Soccer Dad

We're #2 - but with a *

Meryl Yourish is celebrating the naming of her city, Richmond VA, as the fifth most deadly city in the country. Fittingly she hopes to save Richmond money so the city doesn't blow $500,000 on a new "brand" and helpfully provided some useful slogans to draw new residents to Richmond:

Richmond:

• We’re not the murder capital of America yet, but we’re trying!


• What do you mean, the war is over? We’re not finished shooting down here!


• Who cares about crime? We’re building a new baseball stadium!


• Gas prices too high for you? Bring your car to Richmond. We’ll take care of it.

Of course those 5 and 6 rankings only applies to all metro areas. For cities of 500,000 or more Baltimore is now #2, passing Washington DC to challenge Detroits supremacy as the most violent large city in America!

Of course with Tim Kaine, former mayor of Richmond's recent triumph as governor of Virginia it must hearten Baltimore's Mayor O'Malley. (To be fair, Kaine isn't the immediate past mayor of Richmond; the past 4 years he's been the Lt. Gov. of the state.) If presiding over a crime ridden city and failing to improve the situation is a springboard for higher political office, O'Malley may be in luck.

The Washington Post has been enthusiastic about Timothy Kaine's victory in Virginia's gubernatorial election. A Nov 12 editorial states:

It turns out that Virginians prefer politicians focused on problem-solving -- on education, transportation, health care and other issues that touch daily life. Think of it as the triumph of governance over politics.

If Martin O'Malley beats Doug Duncan for the Democratic nomination in Maryland next year, how will the Post then endorse O'Malley over Governor Ehrlich? Will they really be able to trumpet his "governance" as an asset? (In fairness to O'Malley, he inherited a disaster from his predecessor. However O'Malley promised to change things for the better. He has indeed improved the city a little, but the city's crime problem - as evidenced by its high murder rate - is still major. One gets the impression that he ran for mayor more to gain a platform for higher office, than to improve the city.)

Following Meryl's lead, let me present my mottos for Baltimore:

• Detroit's #1 but we're moving up - with a bullet!


• #3 in STD's. #2 in violent crime. Who says that we're losers?

Technorati Tags: Martin O'Malley, crime,Baltimore.