AltWeeklies Wire
The Detroit Sports Stadium Swindlenew
Mike Ilitch, billionaire owner of the NHL Red Wings and the MLB Tigers, is vying for state financing to cover more than half the cost of a new stadium for his hockey franchise in downtown Detroit. The same Detroit that declared bankruptcy less than 30 days ago. He'll likely get it, too.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
08-08-2013 |
Policy Issues
What Will Being Mayor of Detroit Mean?new
A field of candidates vies for the toughest job in America.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
07-25-2013 |
Commentary
Bob King's Failed Promise and Labor's Perilnew
Bob King seems likely to be remembered as the worst leader the United Auto Workers has ever had.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
12-12-2012 |
Business & Labor
GOP's Appalling Silencenew
The Michigan GOP primary is over, but there was one issue the candidates ignored entirely. During the last week of the campaign, a new report showed that the number of poor kids in Michigan has skyrocketed.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
02-29-2012 |
Economy
Riding Michigan's Roads to Ruinnew
As Michigan's infrastructure crumbles, Lansing's yahoos balk at funding road repair.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
02-15-2012 |
Transportation
Grand Ol' Party of Hatenew
In the 1960s, at least mainstream liberal Democrats did not egg on the violent left .
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
04-06-2010 |
Commentary
Cable TV vs. America: The Problem With Paid-For Punditsnew
When Franklin D. Roosevelt took office on March 4, 1933, the United States economy was in a state of near-collapse, with the nation's banks about to close. The new president came into office having pledged to balance the budget and reduce federal spending, but quickly realized that would have meant disaster.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
01-27-2010 |
Commentary
Why We Should Feel Sorry for Joe Wilsonnew
His priorities were these: With his numbers dropping, Joe wanted to make himself an instant hero to the far right -- something that is indeed starting to happen. He got to be on a Fox network talk show Sunday; last week, he probably would have had to buy a ticket to be in the studio audience.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
09-22-2009 |
Commentary
Looking Back on Walter Cronkite, the Last Man to Unite Us as Americansnew
Cronkite was the last newsman to make us feel that we were one country. We saw ourselves as united in a voyage of discovery, having to fend off evil and outside perils, and on a mission to make our lives and the world we lived in better. We were basically a good people who sometimes screwed up, but we were trying to make a living and make sense of this world together.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
07-28-2009 |
Media
Huffing and Puffing, and the New Justicenew
Thirty-seven states have outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants. Some have done so in all public places. Sadly, Michigan lags behind, even though polls show the vast majority of us want a smoking ban.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
06-09-2009 |
Policy Issues
After the Auto Bailout, Now What?new
What has to happen is an intelligent, radical plan to restructure and refocus the auto industry, and soon. You see, they are going to need more money. Lots more, and what they are doing isn't working.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
12-23-2008 |
Economy
Blaming the Workers: UAW Not Behind the Big Three's Woesnew
Over and over again, I've heard people repeat that the trouble was that the average UAW worker costs the auto companies $73 per hour. Nice work if you can get it. Matter of fact, it made me want to pack a lunch bucket and trudge off to Dodge Main. Trouble is, when I checked, I found that this statistic is simply not true.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
12-23-2008 |
Economy
A Bailout is Needed, but a New New Deal Would be Betternew
Why not create something like the old New Deal, which put millions to work doing everything from building post offices to writing nature guides. Ours would be more limited, however; we could call it the Michigan Infrastructure Corps. We are going to be paying out billions in unemployment insurance anyway. Why shouldn't we get something out if it?
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
12-09-2008 |
Economy
Why the Feds Must Bail Out General Motorsnew
Massive restructuring is needed, but the patient first has to be stabilized, by any means necessary. Otherwise, we will be looking at something very like the Great Depression.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
11-20-2008 |
Economy
Election '08: Now Comes the Hard Partnew
Finally, at long last, the election is over. Now comes the really, really hard part. Our nation is facing a bad time economically. Detroit and Michigan are facing something much worse. Avoiding something that looks more like a depression than a recession will be tremendously difficult.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
11-11-2008 |
Commentary
