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American presidential election: in the heart of industrial cities
American presidential election: in the heart of industrial cities
(France 2)
Heading, this Sunday, October 6, to Ohio and Indiana, two states symbols of an industrial America which constantly oscillates between the hope of a rebirth and the fatigue of disillusionment.
Taking the road to meet working-class America means passing huge abandoned factories and crossing towns abandoned to their fate. Like Youngstown (Ohio, United States), an industrial city sung by Bruce Springsteen, which is one of the state’s former glories. It is now the symbol of an area in economic decline. Frank Marr is a former steel factory worker. His closed in 1977, after 16 years of activity. “In all these buildings, steel was being melted, there were people everywhere”he said.
5,000 positions, or 12% of the city’s jobs, were eliminated with the closure of the factory. Workers who were not specialized “had great difficulty finding work.assures Frank Marr. Little by little, the neighborhoods were emptied of their inhabitants. In the last two elections, Ohioans voted for Donald Trump, attracted by his promises of job relocation. If today automobile factories have replaced steelworks, closures continue to multiply. Many people no longer believe in the promises of politicians.
Other cities, located in the Rust Belt, have been able to bounce back. In Evansville (Indiana), the entire downtown area has been transformed to bring back the population. The municipality offers between $5,000 and $7,000 to new arrivals.
Watch the full report in the video above.