Gary Peters vs Hansen Clarke vs Brenda Lawrence vs Mary Waters

**kraig** · April-25-12, 11:26 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/2012042...text|FRONTPAGE

This is going to be interesting. Hansen Clarke needs to realize that he didn't beat Cheeks-Kilpatrick, her boy Kwame did. It's going to be record against record.

**DLife** · April-25-12, 12:45 PM

My prediction is Peters wins....more $$$ usually tells the tale. Hanson should look for another position to run for--because I think he's got some decent ideas.

**kraig** · April-25-12, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by DLife

My prediction is Peters wins....more $$$ usually tells the tale. Hanson should look for another position to run for--because I think he's got some decent ideas.

If he can come up with more realistic ideas, he could stand a good chance at becoming mayor. His heart is in the right place for it.

**firstandten** · April-25-12, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

If he can come up with more realistic ideas, he could stand a good chance at becoming mayor. His heart is in the right place for it.

Agreed, I think his strength as a politican is articulating a vision and getting people to act, rather than doing the nitty-gritty job of making laws at the federal level.

**antongast** · April-25-12, 06:02 PM

I'm happy with Hansen Clarke as my congressman, and would gladly vote for him again, but it looks like I've been drawn out of his district.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-25-12, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

I'm happy with Hansen Clarke as my congressman, and would gladly vote for him again, but it looks like I've been drawn out of his district.

Locally, state-wide, and nationally -- redistricting needs to de-politicized. Needs to be just random in some manner.

**antongast** · April-25-12, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Locally, state-wide, and nationally -- redistricting needs to de-politicized. Needs to be just random in some manner.

Truth.....

**Hypestyles** · April-25-12, 10:38 PM

I hope the debates don't get nasty.. but I suspect that they will..

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-27-12, 05:34 PM

Still trying to figure out why Lawrence and Waters are running. Waters will be forever tied to Sam Riddle, and what has Lawrence actually done except lose to L Brooks for County Commish?

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · April-27-12, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Locally, state-wide, and nationally -- redistricting needs to de-politicized. Needs to be just random in some manner.

If I made the rules, I would make political districts blindly with a goal of being as physically compact as possibe. By blindly, I mean use strictly Census data on population. No regard for race, politcal party registration, economics, etc. When you take anything beyond population into account, you open up arguments [[some with merit)- endless arguments- about why certain people should be or should not be grouped together. The average US Congressional district's population is +/- 700K. That's the population of Detroit. Our whole city should be a contiguous district.

**Meddle** · April-27-12, 07:04 PM

All boundaries should be geographic, either county lines or major arteries [[Telegraph, M-59, US-23, etc.)

I'd make Wayne County two districts with Grand River being the dividing line.

**ragnarok1981** · April-30-12, 11:49 AM

Mary Waters is running because she is an idiot. Honestly I think she should not be allowed to run for office ever again after the crap she pulled, but alas that is not how the system works.
As for Brenda Lawrence, she is clearly a pawn in this election to divide the ethnic vote between her and Clarke and make it easier for Peters to win.

**poobert** · April-30-12, 12:00 PM

I'm voting for Clarke mainly because I don't think Peters would care too much about Detroit - or even understand its issues - after he wins. Seems like a good enough guy though, don't get me wrong.

If Conyers and Clarke both lose [[both quite plausible) that will be the first time since the late 19th century that there has not been a Detroiter in the US House. That, frankly, is total bullshit. Detroit still has a greater population than any other city in the state by over 3x, even conservatively, and larger than any city in the region by well over 5x. Alas the Republicans may get what they've always wanted though, to only their benefit.

**ragnarok1981** · April-30-12, 12:49 PM

Poobert you could not be anymore wrong about Peters not caring about Detroit. I know him personally and he cares about the city a great deal. Clarke is a great guy too, but I think when you compare the two, Peters comes out ahead. It is also a matter of being realistic about what they can accomplish in congress. Peters has been quite successful in congress whereas I have seen Clarke propose bills that may sound great in a sound bite and rally support from people back home but stand no chance in hell in congress. I don't know how he could seriously believe that congress would approve a bailout for Detroit, especially in the current political climate.

**poobert** · April-30-12, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by ragnarok1981

Poobert you could not be anymore wrong about Peters not caring about Detroit. I know him personally and he cares about the city a great deal. Clarke is a great guy too, but I think when you compare the two, Peters comes out ahead. It is also a matter of being realistic about what they can accomplish in congress. Peters has been quite successful in congress whereas I have seen Clarke propose bills that may sound great in a sound bite and rally support from people back home but stand no chance in hell in congress. I don't know how he could seriously believe that congress would approve a bailout for Detroit, especially in the current political climate.

You're right on all counts. I don't think "care" was the right word. I'm sure Gary Peters cares a great deal about Detroit. And I don't mind a little legislative activism but I wish HC would dedicate his time to bills that had a chance of passing. Still, Bloomfield Hills is absolutely light years from Detroit. I just can't get away from that. For me personally I think Clarke has a better grasp of what we're dealing with on my block. He is also, by all accounts, a pretty solid guy. I might be swayed if Peters came up with very serious plan to deal with the day-to-day issues here. It isn't an easy choice, though.

**ragnarok1981** · April-30-12, 01:31 PM

Bloomfield Hills is not all that far away and thinking like that is what weakens Detroit. We need to start thinking on a community scale rather than just cities on their own. It almost makes it sound like we are a city state right out of ancient Greece. Remember that Peters was instrumental on the auto bailouts. I think you will see that Peters will be just as much a champion of Detroit as any other community in his district should he win.