Where Did Those People Go? Tent City, 2007/8

Photo: televiseus

Where Did Those People Go?...

We wondered, after we thought of the consequences of the 18,000 or so property foreclosures here in our own Wayne County, Michigan. No, we haven't seen the tent cities forming here in Michigan...at least not yet. (It's too d*mn*d cold, for one thing). Here, mostly, the homeless take mainly to the streets...

But we have read of tent cities forming in parts like Ohio and California. And, we recently viewed a newscast on NBC, about the tent city that (still!) exists just out New Orleans city hall. Most of the NO tent dwellers are victims of Katrina. We thought it unusual that a major network (like NBC) did do a report on the real bad news like the still thriving tent city in NO. Why is it still there? Weren't millions (billions?) of dollars allocated for these poor victims? Yes. But the money hasn't made it to them - at least not yet... Seems that there are going to be corruption charges and an Inspector General is on the job tracking the money trail...

But, the people in this tent city do seem a little too...what's the word?...complacent? We know, they can't dare rise up in revolt lest the city will have them bulldozed out of there. And where would they go then? Will the IG succeed in locating the missing funds and having it distributed to the rightful recipients? What happens if he fails? Will the tent city residents rise up in open rebellion?

What about the other tent cities that are forming? Will they, too, experience a similar loss of federal funding? Will they rise up in open rebellion?

And, we are hearing more ominous drumbeats...about petroleum. One of our editors happens to work (part-time) for a major petroleum supplier here in the US. Seems that they had a program where customer consumers of their products, would get fuel rewards for making purchases with this company (unnamed). Seems that our nervous legislature has stepped in and outlawed the fuel rewards. Is this a sign, too, of more bad news? Is oil and gasoline rationing going to take place in the foreseeable future? We're not sure, but be prepared to get those gas ration coupons when they are printed.

Photo: pingnews

But the economy, they tell us, is good - right? Multiple tax foreclosures, tent cities, jobs being lost oversees, millions of illegal immigrants and possible dipping into those federal reserves of petroleum. No, it doesn't sound too good, does it? Updated 12/27/07: Oil prices climb on surprising drop in supplies

And the housing cycling is turning downward. Home prices are falling...again.

What if these phenomena spread throughout our nation? Are we looking at armed civilian revolt and gasoline and food riots? What then? Will our president (this one - or even the next) impose martial law? (Curbside executions)? What will become of our nation then? We know it is considered a mortal sin to sow the seeds of discord...but we are genuinely fearful. And we are looking with dread to Tent City, USA, 2007/8.