JoAnn Watson says Obama should bail out Detroit

[Bham1982]

My argument? I said nothing about aid.

Then what's your point? You don't like Jews or something?

What's the purpose of an Israel critique in the context of a thread about Detroit not receiving enough federal funding?

[rb336]

No, and no.

Turkey isn't a comparable ally to Israel and few would seriously argue they are a true democracy.

Per the annual Freedom Index released by Freedom House [[the leading U.S. NGO on democracy issues, and founded by FDR)

Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is a Level 1 Democracy.

Turkey is rated Level 2 [[Partly Free)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_in_the_World_[[report)

Considering that Freedom House's Middle-East "expert" is a Bushie, and that their methodology isn't made clear, their little map means absolutely NOTHING. Ask a Christian Palestinian born and raised in Israel if Israel is a democracy. Israel has an apartheid system, and Turkey doesn't, making Turkey the more democratic society - by a long shot.

[chuckles]

Didn't I see her on the last episode of "Hard Core Pawn"?????

Yes she was the one that pulled her top down and said "these are real and more than you can handle big fella"

[rex]

this made my day. What a wonderful human being

[mwilbert]

No, and no.

Turkey isn't a comparable ally to Israel and few would seriously argue they are a true democracy.

Per the annual Freedom Index released by Freedom House [[the leading U.S. NGO on democracy issues, and founded by FDR)

Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is a Level 1 Democracy.

Turkey is rated Level 2 [[Partly Free)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_in_the_World_[[report)

Freedom House is a crock.

I'm sorry, but Turkey is a democracy by any reasonable standard, and a NATO ally. Israel is certainly an ally, but a mostly useless one; the US is allied with Israel for cultural and historical reasons, not practical or military ones. Frankly that isn't all bad--it's arguably better than being allied with an odious regime like Bahrain's for practical and miltary reasons.

But to get back the point, Joanne Watson has jumped the gun on getting her medical marijuana prescription if she thinks anyone is going to give money to a city which she has a hand in running.

[Detroitdave]

I'll keep my personal feeling about Councilwoman Watson out of this for a second. I think that if she were to propose a feasible and detailed plan about what she would do with this bailout loan -- and let's remember to remind her, it's a loan, not a gift -- in order to restructure the finances of the city and make them sustainable, I'd be willing to hear her out.

Until then, I think I'll withhold my political support for her idea.

I agree it plays into the hands of "Detroit/Detroiter" have a sense of entitlement .
In my opinion this just goes to show how screwed up the city council is .
these are the people running the city ? Now we know why the city is so screwed up and until we get a new responsible city council in we are stuck with a bunch of .... you can fill in the blank :-)

[rex]

ha wouldnt that be something

[jbd441]

As an ex-Michigander, I feel I don't have the right to comment on certain topics on this website. However living in a tourist town where many residents of Michigan move to and visit from, I hear many negative comments almost everyday about the state and yes, Detroit. I have two sisters that are lifelong residents and who both own businesses and through their eyes the state is not the most conducive to making a profit. In fact one has just broken even for two years trying not to lay off employees. If she could find a buyer, believe me she would sell.
Don't get me wrong they don't object to paying taxes, I don't either but it's hard to think of your hard earn money, yes money that you earn going to support a city that through political corruption and other unfortunate circumstances has been driven to the brink of ruin.
I had a fellow employee, who is originally from East Lansing, mention Ms Watson's statement to me this afternoon which prompted me to visit this website to see if she actually did make this statement to the President. IMO, if the city goverment were replaced with more honest politicians [[oxymoron) you'd find a lot more people willing to provide relief. Seriously.
I read of so many positive attitudes and many great ideas on this website for helping Detroit and can tell many of you love the city and it's people. But again IMO the city will never be able to heal with the likes of Ms Watson sitting on the council and making such ludicrous statements for her 10 seconds of fame.

[downtownguy]

How can the U.S government justify giving 3.5 billion dollars in foreign aid every year to Israel and at the same time let a once great American city fall to the ground?

Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, and a strategic military and economic ally.

That will be news to the citizens of Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq.

International observers wouldn't label those countries as democracies. I understand that other Mideast countries have the democracy label. In any case, none of those countries are strategic economic and political allies.

And those countries don't exactly support your argument. Egypt receives almost as much U.S. aid as Israel, and Iraq receives a hell of a lot more. Turkey also receives a ton of aid.

My argument? I said nothing about aid.

Then what's your point? You don't like Jews or something?

What's the purpose of an Israel critique in the context of a thread about Detroit not receiving enough federal funding?

Bham, before you start race-baiting, put your reading glasses on and go back and read the thread. You responded to a poster that brought up the huge amount of aid the US gives to Israel in the context of potential aid to bail out Detroit. I only responded to your assertion that Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East. Your response to me is offensive. I never attacked Jews, only your interpretation of democracy.

[Zacha341]

I am not surprised that Watson is putting president Obama 'on blast' to bring home the bacon [[ala the deliverables).

Her nationalist world view would demand such a call. However, I doubt there will be an answer on the other end!

And BTW this story has broken well, WELL beyond the Muckraker blog:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2247348.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli...icle-1.1214033

Maybe Bad Brains has a point about the Muckraker.

[jerrytimes]

And we wonder why Detroit has financial issues. They don't want to fix the issues, just throw some cash at it. Such incompetence.

[jerrytimes]

[[313) 224-4535

This is from the Detroit City Council website. It's her office number. Lets call her and tell her what we think.

[Zacha341]

Perhaps she will get a call from the president.... [[doubtful)... or a beer summit [[extremely doubtful!)

[[313) 224-4535

This is from the Detroit City Council website. It's her office number. Lets call her and tell her what we think.

[gnome]

Everything is better with bacon, everyone knows that.

Everything is better, except history. Seems poor Mother Watson failed to know was that Jimmy Carter lost Michigan in 1976 to Gerald Ford. Hence, there could not have been any kind of quid pro quo betwix Jimmy and Coalman because Detroit didn't deliver the quid.

[jerrytimes]

Perhaps she will get a call from the president.... [[doubtful)... or a beer summit [[extremely doubtful!)

I called just to see if she would pickup..... voicemail..... in box is full....

[marshamusic]

[QUOTE= Now we know why the city is so screwed up and until we get a new responsible city council in we are stuck with a bunch of .... you can fill in the blank :-)[/QUOTE]

....irresponsible city council members?

[jackie5275]

I am not surprised that Watson is putting president Obama 'on blast' to bring home the bacon [[ala the deliverables).

The prez is coming to town on Monday. Maybe she can demand he bring a big fat check with him made payable to the City of Detroit.

[313WX]

I called just to see if she would pickup..... voicemail..... in box is full....

When did you call her?

At the very least, I would expect one of her staff members to answer the phone during normal business hours.

[Hermod]

I am not surprised that Watson is putting president Obama 'on blast' to bring home the bacon [[ala the deliverables).

Her nationalist world view would demand such a call. However, I doubt there will be an answer on the other end!

Watson: Look at all we done for you!!

Obama: I am not running in 2016, babes. Don't need to send good money after bad.

[Bham1982]

Considering that Freedom House's Middle-East "expert" is a Bushie, and that their methodology isn't made clear, their little map means absolutely NOTHING. Ask a Christian Palestinian born and raised in Israel if Israel is a democracy. Israel has an apartheid system, and Turkey doesn't, making Turkey the more democratic society - by a long shot.

Uh, are you serious? You're using Turkey has an example of a "more democratic society", especially in regards to ethnic minorities?

Turkey has killed over 200,000 Kurds. They have a true apartheid system. They regularly bomb sections of Northern Iraq, with the express purpose of killing Kurdish militants.

Almost all Jews and Christians have been driven out of Turkey. Very odd example to be given when criticitizing Israel's human rights record [[which is certainly far from ideal).

[Bham1982]

Freedom House is a crock.

Freedom House is nonpartisan, and generally respected by both Republicans and Democrats.

If, for whatever reason, you don't respect Freedom House, what about the Economist?

Their Freedom Index ranks Turkey 89th out of 167 countries, well behind Israel, all of Eastern Europe, Mali and Ghana. Turkey is barely rated ahead of Palestine. Turkey is labeled as "partially free" [[3 out of possible 7).

Turkey has no freedom of press. That alone distinguishes it from Israel. Even the most anti-Israel person would have to admit that Turkey's situation with Kurds is, at the least, roughly analagous to the Palestinian conflict.

[Bobl]

"Joann Watson says Obama should bail out Detroit"

And, people across the country [[and world) are now laughing at her, and us, after viewing this on Youtube, Yahoo, and elsewhere.
For every step the City Of Detroit may take forward, it is guaranteed that City Council members will accomplish two steps back.

[mwilbert]

Turkey has no freedom of press. That alone distinguishes it from Israel. Even the most anti-Israel person would have to admit that Turkey's situation with Kurds is, at the least, roughly analagous to the Palestinian conflict.

Freedom of the press in Turkey is somewhat more nuanced than that. There is a large and diverse press in Turkey, but the current Turkish government has often used an expansive definition of support of terrorism to suppress and punish reporting that it doesn't like, especially with respect to Kurdish issues and some military-related issues. Certainly this is bad, but I don't see how it causes the country not to be a democracy.

It is hard to compare levels of oppression, and certainly the Kurds and the Palestinians are both among the world's most disadvantaged peoples. However, the Kurds' situation in Turkey appears to be improving, and that really can't be said of the Palestinians.

[serpico]

well soon the City of Detroit will be a "regional" city. Obama and the Feds will sit this one out. With Michigan now a right to work state, Detroit no longer has the clout nor the will/money to remain an "independent" city. A regional transit system NOT controlled by Detroit is a huge plus. Oakland, Macomb and Wayne county sheriffs will soon openly patrol Detroit streets. A regional court system will follow thereafter along with a regional public school system. Running to the suburbs will no longer be an option and nor will saying "it's our city" cut it anymore.....

[Detroit Signal]

JoAnn Watson is an idiot.

#1 - The city of Detroit isn't ENTITLED to $hit unless it has officials who can manage and make responsible decisions... financially and for the citizens. That will not happen.

#2 - Every department in the city has undergone some sort of corruption scandal to a certain extent. Heads need to roll before any checks are written for more than $1.

#3 - If the city would receive federal aid, there needs to be a P-L-A-N on how the money is alloted. It also needs to include an oversight board of federal and state folks who monitor the spending. The city would have little or no involvement.

#4 - The city governement would love if the feds threw money at them. It gives those crooked bastards another opportunity to line their pockets. A fine legacy that dates back to Coleman Young and beyond.

Detroit WILL be the first major city to be regulated by the state and federal governments unless it can start making responsible decisions for itself. That hasn't happened since Cavanaugh passed the city's income tax law to balance the budget back in the early sixties.

The proof has been rotting in the pudding for 50 years. How the riots were handled, Poletown, public lighting, DDOT, DPS, etc., etc. The city's way isn't working. Time for someone else to step in.