I've only been through the airport, and it was miserable enough. It's actually a pretty nice-looking city. From the sky, at night.

In my working years, I visited Detroit a couple of times. And I've always looked for the best in any place that I have ever visited. But Detroit--it's a conundrum. And it's difficult to describe. But I'll try. Detroit left me feeling as if something were missing in that town. Was it grand plazas, historical markers, a lack of love from the people, plants and flowers? I cannot put my finger on it, but Detroit left me with a profound feeling of emptiness. "Emptiness." Maybe that's all that there is to be said. And I wish that it weren't so. But there it is. One opinion.

And no disrespect to the people of Detroit.

UGH. I wish people would stop making negative comments about Detroit when they know very little about it. Yes, there is much to be depressed about here, but there is also alot to be hopeful about, and the people who are making a difference here know that. If there was less bad press about the city, maybe people would stop getting such a negative impression. None of the good things get that much press nationally, and it doesn't help when ignorant people say negative things and they are published. It's too bad that Detroiters tend to "shoot themselves in the foot" a lot of the time (no pun intended). Bad Detroiters don't make the city bad, just like Chicago, New York City, or any large urban area with a lot of crime. After the Super Bowl held here a few years ago, visitors said the people were great here, and they are. Let's start believing it.

Surprised to see Albany, Ga at number 2. There is a lot of poverty and meanness. I just always chalked it up to Southern batsh*t crazy. I don't think we should put too much stock in this list, just from what I know about Georgia and Albany.

I lived in the backwoods about 100 miles outside of Atlanta for about 20 years. It is Squidbillies and Dukes of Hazzard and Heat of the Night and the Color Purple and James Brown and Dr. King and Jimmy Carter and Newt Gingrich and REM and Black Crowes and more country music, soul singers, rap artists and crazies than you can shake a stick at. But there is a great variety of people here. Pissed off, crazy, and stupid? Yes. Sad, not so much. Real. That's for sure. Oh and don't forget the icon, Paula Deen.

I used to think that it did not matter where you did not live or rather what you did not do, but most times I'm just happy to see how it all works out. just got sick. but i'm good now. you know what I mean? get out in the snow and kick some dust. i mean you take what you get. you take what somebody trashes. your mother's meatballs might taste better than your uncle's left hook. know what i mean? you get what i'm saying? Dude?

This "study" only took into account the MAJOR CITIES. I've been through rural towns that make these cities look like Disneyland!

Welcome to detroit the slimest city in amerika next to chicago

I lived in the Detroit area for many years, my father lived there his entire life, the ruin of Detroit is the logical result of liberal politics, labor unions and entitlement mentality coupled with the fact that northern cities are obsolete technology due to the weather and lack of warm water sea ports.

Go south young man... and don't allow the liberals to take what is yours and give it to anybody else.

They think that is bad they should check out a @!$%# hole called Clintwood Va.

Roadkill, you are absolutely right! There are also many other things they didn't take into account in this study such as corrupt and biased justice systems as another example. That in itself can turn what one thinks is a beautiful city to live in, into one of the most miserable and disgusting cities in the world to live in! (pretty on the outside, evil on the inside!)

From the article:

The happiest city in America is Napa, Calif., the Vermont researchers concluded. The saddest? Beaumont, Texas. It's just one of many Deep South municipalities at the bottom of the list

Progressive Political Bases is what these major run down cities have in common. There is a need to to fire up some demolition equipment and start flattening the decayed buildings, sell the building steel to the scrap yards, and start afresh. If it were up to me, I would get some people into the area from the Soil Conservation Service to provide suggestions for erosion control and replanting the demolished areas. Then one fine day, some new Henry Ford type can came along with a new idea with a need for land, and start a fresh new idea which can grow and prosper. What Detroit has become is the equivalent to industry, as worn out farmland is to agriculture. It is the equivalent to this country as abandoned civilizations are to the once Fertile Crescent, abandoned then rebuilt upon, abandoned again, and again rebuilt upon. What was Detroit before Henry Ford? That is the question. What were these other cities before they blossomed, then decayed? They were the empty land in a visionary's dream.

Any visionary who's smart enough to dream up a new industry for an area, is smart enough to figure out that they don't need the crime and corruption problems fueled by failed Progressive Political motivations, and ideals. If the unions want union membership, they have to get first an industry to unionize, you would think they are smart enough to recognize. These cities are decaying because people are moving out, not in, and thus all the proof needed that the city's political structure isn't and doesn't work. In the case of small town decay, those can be related often to technology advances in agricultural industry expansion, which were once labor intensive, and railroad dependent for shipping crops.

The guy that's living at the top of the garbage heap

thinks he's doing pretty damn good.

For true "Oh-God-I-can't-take-it-anymore-misery", try the Dallas/Fort Worth area. You can expect: one-hour traffic times to go almost anywhere, 100+ heat in the summers and even in late spring and early Fall, and an almost absolute and total alienation from other humans, because chances are great that you won't ever see the same person twice, so you better plan for an office romance or be a church-goer if you crave human contact. And, Jim Adler ambulance-chasing commercials on local TV really add to the pain.

I live in the Bay Area. Napa is hardly a city. It's just a bunch of wine country with some farms.

Yep, Doug, Napa is a "town", not a city.

I sure am happy!

Liberalism is a disease eating away at heart and soul of the American people.

Teapublicanism eats away at the brain faster than rabies.

It proves nothing of the sort. I don't know why people keep pointing to Detroit (or the Midwest in general) as some sort of proof that government doesn't work. Denmark is the world's happiest country and it's got tax-funded universal healthcare, the world's highest minimum wage, a very high tax burden (taxes account for about 46% of its GDP) sustained by a highly progressive income-tax system, 80% of its workforce unionized, a comprehensive welfare net, and the lowest income inequality in the world. In other words, it's a Republican's version of hell. And, I repeat, it's the happiest country in the world.

Coincidence? Hardly.

Denmark is not as happy as you think.

It's got a monoculture (good) and a below replacement birthrate (bad). Denmark's population is selling its future to pay its present. My sister is a married to a Danish Citizen and is, herself, a citizen of Denmark.

By the way, the wait list to see a psychiatrist for non-emergent issues in Denmark is 2 years. Don't believe everything you read. Denmark's population is childless and aging.

By the way, the stores all close at 5 PM in Copenhagen. The number of cars in Copenhagen is very similar to the number of cars in Decatur, AL. I have spent time in both places.

I'm not sure how Andres made the leap from OUR government's failed funding to a supposed utopia in Denmark. But Andres seems to think that it is a Republican fault not a systems failure. How do you say 'delusional" in Danish?

And look at one of the happiest enclaves.....Napa, CA, with a white population of seventy-five percent and a median income of $49K (families $58K), far above places like Detroit. And the crime rate there is incredibly low. Could it be because the standard of living is much higher there, due to the fact that people make more money? Socio-economics have ALWAYS played a major role, no matter what right-wingers claim.

A very thin, questionable counterargument you're making there, Scott.

If anything, the fact that Denmark remains the world's happiest country (per Forbes, Gallup, et al) despite its aging population and dull nightlife can only reinforce the idea that its social democracy works very well and more than makes up for the country's demographic (and store hours) issues.

I'm sorry to say, but I'll take Forbes and Gallup's word over your own anecdotal evidence, which can be neutralized by one single account to the contrary (this one, for example denverpost.com/recommended/ci_13261279 ). Unless you provide a professional survey thoroughly disputing the ones I've cited, well, let's just say it's your opinion against my data.

I'd like to know, however, what it is that, according to you, renders a study praising Denmark invalid but doesn't with equal force render the findings that this article invalid as well. After all, they come from the same source, don't they?

And the "number of cars" isn't a measure of development. A lot of European countries (the ones with the highest quality of life, usually) have been trending toward fewer and fewer automobiles per 1,000 persons for a while. And it's not because they've been getting poorer. So I don't know what you're trying to illustrate with that particular point.

I'm not sure how Andres made the leap from OUR government's failed funding to a supposed utopia in Denmark. But Andres seems to think that it is a Republican fault not a systems failure. How do you say 'delusional" in Danish?

It's not that hard to understand, Don. I'm not talking about our government, specifically. I'm trying to debunk your fallacious suggestion that this list proves that big government is a failure.

Obviously, systemic features such as corruption, gridlock, and a wide ideological gap between Republicans and Democrats has played a role in making our government less efficient than Denmark's. But the fact that Denmark has thrived in the kind of system that Republicans have obstructed, vilified, and tried to render obsolete is a testament to the fact that they are, at least in principle, wrong about the ability of government to better the quality of life of a people. If you can't see how my using Denmark as an example of a successful social democracy proves you wrong in saying that government can't buy happiness, well, I'm sorry, but I can't make it any clearer.

Notice I'm not saying that a Republican-conceived utopia of limited government can't succeed. It probably can and, for the sake of some of our more Republican states, I sincerely hope it does. But the least you can do is to admit that a Democratic-conceived utopia of an active government can succeed, as it has in Denmark.

Hope that makes my argument easier to understand. Also, Google Translate says the word you're looking for is vrangforestilling. I wouldn't know, though. I don't understand a lick of the language. But, maybe, the word you're looking for is benægtelse.

It's ok, Andres. The teatards have ruined the republican party and you can stick a fork in them. They're done. They'll soon only exist in history books alongside the Whigs.

Actually Penelope, with bright people like you, they won't exist in History books, you clowns are editing history to make yourself look good. I mean, you libs readily blamed George Bush for everything happening, despite Congressional Control by Dems..but NOW it's the Teatards (via your idiot words) fault.

You clowns are so stupid and bias...IDIOT>

And this is in the top two cities trying to form nationwide policy...next to the great New York City...are you kidding me, and people are OK with this insane hypocrisy?? The nation would be better off with out this city and they are leading the way on gun control, and is where Owebama is from. What a joke this nation is and people are OK with it. Im with Rush for the first time in my life I ashamed of my country. Satan and his crew live here and is where he is ruling the dead from.

@!$%#, why most places are all around Big Lakes?

Denmark has a population of 5.5MIL ummmm G T F O looool

Hey AndresTM, if you think Denmark is such a great place do us all a favor and move there, I'm sure they would love another leeching socialist in their system.

Because during the Industrial Revolution the cities surrounding the great lakes because the hub of American made items. There was more room than out east to build sprawling factories and because of the Erie Canal large freight ships could move the products. Then Corp. America started shipping the manufacturing jobs to China, Mexico and nations without a minimum wage. So those laid off from the textile and steel industries went to call centers. Then those jobs went to India and the Philippines. The Midwest struggles because we love Walmarts & Costcos.

Fresno, CA isn't the greatest place either. I thought it would be on the list. It has high unemployment, the highest condensed area of poverty in the country, and gets stinkin' hot in the summer. It also has some of the worst air (smog) in the country and has the highest level of asthma in the country. It also has tons of gangs and crime. It used to be #1 for car theft. Such a lovely town ... NOT!

Andres, Denmark is filled with people with a northern European work ethic.

Urban areas and the South in the United States lack both (notably a work ethic).

I have to agree with Jedi. Those places on the sad list have Democratic leadership. I guess the Dems want all of America to be like Detroit and Chicago. I, for one, will be happy to keep my small town while the rest of you keep the Change and move Forward to financial ruin.

Born in Flint,joined the military at seventeen,went to war. Flint sucks worse.

Andy, Andy, Andy, Denmark doesn't have 360,000,000 people, Denmark doesn't have 20,000,000 illegal aliens stealing jobs and sending that money to third world countries, Denmark doesn't give billions of dollars that could and should used for the betterment of their country to a bunch of oxygen thieves that would rather kill them as to hear their very name so you are gonna need a much better argument than that.

Detroit was a booming city. Then....the Unions moved in. It has been a haven of Democratic corruption, and this is what you have left of what once was a booming city with lovely neighborhoods, responsible, productive families, opportunity.

GableGal,Napa,California is wine country.That could be why they are so darned happy.These articles are a joke.Happiness comes from within.

Don Harris

This just proves you can't buy happiness.

"People who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to shop." - Mrs. Thurston (Lovey) Howell III, Gilligan's Island

"Money may not buy happiness, but it sure can rent it." - Me

Aggie-345886

Detroit was a booming city. Then....the Unions moved in. It has been a haven of Democratic corruption, and this is what you have left of what once was a booming city with lovely neighborhoods, responsible, productive families, opportunity.

Detroit was once a booming city with lovely neighborhoods, responsible, productive families and opportunity because of the unions. Unions allowed the working middle-class to prosper and possess the income to buy and invest. Ironically, it all started with the vociferously anti-union Henry Ford, who - in order to stave off the unions - decided to pay his workers five dollars a day, an unheard of sum at that time. His fellow corporatists were shocked. They said if workers were paid that much, then they wouldn't have all their tens-of-millions to lavish on themselves. Ford countered that if people received a productive wage with an expendable income, they would be able to buy his cars thus making him more wealthy. He was right, of course, but his fellow corporatist remained steadfastly opposed. They believed that working people must be kept at the bottom of the economy in order for the corporatists to rake in lots of money. Ford started to make more money, lots more money, than they did, but they still wouldn't budge. It was all about corporate greed (and corporate stupidity) to them. And then the unions came in, demanding the same for all workers and they won. Workers now had expendable income to buy and invest. Corporatists now had a much wider market and made even more money from the booming, prosperous UNIONIZED working middle class. Everyone won. And then, after decades of prosperity for all, the corporatists wanted more. They didn't want to pay all that money to workers who were unionized. So they managed to get the government to break down tariff walls and ship jobs overseas. When that happened, the unionized (and even non-unionized, who got what they got because of unionized workers) no longer had jobs, so they stopped spending and investing. The corporatists no longer had customers who could afford to buy their stuff, so to bring prices down, they got rid of more American workers, and the whole thing has since spiralled out of control. Detroit is now the way it is because of greedy, rich corporatists, not because of unionized middle-class workers. It's time to tell the corporatists to either bring the jobs back and start paying the same level of wages (and benefits) they once did, or else their made-in-China stuff will be tariffed so high through the roof that none of it can be sold in America, plus the salaries of the corporatists will be taxed at 99%. To off-set that, any bussinesspersons who hire Americans and pay them unionized wages to make their products, goods and services will be taxed at 10%. They get to keep 90% of their profits, while off-shoring corporatists will get to keep 1%.

JediUtahn. Um, Mr. Romney, the campaign ended in November of last year, 2012.

China is looking for a few hundred million good people, looking forward. China. Just start digging in your back yard and keep going. You'll come out on the other side of the world in China where you will be welcome -pointed ears, round eyes, bizarre, hateful, cunning and all.

Stumblin in

You're an expert on nothing. Is "Um" supposed to be cute? How old are you? Twelve?

I lived in Georgia for many, many years, and disagree with you on every point. As for Detroit being an abysmal place, how in the world can that be with all the gubment bailout? Obama money. All the social services? All the unions?

Typical of what happens to welfare cities, especilly those ran by Dems.

The blind and gullible socialists are indeed amusing. Some point to European or Scandinavian countries where all seems well under socialism. What they fail to recognize is that these countries maintain the illusion of a successful socialistic state and continue to do so at the expense of consuming themselves.

Eventually, they will have consumed so much that there will be little left and the result will not be pretty (see Greece). All socialist countries are on this path between the honeymoon period (where they provide all sorts of government entitlements) and their inevitable conclusion.

Wet Willy ; Is your name Wet Willy or " LIMP WILLY "?

Just me 5.27

Gotta love you libs. When you can't dispute the message, attack the messenger. Pathetically Predictable.

Kathleen, that was about as informative as a NBC News article.

The second largest (and, arguably, one of the most beautiful and thriving) downtown districts in the country, beautiful parks, excellent food, friendly locals, gorgeous lakefront real estate, one of the most beautiful urban drives in the world (Lake Shore Dr.), the fourth largest city economy in the world with all its perks, some of America's most beautiful and representative architecture, a diverse populace with people from all over the world, two of the world's best universities with exquisite campuses, legendarily picturesque suburbs, and more-than-decent public transportation.

As for crime, it's highly localized (meaning the safe areas, outside of which you have no reason to go, are safe) and it's been significantly reduced since its peak in the early 1990s. 2012 was anomalously high, but far from being as bad as it is made out to be.

I live in Texas, but I've lived in Chicago before. I'd take Chicago (even with its Siberian winters, its politicians, and its taxes) over fundamentalist, scorching-hot, dull Texas in a heartbeat. In fact, that's what I hope to do in the near future.

Andre, been reading your bs...So MOVE back to Chicago..I'm sure they'd not miss you...GO, enjoy the values of Chicago living..."Localized" crime...That' so ignorant. On a recent trip I had to Chicago I was ADVISED by My Company, the hotel and the Taxi drivers to KNOW where I'm going and NOT Go at night. Yeah, localized to the City Limits...Suggesting crime was an anomaly is ignorant as Chicago has long been a bastion of BAD...

SO AGAIN LEAVE Texas, that Dull playce, I mean hey, if you go to Chicago you don't have to worry about a JOB based on your world, as Gov't will Provide..SO what's stopping you from LEAVING..>GO bright one.

Come to Chicago where you can get mugged, stabbed and shot all in one day anyplace in town. Yeah, this place should be ranked #1 especially when you consider the corrupt city officials.

No one is more corrupt in Chicago than the voters themselves.

Andy, moved to Texas and couldn't morally or economically bankrupt the great people of that great state, instead you bash them and have the audacity or maybe it's just ignorance ( I'm gonna go with the latter) to say Obama Land is better, we southerners have a name for idiots like you, you call your-self a Yankee, we call you a Damn Yankee and all that means is your a Yankee that wont go home. Go home and be with the people you love and suffer their Dem-A-Rat politicians and their Libtard constituents that vote for the likes of Jesse Jackson Jr. and Ram-Rod Emanuel. A little advice before you go, buy a gun and learn how to use it before you leave and don't leave mad just leave, hows that for southern hospitality.

Please andrestm, leave Texas. It is boring and dull. We need people who want to work and prosper without the help of the government.

Sweetie Poo, that's so stupid...Sweetie poo...You clowns blamed Bush, but NOW it's the Gov's fault. It's anyone but Dems for you clowns...

Kathleen, did you forget "all about money Jenny" (Dem)?

And it all started long before her, about the time of Governor Engler, (Rep)

Yes, after the death of Steel and Auto throughout Ohio, most of what's left is prison work.

The prisons are our number one industry in California.The powers that be want clean air and water so there isn't much industry left.That's why California is broke.Not enough private sector jobs to support the public sector.This seems to be the problem all over the U.S.

Yep cleaning lady, its the "powers that be" who foisted clean air and water on you. The smog, pollution, acid rain, choking fumes, epidemics of water borne illness were so much better for you and your family. And, unions are terrible, too. They fought for decent pay and benefits for people like you, when we all knew working in dangerous workplaces, for low wages, and no benefits is what you really wanted all along. Talk about UNGRATEFUL, lady! You take the cake.

Oh, and about public sector jobs-- they haven't done near as well as private sector jobs in our slow (thanks mainly to the "HELL NO!!!" Repubs) recovery. Cities, counties, and states have trimmed their work forces almost across the board. Private industry and business have made recoed profits, and even actually hired a few workers, to increase their profits farther. As President Obama (yep, the one who recently won a clear electoral victory) said, when compared to public sector jobs, "The private sector is doing ok." And, it is!

Yes, low education does lead to living below the poverty line. A decimated manufacturing sector due to offshoring doesn't help either. Most are too poor to be able to move, so a life of crime can look very promising as a way to try and live above the poverty line or eventually be able to afford to move.

Unions helped build Detroit and the greed created by Unions destroyed Detroit. It's rarely that simple but it accounts for about 90% of what killed Detroit. You simply can't have a business where people get 30 dollars an hour and benefits for popping on a hub cap all day.

Racist?

Penelope...Sweetie Poo...What is racist with that statement? Is it TRUE?

Well?

I mean, if a FAT Asian BALD women robs me, is it racist to identify her as a FAT Asian Bald women? GOSH, YES..It's PROFILING TOO...

I must identify them by only their hair color, and not say they were Asian, female and fat...as it'll offend poor Penelope...UH...EVEN when it's the TRUTH.

I grew up in Omaha, if there was a shooting, mugging, robbery, beating or car jacking you would be 90% correct if you guessed it was done by a black. This is not profiling nor racist............just honest to goodness odds and as they say always bet the odds. Just numbers no racism.

@ Jerry-1573453, it's OK Jerry, not all Blacks are offended by the truth. It's not racist, it is a well known fact among the Black community too. We are at a loss as to what to do! You see, our kids did much better when we as parents were allowed to whip their backside with a belt and when public schools could discipline by paddling bad students. But, all the smart social doctors took those tools away. Now our kids laugh at us and threaten us with police action. Timeouts and taking away priviledges just don't work as disciplinary tactics for Black youth, they need something a little more forceful. So, they grow up unruly, ignorant, arrogant, and lacking direction. But Jerry, please keep in mind that this is not all Black youth, some do have the fortitude to try and do right and not be a burden to American society. However, if your smart social doctors would allow us to go back to tanning that butt when they're young, a whole lot more would be upstanding citizens.

Viva, this goes the same for a lot of white kids too

@losconinhum: Seattle, Portland, OR, Portland, ME, Boise ID, Salt Lake City

The best place to live is where people make it the best place. When a multi-million people city exists there is more gov't aid. People become dependant on the assistance and therefore set the stage for a lifestyle. This lifestyle emerges into the norm for that area. The gov't allowed the jobs to go overseas therefore requiring the people to seek aid from the gov't. In the US not to many years ago there was a tarrif on goods brought into the country to be sold to protect American peoples jobs. Private industry and Elected gov't employees thru the purchase of stock wanted to make more money so American factories were and are being moved out of country so these wise investors can make more money on the wholesale side of marketing. It is all about money in the investors pockets. This has nothing to do with retail store prices.

Gasoline prices are the same. There are a few companies that purchase refined gasoline and sell it to the highest bidders. These companies get investors to invest dollars to purchase gasoline and they make a handsome profit. It has nothing to do with the price of unrefined oil. Diesel fuel adds to the price of retail goods. The higher the diesel fuel the more a comsumer is going to pay at the store. Again this is investor regulated. Fuel is all about additional funds being placed in the investors pockets. Like the saying goes,

"the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." Elected gov't officials are right in the investors catagory.

Sadly, yes. There was vibrancy in the are of the Ren Cen in the 80's. Culture came back and Greek Town was jamming.

Still, there's the Detroit Institute of Arts, Greenfield Village, and the Henry Ford Museum. There are other venues, but these are the big three.

No one moves to motown but plenty leave

Actually, there are plenty of people (white even) who are moving into Detroit. Great housing prices and some strong neighborhoods to join. Many people my age (30's) are moving there because the jobs pay well and the cost of living is low. I actually enjoy Detroit and try to get there several times a year. There are some great hot spots and awesome food. It's a shame people condemn without visiting.

hahahahaha

redwingcyn, you need to lay off the pipe. Detroit sucks! And I'm from the area, I won't go there and don't recommend anyone going there...

No truer words have ever been repeated.

It's not about them being Blue States, what they are though are the Industrial Age States. States upon which this country was built during the first 80 years of the 20th Century. Auto, steel, iron works, mining, manufacturing. A country can't offshore all that production and the jobs that go with it and not expect ruins to be left. Hopefully you'll be around when the oil dries up in Texas and hi-tech can no longer support the Silicon Valley, then you'll understand what happens to cities when their economic base disappears.

uhhh.... even billionaires and millionaires can experience economic disaster.....

you should have been here when the tech sector crashed.... young millionaires were standing in the unemployment lines.... bmw's were all lined up in the parking lots of pawn shops..... silicon valley took in so many interns from china and india among other places, they stole technology and intelectual property, than threw the worlds seat of technology into disarray...

american technology has finally found their way back home.... big lessons learned.... it's kickin b u t t once again.... but poverty and misery are all relative.............

Beaumont is the highest concentration of blacks in Texas.

Happiness is a state of mind...doesn't really matter where you live...that's all folks.

Ain't none left they stole the bulbs when the smarter ones left.

@heavyjuice, You know the old saying, "there are pros and cons to everything", well, actually, desegregation has been a con to Black Americans. Turns out that we were actually better off being segregated. It's all there in the history of many cities across this country, all you have to do is a little research. What you'll find is that there were many Black owned businesses and professionals after the Reconstruction period. Especially in the South! There were entire streets and districts in many southern cities as the laws of Jim Crow indirectly helped to establish these areas because White businesses and professionals wouldn't serve us. I don't know where you live, but if you ever visit some southern cities, just ask some of the 'old' locals who were there before desegregation hit in the late 1960's. The effect of desegregation upon Black businesses was identical to the effect that Wal-Mart has had on White Family-Owned Retail businesses, it wiped them out! Because now we could shop and do business at White establishments, and White establishments have more diverse and lower cost supply chains that results in lower retail prices. So, in a capitalistic economy, it's basically about being able to compete, and most Black businesses could not compete because their profit margins were too thin due to supply chain costs and non-competitive retail prices. Also, honestly, misperception played a major factor too, especially concerning Black professionals, i.e. doctors, lawyers, home builders, etc. That perception was that White professionals were better because their quality of post-secondary education was better. So, we ended up abandoning Black-owned practices thinking the quality of services were better across town.

There are many pros to desegregation, but my point was to address your comment about Blacks not being industrious and owning their own businesses like Asians do today.

The most depressing thing is that half the people think everything would be ok if the other party was in power. Both parties are exactly the same.

@dinox64, You just don't know much about anything. I agree with 'Me from over here', both parties are but fronts for the wealthy and powerful who actually dictate. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"!

Best wishes to you!