I think I've talked about the necessity of in-between politics, the type of mid range actions that we have to engage in between now and the revolution. What stories like this and this indicate not only why it matters and what the consequences are (diminishing services in cities, and increased stress placed on families), but what types of policies we can fight for. sorry.
SHOULD fight for.
So for those not familiar with the Detroit area, the Detroit News story isn't focusing on cities like Detroit--cities that are basically dinosaurs filled with poor residents and those too loyal to consider leaving. This story is focusing on the almost tony-suburbs. Plymouth? The center of the town looks almost exactly like the town in Back To The Future. Has a beautiful Ice Festival every year. If it wasn't pretty much all white, it'd be a decent place for a black family to live and raise a family in. Good public schools too if I recall. No history of waste or mismanagement.
And they are considering cuts.
Livonia is probably the whitest suburb in the Detroit area. They've pretty much zoned out their working poor. Recently built one of the plushest recreation centers in the area. No history of waste or mismanagement that I'm aware of. Good solid families (again with the exception that they are pretty much all white and have a history of being racist). And they're cutting back on library hours...and I thikn they're thinking about adding more volunteer policemen and firemen. This is the natural consequence of anti-tax conservatism as applied to government.
The story about moms reflects the life I live now. Because I am the sole income provider, and my job has unique requirements (there are only three times i don't think about my work--while playing basketball, while sleeping...make that two times) the bulk of the care for my children is provided by my wife. Now that we've finally gotten our heads above water financially (fingers crossed) i can begin to give her some of the things she needs in order to stay sane. But what we're seeing is a scenario in which women like my wife are pulling their hair out trying to make sure their kids are powerful enough to live in a regressive future.
I am not familiar with abortion politics...but I wonder where or even IF there was an opportunity for the women's movement to focus more on bread and butter issues related to child care and parental leave. An opportunity that they missed in order to wage war to protect a woman's right to choose? I don't know. All I know is that we're either going to see a marked increase in suicides, in patricides, or in infanticides if something isn't done.
Posted by at February 23, 2005 09:51 AM | TrackBack
To have the amenities of a community,parks,libraries,and culture centers;taxes must stay ahead of inflation and not decrease.As communites with upscale housing rely more on the private sector to provide these services the cost escalate .The answer lies in communal policy like coop and shared living ;rec centers can be the hub,but there is a direct correlation between income and individualism ,poor people don'have a problem sharing expenses.
Posted by: tootsie at February 24, 2005 12:40 PM