What's Behind Detroit Happy Talk?

http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/4324
Date Written:  2015-01-01
Publisher:  Against the Current
Year Published:  2015
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX20856

A critical analysis of Detroit's so-called recovery from bankruptcy.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

Despite happy talk of Detroit "rebounding" from bankruptcy, the basic problems remain: lack of jobs, deep poverty, the state takeover of the public schools and a 28% decrease in state revenue sharing over the last decade.

If one statistic could sum up the problem, the median Detroit family income is $19,800 while the national average stands at $60,700. How can such inequality exist? How can the city's maternal death rate be so high? During 2008-11 it stood at 58.7 per 100,000 babies -- higher than Libya, Uruguay or Vietnam, and three times greater than the U.S. average.