The Sun, The Moon and The Stars

What are HIllary Clinton and Donald Trump promising the rust belt?

The sun, the moon and the stars.

Can either deliver?

Probably not.

Let Rust Belt Cities Die?

The latest from a junior professor who lives in Texas and thinks rust belt cities need to die off, or at least go fallow.

In The Atlantic, Professor Galen Newman of Texas A & M opines on his vacant land research.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/rust-belt-survival/492155/

The research has led to a discussion of "smart shrinkage" and "smart decline."

http://www.plannersnetwork.org/2010/04/smart-decline-and-planning-ideology/

We cannot ignore this kind of thinking, as it might influence politicians, and new solutions are needed. Detroit has something approaching 60 square miles of wasteland, so this is not so far fetched. 

We do not have to surrender though.

Unless there is some drastic change in Washington, the rust belt economies are in trouble for a long, long time.

Not something to make one cheerful.

Are We Too Late?

A hot phrase among the economists  and analysts who analyze the Rust Belt is "post-industrial."

This implies we have reached a tipping point at which advanced economies will dramatically reduce manufacturing activity and jobs (although output may not drop as far)  and will focus on service, health care, research and etc.

When NAFTA was passed we were told the displaced manufacturing workers would soon enough be moved to high value service jobs (apparently this meant pushing shopping carts around the parking lot of Wal-Mart).

Does the post-industrial mind set dominate Washington, guaranteeing policy hurting the Rust Belt?

Are Donald Trump's policies to bring back manufacturing jobs just a fantasy? Will Hillary Clinton's new found populism make a difference?

Can every Rust Belt city be like Pittsburgh?

Does anyone outside the Rust Belt really care?

Brexit, Trade Policy and Jobs

The chattering classes are all atwitter about the Brexit vote and the potential damage to globalization.

To date globalization has been good for:
1) rich people
2) bureaucrats
3) workers in developing countries

To date globalization has been bad for:
1) existing middle classes (U.S. and Britain for example)
2) blue collar workers in developed countries


The elites (politicians, economists, really rich people) are still determined to create the new world order, but are now even admitting, timidly, that maybe there are some victims.

Which is why we are faced with Brexit and Donald Trump.

Forbes List of 15 Fastest Growing U.S. Cities

http://www2.forbes.com/business/the-fastest-growing-u-s-cities-the-latest-numbers

Number of Rust Belt cities on the list?

"0"

Upcoming Topics

Urban Policy in the Rust Belt

Infrastructure Policy in the Rust Belt

Construction Workforce in the Rust Belt

Manufacturing Workforce in the Rust Belt

Mama Don't let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Manufacturing Workers? 

Rust Belt Cities - Single Party Government

Will Air Conditioning Destroy the Rust Belt?

Trade Policy - Selling Out the Rust Belt?

.... and many more

Toledo tries......

http://www.toledoblade.com/Featured-Editorial-Home/2016/05/08/Progressive-and-possible.html

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