Being General Motors

Although many Republicans were against the bailout of the U.S. auto companies, GM has repaid the $8.1 billion dollars it received nine months ago from the American and Canadian governments and saved some one million jobs according to analysts if GM and Chrysler were allowed to fail. During this time a management guru wrote on his blog that GM should be allowed to fail and that we should move on, investing instead in technology and service. I was vehemently opposed to this. Technology and service, whether produced by big or small businesses or sole proprietors, will not create enough jobs alone. We need to make things again. Our concentration on technology and service has created this debt economy by diluting the middle and excluding many from viable jobs. The AP reports that "GM CEO Ed Whitacre announced the repayments Wednesday at GM's Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kan., where he said GM is investing $257 million in that factory and the Detroit-Hamtramck plant." Oh, Detroit so desperately needs this investment and America needs to regain its status as a great industrial nation. We need to re-evaluate our sense of capital. Let's wish GM and Chrysler well.

Being a Detroiter

On a brilliant day of sunshine in Detroit I saw a Chrysler Charger with a rich maroon hard top with darts on all four sides pointed down onto the sparking champagne body that rode atop big spit-fire shining chrome wheels. The driver wore shades, slightly leaning to the left bobbing his head coolly--to what tune, I don't know--confidently, somewhat cocky. I smiled. That's so Detroit!

Being Unemployed and Underemployed

Being a Detroiter where the unemployment rate is 50% and where 700,000 people cannot feed themselves, I am utterly annoyed at both liberal and conservative economists telling us that Americans do not want to pack meat or clean buildings. Recently, when there was a job fair at Cobo Hall here there were so many people in attendance that it was a mob scene. I found these statistics on the website of the Center for Immigration Studies:

Number unemployed or underemployed: As of the third quarter of 2009, there are 12.5 million unemployed native-born Americans, but the broader U-6 measure shows 21 million natives unemployed or underemployed.

There are 6.1 million natives with a high school education or less who are unemployed. Using the U-6 measure, it is 10.4 million.

In addition to those less-educated natives covered by U-6, there are another 18.7 million natives with a high school education or less not in the labor force, which means they are not looking for work.

The total number of less-educated (high school education or less) natives who are unemployed, underemployed, or not in the labor force is 29.1 million.

There also are 6.6 million native-born teenagers (16 and 17) not working.

To place these numbers in perspective, there are an estimated seven to eight million illegal immigrants holding jobs.

Unemployment rates for less-educated and younger workers:

As of the third quarter of 2009, the overall unemployment rate for native-born Americans is 9.5 percent; the U-6 measure shows it as 15.9 percent.

The unemployment rate for natives with a high school degree or less is 13.1 percent. Their U-6 measure is 21.9 percent.

The unemployment rate for natives with less than a high school education is 20.5 percent. Their U-6 measure is 32.4 percent.

The unemployment rate for young native-born Americans (18-29) who have only a high school education is 19 percent. Their U-6 measure is 31.2 percent.

The unemployment rate for native-born blacks with less than a high school education is 28.8 percent. Their U-6 measure is 42.2 percent.

The unemployment rate for young native-born blacks (18-29) with only a high school education is 27.1 percent. Their U-6 measure is 39.8 percent.

The unemployment rate for native-born Hispanics with less than a high school education is 23.2 percent. Their U-6 measure is 35.6 percent.

The unemployment rate for young native-born Hispanics (18-29) with only a high school degree is 20.9 percent. Their U-6 measure is 33.9 percent.

The overall unemployment rate for immigrants (legal and illegal) is 9.9 percent. Their U-6 measure is 19.6 percent, which is significantly higher than the rate for natives.

The unemployment rate for immigrants with less than a high school education is 12.3 percent. Their U-6 measure is 27.4 percent. The unemployment rate for young immigrants (18-29) with only a high school education is 12.2 percent. Their U-6 measure is 25.2 percent.

I find it completely ridiculous, even criminal, that our immigration and globalization policies, or the lack thereof, have not been the focus of our conversation and not this utterly facetious comment that Americans do not want to work at meat packing plants or clean buildings. Americans want to feed their families.

(For sake of clarity, I don't know much about the website that I have cited here, even though I am more likely to believe the stats above. What I am not particularly fond of is the terminology i.e., "native Americans." Not only does this term typically refer to the indigenous people of the Americas, but it could be seen as used divisely here and in various articles on the site. I, nonetheless, agree with and appreciate a few of the articles that I have read.)

Being Unemployed

According to the Detroit News, unemployment is near 50% in Detroit. Ugh! I shall now roll up into a fetal position for the night. Perhaps I will be good to go again tomorrow.

Being Unemployed and Unduly Stressed

It is highly unusual that marathon runners die in a marathon. In fact, the Detroit Free Press reports that "deaths at marathons are relatively rare, occurring in about 1 in roughly 67,000 participants or 1 in 100,000 participants, according to various studies. About half of all deaths happen in the last mile." But today at the 32nd annual Detroit marathon three men died. "Two of the men...collapsed at the finish line. One man collapsed around the 12 mile mark at a fluid station."

The names and cities of the deceased have not as of yet been released. But I could not help but to wonder if stress was a major factor. Detroit has an unemployment rate of 25% and the State of Michigan's unemployment's rate is 15%. Detroiters and Michiganders are hurting badly and I really feel for them. This is the city and state that largely built the middle class; now our technologies and jobs have been shipped abroad building the middle class of other countries. Leadership (nationally and locally, executives and unions) is to blame. Globalization gauges. Greed governs.

Being a Pyramid

Pyramids are made of flesh.*
Ancient stories woven dust.
Mind. Body. Spirit. 3.
Triangular. Three. Me.
As He is so are we.
Father. Son. Holyghost. 3.

*Saul Williams (Detroit 4.2.09 MAAH)

Being Without High Speed Rail

Detroit has a population of 987,956 residents. (This is dismal considering the greatness of the City's past glory and the nearly one million more that once populated it.) Many residents are a part of the working poor or near or below the poverty level. Although General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford are located in Detroit or its suburbs are without cars. (Maybe its the nearly 4,467,592 residents who are a part of the Metro Detroit area that they seek to constrict. Hmmm? I hadn't thought about these when I saw the map initially.) If Detroiters alone were expected to save the Big Three, they would have done so by now. From the map below it is clear that a high speed rail, built with the funds of the stimulus package, will not run through Detroit.

Although many mothers and fathers rely on public transportation to get to work within the City and outside of it, a high speed rail has been strictly forbidden in Detroit. This is ridiculous. Detroiters alone, even suburban residents, cannot be expected to secure the viability of the Big Three. And what ever happened to choice? As you can see by the map above, Detroit is not one of the likely cities to get a high speed rail.

Perhaps letters should be sent to Governor Granholm requiring her lift the ban that Henry Ford Senior was said to impose over a century ago. There is always talk about a rail, but it never seems to happen. The People Mover which circles 2.9 was suppose to be the start of a high speed rail. It was completed in 1987 and it only circles downtown like the trolley on Mr. Rodgers neighborhood.