Phew, I feel so much better now that Congress ended a shutdown with three seconds to go before the debt limit expiration. I feel like the Chicago Bulls did whenever Michael Jordan had the ball at the end of a game. Way to go, Congress!
Though Bill de Blasio is a staunch Red Sox fan, we have a pretty good idea that he will be elected mayor in November. Is that a comfort to those who are “job creators”? It’s not surprising to see staunch pro-business allies lining up behind de Blasio, hoping that they can convince him how desperately New York City needs a pro-business mayor. For all he stands for, it should be interesting to watch de Blasio pivot after he is elected.
Though the tea party has been slightly diminished, until the Republicans put a stake in them or agree 100 percent with what they believe, it looks like a tough road ahead for a divided party come the 2014 elections—though a lot can happen between now and then. After all, Ted Cruz plans to threaten to shut down the government again in just a few months. America, get your popcorn, and prepare for the drama all over again.
Here in New York, though, we are too busy making business happen. We are decision-makers. We see the issues, talk them over and then move on. We are at the forefront of a moderately improving economy while much of the nation is worried about its own. Sure, numerous cities see their economies finally picking up—Miami, Phoenix, the entire state of California—but here in New York, we put our heads down and go to work. We have a reputation to live up to. We will attract more than 53 million tourists this year primarily because we are the largest, safest big city in the world, and there is lots to see and do here.
The young come here from all over the world in order to live, go to school and work here. This great city has a voracious appetite for reinventing itself, change you can see in the face of every tourist, in the face of every new student who just got here with the chance to become what they wish to, to better themselves, to live out their dreams.
The business world benefits greatly from a constantly reinvigorated population. Yes, taxes are much too high, and transportation and schooling could be better. In New York, things change for the better. Remember when urban planning leader Robert Moses wanted to place a highway in lower Manhattan dividing Greenwich Village into the “haves” and “have-nots”? If a young gal named Jane Jacobs hadn’t stood up against it, the city would be a very different place. Yes, change can happen, yes, the voice of the people can be heard, and, yes, it makes a big difference. Here in New York we work every day creating innovation and progress. The commercial and residential real estate markets boisterously feel it. Quick, name a really bad neighborhood in the city. Exactly.
New York is great because of the heartbeat of the people who keep coming here to find their dream. Sure, the federal government will be threatened again with a shutdown or more drama, but as long as this great city is a safe place to raise your kids, we will continue to be the center of the world, and our business success will continue unabated.
