Current Events & Trends: Detroit: only one of America's debt-ridden cities
The financial demise of Detroit proved no surprise to those watching the news on a regular basis.
At one time America's fourth most populous city hosting automakers General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, the Motor City has lost 63 percent of its population since 1950. Although there are some signs of renewal in its inner city, downward trends have been obvious for decades. Crime, government corruption, financial scandals plus dysfunctional family life have all played their role in Detroit's slide into bankruptcy.
But as The Economist recently pointed out beneath a recent headline: "It's not just Detroit. American cities and states must promise less or face disaster" ("America's Public Finances: The Unsteady States of America," July 27, 2013).
The Financial Times added, "While Detroit is an extreme example of urban decay, its predicament sheds light on similar problems that afflict a number of US cities" (cover teaser for "Detroit: Descent Into Despair," July 26).
Time magazine revealed that Birmingham, New Orleans and Philadelphia are among the foremost examples of cities with serious debt obligations in the millions (Aug. 5). Primary blame has been assigned to pensions, but society having gone awry in its fundamental relationships between people must figure heavily in such severe debt problems.
City governments wind up footing the costs of sin —both social and monetary. And ultimately, individual taxpayers and private business pick up the tab. As the Economist article concluded, "America's dynamic private sector is carrying on its back an unreformed Leviathan. Detroit is merely a symptom of that." (Sources: The Economist, Financial Times, Time.)
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Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
