LA – MIXING MAGIC MILLIONS, THE HOMELESS AND HOI POLLOI by John Crawford

The locale for my recent visit to the City of Angels offered the full panoply from survivors in tents to up-market diners, fashionistas and even a concierge for super-rich Rodeo Drive shoppers.

From my lofty perch at the Beverly Hills Sofitel, opposite the up-market Beverly Center, all around me were both the signs of society in distress, but also one enjoying incredible affluence and prosperity.

A conundrum? Certainly, but the street theatre of homeless people existing alongside avenues strangled by multi-million dollar bespoke automobiles encompasses every detail of not only this extravagant metropolis, but many, many other American cities where the dramaturgy of daily life is playing out for all to see – you simply can’t avoid it.

Strangely, after striking up a conversation with some street dwellers camped outside the local CVS pharmacy in La Cienega opposite my hotel, and later in the cocktail lounge of the Sofitel, I found among the entire range of interviewees an almost zen-like acceptance of their current status. You could almost liken this to an attitude of surrender, against the terrible assortment of negative forces arraigned against the possibility for a change in their lifestyles.

 

You may be right to say that Beverly Hills is not the ideal venue to conduct a full-on sociological experiment to measure the state of the lives of the local tribes, but surprisingly, I was startled at the lack of anger from the poor, and also, the lack of any possible solutions from the wealthy.

It seems like the only full-on class warfare in the American society takes place nightly on the nation’s television screens,  where the GOP and Democrats shout, rant and blame each other for the country’s ills. 

Neither side of politics appears to be able to develop any really practical and workable solutions to satisfy both their supporters, or their opponents.

 

It’s almost as if the social set in the streets, and the supercar owners accept their respective fates, and leave it to the political class to provide the shallow nightly entertainment.

So how does this deeply polarised society find a solution? The street dwellers and the rich seem to have arrived at their own apathetic answer - ignore it, and just get on with doing the best they can, under the circumstances.

As I was writing this Post, the national data revealed America's unemployment rate is the lowest it's been for decades, and my good friend Stewart Varney announced on Fox Business News that the country was "not showing any signs of entering depression, any time soon".

However, significant, multiple problems still exist in the society, and I am certain neither a Democrat-led, nor a GOP-led government possesses any real insight, or ability to solve them.

A fun highlight of my visit to the USA was the chance to discuss the great Lamborghini Squadra Corse racing series with Parris Mullins from the Tom O'Gara Group who have a lot of their customers entered in this entertaining and thrilling race series. It's so good, even Tom O'Gara (left, below) has been encouraged to enter in the 'Gentlemen Racing' division.

In fact it was one of the great pleasures of my recent visit to Los Angeles - spending time with a man I truly respect for his sharp sense of enterprise, his initiatives, his visionary approach to selling 'experiences' rather than just high-priced sports cars and his integrity. I look forward to working with Tom O'Gara again.

JOHN CRAWFORD