Bellyaching from House Republicans

You know during the summer people like to do all sorts of things like go to the beach, play baseball it is have the time. Here Detroit it's raining today so instead of engaging in some fun summer activities I decided just to watch a little TV. So since I wanted to know what was going on the world of politics right now I turn to one of my favorite channels c-span. And I decided to watch the US House of Representatives. Now for the last two hours I have heard Republican after Republican come up and complain about the president's healthcare legislation. Now if we all remember during the Clinton administration President Clinton understood thin needed to be reformed. But because of the special-interest that control the Republican Party and some Democrats who were scared of a little political heat defeated Bill Clinton's efforts to reform healthcare. I say no more we need to reform healthcare now. The Republicans are not offering any realistic alternatives that are continuing to call healthcare reform socialize medicine, government run healthcare.

Now how did all of this bellyaching from House Republicans get started? Well the answer comes from a press conference that Michael Steele the chairman of the Republican national committee hailed yesterday. He basically called on all Republicans to attack president Obama on his healthcare plan and the stimulus legislation that was passed earlier this year. So the Republicans tagline is where are the jobs. Well I have an answer last ask former president George W. Bush. We lost some 3 million jobs during his last year in office. Because of his policies America was led into the worst recession since the Great Depression. Some economists are saying that we will possibly be out of recession by the end of this year. That's because president Obama began putting in the correct policies that will get this country back on track. But instead of Republicans working with the president and the Democratic majority in Congress they have decided to become the party of no. That's because Republicans continue to care more about the status quo and the rich, big business and special interests over regular everyday Americans.

And I think sometimes that Republicans forget that much of the economic turmoil that we're seeing now comes from the exact policies that they put in place when they had control of Congress and the White House. It is inaccurate to blame president Obama and congressional Democrats for current conditions when Republicans were the exact cause of the current conditions that we are seeing in this country. Instead of wanting to reform healthcare which we know will help drive down the deficit Republicans want to continue seeing more than 40 million Americans without health coverage even more Americans without adequate coverage. Republicans want to continue to spend billions and billions of dollars on healthcare while Americans continue to get sicker and sicker. I healthcare system is the laughingstock of the world it is a shame that the richest country on the face of the planet had taped his poor health care system. I know people in Detroit who has cancer, epilepsy, diabetes and many other debilitating diseases that if they were able to go see a doctor they could feel much better. Republicans think of themselves and their rich buddies instead of everyday Americans. That's why the American people put them on of office and elected a president and a Congress that eventually going to do the job. No more waiting reform healthcare now.

Cobo Deal

Dear Councilwoman Alberta Tinsley-Talabi,


I recently received a copy of your spring 2009 community update. Any delay cow five specific reasons why you could not support the proposed transfer of the Cobo exhibition center to a regional authority. I would like to address these five stars that you laid out because I disagree with all of the reasons the layout. In your first reason you claim that the parking revenues from the Cobo would have a negative impact on the Council's ability to deal with the city's budget deficit. First off the reason why we're still in the budget deficit is because the Council continues to spend money that we don't have. Instead of making the tough choices such as eliminating departments at combining departments which would make city government more efficient the Council continues to allow business to go on as usual. Secondly, money from a parking structure is not a good way to stabilize the city budget. Creating a better economic environment in the city for small-business tax cuts and property tax cuts would create a better economic environment in Detroit so that small businesses can grow. This will be a better way to permanently address the city's budget deficit.

In your second reason why you could not support the deal you question the government structure that the Cobo would go to. In many other cities across this country, exhibition centers such as the one we have in Detroit I not only by one city they are in the hands of a regional authority or some sort of nonprofit organization. This specific argument that you may a similar to one previous mayors transferred management of the Detroit Institute of arts, the Detroit zoo and other similar venues around Detroit. The fact is the city of Detroit is not have them signs to continue to operate these venues. If I were to go to New York today it will be the same story the city of New York would go bankrupt if they try to own every museum that is their. Your third reason that you provide it claim he that there was no timeline I thought was the weakest excuse of all of them. We are no timeline if you were to get this money and the deals happen the time I would be by the in 2011 or 2012 auto show.

The fourth reason you provide it state that you could not support any deal that did not include at least a minimum of 30% geographical preference for Detroit residents and businesses. I would think that if anyone was going to run the Cobo they would want the experience of much if not all of the current staff that work there. Councilwoman let's just be honest some people may get laid off some of them probably will deserve it. I have all the times that I have gone to Cobo for different events there have always been at least one person that has not had any very nice attitude. Or some of the prices they charge are completely unfair. It's just like on the buses a number of the drivers have rotten attitudes. Especially when you ask them why they're late coming to your stop or they get mad at you if you tell them where you need to go. And your final reason you claim that you would not know the full impact of the transfer on city employees. Councilwoman for some reason many Council members believe that government is supposed to be all to everyone. This thinking is outdated, the city of Detroit cannot employ every single person in this here. We should be focusing our efforts on creating an environment where business can grow. We should also be encouraging citizens to go back to school to get retrained so that when the economy starts to turn around they would be able to find good paying jobs. The days of working in a factory and then retiring has ended. People must look at other industries if they want to make a living for themselves. A large part of that is going back to school and getting some sort of certification or degree.

Councilwoman I do not write this letter out of disrespect I write it as a concerned citizen who believes that are city is on the wrong path. Out of all of the other Council members you are one of the few that has my respect. You conduct yourself type of grace and dignity that one would expect from a public official. For that I thank you. I just disagree with your vote to kill the Cobo deal. I hope that you will reconsider your position.

Sincerely,
Donald L. Stuckey II
Precinct Delegate
D-Detroit,MI

We need Smart talk

You know there's been a lot of buzz about the field of candidates for this year's Detroit city Council election. In all honesty I have seen very little difference from past election cycles. The field of candidates still have no idea of what they're talking about. It boggles my mind because many of these folks have worked has graduated from very good schools and have worked in industries for good number of years. Yet they still do not know how city government works. Take for example former Fox 2 Detroit news reporter Charles Pugh who was interviewed on May 3, 2009 on the PBS talk show American black journal. He spoke about how is Council was to be placed in the district they should have more control over city services in their area. It is very difficult for a legislator to have specific control over what type of city services take place in your specific area. Even a congressman or a US senator would have very much trouble trying to convince the military to open or close a base in their state or community. But as part of the lawmaking body of the city you can legislate how most city services are conducted. It's just like what the Congress of the United States does, if they want access to row build and their legislation is passed through both houses and signed into law by the president then you can best believe that is going to happen. The city Council has the same authority, the only thing that they need to do is pass an ordinance saying what is going to happen with a certain city services.

With the fact that many of these candidates for city Council not understanding how city government works many of them don't even have on what they would do if they got elected. Now has to admit I'm person who looks for actual policy proposals, and other words what are you going to do about the issues facing Detroit. Now in my quest for information I ran across a piece of campaign literature from Lawanda Harrison who is running for city Council. I some time to read through her website and she talks about her background and has had some very general statements about jobs and a variety of other issues. The problem is that she had no specific ideas about what she would do to bring jobs in Detroit. And it continues to please me scratching my head and wondering why would you run for office and not know what you want to do when you get there? Certainly if it was me running for office and someone asked me a hey Donald would are you going to do to bring jobs into Detroit? Well my response would be maybe we should think about cutting local income, property, and small business taxes so that businesses will be attracted to move into Detroit. Secondly, work with our partners in the state and federal government to get our workers into training and education programs so that Detroit will have a highly skilled workforce. Now I'm a college student and I came up with that all by myself. Candidate should not be afraid to offer specific policy ideas while they're out campaigning. I can tell you from experience it works. In 2008 now state representative Fred Durhal Jr. D-Detroit offer specific policy ideas. He talked about them on the campaign trail now he's in a position to try and get them past through the state legislature.

Now my goal is not to set up and badmouth candidates who are running for city Council. I'm simply asking that you give the voters specific ideas on what it is that you want to do to address some of Detroit's toughest issues such as public safety, and job creation. We don't need candidates telling us what the problem is we have but to look at our pocketbooks and the evening news and understand clearly what is going on in our city. Now I'm going to be fair I'm going to post this same article on my blog page and if any candidate for Detroit city Council would like to respond I'll be more than happy to read your comments. That will be an excellent time to tell me exactly what it is you would like to see done in this city. All are welcome to post their comments. My blog is Don’ Views Go to dlstucke.blogspot.com.

More than protests

You know I find myself getting into pointless debates with extremist activists. It's almost like talking to a brick wall. It is always over the same thing which is better trying to force the government to change through citizen protest and violence or actually changing the government from the inside out. Now for my purposes I am going to change the word citizen protest to community organizing and completely remove the word violence. The only thing that violent needs to is unnecessary bloodshed. Now I have no beef with community organizers, and other activists is just that if we think that the only way to change things is through community organizing we would not see effective change. If we examine recent history will find that the most effective community organizing strategies have been developed that were part of a much bigger plan to effect change. Example in 2005 many organizations throughout the country were trying to force the federal government and state governments to pass increases in minimum wage. In Michigan Democratic attempts to get this done increasingly met defeat in the state legislature. But because of the strong movement in the progressive community which was put together by political strategists, politicians, leaders of civic organizations and many community leaders the governor of Michigan was able to sign a minimum wage increase into law. If it did not happen that way is very likely that an amendment to the state constitution would've been added saying that minimum wage was to be increased anyway. This successful campaign took place because it had to key components one there was a strong push in the community to there was a very clear policy goal in place. This is the best way to affect change.

Unfortunately, this strategy that we know works is not something that many extremist racist activists do not want to use. This digest of their strategy talk about how much the government is corrupt complained and didn't take no action. Now some of these activists may think the best way is to educate the community. Educating the community is very important but if it does not follow action day you are just throwing rocks against the wall. In the 1960s Dr. King led a very successful effort to pass civil rights legislation in the United States. Dr. King had a very clear goal and he clearly understood what desired outcome he was looking for. This is why he was successful. Extreme racist activists do not have the same thinking in my. The only thing they do is complain. Understanding politics is the best way to be able to change policy. President Obama when he was running for president understood this. He understood that people in America want a new direction this is why he was successful over other more season Democrats and over and he Republican who had more than 20 years in Congress and was a former naval officer. Detroit city Council is a poster child for what happens when you do not have clear policy goals and good strategic community involvement. More than 40 years the Detroit city Council has set back and allow Mayor after Mayor to do whatever they want without stopping them. The only thing the Council has been able to do is continue to call other people races and complain about how the mayor is doing this that and the other. Now with all of the lawyers that work for the Detroit city Council in the season political advisers that many of these council members employ you would think that they would have or would give themselves the tools to hold administrations in check. Unfortunately that has not been the case. This is why many in the rest of the state of Michigan look at the Detroit city Council as a joke. And it is a well-deserved label.

Now extremist racist activists I talk a lot about how the American justice system is corrupt and is designed to keep the black man in jail. This is a good point to rally the community or around. What they have offered no solutions on how to fix it. I have I say at one of the first things that can be done is to reform the public defender system so that they have the necessary resources to properly to see and their clients. Many extremist racist activists complained that most of the wealth in this country is in the hands of the rich, the white, and the powerful. Yet these same critics has offered no solutions on how to fix it. I have, I have said one of the first things that we can do at least in Michigan is one making sure that every school district is receiving the same number of dollars are student that other schools are being given. To, reforming the way institutions of higher education in Michigan use taxpayer dollars so that we can be sure people are not being priced out of a college education. These two simple reforms would help to bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots. But we have seen no policy recommendations from any of these activists. The most successful community activists and community organizers are the ones who have been able to advocate in the community and in front of policymakers. If we look at history some of the most successful military campaigns have been when the one group of people have been able to get behind or inside of their enemies lines and destroy them from the inside out. That is the way that you are going to see the most effective change in the least amount of time. Complaining about the government is going to do no one any good if you do not have a effective plan by which to accomplish your goal. Now as much complaining that I have her many of these extremist activist have openly admitted that they have not voted. The most effective tool that any citizen in this country has to effect change in their community is by exercising their constitutional right to cast a vote in every single election that is hailed in their community. In my opinion you cannot complain if you do not vote. Now I would like to discuss one more example of where clear policy goals and strategic community organizing has produced legislative victories. In 2008 a friend of mine who ran for state representative in Detroit had been lobbying for Detroit city Council for a number of years to move to a greater portfolio. He sat on the Council President Green task force. Not only did he lobbied the council he worked with many community activists and organizations to get his local community involved. Because of his efforts the Council rejected renewing a trash incinerator contract that they have had for more than 20 years and also the city of Detroit began a new curbside cycling program for 30,000 housing units in the city. These are some very significant victories they were not done just by protest, citizen uprisings in other extreme activities. They were accomplish through a combination of direct policy oriented lobbying and strategic community organizing.

Now I have heard of no significant victories that have come through violent protest and community uprisings. The race riots that occurred in Detroit only resulted in the National Guard having to come in and a city's image being completely destroy. Back in 2006 many of these extremist believed that they will be a new round of riots because the voting rights act required action by Congress for its renewal. What they did know was that during a time when Republicans controlled the house and senate voting rights act would renew with large bipartisan support. 98 Senators in 2006 voted to renew the voting rights act. Even today smart intelligent attorneys are defending the voting rights act before the United States Supreme Court. This cannot happen if the only strategy was to protest outside of the court hall. So I leave my extremist friends with this if you really want change there is a proven that it to get it. You may find that you're both will be accomplished much quicker.

Big talk from a crazy conservative

You know usually I can deal with the far right conservative idiots on you tude but there is this one video that I saw today that I just had to respond to. She calls herself LatinaFreedomFighter. She's part of the crazy conservatives that have managed to find their way onto you tude. One of the first things he talked about was the recent Supreme Court nomination that president Obama made all Tuesday. She first made the comment that in 2003 Democrats unfairly blocked the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the US circuit Court of Appeals. After taking a look at his background this gentleman had no prior experience serving on the bench at the local state or federal level. I think it would put someone on the court especially at the federal level they should have experience being a judge. After 28 months this gentleman saw the light and withdrew his own name from consideration. She then went on a tirade about how Obama's appointees for the Supreme Court was not a good decision, why don't we talk about why the judge Sonia Sotomayor is a very good choice for the Supreme Court. Number one the judge Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic woman to serve on the US Supreme Court. She would only be the third minority to hold that office. Reason two she has graduated from some of the finest law schools in the country see attended both the Yale and Princeton University. Number three she has served in almost every legal capacity that a lawyer could serve in. She was a New York assistant Dist. Atty., she was a trial judge, she served as a corporate attorney, she served as a district federal judge and she is currently a US circuit Court of Appeals Judge. Basically she has more judicial experience of any currently serving Supreme Court Justice at the time of their appointment. There's very little that you can call on with that much experience. Number four the crazy conservatives in this video question on number of the rulings that the judge Sotomayor made during her time on the court. Well let's talk about the one for more famous rulings in debt the 1994 baseball strike. She has consistently issued rulings and discrimination and protect a woman's right to choose. President Obama has demonstrated his commitment to change in this country by appointing a judge that will continue the fight for progressive change in America.
In the same video this crazy conservative question why Obama was spending so much money right now? Well first of all let's understand one thing, it was Pres. George W. Bush then layette United States into an ungodly war and gave billions away to the top 1% of Americans because he thought they needed more tax cuts. Since Obama has gotten off he had provided billions of dollars to expand higher education, funding for road projects, funding for new school construction, funding for early childhood education, and tons of other priorities that the Bush administration failed to take action on. It was not for the Bush administration we very likely would not have seen the devastation from this recession that we have. I president Obama is not stopping there he is finally getting Congress to act on healthcare reform and energy policy reform. And while this crazy conservatives refer to the auto industry as “union infested”I take a large offense to that the unions in this country have fought to make equal pay and healthcare and fair labor practices available to all. Instead of a attacking unions we should be thanking them and we should be working with them to get Congress to pass the info employee free choice act. And now this crazy woman even refers to president Obama as a “political virgin”I have a message to you put some tape over your mouth you crazy nutcase far right extremist conservative. And when it comes to Obama's foreign-policy I have every confidence that Obama is going to would have for is needed to protect this country and our allies. Instead of alienating ourselves from the rest of the world he is trying to reengage the United States and the matters of the world and rebuild our moral standing. So to all the conservatives out there you need to go somewhere sit down and shat up.

Time to get rid of the idiots

Now that the special election is over Detroit can move on to its main election business and decide who was going to run the city for the next four years. Now one good thing did happen, Detroit voters approved a new charter revision commission. This commission will be given the responsibility of fixing the city charter so that it will actually work. One of the biggest things that need to be fixed is the city Council. Right now you have a bunch of clowns are trying to make decisions about the lives of more than 900,000 people. If I heard Barbara Rose-Collins and Monica Conyers I would be very fearful of my future. They are the problem but when people are in their 40s 50s and 60s that they act no better than two and three-year-old little kids. If you watched some of my recent video on YouTube you would see why. With all the problems that are facing you would think that these folks would want to stop acting like idiots. Detroit has double digit unemployment, there is a stack of foreclosed properties in Detroit, and there is$ 200 to $300 million budget deficit. These are issues that are city Council needs to be looking at, not consistently acting like numbskulls at the counsel table.

Now despite what your political affiliations are there is no reason for elected officials to act like they have no home training. I can remember the many video I've seen with Monica Conyers calling people names and arguing at the counsel table. It makes no sense at all this woman even got into an argument with an eighth grader. In my opinion the eighth-grader should have her job and Conyers should be back in eighth grade. Barbara Rose-Collins these to go check herself into a retirement home because when you start singing Onward Christian soldier while TV cameras are in the room and when you decide to comes to meeting with a Tierra and a big yellow dress then it is time for you to retire. The city Council cannot boast one thing they've done to help the people of Detroit out in the last four years. Life in Detroit has not gotten any better is not in a significant job growth or crime reduction in the last four years. We have had major magazines call Detroit one of the worst cities in America. And with the type of leadership in place there not all that wrong.

I graduated from high school in 2003, after checking Facebook I have found that many of my high school friends have moved out of Detroit. And with good reason if you have gotten your college degree why should you have to stay in the city where the leaders are idiots and the schools suck. I had a friend that got her degree in engineering from the University of Michigan she moved out and left for Virginia. One of my friends and my graduating class that attended my high school got her associate's degree from a community college she moved out to a suburb of Chicago. Another friend who played in the marching band with me got his degree and moved to Orlando, Florida. I am thinking about following suit, if there is going to continue to be numbskull in the city then I am not going to raise a family here. While other cities across the country are investing in green job and finding new ways to attract young people Detroit is still stuck in the past. The team wouldn't have the same old dumb argument that have dominated politics in the city for generations. And now we're starting to pay dearly for it. I hope the voters of Detroit will get a clue and clear out the entire Detroit city Council.