Thursday, September 06, 2007

Is Los Angeles Broken?

Good question. And so soon after my little birthday post. My short answer is that it's not broken, but it's breaking. That no one local politician or major local media outlet stood up and publicly asked WTF -- why is our power going out in an all-too predictable summer heat wave in late August/early September is astounding.

That it takes me an hour to drive 10 miles on city streets is astounding. That the car tax that supports mass transit was slashed is astounding. That gas tax that supports mass transit has been diverted is astounding. That the long-running criminally operated public hospital -- mlk -- was finally shut down is astounding. Schools, graffiti, crime and on and on...

Yet, I'm still hopeful. As citizens, we have a voice and we need to hold our leaders not just accountable but force them to suck it up and do what's right for our communities. Sometimes that won't make them more electable. I thought politicians got into the whole thing for the greater good. They're still out there. Some of them, anyway, and they can use our encouragement.

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