Gary Indiana in sad shape - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 10-08-2016, 06:31 PM

I drove through The edge of Gary today going and coming on the main drag, us 20 I believe. There were a whole lot of architecturally nice buildings that were mostly in very dilapidated condition. It did not seem unsafe though.

Lots of vacant lots which clearly used to have homes on them.

When the Industry leaves the aftermath is devastating.

Although I did see some huge factories over by the lake with lots of smoke coming out their chimneys which look abandoned.

engatwork · #2 10-08-2016, 06:44 PM

Lot's of little towns like that. Kinda makes you wish someone would come along and make it great again don't it

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tjts1 · #3 10-09-2016, 11:07 AM

I'd rather see all that smoke polluting China than the Midwest. I know it's politically expedient to glorify manufacturing jobs but in all honesty they are **** jobs for **** pay most of us would never want to do day in and day out. Today far more Americans are employed in the service sector than manufacturing and for good reason. It's far more difficult to automate or export those jobs.

kerry · #4 10-09-2016, 12:29 PM

Took the train from Indiana Dunes Park into Chicago a few years back. I thought the same thing when it passed thru Gary.

t walgamuth · #5 10-09-2016, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

I'd rather see all that smoke polluting China than the Midwest. I know it's politically expedient to glorify manufacturing jobs but in all honesty they are **** jobs for **** pay most of us would never want to do day in and day out. Today far more Americans are employed in the service sector than manufacturing and for good reason. It's far more difficult to automate or export those jobs.

Blue collar jobs may be difficult but to call them S=+++ jobs is a offensive oversimplified way to describe them. They used to pay well. Well enough that after ww2 blue collar folks joined the middle class and spent money, swelling the economy.

Folks who have been left behind in the face of a changing world by job loss to technology or from moving plants away are suffering for sure, but the truth is that no politician can bring those good paying jobs for unskilled folks back. they are gone.

kerry · #6 10-09-2016, 05:00 PM

True enough, but a substantial part of the reason why they were good paying jobs were the unions. The diminishment of the power of US unions accounts or a lot of the reason why jobs have become lower paying. Politicians could encourage the growth of unions which would improve wages. Canada has a higher level of unionization and lower levels of inequality.

oldsinner111 · #7 10-09-2016, 05:09 PM

years ago when I thumbed 43 states, and Mexico.I was afraid to thumb in Chicago,so I rode a train to Gary. I went into a bar for a beer,it was all black.Some guy told me white boy you best get out of town before night.I headed south at high speed,and got out of there.
They an nuke it for all I care.

t walgamuth · #8 10-09-2016, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

True enough, but a substantial part of the reason why they were good paying jobs were the unions. The diminishment of the power of US unions accounts or a lot of the reason why jobs have become lower paying. Politicians could encourage the growth of unions which would improve wages. Canada has a higher level of unionization and lower levels of inequality.

True but a large number of businesses negotiated lower pay for the workers when their businesses became less profitable. Also big companies built new plants in the south where wages were much lower and simply closed the plants in the north. The most skilled workers were taken along I suppose.

...but the Rs won a lot of blue collar votes starting with Reaganby talking about things like gun control.

t walgamuth · #9 10-09-2016, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldsinner111

years ago when I thumbed 43 states, and Mexico.I was afraid to thumb in Chicago,so I rode a train to Gary. I went into a bar for a beer,it was all black.Some guy told me white boy you best get out of town before night.I headed south at high speed,and got out of there.
They an nuke it for all I care.

There used to be a lot of towns where the black folks needed to be gone before dark too.

sloride · #10 10-09-2016, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I drove through The edge of Gary today going and coming on the main drag, us 20 I believe. There were a whole lot of architecturally nice buildings that were mostly in very dilapidated condition. It did not seem unsafe though.

Lots of vacant lots which clearly used to have homes on them.

When the Industry leaves the aftermath is devastating.

Although I did see some huge factories over by the lake with lots of smoke coming out their chimneys which look abandoned.

If you can find it, watch the documentary Shifting Sands. Those are the steel mills that are not abandoned, which are referred to as the region.

sloride · #11 10-09-2016, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

I'd rather see all that smoke polluting China than the Midwest. I know it's politically expedient to glorify manufacturing jobs but in all honesty they are **** jobs for **** pay most of us would never want to do day in and day out. Today far more Americans are employed in the service sector than manufacturing and for good reason. It's far more difficult to automate or export those jobs.

You do not know TIHS.

sloride · #12 10-09-2016, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I drove through The edge of Gary today going and coming on the main drag, us 20 I believe. There were a whole lot of architecturally nice buildings that were mostly in very dilapidated condition. It did not seem unsafe though.

Lots of vacant lots which clearly used to have homes on them.

When the Industry leaves the aftermath is devastating.

Although I did see some huge factories over by the lake with lots of smoke coming out their chimneys which look abandoned.

I have no idea why Gregg or Holcomb do not make an issue of expanding the airport there to serve the overcrowded O'hare and Midway. The crooked politicians in IL have been buying land in Peotone IL for a third airport, which is an hour and a half away from down town Chicago. Gary In is forty minutes in traffic from down town Chicago IL.

t walgamuth · #13 10-09-2016, 10:57 PM

Maybe because they represent people living in Illinois? If it is a good idea, and I have to agree it is a good idea, then our Hoosier pols should assist in funding it.

oldsinner111 · #14 10-10-2016, 10:42 AM

I know I sounded mean,but if you look at my profile you'll see I'm a mix.GermanIrish Afroman I call my self. I have had more racial hatered against myself,and wife,from the darker side of the family. Black folk can be the worse at predjudice.