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My boss just got back from the PRSA luncheon at the DAC where she says Dave Bing said that he plans to run for mayor for a 2nd term.
forgive my ignorance, but this is the first time he's mentioned this, correct? I sort of remember him saying that he would NOT run again.
Oh, a few months ago he said me would consider a second term. Why not? Beckham and company only had to hide in the Trojan horse for one night, and now the city's theirs.
nevermind. apparently he announced it on December 8 and I wasn't paying attention.
This is really no surprise. I expected him to run again and am quite happy about it. Investors, the business community, and most of the public are also going to be happy that there will at least be continued stability. Elections in Detroit can be frightening with the prospect of someone like Barrow winning or another Kilpatrick-type getting elected. We need to keep the positive momentum going long enough for there to be a safe margin of people who are not going to vote for those types that will send us spinning back into the dark ages.
Ruxy17.... you weren't the only person that didn't hear that. I just found out on the MCS Facebook thread the other day, when they referenced this Bing interview on Channel 4 from a month ago where he mentions that he's going to run for a 2nd term....
http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/26092771/index.html
I hope he does - I think he is doing as well as can be expected, he has a lot of good ideas, and it's going to take time to get things done. Changing horses in mid stream is going to stop everything dead in its tracks. Just let the man do his job - it's hard enough being the mayor in this city, give him a chance.
i'm glad he's running again and i'm fine if this is a promise he's breaking...
My take on his saying he'd only be mayor for one term was that the context was the decisions he would have to make to get the city moving in the right direction would be very unpopular, so that's probably all he'd get.
I know that some here don't care for Bing.... apparently he doesn't do all the flashy grandstanding that KK did.... He could have done some of those big flashy media circuses in front of the Madison, Broderick or Whitney Buildings saying that he's moving Detroit forward.
But instead [[as he says) he's working 14 hours a day... and can't fix everything in 4 years.
Since the city didn't get in the current mess in 4 years... I guess it can't fix everything in 4 years...
However.... I do agree with the critics that DPD and EMS response times should be at or near the top of his "to fix" list.... along with clearing abandoned structures...
I just don't think of Bing as much of a leader. What has he done since he's come into office? Working 14 hours a day? Where is the product of this work? And, yeah, I'm troubled by him bringing in some of the same-old-same crowd who've had their shenanigans under Kwame.
I don't want a flashy, dazzling executive necessarily, but it would be nice if he were to occasionally speak to the public he intends to lead. I think it's called "the vision thing."
This is going to be the most important question of the mayoral election, in my opinion. Mayor Bing is going to need to have a very good answer for it and, if he wants that second term, it's going to have be in answer to the challenges that most of Detroit's electorate [[i.e., folks in the neighborhoods) care about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Detroitnerd
If the election were held today, it's doubtful that Mayor Bing would even make it past the primary. Luckily for Mayor Bing, however, the election is still 2 1/2 years away. He still has to turn this around, implement the things that he's talked about, and show Detroiters that he has earned a second full term.
Unless Bing makes some catastrophic blunder, he's getting reelected. Detroiters have already shown that they don't mind his aloofness; his near complete emotional detachment from what's going on; his total lack of fight when confronted by the likes of Patterson, and so much more. So long as he doesn't embarrass them on a national scale, they'll reelect him save for some darkhorse opposition candidate with an organization that isn't and hasn't materialized, and most likely wont. It's a ridiculously low bar to set, but that's where it seems to be, at the moment. This dismantling, and reabsorbtion/co-optiong of, the Kilpatrick's support base has taken care of any organization opposition that may be out there. Who else would want the job of taking over from Bing now that it's finally been revealed where the city is, financially?
Get used to Mayor Bing, 'cause he's got that office for as long as he wants it.
He not only would make it through the primary, he'd win again. Two things that need to be factored in. Detroiters don't vote for change [[when was the last time that an elected mayoral incumbent lost?) and there aren't any real challengers on the horizon. He suckered Hendrix and Evans up under him and sent them back out as damaged goods. So that's it for them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
Kraig... maybe I didn't read the news that day... but what happened to Hendrix??
#1. Kilpatrick almost didn't make it past the primary when he ran for re-election. In fact, if the anti-Kilpatrick vote hadn't been split 3 ways, he likely would not have made it.Quote:
Originally Posted by kraig
#2. There's a bunch of folks who could emerge as opponents. We've got state reps and state senators in Detroit who will are currently out of office, or soon will be, thanks to term limits. Many of them are eager for a new job. Then there are all of the ministers who have at least the beginnings of an organization. On top of that, I'm sure either Pugh or Brown will make a run for it as well.
I think most people can deal with aloofness and detachment. If those were his only drawback, Mayor Bing would be guaranteed re-election. However, unless he starts showing results and answering the demands of his constituency, he is going to have problems getting past the primary.Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthEnder
Embarrassment on a national scale?Quote:
So long as he doesn't embarrass them on a national scale, they'll reelect him save for some darkhorse opposition candidate with an organization that isn't and hasn't materialized, and most likely wont. It's a ridiculously low bar to set, but that's where it seems to be, at the moment.
What do you call a police department that has one of the largest budgets in the country, but still can't manage to show up when needed?
What do you call Detroiters dying in the streets because EMS doesn't show up, even though they have the money in the budget for a decent service?
What do you call firefighters dying because they don't have the equipment they need?
This has the makings of a national embarrassment. All that's needed is for someone to exploit it.
Funny. Back in 2007, a certain mayoral appointee said the same thing to me about Kwame Kilpatrick.Quote:
Get used to Mayor Bing, 'cause he's got that office for as long as he wants it.
In American politics, no one every really has a safe seat.
However, the primary isn't for another 2 1/2 years. There is still time for Mayor Bing to turn things around. We'll just have to see if he does it.
After the primary, Hendrix backed Bing. Bing then convinced Hendrix to run for the Charter Commission. Hendrix left the Charter Commission for a spot on the Greektown Casino Board. When you factor in that Hendix publicly claimed that he was done trying to run for Mayor with the fact that a lot of his supporters are upset with the fact that he quit an elected position, his political career is pretty much over. He would probably be taken just a little more seriously than Tom Barrow. Which isn't saying much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gistok
We won't have to see, anything. Barring something that gets him state-wide or national attention in a negative way, he's getting re-elected. You can bark at him all that you want. If he's not going to be brought down by wind-swept fires literally burning in every corner of the city in a day, nothing that passes as "normal" in Detroit will bring him down. There is nothing, nothing negative in substance that has stuck to this guy, thus far. The most damning criticism has been about his style, and that sure as hell won't be enough to topple him all by itself.
Keep his feet to the fire, but I hope you're not buying what you're saying, because this guy is cruising to re-election. Hell, if Kilpatrick hadn't had the entire weight of the justice system thrown ontop of him, he'd have probably had an actual chance at another re-election, I hate to say it. It takes a hell of a lot of scandal and incompetence to topple incumbent mayors in old big cities.
The fact that you didn't come up with any names besides Pugh or Brown tells me that you don't even take what you posted seriously. Pugh has shown that he's nothing but a fiscally irresponsible mess. And Brown has milked his victimization for all it's worth. They'll find out the same thing that Hill, McPhail and Cockrel discovered. City Council is not a stepping stone to the Mayor's office.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
Thanks Kraig... I knew about the Charter Commission, but was unaware of the Greektown board.
Are people that unforgiving though?? [[Well maybe the "powers that be" are.)
Mike Duggan left the post of Wayne County Prosecutor to become the head of the DMC. Come to think of it... he did us all a favor vis a vis Kym Worthy!!
I was about to ask if his reputation was tarnished... but then again... he's part of the remains of the "MacNamara Gang".
Hmmm.... I wonder if Bing told Hendrix that he's running for a 2nd term early on... and Hendrix maybe just threw in the proverbiial towel and decided to return to the private sector for good.
He is a businessperson not politican. If you want grandstanding and an "emotional" leader then go ahead and reelect KK. You see where that got us. I believe that he is working to his fullest to keep Detroit afloat. The fact that the city didn't go into bankruptcy and I believe has improved its credit rating during the worst economic situation since the 1930s shows that he is doing something right.
You may refer to what's happening in Detroit under Mayor Bing as "normal". However, I doubt the majority of voters do or will.Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthEnder
Go to any community meeting in this city and you will hear an incredible amount of complaining about Mayor Bing and his lack of accomplishments. The news media isn't picking up on it. However, the MSM is always behind of the curve on this.
In politics, if you're cruising, you're pretty much guaranteed to go down in defeat.Quote:
Keep his feet to the fire, but I hope you're not buying what you're saying, because this guy is cruising to re-election.
The primary is still 2 1/2 years away. Mayor Bing still has time to turn it around. However, he is going to have to start producing results that matter to the majority of Detroiters.
The fact that you're dismissing Pugh and Brown tells me that you know very little about politics.Quote:
Originally Posted by kraig
Detroiters tossed out Cockrel when he wasn't accomplishing anything. Bing's entire campaign simply consisted of repeating the word "change" as often as he could and that got him elected.
By the time, the November 2009 election came around, Bing was only elected to a full term with a 15 point margin of victory - in spite of the fact that he ran against an incredibly weak candidate with no money and the fact that a lot of Detroiters felt that he hadn't had enough time in office to be judged properly.
He won't be running against Tom Barrow in 2013. Regardless of whether he's up against a minister, a former state rep, or one of the City Council members, it's going to be a long shot for him if he doesn't start producing results.
I don't care if a given leader grandstands or is "emotional". I want results. In business, if you don't produce results, you get fired. In politics, it's similar but one has to wait until the next election.Quote:
Originally Posted by cmubryan
As for your assertion that Mayor Bing must be doing something right, I invite you discuss that question with anyone who has had to call Detroit Police, Fire or EMS in the past 2 years.
At the rate he's going, Charles Pugh won't have the legal residence needed to run for office. Seriously, the public has already seen that Pugh got into politics in order to have a Kwame style Civic Fund. You also have to take into consideration that if the public is going to hold Bing accountable, they're going to hold Council accountable as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
If you seriously look at recent history, you'll see that Pugh isn't as popular as Hill was when he ran and lost against a non-incumbent. So Pugh's chances don't look that good. Besides, will Pugh risk giving up his Council seat to run against Bing? I don't think so.
The Council has already held hearings on DTE/Fire Dept. as well as EMS. They've allocated the funding that these departments need. In short, they've done everything that the Charter allows them to do in terms of the issues that most Detroiters care about.Quote:
Originally Posted by kraig
If both Mayor Bing and the City Council are held accountable, the Council will fair much better.
Pugh and/or Brown can run for mayor under the argument that they've done everything for Detroiters that the Charter allows them to do. Bing will not be able to say that, unless he turns things around in the next 2 1/2 years. That's a huge difference from the Hill vs. Kilpatrick race of 2001.Quote:
If you seriously look at recent history, you'll see that Pugh isn't as popular as Hill was when he ran and lost against a non-incumbent. So Pugh's chances don't look that good. Besides, will Pugh risk giving up his Council seat to run against Bing? I don't think so.
Two and a half years is a long time, but incumbent mayors are hard to dislodge. I seem to recall a couple of really bad mayors that Detroit has had recently but who were still re-elected.
Miriani was the last elected mayor to be defeated for re-election, and that was almost 50 years ago. Before that Van Antwerp beat Jeffries [[after 4 2-year terms) in 1947. So if Bing runs again, I'd expect him to win.
whoever it is that "eventually" becomes mayor after Bing, I hope that they are a genuine progressive and not a regressive force.. someone who is uninterested in old-line politics, uninterested in uplifting the grudges of the past, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
Anyone can run on an argument. Hendrix ran on an argument, Barrow ran on an argument, Vaughn ran on an argument. Arguments are a dime a dozen. What would be Pugh or Browns winning platform?
Actually, the huge difference is that Pugh is a political neophyte, elected in a time of unusual political crisis and scandal, with a very rudimentary support organization. Gil had been in council for a decade, was well respected and connected. That's the only thing that even gave him a chance to begin with. He got beat with Kilpatrick money and Kilpatrick charm. Bing is also a political neophyte with an organizational support that leaves much to be desired if he were running in conventional times of the past. But, he's got money, and if he plays his cards right, he'll get funding from the suburbs about time re-election runs its way around. At this moment, Bing isn't an underdog in any of the scenarios you paint [[i.e. Brown and Pugh). Somebody else better come out quickly to raise the amount of money needed to topple Bing, or Brown or Pugh better land some kind of major economic or social development coups they'll be able to run on, because to topple and incumbent mayor, you need something HUGE, not simply that you did your current job as one among equals on a city council.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
He moved into the Manoogian...
He's not a crook, and he wants to shrink the bloated inefficient bureaucracy, he's got 99% of my vote.
Please. Dave Bing's entire campaign during the special election consisted of nothing more than repeating the word "change" as often as he could.Quote:
Originally Posted by kraig
When Cockrel didn't deliver results, and Bing promised change, voters elected Bing simply because he promised change. Since then, he hasn't changed much.
The primary is still 2 1/2 years away. There's still time for Mayor Bing to start delivering. However, if he doesn't producing results, then same voter discontent that swept him into office can easily sweep him back out.
I don't think you appreciate the level of dissatisfaction with city services in the neighborhoods. Show up at any community meeting, or just talk to ordinary people, and you'll hear a tremendous amount of frustration with Mayor Bing.Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthEnder
If anything, the downtown development deal and suburban campaign contributions will work against his re-election because it reminds people that the neighborhoods aren't a priority for him. There's still time for him to turn things around, but he needs to get serious.
He's talked about shrinking the bloated inefficient bureaucracy. However, after almost two years in office, he hasn't made any progress doing so.Quote:
Originally Posted by gdogslim
No one in their right mind would expect Mayor Bing to change everything in two years. However, by this point in time, we should be able to see some kind of progress.
I'm happy with what Dave Bing is trying to do in Detroit. He seems like he cares about the city and it's rebirth. I said the same thing about Dennis Archer when he was in office but I like Bing more than Archer now. I hope he does run for a second term and wins, I can't vote for him since I don't live in the city of Detroit but I support him 100%.
I'm in full agreement with you that Bing hasn't done much. I think were we differ is that you believe that not doing much is enough to get someone else elected. Whereas, the majority of us posting on this thread know better. If you're half as politically astute as you claim to be, you would have recognized the fact that incumbents, hardly ever lose. How good of a job they are or aren't doing rarely factors into votes against them. It's not right, but, that's the reality of it. And if you had the ability to recognize a viable candidate, you wouldn't have backed Barrow so much. A multiple count convicted felon whose claim to fame is that he's ran and lost for Mayor as many times as Sharon McPhail and he's an accountant that got caught cheating on his taxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
By the way, that election was a blowout. Get it right.
Whether or not it's enough to move someone else into office depends entire on how pissed off the electorate is over a given politician's inaction. Exhibit A in this argument is Ken Cockrel.Quote:
Originally Posted by kraig
Ken Cockrel didn't accomplish anything worth mentioning in his brief tenure. Bing promised change. Voters decided to give him a chance.
The reason that incumbents hardly ever lose is because - by the time they've gotten into office - they've figured out how to make their constituents happy. it would appear that Mayor Bing hasn't learned how to do this yet.Quote:
If you're half as politically astute as you claim to be, you would have recognized the fact that incumbents, hardly ever lose.
If he doesn't learn within the next 2 1/2 years, he'll likely be out of job.
I had two options in that race. Option 1: A candidate, where even if I supported him and he won, there was no reasonable chance of him accomplishing any of the things that I want my mayor to do. Option 2: Take a chance on a long shot who has a litany of problems.Quote:
And if you had the ability to recognize a viable candidate, you wouldn't have backed Barrow so much.
Guaranteed failure vs. a long shot chance at success. It was pretty much a no-brainer.
Define "blowout". There was a 15 point gap between winner and loser in the official results, with 60,000 ballots that could not be verified [[out of 121,000 ballots cast).Quote:
By the way, that election was a blowout. Get it right.
15 points, by any measure, is a blowout. I noticed that you didn't respond to the statement that points out that Barrow is nothing but extremely damaged goods. For a City that hadn't turned in an on-time CAFR in 14 fourteen years, your answer was a multiple-count felony convicted accountant? Wow, that's amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
So your idea of a guaranteed failure is the successful businessman who has a documented history of performing charitable acts in the City of Detroit, respect of the local business community and positive nationwide name recognition? And your idea of a long shot at success is the felony convict?
Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you, a Typical Detroit Voter!!!!!!!!
Man, you just answered a whole lot of questions that aren't even worth asking.
No, my idea of a guaranteed failure is someone who does not appear to have any interest in dealing with the problems that this community is facing. The fact of the matter is that no one has ever won a game by sitting on a bench.Quote:
Originally Posted by kraig
Mayor Bing has all of the attributes that you mentioned. However, he appears to have no interest in reforming the City of Detroit's massive bureaucracy, reforming its tax structure, or otherwise dealing with the problems that Detroiters face every day.
Tom Barrow has a multitude of problems, which you mentioned above. However, he appeared to be willing to step into the ring and deal with those problems to the best of his abilities. Dave Bing, in contrast, has not demonstrated any such willingness.
Who has a better chance of winning? The world's greatest athlete who refuses to try or a really crappy competitor who is willing to give it his all?
No, it's just that you lack the intellect required to engage in an actual conversation. You jump to conclusions, ignore evidence, and resort to name calling.Quote:
Man, you just answered a whole lot of questions that aren't even worth asking.
But thank you for playing.
I must defend Ken Cockrel on this point. You can't criticize him for failing to accomplish anything during his brief tenure as interim mayor. He was a short-term placeholder until an emergency election was held, and he never had the time or political clout to implement any significant changes to city government. When Ken Cockrel took office, Detroit government was in a state of chaos, with KK heading to jail, Monica Conyers under indictment, disgraceful council behavior which had become national media fodder, and an obstructionist element in city council that had just rejected the Cobo regionalization plan.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
Throughout this awful time of corruption and disgrace in Detroit, Ken Cockrel stood out as a true professional leader, and acted with unwavering class, poise, and dignity. When Kwame called him out in the state of the city speech, I was appalled, but Ken Cockrel stayed professional and didn't engage in the mudslinging. When Monica Conyers publicly called him names, he did not respond with counter-insults like many politicians would.
When Ken Cockrel took over as mayor, the first thing he did was try to get the Cobo plan back on track, and then he followed that up with a very bold support of a DDOT/SMART merger.
I have always thought that our bus systems should be merged, but it is not politically popular, and I have never heard any other major political leader champion, or even publicly support, this idea. In the mayoral debates, Cockrel supported a DDOT/SMART merger, and Bing said "regional cooperation is working".
http://detnews.com/article/20090424/...ebate-heats-up
I like Dave Bing. I think that he is an honest person and a good guy, but I am waiting for him to take a stand and make some tough decisions to move the city forward. I don't see Dave Bing supporting real change or a real plan to address the poor city services in Detroit. I don't see Dave Bing doing anything to make the core city services better. I don't want to see annual 10% cuts across the board to balance the city budget. I want to see elimination of redundant departments, regional mergers, and real changes that will allow the city to properly fund core services and eliminate structural deficits.
I concur with EricD. Ken Cockerel has always "acted with unwavering class, poise, and dignity." I would add intelligence and sincerity to those raves. He did not have a chance to do anything amid the KK, Monica chaos. He unfairly got mud splashed on him by being on council filled with clowns which gave an outsider like Bing an advantage.
Bing is the best person for the moment. His quiet confidence and intelligence is just what the city needs at this time. He doesn't need money and he doesn't need fame; he has far more of both than any other mayor in recent memory.
However, when he declines to continue, I think Ken Cockerel will be elected as his successor should he choose to run.
That is absolute nonsense.Quote:
Originally Posted by erikd
If I show up at my job, my employer expects me to work; to produce results in exchange for my paycheck. It doesn't matter whether I'm only there for a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. The same thing applies when the job in question is Mayor of the City of Detroit.
Whoever holds that position must be expected to produce results. A failure to do so, should be met with outcries from the citizenry. It's our tax dollars that are being wasted and our safety that is jeopardized by said inaction.
And neither of those things were actually accomplished.Quote:
When Ken Cockrel took over as mayor, the first thing he did was try to get the Cobo plan back on track, and then he followed that up with a very bold support of a DDOT/SMART merger.
Please explain how not doing anything during a time of crisis can properly be defined as class, pose, or dignity.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lowell
Please explain how not doing anything is "what the city at this time".Quote:
Bing is the best person for the moment. His quiet confidence and intelligence is just what the city needs at this time.
We have a police department with one of the largest budgets of any law enforcement agency in the country on a per resident basis. In spite of this, calls for service to 9-1-1 routinely go without a response.
We have people who are literally dying in our streets because the EMS doesn't show up in time. We have the money to improve the situation, but Mayor Bing and his administration chose not to do so.
How is this "exactly what the city needs at this time"?
What could he have done taking over the reigns of power of a corrupt regime in such a short time, facing re-elections challenge and chaos surrounding KK? Do you expect a miracle? What would you have done under those circumstances? Absolutely nothing. But you could make it worse by continuing the antics of those times and grandstanding. Instead of pouring gas on the fire he acted with class, pose, or dignity.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
Simply put he is the best person for the situation. Maybe there is someone better. Maybe you would be better. But you would never be elected. "Politics is the art of the possible." Bing is the best person Detroit could have who could, in the real world, also get elected. His presence has already done great damage control. He is dignified and has the respect of other metropolitan leaders and the citizens of his city.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
Is he perfect? Of course not. But considering the alternatives, the possible alternatives not some dream world scenario, Detroit is very fortunate to have his service. But he has an immense hole to dig out of. No one can expect a sudden reversal of the mess he inherited and a bureaucracy lined with cronies of the former criminal administration.
In the meantime, he has to run a city with declining revenues, increasing social problems, a severely damaged reputation AND fix issues like 911, police response and so much more - all without a diamond in his ear. Good and god bless to him.
It makes me wonder that regardless of who we had in office, whether it be Mayor or City Council- could those services be improved that much in lieu of the financial difficulties this city is facing. I want it to be crazy impressive with response times and in time it hopefully will be in due time, but unfortunately we just have to weather the storm a little longer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
How is having more money per resident an impediment to getting things done?Quote:
Originally Posted by smogboy
And if it is an impediment, as you seem to believe, why not just give some of it back to the taxpayers?
Absolutely nothing???Quote:
Originally Posted by Lowell
The City Council gave him the money to operate an EMS service. How about hiring the people needed to do the job?
The Detroit Police Department has one of the largest budgets of any police agency in the country on a per resident basis. How about if you hold DPD's leadership accountable for delivering result?
Or hire a police chief based on his or her ability to do the job and not on how often he is willing to praise you in press releases?
And how exactly does sitting on your ass all day make someone "dignified"?
"Detroit needs change. Change with a sense of urgency."
- Dave Bing, candidate for mayor of Detroit, April 2009
"Change isn't possible. It's not reasonable to expect it within two years."
- Most of Dave Bing's supporters, February 2011
BTW - I'm still waiting for someone to explain how not doing anything makes one "dignified".
Are you criticizing Bing or Cockrel?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnemecek
The lack of EMS drivers and maintained vehicles falls on Bing. Bing has been in office for almost two years, which is enough time to figure out how to allocate EMS funding properly.
The same goes with appointing a new police chief and reforming a poorly performing police department. It takes more than a few months to identify the problems, create a plan of action, implement the plan, and see dramatic change in a system as large as the DPD.
Ken Cockrel was an interim mayor for 7 months. Seven months is not enough time to sort through the mess left by Kwame, figure out solutions, implement them, and see the results. Especially when you are a short-term lame duck without any support from City Council [[which was lead by his nemesis and soon-to-be incarcerated felon Monica Conyers), state government officials, or local business leaders, all who expect you to be out of office in a few months.
What I love most about politics, is that people really not smarter than you or me, are making decisions for the rest of us.
In that post, Bing.Quote:
Originally Posted by erikd
Except that, prior to becoming interim mayor, Ken Cockrel was president of the City Council. As such, he was responsible for the City's budget as well as reviewing and approving every contract that the City entered into. He should have had a firm grip on the City of Detroit's finance's long before the text message scandal became public.Quote:
Ken Cockrel was an interim mayor for 7 months. Seven months is not enough time to sort through the mess left by Kwame, figure out solutions, implement them, and see the results. Especially when you are a short-term lame duck without any support from City Council [[which was lead by his nemesis and soon-to-be incarcerated felon Monica Conyers), state government officials, or local business leaders, all who expect you to be out of office in a few months.
More over, by April 2009, it was painfully obvious that Kwame Kilpatrick's days as mayor were numbered and that the reins would soon fall to Ken Cockrel. As such, he should have had a contingency plan ready to go if/when such an eventuality happened long before the actual transfer of power in September.
If he had done so, the amount of time required to fine tune and implement such a plan would be minimal. Ken Cockrel could have - and should have - been able to take steps at breaking down the bureaucracy that consumes so many resources in Detroit without delivering any results. Unfortunately, he did not.
If he had done so, he would still be mayor today.
Didn't Figer recently state that not only did he plan to run, but that he would win. How many folks would vote for that clown?
All right Fnemecek, give us a candidate, by name, for 2013.
Why? There's a half dozen or so who've quietly expressed an interest. It's way too early to throw support behind any of them.
Besides, if Bing does manage to start showing results, I'd love to go back to supporting him.