Democrats Own Urban Despair

Writing for the Chicago Tribune, John Kass echoes some of what Donald Trump said in Charlotte, concerning the Democrats' responsibility for the plight of the urban poor.

Institutions have broken down. Generations of black families have been shattered by the welfare state. We've created government systems that maintain human beings in poverty and ignorance so that politicians can count on their votes. And that is a crime against morality.

What isn't discussed enough when riots happen and neighborhoods burn is the one thing most common to all these decaying urban tinderboxes. They're run by Democrats.

Baltimore is a Democratic city, Milwaukee is a Democratic city, Chicago, Detroit, and on and on. This is a most inconvenient truth. This is what binds them.

For decade after decade, Democrats have controlled policy and politics in the broken cities. This is the proof of Democratic success.

The broken schools have been run by Democrats for decades. The broken institutions are run by Democrats. The political corruption in these cities is Democratic corruption.

Those who suffer the most from broken urban policy are those who are told that Democrats are the only ones who can protect them. Protect them from what? Poverty, violence, joblessness and bad schools?

As Trump famously said to poor black voters, "Why not try something different? What the hell do you have to lose?"