Motor City Misery

(CBS)  Folks in Detroit can be forgiven if they don't say "happy new year" with conviction this year.

Detroit has the nation's highest poverty rate among large cities. It also has one of the nation's lowest median incomes. Those problems have been compounded by the unraveling of the auto industry. Even the hapless Detroit Lions couldn't manage a single win this year, reports CBS News correspondent Armen Keteyian, a Detroit native.

Not so long ago, Detroit drove the American dream, fueled by the of the automotive industry and organized labor. It was blue collar to the bone, innovative enough to bring us now classic cars and the Motown sound that changed music; Strong enough to survive the long hot summer of '67 that nearly burned it to the ground.

But nothing in its rich history compares to what the motor city wakes up to today.

"The mood in Detroit since I've been here, which is 25 years, has never been this glum," says Mitch Albom, a celebrated author, columnist and radio host in Detroit. "We're used to tough times and it's a pretty strong-backboned city. But whatever is happening to the rest of the country, you could pretty much multiply it by 10 and say, well, that's what's going on here in Detroit."

What's going on is hard to believe: failing car companies, record foreclosures. double-digit unemployment, a once-promising mayor now behind bars. The downtown is a virtual ghost town.

One restaurant owner says his business is down 50 percent from last year.

Pro sports have long been the elixir in Detroit - world championships easing the collective pain. But the once-beloved Lions decended into the laughingstock of the NFL.

Hapless, hopeless, winless this season, they finished 0-16, setting a new record for futility.

To the downright despair of so many in Detroit, the Lions have turned into the very image image of the city: Plagued by poor design, faulty engineering, bad parts, and the wrong men behind the wheel -- an assembly line of problems that dates back decades."

Sill, amid all the anger and despair, there is toughness and resolve. There is, after all, the spirit of Detroit.

"If you don't have hope, especially in a city like this, you don't have anything," says Albom. "So we wake up every day and hope it will get better."

[jsutaguy]

You''ve really got to read this article by the Washington Post. http://***********/6emukq

This top-rated piece of investigative reporting shows that Wall Street took BILLIONS out of each of our pockets by cornering the Oil markets in 2008, controlling 81 percent of all oil contracts in the world. They plan to do the same in 2009. This story was ignored by CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN.

Cut and paste this and pass it on.

http://***********/6emukq

As the article points out, these same Wall Street firms plan to do the same thing to the price of everything we eat or drink, using the same cheap money they are getting from our treasury, in 2009.

Why are we paying to keep these firms in business?

Why are our taxes being used to keep them operating?

They aren''t lending money to real businesses, they aren''t helping our economy, they simply aren''t necessary for America...they are only used by the very richest parasites who are destroying our country and dictating its policies by buying out our government. Wall Street has clearly taken control of the CFTC, which is the Federal Agency that is paid to prevent speculators from cornering markets and illegally driving up prices. The CFTC, prior to this Washington Post report, laughably said that Gasoline prices were simply %u201Csupply and demand%u201D. This is simply a lie.

[jt_lancer]

tj217 - ''Obama did win---yet you are blaming them for voting for real change.''

I predict there will be little real change under Obama. Here''s why:

Obama says he was against the war from the start. Yet, he voted FOR all but one of the President''s Iraqi war funding requests since he joined the Senate!

In fact, ALL of Obama''s national security and foreign policy appointees are known to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. ALL of them.

John McCain and Bush voted to give $750 billion in taxpayer funds to fat cats on Wall Street. So did Obama.

McCain and Bush believe the US should consider military intervention in Pakistan and Iran. So does Obama. In fact, Obama wants to EXPAND the war in Afghanistan!

Obama, like McCain and Bush, voted to extend the Patriot Act, which gives the president the power to wiretap, read your emails, and throw anybody in jail as an enemy combatant.

Obama, like McCain and Bush, supported the FISA Act, which allows the government to perform domestic wiretapping against American citizens without a warrant.

Bush and McCain are ardent supporters of the war on drugs. Obama is too. No change in drug war policy will result from an Obama administration.

Bush has overseen the largest federal deficits in US history. Obama plans to continue the fiscally irresponsible spending spree that Bush started. In fact, Obama already said he plans to deficit spend to ''get us out of the economic mess''.

So, tell me, what''s the difference?

[craigh9]

The automotive industry is what killed Detroit, specifically the UAW demands for exhobinant salaries/benefits approved by gutless management only interested in stuffing their pockets.
This created a local economy of catering to only one industry - little else could survive economically within the gluttony established by the auto industry. Once that greed finally impacted the auto industry itself it all came tumbling down.

[louiville2]

Like I said, since you''''re whining and throwing out accusations about blacks not voting for candidates that ''''aren''''t black enough'''', dig up the old m ayor and let him run. This mess is the Republican''''s fault. Accept blame for what you did to the country, and stop trying to pass the buck.

Posted by tj217 at 12:26 PM : Jan 02, 2009

Let''s see 95% of Blacks voted for Obama, not Biden, not Hillary, not Edwards, not ....... Hmmmmm your right blacks don''t vote on racial lines AHAHAHAH

[louiville2]

"No, if anything, Black people came to Detriot to find work, but only found racism and hatred. "

Posted by tj217

"only"? oh the poor black people wherever they go they find "racism and hatred". Poor pity them.

I know they find much more then that or they wouldn''t have stayed. They found jobs and opportunity and most of them don''t sit wallowing in self pity like you. You who are constantly looking for pity by playing the race card, over and over again..

[louiville2]

Many of the UAW members don''''t want a better education, just higher wages that college educated people enjoy. Good pay with nothing to back it up, only self righteous anger passed from their daddies about the wrongs committed against the common laborer. Forget about improving your life through education, it takes too long for the instant gratification they seek. I can''''t stand the UAW because they perpetuate the myth of something for nothing. Except now it''''s time to pay the piper for this illusion and they are all scrambing with nothing to show except all their toys they bought on union pay.

Posted by promaclaura

I would have to agree, they have historically been a stumbling block to modernization. In the 60''s when most auto companies were automating many parts of the line, streamlining and improving production rates, Detroit UAW member were striking to keep out automation. That alone put Detroit 10 years behind the rest of the world.

Automation made way for more not less jobs and they are better jobs, but as you point out it requires an education.

[promaclaura]

Why don''''t some of these individuals consider relocating to another city where the job situation might be a bit more encouraging and in line with a person''''s skill set? Or, have any of these individuals considered bettering themselves with more education or learning new skill sets? Sounds to me like some of these individuals enjoy wallowing in it. Remaining will only make the situation become more desperate. Individuals need to get a grip on it and take charge of their own life, instead of expecting everybody else to improve their lot in life.


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Posted by Credibility2 at 11:41 AM : Jan 02, 2009

Many of the UAW members don''t want a better education, just higher wages that college educated people enjoy. Good pay with nothing to back it up, only self righteous anger passed from their daddies about the wrongs committed against the common laborer. Forget about improving your life through education, it takes too long for the instant gratification they seek. I can''t stand the UAW because they perpetuate the myth of something for nothing. Except now it''s time to pay the piper for this illusion and they are all scrambing with nothing to show except all their toys they bought on union pay.

[promaclaura]

Yeah right, physician heal thyself. KK ran against Gil Hill the standing mayor Dennis Archer ("I discovered he had been mayor for well over sixteen years") did not run in 2001.


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Posted by louiville2 at 11:40 AM : Jan 02, 2009

I don''t vote in Detroit''s elections, but I watched coverage and Gil Hill was dignified and well spoken. Unfortunately, Kwame had the "bling" going on and the flash blinded the people of Detroit to the "real" candidate with their best interests at heart.

[credibility2]

Why don''t some of these individuals consider relocating to another city where the job situation might be a bit more encouraging and in line with a person''s skill set? Or, have any of these individuals considered bettering themselves with more education or learning new skill sets? Sounds to me like some of these individuals enjoy wallowing in it. Remaining will only make the situation become more desperate. Individuals need to get a grip on it and take charge of their own life, instead of expecting everybody else to improve their lot in life.

[louiville2]

That''''s them. Since Republicans can''''t read---or practice selective reading---I do not believe you, and state you''''re lying. Also, reading up on this mayor, C It was time for a change.

Posted by tj217

Yeah right, physician heal thyself. KK ran against Gil Hill the standing mayor Dennis Archer ("I discovered he had been mayor for well over sixteen years") did not run in 2001.