America's Fastest-Dying Cities

forbes.com ^ | 08.05.08 | Joshua Zumbrun

[Westlander]

Where's it worst? Ohio, according to our analysis, which racked up four of the 10 cities on our list: Youngstown, Canton, Dayton and Cleveland. The runner-up is Michigan, with two cities--Detroit and Flint--making the ranking.

[Westlander]

King Kwame will not be pleased his city is #2.

[Brilliant]

All very liberal cities.

[SatinDoll]

Are these cities primarily black in population?

[brownsfan]

I’ll go out on a limb and say primarily black AND democrat run.

[Abathar]

A fact that even pointing out can get you called racist by the left. You can never point to that particular pink elephant in the room any more, no matter how engraved in stone the facts and truth is.

[bonfire]

Here in Cleveland it’s called “The Brain Drain”.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Another brutal statistic all the cities share is a diminishing population. So far this decade, 115,000 people have left Cleveland, for other climes. Smaller changes in other regions can be just as painful. Nearly 30,000 people have left Youngstown, Ohio, and they aren’t being replaced by either new babies or new immigrants.”

‘Rats are cheering. they care not one whit for the people they’ve infected with their communist cancer. The life-long left-leaning voters that manage to escape are taking their special brand of Socialism WITH them when they move to red states.

Elections matter, People!

[ShadowAce]

Quite a few Ohio cities on that list.

[redstateconfidential]

Not all is bad for these cities, Flint and Detroit are experiencing the delight of becoming Mosque/Fortress complexes for the Relegion of Peace in ever increasing numbers.All part of Dar El Salaam , the outer caliphate.

[EyeGuy]

Are they talking about the city proper or the entire metropolitan area?

The city of St. Louis, for example, might as well be on the moon as compared to the rest of the productive surrounding suburban metroplex.

The dichotomy is ...ahem...for the usual reasons.

In the words of Obamative Action: “Typical”

[Blood of Tyrants]

And in states where unions rule.

[Dick Vomer]

Are these cities primarily black in population?

Now, why would you say that?

[Cringing Negativism Network]

“Are these cities primarily black in population?”

-

Cleveland 51%
Flint 53%
Detroit 81%

The others mentioned in the top post, are less than 50%

[johnny7]

All run by DemocRATS?

[ClearCase_guy]

I’ll go out on a limb and say primarily black AND democrat run.

I guess that's why Bush targeted them for destruction.

;)

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I’m surprised Los Angeles, MX didn’t make this list.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

One of the Forbes’ top criteria was a “fleeing population”.

In Los Angeles part of the population is fleeing, but there’s a country next door, sending lots of replacements...

[AppyPappy]

I would say that all of these cities have high poverty rates and politicians who are willing to rob the treasury to get re-elected.

That formula is a proven loser.

[badpacifist]

A fact that even pointing out can get you called racist by the left. You can never point to that particular pink elephant in the room any more, no matter how engraved in stone the facts and truth is.

So true and I am sick of it. Racism is often used by people who are racists themselves as an excuse for their own bad behavior. Maybe I am a racist but not against people because of their color. I am a behavior racist. We all are around people of many different colors everyday in America. Do I shy away from all of them, no I don't. Do they have to look like whitey? No they don't but everyday we make judgment calls when it comes to safety of our family. There are areas of my city where I never go anymore, if I wish to see that neighborhood again all I have to do is turn on the news at 5.

[Charles Henrickson]

Are they talking about the city proper or the entire metropolitan area?

Metro area, not just city proper.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I amend my remark please:

I think “fleeing” was my word, doesn’t look like Forbes used it... sorry to interject my own bias. :)

[flowerplough]

The oldest city in our top 10, Scranton, Pa., had 45% of its population over 45; the youngest, Flint had 38% over 45.

Been to Scranton a few times, hayna. That town shouldn't be in any top ten list. Any list that includes Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania should be a bottom ten list.

[ladyjane]

It’s a shame that Springfield, MA is on that list. It was the home of Smith & Wesson and the Springfield Armory. Democrat/union controlled though.

[Iron Munro]

So far this decade, 115,000 people have left Cleveland, for other climes.

Nearly 30,000 people have left Youngstown, Ohio.

It's difficult to commute to work when your job has been "Free Traded" to Mexico, India or China

[Rev DMV]

The oldest city in our top 10, Scranton, Pa., had 45% of its population over 45; the youngest, Flint had 38% over 45.

Been to Scranton a few times, hayna. That town shouldn't be in any top ten list. Any list that includes Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania should be a bottom ten list.

Having been born there and left a long time ago, the really sad fact is that the place is actually in a bit better shape than in the 70's...

[epow]

All very liberal cities.

True, but that's not the whole story. All those crumbling cities were once major elements of the greatest, most productive, and richest industrial nation the world had ever seen, but now those industrial giants are either dead or dying.

Nations such as the US, Britain, Germany, France, etc, became rich in the Industrial Age by converting their natural resources into salable products and marketing those products to the other nations of the world. Now those "other" nations produce most of those same products at lower prices and sell them to the formerly industrialized nations whose wealth is rapidly being transferred to their former customers.

I recently read that the high tech batteries that power the guidance systems of our military's smart bombs and missiles are bought from a manufacturer in China. When a nation gets to the point where it has to buy essential elements of it's high tech weaponry from a potential enemy nation like communist China it's in big trouble IMHO.

[trumandogz]

Are these cities primarily black in population?

No. Try Again.

[GBA]

Who can blame people for getting the heck out of these cities? Seriously, why would someone want to live in a liberal run city and/or work for a unionized company? Both “liberal” and “union” are philosophies divorced from reality and do not compete well against the non-liberal and the non-union. There was a time for both, perhaps, but that time is in the distant past. Hanging on to those philosophies now and trying to force fit them into our time results in the slow death Forbes has listed.

[FateRewritten]

The US is headed towards bulkinization. The only 2 factors I could possibly see that contributes to this is race and political alignment. There could be others, but it’s highly improbable that they would have this much of an effect.

I forgot the exact state it took place in (maybe CA) that they recently allowed parents to decide which schools they sent their children too. They became racially segragated within a year or two.

What’s next? US splits apart?

[neefer]

Yes - Cuyahoga County elected officials are Democrats and they’re being investigated by the FBI. The only two things Cleveland has going for it are outstanding hospitals/medical schools and an excellent Superintendent of schools, Dr. Eugene Sanders.

[FateRewritten]

"So true and I am sick of it. Racism is often used by people who are racists themselves as an excuse for their own bad behavior. Maybe I am a racist but not against people because of their color. I am a behavior racist. We all are around people of many different colors everyday in America. Do I shy away from all of them, no I don't. Do they have to look like whitey? No they don't but everyday we make judgment calls when it comes to safety of our family. There are areas of my city where I never go anymore, if I wish to see that neighborhood again all I have to do is turn on the news at 5. " Please go move to one of these mentioned cities! Yeah... I don't like onions. But It's not becuase I don't like the onion itself... I just dont like the taste!! I like sugar in my coffee, not my words.

[FateRewritten]

"So true and I am sick of it. Racism is often used by people who are racists themselves as an excuse for their own bad behavior. Maybe I am a racist but not against people because of their color. I am a behavior racist. We all are around people of many different colors everyday in America. Do I shy away from all of them, no I don't. Do they have to look like whitey? No they don't but everyday we make judgment calls when it comes to safety of our family. There are areas of my city where I never go anymore, if I wish to see that neighborhood again all I have to do is turn on the news at 5. "

Please go move to one of these mentioned cities!

Yeah... I don't like onions. But It's not becuase I don't like the onion itself... I just dont like the taste!!

I like sugar in my coffee, not my words.

[J40000]

DYING??? Detroit and Flint have been dead for DECADES!!!

[pabianice]

All Obama voters.

[IbJensen]

Are these cities primarily black in population?

Well! With this subtle insinuation I can see you're not politically correct.

Just because the cities are corroding you assume that it's due to the fact that they're being ruled by African-Americans.

Next thing you'll be pointing out is that South Africa today is another failure.

[stuartcr]

Do you happen to have a list of the top 10 conservative cities?

[LZ_Bayonet]

"The US is headed towards bulkinization."

It's pretty well established that we eat too much. You probably meant "balkanization".

[FightThePower!]

My wife and I both grew up in Michigan. We went to University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State for medical school. We recently moved down south. Most of our friends have also moved out of Michigan as well. We didn't want to spend our lives swimming up stream. I encourage any productive, educated person to get the hell out of there.

[iopscusa]

It's especially difficult when the workforce is owned by the mob infested unions, undereducated, antagonistic and full of unearned respect that they can't compete with 3rd world workers.

[bert]

Unlike the sian places mentioned, the Ohio cities were union where the object is to do as little as possible for more than the labor is worth.

Competition runs the world. Don’t compete, become a loser.

[wbill]

Buddy of mine has occasion to travel to Cleveland (on business) fairly often. He says that it's a dump. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.

His first experience with downtown Cleveland was bad....be got in to the hotel late. Tried to find something to eat...nothing open. That's not overly unusual, but when he tried to get something delivered, no places (he tried several) would come because it was "too hazardous" or "against policy".

He didn't starve or anything, but it was an eyeopener for him.

[FateRewritten]

ahh, yeah, that would be correct. Too early in the morning still.

[chuckles]

I think the most glaring example of the principle involved here is NYC during the Dinkins years. People were afraid to even go into the city and then they elected Rooty. In a matter of a few short years it completely turned around.

If Obama wins the whole US will look like Detroit in 4 years.

[gridlock]

What, Flint is not dead yet? I was working demolition, and we tore down about half that town twenty-five years ago!

[SatinDoll]

A business woman in my local area is Hispanic and a Democrat but won’t vote for Obama this coming November.

She stated that the history of black-run governments around the Caribbean is so bad and thoroughly corrupt that she could never vote for someone who is black. And she says she’s not a racist, just a practical person who looks at what works and what doesn’t.

[Old North State]

I don't know how Detroit made the list, they are in the 20th straight year of a renaissance, change you can believe in forever.

[BooksForTheRight.com]

Come back in 4 years and ask the people in these cities if The Messiah, Obama, has changed anything.

[river rat]

It doesn’t take much crap to ruin a pristine spring.

[BBell]

I've heard the same from Hispanics. One came out and told me he likes to live in white neighborhoods. I was surprised he would come right out and say this but then again not surprised. The hard working Hispanics (not university types) are not as infected with the PC virus as most whites are.

[badpacifist]

I live in the suburbs of one and I have also been on FR for longer than a week.