What one event would cause you to question Detroit's rebirth potential?

[gnome]

A clan of cannibals might give me pause.

Canadian invasion could help.

[Hermod]

Exactly, Bham. Lansing has no other real reasons for existing. It would be Flint without those assets.

Many states located their capitols in the middle of the state for "fairness" reasons. Detroit was a bad place for a capitol so long as we had visions of redcoats invading [[very real at the time the capitol was moved when there was still people who remembered 1812). A lot of the east coast capitols were moved inland to get them away from the threat of foreign raids/invasions.

[Hermod]

Obviously these are relatively small private universities and not remotely equivalent to huge flagship state universities like U-M and MSU.

Private institutions are not subject to state control so it's not really a public policy issue anyways.

Private, but not small. They rival state universities in size.

[Hermod]

I don't know the specifics, but I do know that the fad back then was to put universities in idyllic rural settings, inspired by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was basically the equivalent of one of those guys that gets tired of Detroit and moves up north to the middle of nowhere.

Jefferson considered commerce as rather a rather dirty affair and large cities in his day were the centers of commerce. He thought that universities should be isolated from such filth and allow the centers of learning to pursue academic excellence without regard to their surroundings. He believed in separation of town and gown.

[nain rouge]

I admire some of what Jefferson stood for, but he was a bit of a hypocrite with his anti-urban ideas. He loved and lived in Paris for quite some time, for example. And his ideal of a rural society was seemingly one where the poor or unprivileged supported excessive gentlemanly lifestyles. Jefferson had tons of slaves at Monticello. His attitude to such inconsistencies was annoying and can be summed up as: "Well, it's not my fault I'm superior to everyone! What am I supposed to do besides rule over them and disparage their towns?"

[Hermod]

I admire some of what Jefferson stood for, but he was a bit of a hypocrite with his anti-urban ideas. He loved and lived in Paris for quite some time, for example. And his ideal of a rural society was seemingly one where the poor or unprivileged supported excessive gentlemanly lifestyles. Jefferson had tons of slaves at Monticello. His attitude to such inconsistencies was annoying and can be summed up as: "Well, it's not my fault I'm superior to everyone! What am I supposed to do besides rule over them and disparage their towns?"

The difference between Jeffersonian ideals and Jacksonian ideals. Both felt that the government should function for the good of the common man. Jeffersonians felt there was an intellectual and moral elite that should govern for the good, while Jacksonians believed that the common man should be the government. You can still detect this difference when "progressives" are discussing affairs.

[Lowell]

It's not a single event, but any rebirths can be put on hold until we of the metro Detroit family fairly share the burden of the impoverished.

The vast majority of the poor members of our family have been left in the lap of the City of Detroit.

They can't pay taxes, they require tax expenditures.

I would like to see the communities of Detroit fight for their fair share of that burden as vigorously has they have fought for their share of the water system.

Bankruptcy will settle current bills but does nothing to address the revenue drain created by Detroit's caretaker-of-the poor situation.

[Lowell]

Here's another thought. Dan Gilbert suddenly passes, an estate feud breaks up his holdings, projects are cancelled, properties sold off piecemeal... I

think the momentum is great enough to survive this but it would take a lot of wind out of a lot of sails for a while.

[Hermod]

It's not a single event, but any rebirths can be put on hold until we of the metro Detroit family fairly share the burden of the impoverished.

The vast majority of the poor members of our family have been left in the lap of the City of Detroit.

They can't pay taxes, they require tax expenditures.

I would like to see the communities of Detroit fight for their fair share of that burden as vigorously has they have fought for their share of the water system.

Bankruptcy will settle current bills but does nothing to address the revenue drain created by Detroit's caretaker-of-the poor situation.

If you want metro area consolidation into one large city, remember by population Detroit only gets 15% or so of the seats in the council. I don't think that the current clownsil wants to become marginalized back benchers, but that is the price.

[izzyindetroit]

I think we all agree there are still challenges, sure, but definitely signs of positive momentum around the city, especially the last five or so years. That said, volatility lurks, so is there one thing that would cause you to second guess the city's turnaround?

For me:
- Fail jail is allowed to be finished.
- M1 costs run tens of millions over-budget.
- Some sort of horrific crime within the Midtown and downtown safe zone involving a young intern or employee, a media darling if you will, which would send shockwaves to suburban parents and students, who make up the strongest candidates to give working & living in Detroit a chance. e.g. "I'll never send my daughter down there, not after what happened to Rachel."

This guy.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Not a chance in hell Orr sticks in Detroit unless Jones Day makes him some outrageous equity offer to keep the Detroit business pumping. The contrast in lifestyle between the wealthy burbs of D.C. to Detroit is too stark. I guarantee the only good part of his week is that first cocktail on his Friday Delta flight to DCA.

I don't believe Craig is effective. I think he manipulates data and loves seeing himself on TV. A guy in that high power and high paid position should have a real college education, not two online degrees.

And how is having a online degree any different than having a brick and mortar one? Just asking.