Democrat run Detroit drops under 700,000 (was once nearly 2 million)

Detroit is the end result of democrat run societies. There's 50+ years of  "progressive" democrat rule (with one moderate in Dave Bing) from Jerome P. Cavanagh to Ed McNamara protege Mike Duggan. Notice that the riots started under Cavanagh's watch. White democrats FUBARed the city as much as anyone else, despite their denials. (

From the Detroit News:

Detroit— The 60-year exodus from Detroit is continuing but may be slowing, as the city’s population has fallen under 700,000 residents, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The government pegs the city’s population at 688,701 as of summer 2013, down nearly 10,000 residents from 2012. The rate of decline, though, has slowed to an average of 7,500 per year since 2010 compared with 24,000 per year in the 2000s.

Suburban counties — Oakland, Macomb and Livingston — gained about 1 percent in population, while Wayne County lost about 1 percent, the records show. Its decline is fueled largely by Detroit, which had 1.9 million residents in 1950 and is now smaller than it was at any point since before 1920.

I don't consider Livingston (or Lapeer, St Clair, or Monroe) a suburban Detroit county (which I limit to Tri-County), but that's another discussion.

The census data don’t indicate where Detroit residents are going, but show that some outer suburbs are booming six years after the real-estate meltdown.

“Sprawl is back,” said Kurt Metzger, director emeritus of Data Driven Detroit who reviewed the numbers.

For all the talk about "back to the city," it just doesn't happen with most people. People live in an area for jobs, schools, crime, and costs. Detroit CAN come back if the voters there choose to have it come back. If they continue to support democrats and the same people who screwed up the city, it will not come back. If Detroit refugees vote for the same types of people that fubared Detroit, which I see happening in parts of Oakland County, then it will travel down the same road in Detroit. It's not geography or race that causes these problems. It's bad public officials that run these municipalities into the ground, along with the voters who put them there.

Here in Livingston County, it's our responsibility not to go down the road that Detroit has gone, and that some other communities are following.

Detroit gets an emergency financial manager

This is what happens with 50 years of Democrat rule. Insolvency. If there is one thing that we all need to remember, it is this. 50 years of Republican governance - Livingston County. 50 years of Democrat reigns of error - Wayne County.  Balanced Budgets, low taxes, high property values, low crime, less corruption and one of the better economies of SE Michigan - Livingston County. Insolvency, high taxes, low property values (mostly), high crime, major corruption, and an economic mess - Wayne County. Unassuming local officials who do their jobs property - Livingston County. Machine politics and corruption - Ed McNamara, Jennifer Granholm, Mike "Great white hope" Duggan, Monica Conyers, Kwame Kilpatrick, Bob Ficano - Wayne County. Republicans - Livingston County. Democrats - Wayne County.

Personally, I'd rather see Chapter 9 bankruptcy than an EFM, combined with a cutoff of all state funds outside of the musts until they get their act together. There's no doubt that Detroit needs an EFM from a competence standpoint. Is it a cure all? Not at all.

The question is this. When the EFM leaves Detroit, what's going to happen? The same old song and dance. Detroit is 95-5% Democrat. The same thing is going to happen when the outsiders leave unless things change quickly. Insanity is the same thing done over and over again and expecting better results. Until the progressives are neutered there, the city is going to keep mirroring the football team there in results. What else would you expect from a city that is 95% democrat? 

Dave Bing, a relatively sane democrat, is probably the best it's going to get out of there. At least he and Archer aren't crooks. The rest are going to be Kwames or maybe a Great White Hope for the liberal progressives in Mike Duggan - both of whom (along with Granholm and Ficano) who came from the same Ed McNamara machine. Duggan's tied in (at least indirectly) with the Metro Cars no big contracts. Even liberal Jack Lessenberry was suspicious of Duggan way back when he ran for prosecutor. The only difference between a Mike Duggan and Kwame Kilpatrick is color. It'd be the Rostenkowski or Blagojevich as compared to Jesse Jackson Jr. What's the difference? As far as I'm concerned, it's the same old song and dance.

From the Free Press

Rosendall said in court that Synagro officials "were very uncomfortable with dealing with someone that close to the mayor." He said the solution was to give 45% of the consulting fee to Jackson and 55% to the girlfriend, who would then give Kilpatrick his cut.
Rosendall said the money wouldn't all be paid at once.
The deal included $25,000 monthly fees, and milestone payments of roughly $100,000 for things like getting permits approved or construction started.
"Did Bernard Kilpatrick do anything to earn that money?" Bullotta asked.
"Not that I know of," Rosendall said.
Rosendall said he had heard rumors about that being the way things got done in Detroit.
"There was a pay-to-play thing going on in the city of Detroit," Rosendall testified. "You had to hire people or pay people to do (work)."
The government also played one audio recording in which Kilpatrick talked about carving out "borderline illegal" deals when he worked with Ed McNamara and Mike Duggan, who is now exploring running for mayor of Detroit. He didn't elaborate.

Bernard Kilpatrick is Kwame's dad and worked for McNamara.

After all this - can Detroit come back? Yes, it can. It won't be from outsiders either if it chooses to do so. EFM's can't save cities. They can at best mitigate some damage. The question is will Detroiters choose to come back. It's a choice made by Detroiters who live in the city, not suburban white people who left and still think they should run the city. Jobs, low crime, decent schools, lower costs. Those are what makes cities livable - not lofts and the "cool cities" tripe spewed by progressives. If Detroit wants to come back, they can't have the same old song and dance and 95-5% "progressive" democrat voting with the same city council, same policies, and same school boards elected time and time again. The other thing is this. Downtown won't save Detroit. Downtown and Wayne State aren't the big problem. The problem are the neighborhoods. Homes shouldn't be broken into. Lighting should work. Violent criminals should be taken off the streets. Property Taxes can't be 62 mills. Until those are fixed, Detroit will be what it is - a broken city with a relatively "safe zone" around downtown and Wayne State for suburban white people to come and spend their money and go home.

Detroit can choose to come back, but will it?  They'll have to take some pages from our playbook here in Livingston County to do so. I hope it'll happen, but I'll have to believe it to see it.

State House Redistricting - District 9 (HD-09)

State House - District 9
Current Rep – Harvey Santana (D-Detroit) 

Declared Candidates
GOP - Rene Simpson (R-Farmington?)
Dems - Harvey Santana (D-Detroit),

Update 8-30-2012 - Santana wins the primary.

Update 5-25-2012 - We have a three way primary, and only one candidate used a Detroit address for filing. Highland Park and Farmington aren't close to this district. Part of Dearborn IS in the district.

2010 Results - Old District (10th)
Harvey Santana - 14017
Jasmine Ford - 896

This district mostly covers the Parkland and Warrendale areas in Northwest Detroit. It also covers a couple of precincts in Dearborn, although not enough to affect this district. It may encroach on David Nathan's old district to the east as well.

This, like most Detroit based districts, is 90%+ democrat.

State House Redistricting - District 6 (HD-06)

State House - District 6
Current Rep – Maureen Stapleton? Rashida Talib?

Declared Candidates:
GOP - Darrin Daigle (R-Detroit)
DEM -  Rashida Talib (D-Detroit)

Update 8-30-2012 - Talib won the primary in a close election. 

UPDATE 5-1-2012
This should be an interesting primary.Two incumbents are battling each other in this new district. I wouldn't want to make a bet here since I think it could go either way.

2010 Results - Old District (4th) (12th)

Maureen Stapleton - 15561
Lillian Smith - 547

Rashida Talib - 6997
Darrin Daigle - 611

This district covers Downtown, The Riverfront, most of Southwest, and part of Detroit's East Side. It also picks up Ecorse and River Rouge from the 14th District. It's a 85%+ democrat district, so the primary is the real election.

State House Redistricting - District 5 (HD-05)

State House - District 5
Current Rep –  Fred Durhal jr (D-Detroit)

Declared Candidates
GOP - Samuel Rodriguez (R-Detroit)
Dem - Fred Durhal Jr (D-Detroit)

Update 8-30-2012 - Fred Durhal Jr wins the primary.

Update 5-25-2012 - Durhal caught a break with no other incumbents running. Talib is in the 6th District.

2010 Results - Old District (6th) (12th)

Fred Durhal Jr - 14328
Robert Midgette - 519

Rashida Talib - 6997
Darrin Daigle - 611


This district takes parts of Central Detroit and some of the Mexican portions of Southwest Detroit. It's a 90%+ democrat district, so the primary is the real election.

State House Redistricting - District 4 (HD-04)

State House - District 4
Current Rep –Open

Declared Candidates:
GOP - Ron Michalski (R-Hamtramck)
DEM - Rose Mary C Robinson (D-Detroit)

Update 5-25-2012 - An 11 way primary. Holy Schiesse. 

Update 8-30-2012 - Rose Mary C Robinson is the primary winner of this 11 way election.

2010 Results - Old District (5th)

John Olumba - 11,763
Jermain Jones - 779

This district covers Hamtramck and the surrounding portion of the City of Detroit minus Highland Park. It's a 80%+ democrat district, so the primary is the real election.

State House Redistricting - District 3 (HD-03)

State House - District 3
Current Rep – John Olumba? Jimmy Womack? (Both D-Detroit)

Declared Candidates:
REP -  Dolores I Brodersen (R-Detroit)
DEM - John Olumba (D-Detroit)

Update 5-25-2012 - Womack and Olumba are current incumbents in the same district.

Update 8-30-2012 - John Olumba is the winner.

2010 Results - Old District (5th) (7th)

John Olumba - 11,763
Jermain Jones - 779

Jimmy Womack - 16,654
Debra Duren - 511

This district covers the northern most part of Detroit's East Side (and a small part of the Northwest). It stretches from Gratiot to around Woodward East to West and from 8mile to the Highland Park border North to South. It largely takes parts of the old 5th and 7th districts in the city of Detroit.

It's a 90%+ democrat district, so the primary is the real election.

State House Redistricting - District 2 (HD-02)

State House - District 2
Current Rep – Tim Bledsoe (D-Grosse Pointe) Alberta Tinsley-Talibi (Both D-Detroit)


Declared Candidates:
GOP - Daniel Corrigan Grano (R-Grosse Pointe Park)
Dems -  Alberta Tinsley Talibi (D-Detroit),

Update 8-30-2012 - Tinsley-Talibi wins the primary, beating several incumbents or former reps.

Update 5-16-2012 - This is a five way primary with three current or former state reps in Bledsoe, Cook Scott, and Tinsley. Grano is actually a strong republican, although the old 1st would have been much more favorable.

2010 Results - Old District (1st)
Tim Bledsoe - 17,718
Janice DuMochelle - 15,210


2010 Results - Old District (2nd)
Lisa Howze - 11,320
Damian Mitchell - 457

2010 Results - Old District (3rd)
Alberta Tinsley-Talibi - 13,200
Daniel Lamar - 522

This district is a combination of the 1st and some of the 2nd and 3rd. It adds Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Farms and Grosse Pointe. The rest of the district is a large part of Detroit's East Side.

Tim Bledsoe is put in a bad spot. He has one term left and could have some trouble in a Detroit based district with his Grosse Pointe address. The primary will be one to watch. I don't know if Howze or Tinsley are in this district or different ones.

The primary will be the main election here. Most of the district is Detroit, which is almost always 90%+ democrat.

State House Redistricting - District 1 (HD-01)

State House - District 1
Current Rep – Open

Candidates announced:
Rep -  Dan Schulte (R-Grosse Pointe Shores)
Dems - Brian Banks (D-Detroit)

Update 8-30-2012 - Brian Banks won the dem primary and with the Grosse Pointes split, is strongly favored to win.

2010 Results - Old District (1st)
Tim Bledsoe - 17,718
Janice DuMochelle - 15,210

2010 Results - Old District (2nd)
Lisa Howze - 11,320
Damian Mitchell - 457

The new 1st became solidly democrat. The old first was formerly republican, but became much more leaning towards democrats with demographic changes. Harper Woods was the major change. It was once competitive and locally republican. Now it is almost 50% black and solidly democrat. Grosse Pointe Park has gained minorities and is now competitive. The other Grosse Pointes still lean republican. However, 1/6 of the old district is made up of the City of Detroit. In the last election, a republican year, Bledsoe took 5342 votes in the Detroit portion of the district. DuMochelle received 473. That portion always gives a good base for the dems. However Harper Woods instead of being 50/50 for state rep seats, now is 3-1 democrat. The two portions gives about a 7000 vote spread.

With the decrease in population and having to expand further into the City of Detroit, the GOP house simply conceded this district and likely created two voting rights act districts of 50%+ minority. The old district drops Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe (Bledsoe's home) and Grosse Pointe Park. It keeps Grosse Pointe Shores (outside of the small Macomb County portion formerly Lake Township), Grosse Pointe Woods, and Harper Woods and adds more of Detroit. I'm not going to run the new numbers here. Dropping three of the Grosse Pointes puts this out of reach if it was not out of reach already. The part of Detroit in this district covers some of the Northeast Side.

Michigan census numbers in. Some observations.

Yesterday was the day was the big day with the official census numbers being released. I'm going to look at this more in depth as more data is shown.

The big news is that Detroit lost 230,000 residents over the past 10 years. It is down to 713,777, smaller than Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. This is a city that was once a world class city before the so called "progressives" ruined it from Jerry Cavanagh onward to Coleman Young and all those city council and school board members who kept getting re-elected time and time again. Detroiters made their decisions, and now have to decide if they want to make a comeback, or do the same old thing, blame everybody else, and vote 93% Democrat again and again. It's their choice. I just hope that 93% of the 230,000 who left Detroit don't bring their crappy voting habits with them and ruin the areas they move to. Detroit CAN come back, if Detroiters want to and put the effort needed to come back.

Swing State Project, a left wing blog actually does a real good job looking at the districts. Michigan lost a district, so most areas have to shed population. Some were big enough where they have to shrink. One of these districts will be eliminated, and it will be from the Southeast part of the state.

Benishek - MI-01 - 650,222 - needs to gain 55,752
Huizenga - MI-02 - 698,831 - needs to gain 7,143
Amash - MI-03 - 694,695 - needs to gain 11,279
Camp - MI-04 - 686,378 - needs to gain 19,596
Kildee - MI-05 - 635,129 - needs to gain 70,845
Upton - MI-06 - 671,883 - needs to gain 34,091
Walberg - MI-07 - 676,899 - needs to gain 29,075
Rogers - MI-08 - 707,572 - needs to shrink 1,598
Peters - MI-09 - 657,590 - needs to gain 48,384
Miller - MI-10 - 719,712 - needs to shrink 13,738
McCotter - MI-11 - 695,888 - needs to gain 10,086
Levin - MI-12 - 636,601 - needs to gain 69,373
Clarke - MI-13 - 519,570 - needs to gain 186,404
Conyers - MI-14 - 550,465 - needs to gain 155,509
Dingell - MI-15 - 682,205 - needs to gain 23,769

If Michigan is going to keep two federal voting rights act districts (black majority) which is likely to avoid a court challenge (and it helps Republicans in other districts), the loser will likely be Sander Levin. They are going to have to pick up suburban black votes, and the most likely places are Southfield, Oak Park, Lathrup Village, Royal Oak Township, and maybe Eastpointe and part of Warren these days. It won't be hard in Michigan. The "tipping point" is alive and well, and I believe the number in Michigan historically has been 20-25%. I'd argue it at 15% actually.

Whether the tipping point is good or bad depends on who you ask. What I think is this. Those (of whatever color) leaving Detroit, Highland Park, Inkster, etc have choices and decisions to make. They can do what brought harm to the old city, to make a change. Communities are struggling with that right now. Southfield awhile back had a big story of the clash between recent Detroit transplants and longtime residents (both who were black). As far as the flight goes, it is what it is. Is it racist? Some of it is, especially when it comes to school decisions. Is it bad? I'd say it's a case by case basis based on the individuals moving to town. If people are leaving because of hard working people who look different are moving to town and control their kids, bettering their way of life, then it is bad. Those are good neighbors like any other. The good part of "diversity" came to Howell. Some of the whites nearby were more trouble than the blacks and Hispanics. If people are leaving their areas because gangbangers are moving to town, then its a whole different matter. That's why I judge tipping points and white flight on a case by case business. Some areas I think it's due to the former, some the latter.

The counties that lost population are:
Alcona (Slight R) - Sunrise Coast -6.6%
Alger (Slight D) - UP -2.6%
Alpena (Slight D) - Sunrise Coast -5.4%
Arenac (Slight D) - Sunrise Coast - -8.0%
Bay (D) - Bay City -2.3%
Berrien (R) - SW MI -3.5%
Branch (R) - South Central MI -1.2%
Calhoun (Swing) - Battle Creek Area -1.3%
Charlevoix (R) - NW MI -0.5%
Cheboygan (R) - NE MI -1.0%
Chippewa (Slight R) - UP -0.1%
Clare (Swing) - North Central -1.1%
Crawford (R) - North Central -1.1%
Delta (Swing) - UP -3.8%
Dickinson (slight R) - UP - 4.8
Genesee (D) - Flint area -2.4%
Gladwin (Swing) - North Central -1.3%
Gogebic (D) - UP -5.5%
Huron (Slight R) - Thumb -8.2%
Iosco (Swing) - Sunrise Coast -5.3%
Iron (Slight D) - UP -10.0%
Keweenaw (Slight R) - UP -6.1%
Luce (Slight R) - UP -5.6%
Mackinac (Slight R) - UP -6.9%
Menominee (Swing) - UP -5.1%
Montmorency (R) - NE MI -5.3%
Oceana (Slight R) - West MI -1.1%
Ontonagon (Swing) - UP -13.3%
Oscoda (R) - NE MI -8.1%
Presque Isle (Swing) - NE MI -7.2%
Roscommon (Swing) - North Central -3.9%
Saginaw (D) - Saginaw area -4.7%
St Clair (Swing) - Thumb/Port Huron -0.7% (That surprises me)
St Joseph (R) - SW MI -1.8%
Sanilac (R) - Thumb -3.1%
Schoolcraft (Slight D) - UP -4.7%
Shiawassee (Swing) - Mid MI -1.5 (Surprises me)
Tuscola (Slight R) - Thumb -4.3%
Van Buren (Swing) - SW MI - 5 people
Wayne (D) - Detroit/Downriver -11.7%



The counties that gained population are:
Allegan (R) - West Michigan +5.5%
Antrim (R) - Northwest MI +2.1%
Baraga (Slight R) - UP +1.4%
Barry (R) - West MI +4.2%
Benzie (Slight R) - Northwest MI +9.6%
Cass (Slight R) - Southwest MI +2.4%
Clinton (Slight R) - Lansing Area +16.5%
Eaton (Swing) - Lansing Area +3.9%
Emmet (R) - NW MI +4.0%
Grand Traverse (R) - Traverse City area +12.0%
Gratiot (R) - Mid MI +0.4%
Hillsdale (R) - South Central +0.3%
Houghton (R) - UP - +1.7%
Ingham (D) - Lansing/East Lansing +0.5%
Ionia (R) - West MI +3.8%
Isabella (Swing) - Mt Pleasant +11.0%
Jackson (Slight R) - South Central +1.2%
Kalamazoo (Slight D) - SW MI +4.9%
Kalkaska (R) - NW MI +3.5%
Kent (R) - Grand Rapids area +4.9%
Lake (D) - NW MI +2.4%
Lapeer (R) - Thumb +0.4%
Leelanau (Slight R) - NW MI +2.8%
Lenawee (Slight R) - SE MI +0.9%
Livingston (R) - SE MI +15.3%
Macomb (Swing) - Detroit Area +6.7%
Manistee (Swing) - NW MI +1.0%
Marquette (D) - UP +3.8%
Mason (Slight R) - NW MI +1.5%
Mecosta (R) - NW MI +5.6%
Midland (R) - Midland area +1.0%
Missaukee (R) - North Central +2.6%
Monroe (Swing) - SE MI +4.2%
Montcalm (Slight R) - West MI +3.4%
Muskegon (D) - West MI +1.2%
Newaygo (R) - West MI +1.3%
Oakland (Swing) - Detroit area +0.7%
Ogemaw (Slight D) - NE MI +0.3%
Osceola (R) - North Central +1.4%
Otsego (R) - North Central +3.7%
Ottawa (R) - West MI +10.6%
Washtenaw (D) - Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti +6.8%
Wexford (R) - NW MI +7.4%

The population losers are the industrial centers first which are most democrat. The thumb, Sunrise Coast/SE MI, and the UP lost population. Whether that's considered losing or winning depends on who you ask up there. The big gangs are in Macomb County, Grand Rapids/Holland area, College Town areas, Livingston/Monroe Counties, and Northwest MI. Surprising to me was small gains in Lapeer and losses in St Clair and Shiawassee County.

Outside of Marquette area, Ann Arbor burbs, and Lansing burbs, more democrat areas lost population. Republican areas and swing areas mostly gained. Hopefully the newcomers don't bring what screwed up their old home to these areas, like what happened in Bath Township in 2008. That's always a concern. Like the doctor's first rule says, do no harm. If you're moving to an area that's a good place to live, the first thing to research is how it got that way.

With redistricting here, the big losers will be likely Wayne County, Sander Levin/Gary Peters, and possibly Benishek, Camp, and Kildee, although that's admittedly stretching it.

Wayne County loses on state rep/senate representation due to population loss. Simple as that. As for Levin and Peters, their problem is that they are white democrats, which are always a favorite target for two reason. 1. They are stronger statewide. 2. Voting Rights Act protects, especially on congressional levels, minority majority interests. Many Republicans outside the districts often like VRA districts because it packs a bunch of democrats in an area. If we're stuck with John Conyers no matter what we do, then let's help other reps that need it. I expect two VRA districts. Whether Conyers in Palmer Park and Clarke on Detroit's Eastside are combined into one remains to be seen, but I don't expect that. Personally, I'd rather go after Peters or Levin anyway.

Since Detroit's lost over 200K, there's not enough for two fully Detroit based districts anymore. Since Metro Detroit is still very segregated, VRA districts can still be enacted. I would not be surprised to see one district catch more of of the changing burbs to shore up McCotter's district (Redford, Westland, along with Inkster and most of Detroit) and the other taking in Southfield, Oak Park, and maybe even S Warren/Eastpointe and/or Pontiac.

As for Benishek, Kildee, and Camp, all have to expand some. Kildee, or less likely Beniskek/Camp will likely have to take some of the thumb from Miller. Benishek can probably secure himself with Grand Traverse County, but that costs Camp. Camp is in Midland. He can take some of the slight dems on the sunrise coast, but you have Bay County nearby as well. His district is right now safe for him, but it's more tenuous on paper. I wouldn't feel safe there. Another issue with Bay County is Jim Barcia. Barcia is a very popular former Congressman/State Senator with strong pro-2a credentials. His old district was much of the sunrise coast, thumb, and Bay/Saginaw Counties. I doubt Camp or Benishek would want to take him on. I expect for that reason that Bay County will stay with Kildee. Once I see possible maps updated, I'll see what can be done.

Conyers in trouble?

I'll believe it when I see it, but I don't think Monica Conyers has done John Conyers any favors.

From the Hill

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) could face a tough reelection race in 2010, according to a new, independent poll released this weekend.

40 percent of Conyers's constituents said he deserved reelection, according to a poll conducted earlier this month by the Lansing, Mich.-based Deno Noor Polling, in conjunction with the Rossman Group and Perricone Group.

44 percent of Detroiters represented by Conyers said they would prefer to elect someone else. 15 percent were unsure or didn't know.

The 80-year-old Conyers has served in Congress since 1965, making him one of the longest-serving members of Congress still in office. He could face a challenging reelection, though, due to the conviction of his wife, Monica Conyers, for bribery charges incurred while she served as President Pro Tempore of the Detroit City Council.

Let's remember Detroit's record of electing incumbents. 99.9999% it seems. Carolyn Kilpatrick won a three way race last November at the height of Kwame's disasters. Unless there's an insanely lucky turnout like Joseph Cao's election in a New Orelans special election that went 75% for Obama, this will stay democrat. All of Downriver would have to ticket split, and most of Detroit would have to stay home with all the republicans showing up. I don't expect it. If Conyers loses, it will likely be in the primary.

August Update

Let's get back rolling here.

Several things in the news.

1. We will have a special election this November for a key state senate seat, the 19th. The primary was yesterday. Mike Nofs, a former state rep from Battle Creek won for the GOP and Marty Griffin, a state rep from Jackson city, won for the dems. They face off in November. This is an interest race, as two seats are in play here. The Griffin seat is winnable by either party, as is the state senate district.

2. Lansing Mayor race. I haven't followed this at all, but Virg Bernero, the incumbent, won with less than 50% in the primary against Carol Wood and two others. Wood and Bernero will be facing each other in November. If Wood wins, watch for Virg to take a possible run against Rogers. He's very ambitious as he was a State Rep and a State Senator before taking the Mayor gig.

3. Detroit. Dave Bing faces Tom Barrow, who lost twice to Coleman Young in the 80's. Most of the incumbents are back. TV anchor Charlie Pugh is the leader for the city council, and is a newcomer. Monica Conyers got sent home. Results there

4. Closer to home, the Howell School Board recall won't be on the November ballot. It does not look like this would pass. I have mixed views on this as there are a few shades of gray. I would not have voted for the firing after a year, but if contracts were in danger of being breached due to executive policies, then that's a major issue and something that needs to be considered. I do not often agree with union leadership outside of trade issues, but I am no fan at all of breaching existing contracts. Contracts are legal promises, and promises ought to be kept. Those that break a lot of promises are not trustworthy. To be fair to Gardella, the scores have improved in his tenure. I think a case can be made either way for the firing decision, and that is why I would not support a recall for that particular decision. If I still lived in the district, I would not vote for Literski or Pratt, but I'd wait till election time to do that. Recall elections cost money, and they should be saved for complete clusterbleeps.....like Granholm (and Stabenow, Levin, and Obama if the feds were not immune).

5. Hamburg Recalls - What a clusterbleep. That's all I have to say about that. My feelings are known. If the democrats take over there, which I expect WILL happen sooner than later, there are only a few individuals to blame, and that is the Hamburg Board and their cliques. It makes the entire county, township, and party look bad though.

One interesting sidenote. If the Hamburg Recalls for Skiba or Evon are successful, there's a different way of picking replacements. There will be a special election, but the COUNTY POLITICAL PARTIES will select the nominees in that special election. That means that the Livingston County Republicans and Democrats choose the nominees for the election. There is no primary. On a side note, those reading should not try and influence me on this. I'm not on this executive committee. I'm on the district committee instead. We aren't involved here.

Kwame Kilpatrick pleads guilty and to resign. Ken Cockrel interim mayor.

From the Detroit News

In four short words, Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick acknowledged his guilt Thursday morning, admitting he lied during a whistle-blower case brought by two former police officers who claimed they were punished for looking into wrongdoing by the mayor's staff.

"I lied under oath," Kilpatrick said after he pleaded guilty to two felonies, a plea that will require him to spend four months in the Wayne County Jail, to resign his office and to pay $1 million in restitution.

Kilpatrick also will agree not to seek office during the five years he is on probation and will surrender his state pension to the county. He also will surrender his law license.

Chalk this one up to Kym Worthy and Jennifer Granholm. Worthy was there from the start and did her job in a professional manner, and Granholm's removal hearing caused the plea. I don't agree with Granholm (who is in a no-win situation) removing him as I think that is a Detroit issue to be decided by Detroiters, but the power was always in Granholm's hands, and I understand why she did that.

The state hearing is postponed and will be cancelled assuming the resignation happens.

Kwame Kilpatrick and Detroit

I'm only referring to Kwame Kilpatrick's tenure as mayor here, not his pending court case. He is innocent till proven guilty there, and deserves his day in court as any of us would.

Apologies to my family members and others in Detroit who didn't vote for hizzoner, but I don't have a lot of sympathy for Detroit's problems caused by their mayor. Detroit as a whole made its choice. It voted for him twice, once over Gill Hill and once over Dennis Archer's protege in Freman Hendrix. This is also the same city that elected Coleman Young for twenty years. It is the same city that re-elects its school board time and time again. Detroit has the potential to be once again a world class city, but not if these individuals stay in power. Not all the problems in Detroit are self-inflicted, but many of them are controllable situations. Many of the same OUTSIDE factors that affect Detroit affect the rest of the state.

Some people, mostly white suburbanites, are telling Granholm that she needs to remove Kwame Kilpatrick from office through a little known clause. I think that would be a very poor decision. Right now, Granholm is handling this the right way and letting things there take care of itself. I oppose an outsider - and by that I mean any individual who does not live in the CITY of Detroit, dictating to them how to handle their officials. The counter argument by many is that what happens in Detroit affects the state and that Detroit is the face of Michigan to the rest of the country. That may be true, but what happens all over the state effects the state, whether it be Detroit, or here in Livingston County. As for it being the face of Michigan, so what. Market the other areas of this state which is a lot more than just Detroit (Up North for starters). If you want to change things in Detroit and get them a new mayor, move back there. Houses there are cheap.

I also opposed the state's then takeover of the Detroit Public Schools as well. The state can not bail out (not that it's competent enough to do so) or micromanage them. It doesn't work (didn't work with the schools), mainly because it creates more resentment between Detroit and suburbia. It also does not force Detroit to fix itself, which it has to do to make a comeback outside of Downtown.

Now I'm not one of these people who say that everything in Detroit is bad. It's not. Downtown (and Greektown) is in good shape. Downtown even has a lower crime rate than many suburbs. Two of their public High Schools are as competitive as the suburban schools. Much of the archetecture there is still better than what is built today. Palmer Woods and Indian Village are still strong solid neighborhoods. Then there is the stuff we all know about and hear over and over again. Crime away from Downtown, most of the schools, higher property taxes than Grosse Pointe, poor city services, corruption. That aspect of Detroit is what needs to be changed. Only limited amounts of that can be done from non-Detroiters. The bulk of the work needs to be done in the city, by putting competent individuals in charge.

So should Kwame resign or be removed from office? That's for the Detroiters, and only Detroiters to decide. I'll just concern myself with who runs Livingston County.