Should there be free lunch to all K-12 students?

[spideygirl]

<p>Quantmech

The teachers’ union apparently accepted a 10% pay cut this year–where else is that matched?

</p>

<p>In almost every industry people’s pay has dropped a whole lot in the past few years, for those who are still employed. I don’t think I am sticking my neck out at all to suggest (even without Google assistance) that in many industries (such as construction) the compensation decrease is considerably more than 10%.</p>

<p>Quantmech

spideygirl, if you don’t want to send money to Detroit, what is your suggestion for “fixing” it? Please keep in mind that unemployment in Michigan is generally running well above the national average. Also, please keep in mind that a fair fraction of the adults in Detroit are functionally illiterate.

I would LOVE to be put in charge of helping Detroit, and I would bet everything I own on my ability to do it successfully. It is actually very simple. </p>

<p>Create a pro-business zone there, a place where taxes and regulations are hugely lifted, and where companies can ban union formation. Let companies pay people what they would like to pay them, and cover health care only if they want to do so. People can choose whether or not they take the jobs, or go elsewhere. </p>

<p>In this zone, environmental laws would be reduced to those effecting pollution issues ONLY (global warming related regulations - gone - they are debatable anyway). A taxes and regulations czar would be appointed to reduce all of the things weighing enterprise down by A LOT, simplifying everything at the municipal, state, and federal level. Codes, rules, permits - everything would be streamlined in this emergency response scenario. So many businesses would go there that they would have to compete for employees. Until that point, people could pay for they own health care with their own JOBS. So much money would come to Detroit that many people would have a good chance to start up a small business, and then they could set up their own health care and benefits for themselves.</p>

<p>Soon, as a result of competing for employees, bigger companies would offer greater and greater benefits to lure them. We could even have new manufacturing enterprises. In America. Imagine! This is my dream, so I can make it what I want. The justification is related to what might happen during a natural disaster. Special powers are invoked. Detroit is a disaster, and people should not be abandoned in that situation. Do this, and watch businesses flock to the area. You just wouldn’t believe what is possible.</p>