A look at lovely Detroit
- Thread starter Merkava_4
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Detroit is destitute as a city, but there is still plenty of money in the metro area.
The same is true of most older large cities in the US.
Their core industries, which provided opportunity to all, have withered, and almost everyone with decent credit and income has moved to the 'burbs.
What if fifty years ago, we had decided to enact land use laws that would have greatly hampered the development of the greater metro areas, and left people with money living in the core cities?
If you had higher average and aggregate income in cities like Detroit, wouldn't conditions be much better than they are, in every way?
Instead, the old core cities are hollowed out, and surrounded by properous suburbs housing properous people, who drive everywhere they go, since they have no options.
Also, as many have noted above, there are options available to those living in poverty, although I realize it isn't easy to get out.
Why have we not provided a formal mentoring and placement process for the down and out, with sanctions for those who don't participate, and rewards for those who do?
We instead import "illegal" workers to fill the jobs which could be filled by our own unskilled citizens.
We have allowed generations of young people to grow up with no self-discipline and no values. That is as much our failure as theirs.
The bursting at the seams state prisons across our country are as much an example of our failure as they are an example of any growth in felonies.
What if we could find a way to tap the vast pools of both capital and labor left fallow in our old, broken down cities?
The economic gain to our country would be huge.
The savings would also be huge, since the economic costs of supporting the poor are real, while the taxes paid by those working are real as well.
My point is that we are wasting valuable resorces, both human and economic.
Setting aside the effect this has on people, the economic waste itself is enormous.
This is the type of problem that transcends any political mantra or philosophy.
The same is true of most older large cities in the US.
Their core industries, which provided opportunity to all, have withered, and almost everyone with decent credit and income has moved to the 'burbs.
What if fifty years ago, we had decided to enact land use laws that would have greatly hampered the development of the greater metro areas, and left people with money living in the core cities?
If you had higher average and aggregate income in cities like Detroit, wouldn't conditions be much better than they are, in every way?
Instead, the old core cities are hollowed out, and surrounded by properous suburbs housing properous people, who drive everywhere they go, since they have no options.
Also, as many have noted above, there are options available to those living in poverty, although I realize it isn't easy to get out.
Why have we not provided a formal mentoring and placement process for the down and out, with sanctions for those who don't participate, and rewards for those who do?
We instead import "illegal" workers to fill the jobs which could be filled by our own unskilled citizens.
We have allowed generations of young people to grow up with no self-discipline and no values. That is as much our failure as theirs.
The bursting at the seams state prisons across our country are as much an example of our failure as they are an example of any growth in felonies.
What if we could find a way to tap the vast pools of both capital and labor left fallow in our old, broken down cities?
The economic gain to our country would be huge.
The savings would also be huge, since the economic costs of supporting the poor are real, while the taxes paid by those working are real as well.
My point is that we are wasting valuable resorces, both human and economic.
Setting aside the effect this has on people, the economic waste itself is enormous.
This is the type of problem that transcends any political mantra or philosophy.
Glad I got out of there in 1972.
Quote:
We instead import "illegal" workers to fill the jobs which could be filled by our own unskilled citizens.
We have allowed generations of young people to grow up with no self-discipline and no value
Sorry, I don't buy that for one-second and for the record both my parents are immigrants that came here in the 1954 without speaking a word of English and without a pot to [censored] in. If some Americans feel that they are too good to work a low paying job..... give all those type jobs to the illegal workers who want to work for peanuts.
The problem with low income young people today is that they expect everything to be given to them. Why work when you can collect food stamps, government housing, free health care...etc, etc. I also notice many young 'minority' kids day dream about success and never use any of their physical or mental energy trying to achieve something important in their life. One last thing I've noticed about today's generation of 'minority' young kids, they actually believe the [censored] the watch on TV is how the world really is.
I have been working (and paying taxes) since I was 15 years old, why can't some kids get off their lazy butt and get a job ?
We instead import "illegal" workers to fill the jobs which could be filled by our own unskilled citizens.
We have allowed generations of young people to grow up with no self-discipline and no value
Sorry, I don't buy that for one-second and for the record both my parents are immigrants that came here in the 1954 without speaking a word of English and without a pot to [censored] in. If some Americans feel that they are too good to work a low paying job..... give all those type jobs to the illegal workers who want to work for peanuts.
The problem with low income young people today is that they expect everything to be given to them. Why work when you can collect food stamps, government housing, free health care...etc, etc. I also notice many young 'minority' kids day dream about success and never use any of their physical or mental energy trying to achieve something important in their life. One last thing I've noticed about today's generation of 'minority' young kids, they actually believe the [censored] the watch on TV is how the world really is.
I have been working (and paying taxes) since I was 15 years old, why can't some kids get off their lazy butt and get a job ?
Originally Posted By: eljefino
interesting factoid, most of the abandoned houses have been burgled of their wire, pipes, and boilers.
I was reading about an elementary school that closed in Detroit in 2007 and within a year it had been stripped of all its wiring and other metal fixtures including the seats in the auditorium. It was reduced to little more than a shell. The worst thing is the collateral damage that comes along with the scavenging; the walls are ripped apart and pretty soon the costs to make the buildings safe to occupy again become staggering.
Closer to home, I've been in several buildings in Gary Indiana which had been hit by the scrappers. Two closed high schools had their lockers pulled from the walls, and wiring and pipes everywhere had been looted. Torn up plaster, leaking roofs and petty damage left these buildings in pretty bad shape. I don't know what plans the city had for them but with the damage, its unlikely they'll ever get reused.
interesting factoid, most of the abandoned houses have been burgled of their wire, pipes, and boilers.
I was reading about an elementary school that closed in Detroit in 2007 and within a year it had been stripped of all its wiring and other metal fixtures including the seats in the auditorium. It was reduced to little more than a shell. The worst thing is the collateral damage that comes along with the scavenging; the walls are ripped apart and pretty soon the costs to make the buildings safe to occupy again become staggering.
Closer to home, I've been in several buildings in Gary Indiana which had been hit by the scrappers. Two closed high schools had their lockers pulled from the walls, and wiring and pipes everywhere had been looted. Torn up plaster, leaking roofs and petty damage left these buildings in pretty bad shape. I don't know what plans the city had for them but with the damage, its unlikely they'll ever get reused.
Originally Posted By: dhise
This neighborhood is near where a friend of mine lives. I didn't like going there ten years ago, but now most of the neighborhood is vacant. Lots of burned down houses. Most of the remaining people are alright folks, but they live in poverty. There just isn't much of anything of value there.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&so...124.53,,0,-7.61
(just zoom into the street view)
Yup, lots of vacant lots.
http://www.live.com/maps/?v=2&cp=r1vsw082d39w&scene=5639767&lvl=1&sty=o&where1=42.371319%2C%20-83.039586
Also, from watching he video, it seems pretty obvious there are a lot of litterbugs in Detroit; and, that people could seem to care less about upkeep.
This neighborhood is near where a friend of mine lives. I didn't like going there ten years ago, but now most of the neighborhood is vacant. Lots of burned down houses. Most of the remaining people are alright folks, but they live in poverty. There just isn't much of anything of value there.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&so...124.53,,0,-7.61
(just zoom into the street view)
Yup, lots of vacant lots.
http://www.live.com/maps/?v=2&cp=r1vsw082d39w&scene=5639767&lvl=1&sty=o&where1=42.371319%2C%20-83.039586
Also, from watching he video, it seems pretty obvious there are a lot of litterbugs in Detroit; and, that people could seem to care less about upkeep.
I have lived in the detroit area(suburbs) all my life, some areas are real bad some are pretty nice,some are disgustingly wealthy. dont judge based on a video, If I had the time or inclination I could make a video of all the great stuff, yes the auto industry has had a big negative impact lately, but we are not all living in shacks.
The video: What's up with all the boats with no trailers?
washed ashore from the detroit river sunami
Originally Posted By: bradepb
I have lived in the detroit area(suburbs) all my life, some areas are real bad some are pretty nice,some are disgustingly wealthy. dont judge based on a video, If I had the time or inclination I could make a video of all the great stuff, yes the auto industry has had a big negative impact lately, but we are not all living in shacks.
+1
The Detroit Metropolitan Area is a whole nother discussion. Detroit is essentially an abandoned shell of it's former self. Run by criminals with hatred directed at those who live outside the City itself. A huge part of the problem is this disparity.
I have lived in the detroit area(suburbs) all my life, some areas are real bad some are pretty nice,some are disgustingly wealthy. dont judge based on a video, If I had the time or inclination I could make a video of all the great stuff, yes the auto industry has had a big negative impact lately, but we are not all living in shacks.
+1
The Detroit Metropolitan Area is a whole nother discussion. Detroit is essentially an abandoned shell of it's former self. Run by criminals with hatred directed at those who live outside the City itself. A huge part of the problem is this disparity.
Kestas
Staff member
A Canadian architect once said that European cities are designed like circles, American cities like donuts, and Canadian cities like squares.
That was kind of my point.
My mother's people came here from Greece with nothing.
They did well enough to move back and enjoy a prosperous retirment. They had two sucessful children during their decades here, one of whom is my mother.
People still ask me whether I've been to the tanning bed.
Olive complection, of course.
Anyway, I think we need to show our native never employed the way.
They obviously don't get it on their own.
My mother's people came here from Greece with nothing.
They did well enough to move back and enjoy a prosperous retirment. They had two sucessful children during their decades here, one of whom is my mother.
People still ask me whether I've been to the tanning bed.
Olive complection, of course.
Anyway, I think we need to show our native never employed the way.
They obviously don't get it on their own.
The fall of Detroit began with the riots in the 60's and the election of coleman young as mayor. mayor young hated whites and encouraged white flight with his policies. He was very good at decreasing his tax base but he was a black mayor in a majority black city and kept the masses happy with welfare by punishing the people that worked.
Just look at this link
http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/legislative/CityCouncil/Default.htm
and tell me what the problem is with detroit.
Eight flaming liberals with a racial agenda.
Just look at this link
http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/legislative/CityCouncil/Default.htm
and tell me what the problem is with detroit.
Eight flaming liberals with a racial agenda.
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