Corinne Ramey

MayorTV in The Nation

An editorial about MayorTV is in The Nation this week. In the article, Amy Traub writes about the lack of discussion on cities in the presidential race. She says,

"Remember that heated moment in the primary debates when the candidates locked horns in contrasting their visions for urban America? When they argued over infrastructure and mass transit, stressed the importance of revitalizing depressed neighborhoods and lauded the relative energy efficiency of the urban lifestyle? Neither do we.

This is a travesty. The strength and health of cities is directly related to the strength and health of the nation. The candidates need to understand, as the New York Times editorialized recently, that "as important as rural problems are, they're not nearly as big as the task of helping the nation's struggling cities - where most Americans live or work...Yet urban issues have gotten scant attention in this campaign."

MayorTV, a joint video project of DMI and the Nation, is a compilation of video interviews with mayors across the country. Some of the mayors were hopeful that the '08 election would bring into focus the issues that are facing cities nationwide. As Amy says,

"America, the mayors agree, is stuck without an urban agenda. "But," says Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, "I am looking forward to the election in '08 to un-stick us." Her optimism is shared by most MayorTV participants. Let's hope their confidence is not misplaced. With any luck, the next administration will open the White House to the nation's mayors, make the investments our cities need, and embrace an urban agenda that recognizes the centrality of cities in our nation's future."

Read the entire article in the Nation. And while you're at it, check out the newest addition to MayorTV, an interview with Pegeen Hanrahan, mayor of Gainesville, Florida.

Corinne Ramey: Author Bio | Other Posts
Posted at 10:00 AM, Mar 07, 2008 in Cities | MayorTV
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