The American Empire: Alive and well.....in Washington DC

A clear sign of decadence is when a nation's capital becomes its richest city.  Until the New "Deal" and the "Great" Society Washington was an unregarded backwater that politicians couldn't wait to leave.  Now as our politics have become corrupted and centralized it is becoming like London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Kinshasha, Port au Prince - the First City of the nation.

WALTER OLSON: Rise Of An Imperial City, Cont’d. “Even as most of the country remains mired in serious housing recession, the capital has bounced back smartly . . . . The rise has been so dramatic that for the first time in five years, the average asking rent in D.C. is higher than in New York City, according to CoStar and a new report of third-quarter activity by commercial real estate firm Cassidy Turley.” Plus this: “Even as veteran reporters elsewhere scrounge for work, talent and money continue to pour into Washington’s specialized news-gathering business, most particularly the sorts of newsletters that (for a subscription price in the thousands of dollars) will bring you fresh and fine-grained news of the doings of federal regulatory agencies in fields like energy, pharmaceuticals, securities and telecommunications.”

And so this is how liberty dies:  one capital city condo development at a time.  Hattip instapundit.

I for one welcome our imperial masters and am concerned that they aren't paid enough for the awesome responsibilities that they bear.  God bless them every one.