What They Didn't Debate
Urban issues such as poverty and crime got no attention in Wednesday night's presidential debate.
What They Didn't Debate
John Baer, Daily News Political Columnist
A couple areas in Wednesday night’s presidential debate of import to cities such as Philadelphia were completely overlooked.
I understand the debate focus was the general economy, but lost in the flurry of economic numbers was any mention of urban issues.
No real reference to urban poverty. Philadelphia is one of the poorest cities in America with a poverty rate of 26.7 percent, according to U.S. Census figures.
No real reference to gun violence. Philadelphia, among the nation’s 10 largest cities, has the highest homicide rate (the result of gun violence), according to FBI statistics.
I suppose the politics behind this is obvious: the Obama camp feels it need do nothing to win urban America; the Romney camp knows it can do nothing to win urban America.
This plays to a point often noted by Republicans disgusted with crime and poverty in big cities and Republicans interested in making political inroads in cities.
That point is this: the poor and most urbanites repeatedly, consistently vote Democratic and yet the problems of the poor and many urbanites always remain the same.
I suppose the Democratic argument is both poverty and crime would be far worse under GOP governance since, presumably, social programs aimed at combating the former in hopes of reducing the latter would be eviscerated if Republicans run the show.
Still. Be nice to hear such arguments played out as part of a presidential debate. But then people and the public good would be served -- rather than the politics of the moment, and the reach by both candidates to capture middle-class independent undecided voters.
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Your view of the debate? Comments (21)
Who to believe when politicians think the microphone or video is turned off? Romney and the 47% remark or Obama telling Putin that he can tell him a different story (from the one he is lying about to voters) after the election?— joedog- When losing, change the topic! LOL!— JGD84
There was no talk on the stalled farm (ie, Rural) bill either.
The battle is for the White Suburban Female vote.— Cuddles- "Right to be Heard" I do believe that John is coming from a liberal viewpoint, but I also think he understands that competition from two parties for the urban vote is good for democracy-- just like in Philadelphia.
I'm a lifelong Republican and I don't want to see my party become irrelevant. I'm for limited government, not no government. I'm for responsible spending, not no spending. The Tea Party is a movement best meant for rural people who have no need of government services, folks who are unable to understand what city and suburban people need. And what do we need? Good police. Good schools. Good roads. Dependable transit. Reasonable taxes. Common-sense regulation. Decent jobs that don't require masters degrees.
If the GOP wants to make inroads in our urban areas, these are the things they need to stump for. Responsible Government. They need to stop spending $$ on welfare, start spending $$ on transportation, and cut tax rates on manufacturing. The GOP can offer urban/suburban folks things without giving them welfare. People aren't always smart, but they're smart enough to think about more than just freebies when deciding on who to vote for.— everydayguy - I've said it once, I've said it a million times, the fact that black voters in particular and urban voters in general refuse to even give the GOP the time of day has had dire consequences for these communities. Why? because no one is going to do anything for an implacable opponent. In a lot areas around the country, there are localized forms of democrats or republicans who may not be the same party as most of their constituents by represent them well and are able to ensure their communities are not ignored by their party. The refusal of black and urban voters to consider the fact that competition for their votes is a good thing for the black community is a huge reason why there is no GOP urban policy.— Northeaster
- Romney did mention the radical expansion of food stamps under Obama's new loosening.Republicans know, in America's cities, max food purchases are made by people now "qualifying"They provided perfectly well for themselves and their families under the tighter rules.The food is then returned for cash refund or the food is bartered away for cash or drugs.I know a whole house in Germantown like this.
The same with the Cleveland cell phone abuse You-tube video that went viral last week , involving 30 and 40 cell phones per household.This year it was a $1 billion US taxpayer bill for the monthly bills, called there "Obamaphones" and the subject of Republican congressional legislation.
Romney knows these frauds, allowing stealing of the taxpayers money, are resented by the American people.They poison the proper role of the Feds in our cities and with deserving urban poor and city issues.They maximize mistrust of legitimate city proposals, coming from honest sources, intending and capable of truly delivering the goods.In short, Obama has encouraged the psychopaths to hide among the poor and exploit the system. Obama's policies, to get Democrat votes, including these societal criminals, are poisoning the waters that the deserving city poor must drink, metaphorically speaking.
Romney and a Republican US Senate will get us to sensible Federal sustaining of all who truly deserve it. The extra blood-suckers will be forced elsewhere.Honest city people will be trusted again with what taxpayers sweated to pay in, in a Romney inspired Federal approach.Honest cities and their citizens will see better Federal cooperation with the bad guys gone.
By the way, this is the same reason Philadelphia has so much trouble with Harrisburg and the State government.The boondocks people are not fools to throw good money after bad.— penllynjohn - everydayguy, I see your point , but contend that John is trying to spread the manure that was laid over a period of 60 plus years by the democrat machine. It would take an unprecedented Marshall Plan Xs 1000 for the president and the congress to correct the situation AFTER confronting the real issues which led to the decay in almost every urban city.
In an overly too politically correct, multi-cultural society, "causal" is persona non grata, unless its tied to minority causes. Politicians on both sides of the aisle(one party for convenience and the other for retribution and labeling) are simply unwilling to even broach the topic. Instead of examining how quickly things deteriorated and why deterioration was lightening quick in urban america, they'd rather concentrate on euphemisms such as "infrastructure." We've seen the consequences of placing poor, in particular, minority poor into new buildings. We've seen how once beautiful cities were turned into graffiti-ridden carcasses in a short period of time.
One way to accomplish reurbanization? "Relocation!" That's how Society Hill, Lombard Street, etal succeeded in becoming affluent areas, while the once safe but distant Northeast is becoming a high crime area. Unfortunately, there's only so much land to absorb the displaced.— Right To Be Heard - Some good points but I don’t think Republicans have the stomach to trade votes for more benefits and government spending in order to court city dwellers. What more could they possibly offer to the entitled than the Democratic Party has already ladled out… free college, amnesty for illegals, and forgiveness for all mortgages? The party of bigger government and the party of small government are worlds apart due to the demands of their respective constituents. The only way to ever bring them together is to somehow decouple votes from government jobs, favors and benefits. I don’t see that happening any time soon given the entrenched interests. I see Detroit as the model for most large cities which will have dire consequences for our country let alone the Republican Party.— Fillzee
- I'm defending John here for a chance. His overall point is an important one-- why don't candidates talk about urban issues? Not issues of entitlement or welfare or even gun control, because those are tired. I'm talking about economic development, highways and subways, and redevelopment. Our metro regions and big cities are the backbone of the American economy, not some farm fields out in Kansas. If our cities and suburbs are left to rot, it's only a matter of time before our national economy does, too. What are these guys going to do to overcome local idiocy help bring businesses back to our cities? With 3/4 of Americans living in urban areas, Republicans better start making inroads with urban voters, or in 20 years they'll be a permanent minority party.— everydayguy
- John, Good try but let's face it, this particular piece is nothing more than a liberal columnist's attempt to avoid what really went on last night. It's somewhat reminiscent of how democrats reacted (or failed to react) after losing the 2010 election to republicans.
Last night, Obama was taken to the wood shed. Yes, it's only the first of three debates, but those of us who've played baseball know how important it is for a pitcher to throw a first pitch strke.
Better yet, let the games continue: Ryan versus LIAR LIAR ! Romney used the word "fun" to describe the challenges of answering pointed questions. Imagine when Joe,LIAR LIAR, Biden begins his inimitable act. The question democrats are sweating is, how long will it take the plagiarizer to fall victim to non-scripted commentary? Who will he embarrass by misplaced analogies and rambling home boy recollections? How well will LIAR handle Ryan's direct attacks against his scripted obfuscation? How long before Joe commits the expected faux pas? Let the fun continue!— Right To Be Heard - Compare Philadelphia with NYC, the city sometimes considered as a rival: Where New York City would have been without the Guiliani administration? Having through a slimy Times Square as an 18-year-old in 1978, then walking through the square again with 3 pre-teen children in 2002 after it returned to "Crossroads of the World" status, the difference is astonishing. Had NYC elected "yet another D", nothing would have changed: Helpless, poor economy, inability to pay its own bills, no respect, dangerous, dirty, foul, and slimy. Philly periodically begins picking itself up only to lay its head back down in the gutter again, courtesy of succeeding generations of crooked politicitians in a one-party city. Wake Up and vote 'em all out! The Corrupt R's needed a clean sweep in the 1950s, the Corrupt D's need this same sweep in 2010s.— factcheck
- "appointed commissioners...."— Right To Be Heard
- Killadelphia only, John? You opened the door, so why not get real, confront your guilt and fess up that It's part and parcel of not only Killy but all of urban amerika.
It's Obama who's been president since 1/20/09. A compassionate Romney did him a favor by staying on point and not attacking Obama's "other" failure.
It's now out in the open for all to see, John- the great society policies of a bygone era were not all that great! Liberal strategy of throwing billions of taxpayer bucks toward poverty zones in order to accomplish "social change" failed miserably. What the now not-so-great society did accomplish was building an intended political base, one soley dependent on others. Strict enforcement to curb abuses succumbed to feeding the honey pot in order to create a tiered economic class of dependency hacks whose job it is to maintain the sub-class. And, John, who are the dependency hacks? They're the mayors, council folks, hand pointed commissioners, department heads whose main job is to preserve the status quo!— Right To Be Heard - Like the economy and Obama's economic record, the Democrats would not truly like to defend 50 years of Democrat rule in major urban centers in the USA. Both are dismal records of mismanagement and failure.— joedog
- The last thing that Obama wants to do is bring up the abject failure of years of unchecked democratic policies that plays out daily in urban America.— jfar86
- Philadelphias' condition is hardly subject for debate. If placed before the candidates, they would both agree on all points about it. Dems cannot defend a failure and republicans could not undo 60 years of bad government, not in four years. Hercules cleaned the Augean stables of 30 years of dung. The job in Philly involves 60 years. Not even Hercules could clean this mess.— DonQ
- You get what you vote for and you deserve what you get. Philadelphia and other large cities vote straight Entitlecrat and now they can enjoy the benefits. Perhaps Romney realizes that those people will NEVER vote for a Republican and thereby directs his attention to those who can still think for themselves and make intelligent decisions based on facts. Only Democrats would waste their time courting city voters at least until the election is over. Then, it is monkey business as usual.
— Fillzee 
Comment removed.- I pull the "I" lever. I am pro-choice and have no problem with gays (non-issues). I think carefully before I vote which is more than I can say for most who blindly vote Democrat like you and your fellow city dwellers. Last time I voted for Obama, this time I am 100% behind Romney. Both parties lie and distort the facts. Unfortunately for Obama, facts speak volumes this time. He has a clear record of failure and it is out there for all who care to actually look! Obama is the first absolutely clueless president we have ever had. He makes Bush look competent which is an incredible feat. — Fillzee
- Go back and check your "facts." Obama saved Americans from bread lines and a financial crisis caused by failed RepubliCon policies that this boob plans to double down on. You're not an independent. You're in the bag.
- Yes John. Race bait. Go ahead.— Lttim76(2)
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About this blog
John Baer has been covering politics and government for the Daily News since 1987. The National Journal in 2002 called Baer one of the country's top 10 political journalists outside Washington, saying Baer has, "the ability to take the skin off a politician without making it hurt too much." E-mail John at baerj@phillynews.com.
John is the author of the book "On The Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-Five Years of Keystone Reporting" (The History Press, 2012). Reach John at baerj@phillynews.com.
John Baer
Daily News Political Columnist
John is the author of the book "On The Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-Five Years of Keystone Reporting" (The History Press, 2012). Reach John at baerj@phillynews.com.
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