Views About Economic Decay In A Democrat Run City
Detroit Democrats Need To Work With Detroit Republicans
by Akindele Akinyemi    [email protected]
Today Urban Conservatives must strive for political and economic balance in the community in which we live in. It is criminal for us to continue voting Democratic in Detroit when our conditions still remain the same.In this 21st century, we have to accept the truth of our situation.
.Detroit has been under Democratic control for more than 40 years. The promise of independence is yet to be fulfilled. We had thought that Manna would fall from heaven but rather than manna falling from heaven, what we have are failing schools, famine, disease, Socialist dictatorships, human rights abuses, despotic leaders who prefer to loot the peoples' treasuries for their own personal aggrandizement, leaders who prefer to force the adulation of the masses with the barrels of a gun rather than with the provision of simple amenities to the people - like good roads, low taxes, educational options, health care facilities, good environment for learning and opportunities for employment.
.Detroit is worse off today than when the White people first left. Everything we use in Detroit is imported. Even though we have been under Democratic control for 40 years we still blame Republicans for everything that happens in Detroit today. Our leaders are not men enough to accept responsibility for the abject poverty of our people. We accuse Republicans of plundering and pillaging the natural resources of Detroit. But I ask you, tell me, who are inviting them to do this? Are they not our own people?
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit is a Democrat.
The Detroit City Council are Democrats.
The Detroit School Board are Democrats.
The Detroit Water Board are Democrats.
The State Representatives who represent Detroit are all Democrats. The lone Republican is Ed Gaffney.
The State Senators who represent Detroit are Democrats.
The Wayne County Commissioners who represent Detroit are Democrats.
The Wayne County Clerk is a Democrat.
The Wayne County Executive is a Democrat.
The Detroit City Planning Commission are Democrats.
The Detroit Office of the Mayor are Democrats.
The people working in Detroit Public Schools are Democrats.
The Detroit Planning and Development are Democrats.
BOTH Congressman John Conyers and Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick are Democrats.
Detroit City Clerk is a Democrat.
The Detroit Police Department are Democrats.
The Detroit Fire Department are Democrats.
The Unions (DFT, MEA, AFT, ATU, SEIU, UAW, AFL-CIO, etc. ) are Democrats.
Black Radio Stations (Radio One, WGPR, WHPR) are Democrats.
The Black Churches in our community support the Democratic Party.
The Detroit Public Library are Democrats.
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is controlled by Democrats.
98% of the Neighborhood Block Clubs in Detroit are Democrats.
97% of the Neighborhood Associations are Democrats.
The Detroit Branch NAACP are Democrats.
The Wolverine Bar Association are Democrats.
This is totally ridiculous to keep voting the same pattern year after year. While Asians, Jews, Arabs and Hispanics have political representation on both sides of the aisle we are the only race that are one side of the aisle. And that side is Democratic. When a Black Republican wants to run for office they call us "Uncle Tom, Bitch, Nigga, Sambo, Aunt Jemima, sellout" and have death threats over our heads. Yet, I cannot find one single individual in Detroit or any urban community in America to explain to me why we should all have our eggs in one basket.
What I have learned about Blacks in the Democratic Party is this. It is a party that continues to support welfare policies that continue to separate the Black family as if we are still in physical slavery. It is a party that feeds into the very emotions of Black people (especially our young adults) to keep us angry at other races for their successes. The Urban Agenda from the Democratic side has produced nothing but empty rhetoric, false promises and Black Power. After 40 years of Black Power and waking up to the reality in which we are living in don't you think it is time to do something different?
I also find it very interesting of how we have this blind allegiance to Bill and Hillary Clinton. While Bill Clinton received over 90% of the Black vote both of his terms in office he never placed an African American in a very high cabinet position (except the late Ron Brown and Rodney Slater) as compared to what President Bush has done with both Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice. Do you know what most Black leaders call these people? Sellouts. Not only the Black liberals call them these names but they will even side with Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia who is a well known Klansman. Now who is on the plantation? Black liberals who follow the crowd or Black Republicans who believe in personal responsibility?
When a Black Republican is teaching the truth liberals call it "rhetoric."
Our old Black liberal leadership continues to rape, sellout and destroy the potential political balance that we could create here in Detroit. The key answer is political balance. While the old guard are stuck in 1966 with the Black Power Movement Young Black Democrats and Young Black Republicans must come together to create an execution strategy to save our community. I still do not understand why we have not come together yet. Most of this has to do with fear.
We need to realize that Detroit is a poor city and Wayne County is a shrinking county. How many reports have we heard about Democratic politicians in this area misleading people? Granholm was just on TV telling Michigan how she would not raise taxes. After she was re-elected she wants to raise taxes.  

We have to sit back and look in the mirror and see the culprit of our misfortune. It is not the Republican Party that many have been led to believe. While Black Republicans are also part of the problem by being silent in a predominately Democratic city when we look at the end results we see how Black Democrats in leadership are responsible for what is happening to us today.

the reason a city is run by Democratic politicians is that 90% of the voters are union people from the auto mfgrs, dating back more than half a century; and that the reason the place is trash now is because the auto mfgrs have gone down the tube is because the corporate mgmt couldn't cope with industry changes?

??

And for the majority of the last 40 years the Democrats have been running these poverty stricken cities but the Republicans get the blame ..

-- Modified on 6/3/2007 11:53:43 AM

The Democrats traditionally represent the various fragmented, disenfranchised, debtor groups.   Are they mismanaging, or simply starting from, and working with, a resource that can't be improved?

For all that, these blighted cities seem to produce the majority of the wealth that runs America and subsidizes the red states.   Is it possible that somebody is getting ripped off here?

The Republicans are quick to take credit for their situation, but what work did GW do, to be born a Bush?  And how much credit should Cheney get for having other priorities, ie advancing his career, when most of the rest of us were getting our asses shot at?

Yet somehow Republicans always find something to cry about - you know, the gardener dropped his McDonalds wrapper or something that makes them a victim.   These days it's usually about Iraq, and how people who don't support their incredible waste of blood and money are traitors.  

I'm glad that article got it straight! I think all black people should file a class action agzinst the democrats for fuckin up Detroit!

Detroit is NOT all fucked up because of all the black people in office making foolish social engineering decition.

Nor does the record high black male unemployment rate have anything to do with it, noooo! (And when I say unemployed, I really mean NEVER employed)

The school system problems couldn't have anything to do with all the young black thugs dropping out or bringing gangs into the schools, noooo!

It could not have ANYTHING to do with race! It's all because of those damn Democrats and those mutha fuckin' white republicans that ran 'da shit 40 years ago!

This is what statisticians call a spurious relationship.

Yes, Democrats have been in political power in Detroit for 40+ years, and the city has gone to heck in that time [along with  the Detroit Lions].

You have to be careful what you're arguing, and how.  The cruelest might point out that, during that same period, the African-American pupulation of Detroit has increased to become, not just the majority ethnic group in Motown, but the overwhelmingly dominant ethnic group in terms of demographics.  You would be equally correct to point of the overwhelming demographic presence of African-americans as the cause of Detroit's demise.   And equally wrong, as this is not your intention.

A similar case can be argued for beloved Newark, NJ, a burg which is Detroit writ-small.

As Jack0 points out, Detroit, as a northern industrial city which is heavily unionized, tends to vote overwhelmingly Democratic come what may.

Political mismanagement on a cosmic scale may be one of the problems of Detroit [as it no doubt is of Newark, and pretty much all of industrial NJ, and God only knows how many other rustbelt cities], but just one.  Follow the money, we're told often.  So, let me advise you consider long term economic changes which have hurt, not helped, Motown.

There is nothing wrong in arguing the case for African-American participation in the affairs of the GOP. [And that McGowan woman is some looker]. Until the New Deal, African-Americans were securely part of the base of the GOP [sorry, Trent Lott, that's the truth]. But  please argue that case honestly and on it's merits, not by reference to a [mostly] straw man comparison. To do so does  a diservice to the cause you seek to champion.

TY.

I disagree that "The Democrats traditionally represent the various fragmented, disenfranchised, debtor groups".  First traditionally to me would mean a long period of time and the Democrats have certainly not been representing anyone but themselves for a long period of time. I will concur that the Democrats have always talked about getting things done but I have yet to see major good results since Hubert Humphrey.I think Unregulated rampant welfare was designed to help keep the Blacks from success. After all it worked well with the model of the American Natives and the Reservations.
The blighted parts of the cities in America do not contribute to the welfare of the country either economically or socially. The only people who usually get ripped off are the Black community who have their city land and homes taken by eminent domain and ten years later the land is worth a hundred times or sometimes as in D.C a thousand times what they were paid.
As far as RED STATE BlUE STATE that is a media misconception designed for the easily led. There is no Red State Blue State as we are a mix.. Take Va for example when a Republican or a Democrat wins the Senate or a new Governor is elected it is uaually by a margin of less than 5% and sometimes less than 1%. I would not call either outcome Red Or Blue unless I was ignorant of colors. Maybe we are just a purple country.
 I might be wrong on this as I have never looked up all the exact figures but I would wager a small amount the average majority of all the states combined votes for either political party is less than 5%. New York might be the highest 70%?..just guessing on NY figures on  Democrats but other states are probably more equal. As far as one state supporting another there are just as many Democrat Big Business and Small Business as Republicans  keeping this country rolling.
Maybe I missed something as I am not familiar with Republicans whining anymore than Democrtas but then again I am not a good source for that as I  tend to avoid whiners in general.

You blow off a very well though out, detailed, documented post about the failure of the urban, democratic machine and respond by talking about Bush and Iraq and whatever other drivel leaks from that brain of yours. Have you ever actually tried to discuss an idea or concept as opposed to counter-attack anything that goes against your blind ideology? Once again, nice filibustering.

You're not answering the question.  What you're doing is rehashing your opinions (ie, not connected to external facts) and tossing up a few non-sequiturs.

EG: that Democrats only represent themselves does not support your disagreement.  The same logic can be said of any group, and is pointless.

EG: "Blighted parts do not contribute" but the fact is that most wealth is generated in urban areas, which are strongly Democratic, whether they are rich OR poor; and those areas subsidize the Republican voting red areas - you are correct, that states are not the most accurate indicator, but that still undermines your argument.

Yes, you're missing a lot, one being logic.  Your original contention, that Republicans freed the slaves, does not address the present reality, that Republicans today support the principles of the Confederacy.

There are arguments either way, but you aren't making them, and I'm not going to the effort of a detailed response unless you deal with the issues.  If you can't follow a logical pattern, I'm not here to teach you that.

but that still wouldn't deal with the question of cause and effect - ie, does a person vote Republican because he owns 40 apts, or does he own the apts because he followed Republican principles?

In the case of Detroit, the city is so closely tied to the auto industry, that it's almost entirely the result of problems in that industry.  
The industry got itself in a corner, and that is not the fault of Democratic politicians.

But if you generalize to all cities, then yes, they are mostly Democratic, and they do generate most of the wealth.  It might be more even if you were to break the cities into neighborhoods, but NONE of that gets back to the central question, are people Democrats or Republicans because of their situation, or did their beliefs put them where they are?

Well, let's ask that question about the most visible politician in the US - is George Bush a Republican because he was born into it, or is he a Republican because of his management skills?

I'm sorry, I meant STFU.

-- Modified on 6/3/2007 5:16:36 PM

Perhaps you can answer the obvious question I posed.  Until then, you're slinging shit.

Because it looks pretty obvious that blaming Democrats as the primary source of Detroit's woes is pretty dumb, and your sources' credibility suffers.

Your writer suggests that if blacks were just more responsible, that Detroit wouldn't have problems.   Of all the places to pick to make that thesis, Detroit has to be the worst.  

So YOU shift the issue to every other run-down city, while carefully evading MY question, is it *cause*, or *effect*?

Because I'm not interested in arguing with you.  What I'm interested in doing is getting a little more intellectual discipline into politics, so that we don't do quite so many DUMBASS things.

Your writer may have identified some, but if he thinks that Democratic politicians screwed up the auto industry, I think he's just going to the opposite extreme, and going to make the classic politicians' mistake, ie, run off the other side of the road.

Actually, if people would just do everything MY way, and be happy with the result, there would never be any problem, would there?  That's all I ask, is that people do things my way and not carp.

You see how sensible that argument is?



-- Modified on 6/3/2007 9:04:53 PM

doesn't look like it to me.

San Diego and Orange county.  Both have come within a gnat's ass of bankruptcy within the past decade.

Now how could that be?  Here are a couple of really nice places, not hurting for money in any way, and Republican administrations nearly bankrupted them both.

Why?  Is it because Republicans are shitty managers?  Because they're greedy?

Well, if you looked closely, you'd find it was because THESE particular Republicans really liked creative accounting, sorta like the Enron accounting.

Money money money - what can I say?  Should I say that Ponzi scheming is a basic plank of the Republican platform?  

I don't know that it's all about finances.  I think it's about a lot of other things, too, like faith-based government, hearing voices telling us to do things, like go kill some ragheads that aren't really connected to 9/11, and use that ploy to sack the US treasury and pass all sorts of panic provisions that, surprise surprise, strenghten the administration's political hand, and allow them to drag out the old "support the troops now that we've sent them into an ambush". which is just about as sensible as comparing todays' Republicans to Lincoln's Republicans.


BK, I hear you saying that you'd rather be roughed up than dead.  My suspicion is that it doesn't have to be a choice.  Roughing up airline passengers doesn't make us any more secure.

-- Modified on 6/3/2007 5:20:21 PM

How many thousand?  2,000?

So, how many thousand "blighted inner cities" are there in the USA?  We've got 50 states, so you need to identify, what, about 400 Democratic run ghettos PER STATE?!

Cut it in half - can you find ONE thousand ghettos  in the USA?

Let's approach it from another angle: there are about 254 US cities over 100,000 population.  Assume they're *all* Democratic run ghettos.  

You're still off by a factor of 4.

That's OK, Quad.  So you're bull-shitting.  It's what we expect.

thousands of poverty stricken blighted inner cities run by Democrats??
Posted by jack0116533  , 6/3/2007 8:48:04 PM   [jack0116533 has 13 reviews]

How many thousand?  2,000?

So, how many thousand "blighted inner cities" are there in the USA?  We've got 50 states, so you need to identify, what, about 400 Democratic run ghettos PER STATE?!

Cut it in half - can you find ONE thousand ghettos  in the USA?

Let's approach it from another angle: there are about 254 US cities over 100,000 population.  Assume they're *all* Democratic run ghettos.  

You're still off by a factor of 4.

That's OK, Quad.  So you're bull-shitting.  It's what we expect.


 Quad says ...........If you are not afraid to look you can find inner city blight in cities less than a hundred thousand.
 And Confucious says... 50 times 400 is a lot more than 2000

How many of you have your blinders on??? The truth is MOST Anglo Saxons and similiar in America were predjudiced against Blacks , and other minorities before the KKK was born when it thrived and when it died. Ask your White friends in their 50s and 60s how many Black children were in their Elementary schools???

Tell me how a Louis Farrakhan with his preaching of hatred and revulsion towards Jews amd white people as a means towards Black Empowerment is any less of a despicable racist piece of shit than a David Duke or a Tom Metzger.

I went to boarding schools and had private tutoring in Hebrew. The same tutor also taught the black child living next door to me. His name was Spanky. That was in 1956.
Spanky is coming over for coffee in a few hours. He's gonna call me Nigga, and I'm gonna call him Kikeboy. Then he's going to make fun of me in Yiddish, and I'm going to make fun of him in Ebonics. We've been doing it for over 50 years now. My housekeeper always reacts with awe and astonishment when we get into it.

The point is, race hatred is not genetic. Nor is it the exclusive purview of the Caucasian "race".
Man what a disgusting word that is. A race is a competition involving speed. What the fuck does it have to do with genetics, anyway?

My gloves are still on. Give me the excuse to take 'em off.

OK, so name 1,000 blighted inner cities run by Democrats.  This is such a no-brainer, I don't need to waste brain-cells thinking about math, you're still so far out of the ballpark, I should be billing you for my time...

If you're not afraid, then you can just tell us, that Democrats are responsible for poverty, ie, every run down shack in Louisiana.    That is precisely the same logic that would hold the  public defender guilty of solicitation because he's assigned to defend you.

You still evade the first most obvious questions, (1) is it cause, or effect, and (2) do you suppose that Detroit could possibly have problems other than Democrats?

Sorry, bud, you need to shift gears if you want to establish any credibility.

I can't tell you anything good about Louis Farakhan unless I lie. I have Duke and Farakhan pegged as clones with differnt tans.
I stand my post "MOST" Anglo Saxons and similiar were racists not that long ago.. Now is much better but we{as a people}stll have ways to go.
 My point was Racism was "learned" by most just a few generations ago.. Fortunately not everyone was a good learner but we "as a people" are definitely getting better.
 Back to my original question... Any of you lighter tanned peoples born in the 50s have any Black children in your elementary school? I am speaking of children in school not boys with tutors teaching different children..

Posted by quadseasonal  , 6/3/2007 2:27:38 PM   [quadseasonal has 9 reviews]

I disagree that "The Democrats traditionally represent the various fragmented, disenfranchised, debtor groups".  First traditionally to me would mean a long period of time and the Democrats have certainly not been representing anyone but themselves for a long period of time. I will concur that the Democrats have always talked about getting things done but I have yet to see major good results since Hubert Humphrey.I think Unregulated rampant welfare was designed to help keep the Blacks from success. After all it worked well with the model of the American Natives and the Reservations.
The blighted parts of the cities in America do not contribute to the welfare of the country either economically or socially. The only people who usually get ripped off are the Black community who have their city land and homes taken by eminent domain and ten years later the land is worth a hundred times or sometimes as in D.C a thousand times what they were paid.
As far as RED STATE BlUE STATE that is a media misconception designed for the easily led. There is no Red State Blue State as we are a mix.. Take Va for example when a Republican or a Democrat wins the Senate or a new Governor is elected it is uaually by a margin of less than 5% and sometimes less than 1%. I would not call either outcome Red Or Blue unless I was ignorant of colors. Maybe we are just a purple country.
I might be wrong on this as I have never looked up all the exact figures but I would wager a small amount the average majority of all the states combined votes for either political party is less than 5%. New York might be the highest 70%?..just guessing on NY figures on  Democrats but other states are probably more equal. As far as one state supporting another there are just as many Democrat Big Business and Small Business as Republicans  keeping this country rolling.
Maybe I missed something as I am not familiar with Republicans whining anymore than Democrtas but then again I am not a good source for that as I  tend to avoid whiners in general.

 It is cause and Detroits biggest problem is overpaying auto workers  who have to pay someone else for the right to work.