Time to abandon Detroit?

[Vision-Quest]

either kwamme needs to step up and do his job properly, or detroit needs a new mayor, something has to happen quick, or theres just going to be even more abandond homes, and it will keep on going for a very long time. it will take a while to bring detroit back, and there are a whole ton of ideas, but only a few of them will work. with the help of politics, volunteers, citizens cooperating, and donations, it could happen. i mean look at the suburbs, the detroit suburbs are some of the wealthiest communities in the nation. we all know that kwamme needs to accept the money that the suburbs are offering him, because Detroit needs it more than places like Troy.

[Kingsnkali]

Detroit won't come back until the welfare state comes to an end. The place will likely continue downward. The remaining working class will leave too.

Lyndon Johnson would be proud of what has become of his "Model City" for his beloved welfare state programs of the 1960s. Detroit was supposed to be that shining example of the "Great Society" Democrat welfare utopia.

On second thought, actually Detroit IS a Democrat Welfare Utopia...

[Bluefly]

Detroit needs visionary leadership that can see a completely unique post-industrial landscape and create opportunities like the ethanol idea in the OP.

Imagine if Detroit used its abandoned lands and industrial infrastructure to test radical new ways of producing livelihoods that work in harmony with the earth. People would come from all over the world to learn entirely new ways of functioning as human beings that sustain both livelihoods and ecosystems. World renowned architects would clamor to redesign buildings and infrastructure. Detroit would use a landscape only it has on a scale that only exists in Detroit to forge a new vision for the world.

Instead, the people of Detroit just want some casinos and Au Bon Pains to say "Look! We're just like you!" They are addicted to hand outs. All Detroit will ever be, even if it does recover, is a second-rate Cleveland unless it utilizes the resources that make it unique - abandonment - to revolutionize the concept of sustainability.

a man can dream...

[Kingsnkali]

kingtodd,

My original post had NOTHING to do with that racist link that came from ANOTHER PERSON on this thread. Repeat, nothing. Perhaps you should look a little further than the post above you the next time before making insulting (and wrong) attacks directed at me. You may disagree with my opinions on Detroit and that would be perfectly fine. Bring up your points so we can hear your views the next time. As I stated before, I think Detroit is a perfect example of what is wrong with the "Great Society" welfare programs started in the 1960s by President Lyndon Johnson. And, in fact, Detroit was called his "Model City" for that effort. I'm sorry if you are offended because I brought up the fact that this was a Democrat program and that Detroit is a solidly Democrat city. Sometimes reality might offend.

And to Prairiestate, Why did you tie my name to that nonworking racist link provided by Bill Landers? His original post had it so that it did not work unless someone actually typed it. You evidently did type it and then reposted it with my name attached to it. I do not appreciate it. I would have given you the benefit of the doubt if you hadn't retyped that link to make it work. That to effort. Hopefully, you can explain what happened.

Moderators....please remove the portions of this thread that indirectly tie me to the racist link. Thanks.

[magellan]

The first part of Bill Lander's post was quoting kingsnkali. The second part of Bill's post was the link to that childish website. Then when prairiestate quoted Bill's post, it grabbed both sections. kingsnkali wasn't the original linker.

Hope that helps.

Back to the topic, I think it's a great idea. Any way that the city can reduce the "urban heat island" effect of areas that aren't populated would be great for the environment. Plus, converting the areas to big open prairies (I would think) would also help control runoff into the streams/rivers/Great Lakes. How about the city leasing those areas to windfarm companies? Without commissioners taking any kickbacks though. Most of those areas are probably within a mile or so of the major electric grids, so wind power would be easy to plug into the network.