Mike Duggan wins the Mayoral election

[313WX]

For too many people, the last 40 years are summed up as: "well, we [white people] gave them [black people] the city, and look what they did with it."

I don't want the next sentence of that story to be: "and then they elected Duggan, and that's when things started to turn around."

Also agreed. That WOULD make me sick to my stomach. I'm sure the revisionist are salivating over this.

[401don]

I don't think it's simply a case of white people being happy because a white mayor was elected. It's more that many people, both black and white, are encouraged that enough of the black voters in the city chose to vote for the best candidate, regardless of race.

[jt1]

Now that Detroit has a white mayor and the 'Detroit will never elect a white mayor non-sense can be put to rest, we should start focusing our attention on the fact that Warren, Livonia, Grand Rapids, etc have never had a black mayor.

[GRdetfan]

Not to nit-pick, but Grand Rapids has had a black mayor, and he [[Rev. Lyman Parks) was elected to office before Coleman Young became mayor of Detroit.

[jt1]

Not to nit-pick, but Grand Rapids has had a black mayor, and he [[Rev. Lyman Parks) was elected to office before Coleman Young became mayor of Detroit.

Nit pick away, I was clearly wrong. Thanks for the clarification.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I don't care if the mayor is white or black. I aggressively campaigned for Dennis Archer, only to be disappointed in him. If Duggan does good work, I hope he stays in power a long time. If not, bring on the next mayor.

[Lowell]

Congratulations to Mike Duggan. I think... Maybe I should say good luck Mike.

Now that the champagne is popped and gone, the real pain remains.

Miles of ruins, physical and human, surround him. He wakes up to face the burden of caring for the vast majority of the region's disadvantaged, trapped in his city by poverty and its evil twin, crime. He inherits a demoralized public safety and civic workforce struggling amid a crumbling infrastructure with broken equipment.

And he is powerless under the imposed rule of the EFM.

Wow. Taking over and turning around the failing DMC looks like a piece of cake by comparison.

He and the new council have my hopes and prayers.

So my "Touché de Jour" award goes to...

A white Mayor presiding over a black City going through bankruptcy; what could possibly go wrong?

[artds]

I voted to Duggan but geez, listening to some of the fellow supporters shouting from the rooftop about how Detroit finally has a white mayor is starting to make me sick to my stomach...

Did you have a similar reaction in 2008 when people were celebrating Obama's historic victory, or does this only work one way?

[artds]

Now that Detroit has a white mayor and the 'Detroit will never elect a white mayor non-sense can be put to rest, we should start focusing our attention on the fact that Warren, Livonia, Grand Rapids, etc have never had a black mayor.

Jt1: never not obsessing over race.

[jt1]

Jt1: never not obsessing over race.

It had nothing to do with race, it was more a commentary about how we have heard for years that Detroit would never elect a white mayor.

It is hypocritical to focus only on black cities and whether they elect a white mayor but it is never viewed in the opposite direction.

[Junkin4Life]

I wonder how Oakland County would have reacted if Duggan would have told the criminals to hit 8 Mile..lmao

NO! Better yet! Hit Highland Park, Hamtramck, Ecorse, Oak Park, Southfield, Taylor, Lathrup Village, and Westland.

[Wheels]

Congratulation Detroit! The burbs will now run the city.

[NoHeartAnthony]

As they should.

[motz]

Now that Detroit has a white mayor and the 'Detroit will never elect a white mayor non-sense can be put to rest, we should start focusing our attention on the fact that Warren, Livonia, Grand Rapids, etc have never had a black mayor.

Basically you could put an infant in office and it'd be better than Jim Fouts. Jim Fouts is a pile of excrement that needs to be booted out of office. Just make sure to wear your shit kicking boots.

[trotwood]

I'm very pleased&excited for Mayor elect Duggan and for the city of Detroit. I hope&pray this is the begining of brighter better days for the city&the people!

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

If crime and unemployment fall, the lights come back on and broken stuff starts to get fixed, no one will care that Duggan is white. If things don't get better, there will be a whole new crop of candidates next time.

To those who think he will be "powerless" with an EM, I must disagree. I think it is in the best interests of the EM [[in terms of doing his job) to not just right the city's finances, but to work with the Mayor to make sure that Detroit's government gets and stays structured towards responsible management. That will have to do with budgeting, contracting, privatization, etc. Kevin Orr does not want Detroit to go back to the old ways of doing business the moment he leaves. The mayor will have input into how things are being done with the bankruptcy/restructuring in exchange for committing to responsible business practices.

[jackie5275]

I'm interested in seeing how he interacts with Kevyn Orr.

[sumas]

Congratulation Detroit! The burbs will now run the city.

SAY WHAT? Detroit has an amazing diversity of ages, colors, true intellect and talent. We have serious problems on so many levels. We get it! Things are being addressed.

Sure do not need beer toting racists. We voted for a mayor that we hope can restore some semblance of civic governance.

The burbs claim to fame is, I don't live in Detroit. Not really impressed with that claim.

Our problems are coming your way. Duh!!!

Honestly folks we need regional solutions

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Congratulation Detroit! The burbs will now run the city.

Well, the city wasn't bothering to run the city...

[Wesley Mouch]

And he is powerless under the imposed rule of the EFM.

Lowell -- you've repeated this several times. That doesn't make it any more true.

1) Until the EM leaves, he may not have legal power to do anything financial, but he has great moral power. Moral power is much stronger than legal power.

2) The EM will leave under his watch, and he will also have more legal power. But as now, he remains a part of the machine that runs the city. The mayor is not a dictator. Just a leader.

It unfortunate that the democratically elected government of the people of the State of Michigan had to assert their legal and reasonable control over the irresponsible democratically elected government of the people of the City of Detroit.

Unfortunate. But legal, reasonable, and laudable.

[Sharnelle]

I'm with Wesley on him having influence as a leader that could go way beyond the EM's power. I don't picture Duggan throwing up his hands and not finding another way to get important things done.

This is a time to think in terms of working with the communities and the city's assets, rather than being overwhelmed by all the gaps.

But my opinion is highly suspect since I live under the "can't-do" government of Toronto.

[artds]

I don't picture Duggan throwing up his hands and not finding another way to get important things done.

I disagree. Once those crazy fucks on City Council start throwing up road blocks to everything Duggan wants to do for reasons they don't even understand, things will get a little testy, and Duggan will likely lose patience.

[artds]

The burbs claim to fame is, I don't live in Detroit. Not really impressed with that claim.

We can also claim low crime, functional school systems, high property values, balanced budgets, lack of blight, among other things. I guess we're doing something right.

[Wesley Mouch]

I disagree. Once those crazy fucks on City Council start throwing up road blocks to everything Duggan wants to do for reasons they don't even understand, things will get a little testy, and Duggan will likely lose patience.

Well then in the next election, the voters can decide whether Duggan or the Council best served the citizens -- and vote accordingly.

Duggan shrewdly has taken an aggressive stance against the EM. That will make it harder for CC to argue against him. I for one expect Duggan to outsmart CC and let them hang themselves on their own stupidity. Smart CC members will get with the plan. This vote as well as the vote against Matty's bridge initiative tell me that old-school is dead-school. Its a new ballgame now where competence matters.

While I'm at it, I have no doubt that Duggan isn't 100% squeaky clean. I just don't care much about fine points -- so long as he's uses his street smarts to the benefit of the people -- and not himself and his friends for selfish purposes. Our obsession with squeaky-clean politicians often gives us fools as leaders.

[Detroitdave]

And this will be the first time since 1972 that Detroit has been ruled by a white man...

Can't wait to see how he turns the city around. And thanks to this guy for correctly predicting this way back in January!

WOW that guy was right on ! where is this person now ?
I would like to ask him what's next , since he seems to have a crystal ball :-)