  Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision Post Number: 917 Registered: 11-2003 |
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20080628/NEWS01/ 80628045 If there is smoke, there is fire. It looks like maybe Cockrel didn't do it himself; but if in fact cash was transacted and they have it tape, it seriously calls into question all the "yes" votes on the council because obviously there's evidence of money flying around. I wish to God this would just friggen' stop and there would be a complete solution to all of this for the good of the whole city and region. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13165 Registered: 12-2003 |
Interesting to see a confirmed tie-in with Wendell Anthony in this...I'm still waiting to see the depths this fellow is in this whole pile. If there IS a God...perhaps we can get a little more Divine help rooting out ALL the political corruption in this town?! And what is THIS?! quote: Curiouser and curiouser. Will the governor escape the flushings?! Methinks everyone who EVER has had ties with McNamara will be gone, if not tainted forever. Phew! What is that smell? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13167 Registered: 12-2003 |
These might be the sweetest words I've EVER seen in print. quote: These guys are my heroes: JIM SCHAEFER, M.L. ELRICK and DAVID ASHENFELTER Three cheers for them. Next time I see y'all, a round or two on me, fellas. | ||
Thecarl Member Username: Thecarl Post Number: 1271 Registered: 04-2005 |
quote: could this be an instance of white people trying to take over a "chocolate city?" | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4551 Registered: 06-2004 |
No, but I wouldn't be surprised if the presence of a Conyers and a Kilpatrick make it more interesting for the current Federal administration. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13168 Registered: 12-2003 |
That may well be how it is perceived, and most surely it WILL be railed against thusly from at least a few very fancy pulpits later this morning. We'll be awaiting the fallout on Monday. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 956 Registered: 03-2008 |
Gannon said; "If there IS a God...perhaps we can get a little more Divine help rooting out ALL the political corruption in this town..." And replace them with who? Is there a bunch of good, honest, and smart politicians waiting in the wings to take there place? I would bet not. Granted, there are people who are waiting in the wings... but not many (if any) who would fit the mentioned criteria. Just my two cents here. We will not get good political leaders until our expectations, and our mode of expression change. Replacing our corrupt leaders will only mean bringing in more corrupt leaders. We are only wasting time and money by trying to uproot these people. Don't believe what so many people (especially suburbanites) love to say. You know that "Detroit has corruption because Detroiters don't demand honesty"... or however it goes. They are wrong. Don't fall for it. They don't get it, they really don't. That is not even how the best suburbs and cities operate. I am not awaiting the outcomes from these scandals and court hearings. I don't think any good will come out of them. They are going to make us all look like idiots whether they win or lose. I am not looking forward to that at all.  | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 6071 Registered: 10-2003 |
Huh? You just went through saying that if these folks are brought down, the only people waiting in the wings will be other corrupt politicians, and then in the very same breath go on to say not to believe the suburbs when they say Detroit is in incapable of selecting honest leaders. Really, you do confused me some time, and I don't have any idea what you're trying to say. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 959 Registered: 03-2008 |
I never said Detroit is incapable of selecting honest leaders. Yeah... that post was to long, and so I tried to simplify it. Sorry, I was trying to keep it as short as possible. I was saying our strategy (or lack of strategy) needs to change. We need to learn how to control our political "leaders". I think that is it in a nutshell. We aren't doing anything to make a real change. Kicking them out of office might be good and deserved, but we aren't doing anything constructive. Kicking them out isn't enough. We have to have things in place before this sort of thing happens in the first place. We just aren't really doing anything new. | ||
Ladyinabag Member Username: Ladyinabag Post Number: 614 Registered: 03-2007 |
Well, thank God for The Detroit Free Press for digging all of this up. Without them it all could have kept going on. This all seems like a miracle to me. It's time that Detroit straightened itself out....a little at a time....with The Free Press at the helm. God bless them on this Sunday morning. | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 303 Registered: 11-2007 |
The main way to control elected political leaders is to throw them out when they don't do what you want. What other mechanisms were you thinking of? | ||
Westsiiiide Member Username: Westsiiiide Post Number: 63 Registered: 05-2008 |
Like I said before this story broke,practically ALL of the present Council members need to be voted out. You know how I feel about K.Cockrel. Looks like he votes no on things and to keep the heat off himself, bribes the others to vote yes. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4554 Registered: 06-2004 |
you got anything to back up that claim, Westsiiiide, or are you just being your usual self? | ||
Gazhekwe Member Username: Gazhekwe Post Number: 2293 Registered: 08-2007 |
I believe Sean is thinking of some kind of control mechanisms to watchdog the systems so this kind of thing can't happen. Well and good, but who runs those, and what will be the cost? It is mind boggling to think of the line of system managers each one watching the next one to assure there is no corruption. We already have auditors. The City has its auditor, and the state has a whole slew of them that come in and audit each department every other year. I've been through the process a time or two or three, and it is thorough and difficult. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13171 Registered: 12-2003 |
quote: Sean, There ARE no such things in our current system, because we've allowed it to degrade from what our founding fathers intended and assumed. They NEVER could imagine anyone actually WANTING to work for more than the minimum term in any office, because to them government was a necessary evil. They thought they could take a little time off from their enterprising lives to contribute to the running of their local governments, some actually going to the National level to do the basic stuff delegated TO that body from the independent states...since the states held the power and the national government was ONLY needed to handle inter-state disputes, and do the VERY limited stuff that the national body was designed to do...like communicate with other countries to the point of defending themselves against them IF they attacked. Full-time politicians were nearly unimaginable to them! They tried to guard against the cult of personality that usually occurs in a group, when some of that group abdicate the thinking and doing to someone else. But to say we should NOT get rid of evil corruption because of the RISK of more evil corruption taking its place is NOT a well-thought-out statement. Not even CLOSE! Your tag line is even worse. The rooting out of evil parasites does NOT make US look like idiots...much to the contrary. The system has been gamed by evil beings, it is time for successful women and men of ability and conscience to step up and help run the show, because those career politicians who currently seek these positions have been shown unworthy at the very least. I've said for years the breakdown of our democratic republic is from actually allowing those who SEEK power to attain it. We need to be able to draft those unwilling leaders we all recognize from normal life into the fray...they are exactly who we need, although most are reluctant to try because of the harshness of the current political meat grinding process. You need to get more sleep, fellow, those synapses are NOT all making good connections. Cheers | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 961 Registered: 03-2008 |
I'm not saying they shouldn't be held accountable. Go check out my post in the "FBI Probe" topic. I explain what I mean little better there. Gannon, I agree about the ideology. If we can beat them at there own game, THEN we can start working on that ideology a little more. Until then, we have to play differently in order to see a change. You may not agree? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13173 Registered: 12-2003 |
Please expound, perhaps with another thread. I'm afraid of what I'm inviting here...but if only for another dose of what I've served others, since you are so adept at spinning MY noggin like a top. But I'm afraid you put the cart before the horse...can you see that the ideology, the IDEAS, need be worked out before the actions? Can we think before we take a step...should we?! Of course we should! And what is thinking without proper and honest perception feeding the whole process? IF you are saying we need to play dirty...without regards to rules or something similar...then you are way off base. We must work within the system in order to retain and maintain the integrity of it. We must be relentless, and know that persistence is what put THEM in power...that is the ONLY part of their game we need acquire. Good citizens need to gather together and learn to compromise towards AGREEMENT for the good of the whole, and fight against the mere human traits, tendencies, and habits which have allowed such a state of circumstances to exist. This current situation is untenable...unworkable...unbel ievable, even. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 540 Registered: 02-2007 |
We need politicians who want to keep everything out in the open. Those with Morals and Hearts and throw in a Conscience and I think we have a perfect Mayor. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13184 Registered: 12-2003 |
Look in your mirror. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 542 Registered: 02-2007 |
LOL! | ||
Gplimpton Member Username: Gplimpton Post Number: 194 Registered: 05-2007 |
LOL! The Freep didn't do this, Gannon! The Feds did! | ||
Buyamerican Member Username: Buyamerican Post Number: 617 Registered: 02-2007 |
By allowing KK to stay at that mahogany desk and continue to rape and pillage from the City of Detroit....I can see that Detroiters don't know what's good OR bad for them. No one has started a legitimate recall for KK. No one has begun to band together a group to picket the CCB and the mansion. No one from Detroit really cares that KK is a crook. I actually think they like the feeling that he's really sticking it to someone, not considering that he is sticking it to them! | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 2632 Registered: 09-2007 |
They can take their time ridding the Detroit government of all its corruption. Maybe things will be set straight in the end.  | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 255 Registered: 04-2008 |
To echo Buyamerican, this "Sludge" case will go unnoticed by the vast majority of ever-forgiving, ever-loyal Detroiters. We'll hear the same old cliches: "It's just the racist suburbanites, FBI, etc. picking on us." "X million dollars is just a 'drop in the bucket.'" "Everyone makes mistakes." "But look at all the good that they've done. Doesn't downtown look so much nicer?" "What they do behind closed doors is none of my business; it's between them." ..etc. You've heard it all before. Let's face it, "these people" will never learn to hold their "leaders" accountable! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13199 Registered: 12-2003 |
Gplimpton, While there may have been some recognition and understanding of wrongdoing on the part of the Federal Government, especially in the form of the FBI, I daresay they wouldn't have moved on it without significant reason and motivation. Schaefer & Elrick and their brave editors and publisher are true heroes. They stuck their necks out knowing that this group would just as soon murder them than let the truth come out in the light in newsprint...sparking public awareness of their evil perpetrated in darkness. I don't think any of Kwhyme's or McNamara's Thugs are stupid enough to kill or threaten an FBI agent...but who knows?! These two specifically are heroes because they are regular everyday down-to-earth folk who drink beers in public like the rest of us...but are ready, willing, and able to go that extra step for honor, justice, truth, and objectivity. I've seen nothing from them that indicates otherwise. They are NOT superheroes, they are NOT otherworldly...I am not saying that. They are mere humans doing an extraordinary job, and I'd bet they are considered by the Purlitzer organization for one or more of their prestigious prizes in journalist excellence. I DO hold the FBI in different esteem, I'm really not sure they are any different nowadays than they were during J.Edgar Hoover's infamous time. You will hear of investigations from them ONLY if their target is politically opposed to the party in power. Hearing the stories of agents finding information against al Quaeda and being told to stand down or NOT proceed with the investigation...among other stories heard...proves to me that no matter HOW honest, hardworking, truth-seeking, and good an agent at the street level truly IS...the further one gets up THAT corporate level the more sinister the Peter principle gets. Incompetent AND powerful...what a great combination. Add Top Secret and above clearance and you've got a potential untouchable tri-fecta for federal fuckups. By then, though, they get drafted into Neo-Conservative secret government status, far as I can tell! My comments still stand, I just hope I have that extra twenty in my pocket the next time I catch these amiable fellows out blowing off steam at the end of a good day manning the presses. Cheers! | ||
Gplimpton Member Username: Gplimpton Post Number: 195 Registered: 05-2007 |
I am beginning to suspect you're a Freeper yourself... A little too much credit being given out here! Hell, I heard about this rumor last week, and I'm not even in newspaper! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13200 Registered: 12-2003 |
I'm not officially with any newspaper...you think any editor would be happy with the time I spend here? They'd never allow this many free words and ideas! Not too much credit given to Elrick and Schaefer, who else took this story and ran with in it in the years leading up to their breaking it? From my count, only ONE, and that the other print journalist I'm beginning to LOVE seeing the byline of, Curt Guyette at the Metro Times. Years ago, Susan Ager of the Freep told me she'd give her editor the nod to consider me replacing her if and when she finally retired, though. That was well before I found DetroitYES. (Good gosh, I just realized that would make ol' Jelk explode. heh) I began talking with the features editor at Metro Times last year, but he pissed me off enough to never consider them until he's gone. I'm biding my time, and a whole BUNCH of great story ideas have faded into obscurity...not my loss! I won't put up with a rude boss, and he totally flunked the initial interview, heh. Cheers! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13201 Registered: 12-2003 |
I wonder how much fun it'd would be to do the investigations I do HERE with the proper tools, a budget, and assistants...access to the Lexus/Nexus database (or whatever it's called nowadays), government records on-line, those pay-for ancestry services. I find an enormous amount of stuff from precise Google searches alone...and stumble upon too many sources and situations...maybe I'm missing the boat here. Nah, I've got a Music Industry webnet to create, a Hifi magazine to launch, maybe a coffeehouse or two to open, among other things this year alone. I'll do my investigations as the Spirit moves me for everyone's edification here for fun. | ||
Gplimpton Member Username: Gplimpton Post Number: 196 Registered: 05-2007 |
Dude, I'm not talking about the text message story! I'm talking about the story this THREAD is about! The FBI probing council! | ||
Vas Member Username: Vas Post Number: 910 Registered: 01-2004 |
wow!! |
