For decades, America’s great cities have been laboratories for progressive Democrat policies. The results are impossible to ignore: high unemployment, rampant drug and alcohol abuse, skyrocketing government dependency, and record levels of crime and violence. These cities once stood as symbols of American prosperity and ingenuity. Today, they’ve become cautionary tales of what happens when progressive ideology replaces sound governance.
The Long Reign of Democrats
In city after city, Democrats have clung to power for generations. St. Louis hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 1949. Detroit’s last Republican mayor left office in 1962. Philadelphia has been under Democrat control since 1952. Newark hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1953. Oakland, Flint, Camden, Cleveland, Memphis, and Milwaukee follow the same pattern: decades—sometimes over a century—without conservative leadership. Brooklyn and Queens are under the umbrella of New York City, where the last Republican mayor left in 2013. In short, these cities have been run exclusively by Democrats, and the results are devastating.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Here’s a snapshot of what decades of progressive Democrat rule has delivered:
| City | Last GOP Mayor | Poverty Rate (2023) | Median Income (2023) | Homicides (2023) | Notes on Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | 1949 | 19.6% | $56,245 (72% of US) | High violent crime rate (1,439 per 100k) | Grad rate ~78% |
| Camden, NJ | 1936 | ~35%+ | ~$40k (well below US) | Among highest per-capita crime rates | Schools long under state control |
| Detroit, MI | 1962 | 34.5% | ~$36k | 252 homicides (lowest since 1966, but still high) | Grad rate 78%, dropout ~16% |
| Flint, MI | 1975 | ~32% | ~$36k | Consistently high violent crime | Schools battered by water crisis |
| Oakland, CA | 1977 | ~13% | ~$82k (lower than Bay Area norm) | 126 homicides | Grad rate ~80% |
| Richmond, CA | ~1950s | ~14% | ~$76k | High property/violent crime | Schools underperforming |
| Cleveland, OH | 1989 | ~30% | ~$45k | Homicide rate 38.6 per 100k | Grad rate ~77% |
| Compton, CA | Nonpartisan | ~21% | ~$55k | High gang-related violence | Graduation struggles |
| Gary, IN | Never GOP | ~32% | ~$34k | Extremely high per-capita violent crime | Schools severely underfunded |
| Birmingham, AL | Nonpartisan | ~24% | ~$44k | High gun violence rates | Grad rate ~80% |
| Philadelphia, PA | 1952 | 20.3% | ~$57k (74% of US) | 410 homicides (2023) | Grad rate ~77% |
| Ferguson, MO | Nonpartisan | ~22% | ~$50k | High-profile police/gun violence | Graduation below state avg |
| Memphis, TN | Nonpartisan | ~24% | ~$47k | Among highest homicide rates in US | Grad rate 81% |
| Milwaukee, WI | 1908 | ~24% | ~$50k | High violent crime rates | Schools consistently below avg |
| Newark, NJ | 1953 | ~27% | ~$45k | Among highest violent crime rates in NJ | Grad rate ~77% |
(US Median Household Income in 2023: $77,719)
Here’s a visual infographic-style chart:
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X-axis → Median household income.
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Y-axis → Poverty rate.
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Bubble size → Number of homicides in 2023.
Did you notice the last time these cities had a Republican mayor? St. Louis hasn’t seen one since 1949. Camden, New Jersey, last elected a Republican in 1936. Milwaukee hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1908. Detroit’s last Republican mayor left office in 1962, Philadelphia in 1952, and Newark in 1953. Cleveland last had a Republican mayor in 1989, while Oakland’s last was in 1977 and Flint’s in 1975. Some cities, like Gary, Indiana, have never had a Republican mayor at all, and others like Compton, Birmingham, and Ferguson run nonpartisan elections that in practice still lean heavily Democrat. Brooklyn and Queens, as part of New York City, haven’t been under Republican leadership since Michael Bloomberg left office in 2013. The pattern is unmistakable: in nearly every case, it has been decades—sometimes more than a century—since voters chose a Republican to lead, and the decline has only accelerated under unbroken Democrat rule.
You can instantly see the pattern: Democrat-run cities cluster with low incomes, high poverty, and large homicide bubbles.
Here is a bar chart to make it easier to read:
Poverty and Dependency
According to the latest U.S. Census and ACS data, poverty rates in these cities are staggering. Detroit sits near the top at 34.5%, Cleveland around 30%, Philadelphia at 20.3%, and St. Louis at 19.6%. These numbers far exceed the national average and demonstrate that “compassionate” progressive policies have trapped generations of families in cycles of dependency. Working-class incomes in these cities fall far below the national average, leaving families struggling while city governments pile on higher taxes and bloated welfare programs.
Crime and Violence
Violent crime defines life in these Democratic strongholds. St. Louis reported a violent-crime rate of over 1,400 per 100,000 residents. Philadelphia saw more than 400 homicides in 2023. Cleveland’s homicide rate was nearly 39 per 100,000, and Oakland recorded 126 killings. Memphis, one of the most dangerous cities in America, saw record highs in murders and robberies. The overwhelming majority of these homicides are gun-related. Drug trafficking, robbery, burglary, and arson plague neighborhoods that were once vibrant middle-class communities. Prostitution and open-air drug markets have become normalized features of daily life.
Failed Education
The schools in these cities are equally grim. Detroit’s public schools report a graduation rate of just 78%, with dropout rates around 16%. Cleveland and Philadelphia hover in the mid-70s. Memphis has managed slightly better, with 81%, but still below the national average. High dropout rates feed into high unemployment, low wages, and intergenerational poverty—an endless loop fostered by progressive governance.
A Pattern of Decline
Every one of these cities tells the same story. Once-thriving industrial centers like Detroit, Cleveland, and St. Louis collapsed under union cronyism, heavy regulation, and anti-business policies that drove employers out. East Coast hubs like Camden, Newark, and Philadelphia never recovered from the exodus of jobs and residents who fled crushing taxes and crime. West Coast cities like Oakland, Richmond, and Compton have been devastated by radical policies that favor criminals over victims, and government handouts over private growth. The common denominator is not geography, culture, or history. It is one-party rule by progressive Democrats.
The Progressive Curse
Democrats claim to be the champions of the poor, minorities, and working-class Americans. In reality, their policies have delivered misery: poverty, dependency, violence, drug addiction, high crime rates, low homeowner rates, and broken schools. They are anti-business, anti-capitalist, and ultimately anti-people. Their obsession with social engineering has stripped cities of opportunity and left behind decaying neighborhoods where law-abiding citizens live in fear. These aren’t isolated cases. They are a pattern; a progressive curse that spreads wherever Democrats hold power long enough to enforce their vision.
The contrast couldn’t be sharper. Meanwhile, Republican-led cities across the country don’t suffer these same levels of decline. They tend to have stronger economies, safer streets, and schools that actually prepare children for the future. The truth is simple: voters in Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cleveland, and every other Democrat stronghold already hold the key to changing their circumstances. By choosing to break free from the failed grip of progressive politics and electing conservative Republican leadership, these cities could finally move toward safety, prosperity, and opportunity again. The power is in the hands of the people, and all they have to do is use it at the ballot box.
And here’s the dirty little secret: the Republican Party would throw open the doors and say, “Welcome home.”
#democratfailures #urbancrisis #progressivecurse
