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As much as I love this country, I'm glad Rio won. I worried what more US security issues would have arose. I don't think our nation needs this right now.
And although it may seem Rio has more of it's share of slum problems, the olympics will motivate change. It's a happy city, so what better place? I wish them success.
Personally I think the world has a very negative image of Chicago as a dangerous, corrupt place when nothing can be further from the truth. The US's behavior in the past 8 years has really pissed off the world too, note the one representative from Pakistan who asked Obama how he would address the "harrowing" experience one goes through when entering the USA.
Further, all those people who were Chicago-bid bashers really did it in for the city I think ... it all started when Daley did an about face and said that should cost overruns occur then taxpayers would be stuck with the bill. That was VERY negative. He should have just let Obama/Bush do what likely would have happened ... should overruns occur, let the fed gov't bail out the city. Obama made that pledge anyway, Daley didn't have to go and ruin it.
Further, the bid-bashers have a few good points though. In almost every city where the Olympics have been held, there's been enormous expenditure above the original estimate, not nearly as much stimulus economically as projected, and tons of land basically gets wasted. Not to mention violation of civil rights (Beijing displaced 2 million for hte games, Athens forced traffic off the streets and so did Beijing, Mexico City killed hundreds when protests erupted).
The IOC chose Rio because no matter how bad the crime is, nor how ugly the city is, nor how much building will have to get done, Rio will do it because their government is more about pomp and business than the US or Spain or Japan. they'll gladly bulldoze the ghettos and deploy the army to keep drug lords and protesters at bay or six feet under, whichever is more effective.
In the end I'm happy for Rio. I just hope their residents don't get the shaft like all other cities who've held it.
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