Posts Tagged ‘Philadelphia’

Philly: A Soros’ surrogate faces blowback

Posted: September 20, 2022 by chrisharper in crime
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By Christopher Harper

As crime in Philadelphia rages out of control, one of George Soros’ key legal eagles is facing increasing fallout, including from some Democrats.’

Bought and paid for by Soros, Larry Krasner is the district attorney for Philadelphia. As such, he has the worst record of bringing criminals to justice.

The state legislature recently convened a committee to investigate Krasner and his office and even issued a subpoena to have him testify.

But Krasner has refused to comply with the subpoena, calling it “illegal,” “anti-democratic,” and “wholly illegitimate.”

All five committee members formed to investigate Krasner’s actions— three Republicans and two Democrats — voted to hold Krasner in contempt for ignoring the subpoena. When the motion reached the floor of the House, the result was also a bipartisan condemnation of the district attorney. The chamber voted 162 to 38 to hold him in contempt, which included the votes of 10 Democratic members from Philadelphia.

Krasner faces the possibility of impeachment and conviction for failing to enforce illegal gun charges and letting other criminals off easy.

But there’s more. U.S. District Court Judge Mitchell Goldberg ordered Krasner to apologize personally to the family of a murder victim.

How did Krasner respond? Spokesperson Jane Roh told the press that they “strongly disagree with Judge Goldberg’s ruling and are evaluating our options.”

But there’s even more. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which Democrats control, recently criticized Krasner. In a 4-2 decision, the court attacked Krasner for his attempt to recast laws concerning the use of deadly force by police officers.

Justice Kevin Dougherty, a well-connected Democrat, wrote that Krasner appears to be ‘driven by a win-at-all-cost office culture’ that treats police officers differently than other criminal defendants. This is the antithesis of what the law expects of a prosecutor.”

Other progressive prosecutors face the same blowback around the country, as a bipartisan consensus has emerged that stopping crime is an essential part of the job. In a recall election, Chesa Boudin was ousted by San Franciscans, and George Gascon narrowly avoided a vote in Los Angeles.

Such recall elections do not exist in Pennsylvania. Here, impeachment is the only option.

I hope the state legislature, which fortunately has a Republican majority, will convince even more Democrats that Krasner has got to go.

Slouching toward Philadelphia

Posted: July 19, 2022 by chrisharper in crime
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By Christopher Harper

It’s only been about a month since 73-year-old James Lambert Jr. died–one of the most disturbing murders in Philadelphia’s violent history.

But his death has almost faded from the media coverage and the public conscience as other brutal crimes continue in the City of Brotherly Love.

Here are the pertinent facts: surveillance video shows a teen hoisting a traffic cone above his head before striking Lambert. Then, a girl in her stocking feet with a pair of sunglasses atop her head can be seen retrieving the cone and appears to do the same thing. It looks as if she strikes the older man not once but twice. Another child seems to be holding up a phone to videotape what is happening as another rides his scooter. 

Lambert died while walking in a neighborhood about a mile from Temple University, where I worked for many years. 

Two “children”—a 14-year-old boy and girl—have been charged with murder for killing Lambert with a traffic cone that struck him in the head.

Back in the day, “the neighbors were the village. They policed you. They parented. They would tell your parents if they saw you doing something that you weren’t supposed to do, and before they told your parents, they would say something to you. You really couldn’t get away with a lot,” Christine Brown, director of community services for Beech Companies and who grew up near where the attack took place, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Things are just different. Children don’t speak to their seniors, and seniors are afraid to live in their own community, and that’s sad.”

“Back in the day” was a long time ago. Maybe the early 1960s? Since that time, Philadelphia has become a mess, mainly because Democrats have led the city to the brink of despair and disparity. 

Philadelphia isn’t much different from a lot of cities. The school system is bankrupt, and a new superintendent seems more interested in an “anti-racist” curriculum than a formula for learning.

The police chief has neutered her officers.

The district attorney is a George Soros post child.

The mayor has given up even though he has a year left in his term.

The only change after Lambert’s death is a new curfew. Those aged 17 and younger must be indoors and off the streets by 10 p.m.; those 13 and younger must be home by 9:30.

If the schools don’t teach children much, the police chief and district attorney don’t enforce the law, and the mayor has given up, I find it unlikely a curfew, which won’t be enforced, will change Philadelphia’s slide toward anarchy.

A school superintendent who emphasizes learning may make a difference, but school vouchers would be a better solution.

A change in the attitudes of the police hierarchy and the prosecutor would make a difference. 

A new mayor—preferably a Republican—also might make a difference. The Democrats have run the city since 1952, and maybe 1952 was “back in the day” when times were, in fact, better.

Bye, bye, Philly!

Posted: March 29, 2022 by chrisharper in Uncategorized
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By Christopher Harper

Philadelphia lost more than 25,000 residents from 2020 to 2021, the largest exodus from the city since 1975.

While politicians and social scientists scratch their heads over the decline, I find it appalling that it took a pandemic for people to realize how bad Philadelphia has become.

Democrat Mayor Jim Kinney locked the city for nearly two years, bankrupting businesses both small and large. Hospitals became almost solely the home for those dying of COVID while many patients couldn’t get essential surgeries, which meant more people died last year in the city than were born.

He actually hired a police chief named Outlaw—Danielle Outlaw. She has managed to oversee the largest number of officers retiring from the force because she doesn’t have their backs.

The city elected Larry Krasner, a card-carrying member of George Soros’s leftist vision, as district attorney.

As a result of this triumvirate, more people have been murdered in Philadelphia so far this year than last year, which ended with a record 562 homicides.

My wife and I joined the exodus a year ago after Black Lives Matter demonstrators frolicked through our neighborhood, forcing affluent businesses in our upscale neighborhood to erect plywood and extra security to confront the threat of theft and damage.

In a neck-snapping analysis in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the news organization determined that the flight was caused by several factors: a desire to flee crowded urban centers, a movement of young people back to their parent’s homes, and a need for more green space.

It’s clear that the news organization hadn’t paid attention to its own reporting. People were afraid to go out on the streets for fear they would be mugged or murdered.

After a high-profile murder near Temple University, parents hired private protection for their kiddies because they thought the university police force, the second largest in the state, couldn’t keep their loved ones safe.

Philadelphia is not alone. New York lost nearly 400,000 residents. Los Angeles saw more than 200,000 people leave. Washington stood at a net loss of more than 60,000.

What do these cities all have in common? Democrats run them!

Going up the country

Posted: April 20, 2021 by chrisharper in Uncomfortable Truths
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By Christopher Harper

After living in Philadelphia for the past 15 years, it’s difficult for me not to look at the news there.

Unfortunately, almost all of the news is bad!

According to the Pew Charitable Trusts’ annual State of the City report, Philadelphia’s average unemployment rate last year trailed only Detroit and Cleveland among 10 major U.S. cities. 

Philadelphia’s average unemployment rate of 12.2% was more than four points above the U.S. average, compared with a difference of less than two points in 2019.

The jobless statistics suggest that Philadelphia faces a more challenging economic situation than similar cities. Washington, for example, had slightly higher unemployment than Philadelphia before the pandemic. But the nation’s capital saw its average jobless rate increase just 2.4 percentage points last year, while Philadelphia’s increased by seven points.

Pew did not explain why Philadelphia fared worse than other cities. But it noted the sectors that helped fuel the city’s resurgence during the last decade — hospitality, restaurants, and arts and culture — shut down early in the pandemic. Philadelphia also faces high poverty rates, lower educational attainment, and other issues.

But there’s more bad news.

The murder rate is headed for an all-time high after reaching the second-highest level in the city’s history only last year when 499 people died.

Another Pew study found that the pandemic hit Philadelphians hard in ways that affect their jobs, economic security, and mental and physical health. See https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2020/10/how-covid-19-has-undercut-philadelphians-physical-and-financial-well-being

After the deaths of civilians at the hands of police and the resulting civil unrest, Philadelphia residents said they feel less safe in their neighborhoods than at any other time in recent memory. 

Only 49% of Philadelphians say they feel safe outside in their neighborhoods at night, the lowest figure Pew has recorded in more than a decade of polling. Typically, the percentage has been in the 55% to 60% range. Blacks and Hispanics said they are less likely to say they feel safe than in past surveys.

More than 40% of Philadelphians say that events related to the pandemic and the demonstrations have made the city a less desirable place to live. Amazingly, about two-thirds of the population said they expect to be living in the city five to 10 years from now. 

Maybe they feel trapped by family or a job. Whatever the case, I feel fortunate that my wife and I could get out of Dodge!