Note to the NY Times: Detroit ran out of other people’s
money. They deserved the government they kept electing. Detroit should serve as
a lesson to our youth for future elections. If the numbers don’t add up you
just can’t ignore them. People need incentives to work, not another government
handout… Detroit is a sad case but predictable and it is just the beginning.
The root cause of Detroit’s demise is present in most major cities in this country.
Washington DC is doing the same at the national level. It is inevitable if we
keep ignoring the facts. It is time to re-introduce the principles of the
American Dream… A good education, hard work, and personal responsibility, makes
for a good life and a prosperous nation…
It is so easy for people that are driven by emotion rather
than facts to opine on the Detroit situation and pity the people living in
Detroit. Pity is not what the people of Detroit need. What the people of
Detroit need is the spirit and drive to improve their situation. Instead of
focusing on the pension plans that were pie in the sky promises from
politicians, they should be focused on improving the fundamental conditions
that attract people to live in a city.
The city of Detroit has a branding problem. When people
around the country hear the word Detroit they think of the once great mega of
new cars, crime, bloated unions, filthy and broken down homes, and people that
have no interest in improving their own living conditions. Why would anyone want
to move to Detroit? Is the future so hopeless that Detroit will remain a third
world environment in the former fourth largest city in the United States?
How do you re-vitalize a people and a city? The first thing
is the people that live there must want to change the conditions they live in.
The second thing is that the city must be perceived and truly be a safe place
to be. Crime cannot be tolerated but this will take some time and will need to
be proven to the outsider looking in. In the meantime efforts should be made to
clean up neighborhoods, refurbish buildings and homes, and people should begin
opening up businesses to support their fellow residents.
Once it appears that the people of Detroit are working on
improving their own conditions they can reach out to the country, and I am not
talking about politicians, I am talking about civic and church groups, to ask
for a helping hand. The people of this great nation will be happy to help
people that want and need the help. Habitat for Humanity, and other groups
would flock to a people truly contrite in their efforts to make a better life.
The one thing Detroit does not need is a bailout. A bailout
would be a reward for bad behavior. Using other people’s money and work ethic
is what put Detroit into bankruptcy. The most difficult part of this plan is
the effort it will take to change the attitude of the city from victim to
victor. I don’t have a lot of faith any of this will take place in Detroit.
They have been coddled for too long.
I do wish the people of Detroit the best of luck if they
choose to be victorious…
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