tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post2074314567373250443..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: Detroit is not a cityCap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-26556284386721834712013-12-04T02:19:29.873-05:002013-12-04T02:19:29.873-05:00Re: shipping routes: your point is a bit off-base ...Re: shipping routes: your point is a bit off-base here I think. I am not from Detroit but I did sail as a mariner on the Lakes for a bit and I can assure you that many ships still go into Detroit compared to other lake ports (is #42 on this list but #3 among US Great Lakes ports http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ports_in_the_United_States ). The problem is that Lakes marine traffic does not seem to correlate with what most people would consider exceptionally successful (Duluth/Superior is #1). Part of the reason, I imagine, is that in general, the harbor supports far fewer jobs than it used to thanks to economies of scale and automation. And certainly there must be ways (which I 100% support) to increase marine traffic. But it's not going to be a decisive factor in any recovery and it's not to blame for Detroit's demise. They built cars in Flint, too, which is landlocked, and Flint is in terrible shape and worse than Detroit, bankruptcy notwithstanding. Conversely, Saginaw is a significant Lakes port sans auto industry and is also really depressed.Peanut Bunkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08078798229952425806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-47914919935605501972013-08-06T03:19:56.936-04:002013-08-06T03:19:56.936-04:00Detroit the city is also in sharp decline, but it&...Detroit the city is also in sharp decline, but it's a different picture from the decline of the part of the city that's in the municipality of Detroit. Metro Detroit was doing okay until about 2000, but has had negative income growth since as well as negative population growth. It can't get any more segregated already - in 2000 the segregated black ghetto was not bankrupt and in 2013 it is. What went on between the 1950s and the 1990s was a lot of relative decline and population stagnation, but the real trend then was the segregation into a poor black city (and some inner suburbs) and middle-class and rich white suburbs. What's gone on since about 2000 is a different story.Alonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17267294744186811858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-45451802850212284982013-08-06T02:19:09.660-04:002013-08-06T02:19:09.660-04:00In my humble opinion, Los Angeles County is a huge...In my humble opinion, Los Angeles County is a hugely underappreciated entity. Acting on behalf of 10 million people over 4700 square miles, it's the closest thing the US has to a real metro government. The existence of cities within the county complicates things, but the county is run by real politicians that answer to real voters. That means the county has some teeth, and doesn't fear for its political existence - unlike your typical regional agency that exists at the pleasure of politicians from different counties or states.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com