In the case of illegal immigration, the foundation was laid by the factory owners and CEOs. As time passed, others got in on the action; from politicians to activist groups to professional holy persons. When all was said and done, most of these profited handsomely, but the city itself was reduced to a hollow shell. Hardworking taxpayers in every socioeconomic stratum footed the bill, and consistently found themselves paying more for less. This, it bears repeating, is why so many of them relocated, which exacerbated the city's decline and inevitable fall.
So, what about those public assistance programs? Will they survive this year's budget? In some way, shape, or form, probably. Consider them a bribe from the councillors for another four years. It's all they have, but it's enough for a satisfactory number of their constituents. Gangsters control most of the streets, the police department is a sham, utilities are distant memories, and English is a thing of the past, but those checks will be dished out, rain or shine, and this is what really matters.
The city represents what was once the American Dream, then the American Nightmare, and finally the America that surpassed fantasies altogether and settled for the conscious state of subsidized failure. It is a prime example of everything wrong with not only the country, but society. Oh, well. That's life.
Article comments
1 - roger nowosielski
A hell of a way to blame corporate or governmental corruption on illegal immigration. If that was you point behind this "series," you surely could have taken a far more direct route. Corruption needs no excuse or pretext, If not illegal immigration, it would be something else.
Your diagnosis as to the effective causes of the fall of the American society is way off. All you're looking for is excuses, something or someone to blame, whereas where you should be looking is within.
2 - Igor
If you are looking to foreign influences that corrupt US society, one would do better to ignore the 'streets', where only about 5% is foreign, and look in the 'suites' where the permissive rules of US incorporation allow foreigners to dominate the boards of the corporations that are permitted to bribe US politicians with so-called 'campaign contributions'. For example, foreigners own 60% of US oil corps, which have spectacular bribe permissions.