The World is Watching Detroit

**PeachLaser** · February-16-12, 08:02 PM

Detroit is getting a lot of attention these days!

Much of it is positive after decades of negativity.

Detroit, you have seen the best and the worst, what does the future look like?

The world wants to hear what you have to say and...

see how you vote. : )

Go Detroit!

Speak and vote your conscious and let the world know what is ahead in the future of Detroit.

You are making progress, what is working?

**Mikeg** · February-17-12, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by PeachLaser

Detroit is getting a lot of attention these days!

Much of it is positive after decades of negativity.

Detroit, you have seen the best and the worst, what does the future look like?

The world wants to hear what you have to say and...

see how you vote. : )

Go Detroit!

Speak and vote your conscious and let the world know what is ahead in the future of Detroit.

You are making progress, what is working?

Somebody's been watching too many Chrysler commercials.

Excuse us, but half-time is over and we've got some serious work to do. The outcome is still in doubt.

Occurrence · February-17-12, 01:01 AM

The possibility of a financial manager taking over the city doesn't really strike me as positive. Not to mention the current state of the DPS.

The Chrysler commercials are nice and all, but people need to get back to reality here.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · February-17-12, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Mikeg

Somebody's been watching too many Chrysler commercials.

Excuse us, but half-time is over and we've got some serious work to do. The outcome is still in doubt.

Well played.

**tweb** · February-17-12, 08:12 AM

I don't think that very many people have overdosed on the Chrysler ad happy pills, particularly the last one, which was some overly sentimental boosterism that was more about "morning in America" than it was about Detroit. Still, accentuating the positive goes a long way to getting places like LA, PHX, SD, and MIA where they are. Seriously, Miami? Hurricanes, swamps, and gators...but people get wrapped up in the hype, and it grows. Phoenix? I lived there; it's nice, but a desert is a desert is a desert. Detroit has SO much more going for it!
I hope that the mayor, politicians, planners, and residents will take this moment in the City's venerable history to step back and create a bold vision for the future and then SELL IT!

**Artistic** · February-17-12, 08:23 AM

Nothing stays the same
Change is inevitable
Positive energy outstrips negative energy - even if it takes time

Detroits future? You just read it.

**Detroit68** · February-17-12, 09:04 AM

Having traveled quite a bit during the past year for work [[NY, LA, SF), I am amazed how often people make positive comments about Detroit's come back, specifically about the number of artist who are moving into the city. I also think the return of the automotive industry has had a lot to do with the positive impression people have. I have always believed that Detroit was a "leading indicator" for the national economy and this past recession has supported this claim - i.e., the housing crisis started in Detroit/Michigan and the rest of the country followed. Now it appears Detroit and the auto industry / manufacturing may lead the rest of the country out of the recession.

**Mikeg** · February-17-12, 09:25 AM

....what does the future look like?
The world wants to hear what you have to say....
You are making progress, what is working.....

Instead of "tooting our own horn", we first need to be judged by our actions and results and so far the hardest actions have yet to be taken.

......it appears Detroit and the auto industry / manufacturing may lead the rest of the country out of the recession.

Really? Yesterday, General Motors froze the pensions of 19,000 of their workers, something which typically only happens during a bankruptcy.

**cramerro** · February-17-12, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Mikeg

Instead of "tooting our own horn", we first need to be judged by our actions and results and so far the hardest actions have yet to be taken.

Really? Yesterday, General Motors froze the pensions of 19,000 of their workers, something which typically only happens during a bankruptcy.

Detroit and the nation have a long way to go, but the auto industry is making huge strides in my opinion.

If the GM story is your silver bullet, then maybe we are doing even better than I thought. They didn't eliminate the pensions, they'll still get what they earned to this point, and they are replacing it with a 401[[k) program, something which typically happens in the vast majority of workplaces in the country. And they also reported thier largest yearly income, ever, I think I read union staff will get ~$7,000 each profit sharing.

**Mikeg** · February-17-12, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by cramerro

....If the GM story is your silver bullet, then maybe we are doing even better than I thought. They didn't eliminate the pensions......

I didn't say that they eliminated them, they froze them. This example is simply indicative of our tendency to defer making the hard and difficult decisions, which end up having to be made later on anyway and just delay the overall recovery. If GM had gone through a managed bankruptcy under a Federal Judge, that decision would have been made two and a half years ago and GM's bottom line would be even healthier. When is GM going to have to make a similar decision on the pensions for the remainder of their employees?

**Lowell** · February-17-12, 09:33 AM

The world and the nation are indeed watching Detroit, and not just the City of Detroit, but Detroit as the metropolitan whole and "Detroit" as = the American auto industry and manufacturing.

This focus significantly turned on us during the 2008 collapse when the rest of the country, and a lot of the world, discovered that they lived in Detroit too, in the sense of the job loss, home loss and recession we had been going through for a few years already at that time. It was as if they were making a journey to the source.

I have experienced this, due the the high visibility of DetroitYES, in the form of frequent and increasing contacts by media reporters, arriving visitors, artists, those wanting to move here, potential investors and the curious. Just yesterday I took a US bureau chief for a major London paper for a spin on the People Mover. Later on it was a visit with the Cultural Historian of Chicago.

All seem to be impressed by our resiliency, awed by the ruins, inspired by the 'under the radar' energy that they find whether in community gardens, neighborhood alliances, art venues, hackerspaces or other of the many spirited efforts we on this forum know well.

Now that our industries are racking up major profits, due to cooperative spirit of labor and management, and the core of the City of Detroit is vigorously rebounding as witnessed by all rentals being taken up and new developments rising, the physical and psychological appearance of those most impressionable faces of our metropolis add to an upbeat / comeback perception.

I would argue that the Chrysler ads are not creating a image of Detroit, they are reflecting an already existing fact. The genius of their marketing staff is touch on that vibe without sugar-coat and fluff.

We have not reached the promise land, but we can at least get a glimpse of it. These are encouraging times.

**PeachLaser** · February-18-12, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

The world and the nation are indeed watching Detroit, and not just the City of Detroit, but Detroit as the metropolitan whole and "Detroit" as = the American auto industry and manufacturing.

We have not reached the promise land, but we can at least get a glimpse of it. These are encouraging times.

Lowell, you are one of the reasons for Detroit's turnaround.

You have allowed the good, bad and ugly to be openly presented and discussed on this board and have supported those who have positive visions for the city and region.

That's why people from around the world are seeking your perspective.

Good job.