Beatdown of COD Pensioners Commences

[313WX]

Detroit's broke and sacrifices have to be made, as not everyone's going to be paid what they feel they're owed. While it would be nice to just sock it all to the banks, the fact is...

1. Their debt is secured.

2. Pensions/Health Cre make up a larger share of the city's debt [[besides the DWSD debt) than the loan/interest payments to these banks.

Let's get one thing clear. No one wants to cut Grandma and Grandpa's retirement benefits. But frankly, if I had to choose between ensuring a retiree in some paid-off McMansion out in West Bloomfield receives their full pension and health insurance or making sure...

*Detroit school kids are able to ride clean, safe, reliable buses to/from school on well-lit, blight-free streets

*Detroit senior citizens are able to safely walk to their neighborhood establishments or do yard work without getting robbed/assaulted.

*Detroit citizens receive a 5-10 minute response time from the police/ambulance/fire when there's an emergency.

I will stand on the side of the latter.

If the retirees should be fighting anyone, it should be the State of Michigan, not the city of Detroit. Obviously the city can't afford it, but it's the state that's trying to relieve its obligation through the bankruptcy proceeding.