Our leaders--into the future!

Submitted by Lee Batdorff on Tue, 02/01/2011 - 01:13.

It is a good skill Tom Bier has, pointing out an obvious solution in ever gaining disaster, (Plain Dealer, Sunday, 1/30, 2011, op/ed section). He has done it for decades in front of conferences of mayors where they called him “Dr. Doom.”  It's unfortunate that the obvious solution of real reagionalism borne by Mr. Bier looks like indecipherable hieroglyphs to our minor despot leaders.

Think how much money would be saved by cutting back 50-plus mayors in Cuyahoga County to 5 mayors. This scares the vast majority of mayors and their power bases. So don't expect their help in change.

Perhaps the situation will become drastic enough that the populace will take notice and rise up like in Egypt these days, and demand efficient and honest county government, unlike what we've been getting here. And as things stand now, there is little hope for improvement. This is a given with the behavior so far of the majority of county council members we have just voted in.

Until a real upwelling of citizen interest, Metropolitan Cleveland will stumble with the current local government structure and often wayward leaders.

Now for the crack-pot prognostication. Because of our inability to select effective leaders with foresight--eventually it will be very attractive to sell out. Sell out to whom?

The Chinese. They own much of our huge and growing Federal debt. The Chinese will eventually see Detroit, Cleveland and other nearby cities, and realize that not only does the blue-green belt of the Great Lakes have much fresh water and is over 200 feet above rising sea levels.

They will realize that much of these towns can be had for a dime on the dollar, and are really nice places to live when leaving a rising sea level. They may make an offer to our Federal leaders such as, "pay Federal debt with urban land, at deep discount." Then change will come here.

One thing will not change

Once the land is purchased, the local politicians will be purchased. Both at low prices.

Lee B - you have the long vue

It took me a few (or more) decades, but I have adopted the theory that government must be made up of the weak and crippled.  

Will the Chinese putting their chips in change that dynamic|?

I have a bunch of municipal govmts as examples, starting with University Hs, and next the City of Cleve.

Good to hear from you.  Jeffb

Crack pot prediction?

 

One thing will not change

Once the land is purchased, the local politicians will be purchased. Both at low prices.

 

Sounds entirely plausible to me.  Thanks for posting here Lee :)

Soap Opera

Frontline calls it the "Young and the Restless,"   last night one of the characters, an American-educated man, bemoans falling into the corruption so prevalent in China (everywhere).  He says a fish needs water--if the water is dirty, it must fight to stay alive.  Fish can't leave water.

http://realneo.us/blog/lmcshane/lake-erie-living


 

Land banking it...folks are getting homes in Slavic Village for $1.00 ....

 

SO that is why city hall doesn't care about residents...

SO that is why city hall doesn't care about residents... 'Unlike most cities, Cleveland gets more than half its revenue from income taxes, and 85% of that is from commuters living in suburbs.'

Disrupt IT

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/10/10/1007_highest_incomes/36.htm

 

TOTALLY AGREED:  "Until a

TOTALLY AGREED: 

"Until a real upwelling of citizen interest, Metropolitan Cleveland will stumble with the current local government structure and often wayward leaders."

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

Count your blessings Clevelanders

Why would Chinese want to settle in NEO and environs?

View here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Overall_EPI_Score_by_Country_Quintile_...

My guess is that the U.S. Great Lakes region and upper Ohio Valley Environmental Performance Index rating is closer to Canada's EPI rating than the EPI rating of most of the U.S.     Count your blessings, Clevelanders and Pittsburghers!