Much has been written and discussed recently about American exceptionalism and whether it exists anymore. This should lead us to the question: Is the Pocono-Northeast region exceptional?
This question has ramifications for both assets and liabilities, a topic that this writer has spent many years thinking about in his work. To a large extent, the region has been exceptional, with economic comebacks occurring at a scale unseen in many other regions.
Think of the fact that the region lost over 250,000 people between 1930 and 1970, and these were employable ages 25-45 for the most part. Today, there are over one million people living in this region. Yet, many people only see the visible or invisible locations that are dramatically difficult and hold people’s attention to liabilities rather than positive assets.
Even if America is no longer exceptional, which I disagree with, the region truly has qualities of life that separate it from most other geographical locations in the nation.
Here are some of the assets:
• It is a place to live comfortably, access urban or rural life, and be close to larger cities such as Philadelphia and New York.
• It has a reputation of being a Valley with a Heart for the Wilkes-Barre Area, but the same can be said for the Scranton Area and other locations of a larger region.
• It has a wide range of scholarship areas, with many colleges and universities within the region and others nearby.
• It generally has lesser income housing opportunities than that which exists in other metropolitan areas, yet we also need more affordable housing based upon income limitations for jobs.
• Charities are critical and well located in this region, such as many community foundations and leadership programs throughout the counties.
• We are strategically located and have generated Sister City programs and other instances such as national partnerships with other nations and their communities.
• There are many more positive factors that drive this region toward greatness, and they should be compiled currently as they were over the last 50 years.
Now is the time to organize a regional plan that can take us through the next 50 or so years and change and adjust it as needed.
We may be a shining region that has potential for the future. Regions need to be both historical and future-oriented, and we have both, as shown by the number of planners available — lay and professional in the region as well as creativity and define a work in progress to achieve a more permanent citizenship process that goes back to the time of how we perceived democracy.
We need a vision of progress that leads to being exceptional inside the region, well beyond our current status. In this way, our region will grow and prosper in accordance with the dreams and well-being of all citizens, current and future, who decide to remain or move to it.
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