Ready for Cleveland?

"Many people refer to Cleveland and being "the mistake by the lake". And for good reason."

As we know, the RNC is having their convention this year in Cleveland. Cleveland? Really? Is that the best the RNC could do? And how much do we know about Cleveland today? First off, the crime rate is sky high. In 2011, CNN Money listed Cleveland as one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Murder is high, robbery is high, everything.

Cleveland is politically a blue city. The past 25 years have seen Democrat Mayors run the town. And the town is shrinking. Cleveland and New Orleans are two of the fastest shrinking towns in the country. Cleveland has about half the population it had in 1948. Why? Simple - it is in the rust belt. Industries and jobs have gone bye-bye, never to return. And what has rushed into that vacuum to take the place of all those jobs? Not much.

Many people refer to Cleveland and being "the mistake by the lake". And for good reason. I know from having a customer located right outside of Cleveland, I never looked forward to my trips there. It may have been a shining city in a growing America at one time, but it is close to a pit right now. It has become a perfect storm for a high crime rate. No jobs, little opportunity, and no place to go. It is a city typical of our rust belt cities who cannot seem to move forward into new industries. 

I understand that the choice came down to between Dallas and Cleveland. And for reasons unknown to me, Cleveland was picked by the RNC. I have been to Dallas many times. I would take that city in a New York minute over Cleveland. But, it is what it is. The convention will happen in Cleveland, in July, and hopefully it will be peaceful. I know there has been talk of a "days of rage" event similar to Chicago in 1968. I sure hope not.

Someday when we get a business minded President with some imagination, maybe our rust belt cities can get a glimmer of hope. All we can  offer then right now is a hand out. What they need is a hand up. Good jobs, offering good opportunities. And no city needs it more right now than Cleveland.