"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." - Aesop

[FatLadySinging]

From The Detroit News:
Public officials convicted of felonies related to their government jobs would be banned from seeking public office for 20 years under a proposal moving through the Legislature.
The Senate approved the proposed constitutional amendment by a 35-0 vote. If approved by at least two-thirds of the members in the state House, the proposal would go on the statewide November ballot for voters to decide. http://www.detnews.com/article/20100610/POLITICS02/6100457/1024/POLITICS03/State-proposal-would-crack-down-on-felon-politicians#ixzz0qYYISDS8

This is a great start for the citizens of Michigan. WalMart applicant's background will be fact-checked and scrutinized more thoroughly than the candidates for public office in the Detroit metro area.

The low level of standards exhibited by the backgrounds of elected officials in the city of Detroit is hurting our community and state. No one who has committed a felony should be allowed to run for public office. That is one of the rights you give up when you make a choice between obeying the law and breaking it. Felons can be rehabilitated but the consequence for committing a felony should include barring them from seeking a public office.

Deadbeat candidates -- Why are we electing people who fail at managing their personal finances and/or business interests? Our elected officials are responsible for our budget and disbursement of funds. The people who make unwise financial decisions for themselves and/or business cannot be trusted with public funds. Doesn’t mean they are bad people. Just means public office is not suitable for them.
Elected officials raise money from sources that influence their service. Who contributes what can give us a lot of insight about which team your candidate is really fighting for.

Candidates who really just need a job with benefits -- their career goal is to go from one office to the other. Easy work if you can get it! What has the candidate you vote for done in the private sector? What experiences and choices has your candidate demonstrated that would qualify him or her as a public servant? It’s our job the make sure we support the candidate with the most responsible, ethical and honest background. We cannot continue to trust what they tell us because they start lying to us before they are elected. Research your candidates before you vote and share your information with your community.

Google them
http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en

Follow the money
http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/state_candidates.phtml?s=MI&y=2008

Michigan Campaign Finance Database
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633_8723_8751---,00.html

2010 Official Michigan Primary Candidate Listing
http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/10PRI/10PRI_CL.HTM

Wayne County Register of Deeds. Real estate information, liens from creditors, judgments
http://www.waynecountylandrecords.com/RealEstate/SearchEntry.aspx

OTIS
http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2.html

[Retroit]

And Detroit wants to do just the opposite:

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...ns-20100609-ms

A felon shouldn't be disqualified, but a non-felon should definitely be given preference.

[1KielsonDrive]

[/quote]
There have been fewer, more accurate statements made in human history.

[Mackenzie68]

"Y'all are settin' me up for a comeback."
Kwame Kilpatrick

[maxx]

Denying the American voters their god-given right to elect a convicted felon to office? Say it isn't so.

[RaumVogel]

Sideshow Bob would disagree .

[Luckystrikes]

Thanks for the links. I like looking at their websites.
The current crop of Detroit candidates websites vary from professional to embarrassing.

More than a few candidates went for an Obamaesque look to their sites. I guess adding a presidential seal and the blue/white/red palette will fool a few voters looking for a presidential vibe. What happened to originality? It worked for Obama.

Some candidates said the hell with issues and experience and instead featured lots of photos. Photos of their families, photos of them with famous folks, photos of them with groups of senior citizens while holding babies and painting abandoned houses.

Seems like not everyone has a job. One candidate mentioned he served breakfast to children with the Black Panthers back in the day, but I didn’t read anything about present employment. Some didn’t address the job experience [[present or past) or their education at all. That strikes me as weird. They’re running for well paying jobs that can make or break our future, and we deserve to know who you are, what you did, and when you did it.

Why do candidates use terms like ‘family man,’ ‘husband and father,’ ‘God fearing?’ Just because you say so doesn’t mean it is so. I don’t care if you’re married or divorced, devoted Christian or Agnostic. I do care about your reputation and political beliefs.

I Goggled one candidate and he was praised by a republican conservative blogger who said the candidate "was 99% with the repubs on issues" but running as a democrat. I guess a ‘pube can’t win on the east side.

Three types of politicians: The greedy type, the narcissist type and the hard working 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' optimistic do-gooder.

Not many of the latter in this years crop, but lots of souls that need a job and attention.