"Mr. President, Please Drive Through Detroit"

[SWMAP]

The Detroit News has a whopper of an editorial today. I would like nothing better than for our President to see the way we have to live in the United States of America in the 21st century.

"

If we could suggest a route, we'd start his tour on Detroit's largely deserted east side, past the heaps of rubble that were once businesses on Harper near City Airport, and into the blocks surrounding Denby High School off East Outer Drive, where there are more abandoned homes than occupied ones. But he could throw a stone almost anywhere in Detroit and hit neighborhoods that have been eaten away by cancerous blight.
It would be an invaluable field trip for the president — either today or sometime in the near future — to witness the shocking living conditions in so many Detroit neighborhoods. We can only imagine that he would summon the full force of his administration to get creative in seeking ways Washington could help stimulate a community revival in Detroit and, for that matter, other industrial cities that suffer from urban decay.
Policymakers at all levels should be asking themselves what it must be like for children walking to school past row after row of empty, burned out houses. They should consider the fear and frustration of those waiting at a bus stop darkened by broken streetlights for a bus that may never come. And they should think about the monumental task of rebuilding a city whose deterioration is so thorough.
Detroit, dancing on the edge of bankruptcy, doesn't have the resources to stop the decay, let alone rebuild the city. Michigan, just emerging from a decade-long recession, can't offer much help.
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1sP3J0J1z

[401don]

I think he knows exactly what condition the city is in. What exactly would you have a democratic president with a republican congress propose 6 mos. prior to an election?

[Detroitnerd]

If we could suggest a route, we'd start his tour on Detroit's largely deserted east side, past the heaps of rubble that were once businesses on Harper near City Airport, and into the blocks surrounding Denby High School off East Outer Drive, where there are more abandoned homes than occupied ones.

That's funny. I'd start the tour where I always do when guests come to town: Along Lakeshore Drive where the millionaires live. Out-of-towners are amazed by the urban decay, but more amazed that people live in sumptuous splendor just a mile away from the hopelessness of Detroit's ghettos. Thanks to home rule and municipal boundaries, none of their wealth will ever go toward alleviating the suffering in their back yard.

[Lowell]

I have long held the position that Detroit has experienced a long-running disaster, a slow motion Katrina, a spread-out 911. In the process we have experienced more deaths and destruction of business and personal properties, with tens of thousands of buildings and lives destroyed, than those two events combined.

Because our 'death of a thousand cuts' does not smack the national conscience in the face the the way the compacted disasters of Katrina and 911 have, we get scorn instead of sympathy -- and certainly not the instant billions with presidents and politicians posturing atop our ruins with firefighters.

Our de facto carpet-bombing is quietly and conveniently shelved. I would love to take any President or politicians on a fabulous ruins of Detroit tour.

I even have a back-burner project called 'Detroit Destroyed on on Week'. Using aerial animations and scatter charts cut in with street views it would compress 4 decades of death and destruction into a one week newsreel story.

Is it time to re-brand our disaster?

[Richard]

I have long held the position that Detroit has experienced a long-running disaster, a slow motion Katrina, a spread-out 911. In the process we have experienced more deaths and destruction of business and personal properties, with tens of thousands of buildings and lives destroyed, than those two events combined.

Because our 'death of a thousand cuts' does not smack the national conscience in the face the the way the compacted disasters of Katrina and 911 have, we get scorn instead of sympathy -- and certainly not the instant billions with presidents and politicians posturing atop our ruins with firefighters.

Our de facto carpet-bombing is quietly and conveniently shelved. I would love to take any President or politicians on a fabulous ruins of Detroit tour.

I even have a back-burner project called 'Detroit Destroyed on on Week'. Using aerial animations and scatter charts cut in with street views it would compress 4 decades of death and destruction into a one week newsreel story.

Is it time to re-brand our disaster?

I agree with you 100% but the problem is because no natural disaster has accrued it would be impossible for the fed to per-say cut a multi billion dollar check. The rest of the country would have a fit.

So how does Detroit get these funds without causing a stir?
You have to kinda look at the past and work from there looking at why the disinterest and I would think the number one reason would be is that because of the condition of the city and how it was being run it kinda gives the perception of how the residents did not care enough to better the city so if they did not care why should anybody else,and why should anybody else pay for the few that profited from the mayhem.

So that is in the past looking into the future many do not realize how many doors are being opened up although be it at a very slow pace.

Corruption is being dealt with aggressively on the fed level.

New charter which will not only bring the city more in touch with its people but open the door for even more levels of neighborhood stabilization funds,historic funds etc. the problem before was the neighborhoods had no representation within the city and the funds that should have helped were diverted ,does anybody really believe that if a concile member was living on a street that had a crack house that house would still exist?

Light rail although needed on one hand is also a publicity tool of sorts that speaks volumes.

What is somebody in other cities going to think ? Detroit ? you mean the city that nobody cares about is getting light rail ,it is considered a very progressive move in some circles,even if it only goes 3 miles.

There are a lot of little back doors for funding allocation the trick is too keep it even sorta a tit for tat thing.kinda like you have to lay the ground work first so the funding goes where it is intended which is to help the people and not line somebodies pocket, people understand that,they do not understand giving a crackhead money to buy crack.Not inferring disrespect it is just a reference.

So Detroit is at 28% of people that take a vested interest in their city and it really has come a long way in the last couple of years and should be proud of those accomplishments ,if they can get the property tax situation under control it may just push them over the tipping point throw a mayor and city government that is a bit more receptive of their people would not hurt also.But that in it self is hard to pass judgement on considering what he is up against.

Other then figuring out how to flood the city for a day I do not know but in reality those cities that received fed aid to rebuild? Halliburton and it subsidiaries are the one that comes out smelling like a rose its the insurance company payouts that really funded the rebuilding.

Its a slow process and unfortunately it is the little guy at the street level that sees the results last in line.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

I have long held the position that Detroit has experienced a long-running disaster, a slow motion Katrina, a spread-out 911. In the process we have experienced more deaths and destruction of business and personal properties, with tens of thousands of buildings and lives destroyed, than those two events combined.



Because our 'death of a thousand cuts' does not smack the national conscience in the face the the way the compacted disasters of Katrina and 911 have, we get scorn instead of sympathy -- and certainly not the instant billions with presidents and politicians posturing atop our ruins with firefighters.

Our de facto carpet-bombing is quietly and conveniently shelved. I would love to take any President or politicians on a fabulous ruins of Detroit tour.

I even have a back-burner project called 'Detroit Destroyed on on Week'. Using aerial animations and scatter charts cut in with street views it would compress 4 decades of death and destruction into a one week newsreel story.

Is it time to re-brand our disaster?

Well said Lowell,
I've always tried to describe some of the Detroit neighborhoods [[not all) to others who are not from here to try and imagine what Berlin looked like in say 1948 several years after the war and the level of destruction that was everywhere... only in their case all able bodied men and women ages 15 to 65 chipped in to pick up the pieces.

[hamtown mike]

I would also add "Mr. President, please take the time to walk the route that my daughter walks to get to school."

[Scottathew]

What could we do at a federal level?

The things I can think of are:

- Funding for the creation of a transit system [[creates transit AND jobs)
- Federal funding for increased law enforcement in the highest crime areas of the country, including Detroit


At the state level I do like that Snyder is providing additional state police for the worst areas of the state.

We need the people in Detroit to feel like the police are oppressive, instead of absent. No murder goes unsolved.

I have no idea how to fix DPS though.

[Detroitnerd]

We need the people in Detroit to feel like the police are oppressive, instead of absent.

Poor word choice? Or do you really feel that way?

[Scottathew]

Poor word choice? Or do you really feel that way?

There's two definitions I found. The one I was thinking of just meant "harsh".

The other definition includes a racial inequality component. That was NOT what I was thinking of.

So yes, poor choice. Allow me to rephrase:

We need the people in Detroit to feel like the police are responsive and harsh when dealing with crime, instead of absent.

[Detroitnerd]

There's two definitions I found. The one I was thinking of just meant "harsh".

The other definition includes a racial inequality component. That was NOT what I was thinking of.

So yes, poor choice. Allow me to rephrase:

We need the people in Detroit to feel like the police are responsive and harsh when dealing with crime, instead of absent.

The thing is, the police aren't supposed to decide what punishment people get. That is the job of the judiciary. The only job of the police is to execute the enforcement of laws, not deal out beatings or harsh treatment.

I thought we learned that lesson with STRESS in the 1970s.

[vetalalumni]

The thing is, the police aren't supposed to decide what punishment people get. That is the job of the judiciary. The only job of the police is to execute the enforcement of laws, not deal out beatings or harsh treatment.

I thought we learned that lesson with STRESS in the 1970s.

Excellent point.

[BillyBBrew]

I didn't take 48091's post [[clarified) to mean anything other than the police need to enforce the laws and bring the people to the courts, as opposed to overlooking things and letting people go wehn they are commiting minor crimes. Being strict does not mean beating people and bashing heads.

The thing is, the police aren't supposed to decide what punishment people get. That is the job of the judiciary. The only job of the police is to execute the enforcement of laws, not deal out beatings or harsh treatment.

I thought we learned that lesson with STRESS in the 1970s.

[iheartthed]

Uh... Forreal? Does the Detroit News seriously think he hasn't seen it before?

Shortly after noon last Friday, as Obama's motorcade rode by Conner Street and Warren Avenue in Detroit, a clutch of women stood on the sidewalk, proudly waving signs that read, "OBAMA, OBAMA."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...#ixzz1sPHwjRXw

Not to say Obama's urban agenda isn't seriously lacking -- like every other President since Kennedy -- but he's seen that shit a number of times before. I doubt seeing it again would inspire less of an apathetic response...

[SWMAP]

Sorry - talk about a sanitized view. Please google up Conner and Warren for a laugh. AND that moment was two years ago. Much, much has changed in Detroit in two years of unbelievable poor leadership and incompetance.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&su...ed=0CCIQ8gEwAA

[rjk]

Obama's going after female voters.
The only way he'd drive through Detroit is if the city brought in bus loads of white woman.

[FlyingJ]

Obama's going after female voters.
The only way he'd drive through Detroit is if the city brought in bus loads of white woman.

emphasis on woman VOTERS
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion..._on_women.html

[Det_ard]

Some folks had the impression that Obama was going to give a damn about Detroit, America's blackest city. Could he have ignored it any more than he did? Does anyone think he has an urban agenda, much less a "Detroit is special, lets spend lots of Fed money on it" plan? One word for the folks who thought the election [[or reelection) of Obama means anything for Detroit -- suckers.

[jpbollma]

I think after Obama's assistance for the Auto Industry and matching funds [[hopefully) for improved transit in the city, he won't be able to get anything else from this current congress that would help urban areas in any way.

[Hypestyles]

I suspect if his motorcade did go for any sort of stint in the distressed parts of Detroit proper [[or even downtown/midtown) the right-wing pundits would start harping that he's pandering to "unionists", "class warfare", "welfare interests", african-americans, etc... possibly run a clip of the Malik Shabazz rant, and much like the Hilary Rosen flap, there'd be a frenzied run by his advisors to "distance" himself, and in the meanwhile, avoid any substantive commentary on urban Detroit's challenges..

[Zacha341]

Umm, I think the POTUS would want to distance himself from Shabazz just as he did not set a foot in Detroit during at the end of Kilpatricks run during the first election!

I suspect if his motorcade did go for any sort of stint in the distressed parts of Detroit proper [[or even downtown/midtown) the right-wing pundits would start harping that he's pandering to "unionists", "class warfare", "welfare interests", african-americans, etc... possibly run a clip of the Malik Shabazz rant, and much like the Hilary Rosen flap, there'd be a frenzied run by his advisors to "distance" himself, and in the meanwhile, avoid any substantive commentary on urban Detroit's challenges..

[crment]

I'm a democrat, and my frustration is that Detroit is 100% democrat. Neither party is motivate to do anything for the city. Republicans figuire they can't get our vote and Democrats take us for granted.

[antongast]

I'm a democrat, and my frustration is that Detroit is 100% democrat. Neither party is motivate to do anything for the city. Republicans figuire they can't get our vote and Democrats take us for granted.

Republicans also consistently pursue an agenda that is diametrically opposed to the interests of just about every single resident of the city. The problem isn't that Detroiters won't vote Republican, it's that there's no viable party to the left of the Democrats.

[firstandten]

Two things, all the President needs to do is walk a few blocks away from the WH and he can see everything he would see riding thru Detroit.

Also if you think that the President can wave his hand and get an urban agenda thru Congress don't really understand what a President can and cannot do especially given this political climate. Any kind of urban agenda that makes sense would need to be in the order of a Marshall Plan and that has a snowballs chance in July of happening.

[Hermod]

Two things, all the President needs to do is walk a few blocks away from the WH and he can see everything he would see riding thru Detroit.

Also if you think that the President can wave his hand and get an urban agenda thru Congress don't really understand what a President can and cannot do especially given this political climate. Any kind of urban agenda that makes sense would need to be in the order of a Marshall Plan and that has a snowballs chance in July of happening.

The "Marshall Plan" for the cities was tried back in the Great Society and did two things, it supported an army of bureaucrats and it got a lot of central cities torn down [[urban renewal).