On 9/6/2014 3:23 PM, sf wrote:
> On Sat, 06 Sep 2014 14:42:37 -0600, Mayo > wrote:
>
>> On 9/6/2014 2:20 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> "sf" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> On Sat, 6 Sep 2014 10:20:16 -0700, "Pico Rico" >
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "sf" > wrote in message
>>>>> ...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Higher costs and limited supermarket access are cited as barriers to
>>>>>> good health. Of course, fair and amusement park food isn't mentioned
>>>>>> because as with recreational drugs, poor people can't afford it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Notice that the article says: Today **two-thirds** of Americans of all
>>>>>> classes are overweight or obese, with higher rates among the poor.
>>>>>>
>>>>> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...r-food-health/
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> many of the poor seem to find a way to buy illegal drugs and
>>>>> alcohol. It is
>>>>> much easier when the taxpayer picks up their living expenses.
>>>>>
>>>> Your opinion hasn't been proven to be true via mandated testing of the
>>>> poor.
>>>
>>> I was listening to a report about a city in USA which is nearly
>>> bankrupt. Many people have lost their jobs and are finding things so
>>> hard they cannot afford their water bills and their supply is being
>>> turned off I would like to think that they can find such generous
>>> folk as those here, so that at least their children can get breakfast!
>>>
>>> I can't remember the name, I think it began with a B.
>>>
>> D, as in Detroit.
>>
>> Ruined by the greedy auto unions, plagued by corrupt leadership, now an
>> urban graveyard.
>
> Driven into receivership by the Republican lead politicians of
> Michigan.
>
>
Chicken/egg?

Where was the damage done which led to insolvency?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3303624.html

DETROIT, May 19 (Reuters) - Bond restructurings, negotiated settlements
with bondholders and bond insurers, and tough talk with unionized
workers are on the agenda as Detroit's emergency financial manager tries
to meet a self-imposed, six-week deadline to decide whether the city can
get through its financial crisis without a bankruptcy filing.

Kevyn Orr, a former bankruptcy lawyer, in his first report to the state
of Michigan since Governor Rick Snyder appointed him, laid out last week
a bracing picture of steps he may need to take to address the city's
troubles.

As he has gone about his work, though, with unions, bond insurance firms
and others, Orr so far has communicated little about how they will be
affected.

Orr's spokesman, Bill Nowling, said the emergency manager expects to
decide soon whether talks with the affected parties will get the job
done. "It's safe to say we will have a good idea of whether we can reach
an out-of-court restructuring with our bondholders, pensioners, retirees
and city employees within six weeks," Nowling said.

"This is not going to be a prolonged process. We are in a financial crisis."

The Detroit story has taken on outsized importance. Once a symbol of
U.S. industrial might, the city now represents something different
altogether: a case study of the struggles many U.S. cities and states
are enduring as they grapple with crippling debt and untenable
obligations to public workers.

And as Orr begins initial talks with Detroit's employees and creditors,
the process raises worrisome parallels with historic precedents close to
home. Five years ago, the leaders of General Motors and Chrysler were
undertaking similar preliminary steps with their creditors and workers,
only to find that negotiations and concessions were not enough to avoid
bankruptcy. Orr represented Chrysler during its restructuring.

Orr is moving forward on two major fronts: with creditors and workers.
With bond holders and bond insurers, he is sending signals - but has not
yet met with them. He is taking an aggressive approach to the unions
representing the city's public safety workers but has not yet sat down
with dozens of others.

Ideally, restructuring experts said, all stakeholders should be invited
to participate early in the process.

Detroit's debt is one of Orr's top targets because payments on the $2.9
billion of general fund debt - including $1.45 billion of pension
obligation certificates and associated interest rate swap contracts -
accounts for about 19 percent of the city's general fund budget, Orr
reported to the state.

Orr last week said Detroit will have enough cash to meet obligations
through December, though portions of pension payments may again be
deferred. In the 2014 fiscal year, which begins July 1, Detroit will
need to pay $565 million to service its debt and another $112 million
toward pension obligation certificates, according to a preliminary
budget Orr released last week.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_bankruptcy

On August 2, the bankruptcy court set a hearing date of October 23,
2013, for trial on any objections to the city's eligibility for Chapter
9 bankruptcy, and March 1, 2014, as the deadline for the city to file a
bankruptcy plan.[8] After a nine day trial on eligibility, the
Bankruptcy Court on December 3, 2013, ruled Detroit eligible for Chapter
9 on its $18.5 billion debt.[9] On June 3, 2014 the Michigan Legislature
passed a package of bills to help Detroit avoid further bankruptcy
proceedings.[10] On the same day, Governor Snyder pledged to sign the
package of bills.

n May 2014, Michigan House of Representatives Speaker Jase Bolger
announced the formation of a special committee, House Committee on
Detroit's Recovery and Michigan's Future, to help Detroit settle the
bankruptcy while protecting Michigan taxpayers statewide.[78] The
committee introduced legislation giving Detroit's retirement systems a
$194.8 million lump sum.[78] As well, legislation was passed to create
an oversight commission to aid Detroit's recovery.[78]

Bolger also called on unions to make contributions to help in the
Detroit settlement.[79] Bolger requested unions to make a material
contribution that is reflective of other parties involved in the
settlement.[79] Speaker Bolger's request did not come without
opposition, the Detroit Free Press wrote an editorial suggesting that
Governor Rick Snyder should convince Bolger to drop his request of labor
unions, or the governor should bypass Bolger.[80] Other critics wrote
that Bolger's request would imperil the settlement.[81] On the other
hand, the Detroit News editorial board wrote in support of labor unions
contributing, but noted that the likelihood was slim.[82] Bolger held
firm to his request, and beginning with the Michigan Building and
Construction Trades Council, some unions did agree to make material
contributions towards health care costs to help with the Detroit
bankruptcy settlement.[83] After unions agreed to contribute money
towards the settlement, the Michigan House passed legislation with major
bipartisan support.[84] Governor Snyder called the legislative package
an opportunity to change the direction of Detroit.[84] Upon passage, the
Detroit News called the final legislative package a "grand piece of
work," and the Detroit Free Press opined that the deal showed lawmakers
"get it."


So it looks from the actuals that Republicans managed to craft a plan to
SAVE Detroit.

And their newspaper agreed.