General Discussion

Gidney N Cloyd

(19,847 posts)

16. Detroit and Illinois's financial problems are not due to public pensions.

Reply to badtoworse (Reply #3)

Thu Dec 19, 2013, 01:40 PM

Dec 2013

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Goodbye. Goodbye. GOODBYE. Get the fuck out already. [View all] Smarmie Doofus Dec 2013 OP

"labor-electoral complex" jberryhill Dec 2013 #1

That sounds like I hate you all 'cause you BlueToTheBone Dec 2013 #2

He really is perverted. Kurovski Dec 2013 #9

Totally twisted BlueToTheBone Dec 2013 #21

It's probably more to do with his loss of a Skidmore Dec 2013 #81

Ignore what he said at your own peril. badtoworse Dec 2013 #3

Then it's time to cut the Pentagon budget, to slash it actually, and to start prosecuting the sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #4

It's not a federal issue badtoworse Dec 2013 #6

'with their hands out, looking for a bailout'! Lol, and exactly what would be wrong with that sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #12

I didn't agree with those bailouts either, but at least the banks paid the loans back with interest. badtoworse Dec 2013 #18

good grief RedstDem Dec 2013 #20

What an erudite response. badtoworse Dec 2013 #24

It's more erudite than your repetition of right-wing talking points on public pensions. El_Johns Dec 2013 #39

Dare to dream. Starry Messenger Dec 2013 #64

"...but at least the banks paid the loans back with interest." KansDem Dec 2013 #54

They still have the SBA loans on their books, but at a lower interest rate than the TARP loans. badtoworse Dec 2013 #57

So, were you lying in your previous post about the loans being repaid? tabasco Dec 2013 #65

I was actually thinking of the large I Banks like Goldman, Citi, Deutsche Bank, AIG, etc. badtoworse Dec 2013 #66

No pal.. sendero Dec 2013 #80

I don't see any relevance to this thread badtoworse Dec 2013 #82

"As for the criminal aspects, DOJ is dealing with that.".. sendero Dec 2013 #83

I had forgotten that Sabrina 1 mentioned that in her post badtoworse Dec 2013 #84

And de-privatize prisons, utilities, etc. End tax breaks for corporations. arcane1 Dec 2013 #7

Detroit and Illinois's financial problems are not due to public pensions. Gidney N Cloyd Dec 2013 #16

I agree, but that does not change fiscal reality badtoworse Dec 2013 #23

And yet that is PRECISELY what you implied in response #3 tkmorris Dec 2013 #34

I took no position, implied or otherwise, as to why towns and cities would be unable to pay. badtoworse Dec 2013 #40

The average pension is $19K. That's your idea of excess? El_Johns Dec 2013 #43

I don't think $19k is excessive, but I do think you're missing the point. badtoworse Dec 2013 #47

"The city owes $15B" -- that is not immediate debt, but long-term debt, and that figure is El_Johns Dec 2013 #67

Maybe you're right, but in any case, I'm getting tired of debating Detroit. badtoworse Dec 2013 #73

I'm getting tired of people spreading propaganda. I don't ignore that reality, but I do attempt El_Johns Dec 2013 #75

Holy fuck. You should post more. *Outstanding* analysis. n/t Smarmie Doofus Dec 2013 #79

When you lead people to infer that pensions are what's draining gov't coffers people don't look at.. Gidney N Cloyd Dec 2013 #44

+1. El_Johns Dec 2013 #68

Reasonable levels of benefits? mokawanis Dec 2013 #17

Reasonable in the context of what Detroit's pensioners and workers are likely to get. badtoworse Dec 2013 #19

More baloney. El_Johns Dec 2013 #37

That is baloney. Detroit's pensions are 91% funded. The "reality" is that there has been a El_Johns Dec 2013 #36

The reality is that idiots were running Detroit. See Post 40. badtoworse Dec 2013 #42

You didn't tell the reason why they won't have the money. The politicians that promised it stole it. Ikonoklast Dec 2013 #45

The politicians who promised it have likely been out of office for years badtoworse Dec 2013 #48

Those promises are valid under each succeeding politician. Those contracts don't just go away. Ikonoklast Dec 2013 #51

That is all true, but at the end of the day, the problem still has to be solved. badtoworse Dec 2013 #53

Put the pension obligations senior to all other debt. Ikonoklast Dec 2013 #56

That would be a really bad move badtoworse Dec 2013 #58

No, they would not. Cities with good credit ratings would have no problem borrowing money. Ikonoklast Dec 2013 #70

That is true and such debt is priced accordingly badtoworse Dec 2013 #71

Sorry, you're just spreading bankster BS. The city could raise BILLIONS in additional tax revenue El_Johns Dec 2013 #69

You're making my point about Detroit for me - it's been run by morons. badtoworse Dec 2013 #72

No, it's been run by people working hand-in-glove with the banksters. El_Johns Dec 2013 #76

If we made our taxes even flat, which is completely unfair to the poor, though much better than Squinch Dec 2013 #46

I think unions should act in their own interest, but refusing to negotiate may not be the best move. badtoworse Dec 2013 #52

Detroit is not the canary in the coal mine any more than Bethlehem PA was. Both are cities that Squinch Dec 2013 #60

Time will tell. Every situation is different badtoworse Dec 2013 #61

No kidding. So we shouldn't be talking as if the only choices are bankruptcy or union capitulation. Squinch Dec 2013 #62

That was in the context of a city going broke. Of course there are other scenarios. badtoworse Dec 2013 #63

Still, Detroit has enough money to subsidize yet another stadium notadmblnd Dec 2013 #55

You don't get to be a Billionaire ... GeorgeGist Dec 2013 #5

He cares about his money. That's it. Period. People? He could give a good rat's ass. Lint Head Dec 2013 #8

Yeah, God forbid people who disagree with him should be allowed to vote... joeybee12 Dec 2013 #10

He always displayed an almost Royal disdain for the little people. It always amazed me that he ever sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #13

Initially I think NYers were still shocked by 9-11 and he fit the bill... joeybee12 Dec 2013 #14

Kind of blows that whole New York City intellectual image, doesn't it? n/t Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #30

That's actually a real, true belief with his crowd... Blue_Tires Dec 2013 #22

The utter contempt for democracy is appalling... joeybee12 Dec 2013 #28

Not that it's a mystery to (most) DUers...... marmar Dec 2013 #11

what a disgusting comparison. yeah....Billionaire profiteers are exactly equivalent to Pretzel_Warrior Dec 2013 #15

Is this guy for real? ryan_cats Dec 2013 #25

Speaking as one who who grew up in Queens and works in Manhattan,... badtoworse Dec 2013 #29

What do you think of the new mayor? ryan_cats Dec 2013 #35

Ask me in 6 months. I don't have an opinion yet. badtoworse Dec 2013 #41

Door/bang/arse. Warpy Dec 2013 #26

Umm, isn't the "people-electoral" complex kind of how democracy is supposed to work? reformist2 Dec 2013 #27

The only thing Bloombooger gets right is gun safety. nt politichew Dec 2013 #31

"gun safety"? Enough with the rebranding already. badtoworse Dec 2013 #32

Why am I not surprised you're a gunner? KamaAina Dec 2013 #59

Billionaire Bloomberg Explains Homeless Children: �That�s Just the Way God Works� napkinz Dec 2013 #33

�Michael Bloomberg is the most corrupt politician New York has seen in our generation.� El_Johns Dec 2013 #38

To which God replied: Ken Burch Dec 2013 #50

Shouldn't that be "Adios, MUCHACHITO"? Ken Burch Dec 2013 #49

Fuck Michael Bloomberg. Arkana Dec 2013 #74

Remember when Bloomberg and his filthy cronies assaulted Occupy Wall Street? Dawson Leery Dec 2013 #77

So, to be voted out of office is to be Jackpine Radical Dec 2013 #78