tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148895566137990424.post3897569765931606415..comments2024-01-29T21:57:46.033+00:00Comments on Sociology in My Neighborhood: DC Ward Six: Washington DC as Global CityJohanna Bockmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08212564448840979369noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148895566137990424.post-65850231976028369822013-07-05T08:14:48.209+01:002013-07-05T08:14:48.209+01:00Sf has the higheest minimum wage in the americas. ...Sf has the higheest minimum wage in the americas. We have also had city wide free health care for years. Also we have the best rent control in the country. We help our poor controversly bettet then any municipality in the Americas. So don't bad mouth us because your city sucks<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148895566137990424.post-77946015580936073782012-11-02T06:07:32.012+00:002012-11-02T06:07:32.012+00:00Good post Johanna. The concepts of revanchism and ...Good post Johanna. The concepts of revanchism and and poor as polluting are central (and ignored) aspects of explaining the social and spatial forms that we see in many different kinds of ‘world class’ and aspiring world class cities. Ironically (at least superficially) the vanguard cities in this respect are ostensibly liberal ones (e.g. the anti-homeless ordinances in San Francisco and Berkeley, stop and frisk in New York), but the phenomena is truly global. In many cities of the global South, it is the middle class that is often the most viciously anti-poor. They are intimately connected there in ways that produce a particularly ugly politics, but the assaults on the poor in liberal US cities is really no different.tony shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05438137287521604000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148895566137990424.post-45229597131159247312012-10-31T18:12:51.324+00:002012-10-31T18:12:51.324+00:00You're right to note that DC has attracted a l...You're right to note that DC has attracted a lot of money from international investors. However, much of that money is invested in securitized Class A commercial real estate downtown, not properties on H Street NE. H Street, Barracks Row, etc., just attract creative class professional residents, but not international real estate investment.<br /><br />Also, you're right to note that "the creative classes demand 'unique,' 'authentic,' 'local' experiences." However, you also say that many of these restaurants are owned by international investors. Can you give a few examples of such places here in DC? There are local chains like Clyde's Restaurant Group, but I doubt they've received any investment from Tokyo financiers.<br /><br />Also, you write, "The reorientation of city politicians and elites toward global investors and the globally oriented creative classes seems to distract them from the needs of low-income constituents." <br /><br />I'm not sure I agree with that. In fact, 61% ($5.71 billion) of the FY 2013 DC budget goes to human services and public education, budget categories that are overwhelmingly consumed by lower-income residents.<br /><br />Secondly, I would argue that appealing to global investors and servicing the needs of low-income residents are complementary. Small jurisdictions need wealth so they can tax the wealth and redistribute it to poorer residents through various services. Without taxable wealth, social services would barely exist.Erichttp://leftforledroit.comnoreply@blogger.com