****a post I rescued from the great Google cache *****

Hanging on by a thread

A  look at a small machine shop in Metro Detroit that is hanging on by a thread.

This story has it all. The mean boss who drives a Volvo, the harsh working condition, the time clock and no hope (or change- sorry couldn’t pass it up).

A battle cry of a generation? Get real. In October 2006 the unemployment rate was 4.1% Just before the Democrats and Nancy Pelosi were swept into office in November 2006. Furthermore, between 2000 and 2008 the unemployment rate never went above 6.5%

Of course no one in Washington or Lansing is talking about real economic growth. All they talk about windmills and how socialized medicine is going create jobs.

How Ireland doubled real GDP in a decade

In recent decades the Irish economy has been transformed from being agrarian and traditional manufacturing based to one increasingly based on the hi-tech and internationally traded services sectors. In 2007, the services sector accounted for 64 per cent of Irish GDP, while industry accounted for 33 per cent and agriculture just 3 per cent.

Beginning in the early 1990’s, unprecedented economic growth saw the level of Irish real GDP double in size over the course of a little more than a decade. There have been many reasons advanced for Ireland’s success over this period, including EU membership and access to the Single Market; Ireland’s low corporation tax rate and a large multinational presence (emphasis added)

The United States corporate tax rate is 39.1% compared to Ireland’s 12.5%. More than 3X the corporate rate of  Ireland. And, if you want to set up shop in Michigan you need to add the MBT and it’s surcharge to the Federal corporate tax.

I’ve here Democrats say “stop bringing out that old saw abou cutting taxes.. blaa.. blaa..blaa”.

It’s an old saw because it works.

Liberal Democrats picking winners and losers in the shrinking of Detroit

Detroit is collapsing under nearly 50 years of liberal Democrat control. And how are liberal Democrats proposing to stop the implosion? Why, by liberal Democrats picking winners and losers.

Residence of Detroit ‘get’ to pay an extra 2.5% income tax for the privilege of living within the city limits. People who work in the city pay an extra 1.5% of their income to the city and corporations that set up shop in Detroit pay a 1.0% tax.

It’s like Detroit is going out of it’s way to be hostile to business and it’s residence.

Rather than follow Mayor Bing and his liberal fantasy boondoggle, why not try a more business and resident friendly policy to encourage economic and population growth.