Detroit’s death by democracy

Washington Post ^ | July 31, 2013 | By George Will

[kevao]

the 700,000 remaining residents of the Motor City

Who didn't see this coming a long time ago? Apparently, these 700,000 remaining Detroiters. And to them I ask, Who is John Galt?

[umgud]

Only the bottom feeders are left.

[hosepipe]

Government employees’ unions living parasitically on the United States have been less aware than ichneumon larvae.

[kevao]

This would have been Wisconsin’s fate too, if not for Scott Walker. Government employee unions negotiating obscene contracts with...government employees. What could possibly go wrong?

[freerepublicchat]

Democracy is theft?

[bray]

Why don’t they just create more gummit jobs like Obozo?

Pray for America to Wake Up

[NonValueAdded]

updating tagline ...

[YHAOS]

"the 700,000 remaining residents of the Motor City"
"And to them I ask, Who is John Galt?"

Those who can, have fled.

[Lancey Howard]

Pray for America to Wake Up

I'm afraid that, like the hopeless alcoholic who wakes up in a dumpster one afternoon, covered in his own feces, urine, and vomit, America has to "hit bottom" before it can admit out loud what it has become and begin a road to recovery.

But even then, recovery is far from certain. What, are the moochers, bums, deadbeats, and parasites who comprise the Demcrat party's massive "base" suddenly going to become self-reliant and work for a living? I don't think so.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Big question remains - what happens if the trial now scheduled in the bankruptcy case (an action brought by two groups of municipal union retirees) ends up deciding that the Chapter 9 case was improperly filed? What then? Imagine the case being dismissed (and about 40-50% of the Chapter 9 cases ever filed have failed to make it to a plan.) Then you would have the unions insisting on benefits levels which do not pencil out. You would have a city that is still losing population, and a remaining population which has such retarded skill sets, that they are not employable in the modern information economy.

I practice in the bankruptcy courts, but Chapter 9’s are extremely rare animals. Few have any expertise in them. I am watching this case in wonder, and I have to admit - if it fails, if the case is dismissed because the Governor did not have the power to authorize the filing , or because of a conflict with the MI Constitution which says that public employee retirement packages cannot be reduced (which is pretty much the essential point of a trip through Chapter 9), then what?

[cherry]

America is not going to wake up......once you have the sugar freaks getting the free sugar you just can't take it away over night...

all of them...the military and their pensions..the present govt workers....the teachers...the cops and the firemen...the postal workers....those greedy lazy ones who do not deserve SS let alone SSDI and medicare or medicaid....

all takers....all taking from those trying to make a living....

so give it back, its not going to happen...

[cherry]

if govt employees were like private workers, their pensions would be shoved over to the Pension Guarantee board....which means that for many, it would be greatly reduced and no medical at retirement....

but since they're precious govt workers, they'll most likely be bailed out by a directive from the jerk in DC....

otherwise, Detroit could just merge with another city, sell off all its assets to pay off the pensions, and of course fire all city employees immediately....

I'm sure the unions don't care as long as their retired get their goods...

[Paul R.]

Yes, that line pretty well describes most of our gov’t, right now.

[Standing Wolf]

Eh? What? Only more government can solve the crises caused by government?

Hmmm. Where does it say that in the Constitution?

[Brad from Tennessee]

Obviously the city cannot meet its pension obligations. If there is no court mandated formula then the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation may come into play. They would take over the pension plans as trustee and try to go after the city’s remaining assets. I think.

[Excellence]

GF Will is one of those people who just writes so well I don’t even care if I don’t particularly agree with him.

[Excellence]

But I agree with him this time.

[cynwoody]

I practice in the bankruptcy courts, but Chapter 9’s are extremely rare animals. Few have any expertise in them. I am watching this case in wonder, and I have to admit - if it fails, if the case is dismissed because the Governor did not have the power to authorize the filing , or because of a conflict with the MI Constitution which says that public employee retirement packages cannot be reduced (which is pretty much the essential point of a trip through Chapter 9), then what?

Well, I guess it comes down to getting blood out of a stone.

Detroit will have to raise taxes. Its remaining inhabitants, those of whom can pay taxes, will up and leave. The People of Michigan will amend their stinkn' Constipation. And the City pensioners will be SOL!

And that's how it should be! Argentina on the Huron! An object lesson on the endpoint of Progress!

[hosepipe]

Democracy is the road to socialism. -Karl Marx

Democracy is indispensable to socialism. The goal of socialism is communism. -V.I. Lenin

The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism .-Karl Marx