By any reasonable measure the American political system by design has included greater participation in government than any other in recorded history.  Crafted by those who learned from and witnessed the shortcomings of old world governments, it promised inclusion for most and bottom-up rather than top down governance.  Any system based on a rule of law that presumes innocence rather than guilt, and includes all, with minimal attempts to validate and authenticate, will have its pitfalls; and our system certainly had its share. Corruption at government levels began to grow geometrically after the Civil War and the increasing size of settlements offered new opportunity.  Some of the most egregious and obvious examples were the urban political machines that grew within the largest developing cities from the beginning of industrialization, through the years of massive immigration, and right up to and through the Second World War.  Large groups of minimally educated, and immigrants often not fluent in the language, were the foundation of city organizations that controlled such large voting blocs that governors and presidents alike often were compromised by power that actually derailed the policies of honest leaders.

 

The political bosses that ran these organizations rationalized and sold their constituents the concept that only unchallenged power could “get things done” and that opposition parties were an impediment to progress.  Big city machines were where the real power made virtual monarchs out of ward leaders; sometimes overnight. Many in those cities bought in to the propaganda thanks to patronage jobs, regular doses of “street money” or just plain fear.

 

While most large cities had some notable corrupt regimes, there are standouts.  The Prendergast organization in Kansas City ran virtually every highway and bridge project in the state from one room for many years.  Mayor Curly controlled Boston with an iron hand and no one held a job with the city or state unless his organization said so.  So powerful was his influence that he was reelected while serving a jail term for corruption.  Tammany Hall in New York City is probably the most famous and their leaders, such as Jimmy Walker, took pride in press coverage when they would be charged or indicted for one form or another of corruption or fraud, only to be set free for lack of evidence or missing witnesses when it came time for trial.  Philadelphia had its own one-party machine that doled out patronage and winked at crime with a manipulated police force for over 60 years, not fully ending until 1952.

 

However, most big city political machines began facing reform during the mid-1930s with an expanded federal government and civil service regulations that took much of the authority away from the few and began to fracture the power bases.  Opposition leaders used the teeth of federal law and reform governments sprang up, ending many of the ultra-powerful organizations by the 1940s.

 

While much of this is documented in history books and novels, young and old students who want a first hand look at how one-party long term power controls and manipulates a city and holds it hostage to massive fraud, need only visit Philadelphia today and read the daily newspaper for we are a working museum of political corruption.  Yes, we are the 21^st Century active version of what ended in most of America in the early or mid 20^th Century.

 

Since we no longer choose to investigate ourselves, a federal investigation that is still ongoing has reportedly accumulated more approved wiretap evidence in this Philadelphia case than any in its history.  High and mid-level city officials have been resigning in large numbers over the last two years, but despite some very incriminating information, the power base still takes a cavalier attitude very reminiscent of those from generations ago.  If someone wrote a fiction story of a major city in 2005 with a government like ours, no publisher would print it, claiming it was unbelievable in this day and age. 

 

A mayor screams for gun control and we then hear him on tape telling a political operative who channels millions of dollars in city bond deals for kickbacks, that he will help him get his son out of trouble for carrying an illegal weapon.  The same mayor and operative also collaborate in agreeing to play the race card to win an election when there is no evidence thereof, and a reform candidate seems to be gaining a toehold despite an overwhelming voter registration disadvantage.  A City Comptroller who has never found any serious irregularities in city fiscal operations all of sudden is outraged when the feds find it first. A City Assistant Managing Director is about to be promoted despite the fact he stole money from a fund he was managing and illegally gave some of it to a political campaign.  A bill collection agency, startup funded by millions in city money, and run by a relative of Councilperson is quietly shut down after never paying back any of the money despite years of no bid city contracts that anyone could fulfill with a computer and telephone.  The chief of staff of a councilperson makes a deal with a local businessman regarding delinquent real estate taxes and “cuts in” a fundraiser and friend of the mayor for some of the proceeds through a front business that never existed.  City contracts at the airport are awarded to unqualified special friends of the administration bypassing all procedures others must follow under the law.  The mayor’s brother shakes down a businessman claiming he can get him airport contracts and gives him a receipt for the cash and takes the rest in check. One of he most powerful State Senators from a city district shakes down major business entities by suggesting they make multi-million dollar contributions to neighborhood non-profits in order to avoid scrutiny on their pricing policies.  When questioned, he says that the other politicians (in his own party) are simply jealous that they did not think of it first to get money for their folks.   One brave councilman drafts an ethics bill that requires our city government to do no more than most other cities have long required of their employees, and first they carve it up to less than 30% of its effectiveness, and then City Council votes it down as it might bring to light irregularities within non-profits in their districts.

 

I did not make one word of this up.  All of it has been reported in the local press in the last six months, and the feds have just taken the records of the above-mentioned State Senator from both of his offices. I have not even discussed a failed Convention Center run into the ground by union bosses who tell the mayor what he is to do, special zoning deals to large contributors, and fundraising violations that would fill volumes. There is so much more and it will only get worse.  Virtually no organized reform movement has begun with the Democrat Party in power, only clashing egos over who will pick up the pieces and continue same-old-same-old.  The lackluster Republicans are worthless as an opposition party and seem to be satisfied with the crumbs the Democrats leave on the table.  How did it happen?  The answer is easy.  Myopic single-mindset voters, including the educated with master’s degrees and doctorates, who will never question anything their party leaders tell them.  City Administrators who are part of the pay-to-play process, Councilpersons who run their own fiefdoms anyway they want and are answerable to no one.  Ward Leaders, who know how wrong much of it is, but look the other way. 

 

Just watch Philadelphia city politics for a couple of months from here forward and you will see chapter and verse, the American political system at its worst; a real throwback to some of our country’s most dismal hours. Years ago, there was well-known joke that on a quiz show the first prize winner would receive a one-week vacation in Philadelphia , second prize was two weeks.

 

Jim Foster

Mt Airy.