Understanding the Third Class City structure in the Commonwealth of Pa is critical to this article. There are 53 Third Class cities (behind Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) all of which have been affected by the decline of industry and the loss of manufacturing since the 80's. Lebanon is a Third Class city. All deal with urban challenges of blight, high poverty rates and higher unemployment rates than their surrounding suburban areas. No one understood the plight of the Third Class City better than Governor Ed Rendell. (2003-2011). His vision was to nurture these smaller urban cores to get them "seeded" with funding and technical assistance to develop their own paths forward.
In your article you highlight the downtown Convention Center, the Clipper Baseball Stadium and the James Street Improvement District. All of these were supported with state funding guided by Governor Rendell. He had a hands on approach with every city, discussing needs with all civic leaders, (like John Fry, the President of F & M at the time), and residents as well as the elected officials regardless of party affiliation. These state funds gave Lancaster as well as the other Third Class cities the boost they needed to forge their own vision.
Unfortunately, subsequent administrations have not had this commitment to our PA Third Class cities but we are thankful to Governor Rendell for his vision and assistance to get us moving on our own.
54
Eh....I think I saw one black women in the photos. Surely the leadership committee was mostly grey haired old guys. I don’t see the whole community involved.
The article reminds me a little of Bush’s “thousand points of light”. I think it amounts to “we are going to flush all the money away on useless wars, so you better light a candle and get used to doing it yourself. “
We need a complete re-evaluation of our fiscal priorities. We need to put education, infrastructure and health care ahead of wars and tax cuts for the super rich. Then we will be doing something real to help build communities.
35
My first thought after seeing that you were paid to do a book talk in Lancaster was the good folks of this fair city were wondering if you had any suggestions on how they might get out of the mess you and the other pro globalization and pro Iraq War set began. With a 50% poverty rate in the inner city I’m not hopeful, other than the cheap housing resulting from the offshoring of industry Im not sure what is attracting folks, you mentioned 13,000 available jobs were those in “ chicken processing” if so that would explain the number of immigrants attracted, its more profitable to do the plucking, with poorly paid, possibly illegal immigrants here in the good old U.S. of A. than ship the chickens back and forth? For a glimpse at Chinese labor that Americans must now compete against one photo in yesterday’s Times spoke a thousand words: the photo was of the Chinese laborers in their dirt floored “dormitory “ in Siri Lanka: yeah globalization is great Friedman, one can only hope that rich journalist/authors can one day be asked to compete on such a level as American and European Labor. Globalization has destroyed America and Europe’s middle class and what it didn’t destroy allocating taxpayers money to bailout banks and wage wars of choice in the Middle East, rather than helping those left behind, will complete America’s race to the bottom. I share none of your enthusiasm for our future but if it makes the limousine liberals feel they’re on the job, that’s nice.
18
Oh my! What a story!
And the photos...oh my!
Such pretty people, all of them. Happy, and clean, and well fed and so, I don't know, white.
And preppy, by and large, except the hot steamin' tattoo babe in the middle. Said in an utterly non-biased, non-sexist, gender-neutral way...it's just who she is, and that's cool, yes?
So, they saved Lancaster. Did a fine job of it.
But who, exactly, did they save it from? And who for?
You hint strongly these people rescued their now-dynamo of a town from Government; Government ineptitude, sloth, corruption maybe.
But it kind of looks like the opposite of that. This was a town in thrall to heedless business focused, properly I guess, on its own survival and unwilling to care for the town where it had lived and prospered.
The people, being Americans, also refused because...not their job.
Like so many once and potentially charming places in our country, Lancaster withered and became progressively suckier.
What changed? It became clear to people that nobody was riding to their aid. Not government they knew, because Republicans. And, to their apparent shock, not business. That had to hurt.
They had the good fortune of proximity to a vibrant Amish area. And Mennonites, if you're into them.
Imagine: whole groups of people who consider themselves, well, groups of people. Or as we say in Social Science, communities. A concept as foreign to America today as moon rocks.
Once Lancaster got that, they were on their way.
22
Absent from the group photo of members of the Hourglass Foundation are members of the two main minority groups, African Americans and Latinos. Everyone in the photo appeared to be white, elderly.Likewise in the street scene 1 does not see a preponderance of persons of color. So how diverse is this town?1 reads the usual chamber of commerce blather about how welcoming LANCASTER is to immigrants, but see no indepth revelations on the effect of immigration on job opportunities for African Americans, who are the main victims of the intake of migrants.Immigrants take jobs, overwhelmingly from African Americans!How many public housing units are there?Author does not tell us!Spouse Juliana would look at the photos, and w/o saying anything, because she is discreet and hides her feelings often, would conclude that it is a city run by "ebrunis," Ashanti word for whites.
7
Excellent to see Lancaster on the upswing.
Where are the Latinos, the emerging leaders, the youth around that table?
10
This is an inspiring paean to Lancaster. The citizens are doing things that are both wonderful and productive. None of which will produce lasting good results without good jobs -- because coffee shops and reconstructed streets and public arts won't keep the high school grads there after they graduate from college, be it F&M, Penn or Penn State, or anywhere else. So I think that all this stuff forms a super basis, but only a basis, for long-run success. The community also needs a vision, a focus, a strategy, and at least one skilled person full time, with a budget (!), to capitalize on this good basis and all the good publicity it's generating. An article like this in the NYT would be a terrible thing to waste -- let's see the follow-up.
Useful reading in this area is Costa Rica's attraction of an Intel chip factory (sorry, Tom...) and its aftermath. See:
Spar, Debora. 1998. Attracting high technology investment : Intel's Costa Rican plant (English). Foreign Investment Advisory Service occasional paper ; no. FIAS 11. Washington, D.C. : The World Bank. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/949541468770676701/Attracting-...
and:
World Bank. 2006. The impact of Intel in Costa Rica : nine years after the decision to invest (English). Washington, DC: World Bank. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/540381468032652317/The-impact-...
6
Lancaster did a snow job on you. I am an exile, yes, exile from Lancaster, and I still get bigoted negative feedback from my well-regarded family there.
10
So basically, the exact opposite of Trump.
1
Thank-you for this.
The largest crowds Sarah Palin attracted during her 2008 run as John McCain's running mate were in Lancaster, Pa.
"There are none so blind as those who will not see."
9
How odd that for the eight years of Obama Mr. Friedman had no problem with the function of American politics.
We see this sort of article and the inevitable "Is the United States governable" every time there is a repub administration or control of Congress. It's as predictable as the sunrise.
It's also a complete fabrication of the left media and an insult to the American people.
3
An article about dropping labels and working together on a local level still won't prevent a comment section filled with finger pointing and president bashing.
13
To claim that the revitalization began in 1997 is absurd. In 1978 the Steinman’s/LNP poured millions into three blocks off of the monument. One south on Queen, one North on Queen and the majority on the Western block of King. This investment which created Windows, a new Shenk Brothers sporting goods store, boutique Marti, the Newspaper museum, Steinman Park Etc. was parallel to the adaptive reuse of the Hager Building and the creation of Old Town. To even entertain the notion that the creation of the Hourglass Foundation saved Lancaster and turned it around is self-serving and blatantly false. You have been mislead Mr. Friedman.
8
These individuals include future national leaders who are developing at the local level. Remember, President Obama began as a community organizer...
7
Hmm. This 'bottoms-up' approach seems the political equivalent of suggesting that global warming can be beat back by by each person separating their garbage properly and recycling. It's up to you, people! It's not the insane global weight of greedy neoliberal wage slave economics (aka. The World is Flat) fostering anger and disillusionment in this country, resulting in the rise of ultra-right-wing parties across the globe. No! It's been your fault all along - bootstrap time, people! Get it together! Attend your church and PTA meetings!
8
Thank you. Inspiring
Sounds like a classic conservative vision
3
November 6, 2018...our last chance!
7
There are aspects of this story that are as heartwarming, but just as many that are not so. It seems that the "neutral" group consists of old white men, in spite of the fact that 40% are Latinos. And that is if you overlook the rainbow group.
Nonetheless I want to focus on one aspect of the story that was mentioned only towards the end - it is about trust and relationships. Such relationships are "born not of tribal solidarity but of putting aside tribal differences to do big hard things together in their collective interest."
Totally agreed, no arguments from me. But let us not forget that there is a loud and foul mouthed chief who uses his bully pulpit and bullhorn to do and endorse the exact opposite. Trust, bah-humbug; trust me and no one else. Relationship, oh yeah, how can I help Don Jr.'s or Ivanka Trump's business.
And that is why I am afraid this model cannot be replicated or scaled up. Sorry to be a party pooper.
6
Lancaster is an outlier. As good as it feels to think, "Wow! We can replicate this!" it will never happen. Democrats are great at organizing protest marches, drum circles, free concerts and poetry slams- but in the end- nobody, "comes together." The DNC casts too wide a net and hyper-inclusiveness will be their downfall.
The reality is the Ocasio-Cortez victory was a vote cast strictly on racial lines and had nothing to do with a Democratic platform because there is no Democratic platform.
God and Fear is what sells in this country and the GOP has a 22 year head start and a plethora of politicians [local to federal] ready to deal in fear mongering. It's who we are- the system won't change until a legitimate 3rd [even 4th] party emerges from the fray. Even then it may be too late.
3
Here in Texas, every time a city or county tries to regulate or liberate something, the state legislature forbids local ordinances, affecting everything from grocery bags to trees. Naturally, the state Republican Party is in thrall to Donald Trump and his boss, Vladimir Putin. Some of Putin's most effective political manipulation happened in Texas, where he appealed to our vanity and mythology with ads showing men on horseback protecting white folks from invading Mexicans. We are the biggest suckers in the world.
7
It sounds great But why only white people in the group. Their are other racial persons who could bring ideas and knowledge of what is needed.
4
Once again the old saying “Keep it simple silly”, (K.I.S.S.) works. How stupid simple are problems solved when we seem to get back to the basics. Thanks again Thomas for bringing in stories as the great people of Lancaster, to show us what can be done when people have a common goal to work together on.
1
Lancaster, PA the place where the brutish cop tased the black man in the back while sitting on the curb while getting conflicting instructions from two different cops? "It’s quite disturbing. The new mayor, Danene Sorace, who has ordered an investigation, told me, “The progress Lancaster has made in recent years is too precious a thing for us not to respond to this incident in a meaningful way … and with systemic changes that we were already working on.”
Ms. Sorace, why am I not buying it? I'll bet my last dollar that following your 'investigation' that cop is still on patrol, having been defended by the chief. What's the point of reinventing your city when your police force employs or retains thuggish, racist and unprofessional police officers to serve your citizentry?
7
Ah, nothing says America like a group of old white folks, mostly men, coming together to solve the town's problems. Average age 65? How about a group of young folks sitting around a table in Flint, Ferguson, Compton, Trinidad DC or Cumberland, MD. Your white picket fence privilege is what got us into this mess to begin with. Move over, time for the young and people of color to work together and let these folks trim their rose gardens, keep 'em tidy.
5
Such an important piece! Bravissimo!
I don't know how America looks.
But if you ask the average Hawaiian, they wish that they never started with the America thing.
Our military and bases are all over the place now. They were bombed because we are there.
The place is now filled with all of our American junk.
They would love to get back to their original ways but it's too late.
We bought the place and turned it into our typical American junk with cheap Hawaiian leis placed around American's necks as they get of the airplane to have a good time at some American hotel. Then on to American restaurant Benihana's and a tour of Pearl Harbor.
Better if they never sold out to America in the first place.
Hawaiians wish they could have the place back on this 4th of July.
3
Wow - a committee of older white people - how inclusive!
4
Freedom from religion is the greatest equalizer of all.
4
One point that should be emphasized is that it is a college town. When you have an educated electorate, you have rational decision making. I know, we liberals are not supposed to look down on the poorly educated Trump supporters, but there is a pretty stark difference easily discernible in towns with an educated electorate. I noticed this when I visited Athens, Georgia a few years back. Often, particularly in the south, college towns are rational bubbles in a racist and xenophobic county.
5
What a marvelous column. Thank you.
1
I live in a suburb of Reading (if you play Monopoly it's one of the four railroads), only about 30 miles or so NE from Lancaster.
Decades ago Reading was among the richest per capita cities in the USA, and is now virtually the poorest, with almost no major industry extant, a huge, growing and poor Latino population, an ever enlarging chunk of uneducated people (despite 4 colleges in and around the city!), and a devastated infrastructure.
It's continuing to sink fast and in an unabated fashion under a series of grossly inept and disinterested politicians and leaders.
So sad - but it's nice to see someone doing well.
5
For accounts of numerous replications of Lancaster nationwide, see James and Deborah Fallows new book. Stories such as this are such a relief from the national bickering. I think it's time for us all to stifle our partisan instincts, roll up our sleeves and get to work.
4
This article shows how civic regeneration only comes from within the community. It has profound implications for our greatest urban crisis - the collapse of black neighborhoods all over the country. We have spent trillions of dollars trying to remedy these problems, to no avail. There is a soft racism to this, implicitly telling blacks that they can't regenerate their own communities unless the great white father does it for them. We have also said that strong families don't matter either; it's a part of Progressive doctrine that, in many instances, women are better off without men. Progressives implicitly teach blacks that they can't help themselves and families don't matter - a recipe for urban collapse. I wish every Progressive would read this article and reflect on the larger meaning.
1
Earlier this year I visited Lancaster for our son’s Welcome Day at F&M and it was immediately clear something special was happening in town. Curious why Lancaster had escaped the fate of many other towns in the North East, I peppered locals with questions about what was behind its vibrancy. I got a few insights but nothing that explained Lancaster’s recipe for success as well your piece. Hopefully Lancaster’s Hourglass offers a blueprint for other communities.
1
In the late 1980's Lancaster county wisely decided not to adopt a "home rule" form of government which could have created a gerrymandered and isolated inner city.
1
This is not meant to denigrate the wonderful things this group has done, I didn't see any Latinos at that table even though they are 40 percent of the population. Did I miss someone? Same with 15 percent African-Americans. Had they been offered spots and turned them down? Had they been on the committee and recently stepped down? Were they on the committee but unable to attend the meeting when the photograph was taken? It seems that such an enlightened group of people would think that it would be important. Just wondering.
2
The Hourglass Foundation does not appear to be very representative of the local demographic.
2
Just the message needed on our Day of Independence. Individuals living the "by the people, for the people."Bravo, Tom Friedman for your thoughtful writing, your timely observations.
There is an open mindedness in Lancaster or else there progress would not work. Too many American communities will not accept new ideas let alone new people. They wait for the old jobs to return and keep the same old corrupt politicians. No one should feel sorry for their circumstance as they refuse to help themselves.
1
Hopefully enough community leaders and politicians read this that it may have an effect and rally some of them past the point of partisanship.
The basis of success is not only trust, but respect. Successful coalitions treat local governments and their staff as partners, not parasites.
Municipal government has in many places been besieged by the pure contempt of a Reagan-era generation that is *sure* staff are "lazy bureaucrats"; by demands of the most entitled citizens to "deliver more value for my taxes" with no sense of any public good; and by elected officials running on a platform of "bringing my business expertise to weed out waste, fraud and abuse'" - only to find out upon inspection of a budget that there wasn't any, with politicians of this ilk quick to quit when the practical realities of governing set in.
May the practical coalitions spread afar, and prosper.
2
Intelligent, good hearted, open minded people, with the disposition and wherewithal to improve things. Why is this extraordinary? They sound like almost everyone I know. Why aren't they, say, running the prisons?
Greed. It pervades our politics.
Kids in border detention had a problem, long before the country began to pay attention. Malnutrition. Seems immigrant kids are just as finicky as ours, and they are repulsed by baloney sandwiches. They have distended bellies and ravaged muscles because there in no fat in their small bodies to fuel them. Whoever is in charge can't innovate and serve rice, beans and tortillas instead. Who wants to bet that somebody has a cousin who owes a favor to someone who benefits from the profit margin on concentration camp baloney?
Common sense and good heartedness is thwarted by greed.
Common sense is what needs to be unleashed, this simple yet massive force, to make our politics work. Common sense is compassionate, and would rather people didn't suffer. It likes to fix things because thats a natural human trait. It cuts red tape. It makes people picture themselves, or someone they love, getting ill, growing old, losing their home, or stupidly breaking a law, and think about how to make the most of a bad situation.
Greed is prevailing over common sense.
When such an affront to common sense as Citizens United is the law of the land, how can common sense feel welcome to work its magic?
4
This sounds great for white Americans but I don’t see any black or brown (or even young) faces in the Hourglass meeting. Am I missing something or are they ( like 45% of the population).
3
I try to be fair to supporters of President Trump.
On the one hand, I recognize that many of them are disappointed people soaked by racial prejudices, jealousies and animosities toward people richer, taller and more successful than they are and unfulfilled hopes for their children that can be very difficult to overcome.
On the other hand, I see the damage they have already done to themselves and the imperfect country that even now -- despite Trump -- represents the last best hope of the world and say to myself, “No, bad luck to them and the horses they rode in on, the thing to do is beat them to a bloody pulp in November and go on from there.
Happy Fourth of July!
Biden and Bloomberg in 2020!
4
You showed what a well integrated community can do for it's own, and hope it'll be contagious to others in their vicinity, based on real needs and wishes, and the solidarity required, and the vision that, including everyone, gives them strength and recognition. No more loyalties to hide incompetence or corruption, just pragmatism based of the 'golden rule' (do to others what you wish them do to you), and a dictum based on empiric evidence, that no chain is stronger than it's weakest link. But let's not fool ourselves in believing that Lancaster's excellent drive to show real democracy in action (from the bottom up) will change the current governmental pillage 'a la Trump and Pruitt'. For that to occur, the U.S.'s citizenry must go 'en masse' to the voting booth...and oust the current unrepresentatives (self-serving politicians), and replace them with thoughtful, honest, and able individuals, to do people's business as if they mean it. Enough hypocrisy and cowardice already, republicans looking the other way so Trump won't castigate them and affect their miserable seats in congress. Last though not least, and Lancaster is leading the way, it is trying to reverse the potential death knell in this capitalistic society, it's deep inequality, and the injustice in 'preserving' poverty in such a wealthy country.
1
What is clear to me from this column is the poison being spread by the religious right and how it is tearing this country apart, a warning from Sen. B. Goldwater. In the case of Lancaster, PA, it took desperate and caring leaders to re-forge a community. And, like any community, it is not homogeneous. This town and others are learning to accept that fact and move forward for the good the community, not for the good of political dogma which plagues our state and federal government. This is what the poison of the ideological right has done to us with its wedge issues approach.
3
Inspiring story. Anyone notice that the breakfast club is entirely white? (As am I, BTW.)
1
And, yet, Lancaster county carried Trump...57.20% to 37.78%. Trump, as we know, ran his race based on hate and fear of the other. He is a racist with a great distaste for people of color. Does that explain why there are only white people around the table at the Hourglass meeting? And, what will they do about the majority of their community that is not white? Are they concerned about them? Granted, Hourglass has made some progress and bravo for them, but whom does it really benefit?
3
'Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
Still true.. we were swimming once, swim again.
4
Without knowing it—Mr Friedman has made the argument Conservatives have been driving home for decades—stop trying to use the federal government to solve problems. It very seldom works—and always cost 10x more than it needs to. Once he realizes what he has stumbled onto—Friedman will either suffer an epiphany, or attempt to gracefully backtrack.
But give any liberal a problem—they’ll imagine it to be twice as bad as it really is—and then they’ll reflexively look to Washington for a solution—and heaps of cash—in their quest to fix it the wrong way—and end up making it worse.
And yes—there are a few legitimate uses for the federal government—but. very few. But trying to claw back the dollars already being misspent, will be like yanking the pacifier out of a baby’s mouth. We have already created too much depency with our “good intentions”.
3
Grassroots politics will only work for Republicans. Why?
You've been around people who were angry, people who, sober or not, were yelling, and the hopemessly ignorant.
Today's progressives know less about how the Democrats have succeeded than at any time in the past, so they rely on emotions; BUT, anger, rage, jealousy, and hate never work to attract people - only repel them.
Republicans can extol the country's many successes under President Trump, while the eft only rages, curses, and plots to remove him.
Do you think anyone whose job situation has improved under Trump -
- we're talking millions of people here -
- is going to be attracted by what Dems can say?
Yes, the bottom, the grassroots level is where political change is made to last. In this social arena, however, all progressives can do is be really good friends or hope and pray that the people they talk to know absolutely nothing about economics or history, the two holes in progressives' boats.
2
From small things mama, big things one day come. Thank you once again Mr. Friedman for not succumbing to despair. Keep the faith.
2
Smaller communities can always be more reactive than a Federal government to the needs of the people, which Friedman proves is why the one box fits all policies pushed at the Federal level isn't the way to go.
Lastly, stop with the "gov't is broken" tripe just because the gov't people elected isn't the one you want. The Republic is working exactly as intended, just like it did under Obama.
1
"... we’re a country divided by two coasts" -- yes, but not in the way that Mr. Friedman describes it. The two coasts, or parts of them, are the foci of Evil spreading therefrom and submerging the rest of the country: crime, drugs, prostitution, militant veganism, and above all political correctness.
The late seventies and eighties gave us Reagan and the Brits Thatcher. Working class Brits being more up front than Americans told the Labor party where to go. All they had to look forward to was the dole. Americans gave the Democrats the door, they had nothing to offer either. History is repeating itself.
Reading the Times loyalty for years when was it they started printing stories about the opportunities in servant industry. Sorry service industries. Barrister, au pair and dog walker was where jobs were. Quick what dog walker in French. Talk about the elites Vision.
From the bottom up? Community organizing? The ship has already sailed. Democrats have nothing to offer. Look a t the affordable housing shortages in NYC and the wealthy parts of coastal California. The people will solve that problem by walking away from it. Not by government.
2
Another example of local dynamism in solving problems arose in New Orleans after Katrina, when citizens rolled up their sleeves to save and resurrect their homes and neighborhoods through spontaneous, volunteer efforts and organizing. One of the leaders of this effort was LaToya Cantrell, who recently was elected the city’s first female African-American mayor.
5
You mean expert bureaucrats in state capitals and DC are not the answer? Well, imagine that.
3
No mention of the extensive travel, research, and publications James Fallows has done on this same subject over the past several years? This particular piece seems a case-study summary of Fallows' more-extensive work, without a hint of citation.
1
Most impressive, and most hopeful. I will be sending this piece to my democratic socialist sister in Oakland CA, to demonstrate to her that she need not fear business! And she, no doubt, will send me back a query regarding how Mr. Friedman and the Hourglass people can duly register the fact that they live in a city where the population includes roughly 60% people of color, and yet that presence is limited to a couple of paragraphs by Mr. Friedman and relegated to an apparent silence by these civic leaders. This, my sister will add, in our current historical circumstances is mind-boggling – even cause for some mournful yearning, given the ways in which immigrants are respected here. Hmm ... maybe I won't send her this article after all ....
4
A report from the bottom, Albany, NY bus station and a bus that left that station, 2 h late 7/25/18.
After 25 very fine days in the Burlington VT area and a nice neighborhood in Albany, time to take the bus to Logan.
Three Europeans and a cross section of my fellow American citizens who were experiencing what for us 3 was a one off but not for them, most likely.
What we experienced can only be described as appalling, degrading, and dismaying; I spare you the worst details.
Tom, send one of your interns to this abandoned area, pavement revealing Albany’s 18th century past, boarded up buildings, a bus station from some past century, all surrounded by towering white marble palaces.
We watched workers use duct tape to hold exterior panels in place and unbolt and re-bolt seats I know not why.
Then we were off, jammed into a bus with no seat belts, an outhouse style toilet, so much loose metal overhead that much of the ride was shake, rattle, and roll helped by the bump-bump of the Mass turnpike
Tom, how can local citizens bring that Albany into the 21st Century? They cannot. And how will Greyhound and Peter Pan be brought into this century? Not by citizen action, only by state or federal regulation, clearly totally lacking.
Send an intern there and then to Sweden to visit me where we can take the bus ride I take often, Linköping to Göteborg, as good as it gets.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
2
I just read an article about the people in a tiny village in Germany who decided they wanted fiber-optic cable for their internet. They were too small for the big companies to be interested. So they started their own company and laid the cable themselves. This was in 2014
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/10871150/Germa...
A village in Wales has done the same thing.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/27/welsh-village-residents-...
If people want something badly enough, they will figure out a way to get it, but only if a community spirit exists among them.
So what is needed most of all is community. But here, amid all the identity politics and fighting for hand-outs from various governments that give political PTBs money and control, community seems very far away.
5
I have lived in Lancaster City for 30 years and have seen the turn atound pick up speed in recent years. While it is indeed heartening to see and many deserve credit, I fear that we are approaching a gentrification level that will no longer support seniors and the poor. Unaffordable housing and double digit increases in property taxes and utility rates will and have pushed many long time residents out.
19
I was wondering about this aspect of the story as I was reading. I guess that’s the next problem that needs to be addressed.
5
If you are face to face with a practical problem and you have to solve it, there is no opening for ideology to interfere. Something must be done, and a solution either works or it doesn't. But when the decision makers become separated from a problem and the actual implementation of its solution, it becomes an abstraction -- fertile ground for ideological dispute.
The other thing that seems to work in places like Lancaster is a commitment to employ local resources as the primary tool for improvement. Promoting small shops and businesses, not begging hat in hand for global corporate investment. Beggars for major facilities built by global corporations are usually forced to offer tax incentives and exemptions from local regulations. The lost revenue means they end up pauperizing their schools, social services and infrastructure. And if the new business draws in outside workers, the main result may be higher housing costs as newcomers compete with locals for a limited residential inventory.
13
Mr. Friedman, you recently spoke at another "comeback city," Schenectady, NY. Once a GE company town, its slide was monumental and manifest by a core downtown with 90% vacancy. The kind of community coalitions started in the late 1990's and by 2000 had invented a new kind of non political development organization locally funded by a one half percent sales tax. That organization saw the opportunity to redefine the community around the facility that you spoke at, Proctors, and helped to lead the community to invest in the arts center and to focus it to become the premiere facility of a large region. Through continuous efforts of many, what we affectionately call "the mensch," Schenectady prospers....still with a thousand things to fix, but it has become a destination for visitors and its core downtown not just completely occupied, but expanding.
I run Proctors. We would love to have you back not just to speak again, but with your notepad and pencil!
13
"Pretty much the exact opposite of what’s happening in Washington, D.C., today." I'm sorry but partisan politics has been going on for decades. But the real slide downhill started shortly after President Obama took office. When he and his administration, which included Senator Schumer and Representative Pelosi, decided they did not need to make compromises with the Republican partisanship took on a whole new meaning, one that will not be forgotten.
Of course, as you have mentioned many times, President Trump has not done anything to change that direction. Which is unfortunate as I'm sure that was one of the hopes that many who voted for him thought he would work on.
At any rate, Lancaster is a classic example of Libertarian values at work.
3
President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer DECIDED? Was this before or after Mitch McConnell directed Republican senators in January 2009 to block anything President Obama wanted to do -- in spite of the country's financial crisis? McConnell and his ilk redefined obstructionism, proudly announcing their single-minded goal: block Obama. No regard for the good of the country, its standing in the world, the needs of its citizens and would-be citizens. Just block. Shameful. Nearly unbelievable. To my mind, President Obama's major error as POTUS was trying for too long to get the Republican leadership to act for the clear good of the country. McConnell and Company declared their mission on Inauguration Day. The President should have believed them -- even if the stance was unbelievable.
4
Mr. Friedman, thank you for your many great columns and insights over the years.
We need to get ALL involved in our government, but it's often very difficult. You want to speak to your Senator or Representative, but they're not available. You leave a detailed comment, or send a letter, but he or she never responds. You call and ask to talk to him or her but are told that he or she is in with an important person. So, what are you? Just a nobody? There has to be a better way, especially since our taxes keep the government going and pays their salaries.
We need Universal Voting. It gives us the power we deserve. It will make ours a more democratic country. Your Senator or Congressman or woman will answer your phone calls.
5
We lived in one of those small 'progressive' towns, where property taxes rose every single year (21% in one year alone!). Even though we owned our house outright, we could no longer afford to live in the town, and had to leave to find better paying jobs. Those forever increasing taxes went to pay for annual pay raises for city employees and their increasing benefits. 95% of property taxes went towards them, not infrastructure or pothole repair, but enriching themselves - yup, the administrative pyramid that's bankrupting towns all across America. The mayor got the city council to agree to provide extra health insurance for his bariatric surgery. It now pays for treating his alcohol addiction. How is it in America, that you can own your home, but can no longer afford to live in it?
11
The town you discribed is the product of lack of participation at the local level, which is critical for the wide range of needs of the citizens. If a group, such ad you discribed, of predators gets United control it can seem impossible to confront and change. Change is possible given the time needed for plans, leaders and means to emerge.
5
Montana’s property taxes are high due to no state sales tax, correct?
2
What a wonderful story, Lancaster should serve as an example for the rest of America. Working together is always better than fighting.
8
Friedman's article about the revival of Lancaster sees a town as a society of and for a wide variety of human beings. Friedman has evolved greatly since he wrote an op ed touting the sharing economy as a way to monetize your closet! Competition didn't save Lancaster, cooperation did. Cooperation is a powerful constructive force, especially when civility and respect are part of it. Humans are more cooperative than any other animal that isn't hard wired (like ants). Cooperation, not competition, created the great civilizations and sacrifice and collaboration maintained them in a balancing act between the better and worse angels of our nature. Political divide and conquer, and tolerance for aggression and greed has polarized us and transformed political discourse into a sort of gamergate. Add Climate change and global pollution, endless war and the accelerating rate of extinctions it doesn't end well. It's great to see "the bottom" taking charge.
14
As I recall, back in the 70’s, when Bernie Sander was the Mayor of Burlington Vermont, he was named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the 10 best mayors in the US. He knew about best practices long before it became a catch phrase.
16
Bernie Sanders was elected Mayor of Burlington, VT, in 1980. That was the same year Ronald Reagan was elected President. Quite a political irony.
3
An insightful piece by one of the NYT's best columnists. Some of Lancaster's remaining issues were evident to me before Friedman called them out. I could tell that there was still plenty of progress needed when I saw the picture of the Hourglass meeting. Representing various concerns for a diverse city, the group is all white. That is not alright.
14
My sentiments exactly. But what if real coalitions formed around addressing, in a non-partisan way, the roots of systemic racism? I have to say that I am personally pretty seriously partison (Democrat). But if I thought there were leaders (elected or not) who were willing to work on specific antidotes to that racism, I would do my best to get in that program. We need to be thinking along these lines, it seems to me.
7
Kathy-
Be that leader! Don’t wait for others to work on your priorities. Get going!
Not only are they all white but they're all old, successful (i.e., well-off) and white. They all look like the same couple. They should invite the woman in the picture of the row houses to join their meetings.
2
Local, regional, and state efforts are great. They're really all we have today.
We have ceased to act nationally on big projects, and the current Administration doesn't even pretend to represent the entire nation. They make no effort to enlist, inspire, or attract any citizens beyond the few that put them in office.
We no longer work on big, inspiring, defining projects like the space program or large infrastructure. Today we are defined by fear, walls, and ignorance.
So by all means, let's focus on the local. Maybe our nation will bloodlessly devolve into numerous autonomous regions, each pursuing its values independently.
And the "nation" will, eventually, disappear. In its current form, it doesn't represent the values of most of its citizens anyway.
8
We have, for more than a decade, been video-documenting ground-level community work (https://www.youtube.com/user/calumetstewardship/featured) that has yielded promising results in this former horrendous brownfield region. Tom Friedman hits the mark accurately. Our biggest problem is that we -- Southeast Chicago -- are a sub-community of the City of Chicago, which has different visions for our community than we have for ourselves, whom we see as a creative, productive, community. Our "Field of Dreams" is their "Gold-Rush-Thwarter," it seems. But Friedman's article demonstrates that we might do well to think as if we were an independent community, especially as government seems so madly determined to make itself clearly useless to the majority of citizens.
Thank you, Mr. Friedman -- most helpful.
6
Thank you for this report on Lancaster, PA. Especially inspiring to read on the 4th of July when most of the news about our country is so horrifying!
I hope that news about their success will help other localities learn from their process of emphasizing relationships and welcoming all....
14
Mr. Friedman, I savored each word in this OP-ED like I would a fine wine or an exquisite cut of meat. You have done a great service in reminding all of us that when we come out of our silos and we start listening to others, something special happens.
I learned years ago in business that building trusting relationships with clients, vendors, et al. is really the only ingredient necessary in our secret sauce. It was a pleasure to read how Mr. Mann, et al. were able to replicate this phenomenon for their beloved municipality.
17
My wife comes from Lancaster. On the week-end we traveled to Lancaster to bury my father-in-law after a life of 105 years, I had a stroke. I was treated at Lancaster General by an excellent medical staff. I recovered because of quick treatment and a well-known stroke specialist in residence. Upon release from the hospital my wife took me to the market in all its business and great preducts. The downtown area is a really nice place to visit. Over the years we observed the decline of Armstrong yet we saw the city trying to recover. It took the Hourglass to be non-partisan and energize the nascent movement to revitalize the city amd continues to work to improve the lives of the local citizens. Thank you for bring the success story of Lancaster.
12
Friedman says those in Lancaster are "putting aside tribal differences." But in fact, it is still tribal - it is a decision to belong to a different, bigger tribe. Whether that tribe is described as the citizens of the city or the county, the point is that the people in this movement or group have re-defined their tribe to include others who are not of the same political, ethnic, religious or cultural persuasion. This is the shift in self-definition that many Americans must make. We have to re-define our tribe less narrowly, & less restricted to people who look & think exactly like us. We can survive our sacred beliefs & feelings being challenged!
14
The work ethic thread ran through many U.S. towns that essentially disappeared, once business models could no longer prosper, so they abandoned those towns. Little problem solving groups that do not charge overtime salaries work wonders. Elected officials don’t have funds for staffing that type of problem solving. Lancaster has a good work around solution. I bet the Amish would be billionaires if they charged for overtime on the farm. The religious work ethic that continues to not only function, but bring in big tourist dollars, gives an unconscious momentum and value to that town going way back, and has provided steady input over time, even in the face of economic hardship and long hours of overtime with little or no pay. Right there, that ingredient is not in tact in most American towns, so there is nothing to fall back on in most towns if something goes wrong. Most towns are all about money with paper Mache values that get very soggy very quickly. The tentacles of tourism can be very corrosive too, but quite lucrative when handled well. Your article may give reasons why elected officials can direct funding but not problem solving.
2
Civic minded people can do postive things in their cities but if Trump and the republicans remain in power America will become more of an oligarchy than it already is.
For the sake of the peace and prosperity of the United States and the entire world it is absolutely essential that the American people support, give money to and vote for ALL democratic candidates on Nov. 6, 2018.
24
Can’t help but wish Nader if this same approach could be adapted to neighborhood level urban renewal.
3
Some of Friedman's characterizations of Lancaster are less than accurate. In 1997 Lancaster was already well into revitalizing itself via a grassroots arts movement that had started about 1980. The streets in the spring, summer and fall were buzzing with home spun visual and performance art festivals like "That There Art" and "Art Walk" weekends. Precious little help came from investors and Lancaster city government, at the time was still wary of such events. To their credit, however, Lancaster City government permitted artists musicians and performers take a shot at enhancing life here in Lancaster. All through the 90s Lancaster city saw a slew of new restaurants come through. Some had long term success.. some not so much but restaurant owners kept trying because consumers of art get hungry for creative food too. There was the Chameleon Club an eclectic music venue that brought musicians from all over the world to our town and spawned quite a few nationally recognized local acts in the process. The Chameleon was around since 1985, 12 years before Friedman's fantasy "ghost town". Bottom line, the money followed the art. NOT the other way around and identity politics and investors had little if anything to do with it until the arts community made Lancaster attractive for investment to begin with. Friedman needs to dig a little deeper before starts shooting his mouth off about 'crime infested ghost towns' that never existed.
26
As an octogenarian (retired?) sustainability sociologist one of my main activities is applying a sustainability strategy and program to the life of my continuing care retirement community and to the life of my county in North Carolina. It is based on the integration of the social, economic and environmental spheres that the resuscitated notion of sustainability contains and that sometimes underlies the literatures on sustainable communities development and on education for sustainability.
This vivid in-depth report on Lancaster City is a good example of a sustainable community. It is also a hopeful example of civic action and of what true patriotism means in these uncivilized and degrading Trumpian times.
We could apply this model of grassroots action to a sustainability vision globally by taking the looming climate catastrophe seriously as proposed in the Tierra Fee and Dividend system by Verhagen 2012 where a transformed international monetary is based upon a carbon standard of a specific tonnage of CO2e per person.
An outstanding climate specialist and noted economics author declared: “The further into the global warming area we go, the more physics and politics narrows our possible paths of action. Here’s a very cogent and well-argued account of one of the remaining possibilities.” Bill McKibben, May 17, 2011
12
Brilliant. Thank you for sharing. Love the ideas and the sense of vitality and aliveness in them. This is what we need: sustainable communities and a vision that transforms the international money system based on individual C02 output.
9
So the business men of Lancaster Pennsylvania have persuaded the local pols to build them a new sports stadium on the taxpayers' dime. And this is Mr. Friedman's idea of an innovative way forward for an American society in crisis?
Poor cities like Detroit and Milwaukee already subsidize major league baseball team stadiums they cannot afford. In New York City, the Mets were given $600 millions in subsidies for Citifield and the Yankees perhaps twice that in government funds for the construction of their new Yankee stadium. The examples are endless. When has US society not been a cozy "partnership" between business interests and their political stooges?
In a week when the reactionary US Supreme Court with its infamous "Janus" decision has destroyed the economic base of what is left of the American labor movement and perhaps decisively altered the relationships between the classes in America . . . . Is this analysis the best you do?
14
Clipper Stadium was opened in 2005 as part of an overall revitalization strategy. Some of the funding for this stadium came from state sources under Governor Ed Rendell's administration. He believed that minor and major league stadiums which also serve for other programming like winter sports and concerts would be an anchor to a revitalization strategy. (like PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PeoplesBank Park, York, FNB Field, Harrisburg). The James Street Improvement District was a grass roots movement of residents and private support which complimented the building of that stadium with housing upgrades and a strenghthened commercial area. Blighted blocks of buildings were also removed for this stadium and other neighborhood improvements. Many new jobs were created and still exist. This stadium as well as those mentioned above are a testament to what can be done with a comprehensive approach towards a community's growth with true partnerships.
13
Sounds like a more sound model than some of those in other cities. Las Vegas has been strong-armed to support a stadium and the $$$ millions involved really do come at the expense of the citizens. For instance budgets slighted intended to invest in educating children.
Business Insider: Vegas stadium deal for Raiders ‘worst in the world’
https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/03/business-insider-vegas-stadium-de...
The stadium was a boondoggle. It had little to no impact on the neighborhood where it is. The revitalization began in 1978 courtesy of the Steinman Family and their Newspapers.
On this Fourth of July, I admit that I felt despondent about the current embattled state of our political system. Thank you to the good, open, problem-solving people of Lancaster. You are absolutely inspiring and are the bright, shining firecracker all Americans can celebrate today!
15
Not long ago I watched a video about how Lancaster, Pennsylvania, welcomed refugees and guided them into becoming citizens. Your account expands my understanding and appreciation for what Lancaster is doing. It reminds me of the Mickey Rooney Thomas Hardy movies. The infectious can-do spirit of trust and co-operation is much needed throughout the country. Good to see it here.
12
Andy Hardy, not Thomas.
But yes! Let’s put on a show! Singing dancing Judy Garland too.
PS
We all want a return to the “can do”spirit of the 40s war years... but with out the war. That’s when the unions flourished . And let freedom ring!
To happier fourths to come.
1
The reason ‘activism’ is no longer considered a dirty word is because Americans have come to realize that our American political system is broken and politicians can no longer be relied upon to solve our civic problems. We must do several things if we are serious about America living up to her potential. America must embrace a serious plan to redistribute wealth and income thereby ending our infamous economic inequality problem. Americans ranging from workers to politicians will never act in the best interests of society if their economic needs are unmet. America must end the undue influence corporations exert over our government institutions. Corporate regulatory capture is destroying our democracy. America must significantly alter our pro-investor corporate culture that consistently sees corporations putting the interests of workers far behind the interests of investors. Finally, America must change the way we select politicians by opening up the selection process for politicians to minor parties and regular citizens unaffiliated with parties. It is obvious that our two-party political system is failing us.
16
How true. Tech giants are the new cronies and must be regulated. They poison the public discourse, and unfairly influence the body politic.
What we need is a new "Tycoon Tax" which is directly proportionate to market share.
9
We must place democractic constraints on the access corporations have to our elected officials. This means ceasing favoring lobbyists who represent the most powerful, wealthiest and most generous corporations by implementing equal time rules for large and small corporations and citizens. We must also do a much better job of reporting all corporate lobbying activities to the public. Most Americans have no idea what corporations are actually doing in our state and federal legislatures. The mainstream press must find a way to report these corporate activities to the public in a digestible form. Finally, we must find a way to deter the use of false evidence such as fake science and unsupported statistics by corporate lobbyists. I was offended when I read how soda lobbyists commonly play down the link between sodas and diabetes.
It's amazing that so many commentators like you read Friedman's article and walkaway with they idea that what we need is some big government program to redistribute wealth or to over tax and over regulate businesses. When in fact the rebirth that Friedman talked about was just the opposite. He cited solutions from local governments not the federal government. It's people like you that fail to check their prejudices and half-baked ideas at the door that are the problem.
Just what Robert Putnam has been prescribing since he wrote "Bowling Alone." Kudos to Lancaster.
9
Good for them. It would have been so much easier to say our town is dying so we'll throw the baby out with the bathwater and vote for Trump to shake things up.
10
Thanks Tom! I needed news of something that is working!
12
Great success story, but this seems less like a bipartisan effort than getting republicans to act like democrats. Lose government and taxes are bad, immigrants are bad, preschool is indoctrination, protecting the environment is an extremist position, and lose name calling, all hallmarks of the current republican party, and people can use the power of community.
13
It's not a "bipartisan effort". It's exactly the opposite. It's a NON-PARTISAN effort. It's NOT political. It's people getting together, no questions about their "partisanship", their religion, their place of origin, their socio-economic status, with the goal of re-building their community, so it can thrive. No one asks what you think of abortion, whether you're a good Christian, when you got here, how, or from where. They want to know your ideas about improving life for the poor, and middle classes, seeing that all the kids who grow up get education and a job, seeing that everyone has healthcare and decrepit housing is torn down or renovated. Seeing that the town looks good, has prepared workers, and is worthy of investment. No one fights about whether or not women can get birth control, or have an abortion, or whether "poor people) (mostly of color) should participate in the resurrection of Lancaster. Immigrants are welcome -- their intelligence, and work ethics, appreciated. Diversity is valued. If someone called Republicans and Democrats to get together to do this, it would never have happened.
18
You missed the point: partisan is not in the equation. Common sense is.
I totally agree. Thank you business leaders of Lancaster for your mutual efforts to save the city through thoughtful efforts. There are still the poor, the sick the displaced and forever we ,as Americans, struggle to improve the lives of our people. Remember this in these dark days of escalating greed, "I don't care do you?" I care and so do you.
Nice article. However I see no blacks at that table, and no other obvious minorities. Past time to update Norman Rockwell multiculturally, as he himself became more inclusive in his work. A city where black lives matter is still in question, and where movers and shakers still look like 1950 Birmingham has a long way to go. If they want to succeed they must persevere in a way that includes blacks and hispanics. You should have said that Tom.
13
Where are the pictures of the table. The article addresses all Americans without regard to color. It addresses the poor (whatever their color), it mentions houses of worship from many Christian denominations, Jews, Muslims, and anybody who doesn't belong to any of these communities. It mentions rich and poor -- but it never, once mentions color, except for the incident with the policeman who tasered a black man sitting on the curb -- he was punished, and more training ensued in the police department. You've betrayed yourself.
1
Six of the seven members of Lancaster City Council are black or Hispanic.
3
“You get an awful lot done if you don’t worry who gets credit.”
So true and I am glad for Mr. Friedman that he has the opportunity to Brand “what I call “complex adaptive coalitions” so he will claim the credit (“I call …”).
The discovery of the importance of local Areas working together have been around for a long time. Way back in 1980 I attended an OECD conference on Urban Renewal in Istanbul and we heard a presentation about “Partners for Liveable Places” from the USA with exactly the same message of people working together.
A couple of years later I was involved with the University of Glasgow which came up with the phrase “Put resources into peoples hands” (Professor David Donnison, I think) when it led the most successful Urban renewal of the centre of Glasgow.
Civic Coalitions are politics at work in local areas. As we all know - all politics is local.
6
This is not an unusual concept, all working together for the greater good. But in today's America, it is certainly an anomaly. Today it is only about me and mine, there is no room for another's view and no room for compromise.
We are so involved with our opinion, there is no space for Liberal or Conservative ideas. The President believes if someone else proposed something, it is bad and totally flawed. Indeed, his way or the highway. Worse yet, all else that preceded his opinion must be destroyed.
Congress agrees, for them, it is totally one-party control, that is real power.
This concept of total power, no compromise, will probably not bode well for our Nation nor our citizens.
4
I applaud Lancaster citizens.
What struck me most were the words, “It’s not about power. It’s about leadership.” Well said!
1
Wow. Friedman discovered Americans can organize locally for the betterment of their societies and need not wait for direction from the benevolent rulers from far away capitals. AND they are capable of checking out their party affiliations for doing such! Who would have thunk that outside of DC and NY and LA!!!
4
One more thing we must do! We must prosecute all the people in power who broke the law. Obama didn’t want to create a divisive environment, and let war mongers, profiteers go! If I have to abide by the laws of land, they must do too!
4
As a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College ( founded by Ben Franklin in 1787) I’ve been witness to so much positive change due in part to an enlightened positive spirit, highly welcoming to such a diverse population ( many immigrants coming for opportunity) and a positive business climate.
Indeed a model for others with the right mix of opportunity.
Thanks Thomas Friedman for recognizing this and for spreading an optimistic view.
16
Thank you, Mr. Friedman! We really needed this, especially today.
14
Some of the comments note that the volunteers pictures are all white baby boomers, which seems like a lack of diversity given the demographics of the resident population of Lancaster. I am an African-American woman in my mid-30s. Lately I have been trying to figure out how to do basically what these people are doing. Working around politics to actually develop and implement solutions for our community problems that politicians don't seem capable of or inclined to do. I think the lack of age and race diversity speaks to how entrenched bureaucratic norms have become to those of us born in the latter half of the 20th century. Perhaps those of an older generation have the advantage on us because they can draw from a collective memory of a time when ordinary citizens banded together to fix problems and shape their communities from within. And weren't these volunteers about 15 years younger when they started this organization. These community initiatives require commitment and personal investment of individuals for years and decades.
My grandmothers were my friends and mentors. As were several white haired college professors. I would urge these volunteers to mentor younger residents to continue and expand upon what they started. Spread the wisdom, share the power.
30
In this matter it is instructive to remember Henry David Thoreau's thoughts on a citizen's right and obligation to engage in reasoned civil disobedience.
Because the road to fascism is paved with civility.
This is the difference between what America could be and what America seems to being pushed to be by trump and the republican party. VOTE
7
The "what works" attitude that Tom describes is just the scientific method. One tries something. If it fails, something is still learned: what not to do. If it succeeds, then proceed further along that path. Gut feelings and intuition play a role only if they are based on previous experience. Politics, ideology, and, usually, religion, tend to be counterproductive. So what we are seeing in Lancaster is successful use of the scientific method. Now if Washington can apply this....
6
All politics should be eliminated from American government and from American governance. America should be a totally non-political nation. The essence of society and civilization and culture is law and correct, humane and moral governance.
The nation must rid itself of politics and the corruption that money injects into politics. Right now we have a government, a society and a nation that is bought and paid for. It is obvious that this has brought about the downfall and death of The United States of America.
Politics, and the money that fuels politics, has no place of any sort in American government and governance. We were allegedly a nation ruled by law. To our discredit and failure we evolved into a criminal and corrupt nation ruled by money.
3
Good Point! What if Washington DC operated like Lancaster? Congress would need to undo Citizens United supreme court decision.
The big take-away in this story is the value of pragmatic thinking over ideology. None of the people participating in the Hourglass are paid, nor elected, politicians, so they don't owe anyone anything other than to follow their hearts and minds on matters of civic improvement.
Power needs to devolve to the local level, and locals need to embrace good old fashioned American pragmatism.
3
To make politics (of any kind) work in America, then Democracy itself has to be restored.
What that means is that money has to be taken out of politics altogether with an end to Citizen's United, an end to 501C4's that funnel dark money and publicly financed elections of no more than (8) eight weeks.
What that means is that there needs to be independent commissions drawing electoral boundaries with restoring of the voting rights act. (and expansion) There needs to be mandatory voting, via paper ballot and by mail, and a national holiday for all to vote in person, if need be.
What that means is that once in the Congress, there needs to be straight up or down votes, with amendments receiving the same, so that the American electorate can see exactly where all stand as far as positions.
All other ideas are but band-aids in the overall scheme of things, and are not ''grassroots'', nor are they '' from the ground up''.
Of course there is one of the most crucial parts to all this, and that is all candidates seeking public office must release their full tax returns, so that Americans can have some semblance that their ''leaders'' are not corrupt, nor bought and paid for.
Just a thought.
4
You are "right on!" A hot topic to illustrate your theme is that seaport cities around the world - including for instance Los Angeles/Long Beach and Gothenburg and Rotterdam - are adopting policies that limit ships' emissions, which are a major health problem as well as climate change forcing agents. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERCEPTIVENESS. Tom Brewer
3
It's already been mentioned that the photo of the Hourglass group shows only the gathering of white, older people. That alone doesn't mean there's bias or racial overtones to the work these people are doing. The question Mister Friedman doesn't ask or answer is whether all the various groups that make up the city are welcome to the table. I'd guess the answer is yes.
The entire community seems to be benefitting from their work and that's what matters. I hope their work doesn't just make it a "boutique" town with the dirty, poorest parts of town carefully hidden from view.
5
"White older people"
They brought us here, now it is our turn to make it work
Asking, "what is a good solution to this problem? " is very different than "what stand on this issue will benefit my party most?"
Sadly, the latter seems to increasingly be where so many conversations start. As a result, problems go unsolved and people suffer.
Too many politicians have shifted from being public servants to party sycophants.
4
All human beings are capable of both good and evil. We need to recognize and support the good while doing all we can to reduce the evil. Thanks Tom for sharing some of the Good in America.
7
Bottom-up is the ONLY way our country will survive the current onslaught of criminals and extremists. If you love your country, you should be donating money, volunteering, demonstrating, and shouting about this onslaught upon our way of life. We have a Constitution that gives us (and immigrants,) certain inalienable rights, that cannot be breached by criminals and extremists, so if you don't vote, or don't pick candidates who will fight the current onslaught, you will deserve what you get. And, I promise, you won't like it, and may not be able to do anything else about it, in the future. There should be a feverish rush on the passport offices, of this country, just in case.
4
this is such a positive approach to community-building... and wjat can happen when politics and religion have no part in the discussion.
Respect and unity indeed!
Thank you Mr Friedmann - this was a wonderful Fourth of July message!
9
My family is lucky to have seen this rebirth of the community from the start. We moved here in 2001, missing the whole 911 thing, it was a transformative era globally. Scary but hopeful, determined but practical and very representative of what can be done when a community focuses on the welfare of everyone. There's a whole lot of glossing over in this NYT piece, and there's a whole lot of community leadership that isn't mentioned here, or interviewed here, or even addresses the goal we have going forward. There's an entirety of "youth" not wealthy enough to have gone to F&M for their education and stayed as the article implies. A community of youth that has at it's core been more instrumental in shaping the direction of the city than the wealth pulling the "democratic capitalist" strings. The city is a microcosm of America for sure, meaning that just like our country since 2009 all of the new wealth generated has gone to those pulling those capitalist strings not the working class rebuilding the city. Currently there's massive gentrification going on and to make sure the vision of this article is spread to everyone it's going to need a lot more than corporate donations to projects and churches providing breakfasts to kids. This is a farming county and I see the roots of the revolution beginning to sprout. We're happy to call Lancaster home yet there is still quite a bit of work to do.
11
It would be great for Thomas Friedman to collaborate with John to write a follow-up article. I think John has knowledge of what troubles many of the other commenters. He suggests what we are certainly experiencing in Ithaca, NY where I live: these community revivals still being led by contemporary capitalist interests, however well-intentioned and heartening for many, lead to rapid gentrification. Poor people and unemployed people are not invited to the table, not necessarily on account of overt ill-will, but because they are increasingly priced out of the vibrant "mainstreet" community. Only a significant redistribution of wealth can address this issue, and this kind of redistribution will require enactment of a serious and anti-fascist "politics" supporting such redistribution. I'd venture to guess that the chorus that derides politics, including Mr. Friedman, is a relatively privileged one and one that is not currently being most directly targeted by the current regime's politics.
8
Yuval Noah Harari says in "Sapiens" that the basis of human civilization is cooperation, which was made possible by language.
Now we see Trumpism using language that tears civilized society apart, proving that what creates civilization is capable of destroying it. It's reassuring that people can find ways of coming together in these divisive time, but are they small isolated niduses of civilized behavior or the dying remnants of civilized behavior? Optimistically, we might see these organizations as the beginnings of post-party politics. I think that more realistically, party politics will continue in its divisive inflammatory style, and that the truth will continue to be obfuscated by those whose fortunes benefit from its obfuscation. On an optimistic note, I still believe Lincoln's famous shibboleth, which sorely needs to be dredged up at these depressing times, "You can't fool all the people all the time".
1
To make politics (of any kind) work in America, then Democracy itself has to be restored.
What that means is that money has to be taken out of politics altogether with an end to Citizen's United, an end to 501C4's that funnel dark money and publicly financed elections of no more than (8) eight weeks.
What that means is that there needs to be independent commissions drawing electoral boundaries with restoring of the voting rights act. (and expansion) There needs to be mandatory voting, via paper ballot and by mail, and a national holiday for all to vote in person, if need be.
What that means is that once in the Congress, there needs to be straight up or down votes, with amendments receiving the same, so that the American electorate can see exactly where all stand as far as positions.
All other ideas are but band-aids in the overall scheme of things, and are not ''grassroots'', nor are they '' from the ground up''.
Of course there is one of the most crucial parts to all this, and that is all candidates seeking public office must release their full tax returns, so that Americans can have some semblance that their ''leaders'' are not corrupt, nor bought and paid for.
Just a thought.
2
What an inspiring article! Thank you!
2
First of all: Thank you very much, Mr. Friedman! It felt good to read this hopeful piece on the morning of July 4, 2018. May all American communities (including mine) become "infested" with this sort of thinking!
Next, a question: In a community with this much apparent consensus, what do Republicans and Democrats (or Liberals and Tories, or Whigs and Know-Nothings) argue about at election time? What sorts of things do they say about one another? What is the tone of the typical campaign? If you get the chance to return to the topic, I'd love to hear the answers.
Thanks again!
4
I wonder if this has something to do with Lancaster's ties to "peace churches" and the Pennsylvania Dutch. There is surely intolerance in PA, but there is also a tradition of working things out peacefully. It's next to NY geographically, but culturally light years away.
4
This is a really encouraging article, and a great pattern for Lancaster and many other cities to work by. It might be made even better if they also worked with folks who didn't look like them, from the parts of town that really need rejuvenation.
"while some 30 percent of the city lives below the poverty line, it reaches 50 percent in some of the poorest neighborhoods."
Presumably those neighborhoods are where a lot of the city's majority, people of color, live (40% of the city is Latino, 15% black).
Yet the Hourglass group (and all the politicians named, if I'm not mistaken) seem to be all white folks with money. Maybe the next grat idea they should embrace would be... reaching out to some Lancaster citizens who are different from themselves.
3
They are white, and mostly older, but how can you tell "they have money"? Many seniors are living on a fixed SS check and nothing more.
2
Trust, not caring who gets the credit, leaving your party affiliation at the door, a "Democratic Capitalist" that just wants to get things done; these are encouraging ideas on this, our Independence Day.
Take heart, America. The tribalism and the corrosive political climate that seems to have engulfed our nation can, and will, be overcome. We have faced more divisive times, the Civil War comes to mind. We can renew our commitment to the American Revolution, the American ideal; that "all men (and women) are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
Working towards the common good and trust. Lancaster is doing it, and it's certainly a worthwhile goal. We are always at our best when we work together. America. America the great idea and the great nation. Happy Independence Day.
7
Wow! So many practical and useful insights in this column for cities, organizations, and companies across this country. I was struck by the first photo of people sitting across from one another talking to each other. How simple but powerful. Human community was built around this; how quickly we've forgotten.
6
While I agree the esprit de corps is palpable in Lancaster and is key to its progress, more credit to younger people is in order. Not just in Lancaster, but for rejuvenating towns across the country that prior generations left for dead. And as a happy Harrisburg resident, I must take umbrage at the assertion it is not doing very well. It may have gotten rolling with its recovery a little after Lancaster, but it is now improving at least as fast. When making my rounds at neighborhood restaurants, coffee shops, Broad Street Farmer's Market, and craft breweries, I routinely see the same reaction from visitors suggested in the column "this is so cool, I didn't know this was here!" Plus, the nice thing about living in an old city still trying to shake off a bad reputation is its CHEAP! No, my old friends from New York and New Jersey, that wasn't the down payment, that was the sale price. I am far from the only happy transplant out here. 13,000 jobs available in beautiful Lancaster county...
5
A little optimism is welcome. Thanks. I'm not converted though. I don't see the reckoning words SELF INTEREST anywhere. Why should incoming businesses provide a "living wage" and "not harm the environment"? All the recent evidence suggests they will not voluntarily choose these actions. It's overwhelmingly clear. Not even close. Why should rich white Lancaster County residents pay more taxes to revitalize the brown people's neighborhood and make the schools better in the city? They overwhelmingly (!) elect people that promise tax cuts instead.
Local action is sometimes effective and thank goddess for examples like Lancaster PA. But self-interest and unfettered amoral capitalism has proven (!) to be superior to good intentions. The solution is a better playing field, a rigorous set of laws that require (!) 'best interest' actions by all participants in the society we artificially create for ourselves. This requires political action.
2
Thanks for a lovely July 4th column, about a city that de Tocqueville would recognize. Fiorello La Guardia, who understood that there was no Republican or Democratic way to pick up the garbage, would as well. Even Plato, who believed that the ideal republic was small, might cheer here.
For those who lean right, one of the criticisms of the creeping nationalization of all aspects of government is that the federal level is too unwieldy to be effective, and that one size may not fit all. What works for Lancaster might not work as well in Laredo. In the same vein, what is good for New York may not be good for Nebraska. The 10th Amendment matters.
Regardless, this column is an inspiration and a reminder that there is strength in democracy at the local - the most responsive *and* the most collaborative - levels.
5
I can not agree more with your thoughts. For more on how cities & towns have revitalize themselves see: Our Towns by James & Debra Fellows who flew 100, 000 miles in a single engine plane & discovered the energy & spirit of these towns to survive.
3
As optimistic as this piece is - and it really is a heartwarming ode to civic cooperation - I share some of the concerns voiced by Sparky below. The group seems overwhelmingly older and white (like myself) in a very diverse community. Their ability to see beyond their differences is wonderful, and the results speak volumes - but what about the more disenfranchised residents? It's hard to argue that despite their lack of clout, they should have a seat at Art's table.
1
Mr Friedman I enjoy your writing, often agree with your observations/insights but often disagree with your solutions. I do agree with your frequent observation that many social solutions are best developed locally with engaged volunteers. I suspect the business community also played a part? I've volunteered along side people who may not have wanted to work with me or on the project if they felt my politics opposed theirs. We should all fight that misguided desire- whether it comes from a visceral revulsion, sense of moral/political superiority or religious dogma. Thanks for looking for what's right in our country. God Bless America.
4
There has to be a certain amount of willingness to listen to each other. In my village the mayor and the Board of Trustees do not listen to or solicit what the residents want. They simply do what they think is best. For example when it comes to replacing the curbing in the village, they decided to use cement instead of the fieldstone curbs we've had for decades. The new curbs are functional but ugly.
There is a tremendous amount of hostility in our village towards those who do not follow the approved lines of reasoning. This means that many of us don't bother to participate. We know we aren't going to be heard. In fact, I've lived in this village for over 50 years. I never felt that I was part of the community. That feeling was confirmed when the village discriminated against my brother (who is handicapped), refused to make a cost free accommodation until threatened with a lawsuit, and had a letter written by the mayor in the local paper that demonstrated a complete failure to grasp the facts. Why would anyone want to participate in this sort of community?
If this country wants engagement from its citizens it has to stop excluding people, making it hard to participate, and understand that might is not always right.
8
It was uplifting on Independence Day to read Tom Friedman's column about the transformation of Lancaster, Pa., my hometown. I worked the first 15 years of my career in downtown Lancaster for a major employer. During those years, I saw the city and county stumble during the 1990s, after thriving as many small U.S. cities and counties did during the two previous decades. As part of my work, I crossed paths with many of the civic leaders in the Hourglass group and countless other enterpreneurs and city residents who joined the team effort to revitalize Lancaster City. My two children got a superb education in elementary and high schools in the city, and I'm quite of that because both now are prospering in the early stages of their professional careers. My career took me far away from my hometown in 2003. On frequent trips home to visit family the past 15 years, I've witnessed and enjoyed the fine city transformation that Friedman eloquently explained in his column. My hope is the community leaders now will direct their powerful efforts toward the much-needed Southeast section of the city so its residents can share in the city's prosperity. Secondly, many young small business owners should be invited to help the older guard guide Lancaster forward. Third, as noted in the column, city police need to forge a much stronger and more transparent bond with the community. Finally, civic leaders in the city and county need to talk and jointly work to bolster the entire Lancaster County.
11
An encouraging and heartening piece from Thomas Friedman suggesting that real progress can be achieved at the local level. It should be noted, however, that Red State state legislatures are busy passing laws that preempt local or city initiatives dealing with such things as gun control, minimum wages, cable tv access, soda taxes, etc. Nothing is more threatening to Red State legislators than decision-making power (i.e. democracy) at the local level.
10
Since city mayors are the closest thing to a representative government with daily feedback, maybe our state and national reps should meet with mayors twice a year in a formal conference based on "what's working in their towns". Congress is pushing to run the government like a business, then do that. Let the best ideas come to the top and keep getting better instead of stopping ideas before they've had a chance to prove themselves.
4
The leadership of the Hourglass Foundation is 100% white in an area that is 40% white, 40% Latino and 15% African American.
From the picture, I would guess the median age is roughly 72.
So the notion of different groups coming together for the greater good is a little hard to buy into.
37
The process is the important part. Can someone come in and say I need support for Spanish speaking people who want to learn English come in and have ideas welcomed and a business leader say let’s teach more people Spanish as well and make products that can sell in Spanish speaking countries. Judging from what is written in the article it is very believable and inspiring. It doesn’t mean we have nothing to vote for in November.
1
yes that is true, but i trust you read the entire article and noted that these white people are helping and encouraging people of ALL colors within their community.
4
Thank You, Mr. Friedman, for this wonderful view of what is happening in communities across OUR United States of America right now. Socially Conscious people and organizations are joining forces to recreate an even better America than the one we have known since WWII.
It is obvious that unregulated capitalism and untaxed inherited/stolen wealth is a failure for societies and has caused the unbelievable wealth inequality we see around the world - and especially in OUR United States of America - today.
People are starting to realize that no "super being" or wild west savior is coming to rescue their communities. People are starting to form new business models where every employee of a company shares equitably in responsibility, ownership and profit.
WE THE PEOPLE of these great United States of America will not allow OUR country to be destroyed by a few inherited/stolen wealth Robber Barons who are demented with their greed for money and power.
Not now. Not ever again.
Happy Independence Day Everyone! WE must fight like hell to preserve/restore it.
13
Thank you for this peek into what life could be here again in these United States. It makes me wonder why we need Washington DC at all.
Happy Fourth of July!
7
Mr. Friedman's key notion, "complex adaptive coalition," is just
a fancy name for old-fashioned can-do enthusiasm usually voiced
as something like "government and business can work together
on this." All he adds to the idea is to enumerate a more precise list
of stakeholders. The main problem I have with this is that he
manages to bury the government component. I don't know whether this
is intentional, but he comes close to it when he says that his
miracle potion is "the exact opposite of what's happening in
Washington, D.C." So, contrary to what some commenters here praise as
as optimistic, I see it as an abandonment of the very thing that
we should be celebrating on the Fourth of July.
4
When the residents of a community relinquish their power and involvement to the government, they get a bland combination of indifferent bureaucracy and inefficient responses.
Smaller towns are better able to muster the community than large cities which are torn by political, ethnic, racial, and economic self-interest groups each seeking a specific advantage rather than a community improvement.
Detroit is a good example of 50 years of this big-city malaise which finally resulted in the despairing "community" giving up the idea of racial politics and bringing in a mayor who was open to big business, other-than-black voices, and eliminating the graft and corruption endemic in government. The business/downtown district has made dramatic changes for the better, but the remaining 130 sq. miles of neighborhoods and industrial areas will take another 50 years to turn around because these "neighborhoods" have little, if any, sense of community.
1
One more photo would have been great in this story, how the amish kept cool on a day where, for example, in minneapolis it will be near 90 and 75% humidity.
(Insert photo of older people under the shade of a tree, putting their feet into the river that just thawed 2 1/2 months ago )
1
Yes, keep hope alive. I don't see the breaking of any mold in this article, however. Friedman is trying with good intentions to link progress in the city of Lancaster to progress in Lancaster county, the former being decidedly liberal, the latter conservative. It's the same familiar trend, similar to my hometown of Louisville. Where people embrace diversity and realize we're all in this together, good things happen.
6
The grassroot community initiatives to address local needs may be good as the citizen participation move in democracy but such bottom up model of politics is not only not feasible under highly polarised and fragmented political conditions but hardly a substitute for the politics needed for operating the modern nation state and to meet its multiple challenges cropping up in the context of the international environment that perhaps requires greater mobilisation effort and resources at a larger level.
1
Appreciate this, Tom. I was unsure of how to approach today in a positive frame of mind, and this inspiring article gave me a path forward. I resolve to think about ways that I can craft my own coalitions to accomplish the "big hard things together". Thank you!
7
Being a resident of Lancaster County since 1984 and a resident of the downtown Lancaster City since 1997, I have to take exception to the description of the city as a former crime ridden ghost town in the evenings. I admire the Hourglass Foundation and the contribution they have made to the City, but it is just one of a number of forces at work every day. This opinion piece ignores the tremendous contribution of the young entrepreneurs who have established businesses that foster community as part of their mission and business plan - businesses with a social mission.These young people have created businesses that have drawn other young adults into the city. In turn, these young adults have expanded the cultural base and are now the future of Lancaster. They were drawn to the City because of affordable housing and affordable business space - commodities which are rapidly disappearing as landlords seek to reap the benefits of this revitalization. As an economist, I would like to believe that Mr. Friedman would give more credit and attention to this group of entrepreneurs who are a far more diverse group, racially, ethnically, and culturally than the Hourglass Foundation. These youngsters address problems unforseen by the older and less diverse generations and have made Lancaster a thriving community. Without them Lancaster would not be what it is today.
15
As a resident and business owner in Lancaster, I would like to also point out that revitalization of Lancaster has happened as much because of a younger generation stepping up to transform the city. My son was a city resident at the time, and there seemed to be a real will to turn the city into a place that he and his friends would actually want to live in. They looked around and saw the potential: old tobacco warehouses that could be turned into lofts, areas of good brick built housing that could be remodeled and restored. Though initiatives like the Hour Glass Foundation and the City Alliance got the institutional, social and educational balls rolling, the momentum that made the ideas successful came from the twenty and thirty-somethings both natives and incomers whose activations turned the city into a vibrant, safe, fun and welcoming place. The big turning point was when the city starting doing First Fridays, art galleries staying open late and restaurants doing First Friday promotions. After that, coffee shops, craft brewers and other millennially-inclined businesses started to move into the vacant storefronts and reinvent the failing downtown. Moreover, a lot of the transformation happened because of the unstinting efforts of the mayor, Rick Grey, who constantly encouraged this new entrepreneurial generation and tirelessly promoted Lancaster City. So a great article, but one that misses one of the biggest components of why the initiative was ultimately so successful
3
Great column for this 4th of July.
America’s strength has always been her adaptive citizens. And we continue to adapt - sometimes hesitantly and always imperfectly - to the challenges of an uncertain future.
3
As a native of Lancaster, long since uprooted westward, I feel despair that the city came to such a brink. The article serves as inspiration to me and, I hope, many others that our country will survive the erosion of honest, humility and trust brought on by elected leaders, not simply the president.
4
The real message in this very well done commentary was that concerned people of different political thought had the same concerns about what was failing and that they could become involved and make it better.
I have nether time or patience for those that berate people for their skin color, intelligence or perceived lack of motivation to work. Every one of us has made errors we regret, some admitted, some buried but that is not the point. The real uplift comes from an inner determination to bring together what is right and build on it, as an individual and as a community.
Lancaster, PA and done just that and Mr. Friedman is commended for spotlighting their successes.
15
Revitalizing a city is a noble and admirable undertaking. However, reanimating quality guru Edward Deming (W. Edwards Deming) to come and teach quality improvement principles to the citizens of Lancaster in the early 2000’s seems a reach even for this ambitious crew. Deming passed in 1993.
6
Kudos to the people of Lancaster. To the quote: "The key to it all is trust." I would add the word Truth. One cannot have trust without truth. Yet every day or nearly so, our president twitters and speaks lies. so much so that he has made it into an "art form." And most of us need to recognize that when one is speaking frequently to 40 million twitter followers and and additional 20 million supporters - assuming that most of his 40 million twitterers also support him - truth is not an option, lying is the only possibility when doing it almost daily, and especially if you are a politician.
But there is a solution and in some ways it is similar to what Lancaster's people have done and it is such a simple one. If his 60 million supporters would all in one single, epic, Lancasterian voice shout and twitter: "Mr. President: Cease with the lies, Speak, the truth," then he might - just might - consider it.
And the people of Lancaster could lead us in the chorus and ask the president to join them in rebuilding America, since America was already great, by simply speaking the truth.
5
This is a return to the culture of collaboration that arose when Lancaster was founded—in which "voluntary associations" were formed to do anything that oneself and one's family could not accomplish on their own. Land was plentiful and cheap, labor was therefore scarce and dear, and in any case they had no cash, so volunteers did everything bigger than a personal project. That was philanthropy—"private initiatives for public good"—and it created our country, including the Revolution (Signers of the Declaration in Independence Hall, the Minutemen, etc.) and the Constitution, which Hamilton said in the First Federalist added "the inducements of philanthropy to those of patriotism." So democracy from the bottom up is totally American philanthropy.
5
Bravo, Mr. Friedman!
A truly inspirational story during dispirited times.
Happy 4th!
10
Fantastically inspiring, Tom!
I hope your message goes viral! I will do my part.
3
I remember when the Senate used to work like this, people with different philosophies could debate to solve the nation's problems and to serve the citizens of the country. Once the decorum and the core idea of "public service" left the institution, their work has become a game of chicken where two drivers floor the gas pedal driving towards each other. The first one to swerve loses.
Now, imagine I, as one of the drivers pull and yank out my steering wheel. You may conclude that I would be a sure winner because I have no steering mechanism and the other driver knows this too. A moment later, you notice that the other driver does the same thing and throws his steering wheel out the window. Then, we all come to our senses, get the steering wheels in place and play the game as it was meant to be played. One of the core concepts in competition is cooperation, playing by the rules.
I used this when I taught strategy at college and called it "Strategic Chicken!" I am hopeful that the political parties will soon realize that you cannot play the game of chicken without the steering wheels! The sooner you come to your senses the better the country will be. Both parties, both viewpoints, conservative and liberal thoughts are all necessary to steer the vehicles.
2
All the gray (and white) hair in the Hourglass picture was striking. Innovation usually conjures up images of young hipsters. Apparently wisdom counts for something after all.
18
If the photo of this group is any indication, it's not exactly reflective of the population of Lancaster. Not a black, brown, or Amish face among them, despite these groups collectively make up the majority of the population. I'd be curious to know if Mr. Friedman interviewed any of the local residents who aren't white and over 60 to hear their impressions of this group's success?
The idea is sound, i.e. let's put party differences aside in service to the greater good. But it doesn't sound to me as if the entire community has been invited to provide input. What you call a "complex adaptive coalition" that runs on relationships, could just as easily be characterized as back-room dealing among "leading citizens". This is the kind of thing that leads to ever-entrenched NIMBY-ism, where a select influential (and usually wealthy) few decide what's good for the rest of the community. No doubt there have been successes guided by this group. But I imagine the reality is not as rosy as Mr. Friedman paints it.
17
The story is excellent and we need to create a template to replicate this along the country. The list of attributes given at the end of the essay are too broad - we need more detail template. First how to plant the seed of rejunevation, the next is what to do, and what not to do in every steps of the process. Our communities are becoming very complex with so many different cultures trying to preserve their traditions, at the same time to homogenize into one American culture. The forces of globalization, technology and tribalism are pulling us apart and causing continuous disruption, how we can create multiple layers of relationship on trust mode to counter these disruptive forces. How to intermingle intelligent solutions with emotional coloring that are appealing to all members of the community - we should not forget the power emotions of humans I request Friedman to start a global organization to study the successful cases, collect the data and create new awareness on this subject - we are twenty first century generation of Homo Sapiens a very advanced version of humans, we can not loose to tribalism practiced by Trump and other Alta right leaders.
11
The key here is abandoning politics and if other reporters would look beyond the coasts, they would find this sort of thing happening all over the US and in Pennsylvania in particular. Years ago I was president of a small Chamber of Commerce in a Pittsburgh suburb. We formed coalitions like this more than a decade ago to help us foster and manage the growth in our region. The suburban township where I live has twice invited the community to participate in the township's strategic planning updates. The result is my community is one of the fastest-growing in the Eastern US and we are probably the only municipality with a AAA bond rating.
Entrenched politics has to go though to make this work. That will be difficult for many but most assuredly harder for progressives and Democrats who usually see bigger government as the solution to civic problems. Until people abandon this view, politics will always be a problem.
4
This is the picture that Trump tries to suppress. if the civic engagement and trust demonstrated by the people of Lancaster were replicated across the country, the distrust and fear that got him elected and is propping up his tenure could not have taken hold.
Thank you, Tom, for writing this. I hope it serves as an example for other municipalities across the country.
23
Lancaster, Pa. is 40% white and 40% latino and I see a group of white people sitting around a table. This does not represent a coalition IMO. It's great that they put aside the R or D in front of their names and are working together to revitalize the city from their point of view. They represent the "societal and business interests" of the whites a kind of civic minded gentrification which helps but ignores the other 40%. The 'Eds and Meds' district is great but which citizens of Lancaster does it benefit?
Time for this coalition to invite the other 40% on board to address the other issues in Lancaster beyond business.
I do not mean to knock the progress represented by this type of politically blind coalition because we need more cooperation these days for sure. However, this coalition has done little to heal the racial divides in Lancaster which begs the question of how successful and for whom this coalition has been.
Preppy gentrification for whites could have been so much more if the "Other" 40% had been included from the beginning.
21
I was born and raised in Lancaster, and I thought the same thing when viewing that photo.
There is still a huge racial divide in the city. Minorities live mostly in the poor area south of city center. Driving south on Prince Street, there is a striking demarcation between the gentrified area and the minority neighborhoods. My mother, who once volunteered as a court reporter, used to always comment that all criminal activity was done by Hispanics. This view is still held by older white residents who separate themselves from immigrants and view them as inferior and the largest source of crime. And I’d add that most older white residents of Lancaster would be shocked to learn that there are immigrants from places other than Puerto Rico.
8
Posted almost exactly the same thing before I read your comment. I guarantee you Mr. Friedman did not interview anyone other than the people who sit on this committee.
1
Ugh - how could you possibly find fault with these wonderful and successful people? So what if they’re white? Their work is obviously helping people of all races. Look what they’re doing for refugees and children who need a school lunch. What you said sounds like a kind of reverse racism to me. I’m sure that black and Latino people are welcome to join the group. Let’s not atavistically criticize white people as racist and exclusionary. These folks need praise, appreciation, and encouragement - not unwarranted criticism. Just one man’s opinion...
First, I thank the NYT for including, at least once a week a feel good article---since for the remainder of the week I am forced to read feel bad articles. Second, what made this country great was not an adherence to an ideology, but rather, deeply ingrained pragmatism---we have been a country of problem solvers, which, has fueled an entrepreneurial spirit in every field. Finally, the power of pragmatism is its belief that "truth" is not some canonical ideal to be worshiped, but rather an instrumental tool for working out problems---truths are not given, but discovered in the problem solving process. What has gone terribly wrong with our governing class is allowing adopted ideological truths to build a wall---so to speak---against processes that discover truths. Throughout our history the great social and economic strides we have made always began we the question "what's the problem, " and not with the question, "what do you believe."
33
I don’t have the exact quote handy, but in his Farewell Address, George Washington warned about factions..
Every year, the Senate has a member read the address, and every year only a handful turn up to listen to it.
The people of Mt. Pleasant IA, highlighted in another story in the Times this morning, would benefit from visiting with these people from Lancaster. Civic leaders and concerned citizens can organize for community development by focusing on problems. Researching the problems and seeking out people with best practices is the key to all continuing education, professional development, and growth.
7
One of the most enduring and least understood centers of many communities is the local PTA or PTO.
In our town, our PTA serves in that function. The events that are organized for the school feed children, educate children through after school programs, provide after school care, provide financial assistance to families that need it, teach character education, provide cultural enrichment and serve as ambassadors at large for the wider community. It is a diverse group of mostly women--but it does include a few men, some same-gender families and is racially and ethnically diverse. My one caveat is our little NJ enclave is a wealthy town and there is money and volunteer power. There is also not that many African Americans and only a handful of Latinos.
Is it perfect? Nope.
But as much as people love to throw pot shots at the stereotypes of the PTA, having been inside the organization for five years, I found dedicated public servants rolling up their sleeves and doing all they could to improve the lives of EVERYONE at that school. I met more selfless people in those groups than I had in years.
The irony is, I am sure there are parents walking around even in this town who see the PTA as a bunch of entitled moms in SUVs. May look that way from the outside, but so much more than that....
What you are writing about does happen, quietly and without fanfare, in the conference room of many public schools with a few moms and dads and teachers who deign to make things better for all.
18
Civic groups (made up of people with diverse backgrounds) are sorely needed in every community. Decades ago, civic groups were more common and I remember them well as a child who grew up on the east coast not far from Lancaster.
The area is quite beautiful and there are mountains, beaches, and all sorts of activities near bye. There are a number of great colleges near bye and Philadelphia is commutable. Still, a tech company in Lancaster would be a great idea. It would be nice to see the tech sector take a shot in Lancaster, an area surrounded by great colleges in-state and surrounding states. Thanks, Mr. Friedman for the article.
6
If anyone reads this article and does not believe this represents the America we should be striving for, please ask yourself why. Two aspects stand out to me: the need for trust and the repeated references that this is hard work. It inspires me to see my countrymen, in this county, put aside tribalism that seems to engulf this nation to achieve a common good. Why cannot we achieve this at a national level? In December of 1776, Thomas Paine published The Crisis. One sentence in that writing stands out to me: "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value." I am quite sure the citizens of Lancaster county can appreciate Thomas Paine's words. Why wouldn't the rest of our country want to follow their example? Celebrate this day, our Independence Day, and be aware the sacrifices that brought these Unites States into existence are not yet over if the collective we want to see this great, diverse nation continue to strive toward "a more perfect union".
24
It sounds as if impressive strides are being made in Lancaster. However, in all the talk about leadership and coalitions and openness to ideas from all over, Friedman says nothing about how the leaders from the 40% of the population who are Latinos are being involved. There's also no reference to the involvement of leaders from low-income and working class backgrounds or to how their needs, skills, and preferences are being factored into decisions on economic development, housing, education, skill training, etc. Are they, in fact, included, or excluded in the planning?
Andy Mott, Community Learning Partnership
49
I agree. Looking at the participants around the table of a coalition meeting (see photo), the same questions occurred to me. Some kind of outreach is clearly needed in order to make all citizens feel ownership of the Lancaster success story.
15
Living near the city of Lancaster (and loving it) I think Hourglass is just a small part of the success of the city. There are many other groups working to make Lancaster special.
4
Hello, Andy! You bring up such a crucial point, also noted by others. Notably, Patrick S says, "This 'Table of 9' obviously does not reflect the age/ethnic/cultural diversity of the town's people. It would be helpful for this article to be accompanied by photos of some of the other 'tables' in Lancaster, where the real community-building work gets done. This could show us if the broader community is actually participating in the "complex adaptive coalition"."
The fact remains that the 'Table of 9' in the photo are mostly white boomers with free Friday mornings.
I reply to you, Andy, because of your stated affiliation, "Community Learning Partnership". It would be great to hear any suggestions you have for a broader more representative spectrum of caring townspeople in Lancaster (and other cities and towns) to build the even better town or city they all envision. Would you consider writing up some things you have learned in your own work that might be helpful in Lancaster's process?
Community development via financial/business development is at best only part of the solution. Voter registration a fair tax system taking money out of our elections are absolutely necessary, or all the well-intended folks in the world are doomed to failure. The vultures at the top will continue to skim off any and all assets to build private communication booths and change our laws so their friends in corporations can kill the rest of us while they make short term profit.
7
The secret sauce of a revitalized city. Well, this article does make you want to believe. And yet. There’s that pesky 10% city unemployment rate. 90% ? Of the children qualify for reduced meals at school, 30%-50% live below the poverty line, a refugee inflow rate 20 times the national average? But the next big goal is...public art?
13,000 job openings. Where? The hospital, college, sports complex, convention center with nearby hotel? Lots of service jobs. And a mayor who advocated living wages, environmental care. A fly-by mention of lead in the water.
That Lancaster Community Foundation with....$100 million in assets. Let me digest that...100 million. Public art, incentives to buy and fix up homes on one Main Street.....
The term, trickle down comes to mind. But maybe that 50% will be inspired by viewing community sculptures, murals. It could happen.
27
I agree with you. The Lancaster Community Foundation's $100 million caught my attention. This money could go far to create, invest in, and support a community jobs creation, training and mentorship program. In Simi Valley, CA years ago my sister helped with others get businesses together for just that purpose. My nephew got in an apprenticeship program out of high school and later was supported by the company he worked for to get an M.E. degree. He's still with that same company 15 years later.
"All successful complex adaptive coalitions have some kind of college or university in their town."
“The average education level of immigrants is higher than ours, and the language barrier is real, they have a work ethic beyond belief — and they love America", said Tom Baldridge.
Education, immigration, hard work = American success
And ... no (or limited) interference from outside interlopers like the Koch Brothers, the Fake News channel or some other propaganda mill to whip the white minority into a racist rage to destroy the common good by defeating common sense, community and - horror of horrors - a little taxation that might pay for a little extra civilization.
The Lancaster foundation and coalitions may check their professed political affiliations at the door, but the reality is they're employing progressive ideas, liberal solutions and rock-solid socialist problem-solving....."making sure that every child is kindergarten-ready in terms of basic learning skills; ensuring that every adult has access to postsecondary education and credentials; and ensuring that every citizen has access to some kind of health care."
It's amazing how much good you can accomplish and build in America with healthy education, a healthy dose of immigration, universal healthcare, facts, honest conversation....and the taxes to pay this kind of civilization.
Friedman wants to pretend that the good example he has given us is a apolitical, but the example is progressive, liberal and fact-based.
346
I agree with your assessment; however, perhaps the fact that those amazing cooperative spirits ignored the scary labels enabled their success. Shhh--don't tell anyone.
Additionally, I was heartened to read Mr. Friedman's (I'm such a fan of yours) column this morning. We need good news. Thanks!
It can't be progressive if more government is not the answer. Virtually none of the town's solutions involve bigger government. His essay is pretty clear - it's about as apolitical as it can get. Who doesn't want people to have health care? Who is opposed to quality education? Who is opposed to legal immigration? Or reasonable tax levels? Not conservatives - we support these things but we just differ on how they should be paid for.
I did find it curious that they say they brought in Edward Deming for help with quality issues. Deming - the original W. Edwards Deming, died in 1993. Sloppy reporting to not clarify that point. I don't know of any of Deming's kids carrying on his tradition.
2
Perhaps the labels you speak of are part of the problem. As soon as we label something as 'Socialist' or 'Progressive' there are immediate emotional barriers raised which have been programmed into us by others for specific purposes. Ask most Americans to define Socialism, Communism, Fascism, or progressiveness and they would be at a total loss.
3
So proud to be part of the Lancaster community. I work in the city and live in the suburbs. The fabric of our community is strong because people here care, about each other and about the place where we live and work. They believe in personal accountability and that nothing is an entitlement. We aren’t perfect but we are constantly striving to be. It is that spirit, the spirit of optimism and the belief that individually and together we can make a difference, that defines us. So if you are rolling your eyes or thinking how naive I am that is why you don’t live in a Lancaster.
18
The main determinant of Lancaster's success was the nucleus of people who wanted to effect change. First of all, they realized they had a choice. Either devote more and more resources to building higher walls to secure your personal enclave in hope of keeping the enemies of their status at bay or work to remove barriers to allow everyone to do better.
And, Trump (and Netanyahu) to the contrary, walls do not work. Surrounding your community or nation with a 30 foot wall only creates a brisk market for 31 foot ladders.
For the 326,166,000 Americans who do not live in Lancaster or its surrounding county I would offer a simple test and parallel exercise.
The test: list the names of your five nearest neighbors.
The exercise: If you cannot name them, knock on doors and introduce yourself. Only with a conversation can you begin to identify and remediate problems of your neighborhood, then community, then city or town, then region, then country, then world.
28
Thanks for this interesting, inspiring column; I hope that it sparks all sorts of productive spinoffs. What Lancaster and others have done doesn't come easily or quickly, it reminds me of the value of trust among people and a willingness to talk meaningfully with others--so different from Washington these days.
We may think nationally, but we live locally, and the quality of that living depends on local conversation and action more than we often realize.
13
This is democracy at work. This is what we need to learn state and nation wide. We need to become a people dedicated to the betterment of a whole society, not one intent on winning for my side.
25
Lancaster has a population of 60,000, almost the same as that of Utica, NY. Utica is the 10th largest city in New York State. It's possible that they could take lessons from Lancaster.
I live in a small community about 35 miles from Utica. In the 1950s, it was a prosperous place with a foundation in the dairy industry. Changes in dairy, and, no, it's not Canadian tariffs, have decimated the village. It's caught in a downward spiral and there's no end in sight as housing stock deteriorates and young people leave. Our story is common here in Central New York.
If it were not for the Amish living in the area, we would have virtually no small family farms. Businesses have closed. There are empty storefronts everywhere.
The population of the school has declined to about 400 students K-12. This year 25 graduated. (When my husband graduated in 1956, there were 56) Most of them who go on to college will make their contributions elsewhere.
Utica may be able to emulate Lancaster, but what about the thousands of small towns across the rural United States? Should we expect to just become ghost towns as our population dies off? There's a lot of misery here, a lot of anger and a lot of Trump voters. We do not have the human resources to invent from the bottom up.
There are a few villages where wealthy patrons have supported positive change. If their visions are sound, they keep things going. It's pretty discouraging for the rest of us.
6
A truly progressive tax system and reasonable regulation would allow these small communities to transition from a farm-based community to a healthy working class economic system. That is not going to happen with all the wealthy business types in the world. As long as government is promotes elite business types and discards the average person, there is no future.
3
Tom’s enthusiasm is clear, and his belief that there is something going on here that we all can learn from. There seems to be money to be found in Lancaster and people who know how to put it to good use. There is serendipity too, a fortunate coalition of savvy souls with community spirit. Lancaster is an inspiration, but not directly transplantable everywhere. I don’t think Tom has put a finger upon all the factors that must come together.
10
Living near Lancaster city and loving it, I think you are right. Hourglass is just a tiny part in what the city has become.
1
I live in the Lancaster area and while I agree with much of this article, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, Lloyd Smucker now represents the area in Congress; rather than talk with people, he holds his "town hall meetings" via telephone conference call. You can't meet with him...unless you're a donor, of course. Second, while the faith-based communities do great work, their members have also been among the strongest supporters in the U.S. for George W. Bush and Donald Trump, the two presidents elected with a minority of the vote who have done great damage to the country. Their support is based on one issue: abortion. They want to ban it.
214
Society will flourish if given half a chance bringing out the best in people. The right atmosphere with leaders demonstrating their values to make things happen. Good intentions help but also recognising what went wrong causing division. Availability of housing and education not only based on class. Faith in the system? Life brings choices and opportunities if we have time to identify those options. Future shock warned us change a mixed blessing causing confusion and disruption. The Greening of America claimed Americans were ready for national conservation. Never a real possibility in consumer-based society; everyone wants more.
Europe suffering a falling birth rate reflecting growing disillusionment in society. Politicians promising good times but only fixing their budgets; austerity comes as standard in Britain. Accountants and lawyers offer a rather bleak future. The quality of life as a human right based on transparency?
2
Hi Tom. Thank you for your service. Sometimes, all a person, family, or community really need to fix themselves is VISION. Your article shows us how we presently have an upside down Philosophy about Politics. Instead of it being Our Team against Your Team, it’s become a different team made up of citizens pulling for the community without a political anchor dragging them into the sewer of hopelessness. It also shows it’s possible to check your political ego at the door of opportunity and build trust from the bottom up instead of vice-versa. To me, this is and should be an easy solution to the political quagmire polluting America today. Do we still need political parties? Yes, but those parties shouldn’t divide us; we should inspire them to community.
6
This 'Table of 9' obviously does not reflect the age/ethnic/cultural diversity of the town's people. It would be helpful for this article to be accompanied by photos of some of the other 'tables' in Lancaster, where the real community-building work gets done. This could show us if the broader community is actually participating in the "complex adaptive coalition".
46
I would suggest Tom go back and delve deeper into the younger and more diverse groups working for change.
1
I love this, thanks for writing this story!
This is a problem not only in DC, but in big cities, where politicians are beholden to one political party that keeps doing the same old, same old, with no progress, but with more corruption ensuing.
The electorate either stays home or votes for the same characters purely out of habit.
Localism is where things should be, local people with knowledge and the skills to get things done and fix local problems, regardless of political affiliation.
2
So, cooperative efforts as opposed to working in separately n silos seems to be the ticket. In the US, nationally, we now have silos with very thick walls. Will this example of those stepping out of their silos work nationally? It can. The forces that helped create these silos though need to rethink their missions.
3
Local leaders are passionate about improving their towns and cities. Most local government elected positions, like a city council, are non-partisan and involve elections where the biggest expense is for a few dozen yard signs. Leaders from the chamber of commerce know the leaders of the parent-teacher organization, environmental organizations, and arts community.
Successful towns and cities are guided by and invest in a long-range plan that was developed and is supported by the community.
Contrast with Congress's failure to address critical issues. Our southern border is experiencing a human catastrophe, with asylum seekers from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. You'd think Congress would establish a commission with these countries, along with Mexico, to work on solutions. That effort would require resources, but nothing like Afghanistan or Iraq. And would address a region in sight of our border, not countries thousands of miles away.
Successful communities focus on continuous improvement. Congress's focus is on .... what exactly?
51
Doesn't this essay give too short shrift to the role of effective individual leadership? A transformative Mayor seems to have played an enormous role in the story.
9
You are absolutely correct about the mayor. However, part of his effectiveness comes from his willingness to work with unelected and non profit groups in conjunction with government. There is no hint of paybacks, under the table deals with his donors, etc. Take $ out of the equation and, yes, our system can work very well.
2
This article reminds me of the book "Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America" by Deborah Fallows and James Fallows. Their investigation reveals many US towns with civic cohesion where people work together to strengthen the town and by doing so, blur party lines.
Reporting these successes helps shape the real-time American narrative, which rhetoric at the federal level would appear set to destroy. Thank you!
11
The Fallows came to my little town and, much like Friedman, seem to have spoken with people they decided were “leaders”. It gives a skewed and privileged view of what a community is all about. If you want a better view try visiting the community yourself or at least read what local journalists have to say.
1
Our politics in is in serious need of an infusion of youth if we are to progress into the desired future we all want. Nice as that group appeared in the photo - it's not about them but their children and grand children. We need the type activism that occurred in the Vietnam war. Too be sure, it was loud, boisterous, and sometimes destructive but it got the message across. When the Parkland High School kids marched to protest gun violence they were given lip service to the issue. They had no say and we are once again at status quo with guns. I don't know the answer but I don't like the current trend. Appeasing senior citizens is not the answer.
6
Don't discount the Parkland students so fast. Many of them will vote this year; all of them will vote by 2020. In 15-20 years, many may be sorry they discounted their anger.
1
A journey into the America I love. Mr. Friedman, always insightful, would marvel at some of the counterparts to Lancaster that now thrive in the Deep South. Some are within the suburban ring around cities like Atlanta while others are free-standing communities often isolated where do-it-or-die hovered like a Sword of Damocles. Yes, it is the miracle of relationships that turn things around, that immeasurable power that comes from reaching out, listening and acting on vision propelled by business know-how and trust in one another.
Our country is big enough to accommodate diversity, generous enough to reward effort and surely kind enough to promote understanding and cooperation. While there are no sure fixes, Lancaster and other cities similarly situated offer templates for open minds and hard workers.
11
How to Get to Yes, I believe is the title. To solve a difficult problem, start with the big picture all parties can agree and say yes to. Then work from that agreement, little by little, from as many areas all parties agree to the details that need compromise and work. This book’s technique is often used by lawyers for divorce cases.
1
Thank you for the uplifting article. It is affirming to know that "noblesse oblige" still exists even if it is outside the power centers of our country. Kudos to Lancaster and to all the people who have made contributions, large and small, to the revival of the community.
2
Lancaster has two big advantages that are not shared by some other communities. First: Lancaster is small. There is relatively little value there. If big money sniffs an opportunity they will swoop in and extract the value leaving behind the husks. The college and the hospital are local and dependent on local prosperity. Therefore they are willing to collaborate locally. Global interests really don't care about individuals or towns, or even countries. The GOP is the extractive engine for squeezing all the value out of the U.S.A. The "Romney" model leaves behind shell companies facing bankruptcies. Second: Lancaster is in Pennsylvania, not south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Many communities in the old Confederacy have still not recovered from the Civil War: some white Southerners have not absorbed the lessons of racial injustice. It's hard to dig down and solve current community problems when many constituents have dreams of the past. Local is good but its reach is short. Kudos to Lancaster: an enclave of good sense and personal connection.
23
This article really lifted my spirits. Thanks Tom Friedman!
And Happy Fourth--finally something positive to celebrate after months of relentless closed-loop bad news.
7
Wonderful story and timely in so many ways. I plan to visit Lancaster not to look up those connected with this story but to stay a couple of weeks.
3
As early as 1983, my father observed that the U.S. had lost the ability to decide what things were worth doing and how to pay for them. While this is more true than ever at the top, this kind of common purpose and hard-nosed, energetic effort to achieve that goal is exactly what he modeled throughout a life of volunteer work for those less fortunate. I am encouraged by this piece to continue my own efforts. Heartfelt thanks.
47
We live in a one-party Republican-controlled state. Republicans are and have been a minority party that counts on systematic and carefully planned voter suppression. Voter apathy is essential to their strategy for maintaining power- they count on it.
The Democrats have assisted the GOP with poor candidate choices and internal party fragmentation that discourages voter participation. Remember that Trump was somehow slipped into office by a mere 24% of the potential US electorate. The Democratic Party must motivate voters in the face of the premeditated Republican destruction of our democracy or all will be lost. The eligible American electorate must register and go to the polls in overwhelming numbers to fight against a Trumpian dictatorship aided and abetted by the Supreme Court, the Republican Congress, and a corrupted electoral process.
Continued voter apathy means repeating the history of the Austrians and the Germans of the 1930's.
92
Trump was actually put into office by less than 19% of our entire population. His base most likely consists of less than that, because some of his votes were actually more against Hillary, than pro-Trump. So his practices, now in office, do NOT reflect what most US citizens favor. Never forget that.
53
It's even more accurate to not that Trump was put into office by an even smaller number of voters! The 304 people who represent the archaic and out-of-date Electoral College system.
We can register every democratic leaning voter in the nation. It will not mean squat if we continue to allow the insider-elites to select whom we may elect.
Give people candidates to get excited about and they will come out and vote.
1
Twenty years ago Bowling Alone outlined a trend to reduced community involvement that in many ways was the proverbial canary that warned about an environment that led to the tribalism that we see throughout the country. The GOP may have started the emphasis on extreme tribalism, but with Democrats demanding ever more philosophical purity among their candidates, the inevitable result will be even less cooperation than we see today.
For now, I agree with Mr. Friedman, the only real hope may be an end-run around the politicians. Lancaster seems like a good model.
10
The fragmentation of society and of the community is also the
fragmentation of the local and of the family - Why?
The very core of capitalism is all about fragmenting the family unit so that individuals are vulnerable and therefore will
take any low paid job - just to live.
If there was a strong family network then the individual
could depend upon the family to have food and shelter
until they are able to get the right job with a reasonable
amount of money to have a reasonable standard of life.
Capitalism smashes the family and its network,
and manufactures smaller family units that can move around and go where there are job vacancies - the family is atomized
and exploited for profit by those who have wealth and power.
To have a local family life and a local community that really works, then capitalism will have to be changed into
a community capitalism, where the notion of making capital and building greater profits for personal power has to disappear, and the profits of labor will have to be invested in
the local then the community could begin to re-build
an authentic local political and cultural life.
Capitalism is the enemy of the local community, and the
family network of support and growth.
44
Sorry, but petit bourgeois capitalism can co-exist with socialism. The idea at founding was that citizens are able to make a living for themselves. Pennsylvania is a commonwealth, meaning that the "commons" are supposed to be available to everyone. For example, Pennsylvania was a leader in conservation.
Pennsylvania was a leader in free public education and thanks to Benjamin Franklin, was father to the postal service and a postal road system.
The Pennsylvania exceptions to Bankruptcy included the right to keep a black powder rifle and a spinning wheel free from creditors.
It is true that Pennsylvania mining companies ruled like tyrannical sovereign states, minted their own money and forced employees to live in company owned towns. Large industries were formed to monopolize oil, and steel and the Pennsylvania Railroad owned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
But to be fair, the founders of these industries left most of their money in Pennsylvania. Carnegie, et al believed in noblesse oblige.
I'm sorry to report that most of their successors, especially Andrew K. Mellon former Secretary of the Treasury, and modern opportunists, give nothing back to society.
I would hope that this year, everyone in Hourglass will agree that we have to oppose fascism, not only on moral grounds but because peitit bourgeois society is in immediate danger.
12
Pay attention to DFS’s distinction between “petit bourgeois capitalism,” which I would call business and your capitalism, which is better termed “corporate capitalism.” They’re far from synonymous. Nor is “corporate capitalism” the unmitigated evil that you suggest. Some of the best recent history of capitalism (try Deidre McCloskey, e.g.,) suggests otherwise. However, your implication that strengthening families should be one of our greatest priorities is, to use an old fashioned phrase, right on.
Trenchant analysis!
Wonderful story. Insightful. Inspiring. THANK YOU Mr. Friedman.
Editor’s note: This comment has been anonymized in accordance with applicable law(s).
7
public art - a reason to feel good and proud of being outdoors in your city ?
Back in 2007 I had never seen the term 'public art' in any local communications but felt I'd like to see some - so I emailed my Lord Mayor 'how about some public art ?'
Last I looked the city has a Public Art Commissioner and a Public Art Budget of $8M a year.
So yeah - do that.
7
Thank you for your this positive story on the Fourth of July. Change usually comes from the people not the politicians. Politicians follow the grassroots because they have to to keep theiir jobs.
Lancaster is an example that, hopefully many cities will follow..
14
So let's read between the lines. A city based on am extractive healthcare industry organized around the families that have owned the town for generations.
21
I agree that civil society effectively engages the skills of participants and benefits the local area. Retired or unemployed people also can keep skills up while they continue to engage on a personal level
The fly in the ointment is local government continues to stagnate as grants flow to the private organizations.
Soon, the goal of the private organizations can become to get the grants and the organizations write the applications and bend their activities to suit the grant makers’ tastes, which might or might not be what the area needs. Cousins and friends are hired to administer the grants.
What happens then? Non-elected officials are spending non-public monies on public needs. How does the public make its voice heard? Where are the correction mechanisms?
I realize that things have to start someplace. Retired people, especially those who don’t have pressing unmet money demands in their personal lives, can help get things going. The goal, however, should be a normal elected functioning local government, subject to the ballot box.
24
"Soon, the goal of the private organizations can become to get the grants and the organizations write the applications and bend their activities to suit the grant makers’ tastes, which might or might not be what the area needs"
Sounds a lot like our two-party system. Two fund-raising Ponzi-schemes.
I predicted last week in response to Tom’s Part 1 of this thesis that Part 2 (this column) risked simply highlighting a phenomenon where one city (Lancaster, PA) represented “a localized laboratory on serving SOME interests well because they HAPPEN to have access to compliant citizens and a measure of wisdom” in their leaders, political as well as commercial.
Boy, did I nail it.
It doesn’t hurt that Lancaster is compact enough (Lancaster itself has a population of about 60,000) for its true leaders to meet around a kitchen table, and that they’re unrelievedly homogeneous – white, at least middle-class and perhaps prosperous, possibly all parishioners of the same church. They may not be members of government but they’re clearly decisive influencers, since Tom points to them as the central to such creative “adaptive solutions”. The best that might be said of elected government leaders there is that they’re bright enough to be decisively influenced.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m happy for Lancaster’s rebirth and its encouraging arc. Would that all of America could exploit similar benefits. As it happens, I once had an extended client engagement in that part of PA, know Lancaster well and I like and respect its people.
But Lancaster isn’t really representative of America anymore, certainly not of its major cities or even many of its towns. Its success primarily is due to the homogeneity of its population and the serendipity of having a small group of inspired citizens …
6
… largely empowered (even if only by moral suasion) to make a difference.
Lancaster’s localized solution can’t credibly be pointed to as some wholesale, bottom-up practicable solution to the chaotic thrashings of our major parties. Everywhere else, we see clashes of opposed interests along racial, ethnic, class and even religious lines, increasing in intensity rather than moderating, elected leaders who are NOT so open to inspired leadership by unelected savants, and who approach politics as an adversarial and existential enterprise, as well as a citizenry that is less open to follow-the-inspired-leaders. The political realities that favor Lancaster could have analogs elsewhere in America, but I’d wager they’re relatively few. Let Tom point to MANY instances of wise cadres of potential leaders capable of developing and successfully evangelizing “adaptive solutions”, elected leaders who are open to arguments that DON’T flog narrow interests that get them elected, and generally open citizenries … and I’ll change my conclusions.
His basic argument is that our political parties have failed to work and are disintegrating in a chaos driven by internal contradictions; and that we must search for other means of solving problems. My response is that we need to fix our parties, so that a remarkably diverse national population has reference points in which it recognizes its basic interests and convictions, and can have a meaningful voice in defending them.
3
I must have missed the part where Tom said this success story can easily be replicated elsewhere. A form of the same model can however be made to work in a lot more places than we can think of. Lancaster has many advantages, not the least of which are major institutions, but It is also within commuting distance of major employers in suburban Philly. I remember visiting Lancaster in the late 90s and the changes in the city are now palpable. Not every town has the same advantages, but a little imagination and community engagement goesa long way.
UPsky:
If you're unconvinced about Tom's basic thesis, then I can only suggest that you carefully re-read BOTH columns.
You skill as a reporter is fantastic and the article provided encouraging news. The big news, without reading any real quantification, is that Lancaster has reversed its decline. From your report, it seems that the town's senior citizens have made a good start at making Lancaster a much better place to live, form households, raise children and where people have a reasonable shot at getting a good paying job.
I am skeptical that these host of private, non-profit, Lancaster -focused organizations can replace our political system but clearly, the Mayor can be an important lobbyist and probably take a leadership role in the National Conference of Mayors to carry his message nationally and to the offices of their State representatives in Harrisburg and their representatives in Washington. I liked the emphasis on the importance of building relationships -- this is important at all levels of collective public effort, national and international. This message should be heeded in the Congress and the Administration.
However, the big infrastructure and national resource allocation issues, including the "safety net", coming up with energy solutions to the national economy, safe transportation to move food and goods to our towns from producers, and providing affordable healthcare for all.
I admire your pluck, you are a gifted national treasure. Keep exploring and sharing your findings. Go back to the county and try to quantify this fantastic turn-around. I love Lancaster.
5
Mr. Friedman and Mr. Brooks seem to be in agreement.
https://icma.org/articles/article/david-brooks-sees-role-local-governmen...
So who is the Republican and who is the Democrat?
Local government can function non-partisan. But above that, political parties take over. That is where the money is and that is where the power is.
So small and local government work. That is where it stays.
2
Art Mann and the Hourglass folks are the true innovators of our times. They are my idea of hero's. It's simply not all technology and stem that hold the key to progress in 2018.
Tom, don't miss another obvious component of the success in Lancaster. Check out the photo of the weekly Hourglass meeting. They are all volunteers, boomers and seniors. The boomers and seniors in our communities are helping to guide many social issues in our communities. And in my community I too have no idea what their political affiliations are nor do any of us care.
Many boomers and seniors have the time the money the energy and the interest to get involved and make changes in their community. They (we) are not done. Stay tuned...
65
I, honestly, thought this is what it would be like under Obama. I thought smart people would talk to smart people and we would, collectively, rise above our history, our separate cultures, our religions, our ethnicity, our tribes and become Americans. You can imagine my surprise. We can forget about building coalitions, coordinated efforts or confidence when the man in charge of building things is also the town arsonist. I agree that the problem will have to be solved from the grass roots because the trees that have been growing for 250 years are showing signs of rot.
41
Greats news from Lancaster. Then I went back to the Part 1 article and wondered how the trust that figures so prominently in this story can exist at a bigger scale to address the global challenges. I'm going to chew on that idea for a while...
5
Tom, after all your opinion pieces about succeeding by beating the competition, it's nice to see this more down-to-earth approach. I think you are spot on about cooperation and selflessness being the real magic to a better society. And yes, it is hard to succeed. I wish Lancaster and all the other forward-looking towns success.
35
A very encouraging piece at a very disturbing time. Tom writes about an exciting future for Lancaster. And a model for other discouraged communities in middle America. America can become great again IF people work together and set aside their partisan political differences and recognize their common aspirations. Common goals will override the cultural and racial divide that is so harmful to America.
19
Inspiring, yes. Like an old Hollywood movie. But bottom-up approaches by local community leaders will only serve to further intensify social divisions in this country unless the federal and state governments commit themselves to fairer taxes, basic institutional reform (including a national health insurance system) and major investment in education, healthcare and social equity overall rather than military interventionism and meddling in the politics of countries like Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. As the old proverb goes, "the fish rots from the head."
75
Let's see, the privileged old white folks talk about all these unfilled jobs in the county and there's 10 percent unemployment in the poor section of town.
Is there a road to make this connection? How bout some inclusion at the table?
129
How do you know others weren’t invited? One thing that has struck me about various initiatives I’ve witnessed is that many of the progressive, compassionate, impassioned people who Have The Time to become involved are older and maybe not physically representative of other groups. That doesn’t mean they are only looking to protect their own interests, or that they aren’t attuned to the issues, needs and concerns of those in other demographic pigeonholes. Let’s have a little faith and give these people some credit!
12
"“We found that people who were responsible for key parts of the city, business and government had never met each other,” said Mann. “They were all in their own silos, and we — Hourglass — were neutral, so we could get them together.”"
To me this is the roots of the national problem. Politics is supposed to be about serving the public interest and the art of compromise. Instead it is captured by those looking out for their own interests, their own tribe, and the rest be damned. It's how we end up with a Cabinet official grabbing what he can for himself (airplane rides, a cushy job for the wife, etc) while handing out goodies to all his pals in the business world.
137
Mr. Friedman, you need to hit the streets where the organizers are multi-ethnic and a good deal more radical than your lilly white group described, gathering petition initiatives to make changes happen that have never happened while the "garden club" and "echo chamber" were in charge of legislation and action. Take a look at the YWCA in Tucson, collaboration supreme, growing the grass roots and supporting small businesses, a young job seekers and encouraging real change from the bottom up, not just from the Friday morning coffee group although they are welcome to participate. Don't think you made your case with this example! Keep trying! You may eventually "get it."
19
I thought the opinion was a ray of light for the Fourth. As Soxared points out there's a lack of diversity in this planning group, but after all it is in Quaker country, of historically white abolitionists who don't have many black communities established as neighbors. Mr Rogers, the Presbyterian, has a good reputation there though. I'm glad they are paying attention to urban planning in Lancaster. Urban plans are the only way to establish population density to optimize free association. Central Park NYC is an example. Current urban planning has reached the limit of efficiency in replanning older districts. Especially in light of population expansion everywhere, urban planning ought to take the Amish example and design low density semi-rural housing that won't cause older housing to be priced up and out of the market. If such developments were attractive to immigrants and people of color, construction would boost local economies and jump start ones for newcomers, by careful planning of civic places. Urban planners should be encouraged to prepare for a main chance. The City on a Hill, fractalized.
1
Low density semi rural housing goes against all the good urban planning principles you are trying to make a case for.
2
Sorry, Mr. Friedman, I'm not buying it.
I saw no person of color seated at the table of nine. That image showed me that it's still white people making plans; calling the shots; that others wait on their decisions.
I don't dislike white people but where was the outreach for a true and comprehensive discussion for what ails the town?
It doesn't matter that people checked their party affiliation(s) at the door. There was no diversity; no inclusion; no embrace of the larger community (40% white; 40% Latino; 15% African-American; 5% "rainbow." Yet none of these ethnic groups were represented in the town's renewal.
You didn't mention that.
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I also noticed that almost all those pictured looked to be retirement age. It's great if they can put their minds and time to good use, but their ages are not very representative of a larger community.
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Might want to reread the column Soxared. Minority communities are involved and benefiting. And, I suspect their input is invaluable and accepted, otherwise the whole picture goes to pieces. The meeting in the photo was one of many meetings that had to occur in order for the whole program to work.
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I agree that image struck me. Also there was no one who appeared to be under the age of 40.
...and yet, they got things going, so if that's what it takes to start and make change, so be it. I HOPE they quickly involved members of their diverse community to the table. Wish Tom has said more about that.
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Excellent piece, we have some of this in place in the Upper Valley of VT/NH and the new generation of leaders seems in tune to this approach. I look forward to sharing this widely in my community and really appreciate your bringing this to light.
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Slave State Confederates we now call Evangelicals will be obscenely abusive and dismissive towards this effort.
Wake up, Tom. The Confederacy did not fade away, as Jefferson Davis described it. They become an enduring cancer in our nation.
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Doesn't mean it can't work in non slave states.
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The group picture and meeting times indicate the process is based on older white people. One man did not have grey hair. Many poor people are working Friday mornings and may not feel welcomed in that neighborhood. I'm an old white man. Gerry Messler
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It's a very heartwarming and uplifting story. But as I look at the picture of that kitchen table and those sitting around it, I am struck not so much by who is there, but by who is not there. Young people, minorities, people from the Amish/Mennonite community, etc. I applaud what they are doing and I understand their desire to keep tribalism and politics out of the process in order to get things done. But, surely, there must be people in the groups not represented in their clutch who would also want a seat at that table. And would be willing to offer their insights and ideas and not just be an ideological barrier to progress. The question for me is why they weren't identified and invited in the first place? Don't tell me there aren't any worthy people out there.
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This entire exposé reads like a sales pitch. A creepy sales pitch I might add. "Complex adaptive coalitions" sounds like one of those buzz words you hear from someone trying to sell you a self-help seminar. Really, our method is unique and answers all your problems.
Ray D’Agostino gives a bad vibe too. You know you've met business shill when people start talking about "silos." Entrepreneurial is very polite for this sort of character. They are generally just a conservative trying to make money off a town and they need the community to change in order to let them do that. Enter civic government along with tax dollars.
I've visited Lancaster off and on for decades. I actually interacted professionally with their Office of Tourism for a while. "Discover Lancaster" and "VisitPA" respectively. The town has certainly improved over the years but let's not kid ourselves: There has been no panacea. I mean that politically or otherwise. The central market is amazing but the city is becoming more pockmarked if anything.
By this I mean: Lancaster seems to experience Jersey City syndrome. You get these bright happy areas of vibrant economic activity and revitalization. However, you move a block or two in the wrong direction and nothing has changed. Things may have even gotten worse. You could say something similar about Baltimore or Newark.
I'm not saying civic coalitions are a bad idea. I just think we should be a bit more critical of how much of what they are actually accomplishing.
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Bingo. ‘ What ever works ‘is key. And I bet they are open to hearing ideas from anyone. As opposed to our Congress who comes up with ‘their’ plan to debate without having all the experts testify or without comparing to 4 or 5 other options.
We need people who are will to see what works and are willing to learn about a different idea that will actually work instead of forcing the same old belief down our throats. People capable of learning new things that might be counter to what they thought was the answer.
Also like how welcoming they are to those with other religions and immigrants.
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Understanding the Third Class city structure in the Commonwealth of PA is critical to this discussion. There are 53 Third class cities (behind Pittsburgh and Philadelphia) that are our smaller urban centers within PA. Lancaster and Lebanon, my home, are cities of this class. They all are facing the same challenges such as higher unemployment due to loss of manufacturing and larger industries, higher poverty rates than their suburban neighbors, blighted and abandoned properties, and providing services to their residents with a shrinking tax base.
No one understood the plight of these Third Class cities better than Governor Ed Rendell (2003-2011). His vision was to assist these smaller urban core cities with financial and technical assistance through public/private partnerships. The Lancaster projects you mentioned, the downtown Conference Center, Clipper Stadium, James Street Improvement District, all had state funding guided through Gov. Rendell. His hands on approach was to discuss the needs of each city with residents, business people, (such as John Fry, President of F & M at the time), non-profits and elected officials from both parties and allow the communities to chart their own courses with this "seed" assistance.
Unfortunately, the subsequent administrations have not been so committed to the issues of our core communities, but we are grateful to Governor Rendell for his vision and asssitance that allowed these Third Class cities to move forward on their own.
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The premise of this piece is that bottom-up politics can work but I’m betting that no one from the bottom would be welcome at the Friday morning meetings of these business and civic “leaders.” They’re not the “bottom.” The “bottom” are the people who work for them.
This is business-class up politics not bottom up politics. And we already know how well that does NOT work. We’ve been doing things that way for 40 years and it hasn’t worked yet. Why would Lancaster be any different? It doesn’t matter if they check their Rs and Ds at the door if they all see everything through the lens of what business wants.
Mayor Gray should probably remember that, while it’s true that there are no jobs without employers, there are also no businesses without customers. And odds are those customers are more likely to be workaday citizens than they are to be the local business elite; there’s simply more of them.
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The local business elite are probably elite for a reason. As successful business people they've demonstrated an ability to organize a business, problem-solve, survive in today's hotly competitive environment, and work with people. The whole town apparently benefits from their skill sets. Perhaps pedigrees ought to check his/her ideology at the door too, and go with what works.
Oh, and I'm glad to see Mr. Friedman's tacit acknowledgement that Republicans aren't monsters - any more than the many Democratic union households who voted for Trump..
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"The local business elite are probably elite for a reason"
This is precisely the sort of failed thinking I was referring to in my original post.
The people who seem to be missing from this whole initiative are the average citizens of Lancaster. I didn't have all day (nor enough characters here) to investigate all of them , but one of the "community partners" links leads to the Lancaster City Alliance, which lists one of its goals as "Improve per capita income to 70% of PA's" as well as add new hotel rooms, new residential units, new retail and office space, and "$1 billion in privately led investment." The document shows significant progress toward their goals in all but one of these metrics -- the one that would most benefit the average citizen. Per capita income has increased only 0.03% since 2015. Gee, what a surprise! https://bit.ly/2MLD9F7
I'm not sure what's "ideological" about a belief that plans for a city should be based on the wants and needs of the majority of its citizens and not just a tiny slice at the top who feel they're entitled to have their way simply because they have a megaphone made of money. Yes, I said entitled. When I hear the word entitlement I think of this mindset, not Social Security. Believing that economic growth should be aimed at improving the lives of the majority of an area's citizens isn't ideological; it just doesn't fit with today's accepted knee-jerk thinking: business good, people bad.
But thanks for proving my point.
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I like to use the phrase “people with half a brain” as in “people with half a brain can’t take Trump seriously”, but lately, I have come to realize that people with half a brain no longer constitute a majority of our country. I am used to a science denying, fantasy loving, moronic Right but in the last few years I have witnessed a Left that is just as bad. Both sides deny science when it doesn’t conform to their world view, the Right denies climate science and the Left denies basic biology. Both sides need to have their biases confirmed constantly and have their opinion yelled back at them by cable news. Both sides refuse to understand the need for practical, incremental change where each new thing builds on a previous advance and instead embrace buffoons who sell them fantasies like a border wall or Medicare for all. Worst of all both sides make federal cases out of the trivial: confederate flags, bakers who won’t bake for gay grooms, the Hollywood casting couch, which bathrooms Trans can use and kneeling athletes, the list is endless.
Out politics isn’t broken our people are.
We need to learn to think again, to read again, to listen to both sides, to see things from other’s point of view, to question what we take for granted and to never be comfortable with our easy assumptions. Maybe we haven’t become a nation of morons. Friedman’s anecdotes show smart people don’t waste their time on social media, they do things. Let’s hope they come out in the Fall and do something.
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