Our Mayor, who art in City Hall...

... hallowed be thy initials?

I return to rag on Mayor R.T. Ryback of Minneapolis. I should confess that I'm an escapee from Minneapolis, fleeing to just over the border in Richfield 3 years ago, in search of affordable housing no longer available in R.T.'s bailiwick. I found it, but not likely for long. Richfield also has delusions of grandeur that us po' folk just don't figure into. High-rise condos for the "have" old folks, clearing spaces for corporations, and "gentrification" are favorites of even once-blue-collar Richfield. It's driven by envy of neighboring Edina and Bloomington, both far more wealthy. So, in fairness to R.T., he's far from alone in this, but as king of the largest city in the state, he sets the tone. The damage city government does to its residents and territory is really the fault of the city council, but again... the mayor sets the tone and drives the rhetoric.

I promised to give R.T. some specific suggestions to improve the city. They won't sound grand like his do, but they'll be comprehensible, which his aren't. While his plans sound like they were issued from the throne above, mine are far more "retro"... undoing the damage of hundreds of people just like R.T.

Learning from the liberals, let me begin with THE CHILDREN. Minneapolis, despite any hype to the contrary, is known for rotten schools. I've listened to suburban kids shocked that Minneapolis schools have metal detectors and cops on duty. My children went to Minneapolis schools (my apologies to them... I couldn't afford better). I've written volumes about education, but if Ryback wants to do anything for the children, fixing that rotten school system should be priority ONE. Yes, he has to deal with the statewide teacher's union and the state education "experts", but the city results are still in his realm, and they stink.

He could insist on streamlining the overbearing city school administration, so that more money gets to the schools. He could fight for more control in each local school... less interference from the beauracracies above. He could insist on fewer politically-correct fluff courses and more useful curriculum. He could hunt for a way to simply evict trouble-makers and make schools a safe place to learn. But, R.T. has a problem I don't have. As a liberal politician, he NEEDS the approval of the teachers onion and the educational powers-that-be in the state capitol.

So... R.T., there is in fact very little you can do to even improve the place Minneapolis kids are forced to spend most of their time, which raises the question "How do you think we can take seriously your goal to 'make sure young people are ready by 21 for "college, career and life'"?

As for your "re-weaving the urban fabric", I suspect I know what you mean, and it damned sure was the city government who ripped that fabric to shreds... so there ARE things you can promote to restore the city to a better place to live.

1. Get the city the hell out of the way, and let people do what they want. Let them build what they want, where they want it, and stop giving "incentives" that coax certain businesses in while driving others away. Eliminate many of the damnable zoning restrictions and expensive regulations that small businesses can't survive under. Stop complicating doing business in the city to the point that only large chains can thrive. Stop planning what needs to go where and what shouldn't be allowed here. It will happen NATURALLY if it makes economic sense, and urban planning can NEVER anticipate what the amalgam of ever-changing citizenry is going to need and want. Planners, take note, are always "haves".

2. Stop catering to the highest bidder at the expense of everyone else. That means eliminating the threat of eminent domain to benefit big developments. It means no more "incentives" to drive some current fad. The problem with selling to the highest bidder is that they won't stay if they get a better offer somewhere else, and they won't stay if a different fad takes control. Do the names "Conservatory" and "St. Anthony on Main" ring a bell? Driving small businesses out in favor of the faddish "loft" apartments won't last long either. Those with excess income will find some new fad to glomb onto... they can afford to get bored easily.

3. Reduce the cost of living in the city. Fight the silly building codes that drive the cost of housing above the reach of most of us. Reduce the cost of schools instead of constantly screaming for more money. Stop throwing big bucks into developments that fail, or are subsidized for decades. Eliminate the zillion regulations that cost each of us time and money to comply with.

4. Stop trying to gentrify the city. Stop nagging people about "stuff" on their own properties. Eliminate the smoking restrictions. Allow small stores to put merchandise on the sidewalk. Get the police off our backs with traffic citations and other silliness and ask them to instead at least do a little investigation after a crime has already been committed.

What liberals never seem to comprehend is that if you truly want to help the "have-nots", you need to stop TRYING to give them a shove, or a crutch, and just reduce the cost of LIVING HERE. Do that, and they'll do the rest by themselves. Every grand plan to help someone ends up helping a few at the expense of everyone else, and drives up the minimum cost of just surviving. The poor don't need your help, they only need a CHANCE to survive and thrive. The poor need a chance to LIVE POOR, and cheap, so they can gradually accumulate some wealth. By constantly driving up the minimum cost of living, liberals have created an ever-increasing gap above the poor that prevents them from making any gains... condemning them to staying where they are... if they're lucky and don't get gentrified away or fall out the bottom completely.

But, of course, the truth is that anyone who can rise to political power in Minnesota has to be a "have", and does NOT really give a whit about the have-nots. They really want them to go away, because poor isn't pretty. Naturally, that isn't something a liberal can openly admit to, so R.T. is their perfect choice... he can sound like he cares while catering to powerful interests behind his back.

Just to add a little perspective here... R.T.'s February "goals" presentation will be held at the Museum of Russian Art, a very classy venue indeed. I volunteer there, and I know what the cost of renting it is. I'm glad the PRIVATE museum gets the revenue, but it illustrates that R.T. and fellow liberals can afford to spend a bundle to impress a few voters.The forum will be on February 28th (Tuesday), from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Museum of Russian Art, 5500 Stevens Av. S. (just off 35W south at the Diamond Lake exit). I urge you to attend, not for the demonstration of "urban re-weaving" doublespeak by R.T., but you'll see a great museum in the process.

The presumptious ego of politics

Have you ever noticed how some people change when they're elected to political office? Most of them were "the guy next door" at some time, with careers to build, families to care for, hobbies, grass to mow, etc... pretty much like the rest of us. There have been exceptions, of course... Bill Clinton decided in high school to become President and never wavered off that course. Several of the Kennedy family were bred, schooled, and pushed to become political animals. But... most sort of slide into politics, running for local office, or working on a citizen action group.

President Harry Truman said "My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician." President's don't talk like that any longer, but Harry went on to add... "And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference." That's what I liked best about Truman; he never took himself too seriously. He did what he thought was neccessary and right, and some of his decisions were awesomely large, but he never developed that god-complex that so many politicians seem to adopt so easily.

Take R.T. Ryback, current Mayor of Minneapolis. Just a few years ago, an unknown man who gained some fame and publicity as head of R.O.A.R., fighting airport noise. He also looks like the current image of a politician. Add in a city political environment with a current black woman mayor who had had some troubles, and R.T. became the Minneapolis Great White Hope, easily elected as the new Mayor.

I'm not competent to judge Ryback's administration since then, but I'm quite comfortable in analyzing what is coming out of his mouth these days. Ryback has developed a rampant case of "grandiositis".

Let me just repeat a few phrases from his ideas for managing the city, which he is prescribing in 3 doses:

January's focus is (was) to "lay the groundwork for the next generation," with the goal of making sure young people are ready by 21 for "college, career and life."

February's revelations will be to will be to "reweave the urban fabric," which the mayor describes as "a sustainable collection of urban villages."

In March he will present how he intends to "close the gaps between the haves and have-nots."

I'm not sure why Ryback didn't include Peace on Earth... maybe he does acknowledge some geographical limit to his realm. Realm is the correct term, obviously, for Ryback doesn't see himself as mayor of a mid-size, so-so city, but as god of, at least, Minnesota.

Make sure young people are ready by 21 for "college, career and life". Not sure what happened to the 3 years of so between high school graduation and age 21. Not sure what he means by "ready" either. What does seem clear is that he sees the lives of young people going on a specific path... college, then career, and, oh yes... life. Wonder what he will do to those young people who don't want to go to college, or even those who don't want to specialize in some "career". Makes me wonder what Ryback sees as his "career". He once was a business consultant of some kind, but being mayor hardly fits into that career.

I can hardly wait to get some clue as to what will be revealed this month, about "reweaving the urban fabric... the sustainable collection of urban villages". I can almost imagine the Ryback at the big loom in his office, putting a new village over here, and one over there. We've watched that sort of weaving for many years... a grand shopping mall downtown (that flopped and cost the city a lot)... the grand riverfront whatchamacallit that was such a flop that I can't even remember the name of it (I remember it was all green)... or the old Fuji-ya sitting abandoned for 15 years... or the great Humphrey inflatable dome that already is totally inadequate. This reweaving is also going to be "sustainable". Doesn't that word just send shivers up your spine? At last, we'll do it right and won't have to change it again. THIS one is going to work. We won't be changing our minds, or our desires, or wishes, or needs... this will be locked in place and sustained, whether you like it or not.

Finally, Ryback will show us how to "close the gaps between the haves and have-nots." Obviously, he knows WHAT the haves have that the have-nots WISH they had but someone is keeping them from getting. Could he be talking about money? Political power? Opportunity? Freedom? Security? Hell... maybe it's all of those... maybe it's "whatever". Maybe it's - if you have it and I want it, the gap should be closed. I should either have more, or you should have less, or both. By most standards, I'm a "have-not"... live in a poor apartment next to railroad tracks, work on a 5-year old computer, and drive a 15-year-old car. I can hardly wait to see what R.T. thinks I should have that I don't. Problem is, R.T., I have what I want, and I'm not willing to do what it takes to get much more. I used to be a "have" but I actually prefer being a "have-not". I'm sure that would shock the mayor, but there are a lot of people like me (and unlike him).

If indeed we're talking about wealth gaps, R.T. and I could add our incomes together and split it down the middle. That would really close that gap. Possibly, I could close another gap between he and I; I could loan him either my first name or middle name, since he doesn't seem to have either. I certainly don't use either one of mine very often.

For those who might be awed by the scope of Ryback's suggestions, he responds "You can move the dial on it," he said. "If we don't do anything, that's a recipe for failure." That's doublespeak, trying to close with something so inspecific that its hard to argue with, but that still might make his proposal sound comprehensible and even feasible to those who just skim it. It sort of means... "well, I can try, but if we don't try, we can't succeed".

I've got news for you, R.T., and for the many liberals who will support you. I've lived in, or next to, Minneapolis for 40 years. If I were to make a list of actions of Minneapolis governments during that time, I would come to the opposite conclusion... PLEASE, PLEASE don't do ANYTHING ELSE. During that time, I've watched the city deliberately drive many thousands of poor people and small businesses (those have-nots) OUT of the city, and sell the space to the highest bidders... corporations and "haves". It has been damned close to "ethnic cleansing". Your "reweaving" will do more of the same, so don't talk to me about "have-nots". There are damned few of us left even near Minneapolis, thanks to grand-scheme liberals like you.

As for your grandiose plan for "saving the children" (which every liberal promise list MUST begin with), I want you to just get the hell out of way and let people set their OWN goals for their children. Just because a family lives in Minneapolis and you happen to temporarily be the Mayor does NOT mean that you're in a position to decide how they should live their lives.

My next commentary will make some suggestions that R.T. COULD run with, that really WOULD make Minneapolis a better place for anyone to live.