City of Magnificent Contradictions

In "City of Magnificent Intentions," two anonymous writers describe the virtues and flaws of Washington, DC. After reading this article, I am inclined to believe that the essence of this city has not changed in over seventy years, and perhaps even since its conception. DC is unique in the sense that it is possibly the only city in the world that is "still in the business for which it was originally designed" (17). The specters of great leaders and great politicians such as Washington, Lincoln, and FDR loom over the present-day administrations, setting impossibly high standards that each newly-chosen leader must attempt to achieve.
Along with its magnificent history, DC is also described in this article as a city of magnificent contradictions. The men and women who run the world and whose faces are recognizable anywhere walk the same streets and sit in the same restaurants as the menial desk jockeys whose names will never be known by the general public, "except when they commit suicide or shoot their husbands" (19). The politicians promise everlasting devotion to their constituents, but turn away without a second thought from that loyal voter who has moved to a new district. Speech writers constantly find new ways to hark back to American individualism, while outside their windows tourists wearing the same suits and driving the same cars take pictures using the same cameras. These images of contradiction described in a 1930s article are still prevalent throughout the city today. Washington DC is undoubtedly a powerful city full of impressive people. As hard as it tries, however, it never quite lives up to its magnificent intentions.