Sri, you really need to come see Memphis. Makes the slums of the 3rd world look nice. Parts of the city (including many primarily black neighborhoods) are really nice, others have been horror shows since the 1960s. What the Union Army left alone in 1862 was conquered and destroyed during the civil rights movement.

I'll drive you down to Beale St on a Saturday, makes the bad old days of the French Quarter in New Orleans look down right civilized.

Pine spent last night in Memphis, he's bringing his bike by my place today for a tire and some ergonomic adjustments. Ask him what the city was like, he stayed at a motel in "the loop", the I-240 ring around the city. Have not heard from him yet this morning...

srinath wrote on 07/25/13 at 07:12:31:


What you aren't taking into consideration is that there are liberal Republicans and Conservative Democraps. There are many fiscal Conservative, social liberals.

srinath wrote on 07/25/13 at 08:11:21:


All good. Trailered in fine, swapped his back tire, diagnosed a few minor glitches, had a hands on adjustments/bypasses tutorial. On his way home now.

WebsterMark wrote on 07/25/13 at 18:53:35:


Your "democrats" are in the national sense republicans.
Much like NJ republicans are democrats.
Cool.
Srinath.

Detroit as the Example
By Richard Grenell
Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Detroit is a great example for cities and states across the U.S. Its problems have been slowly building for decades. Years of decreasing revenues and increasing expenses have been met with political selfishness and weak leadership – all which led Detroit to recently file for bankruptcy. As it stands, Detroit is $18 billion dollars in debt. Although this is an astronomical figure, it isn't surprising…

Across the country, public pensions have grown large and grand at a time when government programs have been shrinking. Political leaders, like Detroit's, who scale back public programs but fail to cut the bureaucrats administering those programs will find themselves in Detroit's shoes soon enough. Local political officials across the U.S. should see Detroit's filing as a warning sign of what can happen when they ignore public deficits.

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Detroit's interim leader and emergency manager Kevyn Orr seems well-equipped to make the tough decisions that so-far have not been made in Detroit. Orr, appointed by Michigan Governor and budget hawk Rick Snyder, is an expert bankruptcy lawyer. Snyder and Orr understand that you cannot continue to spend money you don't have. While most politicians would love to say yes to every resident, lobbyist or union member asking for increased spending or new programs, only weak politicians agree to spend money that isn't available.

Orr has signaled that Detroit's problems must be solved by Detroit and that a state or federal bailout won't fix Detroit's structural problems. Governor Snyder views the bankruptcy as an opportunity to fix the problems. "Now is our opportunity to stop 60 years of decline," Snyder said this week.

A bankruptcy filing offers Detroit a chance at a fresh start. Here are a few fixes that Orr and Snyder should implement to restore faith in Detroit's leadership:

1.        End all pension agreements previously negotiated and offer retirees a more realistic package.
2.        Right-size city government by laying off workers whose programs aren't funded.
3.        Concentrate on delivering the basic services.
4.        Separate certain areas from the city's jurisdiction in an effort to make Detroit not so vast an area to govern.
5.        Make public safety the top priority of city officials.
6.        Move city workers out of offices and into the community.
7.        Repeal all city regulations that discourage businesses from operating within the city's limits.
8.        Aggressively recruit new businesses to the city.
9.        Work with Detroit's professional sports teams to market Detroit better.
10.        Lean on Detroit's famous residents to help recruit businesses to the city.

thecoolerking wrote on 07/26/13 at 18:30:05:


Yep, shoulda googled first.

I would love to see the old factories turned into federal prisons and make them produce something that can be sold.. It cost over $40,00 a year to keep up a prisoner. That's more than I make. They could make clothes, hardware items, anything to defer the cost we're paying now. Since no salaries are involved what they make would compete with China and cut back on our imports. Anyone that doesn't want to work add 5 years to their sentence. It would be good therapy to produce something with good quality they could be proud of all the while teaching them good work ethics.

I really don't understand what you mean Jog. The states aren't benefitting from the prisoners paying over $40,000 a year keeping them up.