Realistic expectations: where are they?

  It was announced yesterday that the Detroit Symphony Orchestra union has rejected the latest DSO offer. From the DSO blog, here is the rejected offer:

DETROIT, (Jan. 7, 2011) The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) announced today that due to the rejection by the musicians to an offer that would bring total average player compensation (salary, healthcare, pension and other benefits) to $133,000 and their refusal to return to the bargaining table, the much-anticipated pops concerts,  An Evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein (Jan. 13-16), must be cancelled

  Perhaps the members of the DSO need to be reminded about Detroit: what it used to be, and what it is now:

The ruined Spanish-Gothic interior of the United Artists Theater in Detroit. The cinema was built in 1928 by C. Howard Crane, and finally closed in 1974. Photograph: Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre

   This photograph is from the absolutely stunning series of pictures by the two French photographers listed above. The Guardian has the complete article and a set of pictures here.

  The photographers' website is here.

  Just as a reminder, here's the Crowder video "Detroit in Ruins."

  The website Moonbattery has chronicled the deterioration of Detroit. 

  Here's a comment from Moonbattery about the significance of Detroit's march toward ruin. Remember, Detroit was the wealthiest city in the United States in 1960.

Economically, Detroit could support 41 supermarkets — except that the Motor City, having been run by moonbats for decades, has degenerated into such a hellhole that it is not possible for major chains to make a profit there. The high cost of doing business features rampant theft, excessive taxes, race-based lawsuits, and a welfare culture that doesn't produce useful employees.

  Here's a video from Moonbattery of a current tour of Detroit. It's quite remarkable.
  Watch a few minutes of this video; it's stunning, not only because of the absolute decay of the neighborhoods, the roving gangs and dogs, but also because of all the wealth left in the yards. 
  It's as if the neighborhoods of Detroit are part of a movie set, such as I am Legend, or as if someone created the destruction, mysteriously removed all the people without giving them time to take their possessions. 
  Why would you leave speed boats in your yard? Wouldn't you try to sell these possessions, if you had to leave suddenly because of financial ruin? 
  Watch a bit of this video and feel the chills up your spine:

  What is most disturbing about this video and the history of Detroit is that this can happen to any American city that follows the path to destruction Detroit has followed. It does not have to be said again that Detroit has had financially irresponsible people in charge for decades; as a result, liberal policies have destroyed the city, leaving no one accountable for what's happened.

  Instead industry has died. Merchants have left. Population has moved to friendlier climates, both weather and business.

  You see this same pattern of irresponsible behavior around the nation. Look at California. Look at Illinois, where politicians are planning on raising the personal income tax by 75%. 

  Scratching for dollars, Illinois, which also hasn't been paying its bills, is also planning on taxing the online sales of Amazon sellers. Next door Indiana governor is welcoming fleeing businesses.

  Repeat: what has happened to Detroit can happen to any American city, given the policies of irresponsible politicians who are primarily motivated by greed, power and self-ambition.

  The unrealistic expectations of the DSO union members who won't even talk for a package offer of $133,000 a year are the attitudes that are ruining this country. Unions are necessary, but not when it comes to adding more and more and more to the tax burden of the local taxpayer. 

  Driving business out locally by taxing everything to death, going after small entrepreneurs and driving up the cost of living in an area can only have a deleterious effect on a community struggling to survive, much less thrive.

  Union members. Get real.

UPDATE: From the WSJ regarding Obamacare. Read it here.

Of all the claims deployed in favor of ObamaCare, and there are many, the most preposterous is that a new open-ended entitlement will somehow reduce the budget deficit. Insure 32 million more people, and save money too! The even more remarkable spectacle is that Washington seems to be taking this claim seriously in advance of the House's repeal vote next week. Some things in politics you just can't make up.