http://www.downtowndc.org/issues/branding
Lots of people here in the UCD still believe that the gentrification of
West Philly was a local "vision" from Penn power brokers like Fry,
Rodin, etc. While the Wharton university is a huge player on K St. and
Wall St., the BIDification of urban centers is all part of a much larger
nightmarish corporate scheme for the entire planet. (Think of Fry and
Rodin more as used car salesmen than despicable intellectuals)
Homeless outreach teams, pedestrian "studies", branding, etc. are copied
and pasted for BIDs everywhere, just like the laws introduced by the
Democrats/Republicans! (compare the web site to UCD) This international
BID movement was never based on merely making Melanie happy! I believe
an increased number of district consumers now understand that a primary
UCD goal was always gentrification and not the cleaner and safer nonsense.
But I think local consumers still need to wake up to the fact that our
CCD and UCD are very much a part of a much larger international
neo-liberal paradigm. Swallowing all public assets and destroying
citizenship and rights (ie. peaceful assembly, free speech, etc.) are as
much a part of the BID movement, as shifting wealth to connected cronies
in the plutocracy. It's also about creating unlimited private taxation
and spending power over a vulgar enslaved consumer culture, while
representative democracy is rendered useless. (The entire population of
the city is subsidizing BID territory, while the necessary resources of
other neighborhoods are being stolen through grants, parklets, park
redesigns, etc.)
Compare the web sites and start considering "special service districts"
beyond the obvious gentrification, feudalistic control over the petty
bourgeoisie, and crony corruption/capitalism. As despicable as those
goals are, international BIDification is much larger and comprehensive.
This will become much more apparent when folks see that our UCD/CCD
was not some local nightmare!
Glenn
PS: Freedom plaza, where the occupation of DC will begin Oct. 6, lies
in the domain of this DC BID
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