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!

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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]

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!

[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.

[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?

[Detroit]

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.

The reality of it is the city council and past mayors have had the same attitude toward Oakland County.

[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.

[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]

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.

[jackie5275]

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.

I think that's pretty accurate. But examine the question in the title of the post. Is he really well liked? Does getting enough votes to win equal liking him, or is it just that most OC voters are voting for the white Republican because that's what they are also?

[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.

[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

[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.

[Hermod]

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.

Ummm, Detroit started out more prosperous in the first place. When we moved to Oakland County in 1954, I went from Denby High School which had magnificent laboratories, shop facilities, and athletic facilities to Rochester High School which had zilch. We had no athletic fields [[borrowed one from the city), no swimming pool, the drafting room was in a basement by the boiler room, the print shop was in an old coal bin, and the home econ facility had a single stove. If you wanted to take Solid Geometry as a senior [[required by most engineering schools) you brown-bagged and the teacher taught it on his and your lunch hour.

[Rolfsy]

Ummm, Detroit started out more prosperous in the first place. When we moved to Oakland County in 1954, I went from Denby High

Hello all. Lurker for years and years, first time post.

The above from Hermod is interesting. My father-in-law lived in the Denby neighborhood as a kid, and his family left around the mid to late 50s. He recalls the city as beautiful, but then '67/Coleman/Crime' happened so it's a radioactive non-entity now. But it struck me about both accounts that there's a 10 year or more disconnect between the bad time and the flight time.

He's moved farther northeast now, St. Clair County, and that's just far enough away that he files all 'Detroit' troubles under 'SE MI'. [[and is insulated from them by being in the 'thumb' and not SE MI).

Which sort-of leads back to L. Brooks . . .

http://www.freep.com/article/2010052...ied-to-Detroit

[Cincinnati_Kid]

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.

I don't think Oakland County is 80% white anymore. Many Blacks and Chaldeans, Hispanics, Asians etc... have moved there. I'd be willing to bet the percentage has dropped.

[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.