While I don't disagree with the notion that both parties pander about certain issues and don't live up to the talk, your comment is oversimplifying. The idea that the ultrawealthy behind gated communities with their own bodyguards and private polices forces care about the homicide rate in cities or Baltimore is just laughable.

More than 70% of Baltimore residents don't want to defund the police. Because drum roll, violence and homicides affect the non-wealthy the most. However, a lot of the wealthy do benefit from private prisons. But again, it's mainly pushed by one Party which goes against your idea both parties are the same, not to mention the industry is small (and Maryland has none). The vast amount of the rich make money from rent and us buying products being outside cages. They don't need cages to make money. As if the margins are that great when in instead you can make them work 7/hr in most States and increase their rent while they pay for everything they need and get public subsidy.

Also, in this political climate the last decade or so it's equally laughable to say there is no difference in the parties. You can sit here all day and talk about RoevWade, an insurrection, infrastructure spending, regulation, education spending and healthcare, and the score of other issues that show drastic difference in their agenda and priorities. But yes, historically speaking the past few decades, there has been little movement on labor rights as the rich pour money into campaigns.

And the example you gave about no difference in immigration? You might not see a difference, but it's definitely an issue the right sees as they constantly attack him on it and drag the Republican Party further right. As if anybody was under the illusion that Biden, who performed a record amount of deportations under Obama was going to open the borders or something? Not to mention as soon as he got into office he signed a flurry of executive orders about it as if he did 'nothing'.

I'm not even a fan of Biden, but it's just silly. Because the Republican party is literally blocking any legislation on immigration reform as democrats constantly try to bring it to the floor. The President doesn't have unlimited power. And that goes for a lot of legislation and issues, because if you look at the actual bills, you'll see what the priorities are and how they drastically differ.

It might be a hot take but a lot of the problems in Baltimore, minority communities, and many cities across the country would be solved by a bottom up solution rather than top-down one

The city can pour millions of dollars in any program or such for policing, education, parks and recs, and such but that still doesn't address the culture that a lot of the people from these high crime areas come from. Does Baltimore have a robust outreach program that can address the dysfunction and trauma that some of these people come from? I'm gonna look into it myself...

Addressing these issues with policy, and funding, and whatever else more so feel like band aides and covering up larger issues that are very complex...

If its a bottom-up solution, then that would be people getting into the neighborhoods, locally organized groups and such, but it seems like a cyclical problem when a lot of people who are either from the areas or the city/state in general might not even wanna try going there and doing work. Like wasn't a dude who was working close in the area shot a few years back?

I suppose either/or wont work...I feel like a mix of these band aide government solutions and local organization would do the trick...but thats over years. Baltimore didn't become this way over night and we can't expect change over night either...not without displacing a bunch of people at least

Completely, the East Palestine train derailment is a perfect example and could absolutely happen in Baltimore. Government officials let corporations escape necessary protections to prevent an incident like that from happening. In addition, Government officials stepped in to get rail workers back to work without getting the basic benefits. So the rail company raked in record profits while not equipping the cars with proper brakes and understaffed and overworked train crews.

Corporations, Big Pharma, and others are manipulating us and our government on both sides while we argue over trans rights, race relations, and abortion rights. Oh and UFOs...

Let's not talk about our military supplies and funds being sent over to Ukrane to pay for everything in their country. Or the trillions of dollars missing from the pentagon. Or the millions our government officials get from insider trading. Or the backdoor deals Biden and his family has put forth. Or the backdoor deals Trump has benefited the Saudi prince. There's more going on if you just pay attention.