Philadelphia: Stuck In Mediocrity
Philadelphia did it again.
The city, incomprehensibly, managed to bungle the pinnacle of its Fourth of July celebration, instead setting off fireworks of a vastly different sort.
Revelers had endured a rainy night as they listened to the musical acts on the Parkway, but stuck it out in anticipation of the tremendously popular fireworks show that was sure to follow.
Except that it did not follow…it was apparently canceled due to “weather”. People were told to clear the area and go home. While this was a disappointing development, some times things happen you just can’t control.
Here’s the rub:
The organizers said that the fireworks were never “officially” canceled, and lit them off a half-hour later, completely disregarding those who had braved the elements waiting for the show. Why? Obviously for the benefit of the six people at home who happened to be watching Channel 6 at 11:30, expecting the fireworks show.
Admittedly, I’m not very smart, but clearing the area and sending people packing would seem like a “cancellation” edict to me.
So there you have it— another opportunity for Philadelphians to be extremely frustrated at their city’s lack of competence and foresight, and yet more fodder for everyone else in the nation to laugh at us.
It all adds to the perception—quite accurately— that Philadelphia is simply dysfunctional. If the fireworks debacle were just an isolated incident, it would be forgotten. Mistakes happen. But it’s just the latest chapter in the extremely long book of Philly’s woes.
What other city bombs its own citizens’ houses, destroying an entire city block in a spectacular (and internationally broadcast) firestorm? Name another metropolis that feels compelled to set up a criminal court in the bowels of its sports stadium, to arraign fans on the spot. How about our airport? The congestion and delays are one thing, but to see hundreds of cars lined up on I-95 and other roadways waiting to pick up passengers, because the city cannot find a way to build an accommodating parking lot? That’s safe.
Speaking of airports, the first impression that foreign visitors have of Philadelphia is having to fork over cash just to use a luggage cart, many of which don’t work properly. And good luck trying to get the cart released after depositing your money—that system malfunctions quite frequently.
While other cities have their share of corruption, can any really top Philadelphia after the Mayor’s office was bugged and he turns it into a winning racial issue?
The Convention Center is a bust because of the extortion-like hold the unions have over the city. Rather than attracting more conventions to the city, and with them more business, people, money—and tax revenue—, the city continues to lag far behind other cities with far less to offer. Just ask Pat Sajak of Wheel of Fortune…
Philadelphia hits its citizens and businesses with the highest wage and business taxes in the country, and then wonders why it keeps losing population—and jobs.
And our sports teams? For some, making the playoffs is a once-in-a-decade event. But winning a championship? Call it crazy, but there is a pervasive track record in Philadelphia that seems to make that goal all but impossible. What other city has ever had a nationally-televised football game canceled because of the condition of its…artificial playing field? And no other team in all of professional sports history has ever had 10,000 losses— except our Phils. Is it any wonder why top-line players don’t want to play in Philadelphia? Fancy new digs paid for with taxpayer money is nice, but it’s takes a lot more than that to bring home the Gold.
Remember, Philadelphia has not one but two major river systems, yet has done squat to adequately develop either. Contrast this with the spectacular Riverwalk in San Antonio, where the river is so small and shallow that they drain it periodically to “clean”. The sad reality is that Philadelphia could be a world-class international city, but its provincial attitude and lack of vision prevent this from occurring. Competing for the Olympics seemed more an effort to convince us that we weren’t dead rather than to realistically show the world what we could offer.
How to break the cycle?
It is an immensely tall order, and without sounding overly futile, it calls for a bold leader not afraid to call attention to the severe problems we face, with no regard to “re-election”. The irony is that if our next Mayor happens to adhere to such a strategy, he will be overwhelmingly sent back to City Hall with the largest of margins.
The city’s thirst for achieving greatness again is unquenchable. We need a leader to show us the way out of the desert.
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