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Invented in California, made in China
Haaretz ^ | November 30, 2008 | Natasha Mozgovaya

Posted on 11/29/2008 5:54:46 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

The situation is so dire in some neighborhoods of Detroit that it's hard to believe that you're still in the world's strongest superpower, which continues to pump billions of dollars into foreign aid each year. In the semi-abandoned downtown area of Detroit, men gather at intersections, concealing the bottles of beer they're carrying in brown paper bags but unable to hide their swagger. Uninspired graffiti covers the crumbling walls of historic buildings and dubious bars tucked beneath skyscrapers, some of which are completely empty.

No less telling of how bad things have become are signs put up on stores reading "we don't accept food stamps."

In the suburbs, on a cracked concrete wall, a sign reads: "This is a kindergarten, please don't steal from them." Last year unemployment here reached 7.5 percent. This year Michigan reached 9.3 percent, and it tied with Rhode Island for highest unemployment in the U.S. Residents of trailer parks in America say it's cheaper staying there then buying or renting a house.

Michigan's problems in general and Detroit's in particular did not begin with the current crisis. The steady process of the abandonment of entire neighborhoods has been going on for years. The proportion of poor minorities in Detroit has been rising, its affluent citizens continue to abandon their houses despite their palatial features. Thousands of these empty houses create a grim cityscape of urban decay.

Detroit is one of the most extreme examples of urban atrophy among rust belt cities, but other cities have also experienced a halt in construction. Signs announcing the closure of stores have put a damper on Christmas spirits. The drop in consumption is sharper than most predictions. Sales of Spam as a substitute for fresh meat have skyrocketed.

(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: bailout; detroit; economy; financialcrisis; ownershipsociety
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We're all doomed!

Ever notice that these depressing "America is finished" pieces are almost always authored by Russians or Arabs?

1 posted on 11/29/2008 5:54:46 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“If the big three car companies go bankrupt and, heaven forbid, a catastrophe occurs, what will we do? Go to the Chinese and ask them politely to lend us their factories?”


2 posted on 11/29/2008 6:00:29 PM PST by null and void (Hey 0bama? There will be a pop quiz every day for the next four years...miss a question, people die.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Hey, don't knock it, Americans have traveled the world to look at poor people. We should set up tour packages for them to tour the fabulous Ruins of Detroit
3 posted on 11/29/2008 6:03:15 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“The situation is so dire in some neighborhoods of Detroit that it’s hard to believe that you’re still in the world’s strongest superpower, which continues to pump billions of dollars into foreign aid each year.”

Gee, I just can’t imagine what could be wrong with Detroit.

Anyone have any guesses?


4 posted on 11/29/2008 6:10:03 PM PST by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: null and void
“If the big three car companies go bankrupt and, heaven forbid, a catastrophe occurs, what will we do? Go to the Chinese and ask them politely to lend us their factories?”

Well, first I would go to Toyota and Honda, and ask to use their U.S.-based factories. If some Japanese or European car company bought the some of the production capacity left behind by the big three, I would employ that. If the catastrophe occurred a few years down the road, I would seek out the new American company or companies that undoubtedly replaced the market created with the departure of the big three, but without the liabilities.

Seriously, I do agree with the need of keeping a real industrial base in this country. I just don't think that the new global GM, Ford or Chrysler have a special allegiance to this country any more like the GM, Ford and Chrysler of old did. If one of the big three goes bankrupt, that means more customers for the others. I buy Big Three vehicles, but mainly because the Japs don't make what I want. (current vehicles: Chevy Caprice Wagon seats NINE and Chrysler Fifth Avenue mid-sized luxury sedan with REAR WHEEL DRIVE seats six). An Avalon just isn't big enough.
5 posted on 11/29/2008 6:12:48 PM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Thousands of these empty houses create a grim cityscape of urban decay. “

So much for GWB’s “Ownership Society”.

I’d have done and did do, anything/everthing I could to defeat Kerry, but I’m ashamed to say I voted for Bush twice. Perhaps I should have paid a little more attention to who it was I DID vote for.


6 posted on 11/29/2008 6:13:03 PM PST by Kimberly GG (Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda been HUNTER.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“The bankruptcy of the major automotive companies seems like a nightmare scenario not only because it will put 3 million Americans out of work, but also because of the damage to U.S. morale.”

Author’s wishlist or union threats?


7 posted on 11/29/2008 6:19:08 PM PST by cpanter (Babies, guns and Jesus. Hot Damn! - Rush on the Palin pick.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The ones about Detroit are most likely written by individuals with a close relationship to the KGB.

That agency continues to keep tabs on the thousands of former Soviet agents and military personnel who defected. Those ol'boys were RESETTLED IN DETROIT.

The Arabs doing these stories view things entirely differently. For them Detroit and nearby towns are a dream come true for potential Middle Eastern Democrats ~ FREE HOUSES! Paved roads, cheap cars, beer joints closed or empty (meaning a chance to open Abdul's pizza).

We saw the Cubans do this with downtown Miami ~ we thought the area had turned to trash, for the Cuban refugees it was an opportunity they'd never had to excell and be free.

I really wish the Arabs well with Detroit ~ at the moment they're the only people willing to bring it back from the abyss.

8 posted on 11/29/2008 6:20:18 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Unfortunately such descriptions may pale in comparison to the tales of depression we are about to see resulting from the socialist policies implemented by the stupid ignorant left in charge of congress and our selected messiah in the white house.


9 posted on 11/29/2008 6:21:12 PM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
When people on the street are asked to name their favorite American products, many of them become confused and start to wonder whether Levis, Gap and other items are still made in America. One person queried pulled out his new iPhone and declared: "This was invented in California." He looked at the back of the device and read out disappointingly: "Made in China."

Isn't the governments version of "free trade" wonderful.

Say, lets export hundreds of thousands of our jobs to peasant labor camps in China, and while were at it lets flood this country with tens of millions of of low wage illegal laborers.

This ought to work out out just great!

What strategy!

10 posted on 11/29/2008 6:25:37 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: cpanter
“The bankruptcy of the major automotive companies seems like a nightmare scenario not only because it will put 3 million Americans out of work,

This is BS. One or all of the big 3 may be gone, but their market share of cars will still need to be made by somebody.

11 posted on 11/29/2008 6:28:47 PM PST by umgud (I'm really happy I wasn't aborted)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Pump some of that money being spent overseas into these neighborhoods, then watch how fast these folks tear the improvements up and demand even more.


12 posted on 11/29/2008 6:29:08 PM PST by Slump Tester (What if I'm pregnant Teddy? Errr-ahh -Calm down Mary Jo, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it)
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To: vladimir998

Probably the same thing that’s going to be wrong with our entire country before too long.


13 posted on 11/29/2008 6:33:15 PM PST by livius
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To: Kimberly GG

Totally agree. Here’s an issue for Bush and the GOP handed to them on a silver platter but as usual they’re afraid of being called mean-old right-wing extremists. Detroit and all of these cities have been run by Democrats, usually leftist black politicians who try to force their race-baiting leftist policies on everyone else which always result in white flight.


14 posted on 11/29/2008 6:42:40 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Look who the Mayor of Detroit is? This state has lagged behind most states in employment. It is because they have a regressive anti-business tax structure.


15 posted on 11/29/2008 6:43:45 PM PST by tallyhoe
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Why not outsource our unions to China and India ?


16 posted on 11/29/2008 6:43:50 PM PST by jcon40
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To: umgud

Since those 3 million jobs will be lost (and never any mention of them coming back by the media), then that means the economy didn’t need them anyway.

Which makes me wonder what happened to all of those cars those 3 million people built over the years?


17 posted on 11/29/2008 6:52:50 PM PST by cpanter (Babies, guns and Jesus. Hot Damn! - Rush on the Palin pick.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Its so damn bad that millions come to stay


18 posted on 11/29/2008 7:46:34 PM PST by Flavius (war gives peace its security)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; ...

thanks 2ndDivisionVet.

A Real Bailout for Auto Makers (prepackaged bankruptcy)
Barron’s | November 29, 2008 | Jay Palmer
Posted on 11/29/2008 6:48:45 AM PST by reaganaut1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2139977/posts

and Thanks grellis:

No sympathy for Detroit at a Kia plant in Georgia
Los Angeles Times | Nov 28,2008 | Richard Fausset
Posted on 11/29/2008 5:04:06 PM PST by SeekAndFind
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2140186/posts


19 posted on 11/29/2008 7:59:47 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
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To: Dr. Sivana
Well, first I would go to Toyota and Honda, and ask to use their U.S.-based factories.

It is not the factories themselves that is important. It is how they are tooled - set up if you will that is. These current factories can only make what they are set up for, which is whatever make and model car they are assembling now.

Given the economic nationalism of the Japanese, their factories are only tooled with Japanese machinery, equipment and fixtures.

The real factories worth saving were those that made machine tools. These are the machines that make the machines. Sadly this American industry which once led the world was destroyed 25 years ago. This country cannot make the machinery it needs to rebuild itself.

GM was able to retool its automobile factories to make thousands of bombers during WWII because we made the necessary machinery and tooling here. That is not the current case.

20 posted on 11/29/2008 8:13:28 PM PST by Last Dakotan
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