the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Feb 4, 2013
The Detroit City Council rejected a proposal by the State of Michigan to take over Belle Isle, the city’s most popular park, and charge visitors a fee to enter. Governor Rick Snyder responded by, in effect, taking his ball and going home–pulling the state’s “offer” from the table. Now Mayor Dave Bing is jumping in saying he will have to close 51 city parks and blaming the city council for hurting Detroit residents.
Bing’s response is extortion, plain and simple. Go along with the state’s program, or else!
In reality, it’s just more of what the politicians at every level have been doing to the people of the city for years. The city owns 354 parks. While Ken Cockrel, Jr., now a member of the city council, was mayor, the city closed more than 200 of them. They currently operate only 108, so Bing’s plan would cut that number to 57.
Some council members have made other proposals, but they all amount to the same thing–making working people in the city pay more or accept cuts in city services and facilities. What the politicians are doing to the parks, they have done to the city’s rec centers, schools and libraries.
No wonder shootings and other crimes are on the rise in the city–the politicians have eliminated every place anyone, especially young people, can go to learn, play and socialize.
The working people of the city of Detroit did not create the city’s financial mess. It’s the result of handouts by the city to the banks, corporations and the wealthy. Get the money needed to run the city back from the people who stole it!