Detroit - Liberal Policies in Action and the Result

Below video says everything!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hhJ_49leBw

Business and anti-industrial policies such as globalization and outsourcing contributed as much if not more to Detroit's downfall (rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated) as did any liberal social policies. Also, terrible mismanagement in the private sector of Ford, GM, Chrysler and others were a contributing factor is undeniable. Tell me again what great car they built in the 1970's and 1980's? Even if Americans always bought American, our car companies became globally uncompetitive during the exact period that globalization picked up steam. Go ahead and tell me that the Unions were the whole cause of their problems, but in doing so you are saying that the geniuses you worship in the private sector cannot negotiate and agree to mutually beneficial deals with workers while running a successful business. Do you really believe that and yet maintain that the private sector is the only part of society that operates effectively? Are you really saying that corporations, execs and managers should be free to seek to maximize their own self interests, but workers are not? That would make you an elitist plutocrat or even a fascist rather than a free market capitalist and democrat wouldn't it?

there is a new Detroit thread every other month, and it's always "Liberal Policies" to blame. I guess we're about to get hit with every Crowder clip therock can find.

. Tell me again what great car they built in the 1970's and 1980's?

Originally Posted by austxjr

The M1 Abrams!

Business and anti-industrial policies such as globalization and outsourcing contributed as much if not more to Detroit's downfall (rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated) as did any liberal social policies. Also, terrible mismanagement in the private sector of Ford, GM, Chrysler and others were a contributing factor is undeniable. Tell me again what great car they built in the 1970's and 1980's? Even if Americans always bought American, our car companies became globally uncompetitive during the exact period that globalization picked up steam. Go ahead and tell me that the Unions were the whole cause of their problems, but in doing so you are saying that the geniuses you worship in the private sector cannot negotiate and agree to mutually beneficial deals with workers while running a successful business. Do you really believe that and yet maintain that the private sector is the only part of society that operates effectively? Are you really saying that corporations, execs and managers should be free to seek to maximize their own self interests, but workers are not? That would make you an elitist plutocrat or even a fascist rather than a free market capitalist and democrat wouldn't it? Originally Posted by austxjr

The purpose of Ford, GM and Chrylser is to make money. That is their only reason for existing. They don't exist to create jobs and provide benefits. They don't even exist to make cars. That is merely the means to the end of making money.

It is not the responsibility of Ford, GM or Chrysler to provide a strong and diversified economy for Detroit. That is the responsibility of government.

Chicago diversified its economy and has not suffered nearly as badly as Detroit. Detroit was happy to remain a single industry town, even as that industry dwindled.

It took decades for it to dwindle. It was easy to see it coming and there was plenty of time to do something about it.

Compare the situation to the Y2K computer bug. There were all kinds of doomsday predictions, but businesses could see it coming and had time to fix their systems. The result? No Y2K meltdown.

The UAW exists for the purpose of ensuring that there is no competition for the price of labor. Standard UAW practice was to negotiate a settlement with one company and then strike the other two unless they matched the wages and benefits of the first company.

Since each company with stuck with the same wage scale, they simply passed on the price of labor to consumers. This worked well for the UAW for a lot of years.

Until, of course, Japanese cars entered the market. Then the whole plan turned to shit, since the UAW had no control over Japanese automakers labor force.

Also, the non-Detroit auto maker markets are doing fine. Plenty of cars are built in the US outside of the state of Michigan - particularly in the south. They are doing quite well.

A town with complete operational control in the hands of black people - we can't possibly let them take the blame for tearing everything to shit, stealing, mugging, raping, etc., so let's avoid the elephant in the room and so it has nothing to do with dysfunctional black culture.
I blame the white people for leaving the core city once they got tired of being ruled over by thieves.

A town with complete operational control in the hands of black people - we can't possibly let them take the blame for tearing everything to shit, stealing, mugging, raping, etc., so let's avoid the elephant in the room and so it has nothing to do with dysfunctional black culture.
I blame the white people for leaving the core city once they got tired of being ruled over by thieves. Originally Posted by Jewish Lawyer

Now, aren't you the one who is not only leaving the core city, but also leaving the whole country?

Now, aren't you the one who is not only leaving the core city, but also leaving the whole country? Originally Posted by ExNYer

Yes, I prefer going to a sane country, not one giving up its culture to the third world conquerors who nurse historical grievances against white men and intend to get revenge. I just hope they kill the liberals first.

Ford, GM, Chrysler are to blame for what Detroit has become. The population went from 1.8 million in the 1950s to around 700,000 today due to the fortunes of those three companies.

Ford, GM, Chrysler are to blame for what Detroit has become. The population went from 1.8 million in the 1950s to around 700,000 today due to the fortunes of those three companies. Originally Posted by BigLouie

That make sense on its face, until you confront the fact that while the core city of Detroit has collapsed, the metropolitan area surrounding it is still doing ok. How does one explain that? (Other than racism, of course)

Ford, GM, Chrysler are to blame for what Detroit has become. The population went from 1.8 million in the 1950s to around 700,000 today due to the fortunes of those three companies. Originally Posted by BigLouie

Wrong on so many levels I don't know where to start.

Read my post above about Detroit's failure to diversify. That is solely the blame of state and local government.

The purpose of those 3 companies is to make money. If they fail to do that, they go broke, as does the single industry town they reside in.

But all three companies have every reason to fight to stay in business. After all, their shareholders don't want to lose their money. So, if self-preseration is not enough to keep those compaines thriving, why would a secondary consideration like keeping Detroit afloat keep them thriving?

Like every other industry in existence, car companies now rely more on robots and less on humans. So, even if they were never threatened by competition from Japan, the Big 3 still would not need as many employees as they did in 1952.

That means there still would not be enough jobs to keep the population of Detroit at 1.5 million. And again, that points to the importance of diversifying the local economy. And that is the responsibility of government, not the car companies.

IMO, Detroit is like the mining towns in the late 1800's ... the gold and silver ran out, and so did the town.

The gold ran out the silver ran out then the whiskey and beer ran out then the people ran out. Josey Wales ( not word for word)

Wrong on so many levels I don't know where to start.

Read my post above about Detroit's failure to diversify. That is solely the blame of state and local government. Originally Posted by ExNYer

From Jewish Lawyer

hat make sense on its face, until you confront the fact that while the core city of Detroit has collapsed, the metropolitan area surrounding it is still doing ok. How does one explain that?

Both of you are as wrong as can be. Detroit's downfall started about 1900. Planning, or the lack thereof for more than a century, is why Detroit stands out. While cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles (don’t laugh – Detroit and LA essentially boomed at the same time) put a premium on creating pleasant built environments for their residents, Detroit was unique in putting all its eggs in the corporate caretaker basket. Once the auto industry became established in Detroit, political and business leaders abdicated their responsibility on sound urban planning and design, and elected to let the booming economy do the work for them.

Detroit became just a big manufacturing plant. Instead of Bellaire and West University Detroit had GM and Ford plants, instead of River Oaks and Memorial you had a city that is relentlessly covered with small, Cape Cod-style, 3-bedroom and one-bath single family homes on slabs that were not in keeping with contemporary standards for size and quality. Detroit may have one of the greatest concentrations of post-World War II tract housing of any major U.S. city. Where did all the rich and the middle class go? Out to the 'burbs which left Detroit with no tax base.

All in all it did not matter who was in control of the city, events put in place from 1900 to 1950 created what you see today.