Brenda Jones elected Council President

**401don** · January-06-14, 01:04 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2014010...ncil-president

What? Nobody here is excited about their new leader?

**GOAT** · January-06-14, 01:12 PM

More of the same nonsense....geez Detroit. Hopefully this is the last of the old guard and new blood comes in. Another obstructionist to piss around and collect a salary which isn't deserved.

**corktownyuppie** · January-06-14, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

More of the same nonsense....geez Detroit. Hopefully this is the last of the old guard and new blood comes in. Another obstructionist to piss around and collect a salary which isn't deserved.

First, there's no way to spin this. I think it's bad news.

The only saving grace around this is that obstructionism [[a la the Tea Party) is really easy from the cheap seats. The closer you get to having any real power, the more you have to deal with actual consequences.

Jones and Cushingberry might have campaigned under the fantasy of fighting off the EM. But now they'll have do more than yell potshots and march around with signs.

They'll soon find that putting up a fight is a waste of time as they return again and again with nothing to show for it.

And something tells me Duggan isn't going to waste much time in reminding her who's Mayor, either.

I am curious to see how much oversight the State retains post-EM. New York City took 30 years before losing their state oversight. I expect nothing less in this scenario either.

**dmike76** · January-06-14, 01:38 PM

This is a disturbing outcome. I was really hoping for a fresh, new attitude. SOD....Same Old Detroit.

**Hypestyles** · January-06-14, 02:07 PM

We’ll see what happens—or what doesn’t happen. Given that council’s powers are limited it remains to be seen what they will support or not support in the name of ideology vs. pragmatic community advocacy.

**DetBill** · January-06-14, 02:23 PM

Very disturbing to think that five council members voted for her,,including herself,,, I thought we might have some fresh attitudes,, sounds not good, she was a typical obstructionist on many issues,, always in the guise of rallying for the "people". She needs to be reminded she represents everyone. With the circumstances being what they are with Detroit.. it might be quickly.

**Honky Tonk** · January-06-14, 02:57 PM

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss........

**Gistok** · January-06-14, 03:01 PM

OK... since this is a whole new process [[voting in the President and Pro Temp).... is the council now like a Parliament? Does this mean that she serves at the pleasure of the majority? If she pisses some off on council... can they have another vote? Or is she IT until the next election and vote afterwards?

**poobert** · January-06-14, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

But now they'll have do more than yell potshots and march around with signs.

Says who?

What disturbs me most about Brenda Jones is not necessarily her positions but her clear lack of intelligence. She has trouble stringing together complete sentences or coherent thoughts. She's been rolling around for years pandering with union slogans and cheap shots at "the man." Get ready for MonCon Part II in terms of absurdity [[though I don't believe she's corrupt - she isn't intelligent enough to be).

This is bad news. Really bad news.

**softailrider** · January-06-14, 04:12 PM

Can't we get Charles Pugh back? He was awesome.

**Zacha341** · January-06-14, 04:50 PM

--

--He [[Pugh) don't wanna to be here. He made the choice to put himself in a position to have to run away and leave us to 'ourselves'...

**Richard** · January-06-14, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Says who?

What disturbs me most about Brenda Jones is not necessarily her positions but her clear lack of intelligence. She has trouble stringing together complete sentences or coherent thoughts. She's been rolling around for years pandering with union slogans and cheap shots at "the man." Get ready for MonCon Part II in terms of absurdity [[though I don't believe she's corrupt - she isn't intelligent enough to be).

This is bad news. Really bad news.

If she takes a fall [[politically),which could happen at any given moment in the next 9 month's,she is done politically in Detroit.

So it can go one of two ways with the council, either they work together with the mayor and Mr Orr or you remove or disable the president,as the other members were elected no city vote required and they can still perform the duties you elected them to do,kinda like testing with waters with a safety net in place.

It becomes her choice weather to make it a lame duck position or become a leader for the younger council members and help them with the system,using her experience and show them how to navigate the system to provide a better way of life for the city.

She knows how sans the window dressing and private agendas.

90 days or less should tell you which way it will go,and you can bet there will be a test real soon.

**SWMAP** · January-06-14, 05:13 PM

At least we now know for sure about Mary Sheffield. There was some thought that she would make a break from her Father's politics , but I guess not.
Free Press endorsed Jones. Yet here the majority opinion, despite Steven Henderson's praise for her, is that Jones represents failed governance. What was Henderson thinking [[once again)?

**Schoolcraft** · January-06-14, 05:36 PM

I don't get the carping about this at all:

1. Council pretty much has NO power.
2. Jenkins was a yes woman, which to me is worse than an "obstructionist." She believed the hype about herself in the paper a little too much. I NEVER saw her at any community meetings. She doesn't value the opinion of the community.
3. Jones becoming council pres doesn't give her the power to change any council members mind about anything else. She's still only one vote.
4. Jones will at least bring attention to any BS deal that Orr is pushing and serve as some type of conscious for the city. I actually think Jones and Duggan will get along very well. Jones and Orr? Not so much.
5. Jones ain't the smartest or most articulate cookie in the jar, but at least she's never lost her house to foreclosure like our last two council presidents [[that I know) so she may be a better fiscal steward.

**corktownyuppie** · January-06-14, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Schoolcraft

I don't get the carping about this at all:

1. Council pretty much has NO power.

Yeah. Am interested to hear both the tone and substance of her response to the pension freeze.

**Richard** · January-06-14, 05:56 PM

The council has all of the power they need to accomplish their objective.

To raise the standard of living conditions within the neighborhoods and to set the standard now for the future.On that who is going to tell them otherwise and retain kind of public face.

IMO this whole pension battle is being fought in every city and company across the country,right or wrong it is clear the pension structures of the past have become non sustainable,so how does one deal with it going forward?

**corktownyuppie** · January-06-14, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

IMO this whole pension battle is being fought in every city and company across the country,right or wrong it is clear the pension structures of the past have become non sustainable,so how does one deal with it going forward?

How? Step One: Acknowledge and accept that the pension structures of the past have become non-sustainable.

If that comes out of Brenda Jones's mouth, I will highly respect her for saying something that is politically very difficult.

With the recent Boeing bargaining, the national pension leaders were pitted against local rank and file because the national leadership [[which -- I believe -- includes more professionals with backgrounds in actuarial finance and business) is taking the stand you're taking, while local leaders are still stuck on "Hell No, We Won't Go."

Do I believe that the court ordered pension cut will be the fairest solution?

Of course not. There will be so many more humane, just, and acceptable ways to adjust pensions. But all of them share one prerequisite: Acknowledge and Accept that pension structures of the past are unsustainable.

And I think many of us with a business background have been so frustrated for so long because we've been saying that for 10+ years...but still getting stuck on STEP ONE.

So if Councilwoman Jones is willing to face reality, accept Step One, and lead her constituents in trying to find best possible STEP TWO...then I'm all in favor. And if she thinks that marching with signs > math and arithemetic...well, we'll know where she stands.

**antongast** · January-06-14, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

IMO this whole pension battle is being fought in every city and company across the country,right or wrong it is clear the pension structures of the past have become non sustainable,so how does one deal with it going forward?

I see two options:

1. Expand Social Security benefits to a level that allows every American to enjoy a decent, humane quality of life in retirement without the need to rely on anything but Social Security checks.

2. Start buying dog food.

**jt1** · January-06-14, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

I see two options:

1. Expand Social Security benefits to a level that allows every American to enjoy a decent, humane quality of life in retirement without the need to rely on anything but Social Security checks.

2. Start buying dog food.

Lift the cap for SS contributions

**Vic01** · January-07-14, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by antongast

...Expand Social Security benefits to a level that allows every American to enjoy a decent, humane quality of life in retirement without the need to rely on anything but Social Security checks.

I'm not sure what this means, or where the money would come from? [[you've only got $1,000. of monthly benefits paid in, but we'll give you $4,000. in order to be "humane"?) I saw in another thread something about a "guaranteed minimum income" to reduce poverty? Again, what magical pot of gold has the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to pay for this stuff?
If you look around the world, some of the countries that have done these things have had their economies go broke, so where does that leave us?

**detroitbob** · January-07-14, 04:16 AM

Same old attitude...now with [[until the end of the reign of Orr and/or His Nerdness) limited powers and staff but now with a loud trumpet as the spokescouncil pseudo head. Some things don't change.

**GP For Life** · January-07-14, 01:37 PM

Brenda "It's Rape" Jones is a moron. I mean that in the true sense of the word. I believe she is mentally retarded, at best.

**paulj313** · January-07-14, 02:07 PM

Onward Christian soooooooooldiers!

**jackie5275** · January-07-14, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

Lift the cap for SS contributions

ELIMINATE the cap, although that will never happen.

**bailey** · January-07-14, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by jackie5275

ELIMINATE the cap, although that will never happen.

It doesn't even need to be eliminated. IIRC raising it from 100 to 500k would almost completely address the long term "insolvency" issues.

It'll never happen because democrats in office are cowards and republican voters time and again vote against their own interests because...'Merica!