Economy
MLB has relocated the All-Star Game to a city with more voter restrictions and less black citizens
Major League Baseball (MLB) is reportedly planning to relocate the All-Star Game from Atlanta, Georgia to Denver, Colorado in response to voting legislation recently passed in Georgia, sources told the Associated Press.
The MLB Commissioner’s office is expected to declare Tuesday that the Colorado Rockies will host the game.
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement. He added, “Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
Company executives from MLB and other corporations claim the new legislation suppresses voting rights and President Joe Biden told ESPN it’s “Jim Crow in the 21st Century” and that he would “strongly support” moving the game out of Atlanta.
However, the MLB has chosen to relocate the All-Star Game to a state where there are more voter restrictions.
The state of Colorado require proof of identification when casting a ballot to vote and it also has fewer early voting days than Georgia.
Glenn Kessler, a reporter for The Washington Post, analyzed the new Georgia legislation and came to the conclusion that many provisions of the Georgia law make voting more accessible, not less.
Many are now questioning if Commissioner Manfred had read Georgia’s voting laws before deciding to pull the All-Star Game from Atlanta.
The All-Star Game has also been pulled from a city with mostly black citizens and has been relocated to a city with mostly white citizens.
According to U.S. Census data from 2019, Atlanta, Georgia, is 51% black and Denver, Colorado is 9.8% black.
Moreover, The Daily Caller reported that the relocation of the All-Star Game will significantly impact black-owned businesses in Atlanta. Nearly 30% of businesses in Atlanta are black-owned and Georgia will face an estimated lost economic impact of more than $100 million due to the MLB’s boycott of Atlanta, according to the outlet.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declined to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers’ home opening game will boycott any other Major League Baseball events after the MLB “adopted what has turned out to be a false narrative about the election law reforms in Georgia,” Abbott wrote in a letter to a top Texas Rangers executive on Monday.
“It is shameful that America’s pastime is not only being influenced by partisan political politics, but also perpetuating false political narratives,” Abbott said, adding that he “will not participate in an event held by MLB, and the state will not seek to host the All-Star Game or any other MLB special events.”
Follow Annaliese Levy on Twitter @AnnalieseLevy
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled a new plan to potentially place thousands of asylum seekers in private residences while compensating local homeowners and landlords.
During a City Hall press conference, Mayor Adams expressed his vision to move beyond housing single migrant men in churches and mosques and explore the option of utilizing private dwellings.
Adams emphasized the potential savings that could be achieved by redirecting the estimated $4.3 billion budget for housing the influx of migrants into everyday houses of worship and private residences, rather than corporate entities. The mayor suggested that recycling local dollars would benefit both the city and its residents.
According to reports from the New York Post, Adams said, “It is my vision to take the next step to this faith-based locales and then move to a private residence.”
“We can take that $4.2 billion — $4.3 [billion] maybe now — that we anticipate we have to spend and we can put it back in the pockets of everyday, everyday houses of worship instead of putting it in the pockets of corporations.”
“We should be recycling our own dollars,” he continued.
Acknowledging potential obstacles, Adams alluded to a “30-day rule” that City Hall would need to overcome. However, he did not provide further details on the rule or the aspects of implementing the plan.
With over 72,000 individuals having arrived in New York City since last spring, the mayor stressed the urgency of finding sustainable housing solutions beyond taxpayer-funded emergency shelters and hotels. The current system, which accommodates approximately 45,000 people, is deemed unsustainable given the continuous influx of migrants.
Adams indicated that the city would seek ways to bypass existing government regulations that prohibit housing homeless individuals in private homes. Additionally, City Hall aims to work with the state legislature to facilitate agreements that bring illegal basement apartments up to code, presenting a more affordable and viable housing alternative.
The estimated cost of the ongoing crisis is expected to exceed the current $4.3 billion budget, particularly as daily arrivals continue to increase. Last week alone, the city registered 2,200 new arrivals. To address cost concerns, Adams’ proposal to house asylum seekers in houses of worship is projected to cost approximately $125 per night, significantly less than the current expenditure of $380 per night in converted hotels.
Mayor Adams’ plan to utilize private residences represents a significant development in New York City’s efforts to address the housing needs of asylum seekers. However, the feasibility and implementation of this proposal, including overcoming legal and logistical challenges, remain to be seen.
Follow Alexander Carter on Twitter @AlexCarterDC for more!
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