height the everyday German citizens never knew about or saw what was going on inside the Nazi death camps. And when certain citizens, most notably Jews, disappeared from their communities many were unaware that anything wrong had happened, just assumed they had upped and moved to elsewhere as people often do, and were doing well wherever that new place was.
And think about it. Philadelphia's population at an all time low right now. And of the many people who once lived here when Philadelphia's population was much higher, good people, productive people, current whereabouts? Unknown. And the same of Philadelphia's onetime upstanding and good and decent employers. And look around you at certain good businesses that were around here at one time but which are all gone today and ask yourself, why did they fold, why did they fold?!
We can assume the answers to all these questions are all very innocent, just as the German people did. Or we can begin to get it.
Right now in Philadelphia's case, the people in Center City are being kept totally in the dark about what's happening in the city's outlying areas. They are clueless, for instance, about the Fox Chase Cancer Center's expansion proposal up in the city's northeast section and why this is of such major significance. And not just citywide but of national and international importance. I, for one, seeing it evolve firsthand from up here, call it the next big terrorist attack. Furthermore, those in Center City are totally in the dark about what's going on with the prison situation up here. And other parts of Philadelphia outside Center City can report things similar. And of course Center City itself is not immune to what more is coming.
Yes, the Convention Center, Fox Chase Cancer Center and casinos will provide new revenues to the city and good paying jobs for some. But it's going to come at a huge expense which the media will not report on and which we all will be "footing the bill of."
And as for Michael Nutter, have you checked out the blog site he created called "Let Michael hear from you"? Its link is http://www.nutter2007.com/index.php?/comments/let_michael_hear_from_you/
But take special note, it's as rigged up a blog as it gets. For to date there are only two comments so far posted by "everyday Philadelphia citizens" and they both totally sing praises of him -- just as it would be if this was the next up and coming Hitler or who have you. As in, hello, anybody in Philadelphia paying attention here? Anyone? And Al Taubenberger, who doesn't stand a chance of winning the upcoming fall election anyway, is no better. For neither of these are upstanding men who will lead Philadelphia on a better course. Rather, they are puppet appointees, just as is true of ALL politicians governing Philadelphia right now.
But for many -- perhaps including yourself -- it looks like the "right direction" to go. And there was another time and place when people thought that as well. And here we are again. We never learn.
Posted by Steve W. | June 21, 2007 12:44 AM
As a follow-up to my last comment posted here, and to give credit where it's due, Michael Nutter posted the question I put to him back on June 18. It is mighty quiet sitting at that kitchen table, though. I've completely finished all that was on my plate and am now washing it down with a second cup of coffee while my eyes are saying to Mr. Nutter, "So....?"
Posted by Steve W. | June 27, 2007 2:49 AM