FFM

I am not in favor of the Grand Bargain where Detroit surrenders ownership of its art stored at the DIA, that appears to have a value in excess of $10 billion, while receiving approximately only $500 million in present value dollars. This converts into getting 5 cents for every $1 dollar of art given away. This makes no sense for a city in deep financial trouble. I have expressed my desire the art be used to transform Detroit Public Schools (DPS) into the best public school system in the state. It would not only improve the performance of the children attending DPS presently, but also attract suburban middle class families to the city because one of the highest objectives of all parents is to give their children a better and more fulfilling life then they experienced. It is commonly recognized that education is a major ingredient to make this happen. As Darnell Macon posted the other day in the Detroit Free Press, "The streets can be glittered in gold but no families will mo

Free Free Markets concluded in an article titled  China And The Five Baits  it was too early for the west to let its guard down about the threat that China posed. If all goes well China will evolve as stated in an article in Foreign Affairs magazine  How China Is Ruled , January/February 2014 "But there is also a fourth scenario, in which China’s leaders propel the country forward, establishing the rule of law and regulatory structures that better reflect the country’s diverse interests. Beijing would also have to expand its sources of legitimacy beyond growth, materialism, and global status, by building institutions anchored in genuine popular support. This would not necessarily mean transitioning to a full democracy, but it would mean adopting its features: local political participation, official transparency, more independent judicial and anti-corruption bodies, an engaged civil society, institutional checks on executive power, and legislative and civil institutions to ch

Below is a seven minute video explaining what is wrong with the "Grand Bargain" being proposed in the Detroit Chapter 9 bankruptcy hearing. Following the video are the notes used to give the presentation.