Abigail and Dolley is a record of the ponderings and interests of a Modern Woman. From faith, to hobbies, to political and social commentary; I share with you whatever is brewing around in my brain at the time. Thanks for reading!
Whenever I stumble upon a Christian writer, I try to determine early on what they believe, this is prudent. Here at Abigail and Dolley we believe in the inerrancy of the Scripture (Protestant), that the word of God is inspired and infallible, that all Scripture is useful in the teaching and reproofing of the people. We don't pick and choose which Scriptures we like, we take the Word as it was given to us. We are pretribulation Rapture dispensationalist and believe in a literal Second Coming and Millennial Reign. We believe in crucifixion of the flesh and reject the tenants of the Word of Faith heresy. We believe the age of Grace is rapidly coming to an end at that the Church will be called home to meet the Lord soon, from there a 7 year Tribulation will descend upon the World. Maranantha.
I recently had a very interesting opportunity to learn about Chinese Manufacturing from a gentlemen I met from Qingdao (pronounced Ching-Dow). We were picking on him for all of the Chinese Holidays and he explained why this was so. 80% of all workers in China are what we would refer to as long term commuters. Meaning that they leave their families at home in the countryside and come to the city for work. Only during the two week or one month holidays do they get to go home to see their families.
Guangzhou Train Station
Now from an American mindset, we would get in the car and drive home. Not so in China, they have to try and get a bus or train ticket. Eager workers can wait up to a week to try and buy a ticket, many will not be successful. Traffic jams in and out of the cities can last a week. Many workers once they finally make it home, will not return to the factories. Instead they take the money they have saved and open grocery stores and the like in their own villages. Thus, the highly skilled workers needed for complex manufacturing are always turning over.
Beijing Traffic Jam
This is where the American Manufacturing, workforce, and culture SHOULD be able to kick the Chinese collective butts. We have an educated, stable, and motivated workforce who can go home every night to their families. We also are the primary consumers of many of the products the world makes so shipping costs remain constant and are not subject to the massive fluctuations we have seen in International Freight.
So why are we loosing this battle? I contend we have two problems - Government and Unions. Both of which are represented as the "answer" to the current economic catastrophe we are in by the party in power. The Democrats represent bigger and more powerful entities that are in my opinion the most significant impediment to recovery and world competitiveness.
Government suppresses American Manufacturing in a number of ways but primarily with punitive taxes and regulations. Once again, the Democrats class warfare on the "evil rich" and their penchant for "safety" regulations render it virtually impossible to put out a competitive product.
Unions strangle the ability for businesses to adapt, change, and maximize a skilled work force by ridiculous rules and wages that far outpace the market. Pensions, lavish healthcare plans, and inflexibility also make it much more difficult to compete.
As I listened to the Chinese gentleman describing the real situation in the Chinese firms, I couldn't help but think that the Democrats actually admire China and if they had their way, we would be just like them. The American spirit will never be subjected like this though, they have forgotten who they are in their quest for control and power, but the American people have not forgotten.
We will begin to throw off the bonds of regulation, government, and communist unions. We will begin to rise again and we will not loose our place in the world, no matter what the Democrats would like. We The People will never submit.
Abigail and Dolley readers have you wondered why we have to pass MORE stimulus money when so much of what has already been passed is not spent? Well, here you go:
Speaker Pelosi's "Cash for Democrat Re-Election Program"
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann issued the following statement regarding next week's special House session to spend $26 billion for supposed "state aid": "Next week, Speaker Pelosi is calling the 435 Members of the House to DC next week for the purpose of spending another $26 billion we don't have. We were on a six week hiatus, and members had scattered to the four corners of the Earth. "The reason she wants to do this is because her members are in political trouble and she knows they will need the financial support of the public employee unions. This $26 billion represents a circle that works like this: "Take $26 billion away from the productive private sector, deposit it in the US Treasury. Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat majority will then vote to send the money from the Treasury to politicians across the nation. "State and local politicians then give the money to employees of public employee unions. The public employee union skims their share off the top of the worker's check first in the form of union dues. Part of the dues are funneled into the union's political action committee, which in turn will be spent on political TV, radio, Internet, and print ads, as well as union "boots on the ground." "Speaker Pelosi and President Obama have already spent $3.6 trillion on stimulus. For them, $26 billion doesn't rise to the level of a day at the beach, so why bring us all back to DC after we were scattered? "Could it be because their most loyal constituency and political foot soldiers, many of whom could be facing the never before seen horror of a government employee let go due to lack of state and local tax receipts, need to be reminded whose hand quite literally feeds them? "Spending is the least popular item on the public's mind right now, but it looks to me like this $26 billion has more to do with fully funding the union political action coffers and making sure the left's political "volunteers" get the message to get out the Democrat vote.
Rabbit trailing around the blog-sphere the other day, I stumbled upon this article on Totus and this picture of Detroit. The scene of decay, destruction, and abandonment struck a chord in me and I have not been able to get it out of my mind. This, of course in Abigail and Dolley fashion, has led me on an exhaustive search to dig into this subject more deeply, to get a full understanding of it, and to form my own conclusions. The more I find out, the more I realize I could write a hundred entries on this subject.
Liberals are completely responsible for Detroit. It is their policies, management, and ideas that have made Detroit what it is today. There can be no denying who or what has caused this destruction, thus, America, I give you Detroit a shining example of Progressive Liberal and Union policies.
An exhaustive case study of Detroit as it pertains to the results of Liberal policies, Union Control, and Race Relations would be a fascinating undertaking. The study itself is inherently dangerous because you do not grab a Detroit Tiger by its tail and expect to escape unscathed. The inevitable accusations of racism will follow anyone who looks into this subject. First and foremost, anytime you examine liberal outcomes you are branded a racist, whether you are or are not is immaterial. Secondly, the demographic of the cities population today is primarily black, thus speaking frankly about the black community makes you a racist. Third, a true historical analysis would have to include the three race riots that occurred in 1863, 1943, and 1967. Any true commentary would have to dispassionately examine the events, causes, and effects of these riots and their ultimate role in where the city is today.
Finally, to examine the facts of the current state of Detroit one must deal honestly with the end effects of wealth redistribution, white flight, failed policies of liberalism, union destruction, an enslaved electorate, and the ultimate destruction of a city once called the Paris of the West, because of it's beautiful architecture.
Detroit Ghetto Street
An Internet search on the problems and the decline of Detroit are documented and written about extensively, but one I am just now "discovering" this issue. Perhaps, Abigail and Dolley readers, you are also unfamiliar with this subject. Thus, I will endeavor to put together some coherent thoughts and links that may serve to enlighten you. Moreover, I will direct you to additional sources of information, rather than simply regurgitating the thoughts of others. There are dozens of angles to take on Detroit and its problems, this article is not intended to discuss the history of the automobile industry, it is designed to highlight what happens to a city that is run by Liberals and Progressives.
I have never been to Detroit. I am not Black. I do not pretend to be a subject matter expert, but find myself oddly fascinated by the macabre subject. It is like looking upon a dead body and not being able to turn away. Like rubber necking a gruesome accident, that in spite of yourself, you gaze upon with horror and fascination.
I have familial roots in the Rust Belt. All of my Great Grandparents and Grandparents made their living in the Rubber Factories of Akron Ohio. My Dad and Mom left for warmer and greener pastures in the mid 1970's, and I for all intents and purposes am a Southern Lady. I have inklings of understanding of the destruction of my ancestral home city, but the demise of Akron is mild compared to the complete collapse of Detroit.
Ghetto Field
Here are some statistics for you:
Detroit is a city founded in 1701 and at one point had a population 1.8 million. Today, there are less than half of number.
Geographically, 55% of the cities area is abandoned.
In 1950, Detroit had the highest median income in the country; today it is 66 out of 68.
Per capita, Detroit spends over $11,000 per year to educate a student, compared with $9600 nationally, and $6600 for private schools, yet it graduates on 21% of students.
Detroit's public education system is run completely by the Teacher's Union
Detroit's population is roughly 88% "non-white".
1 in every 47 Detroit residents are homeless.
A black man dropping out of high school will faces a 73% rate of unemployment. He will have a 60% chance of going to jail before he leaves his 20's.
Only 56% of the eligible workforce in Detroit is employed (Labor Stats) of those employed, 17.2% work for the government.
To hire someone legally in Detroit, you must pay the mandated minimum wage of $10/hour - thus businesses can not afford to open and run businesses there, so the leave.
47% of households made less than $35,000/year; only 1% had incomes over $200,000.
Each of the above statistics tells a story, each has a cause and effect, each has a human face behind it. Entire neighborhoods are abandoned. There are huge sections of the city that are urban prairies. Some enterprising residents are beginning to farm the land. Wild Animals are returning. There are packs of wild dogs, bears, coyotes, raccoons, and even a beaver.
In the ultimate end of liberal policies, Detroit has become a city of "have nots" because they sought to punish the "haves". As a result, the "haves" left and the "have nots" have even less. Detroit was touted as the city of hope and a model city of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society, the liberal Democrats were no doubt shocked in 1967 when those they were seeking so diligently to help instead began to riot and burn the city. Yet, the same failed policies and political solutions that created the problem are still put forth today as the solution.
Detroit Homes Collapsing
Detroit is a case study on what America can expect if the ultra liberal policies of the Obama Administration, the Reid/Pelosi Congress, and the Unions have their way. Look at Detroit - a complete destruction of the infra-structure that created the wealth to begin with, an enslaved and dependent population, and an all powerful government controlling every aspect of human life. You must ask yourself, who gains from this arrangement?
The blog gives a good history of the city, explores Devil's Night activities, portrays tons of video and links about the subject and is one of the best sources of info I found on the Detroit ghettos.
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