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Tim Nugent

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Re: NYT Magazine on the 2nd life for Benton Harbor, Mich: Golf destination
« Reply #50 on: December 24, 2011, 11:35:32 AM »
Alexis De Touqueville said best:  "The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money."

But he never even dreamed a government with such contempt for its citizens that it would borrow $14 trillion to bribe the public with other peoples' money, and stick the public with both the principal and the interest

Has anyone noticed that the "Pay For" in the latest bill out of Washington is a tax on Mortgages?  If this isn't the left hand taking from the right hand, what is?  Especially when consensus is that the lack of a viable housing industry is a main driver in our current economic ? 15 years ago, I doubt any of the workers that built my house had a college education.  But it was an interesting breakdown.  White Americans, did the MEP's (mechanical -HVAC, electrical and plumbing) Mexican brick layers, Irish framers, Polish finish carpenters and Mexican drywall, wood floor and painters. I missed the roofers, they were in and out so fast I missed them. Oh wait, there was one college educated guy - me, I did the landscaping myself.  I bring this up because these are all he guys Jim Kennedy is lamenting over.  Trust me that most all of them were making well over minimum wage.  Why, because at the time there was a shortage of these kinds of workers.  There was simply more work available than bodies to carry it out.  Even offering more money to expedite schedules didn't work.  Today, I could probably build it again in less time and for less money.  But, I also imagine that many of these workers are no longer in our US or if they are, still trying to eek out a living in the building trades.
Coasting is a downhill process

Jim_Kennedy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: NYT Magazine on the 2nd life for Benton Harbor, Mich: Golf destination
« Reply #51 on: December 24, 2011, 03:23:15 PM »
Tim,
Perhaps you should go back for another semester to improve your reading comprehension skills,  ;)  I was in the construction business for nearly 25 years. Those workers were not who I was focusing on, it was the ones who do the low-paying jobs, like lawn work, retail, etc.; ones who work in low paying jobs but whose employers take gov't. subsidies; and older workers in their 50s who are working for mimimum wages because they have been let go and have zero possibilites of seeing opportunities in the fields where they once worked.

I take the view that education and a solid work ethic are necessities in this world, I also take the view that wages should at least provide a worker with the ability to provide him/herself and their families with the bare necessities.

Merry Christmas
   
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

Howard Riefs

  • Karma: +0/-0
It's clear that Crains Chicago freelancer Ed Sherman (former of the Chicago Tribune) didn't read the NYT Magazine article on Benton Harbor.  He previews this week's Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores with this overly rosy picture of the city:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120522/NEWS07/120529914/how-golf-is-helping-to-revitalize-one-michigan-town

Also, a new development in BH: "Last week, Harbor Shores announced plans for a $114 million project featuring a 105-slip marina, 70-room boutique hotel and luxury condo buildings."

http://www.abc57.com/news/local/Major-development-announced-near-Harbor-Shores-151971465.html

I'm glad it's not my money.
"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick."  ~P.J. O'Rourke

Howard Riefs

  • Karma: +0/-0
Benton Harbor, Harbor Shores & Whirlpool get some love on Golf Channel.

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/ginellas-journeys-benton-harbor-mi/
"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick."  ~P.J. O'Rourke