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Chaos erupts at Cobo as thousands jockey for federal aid (Obama "Stimulus" Giveaway)
newstin ^ | 8 Oct 09 | George Hunter, Charlie LeDuff

Posted on 10/08/2009 10:13:55 AM PDT by SkyPilot

Detroit -- The lure of federal cash assistance for needy Detroit families sparked pandemonium Wednesday at Cobo Center, as hundreds of city residents pushed, jostled and trampled others in a rush to apply for the aid.

In a scene that spoke volumes about the despair of one of the nation's poorest cities, about 50,000 Detroiters descended on downtown to pick up 5,000 applications in hopes of enrolling in a federal program that pays a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to low-income residents to help pay rent and utilities.

In fact, some 60,000 residents applied for the aid over two days, although the city will only be able to help about 3,400 families.

Wednesday's line stretched for blocks and before the process could be completed at least six people were taken away by ambulance, 150 police were called to the scene and the city stopped distributing applications before noon.

The mayhem seemed to reflect the desperation of a city in which one in three lives in poverty and 28.7 percent are unemployed. Others said it was exacerbated by rumors the government was literally handing out cash. It wasn't.

Karen Dumas, a spokeswoman for Mayor Dave Bing, acknowledged the rumors, calling them "totally untrue." Dumas added: "There is a process."

Walt Williams, 51, arrived at Cobo before sunrise to get a good spot for the 10 a.m. opening of the doors. "This morning, I seen the curtain pulled back on the misery," a bewildered Williams said.

"People fighting over a line; people threatening to shoot each other -- is this what we've come to?"


(Excerpt) Read more at newstin.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: chaos; detroit; freemoney; stimulus
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Related thread:

Residents Get Chance At Stimulus Money Stimulus Money Available For Low-Income, Homeless Detroit Residents

The Obama "give away" causes a near riot.

Healthcare is going to a mess, and is nothing more than affirmative action care for people who won't pay it.

1 posted on 10/08/2009 10:13:56 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: SkyPilot

I guess this is what Gephardt meant about “winning life’s lottery”


2 posted on 10/08/2009 10:15:46 AM PDT by A_Former_Democrat
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To: SkyPilot

“People fighting over a line; people threatening to shoot each other — is this what we’ve come to?”

Yes.


3 posted on 10/08/2009 10:16:59 AM PDT by A_Former_Democrat
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People push their way into Cobo Center after the doors open. The city stopped distributing applications before noon amid unruly behavior that drew 150 police to the scene, mayhem that seemed to reflect the desperation of a city with 28.7 percent unemployment.

People surround the Cobo entrance. The city had relocated the program on the failed hope the convention hall could accommodate the demand.

People fill out relief applications on a police car. Some 60,000 residents over two days applied for federal assistance, but the city will only be able to help about 3,400 families with incomes below $35,000.

4 posted on 10/08/2009 10:17:37 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: SkyPilot

Barack Hussein Obama

MMMM...MMMM...MMMM


5 posted on 10/08/2009 10:17:51 AM PDT by reagandemocrat
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To: SkyPilot
It’s hard to express my disgust at what this bunch has done to our great nation in less than a year.
6 posted on 10/08/2009 10:18:34 AM PDT by colorado tanker (Barack Obama is an old Kenyan word for Jimmy Carter)
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To: SkyPilot

Sound clip from Rush: “We don’ know where he got da money but he gonna give it to us.”! Yea Obama!!


7 posted on 10/08/2009 10:18:48 AM PDT by luvbach1 (Worse than we could have imagined.)
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To: SkyPilot
Just like pigs at a trough. Democrats have established quite a farm.

Be afraid.

8 posted on 10/08/2009 10:19:42 AM PDT by SaveTheChief (Obama lied, America died.)
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To: SkyPilot
Fired Up! Ready to Go!


9 posted on 10/08/2009 10:20:51 AM PDT by maggief
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To: SkyPilot
A quick internet search leads to the following article from Feb.:

No matter how little money Americans, particularly Michiganders, are making, they will always find the cash to pay for what they don't need.

Whether it be cigarettes, sex or booze, we always manage to fit it all into the budget. It's terrible, but damn it, we cannot live without supporting our vices.

Despite a slumping economy and a rapidly declining population, liquor and wine sales in our state are skyrocketing. We're finally neglecting beer for the harder stuff. As they say, "Beer is sincere, but liquor is quicker," and we're living proof.

10 posted on 10/08/2009 10:21:57 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (Liberals are always one genocide away from Utopia.)
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To: SkyPilot

“Walt Williams, 51, arrived at Cobo before sunrise to get a good spot for the 10 a.m. opening of the doors. “This morning, I seen the curtain pulled back on the misery,” a bewildered Williams said.”

“People fighting over a line; people threatening to shoot each other — is this what we’ve come to?”

This man was pretty articulate. Most people on the fly could not come up with these comments when a reporter is standing there.

Yes Mr. Williams this is what liberalism brought to Detroit, Michigan and now Obama’s USA. Black people have been pawned and used by the Democrats. This is the gangsta culture that rappers and white liberal entertainment business owners have promoted.

The Democrat Party is evil. They are destroying America and people’s lives.


11 posted on 10/08/2009 10:22:16 AM PDT by Frantzie (Do we want ACORN running America's health care?)
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To: colorado tanker

It’s hard to express my disgust at what this bunch has done to our great nation in less than a year.
________________________________________________________

Baby, It’s been going on for YEARS.........it’s just now coming to a head as people are waking up (thank goodness). Better late than never, I suppose.


12 posted on 10/08/2009 10:23:08 AM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear ('They're drinking the juice.'~ Barack H. Obama)
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To: SkyPilot
"People fighting over a line; people threatening to shoot each other -- is this what we've come to?"

Not everyone has, but certainly "you people" seem to have.

13 posted on 10/08/2009 10:23:31 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (Liberals are always one genocide away from Utopia.)
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To: Onelifetogive

Add cable TV to the list.


14 posted on 10/08/2009 10:24:02 AM PDT by Frantzie (Do we want ACORN running America's health care?)
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To: SkyPilot

"You damn right we can m*****f******!"

15 posted on 10/08/2009 10:24:35 AM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: SkyPilot
Another heartwarming scene from the DemoRat plantation.
16 posted on 10/08/2009 10:24:53 AM PDT by Navy Patriot (Sarah and the Conservatives will rock your world.)
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To: SkyPilot
The Obama "give away" causes a near riot.

I'm concerned as to what the riots will look like when 95% of 65,000 people learn that they're getting Jack Squat.

17 posted on 10/08/2009 10:25:20 AM PDT by wbill
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To: SkyPilot

18 posted on 10/08/2009 10:25:25 AM PDT by Vasilli22
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To: colorado tanker
The most horrible part of this scene is that these people are in charge...they have elected one of their own.

Elections have consequences....

It's Time to Part Company

19 posted on 10/08/2009 10:25:46 AM PDT by B.O. Plenty (Give war a chance...)
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To: SkyPilot

“We love 0bama, but we better hurry anyway.

Pie might be all gone ‘fore we get some.”


20 posted on 10/08/2009 10:26:35 AM PDT by paulycy (Screw the RACErs)
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To: Vasilli22

BTTT


21 posted on 10/08/2009 10:26:46 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: B.O. Plenty
The inmates have been running the Detroit asylum for a very long time. As bad as the bunch in charge now is, there actually have been worse.
22 posted on 10/08/2009 10:27:31 AM PDT by colorado tanker (Barack Obama is an old Kenyan word for Jimmy Carter)
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To: reagandemocrat

all bowowed money......

I thought the stimulus was for the nation?


23 posted on 10/08/2009 10:27:34 AM PDT by himno hero
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To: Lurker

Not an ACORN in sight.


24 posted on 10/08/2009 10:29:01 AM PDT by elizabethgrace (I pray for our military, our Republic, Bibi and Israel.)
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To: SaveTheChief
"Just like pigs at a trough. Democrats have established quite a farm. Be afraid."

Don't be afraid. Be prepared.

25 posted on 10/08/2009 10:30:57 AM PDT by libs_kma (F.U.B.O.)
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To: SkyPilot
The scum who defaulted on debts, participated in CFC and first time home buyer programs are no different.

26 posted on 10/08/2009 10:31:18 AM PDT by I see my hands (_8(|)
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To: himno hero
all bowowed stolen money......

Fixed that for you.

27 posted on 10/08/2009 10:31:39 AM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: SkyPilot
"federal program that pays a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to low-income residents to help pay rent and utilities."


28 posted on 10/08/2009 10:31:54 AM PDT by Fast Ed97 (Is it bad when you start to miss the Clinton years?)
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To: wbill
"I'm concerned as to what the riots will look like when 95% of 65,000 people learn that they're getting Jack Squat. "

Yup. Rush questioned what would happen when it was learned that only 3,500 people would receive anything. He also said that (counterfeit) applications were being sold for $20.00.

29 posted on 10/08/2009 10:31:56 AM PDT by blam
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To: himno hero

The stimulus is money to be used to reward your cronies and people who supported you. To buy votes as well in 2010 and more so in 2012.

Rush compared this to Katrina. It is more like Zimbabwe.

The chickens are coming home to roost. I think we may not see the semi-normal country, we had only a year ago, in the future.


30 posted on 10/08/2009 10:32:45 AM PDT by Frantzie (Do we want ACORN running America's health care?)
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To: Frantzie

>>>The chickens are coming home to roost<<<

Good one.


31 posted on 10/08/2009 10:35:21 AM PDT by reagandemocrat
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To: Frantzie

YUP,

Zimbabwe here we come..... the Obamanation better known as the Obamanana Republic ( son of the late great Unites States)


32 posted on 10/08/2009 10:35:24 AM PDT by himno hero
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To: libs_kma

The women barging in the door sure don’t look like they’re too far from their last meal!


33 posted on 10/08/2009 10:35:30 AM PDT by marlon
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To: Lurker

I hadnt gotten into the taxation side... yyup. it ill coe from those few that he hasnt destroyed. Corporations and people who want to work.
Running a larger (welfare) government makes no sense , specially when he is looking to crush the capitalists private sector, unless you want to bankrupt the nation and run it straight into communism.


34 posted on 10/08/2009 10:39:14 AM PDT by himno hero
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To: A_Former_Democrat
Why doesn't Obama ride through town on one of the L's and throw money out of windows. He could have his “Evita” moment.
35 posted on 10/08/2009 10:39:35 AM PDT by poobear
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To: SkyPilot

True story. Several years ago in Richmond, VA, one of the suburban school systems decided to give away several hundred four-year-old worn-out Apple laptops, because they were switching to Dell. The laptops were worth maybe $300 or so, if that (assuming all the parts were there and they were in decent condition).

Well when the announcement was made, there was such interest from all over the world, they moved the distribution to the Virginia State Fairgrounds and restricted it to Henrico County residents only. The day of the giveaway, my wife went down there—we figured, hey, why not, right? Free laptop. Can’t hurt to at least check it out, maybe we’d get lucky.

She got there two hours early and there was a huge traffic snarl. There were at least THREE THOUSAND people waiting for maybe 500 laptops, and let’s just say that a rather rough crowd had pushed their way to the front of the line at the gates. She kept right on driving and came back home, and we were glad for it.

When they opened the gates, a stampede erupted. Old women were knocked over. Elderly on crutches, canes, and walkers were trampled. Wheelchairs were upended. All for laptops that had dead batteries, missing components, scratched screens, and busted keys. But they were FREE, dammit.

There is a subculture—largely but not exclusively urban, largely but nowhere near exclusively black—that will run over their own mother for anything “free.” It’s not a racial thing. It’s not a north/south/east/west thing. It’s the result of seventy-five years of New Deal liberalism and forty-five years of the “War on Poverty” conditioning people that THEY are the ones that deserve first shot at ANY handout, no matter what is is, no matter if it’s even useful to them. If they’d do that for a busted-up four-year-old laptop that won’t run modern software, what’ll they do for honest-to-goodness “free” money?

It was a real eye-opener.

}:-)4


36 posted on 10/08/2009 10:42:13 AM PDT by Moose4 (Ted Kennedy: "If they bring up Camelot, we get to bring up the lady in the lake.")
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To: SkyPilot
Like all gov't programs, it will take eons actually to get the money out the door.

And like virtually all gov't benefit programs, they humiliate and de-humanize the applicants.
37 posted on 10/08/2009 10:43:31 AM PDT by kenavi (No legislation longer than the Constitution.)
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To: SkyPilot

yes, but generally when the Democrats pass out their Walkin’ Around Money it doesn’t generate these great Photo Ops....


38 posted on 10/08/2009 10:49:49 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: luvbach1

Any idea where Rush got that audio?


39 posted on 10/08/2009 11:03:51 AM PDT by Long Island Pete (Stupidity is in the DNA of liberals.)
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To: SkyPilot
I love the smell of government cheese in the morning.

Smells like... liberalism.

40 posted on 10/08/2009 11:07:34 AM PDT by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell)
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To: SkyPilot

Why don’t they use the money to generate some real jobs in Detroit? Or is that just wishful thinking?

We are forced to spend money to deal with problems that were the creation of liberal thinking in the first place.


41 posted on 10/08/2009 11:11:38 AM PDT by popdonnelly (Yes, we disagree - no, we won't shut up - no, we won't quit.)
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To: SkyPilot

That’s terrible, looks like scenes from `Soylent Green.’


42 posted on 10/08/2009 11:17:48 AM PDT by tumblindice
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To: Long Island Pete
Any idea where Rush got that audio?

Don't know. I suspect we'll be hearing it elsewhere like on FNC. Don't count on it being on MSNBC.

43 posted on 10/08/2009 11:17:55 AM PDT by luvbach1 (Worse than we could have imagined.)
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To: SkyPilot

Please note, these people were not lining up to work.


44 posted on 10/08/2009 11:18:35 AM PDT by wac3rd (Felipe Calderon supports the public option.)
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To: marlon

Look at all the pics - no one starving in any one of them.

EBT buys a lot of junk food.

And now, we have commercials for “SNAP”, some new “nutrition” program. Same deal - lots of pop and cheetos.


45 posted on 10/08/2009 11:20:22 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: SkyPilot

Get used to it...wealth redistribution before your very eyes.

James is hoping to get a few bucks to get his cell phone turned back...and buy some smokes and rum.

Unfortunately it came out of MY budget...the one where little Elizabeth’s college funding was going to come from...or where MY mortgage payment comes from.

Absolutely disgusting.


46 posted on 10/08/2009 11:21:19 AM PDT by griffin (Constitution Unchained! - krsieanforcongress.com)
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To: griffin

“wealth redistribution” my ass.

All of the policies coming out of this admin are de facto reparations.


47 posted on 10/08/2009 11:22:17 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: Lurker

.....a picture that’s worth a thousand words.....


48 posted on 10/08/2009 11:28:39 AM PDT by massmike (...So this is what happens when OJ's jury elects the president....)
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To: SkyPilot

I wan’ me summa dat free money, man!


49 posted on 10/08/2009 11:47:20 AM PDT by ScottinVA
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To: SkyPilot

“Great Society”, part deux


50 posted on 10/08/2009 11:47:54 AM PDT by ScottinVA
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