The Promised Land

I like the two pieces by William Julius Wilson the best, although I did send the McIntosh article to some friends.

Think of all the work that must be done to renew the urban infrastructure across the nation. That's the sort of public sector employment that might break the cycle of the underclass in this country. In and of itself, it's not a long-term solution, but the 'full employment' for which Wilson advocates must come somehow. I agree with him that the private sector will not reach out to these groups to employ them.

Go to any inner city and observe the crumbling steets and sidewalks, the inadequate school buidings, the poorly kept parks, the abandoned industrial parks and warehouses from another economic age. How do they reinforce all of the negatives of being poor in America? How can we promote the public good by enlisting the talents and aspirations of our urban communities to redesign, revitalize and renew our cities? We know true rebirth requires far more than simply a stadium or a WalMart. We must invest in the people who have the most to gain the new infrastructure.

Clinton talked about it. So far, anyway, Bush has ignored it. We must support and initiate it.