I presume this destination selection is deliberate, but it just seems to underline recurring, long-unsolved problems: Pres. Barack Obama will be in Allentown, Pa., next month to kick off the “White House to Main Street Tour.”

We can guess the theme music for the event, right?

Well we’re living here in Allentown And they’re closing all the factories down Out in Bethlehem they’re killing time Filling out forms Standing in line. Well our fathers fought the Second World War Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore Met our mothers at the USO Asked them to dance Danced with them slow And we’re living here in Allentown. But the restlessness was handed down And it’s getting very hard to staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay aaaaaaah aaahhhhh ooooooooh ooooooh ohhhhhhh. Well we’re waiting here in Allentown For the Pennsylvania we never found For the promises our teachers gave If we worked hard If we behaved. So the graduations hang on the wall But they never really helped us at all No they never taught us what was real Iron or coke, Chromium steel. And we’re waiting here in Allentown. But they’ve taken all the coal from the ground And the union people crawled awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaah.

Even Peggy Sawyer had to leave Allentown to find a job.