Detroit filed for bankruptcy. A lot of retired city employees may not get their pensions/benefits.
Is there any big city in the USA more messed up then Detroit?
The mayor of Windsor, Ont. wants to buy the tunnel linking Detroit to Canada in the bankruptcy sale. He hopes to get it at a bargain price.
Cap’t Jack
Is there any city in Europe in such bad shape?
Lois
Is there any city in Europe in such bad shape? LoisI've read some British cities are doing bad - not that bad, though.
Is there any city in Europe in such bad shape? LoisI've read some British cities are doing bad - not that bad, though. Detroit is a victim of untrammelled capitalism--as is any similar town in the world, including Communist towns, Communism being another form of capitalism. (Both are economic systems where people and land are cruelly exploited for the money that can be wrung out of them.)
Detroit is a small sacrifice to pay. Think of all the wonderful “Right To Work” Utopias that have blossomed in it’s stead.
Detroit is an example of what happens when citizens and workers and even politicians hang onto a time when labor had a voice.
Same with Buffalo.
When “Wall St” is allowed to whore out jobs to the detriment of US workers, but still make handsome profits.
When politicians are able to convince the electorate(workers) that some among them are over-paid.
When workers can be convinced that their labor is worth less than what it is actually worth.
I’m hoping against all odds that that Wal-Mart pay scale thing goes through in D.C.
I like it. Some progressive politicians perhaps can begin legislating “pre-emptive by proxy” strikes. Yes.
Let the myrmidons work at Wal-Mart. Perhaps people are starting to wake up.
Detroit is a small sacrifice to pay.What does this mean?
Think of all the wonderful "Right To Work" Utopias that have blossomed in it's stead.The Right to work law has not helped Detroit's problems, but Detroit would have ended up the same without it.
Let the myrmidons work at Wal-Mart. Perhaps people are starting to wake up.Damn, give the Wal-Mart workers a break, they don't need to be called names.
Is there any city in Europe in such bad shape? LoisI've read some British cities are doing bad - not that bad, though. Detroit is a victim of untrammelled capitalism--as is any similar town in the world, including Communist towns, Communism being another form of capitalism. (Both are economic systems where people and land are cruelly exploited for the money that can be wrung out of them.)LOLwut?
Is there any city in Europe in such bad shape? LoisI've read some British cities are doing bad - not that bad, though. Detroit is a victim of untrammelled capitalism--as is any similar town in the world, including Communist towns, Communism being another form of capitalism. (Both are economic systems where people and land are cruelly exploited for the money that can be wrung out of them.)LOLwut? Do you need an explanation?
Pretty random set of thoughts there VYAZMA. Not sure what you’re saying.
I’ve had someone in my family from that area out of work because of the auto industry for the last forty years. The most interesting conversations that are going on now are the ones about what to do with the land. It is unlikely the area will be repopulated, so how do you decide what becomes a park, what becomes a farm? With a little creative zoning, we could create some interesting integration of rural and urban landscapes.
Mid Atlantic-What does this mean?Detroit lost all of it's manufacturing jobs to outsourcing. So other places got their jobs. Overseas and down South. So Other places benefited at Detroit's expense. It started in the 80s. I'm sure you're aware of that.
The Right to work law has not helped Detroit's problems, but Detroit would have ended up the same without it.Good gosh, that's right! Did Michigan go "Right To Work" too? I think they did. How ironic. A little late.(for the blood suckers I mean.)
Damn, give the Wal-Mart workers a break, they don't need to be called names.I suppose so. But they need to be educated. I think myrmidon is a fitting enough name though. It doesn't have to be interpreted as malicious.
Pretty random set of thoughts there VYAZMA. Not sure what you're saying. I've had someone in my family from that area out of work because of the auto industry for the last forty years. The most interesting conversations that are going on now are the ones about what to do with the land. It is unlikely the area will be repopulated, so how do you decide what becomes a park, what becomes a farm? With a little creative zoning, we could create some interesting integration of rural and urban landscapes.It was scathing sarcasm, coupled with the fact that I think I forgot that Michigan went "Right To Work". So yeah I can see your confusion.
That seems like the opposite of a small sacrifice.Mid Atlantic-What does this mean?Detroit lost all of it's manufacturing jobs to outsourcing. So other places got their jobs. Overseas and down South. So Other places benefited at Detroit's expense. It started in the 80s. I'm sure you're aware of that.
Detroit is a victim of untrammelled capitalism—as is any similar town in the world, including Communist towns, Communism being another form of capitalism. (Both are economic systems where people and land are cruelly exploited for the money that can be wrung out of them.)Not so. Both economic systems have divergent aims. And economic systems per se were created to exploit people and land except that the ideal of communism was to equally distribute these resources and lassez faire capitalism encouraged the resources to be individually horded. As to Detroit, it's problems were unique and a combination of them sent it over the edge. First of all was the single industry that it was tied to, namely automobiles. at one time there were around one hundred individual companies.. They were slowly swallowed up by the more stable companies, then began the push for diversification and higher wages for the workers. The company bosses decided to farm out the parts and workers began leaving to follow the jobs. Couple that with bad city planning (it was always an ugly looking city formed from unplanned urban sprawl) and a corrupt government where the money leaked away and the unpaid debts piled up to final collapse. I'm being simplistic here but it's created a "chicken little" effect and fiscal conservatives are using it as a cause célèbre to tout their push to shrink the national debt by any means necessary, and tack on as many other conservative issues as possible. The fact is that several rust belt cities have passed through the switch and are emerging with revitalized economies, e.g. Pittsburg. Once the "capital" of the iron industry. There are now strip malls where steel mills once stood. It is sad though to see a once vibrant city of 1.4 million reduced to a poverty stricken 700,000. The interim mayor has a big job ahead. Let's hope he can handle it. 700,000 people a counting on him. Cap't Jack
They may have divergent aims but they have similar results. If you go far enough to the left you find yourself rubbing shoulders with the far right extremists.Detroit is a victim of untrammelled capitalism—as is any similar town in the world, including Communist towns, Communism being another form of capitalism. (Both are economic systems where people and land are cruelly exploited for the money that can be wrung out of them.)Not so. Both economic systems have divergent aims. And economic systems per se were created to exploit people and land except that the ideal of communism was to equally distribute these resources and lassez faire capitalism encouraged the resources to be individually horded. As to Detroit, it's problems were unique and a combination of them sent it over the edge. First of all was the single industry that it was tied to, namely automobiles. at one time there were around one hundred individual companies.. They were slowly swallowed up by the more stable companies, then began the push for diversification and higher wages for the workers. The company bosses decided to farm out the parts and workers began leaving to follow the jobs. Couple that with bad city planning (it was always an ugly looking city formed from unplanned urban sprawl) and a corrupt government where the money leaked away and the unpaid debts piled up to final collapse. I'm being simplistic here but it's created a "chicken little" effect and fiscal conservatives are using it as a cause célèbre to tout their push to shrink the national debt by any means necessary, and tack on as many other conservative issues as possible. The fact is that several rust belt cities have passed through the switch and are emerging with revitalized economies, e.g. Pittsburg. Once the "capital" of the iron industry. There are now strip malls where steel mills once stood. It is sad though to see a once vibrant city of 1.4 million reduced to a poverty stricken 700,000. The interim mayor has a big job ahead. Let's hope he can handle it. 700,000 people a counting on him. Cap't Jack
Just for have a look here]. It is amazing and very sad.Thanks for that. The photos are pretty sobering.
That seems like the opposite of a small sacrifice. I know. It was sarcasm. It was a big sacrifice. A BIG sacrifice.Mid Atlantic-What does this mean?Detroit lost all of it's manufacturing jobs to outsourcing. So other places got their jobs. Overseas and down South. So Other places benefited at Detroit's expense. It started in the 80s. I'm sure you're aware of that.
They may have divergent aims but they have similar results. If you go far enough to the left you find yourself rubbing shoulders with the far right extremists.Yes, in that respect we're in agreement. Radicals and reactionaries do share similar views and the methods are the same, but their core philosophies are very dissimilar. Totalitarianism takes many forms whether it be a political party or an oligarchy; both aim for power consolidation. I wonder which form Detroit's interim mayor will take? Cap't Jack
Just for have a look here. It is amazing and very sad. Signature GdBMore info and photos. I've visited there many times since the mid 70's ( we have friends in the suburbs) and you could see the slow decline of the city with each visit. http://www.urbanophile.com/2012/02/21/the-reasons-behind-detroits-decline-by-pete-saunders/ Cap't Jack