'The Big Three'

I have lived in the Detroit area my entire life, I'm 41 now, and I can definately testify to "The Big Three's" power to control anything and everything
that they saw as a threat to their business, at least in the Metro-Detroit area.
One prime example is our complete lack of public transportation. Any time a proposal to build some type of train system to take people from the outer suberb's to the downtown area, as all other cities of this size have, the "Big Three" would squash the idea before it even got seriously discussed. After all, we are (were) "The Motor City", and that could cut into their profits. It's a little much to try and explain the ongoing problem's with trying to attract people to the Dertoit area, but I'll say that they've tried just about every idea, besides the logical one. I have been all over the U.S. and every large city I've been to has some type of commuter system; N.Y.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and the San Francisco/Oakland bay area are some examples. When they finally decided to build a mono-rail system, in Detroit, at a cost of MILLIONS of dollars, I can't give you the exact figure off-hand, but I know it costs $12 million annually in city & state subsidies, and fills less than 10% of it's seats. One year (1999-2000) the city was spending $3.00 for every .50 cent fare, for what is basically a glorified merry-go round! One of the biggest wastes of money in Michigan history! The so named "People-Mover" is a small mono-rail that goes in a loop around the heart of the business district with 13 stops, mostly business related in the 2.9 miles that it travels. Not very practical to say the least! No, instead of transporting people from the suberbs to the downtown area and all points in between, you have to get downtown by vehicle on congested freeways that are constantly in repair, and when and if you make it all the way downtown, you can ride around in a circle for the scenic view of Detroit, and maybe by chance it will stop at your destination. Although you might as well drive there since you would only be within a couple of miles from once you reach the "People-Mover"; quite a pointless name considering the thing basically drives around with NO PEOPLE IN IT (2.5% its capacity).
Oh, I forgot we do have a bus system one called D.O.T. that only travels within the Detroit city limits, and one called S.M.A.R.T. that is for the suburbs. I won't waste any more time of your's listing the flaws in the buses, I'll just say they suck!
But, back to the original point of this post; Because of the now (not so)"BIG THREE", our city has been held back from any possible progress. And now, because so many people relied on the auto companys for employment for the past 75+ years we now have the highest unemployment of any state in the country! Yeah, it would be funny if the corporate big-wigs were suffering due to their poor management skills, like keeping up with the competition & the rest of the world, but I somehow doubt that they or their families are hurting at all. No, it's the men and women that gave 30+ years of their life to a company that had assured them (by contract)that they and their families would be secure for the rest of their lives, even when they retired. I have a friend that worked for GM for 30 years making enough money to support his family who was given two choices: 1)continue working but instead of remaining an assembly-worker, you can sweep floors, or 2)take an early retirement but without the benfits that had been promised him. He chose the latter and is barely getting by.
The transportation issue is only ONE example of the power that the "BIG THREE" had, I have no doubt that the citizens only know the tip of the iceberg as far as the political power they weilded over the years. Poor Tucker never had a chance...

Sorry, for the lenghty reply but this subject really touches a nerve! If anyone is interested in more details on the "People Mover" or other proposals for Public Transit that were squashed by the auto company's go to Wikipedia and look under Detroit People Mover, they have all the statistic's and blunders detailed!

-Gary (moving out of Michigan, or die trying!)

"asa nisi masa"

GM still got a bailout?