Detroit Bailout?

Apparently, it's not coming, at least not from the feds.  I suppose we could debate whether Detroit should get some federal help in bailing itself out--if it can.  I'm not sure where I stand on it, either.

One, I'm generally opposed to bailouts--public or private.  I don't like that the government can pick and choose who to help and who to let drown.  There's far too much room for politics.  Two, Detroit, in many ways, made its own bed.  It played by the feds' rules, taking the "free money" and running with it.  Voters continued to elect corrupt or incompetent leaders, even when it was known they were incompetent or corrupt.  Lots of bad decisions, often dishonest ones, were made by lots of people.

Yet, at the same time, Detroit did play by the feds' rules.  Now, when those "rules" have helped lead to bankruptcy (among other things), the DC pols are abandoning the city.  Of course, it's not an election year, certainly not an election year with a close election looming.  Can you imagine the outcry if, say, W. Bush refused to offer aid to Detroit?

I know foreign aid comprises only a small percentage of the federal budget.  But doesn't anyone find it irksome that we can send billions--and recently--to Egypt, Syria, and the PLA (can you say "Hamas?), but can't find any money for Detroit?  Again, I'm not sure I'm advocating giving Detroit more federal dollars, but I don't like giving these other countries--more likely than not to stab us in the back at the nearest opportunity. And how many of these so-called "needy" Third World countries got that way because of corruption?!?!?! Does Joe Lunchbucket in Detroit deserve any less than anti-American Islamists in the Middle East?

In my history class, I teach about Detroit and environs as "The Arsenal of Democracy," which the likes of Stalin said won the Second World War.  I think a good case can be made for that.  So, if Detroit can help save the US, the US can't help save Detroit?

Still, they make it hard to be sympathetic.  Is it true that about 50% of a new stadium complex is going to be financed by public monies?  I keep getting conflicting stories.  In such a case, the millionaire/billionaire owners can foot the bill, can't they?

My heart aches for the wonderful city I once knew and enjoyed......