Zulu Analysis- November 3rd elections

[Zulu Warrior]

The recent elections in Detroit represent a tectonic shift in the political will of the Motor City.
Dave Bing was elected to a 4 year term and has survived a gauntlet of primaries, a special election, and the recent general election. His selection to this position represents a reassertion of the corporate will on the positive image of Detroit. Since the dissolution of the Kilpatrick government, Detroit has lost ground on the world stage as a place of investment and business opportunity. With the collapse of the auto industry, the global market place has found other areas to place its interests. Indeed, “Shutting Detroit Down�, the popular song by John Rich, has gone from a country tune to a worldwide saying in a matter of months.
But Mayor Bing’s election has not been a smoothly honed mandate. At best, it is an uneasy test of wills with a bruised and bewildered electorate. At worst, it is the beginning of a long 4 year battle with unions and community activists. The Mayor will have to have an All Star performance, in order to be seen as a champion for Detroit.
If the mayoral election represents a reassertion of the corporate will, the City Council election is a course correction for the times. The polity elected a new council, with 5 new members and 4 returning ones, which will be seated in January. But this legislature finds itself seated in a new modality of governance.
When there are shifts in communication methods, governance in that new era is often a phase behind, exposing weaknesses of that system. Before Guttenberg invented the printing press, the divine right of kings and the hegemony of the church were the order of the day. After his invention, and the development of news papers and leaflets, revolutions, self determination, and the separation of church and state became the preferred expressions of governance. Indeed, Marie Antoinette, Martin Luther, and Thomas Paine were creatures of this shift, and became icons of the new world of the printed word, where the common man could challenge the order of the day.
A shift happened again at the turn of the millennium, where the evolution of the 24 hour news cycle, the internet, and the expansion of other electronic media occurred.
Many have categorized the Detroit City Council as “incompetent�, “ineffective�, and “useless�. This perception persists, even though this council, headed by Cockrel, does nothing measurably different than the councils headed by Mahaffey, Hill, or Henderson. Indeed the approval of grants and gifts, approval of the budget, oversight of the mayor’s actions, and ceremonial activities, have not changed since this charter was enacted. Colorful personalities were apart of those councils as well, but they didn’t exist in such a media intensive environment. Detroiters were looking for persons who could articulate policy and sentiment-in a manner professional, effectual, cogent, and expressive of community thought.
The citizenry, weary from the international news stories of Kilpatrick and Monica Conyers, were very sensitive to media savvy persons and those who could articulate policy, and selected a field of 18 candidates with a phenomenal scatter plot of people with public venue experience. A former news anchor [[Pugh), a former press secretary [[Tate), a former newspaper man [[Cockrel), a former communications worker [[Jones), an IT business owner [[Hall) two former radio talk show hosts [[Talabi and Watson), two motivational speakers [[Howze and Johnson), a blogger [[Bennett), and author [[Kenyatta) a celebrated police spokesman [[Foy), the subject of an international news story [[Brown), and an orator and pastor [[Spivey). The remaining candidates [[Jenkins, Oakdie, Dearing, and Cross) are experienced policy veterans with great skills and notable resumes.
Ironically, this may pose a test for the Mayor, as the new council is decidedly savvier in communication than Mayor Bing, or his current communications team. He must be the Mayor on TV, the internet, and all other forms of the media. No Detroit Mayor has done this successfully yet as Kilpatrick failed at it, will Bing be the first? Can he govern in the new modality effectively?
Given that Pugh is the voice of the common people, the media stakes have been vastly raised for the Bing government- they must rise to the occasion in this arena. Especially as the community begins its debate on the new charter, and the proper balance of power between the executive and legislative oversight is evaluated. Indeed the seasoned voices of Hendrix, Teola Hunter and Ken Coleman will provide ample debate and possible criticism of the actions of the Mayor, on whom the region rises and falls.
The new norm is almost established, and the mayor is the last piece that needs to be seen. Stay tuned for more updates.

[Ravine]

"Tectonic shift," my ass. The leading vote-getter was a TV-News guy. Fortunately for us, despite the appearance of being in far over his head, he doesn't seem like a total low-life or idiot.
And, at least he can speak like a person with more than a second-grade education, which is more than I can say for Jones.
Same old brain-dead voting habits as always. Detroiters just don't even seem to want to learn how to "get out of their own way," although they certainly weren't colliding with each other at the polling places.

[English]

Zulu, thanks for the analysis.

Ravine, don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya.

[gnome]

damit ZW... where have you been?

I've missed your clear writing and insight into the election process.

In years past, you carried a lot of water for Deering. What do you think happened to his campaign. He obviously failed in a major way, but why do you think he failed?

Good to see you back.

[English]

I agree, Zulu. It is great to have you back.

[Fury13]

Good analysis, Zulu. I agree that the election of Pugh and Brown to the top two council spots signal a major shift away from the norm. True, Pugh has huge name recognition, but he's openly gay too, and that's not something that has not, in the past, been well accepted by Detroit's churchgoing middle class or seniors. Pugh is the kind of guy that stays well informed on all issues. And Brown -- he has been a major challenge to the system and the status quo. So... I see those two as setting a new tone for council. People like Tate and Jenkins should be thoughtful, moderating influences as well. What's interesting to me is that the most bombastic of the incumbents, JoAnn Watson, fell to last place in the list of successful vote-getters. That speaks volumes.

[blksoul_x]

Nice read Zulu!

Indeed the advancement of 'lynch mob media' and it's 'snitches', err, sources have been more of a detriment to our public officials and our lively hood than ever before. 'They' have never been in the best interest of Africans in amerikkka! Our elected officials and leaders must become aware to the tactics of modern day media 'everywhereness'.

We cannot continue to allow 'them' to shred our public officials to pieces. We ought to become more responsible for dealing with our internal mishaps. We have to find a way to combat and curtail the negative media influence that have kept us in shackles for the past 15 or so years. It's time for us to print and report the positives that we know our Black elected officials can/and will produce! It's a new era of politics in African Detroit, and it's the politics of the people. The people have spoken, and the power is in place!

Wake up!

Peace to you Zulu, and keep up the good work!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

[Buy American]

Nice read Zulu!

Indeed the advancement of 'lynch mob media' and it's 'snitches', err, sources have been more of a detriment to our public officials and our lively hood than ever before. 'They' have never been in the best interest of Africans in amerikkka! Our elected officials and leaders must become aware to the tactics of modern day media 'everywhereness'.

We cannot continue to allow 'them' to shred our public officials to pieces. We ought to become more responsible for dealing with our internal mishaps. We have to find a way to combat and curtail the negative media influence that have kept us in shackles for the past 15 or so years. It's time for us to print and report the positives that we know our Black elected officials can/and will produce! It's a new era of politics in African Detroit, and it's the politics of the people. The people have spoken, and the power is in place!

Wake up!

Peace to you Zulu, and keep up the good work!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

"Lynch mod media"..."snitches"..."They"..."Them"..."African Detroit"...

What the hell? The media brought out all the corruption from "them" in "african Detroit". Without "us" Detroit would still be in turmoil, [[not that it isn't now). If anyone wants to divide Detroit, it's this person using the name blksoul.

[Ravine]

Zulu, thanks for the analysis.

Ravine, don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya.

It won't. Did I say I was going to use it?

[Ravine]

The door, I mean.

[EastsideAl]

Where's Jack Kelly when we need him, huh Ravine? Or that Mary Beck... she sure had better taste in hats!

[Ravine]

EastsideAl, please; whatever agenda you may have, you're on your own, here, as am I.

Which is exactly how I want it to be.

[EastSider]

I see a whole lotta words, but I don't see a whole lotta sense.

"[Bing's] selection to this position represents a reassertion of the corporate will on the positive image of Detroit."

Bing's administration is full of retreads and Kwame's people. How does Charlie "The Felon" Beckham as Deputy Mayor mean a new day in Detroit? Or Norm White?

As for the rest of the hoo-hah hogwash trying to make this election as important as the printing press, Marie Antoinette and all the rest...please. Or as Bob Talbert would have said, puh-leeze.

The current council is viewed as incompetent because they didn't get important shit done, they fucked around as Detroit swirled the drain and the former president is going to jail. How, exactly, does that stack up against past councils again?

[crawford]

Outside of the fact that Zulu Warrior needs to consult a map to understand that Zulus are geographically and culturally further from African American roots than, say, Italians, it was a useless but extremely entertaining window into some sort of other-dimensional, Twilight Zonish Detroit.

And the printing press comment was priceless! I am sure the world waits with bated breath for the upcoming actions of the Detroit City Council!

[English]

^ One should really read about the Bantu expansions before making blanket statements. If the Northern and Western European founders of this nation could view themselves as the inheritors of Greek and Roman civilization, then African Americans can feel an affinity with the Zulu. It won't cost you a dime or a second of sleep, either.

[kathy2trips]

Funny, no one's mentioned "diversity" yet.

[Lowell]

I think ZW's use of the term 'tectonic shift' is accurate. I cannot think of any one year period in Detroit political history where there has been such large turnover. Regarding "[Bing's] selection to this position represents a reassertion of the corporate will on the positive image of Detroit," Bing certainly carries great potential heal the city-suburb rift [and by extension investor confidence]. However I would not characterize it as a reassertion. It it a continuation of what Archer began and Kilpatrick carried on, until the lower half of his body took over his thinking.

What I find mildly annoying in the replies to this thread, and other related ones, are the mocking pronouncements of doom for the incoming representatives. What ever happened to waiting and seeing and allowing for a political 'honeymoon' period to find out what actually will occur?

Nice analysis Zulu, welcome back.

[gnome]

Lowell, have to disagree on the tectonic shift thing. We have changed a few faces, but all of them have the same dna of social service activism at their core. The mantra, Who will fight for Us? or I Will Fight For You ... is the hand in the glove for each of the winners.

The few folks that had any sort of business experience finished in the bttom nine. Lisa Howze, a CPA ... Fred Hall ... David Cross ... the Deering guy ... all with business backgrounds.

As long as I can remember Detroit has elected Social Activists, not people who know how to create jobs. A tectonic shift would have been to elect people with a business background. Like Lisa Howze or Fred Hall.

Moreover, while Detroit is putting 5 new faces on the Council, that was only a result of incumbents not running. Granted, Martha Rose-Reeves failed in the primary, but she was never much of a social activist anyway. She wasn't much on anything. The point is only one incumbent was unelected. One. There is nothing really tectonic about a bunch of social activists replacing another bunch of social activists.

Now, don't get me wrong, on average I think the voters made some good choices. They veered away from a the entrenched power players, but a veer is not a 180, it is not even a 45, if anything it is a 10 or 15 degree devivation from the norm.

[gnome]

I failed to add that the most important thing about the election is having ZuluWarrior back, that's the best thing... even if you don't agree with what he says, he is a good crafter of language and makes one think. Notice no one else, me included, came up with a thread that de-constructed the election.

[maxx]

The Cockrel council did nothing different than the Mahaffey council? Part of the problem was that they did nothing especially about Cobo Hall. They couldn't seem to see the serious import that Cobo Hall had to the future of Detroit. And when campaigning Barrow tried to appeal to the people who still think Cobo was "stolen".

[Ravine]

I don't see a "tectonic shift" when four of the five incumbents are re-seated and the two leading vote-getters are the two whose names & faces are the most recognizable.
It's more of the same old "I'll vote for the ones I've heard of" approach, and don't bother explaining to me that it happens that way all over; I don't give a damn where else it happens. Given the dire condition we are in, it bugs me that it happens here.
So if anybody wants to swing a pocket-watch back & forth in front of their own eyes and talk themselves into believing that Detroiters really got out there and laid down a mandate for change, or anything else girlishly melodramatic like that, well, go right ahead, but I don't see it.

[East Detroit]

I think there will be a major shift at least in terms of professionalism. And perception means a lot when business leaders and potential residents eye the city and its leadership. However, I don't think it was necessarily planned in the selections as better could have been made.

Regardless, imagine Pugh singing "Do your job..." or Brown singing "Onward Christian soldiers...."

I don't think so.

[Fury13]

...imagine Pugh singing "Do your job..." or Brown singing "Onward Christian soldiers...."

I don't think so.

Exactly. Much more professional folks at the top of the council now.

[blksoul_x]

Funny, no one's mentioned "diversity" yet.

'Diversity' is nothing more than an optical illusion to the majority Black population. We, [[Blacks), have played that game of 'diversity' WAY to long to understand that 'diversity' does not help our people! We share, and 'others' take.

Historically, Black Africans are the only group that have been ostracized, socially and economically. 'Diversity' only works if you are not Black. White racism/white supremacy has made Blackness an unaccepted truth. The dominant society, and its others, will not support a Black only society. Reversely, Black Africans have historically supported a 'whites', 'greek', 'french', 'italian', 'vietnamese', 'cambodian', 'chinese', 'mexican' ONLY society.

To be sure, if all things were equal in amerikkka', 'diversity' would be a wonderful affair. Unfortunately, this is amerikkka, and for Black Africans living in amerikkka' the stigma of a Black society, is a hostile reality for many!__go figure!

Power to the people, [[Black people!), then maybe we will diversify.

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

.

[gnome]

jeezze bsx, Could you do me a favor?

Could point to what you think is - as near as possible - to an ideal society. I know all societies have their faults, but if you could point to someplace that is on the road to getting things right, I'd love to know.

Now, don't go getting all off the rails and pick Easter Island or Pitcarn or Norfolk ... just someplace that you think is getting thing right. Then tell me ... why you think that.

thanx, oh, one last thing. Since we're here in Amerikkka, are there any cities or counties that are fighting the good fight?