Wake up Detroit or Is It Too Late? Update --> Holy War?

Governor Granholm says ...

"I would expect and hope that whoever is in the chair after that (the election) would engage in outreach to the entire state and that it goes both ways -- that the state reaches out to the city of Detroit,"

"We are only as strong as our largest city. And we have all got a vested interest in ensuring that Detroit succeeds."

qualityg says…

For years I have been hearing public policy makers say, “The state of Michigan is only as strong as the city of Detroit” - WRONG

Please understand that improvement in a part (Detroit), even the largest part taken separately from the whole (Michigan) will not result in improvement. As you can see the Governor and many others public policy makers have it backwards. I used to think they were afraid to say it correctly, but maybe they just don’t know about systems thinking.

Perhaps it's like everything else no one wants to be labeled or take on the tough issues because of the "R" word. People would rather sit back and not say anything because of being branded. You can go to a Detroit City Council meeting and try to speak over shouts of being racist or being told to get out or looking like those people in the suburbs or your just a "Tom."Last time I checked there were over 250,000 non-black citizens (Caucasians, Hispanics, Asians) living in the city in Detroit. Who represents them on the council?

Just this past week Detroit held a primary for Mayor to replace the biggest buffoon in the History of Detroit's politics that was sent to jail a few months back for a host of crimes. The following is from the Detroit Newspapers

"Although Detroit's schools have been decimated, entire neighborhoods are dilapidated, political corruption is epidemic, and crime rages on, only 15% of the electorate bothered to vote. It's hard to imagine what it will take to motivate voters in Detroit to take back their city. While new leadership is on the horizon, the same apathy that led to the collapse of a once great city still prevails."

The state is about to take over the Public School System who just fired the lady they just hired at the beginning of the school year for trying to make the tough decisions.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090227/SCHOOLS/902270391/1409/METRO

The city is in such debt that when offers to help come outside of Detroit to buy (and still be part owner) an undersized building called Cobo Hall that can no longer handle large conventions and events like the International Auto Show (Formally known as the Detroit Auto Show) The "R" word is raised again and then the Detroit City Council wants the Federal Stimulus Money to be used to keep the building solely in Detroit's hands.

From the Detroit Free Press - Conyers, Watson and Collins suggested using federal stimulus money to fund the expansion and upgrade of Cobo.
"This is about what is best for my constituents, the residents of Detroit," Conyers said after the vote.

Collins went further, saying Detroit should get the stimulus money directly, "bypassing the racist extortions of the state of Michigan."
Granholm said she was disappointed by the council's vote and noted that Cobo's expansion would not be eligible for federal stimulus funding.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902270317


The partnership group which includes Wayne County (Detroit Resides) will expand Cobo to a world class convention center to handle any kind of huge auto show.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902250319

qualityg says ...

I'm so afraid! NOT - 80% the Detroit City Council are incompetent!

Update 3/6/09

I turned on my TV at 5:30 am this morning and as I walked to get a cup of coffee I heard a woman singing/ranting the song "Onward Christian Soldier." It turned out be a Detroit Councilwoman. Across the table from her sat Councilwoman Martha Reeves (of the Vandellas).
She too is part of this lunacy.

Better yet watch this Video -http://apps.detnews.com/apps/multimedia/player/index.php?id=3226

Updated 4/3/09

When will these people go away and let Detroit try to revive itself with good solid leadership. It's a toss up between the Detroit City Council and the Detroit School Board as to who are the most incompetent.

City Council - See related related articles on the right hand sidebar:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090403/METRO01/904030349/1409/Kenyatta+calls+for+censure+of+Conyers

School Board - Went from 100+ million dollar deficit to now over 350 million dollars
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090403/SCHOOLS/904030397/1026/DPS+manager+reveals+vision+to+fix+deficit

Unfortunately, this week Detroit is hosting the NCAA College Basketball Championships and these Bozos are competing for TV time and Newspaper space again showing the world "The Demise of a once great American city."