NOT FAR from the red, white and blue bunting dressing up central Washington and the glamour surrounding President Clinton's inauguration yesterday were grim reminders of a city in trouble, writes Michael Posner.
People in rags huddling in doorways. Car jolting potholes. Decaying schools and high unemployment. A city near bankruptcy. Serious crime. High infant mortality. The list goes on.
Nothing dramatised the city's divisions more than a story that was unfolding even as President Clinton expressed hope that in the 21st century "our streets echo again with the laughter of our children, because no one will try to shoot them or sell them drugs anymore". Just an echo away from those words at the US Capitol ceremonies, police stepped up surveillance of some streets in the city's south east section after an apparent gang slaying of a 12 year old boy abducted last week.
Violent youth gangs were a relatively recent phenomenon in the capital where a federally financed report, the 1988 National Gang Survey, said there were no gang related problems. Now police say there may be 80 or more gangs. This city ranks among the highest in the US in murder statistics and other violent crimes are on the increase.
While President Clinton is the city's No. 1 resident he is well aware of the potential for violence. He ordered the six lane road in front of the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue closed in May 1995 in an unprecedented security precaution.
Now he has stepped in to try to relieve financial distress and cutbacks that have hurt crime fighting and services. Last week, he proposed nearly $4 billion over five years to take over many city services. The controversial proposal would drastically reduce the already limited home rule Congress approved in 1974. The city's budget must be approved by Congress and Washington has no voting member in Congress.
But his prawn could help resolve financial problems facing the city now under control of a financial control board named to balance a $5 billion budget.