Charlotte: NC's ugly stepchild (Raleigh: income, vs, buses)

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

ani - You've certainly created an interesting thread with this one!

I’ve read all of the comments and while the thread has drifted a bit, there is a constantly underlying theme of politics and money. It’s been said that “politics and money may be the root of all evil”. That statement seems to work equally well if reversed!

Charlotte does seem to be destined to be the ugly step-child of NC for some time to come. I’m one of those people who tend to vote in my own self-interest. I’m a notorious ticket-splitter and I voted for Pat McCrory because I believe that Charlotte does seem to get the “short end of the stick”. He seemed to me to represent a kind of moderate Republican, which nowadays, is an almost endangered species in the world of modern politics. I’m a news junkie of sorts, and caught several statements he made, that had the effect of dampening any enthusiasm the black community might have been able to muster for him. But by current political standards, his attempt to include the more conservative part of the Republican party would be par for the course. Thus. I can see urbancharlotte’s point of a major disconnect developing in the black community. That seems to be the nature of partisan politics! I believe that had he won, he might have governed in a more even-handed way than his political ads might have suggested. Bev Purdue’s election success does owe a lot to the “long coattails” of Barack Obama. But I’m sure the Raleigh crowd and the usual phalanx of eastern NC good ol’ boys were delighted with the outcome! Maybe she'll see the light in regards to roads, if she's stuck in that Suburban during rush hour on 77 on a Friday night!

Charlotte’s internal problems do affect its image of the ugly stepchild of the state. There is a big disconnect between the suburban areas and the inner city areas that is as stark as the difference between a first world country and a third world one. But they exist in Raleigh as well! I applaud urbancharlotte’s attainments in a world where it’s the exception rather than the rule. I think the vast majority of suburban Charlotte has really no idea of how daunting life can be for its poorer inhabitants and the roadblocks to any kind of success they face. It’s not quite as simple as lifting yourself up by your own bootstraps even with what many perceive to be social safety nets that were unheard of in our grandparents’ day. That safety net is replete with holes that many people fall through. It’s the “instant gratification society” we have morphed into, during the past 50 years that has created many of the problems we see in Charlotte and other large American cities. When you live in a neighborhood that produces drug dealers as the only successful role models in the area, it doesn’t appear to make very much sense to get that job at Macdonald’s for minimum wage, when you can make $500 a night selling drugs. That’s the ghetto model of capitalism at work! Education takes a big hit in poor areas too, when you can drop out of school and make enough money through drugs and robbery to get that Escalade. Staying in school, going to college and getting a good job seems as remote and nebulous to many inhabitants of ghetto areas as a trip to Mars! Girls, who get pregnant at the age of 14, end up keeping their babies as a kind of “toy and family” all wrapped into one. If a 14 year old girl wanted an abortion, the obstacles to get one are almost insurmountable. There’s no federal money for that and birth control info is not really a big priority of the school system. For those readers who find abortion to be an anathema, if they think all those kids born to these teen-age mothers will somehow get adopted, they are deluding themselves. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are not going to be swooping into the neighborhood anytime soon. Thus, the impoverished teen-age mother, sans father, with all of the social ills that are inherent with it, come full circle with another generation of poverty that produces those infamous “urban thugs”. This grates on the nerves of most middle-class people, but when you don’t have those “middle-class values” inculcated into you, at an early age, you’re not going to be inclined to use them as your “standard” in viewing the world. Education, as always, is the major key to changing this, but I'm not sure that the resolve exists in the right places to change anything!

I still don't get how you guys think Raleigh is getting some wonderful transportation budget. Raleigh is just as neglected as Charlotte! Drive on our freeways here. You'll be begging to go back home. Neither of these cities are getting their fair share. Don't lump Raleigh in with the rest of eastern NC. Especially considering the fact they are two distinctly different social and cultural areas. The good ol boys of NC hate both of these cities. According to the rhetoric, both cities are filled with city slickers, yankees, and heathens. Just because politicians gather here does not necessarily mean they live here... Sheesh. This is more of an issue of rural vs urban funding. Plain and simple.

I would love to form some kind of think tank to take back our state. There are too many corrupt politicians in this state. Corruption has almost become a way of life in the state legislature.

As for your final paragraph, I wholeheartedly agree. Very well written.

[anifani821]

MIKE - well put and much appreciated. Sadly, it appears there is no way to discuss some issues w/o people taking personal offense. I don't get offended when someone refers to white trash, cause I am not white trash. So I guess I find it strange why black folks get offended when the subject of black men committing home invasions comes up. It is what it is. The point is to figure out how to STOP whatever it is that propels these kids to choose a life of crime over a life of good citizenship. That was the whole point w/ discussing EDUCATION.

I have read back over this thread and NO ONE attempted to lump people of any race into any stereotyped group, including McCrory. Throwing that label of racist around is pretty volatile, however. Correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding of racism would allow that black folk have just as much potential for being racists as do white people. It goes both ways. People who start yelling "racist" typically do so b/c they have nothing else constructive to add to the discussion and cannot justify their own beliefs (and misconceptions) in any other fashion than to de-rail the discussion by pulling the race card.

EM - you also make very good points. I am especially impressed by your analysis of the "ghetoo model of capitalism." I know that crime can be seductive when your future otherwise would most likely consist of minimum wage jobs. Again, this points to education being the key to turning this phenomenon around but that alone will not work . . . unless a young person also has been given a moral compass and a set of values wh/ propels him/her to work hard and get that education. Again, that is what needs to be addressed in Charlotte - the WHY behind kids dropping out of school.

As I have written on many other threads . . . we need to get to the place in this city where we can discuss the issues in a rational manner - TOWARDS FINDING SOLUTIONS!!!!! We need to stop w/ the finger pointing and blame shifting - and semantics.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by metro.m

I still don't get how you guys think Raleigh is getting some wonderful transportation budget. Raleigh is just a neglected as Charlotte! Drive on our freeways here. You'll be begging to go back home. Neither of these cities are getting their fair share. Don't lump Raleigh in with the rest of eastern NC. Especially considering the fact they are two distinctly different social and cultural areas. The good ol boys of NC hate both of these cities. According to the rhetoric, both cities are filled with city slickers, yankees, and heathens. Just because politicians gather here does not necessarily mean they live here... Sheesh. This is more of an issue of rural vs urban funding. Plain and simple.

I would love to form some kind of think tank to take back our state. There are too many corrupt politicians in this state. Corruption has almost become a way of life in the state legislature.

As for your final paragraph, I wholeheartedly agree. Very well written.

Well, geeeez, metro - that is what I was trying to do w/ this thread. Can't we just have a discussion w/o the peripheral rhetoric and stone throwing?

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by metro.m

I still don't get how you guys think Raleigh is getting some wonderful transportation budget. Raleigh is just a neglected as Charlotte! Drive on our freeways here. You'll be begging to go back home. Neither of these cities are getting their fair share. Don't lump Raleigh in with the rest of eastern NC. Especially considering the fact they are two distinctly different social and cultural area. The good ol boys of NC hate both of these cities. According to the rhetoric, both cities are filled with city slickers, yankees, and heathens. Just because politicians gather hear does not necessarily mean they live here... Sheesh. This is more of an issue of rural vs urban funding. Plain and simple.

I would love to form some kind of think tank to take back our state. There are too many corrupt politicians in this state. Corruption has almost become a way of life in the state legislature.

As for your final paragraph, I wholeheartedly agree. Very well written.

metro.m - It's all relative! If I were giving out grades for highways, I'd give Raleigh a "C" and Charlotte a "D". It's just that from a Charlottean's point of view, that "C" looks sooo... good. It's the state that has too much say in the running and financing of NC cities. I say both Raleigh and Charlotte need to keep more of the money they generate and spend it as they see fit!

[anifani821]

Well, it is not as simple as just saying "Raleigh" (the city) is getting more infrastructure money than is Charlotte. THe problem is that legislators are funding projects in areas w/ less dramatic needs than we have here in CLT. I was never referring to Raleigh as a city - but rather as the state capitol. The whole point of this thread was to discuss how Charlotte gets the shaft b/c DEMS control the legislature - use project $$$ to pay back political favors - and give CLT the shaft, even tho we are the biggest contributors to the state's tax coffers.

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

metro.m - It's all relative! If I were giving out grades for highways, I'd give Raleigh a "C" and Charlotte a "D". It's just that from a Charlottean's point of view, that "C" looks sooo... good. It's the state that has too much say in the running and financing of NC cities. I say both Raleigh and Charlotte need to keep more of the money they generate and spend it as they see fit!

Raleigh doesn't have lighting on the freeways, HOV's, express lanes (ie Capital blvd), updated signage, etc. Raleigh's freeways are a D- for sure. You can travel to much smaller cities, that have much better transportation systems than we do. Charlotte is behind for a city it's size, but at least you guys have those basic amenities. Sometimes I hate living here because of the self loathing leadership. There's one thing Charlotte can be proud of. You guys have a very good city government. Raleigh's city government is shiftless and lack the ambition of a tree stump.

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Well, geeeez, metro - that is what I was trying to do w/ this thread. Can't we just have a discussion w/o the peripheral rhetoric and stone throwing?

We can have that discussion.

You know NC's Governor ticket reminded me of that Richard Pryor movie, Brewster Millions. NONE OF THE ABOVE!

I'm just a typical family man, without any public high profile experience, but something must be done to stop this highway to nowhere nonsense.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by metro.m

Raleigh doesn't have lighting on the freeways, HOV's, express lanes (ie Capital blvd), updated signage, etc. Raleigh's freeways are a D- for sure. You can travel to a much smaller cities, that have much better transportation systems than we do. Charlotte is behind for a city it's size, but atleast you guys have those basic amenities. Sometimes I hate living here because of the self loathing leadership. There's one thing Charlotte can be proud of. You guys have a very good city government. Raleigh's city government is shiftless and lack the ambition of a tree stump.

I dunno, metro. Our county commissioners have made some poor decisions w/ land development, IMO.

What needs to happen is for this state to get UNITED and kick the jerks out of the GA who are misappropriating funds as political paybacks.

We are very very frustrated here in this region b/c we send our tax dollars to the state and then can't get the budgeting to move ahead. We have highways w/o lighting here, too! McCrory tried to address that and got nowhere - the state's answer - too expensive. There are places in CLT that look downright seedy b/c of lack of signage and highway lighting.

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by metro.m

Raleigh doesn't have lighting on the freeways, HOV's, express lanes (ie Capital blvd), updated signage, etc. Raleigh's freeways are a D- for sure. You can travel to much smaller cities, that have much better transportation systems than we do. Charlotte is behind for a city it's size, but at least you guys have those basic amenities. Sometimes I hate living here because of the self loathing leadership. There's one thing Charlotte can be proud of. You guys have a very good city government. Raleigh's city government is shiftless and lack the ambition of a tree stump.

Some of the remarks you made about Raleigh are emminently applicable to Charlotte as well. The lighting along some of the highways around Charlotte is slim to none. One rainy night driving home on 485, I had to wonder whether I was still actually on the road. I couldn't even see the lines! The signs are confusing and few and far between! Hey, maybe Charlotte and Raleigh can join together annex the roadway between the two and form a new state! Without those two, the rest of the state would probably "starve" for lack of revenue!

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by anifani821

I dunno, metro. Our county commissioners have made some poor decisions w/ land development, IMO.

What needs to happen is for this state to get UNITED and kick the jerks out of the GA who are misappropriating funds as political paybacks.

We are very very frustrated here in this region b/c we send our tax dollars to the state and then can't get the budgeting to move ahead. We have highways w/o lighting here, too! McCrory tried to address that and got nowhere - the state's answer - too expensive. There are places in CLT that look downright seedy b/c of lack of signage and highway lighting.

I've noticed that same trend since high school (no lighting). I guess more pedestrian and motor vehicle deaths, are a small price to pay too keep money in their pockets.

I definitely empathize with Charlotteteans, but trust me, Raleighites are just as frustrated. Numerous people die on our freeways, while rural politicians who have no clue how to run large cities, send our money to their own little pet projects.