Who will replace LBrooksP ?

**O3H** · April-22-17, 09:41 PM

LBrooksP is metro Detroits inflammatory racist.
He doesn't play well with others, has been selfish and likes it white.
His environmental record is atrocious and he's a cheap s.o.b.

How will anyone replace that enormous ego in Oakland and learn to work toward true regionalism with Macomb and Wayne Counties. ?

**Scottathew** · April-23-17, 08:22 AM

I think Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett would do well. He's got a great fiscal track record and is a uniting force within Rochester Hills.

**Bigdd** · April-23-17, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by O3H

LBrooksP is metro Detroits inflammatory racist.
He doesn't play well with others, has been selfish and likes it white.
His environmental record is atrocious and he's a cheap s.o.b.

How will anyone replace that enormous ego in Oakland and learn to work toward true regionalism with Macomb and Wayne Counties. ?

Wow,. that's a loaded and insult filled group of statements there.

Mr. Patterson's duties aren't to further prop up Detroit,.. or the metro area. His duties and loyalties are to Oakland County. And he's done an excellent job of it.

He does work well with others [[Very well actually),.. just not when they want to siphon off a bunch of Oakland County dollars for their own needs and wants.

**O3H** · April-23-17, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Bigdd

Mr. Patterson's duties aren't to further prop up Detroit,.. or the metro area.

Actually all Counties must merge and sync together to do well.
No one county is an island of isolationism in Michigan.
It's 2017, time to wake up to evolution and forward progression.

http://semcog.org/News-and-Events/Bl...nt-pilot-10117

**Don K** · April-23-17, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Bigdd

Mr. Patterson's duties aren't to further prop up Detroit,.. or the metro area. His duties and loyalties are to Oakland County.

But at what point do the problems of the metro area become problems for OC?I was involved in interviewing and hiring for one of the Detroit Three [[can't really call them the Big Three amymore) 20-30 years ago, and even then Detroit's problems were affecting the willingness of talented people to move here for work. We had to pay above-market salaries to attract the people we wanted.

The attitude that OC can remain an island aloof from Detroit's problems [[but oh by the way keep the money coming so we can keep expanding highways for northern OC) is a large part of what's wrong with the Detroit area.

**Danny** · April-23-17, 02:43 PM

L.B. Patterson is kind of close to Kim John Il of North Korea. Keeping his county isolated like a hermit from regionalism. He reign will end soon.

This is North Korea-- I mean Oakland County today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQxW_ipxEEo&t=2740s

**O3H** · April-23-17, 04:51 PM

Glad numerous others see the light as LBrooksP fades away

**SammyS** · April-23-17, 05:30 PM

The cliche of a "thriving metropolis can only exist with a thriving downtown" rings true more today than it has ever in the past. Why? Because I believe the reversal of urban sprawl has already commenced.

**Bigdd** · April-23-17, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Don K

But at what point do the problems of the metro area become problems for OC?I was involved in interviewing and hiring for one of the Detroit Three [[can't really call them the Big Three amymore) 20-30 years ago, and even then Detroit's problems were affecting the willingness of talented people to move here for work. We had to pay above-market salaries to attract the people we wanted.

The attitude that OC can remain an island aloof from Detroit's problems [[but oh by the way keep the money coming so we can keep expanding highways for northern OC) is a large part of what's wrong with the Detroit area.

Detroit DEFINITELY has been a problem for Oakland and Macomb counties for a very long time. And in many ways the other counties HAVE helped prop up Wayne County and Detroit.

But at some point you have to stop throwing good money after bad.

When the citizens of Detroit and Wayne County keep electing people like Kwame, Kilpatrick, Bob Ficano, Charles Pew, Monica Conyers, George Cushingberry, etc, etc, etc... there's little real hope.

And getting in bed with these people and their insane thinking is a recipe for bringing the other counties down.

When IT IS possible to help,.. they do. DRCFA, which runs Cobo Center has been a raving success. Cobo was loosing millions a year and on the verge of loosing the Auto Show. Then the Three Counties and the State came together and pumped millions into it,.. started running it without all the graft [[such as Kwame's dad),.. and now it makes money.

The Detroit Water Department [[which had 2 sets of books,.. one for the public,. and one for the people stealing hundreds of millions from it), is another example of the corruption and incompetence that turns an otherwise massive gold-mine and turns it into a money pit.

Heck,. Detroit recently had a school board president that was illiterate !

If the other Counties don't have actual authority over Detroit,.. there's no way they can fix their problems. Simply giving them more money is no more likely to help Detroit than would giving a crack-head money make them clean, or giving a drunk money make them sober.

Detroit's problems need to be fixed by Detroit.

A couple of suggestions;

-Eliminate the City income tax.

-Require that anyone running for City Council have owned and operated businesses in Detroit with at least 10 employees [[that didn't go bankrupt), and have a college degree.

**O3H** · April-23-17, 07:32 PM

If Oakland County is affluent, wealthy, etc
- WHY can't it separate it sewer systems after 100 years ?

Oakland County problem needs to be fixed by Oakland,
all by itself, without help.

If other counties and cities sealed the borders, Oakland would drown in feces.

http://bit.ly/OaklandIsland

Oakland better start thinking of dumping in Cass/Orchard/Sylvan lakes
because other communities are getting mighty, mighty angry at sewer overflows.

http://bit.ly/OaklandPollutes

If someone dumps in the toilet in Oakland, it should stay in Oakland, until its cleaned, sanitized, and fit for human consumption, fish and wildlife.

Macomb County has shoreline get fouled - due to Oakland going dirt cheap.
Pay for your own sewage disposal and we'll see how affluent the county remains

**Scottathew** · April-23-17, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by SammyS

I believe the reversal of urban sprawl has already commenced.

I believe so too.

I'd love to see a "green belt" implemented that would prevent further development if X miles away from downtown Detroit. London has implemented something similar and it promotes density and helps with mass transit. It does have the negative side effects of negatively impacting property ownership rights of undeveloped land in the greenbelt, but does have positive effects for property values that are in the developable area.

**EastsideAl** · April-24-17, 12:57 AM

It bears remembering that L. Brooks began his public career as the George Wallace of Oakland County, working to keep little colored faces out of pale faced schools. That was the basis of his popularity, and he has kept up the good work ever since.

Waaay past time for that kind of thinking to go.

**masterblaster** · April-24-17, 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by Bigdd

When the citizens of Detroit and Wayne County keep electing people like Kwame, Kilpatrick, Bob Ficano, Charles Pew, Monica Conyers, George Cushingberry, etc, etc, etc... there's little real hope.

If you believe that Detroit has no hope, why are you on a DetroitYES website? What is the point?

**Scottathew** · April-24-17, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

If you believe that Detroit has no hope, why are you on a DetroitYES website? What is the point?

He's saying that as long as Detroit keeps electing [[literally) bankrupt leaders, people that have issues with DUI, young men that implement tax-payer funded posses, people whose chief qualifications are that they are on television or married to a career politician, there shall be no hope.

Not "no hope ever" for Detroit, but no hope if they keep electing shitty politicians.

**EGrant** · April-24-17, 08:12 AM

L Brooks Patterson has been pretty terrible for the region, but to compare him to George Wallace and Kim "John" Il? It makes it hard to hear any slightly valid points when people just toss out those names as if they are even remotely similar to a LBP. I know he's said some ridiculous, inexcusable stuff [[the blanket quote everyone knows), but he is not a dictator responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, not is he as blatantly racist as George Wallace.

Ugh, I hate that I am defending L Brooks, but come on.

**Bigdd** · April-24-17, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

He's saying that as long as Detroit keeps electing [[literally) bankrupt leaders, people that have issues with DUI, young men that implement tax-payer funded posses, people whose chief qualifications are that they are on television or married to a career politician, there shall be no hope.

Not "no hope ever" for Detroit, but no hope if they keep electing shitty politicians.

EXACTLY.

And some major progress HAS occurred recently.

1. Detroiters voted for a mayor based on something other than skin color for the first time in 40+ years [[not that Mayor Duggan is the panacea for Detroit's ills,... but he does have big business experience,.. so that's a big start.,... also, Dennis Archer was my favorite, bit I feel that he just didn't have the stomach to fight the hyper-corrupt political machine as it existed then)

2. The bankruptcy.

3. We got away from the "at large" system of electing city council persons,.. so at least people have a chance of voting in someone with a brain.

**O3H** · April-24-17, 11:27 AM

Focus on LBrooksP, not Detroit.

Start your own thread BiggDD on the shortcomings of Detroit.

I'm curious about who is being groomed to take over Oakland County

**ABetterDetroit** · April-24-17, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

He's saying that as long as Detroit keeps electing [[literally) bankrupt leaders, people that have issues with DUI, young men that implement tax-payer funded posses, people whose chief qualifications are that they are on television or married to a career politician, there shall be no hope.

This "married to a career politician" is a problem that never ends.

Here is another one of those from today's paper, double dipping salaries off of the publics money just using the family name to do it!

http://www.freep.com/story/news/poli...nor/100827548/

**Scottathew** · April-24-17, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

This "married to a career politician" is a problem that never ends.

Here is another one of those from today's paper, double dipping salaries off of the publics money just using the family name to do it!

http://www.freep.com/story/news/poli...nor/100827548/

Calley also plays the "autism card" [[his daughter has autism) while he tries to pretend he's doing what's good for students while continuing to support policies that hurt public education as attempt to move public dollars to private companies.

**Johnnny5** · April-24-17, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by O3H

Focus on LBrooksP, not Detroit.

Start your own thread BiggDD on the shortcomings of Detroit.

I'm curious about who is being groomed to take over Oakland County

If you actually care about who the next Oakland County Exec may be, why is your original post entirely focused on degrading Patterson?

**O3H** · April-24-17, 05:05 PM

It's well known LBrooksP isn't exactly wonderful.
Literally dozens upon upon articles lambasting the dude.
I merely spoke the truth.

Back to the replacement of LBrooksP.....................

**EastsideAl** · April-24-17, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

L Brooks Patterson has been pretty terrible for the region, but to compare him to George Wallace and Kim "John" Il? It makes it hard to hear any slightly valid points when people just toss out those names as if they are even remotely similar to a LBP. I know he's said some ridiculous, inexcusable stuff [[the blanket quote everyone knows), but he is not a dictator responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, not is he as blatantly racist as George Wallace.

Ugh, I hate that I am defending L Brooks, but come on.

I don't know about Kim Jong Il, but I'm not sure how he doesn't at least bear comparison with George Wallace and other southern demagogues of that era. After all, he really did begin his public career as the spokesman of a fight against integrating schools. A fight that turned very ugly and violent, in large measure because passions were ginned up publicly by the inflammatory statements and fear mongering of opportunist segregationists like L. Brooks. His public career, and political appeals, since then have been largely focused, either implicitly or explicitly, on "us" [[largely white Oakland County) vs. "them" [[largely black Detroit). His whole brief as leader of Oakland County has been about anything but working together across lines to make this whole region better.

He has been a divisive figure from the start, and a lightning rod of racial division, and his time in this region has finally [[thank goodness) passed. It's long past time for him to gently retire from public life and get the hell out of the way.

**O3H** · April-25-17, 03:10 PM

Lewis Brooks Patterson was quoted in The New Yorker magazine [[27th January, 2014):

“I made a prediction a long time ago, and it’s come to pass.
I said, ‘What we’re going to do is turn Detroit into an Indian reservation,
where we herd all the Indians into the city, build a fence around it,
and then throw in the blankets and corn.’”

**Dan Wesson** · April-26-17, 02:08 AM

This Patterson fella, never have i paid much mind to him, but i do believe he sounds like one of them guys you either love or hate.

**softailrider** · April-26-17, 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by Dan Wesson

This Patterson fella, never have i paid much mind to him, but i do believe he sounds like one of them guys you either love or hate.

Actually, I don't love him or hate him. Having lived in Oakland and Wayne County for my entire life I think he's done a very good job running Oakland. He doesn't come across to me as a warm fuzzy guy, but he doesn't have to be.

I guess what I mean is, I can see how you can hate him or love him, I just don't feel either way.