According to City Councilwoman Joann Watson, that number is $1 billion and the administration should cut a bailout check and see what the Motor City does with it. That figure should cover the city’s $300 million budget deficit plus the $700 million in petty cash needed to shock a pulse back into the city. However, before you start thinking Watson is just another local politician asking for a bailout using the ‘just because’ school of thought, be advised, she’s got her reasons.
“If the federal government can get a loan from China, if the state of Michigan can get $2 billion in federal stimulus money, why isn’t it obvious for the city of Detroit?” she said. “Why not establish us as an important precedent? They’ve bailed out Wall Street. They’ve bailed out General Motors. When are they going to bail out the workers? And Detroit’s problems are a direct result of the economic meltdown and the crisis in the auto industry”
It’s true the bailout express has been all over the place during the past year. But writing a check this size for the city at the epicenter of the auto implosion- does Detroit really deserve something like that?
“And don’t tell me we don’t deserve it. Of course we do. The city of Detroit has been a leader in industry, in labor. We built the vehicles in World War II. Our unions have helped lead the nation to more humane work conditions, whether it be in terms of sick pay or the five-day work week. We have led the nation, and we’ve been dependent on an industry that’s been hit hard. So if the federal government sees fit to bail out GM — and I’m not mad about that because I went to Washington to help ask for bailouts for the car companies — then the government needs to bailout the city that depends so much on GM. You cannot allow this to continue to happen to one of your largest cities.”
If $1 billion will actually solve Detroit’s woes then maybe it’s worth a shot. But companies from Detroit do not have the best track record in coming to the government feeding trough once and only once. There is an argument to be made for “you cannot allow this to continue to happen to one of your largest cities.” However, based on last year’s performance, “you cannot allow this to continue” seems more appropriate when addressing whether or not to proceed with these types of bailouts.
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:17PM
C L I P A R T C L O P S = no (.)(.)
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:18PM
Herro, my name is ascii wang 8===D
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:24PM
Not much, just a couple of hydrogen bombs will do the job.
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:33PM
What do you think her role was when she "went to Washington to help ask for bailouts for the car companies"?
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:43PM
Greg I give this post an A+! Excellent job. I really liked the deserve-deserve turnaround you did - very creative!
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:46PM
I agree with 5. Pretty solid post.
Cleats out, bitches!
-Ty Cobb
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 5:51PM
@5&6, stop pretending to be other posters just to big yourself up, you douche.
Fondly,
Mum
Posted by Anal_yst , Oct 27, 2009 6:11PM
This woman is so spectacularly delusional, to the point that I'd go so far as to say:
Greg > Joann Watson
Congratulations, Greg, you've found someone who writes/speaks in more rambling, incoherent prose than you.
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 6:30PM
"Our unions have helped lead the nation to more humane work conditions, whether it be in terms of sick pay or the five-day work week"
for this alone we ought to bulldoze the whole place and open a wal-mart.
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 6:53PM
Speaking as somebody who grew up 40 miles from the D I can whole heartedly say that giving any money to that city would be the biggest waste of all the stimulus wastes. Let it die
Posted by Bulging Bracket , Oct 27, 2009 6:57PM
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 7:00PM
@11 fuckin' a
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 7:18PM
Detroit is perilously close to needing a 'final solution' cleansing enema. Sheet of glass may be the answer.
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 7:46PM
Greg -
When you were a child, and did things that annoyed me, I beat you on the head until your ears bled. Then you usually stopped. If you keep posting this crap, get your ear plugs ready. You douche.
Love,
Mom
Posted by guest , Oct 27, 2009 7:49PM
Imagine the corruption and scandals. We'd be entertained for years. Go for it Big D.
Posted by merkin capital partners , Oct 28, 2009 12:03AM
9 ftw...
I can see it now...
http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=24406
Posted by guest , Oct 28, 2009 6:04AM
didja ever see 'escape from new york'? like that. in one fell swoop, detroit regains its former glory, provides good-paying guard jobs, and in the penitentiary/city itself, property values improve.
everybody wins.
Posted by guest , Oct 28, 2009 11:17AM
@17
Even Snake Pliskin would avoid 'Rock City.' Maybe if they had a decent football team things would be different