L Brooks Reduced to Whining

**djtomt** · August-10-18, 01:29 AM

L. Brooks is toast at this point, and I think he knows it. His legacy is bulletproof, so he can say whatever he wants and will get away with it. Spilled milk.

The thing to focus on is who's next? Who are the candidates for OCE? How do they compare/contrast to the near Oligopoly of LBP?

Curious to see how this plays out. Will have ramifications for the entire region.

**EastsideAl** · August-10-18, 01:53 AM

"I'd rather join the Klan"...

I'll bet he would. He certainly started out his public career as one of their allies.

**EGrant** · August-10-18, 05:33 AM

L Brooks only beat a Democrat by 7% in the last election. He's not bulletproof.

**O3H** · August-10-18, 06:33 AM

For a look at LBrooksP - bottom right corner is my favorite
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DkO5xahXsAAFOrJ.jpg:large

**JBMcB** · August-10-18, 08:17 AM

So this is the fifth or sixth post dedicated to railing against Patterson. I haven't seen much on what specific policies people have a problem with.

I understand the problem with his rhetoric [[Trump-light, or the Oakland version of Coleman Young) but which of his policies are problematic?

**CassTechGrad** · August-10-18, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

So allow me to ask Mr. Patterson a question. You have an elegant but devastated downtown in your county just a short distance from your office. What have you done to turn it into a vibrant urban center like Downtown Detroit has become?

Or am I being unfair? Is only 26 years in office not been enough time to revitalize downtown Pontiac?

If I were him I would say " There are 77 cities in Oakland County and all of them except 1 are doing as good or better then Detroit. Nobody's perfect but I'm pretty dam close!!!!!!" Yes, and it even sounds like something that Brooks would say, that cocky bastard.

**Lowell** · August-10-18, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by CassTechGrad

If I were him I would say " There are 77 cities in Oakland County and all of them except 1 are doing as good or better then Detroit. Nobody's perfect but I'm pretty dam close!!!!!!" Yes, and it even sounds like something that Brooks would say, that cocky bastard.

"Better than Detroit" is a low bar. Many cities in Oakland county are not Detroit, but they have declined under LBP, in population, public services, business, education.

Some of that is due to Oakland County poaching Oakland County. Inner ring residents moving outer ring. The county executive LBP praising sprawl and driving the perception of I-696 being the new 8 Mile.

And let's not forget. With less than 20% of the region's population Detroit is stuck caring for more than 80% of the region's impoverished--those who couldn't afford to be poached by L. Brooks.

**Lowell** · August-10-18, 09:04 AM

Patterson sent the July 26 letter, inviting Chamber members to a meeting at Patterson's office Thursday afternoon to oppose the business leaders' efforts. Crain's and the Detroit News reported Thursday that Patterson met with members of the Oakland County Chamber of Commerce in his offices in Pontiac and after the meeting, when asked whether he would join the regional CEO group, said: “Oh, hell no. I'd rather join the Klan.”

Patterson issued a news release later Thursday, backtracking: “Sometimes when I'm passionate about a topic, I choose sharp words and purposely engage in hyperbole to get my point across. Today, the words I chose offended a lot of people. I apologize for the poor choice of words,” he said.

The reminds me of the ancient Roman phrase In Vino Veritas -- 'in wine there is truth' meaning 'when someone has had a few rounds their true self is revealed'. Not saying LBP was drunk but he has been known to...

**3WC** · August-10-18, 10:08 AM

As an Oakland County resident, I know that LBP has done a lot of great things for the county and it's residents. I agree that his disdain for "regionalism" is well founded in many cases.

However, he's not nearly as effective as he was formerly. The roads are the worst I've seen the in many years; he'd better address that issue more vigorously than he's attacking Anderson and the DTE proposal.

I take no issue whatsoever with his statement re the KKK. He in effect said joining it would be the last thing he'd ever do except for joining that Anderson-led regionalization group. He sure wasn't praising the Klan. He was just making a point. And his position is based on the fact that he believes that implementation of that plan would not be in the best interests, financially, for Oakland County and it's residents. That's what a County executive is supposed to do, focus initially, and solely, on his constituents.

**3WC** · August-10-18, 10:10 AM

P.S. As to LBP's drinking issues, the Wayne County Exec should tell somebody "Find out what LBP's drinking and bring me a case of it."

**dtowncitylover** · August-10-18, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

which of his policies are problematic?

Urban sprawl.

I wish I could stab it with a knife, tear out its heart, and bury it 20 feet deep in a lead coffin.

Fuck "the market"; fuck people who want to leave at least 100 ft away from their neighbor and demand the amenities of lower Woodward; fuck urban sprawl and LBP's push for it.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-10-18, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

"Better than Detroit" is a low bar. Many cities in Oakland county are not Detroit, but they have declined under LBP, in population, public services, business, education.

Some of that is due to Oakland County poaching Oakland County. Inner ring residents moving outer ring. The county executive LBP praising sprawl and driving the perception of I-696 being the new 8 Mile.

And let's not forget. With less than 20% of the region's population Detroit is stuck caring for more than 80% of the region's impoverished--those who couldn't afford to be poached by L. Brooks.

Nail on the head. Southfield, Oak Park, and other borderline suburbs are in some distress now, as people move further North.

**iheartthed** · August-10-18, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

So this is the fifth or sixth post dedicated to railing against Patterson. I haven't seen much on what specific policies people have a problem with.

I understand the problem with his rhetoric [[Trump-light, or the Oakland version of Coleman Young) but which of his policies are problematic?

His opposition to a regional transit solution.

**Bham1982** · August-10-18, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Some of that is due to Oakland County poaching Oakland County. Inner ring residents moving outer ring. The county executive LBP praising sprawl and driving the perception of I-696 being the new 8 Mile.

Most inner-ring Oakland County suburbs have improved or at least stabilized in recent years. The entire Woodward corridor has certainly improved, and nearby communities like Hazel Park and Oak Park seem to be beneficiaries.

South of I-696 communities like Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Ferndale have very high property values relative to a generation ago. In the late 1980's/early 1990's Ferndale was a town of rednecks, basically. PR and HW were still nice but aging and unpopular with young families. There was a point where their future was in doubt, but no longer.

This is in stark contrast to South Macomb or inner Wayne County, much of which are in free-fall. I don't think anyone will seriously argue that South Warren, or Harper Woods, or Redford Twp, or Westland, are in better shape now than 20 years ago.

**EastsideAl** · August-10-18, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

So this is the fifth or sixth post dedicated to railing against Patterson. I haven't seen much on what specific policies people have a problem with.

I understand the problem with his rhetoric [[Trump-light, or the Oakland version of Coleman Young) but which of his policies are problematic?

I'm not sure the policies matter all that much when you have a 45+ year history of open blatant racism, and began your public career with a fight to preserve segregated schools.

But L. Brooks has long stood in the way of every meaningful proposal that would move this region forward as a region, particularly if those ideas would help advance the City of Detroit in any way. Right up to the present moment, as we can see.

**Meddle** · August-10-18, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

His opposition to a regional transit solution.

To many, me included, that's a non-issue.

Brooks is just an idiot whose time passed 20 years ago. Somebody compared him to being the Oakland County Coleman because of his divisiveness and lack of professionalism. He's an embarrassment with the couth of Bill Bonds.

**iheartthed** · August-10-18, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

To many, me included, that's a non-issue.

Brooks is just an idiot whose time passed 20 years ago. Somebody compared him to being the Oakland County Coleman because of his divisiveness and lack of professionalism. He's an embarrassment with the couth of Bill Bonds.

Perhaps a non-issue to you, but to many, including the business leaders he is railing against, Detroit's lack of a regional transit system is a detriment to the economic competitiveness of the region. That he doesn't see it as one of the most pressing issues facing the collective region in the face of a mountain of evidence is exactly why he's becoming irrelevant.

**Meddle** · August-10-18, 02:56 PM

'Regional transport' means nothing to me. I drive myself where I need to go.

**iheartthed** · August-10-18, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

'Regional transport' means nothing to me. I drive myself where I need to go.

It could mean a better paying job even if you do drive yourself where you need to go.

**O3H** · August-10-18, 06:00 PM

People that live "near" Detroit should be able to to take "something" into the city for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at Orchestra Hall, catch a performance at the Fox Theatre, attend an event at MOCAD, spend a summer afternoon/evening at Campus Martius .

**Junjie** · August-11-18, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

'Regional transport' means nothing to me. I drive myself where I need to go.

Or maybe we should just pound the roads around your house back into gravel. The vast majority of people in the state never use them, after all.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-11-18, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

To many, me included, that's a non-issue.

Brooks is just an idiot whose time passed 20 years ago. Somebody compared him to being the Oakland County Coleman because of his divisiveness and lack of professionalism. He's an embarrassment with the couth of Bill Bonds.

CAY's divisiveness was a direct result of LBP. So that's a push if you ask me.

**archfan** · August-11-18, 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by Junjie

Or maybe we should just pound the roads around your house back into gravel. The vast majority of people in the state never use them, after all.

Almost there.

**O3H** · August-11-18, 07:28 AM

LBrooksP was elected Oakland County executive in 1992
--- with no term limits. ---
Brooks has benefited enormously from this.
He holds power on key issues [[auto insurance)

**canuck** · August-11-18, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

'Regional transport' means nothing to me. I drive myself where I need to go.

The problem with that point of view is that it excludes the needs of anyone outside of self.

It is strictly self-serving, that is; it's Okay, up until the time you yourself need to be gotten around by a third party. It's a tunnel vision sort of thing that has justified sprawl and the concomitant effects of not being able to provide proximity and decent transit to the bulk of many metro populations U.S.-wide.

In Detroit, it has had a self-serving effect upon the auto industry too, almost by happenstance, or maybe not. Lol.