Annual Observation

How can you possibly assert that the Democratic-machine politics have removed any chance Toledo has for a brighter future? According to the same machine, they're all ABOUT that brighter future and that they're constantly working for it. Every tax abatement they give out is for a better tomorrow, right? Every new tax for an economic-development plan is for a better tomorrow, right?

Seriously now, Toledo can't get ahead since there's a fundamental misunderstanding of what economics is, and who is responsible for directing it. Other governments across the nation get away with acting on economic forces since those areas have an intrinsically healthy economy in the first place, OR they are just lucky. Government has no business directing the economy, since that's Socialism or Communism (depending on severity of the interference) and we've long been taught that those are BAD. Right?

Or ... did we only think that Socialism and Communism were BAD as long as certain people were caught up in them, and once the right people (i.e. Capitalists or Ohioans or White people or whomever we preferred) were caught, we had to change our tune?

Chew on that yourself, Tolrem.

" According to the same machine, they're all ABOUT that brighter future and that they're constantly working for it. Every tax abatement they give out is for a better tomorrow, right? Every new tax for an economic-development plan is for a better tomorrow, right?"

You think these people are going to ADMIT that THEY are the reason for the troubling situation in Toledo, given that they want to remain in power? Just because someone has an "economic-development plan" does not mean that it is a GOOD plan. Not to mention all the in-fighting that goes on in city/county/party politics.

Thank you for making my point, GuessedZero!

Its pretty easy for the democrats to cry about the poor people, they are still getting rich off them. They give out handouts to keep the poor vote, but lord help ya if you want them to pay out anything.

Sorry - I don't share your analysis of Democrats being the root of Toledo's problems, though I'll be happy to toss them some blame for the continuation of Toledo's decline. The exodus of manufacturing jobs in the Rust Belt - as well as the flight of wealth from the urban center to the suburbs - are phenomena much larger than the machinations of a few dozen local pols, and these trends are mirrored in many large cities in the region.

The Dems were just the party in power when the giant sucking sound of vanishing Midwestern factories rolled into high gear, and they have held power in most Rust Belt cities during nearly four decades of economic malaise because the Republicans have failed to present a cogent and compelling reason for voters to switch. There has been too much GOP focus on conservative rural voters with trumped-up, fear-mongering issues like gay marriage and flag-burning for urban Democrats to be able to pinch their noses and hope that the GOP is serious about economic growth in the Rust Belt.

Besides, the GOP is more interested in the blue-red dichotomy in state and national elections than it is in local politics. Control the state legislatures and you control the districting process, and larger cities can be written off if they can be outweighed by conservative rural communities. The GOP would rather live with isolated pockets of heavily Democratic districts like that of Rep. Marcy Kaptur if they can match her vote with one or two others elsewhere in Ohio.

I think that the current congressional lead is 11-7 in Ohio for the GOP (correct me if I am wrong - I am too tired to look it up).

Anyways: the problem of industrial devolution cannot be legislated away, nor would simplistic notions like radical tax cuts suddenly induce a thriving company in a city like Tempe, AZ to relocate here. Maybe it's time for Toledo to embrace demographic and industrial shrinkage in the way that Youngstown is doing.

Of course, that would mean that a politican would have to stand up and tell the truth that Toledo has been on the decline for decades, and voters prefer to elect candidates who wave the flag or who tell us that prosperity is simply a matter of enough people exhibiting positive thinking. Why, I imagine that a politician who got in front of a microphone and spoke of the declining population, shrinking tax base, and lousy public schools would get pelted with rotten tomatoes and run out of town within minutes of such a political faux pas.

Not that I am endorsing Barack Obama here, but when he drifted away from the feel-good "Change" and "Hope" mantras to tell the truth about bitter people in small town America, pundits from both parties crucified him. The only thing wrong with Obama's statement is that he limited it to small towns, and not the many millions of unemployed, underemployed, and downsized workers in metropolitan sinkholes like Toledo.

And see just how fast Obama scampered away from truth-telling! That kind of behavior is dangerous to the career of a pol.

Mike -

You nailed it.

Wow Mike! Well said!

Very well put, HistoryMike... you make some very valid points. I suppose the missing 'factor' in this whole equation is "The Blade" ( one of America's great newspapers, in case anyone didn't know). It's a well known fact that if the Blade doesn't endorse you as a candidate, you're probably not going to get elected in Toledo... welcome to a one-newpaper town. Thus, what the Blade wants, the Blade gets.

To cite one typical example, let's look at the debacle of the marina district development. After 4 years of 'studies' on the project (i.e. stalling), Bruce Douglas' company finally got tentative approval from the council and then 'Mayor' Jack Ford ( I use the term 'mayor' very loosely... puppet may be a more accurate term) to begin the project. Then, suddenly, at the 11th and 3/4 hour, Mayor Ford calls Mr. Douglas and his partner with a rather unusual request.... fly to Pittsburgh to show the final plans to the Block Family. Mr. Douglas' partner does as the mayor wishes, and wouldn't you know it, a week later, the tentatively approved plan is shot down. Goes to show you who is REALLY running Toledo.

According to Jack Ford, it's about water and white people.

Ford said in 2006 :

Ford said in 2007 :

With that kind of intellectual insight, I'm glad Jack 'Scribbles' Ford is a member of the Toledo Public School Board.

Moving on to our favorite natural disaster, Carty. The fact that an uncouth individual got elected to a third term as Toledo mayor shows how ass-backwards Toledo can be at times.

When Toledo's estimated population number was released last summer, Carty dismissed the story by saying :

Here's a guess. A city with a declining population probably indicates poor job opportunities and other problems along with too many taxes that fund fluff projects like cultural activities and sports. Toledo/Lucas County has had 15 to 20 years to adjust to the changing economy.

But Ben Konop has the answer :

You miss meat?

It's easy to call people douchebags who stay here and complain while not doing anything to make things better, when you've left the area.

Just sayin'.

...pretty inflammatory words for someone who himself moved out of Toledo and into Wood County.