Comment by vbtemp | Hacker News Reader

Comment by vbtemp | Hacker News Reader

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> Baltimore has only had 4 Republican mayors in the last 100 years. Maybe something isn't working ideologically.

I'll be downvoted to hell for saying this, but what you point out is an inconvenient truth. Nearly fifty years of blight and desolation, at what point does the other party get a shot? In places like this the Democrats are just a crooked patronage network.. both the source of and solution to their resident's problems...

Look at Maryland in general, they elected possibly the most moderate and centrist republican in the nation, and is generally respected across the spectrum. I wonder what would happen if one of these types had a term in the mayor's office.

I grew up near Baltimore and go through frequently. It's such a shame that what should be such a historic and interesting is so blighted. There are so many beautiful 19th-20th architectural gems that could provide it with so much character and liveliness, not to mention and proud community

In many ways this resembles 3rd-world democracy. People vote for "their" party on the basis of some historical or ethnic division, not on the basis of policies or results. Voting against it would be seen almost as some kind of treason.

And nowhere does this work well. What politician who doesn't fear being thrown out of office by unhappy voters will work hard every day to help them? If the party is guaranteed the vote, then instead they work every day at their own personal advancement, either literally in cash, or in their position in the party hierarchy. (Or at least, the only ones who survive in the system are those who do this -- same result.)

That misses the point entirely - prosperous cities are also heavily Democrat! It ammounts to blaming the voters because they can't compete locally at all. Given that

Their policies just plain don't appeal to the cities and pandering to xenophobes has given them a "not an option" status among minorities.They have kept on doubling down on alienating even religious conservative minorities who would otherwise be in line with their other values.

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