Why is Brooks Patterson so well liked?

[Carey]

This thread obviously takes a cue from the Coleman Young thread. But it's a serious question. Patterson has been an actor on the regional stage for about 40 years, going back to his support for the anti-busing movement in Pontiac.
While he has moderated his tone slightly in recent years after Oakland County residents began voting Democratic in state and national elections, he continues to be a mostly divisive force for any kind of metro-wide unity. His legacy: A jolly, wise-cracking, semi-successful politician who was suburbia's leader in fomenting distrust of Detroit, its leaders and residents.

[Meddle]

I guess times change. I don't remember Patterson as being well- liked.

[detmsp]

For one thing, I think a lot of people don't pay close enough attention to local politics to really know much about what goes on... but what they have seen is Oakland County prosper economically under Brooks. You might make the argument that OC isn't in the best shape right now, but the county did very well under him for years. People had good jobs, their homes appreciated and as far as they were concerned all was right with the world.

[BrushStart]

For one thing, I think a lot of people don't pay close enough attention to local politics to really know much about what goes on... but what they have seen is Oakland County prosper economically under Brooks. You might make the argument that OC isn't in the best shape right now, but the county did very well under him for years. People had good jobs, their homes appreciated and as far as they were concerned all was right with the world.

Yes, all at the cost of the region's future. Congratulations OC, you take all the prizes!

[EastsideAl]

Because he stood at the school house door way back when and tried to protect the shiny people of the OC from darkness, and has been figuratively standing at 8 Mile ever since still hard at work.

The quicker we're rid of his whole generation of 'leaders' the better.

[kraig]

Because, like Coleman Young, Patterson recognizes what his constituency wants and delivers it. We're the ones using the terms loved, liked and hated in our posts. But the real deal is that both Coleman and L. Brooks are respected, for the most part, for the work they produced. Hell, I hated Engler's politics. But I can respect the job that he did as Governor far more than what Granholm has done, even though I like her politics more.

[Hermod]

http://wwjtv.com/bios/9.3142.html


Sounds OK to me. Wanna put that bio up against Kwame's?

[barnesfoto]

Great politicians invoke ideas, slimeball politicians invoke "them". [[Witness the current situation with a certain sick cult and Arizona)
Both Patterson and Young owe the long careers to convincing their ignorant supporters that [[Patterson or Young, depending on which side of 8 mile you were on) were the only thing standing between "us" and "them".

What Eastside Al said.

[ferntruth]

Yes, all at the cost of the region's future. Congratulations OC, you take all the prizes!

Thanks! Those of us in OC really appreciate how you are "sacrificing the region's future" for little ole' us!

[Hermod]

Great politicians invoke ideas, slimeball politicians invoke "them". [[Witness the current situation with a certain sick cult and Arizona)
Both Patterson and Young owe the long careers to convincing their ignorant supporters that [[Patterson or Young, depending on which side of 8 mile you were on) were the only thing standing between "us" and "them".

Patterson = one of the fastest growing counties in the US [[prior to 2008)

Young = one of the fastest declining cities in the US

[gnome]

http://results.enr.clarityelections....n/summary.html

in the 2008 election Barak Obama took the county with 372,566 or 56% of the vote

brooks Paterson retained his position with 365, 286 or 58% of the vote

From the looks of things, Brooks appeals to voters on both sides of the aisle.

[BrushStart]

Thanks! Those of us in OC really appreciate how you are "sacrificing the region's future" for little ole' us!

My comment was mostly sarcastic. But L Brooks embodies the arrogance of regional irresponsbility and the "Screw YOU Detroit" mentality. He's certainly not the only one. I have no personal hate for OC, but as time has shown, OC is not an island; it is not immune from the collective fate of the region. Every underhanded whip at the city by L Brooks and OC have helped drive the entire place into the ground.

[gnome]

care to supply sources?

[Novine]

Patterson gets a lot of credit for things he had little or nothing to do with happening. If people could be honest and objective, they would have looked at the opportunities he had in Oakland County and see that he largely squandered them. Now that property values across the County have collapsed, the only thing making look Patterson look good is that things are not as bad as compared to Wayne County or Detroit. That's like sitting in the lifeboat after the Titanic sank and looking down on the guys swimming around in the water. Oakland County will still be the "star" of southeast Michigan but the fact that the region has fallen to the point that is has especially compared to other places nationally, it reveals that most of the shine on Oakland County was only on the surface.

[EastsideAl]

Patterson = one of the fastest growing counties in the US [[prior to 2008)

Young = one of the fastest declining cities in the US

Oakland County = one of the highest per capita average incomes in the U.S. [[well, until recently) and 80+% white

Detroit = one of the lowest per capita income cities in the U.S. and 80+% black.

It's pretty damn easy to be more prosperous when you've got a built-in advantage [[like, say, starting out more prosperous in the first place). I wouldn't give ol' L. Brooks too much credit for the prosperity of the already wealthy, particularly in an era when the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and inequality is growing throughout the U.S.

[ferntruth]

My comment was mostly sarcastic. But L Brooks embodies the arrogance of regional irresponsbility and the "Screw YOU Detroit" mentality. He's certainly not the only one. I have no personal hate for OC, but as time has shown, OC is not an island; it is not immune from the collective fate of the region. Every underhanded whip at the city by L Brooks and OC have helped drive the entire place into the ground.

You have no personal hatred for OC? I don't know you, so I will accept that answer. However, your posts do not reflect that. If anything, your posts reflect a strong anti-Suburb sentiment. I find that ironic since your comments seem [[to me anyway) to reflect a belief that everyone in the Suburbs are anti-Detroit.

I wouldn't worry too much about the Region - we can always move, right?

[lincoln8740]

Because, like Coleman Young, Patterson recognizes what his constituency wants and delivers it. We're the ones using the terms loved, liked and hated in our posts. But the real deal is that both Coleman and L. Brooks are respected, for the most part, for the work they produced. Hell, I hated Engler's politics. But I can respect the job that he did as Governor far more than what Granholm has done, even though I like her politics more.

Patterson: AAA bond rating

Young: "what the fuck is a bond rating!"

[R8RBOB]

To the posters who are attempting to compare Brooks to Coleman Young, the question is why? Why compare Brooks to a dead man? A man who has been dead for 13 years. It is unfair for Patterson to compare his 18 years to Young's time in office when he became OC executive in Young's last year as mayor. It's silly to do so.

[ferntruth]

Patterson gets a lot of credit for things he had little or nothing to do with happening. If people could be honest and objective, they would have looked at the opportunities he had in Oakland County and see that he largely squandered them. Now that property values across the County have collapsed, the only thing making look Patterson look good is that things are not as bad as compared to Wayne County or Detroit. That's like sitting in the lifeboat after the Titanic sank and looking down on the guys swimming around in the water. Oakland County will still be the "star" of southeast Michigan but the fact that the region has fallen to the point that is has especially compared to other places nationally, it reveals that most of the shine on Oakland County was only on the surface.

In your opinion...

[EastsideAl]

Patterson: AAA bond rating

Young: "what the fuck is a bond rating!"

By Young my guess is you mean Kilpatrick. It's OK, they look a lot alike I know, but Kilpatrick is the big young one and Young is the skinny one who has been dead for 13 years.

Young - again whatever his many other failings - certainly knew what a bond rating was and fought very hard in the recession of the 1980s to save Detroit's bond rating, including winning a major victory over the city's unions and getting the voters to approve a tax increase. He may not have quite brought them to AAA status, but then there's not a majority black city in the country whose bonds received that status from folks at the ratings agencies.

[BrushStart]

You have no personal hatred for OC? I don't know you, so I will accept that answer. However, your posts do not reflect that. If anything, your posts reflect a strong anti-Suburb sentiment. I find that ironic since your comments seem [[to me anyway) to reflect a belief that everyone in the Suburbs are anti-Detroit.

I wouldn't worry too much about the Region - we can always move, right?

First, I have lived in both the suburbs and the city, though I lived in the 'burbs much longer. I can name hundreds of suburbanites who loathe the City of Detroit. They want nothing more than to see it fail and implode, or for it to be razed, leveled by an A-bomb, or sink into the river and die [[including all of its residents). If you don't believe me, take a look at the comments on Freep.com sometime or listen to radio callers about the light rail line.

I am 100% pro-suburbs, which is where ALL of my family and friends live with the exception of my fiance who is moving in with me at the end of the month. I am not anti-suburban, I am anti-suburban-asshole. You're absolutely correct, I hope those people LEAVE and FAST. They do nothing but stall progress and spread by bad sentiments about Detroit, urban living, and blacks. They typify stupid, NIMBY morons. Many people in my family are such and they live in OC. I make no excuses for them.

Any county, city, town, or township that believes [[outwardly or not) that certain people should be kept south of a particular road, and out of "their" shops and neighborhoods is a POS. If the same people think that robbing away business and industry with reckless disregard for blight, poverty, and destruction is ok, then yes, I wish they would pack up their stuff and leave.

So think what you want of me, but I want nothing more than to see the entire region succeed. However, suburb and city residents that actively work to see the other's demise should be called out. -There are good people everywhere.

[R8RBOB]

Patterson: AAA bond rating

Young: "what the fuck is a bond rating!"

I would like to say that while you like to brag about Oakland County AAA credit rating you should be reminded that that credit rating is only good as long as Detroit is standing financially. If Detroit falls, everything in metro Detroit including that AAA credit rating of Oakland County falls with it.

[ferntruth]

I would like to say that while you like to brag about Oakland County AAA credit rating you should be reminded that that credit rating is only good as long as Detroit is standing financially. If Detroit falls, everything in metro Detroit including that AAA credit rating of Oakland County falls with it.

Nope - the region does not live or die by Detroit. No matter how much Detroiters may like to think so. OC will be just fine, thanks.

[bartock]

First, I have lived in both the suburbs and the city, though I lived in the 'burbs much longer. I can name hundreds of suburbanites who loathe the City of Detroit. They want nothing more than to see it fail and implode, or for it to be razed, leveled by an A-bomb, or sink into the river and die [[including all of its residents). If you don't believe me, take a look at the comments on Freep.com sometime or listen to radio callers about the light rail line.

I am 100% pro-suburbs, which is where ALL of my family and friends live with the exception of my fiance who is moving in with me at the end of the month. I am not anti-suburban, I am anti-suburban-asshole. You're absolutely correct, I hope those people LEAVE and FAST. They do nothing but stall progress and spread by bad sentiments about Detroit, urban living, and blacks. They typify stupid, NIMBY morons. Many people in my family are such and they live in OC. I make no excuses for them.

Any county, city, town, or township that believes [[outwardly or not) that certain people should be kept south of a particular road, and out of "their" shops and neighborhoods is a POS. If the same people think that robbing away business and industry with reckless disregard for blight, poverty, and destruction is ok, then yes, I wish they would pack up their stuff and leave.

So think what you want of me, but I want nothing more than to see the entire region succeed. However, suburb and city residents that actively work to see the other's demise should be called out. -There are good people everywhere.

I don't know how long you've lived downtown, or if it is the first place you've lived within the city...guess I'll just leave that part at that.

I couldn't name hundreds of people much less claim to know the mindblowing nutjobs that would think as you suggest. Freep and radio shows do not count. I agree with your last statement, but it doesn't really match what came before it.

I take it that you are a newer attorney, and perhaps one that does pesonal injury work? Not a knock at all, just wonderin'.

[R8RBOB]

Nope - the region does not live or die by Detroit. No matter how much Detroiters may like to think so. OC will be just fine, thanks.

Then perhaps you should tell L. Brooks that since it is he who has repeated this over and over and over again.