FFM

For some time I have been organizing my thoughts concerning segregation and my personal feelings about the black race. I have a good grasp of what I believe today, but I wanted to have a better understanding of how and why I got here. A black Facebook friend referred me to a video on YouTube, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross 1940 to 1968 , and asked me and others to watch and share our thoughts. I have concluded my parents actions, and not so much their words, have much to do with how I feel about race. I was born in 1945 so I lived through much of this time period. It was a good part of my formative years. I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. My father and mother grew up during the depression. When the depression started my Dad had enough to eat because of being on a farm in Minnesota. For some time period in the 1930's my Dad spent in the  Civilian Conversation Core , CCC Camps, which was a public work relief program operating from 1933 to 1942 in the United

History of segregation in Detroit on You Tube. Take the time to watch it. Post by Renard Berry Sr.

Orr, the Emergency Manager for Detroit, is great as a bankruptcy attorney. The creditors and their attorney's are also doing their job. No creditor told former city officials "it is OK if you don't meet your obligations. We will just tell our shareholders, many of whom are pension funds from some other states, they are not going to get the return on their investment they expected because we had to help out the folks in Detroit." Both parties entered the transactions with their eyes wide open and if they didn't shame on them. It is not fair to now refer to the lenders as Shylocks. They are doing their job. Someone is not going to come out whole in this transaction and it will be up to the courts to decide who. Detroit will be better served if Orr is relieved of his operational duties as soon as possible. This will significantly improve the city's chances of coming out the winner in the bankruptcy. By relieving Orr of the duties to hire other consultants it

How is this for a small donation?



Post by Stephen Banicki .

Here is Detroit's version of the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. The vacancy rate of apartments in suburban Detroit is very low with rental rates rising. The city has a high vacancy rate of single family homes that are deteriorating and an eyesore, a threat to the safety and viability of neighborhoods, not contributing to the tax base of the city and must be closely monitored thus contributing to the high cost of operating the city. This presents an opportunity for Detroit. The city should offer an abandoned home to anyone who will occupy it as their primary residence for at least 18-months and meet certain requirements. The objective is to grow the population and tax base and alleviate much of the blight in the city. Per Harper's Weekly, In April 1889 "At twelve o'clock on Monday, April 22d, the resident population of Guthrie was nothing; before sundown it was at least ten thousand. In that time streets had been laid out, town lots staked off, and steps

Republicans made the decision to place their political desires and tactics ahead of governing the nation. Once a bill they oppose is passed they look for ways to sabotage it. The voters should be outraged. These tactics cost the country time, money and in many cases opportunity. Radicals have taken over my party. The GOP has gone from one with conservative principles seeking to do what is best for the nation to a party that is focused on winning elections at all cost, even if the cost is borne by the country and its citizens. They look at themselves as the ruling class. Their tactics extend beyond the issue they oppose. They oppose health care reform and in order to impose their will they block Presidential appointments for cabinet and judgeship positions. They also implement strategies to stall other unrelated legislation. I am a Republican and voted for the Republican running for President in every election starting in 1968 up to 2008 when I supported Barrack Obama and I voted for

Legally 2013 has been a tough year for Detroit. First, Detroit was taken over by the state under an emergency manager law that was hastily passed by the state legislature shortly after the voters rejected an almost identical law in November 2012. Secondly, a write-in candidate for Mayor was elected due, in no small part, to contributions received from non-citizens through a Super PAC. Let me make clear I believe Mike Duggan will best serve Detroit as Mayor because of his planning and operational skills in addition to his drive to just do it and implement. I also agree that Detroit is in serious financial trouble and needs help. Sometimes the right results happen for the wrong reasons and this is Detroit. The rest of the state, and nation for that matter, needs to take heed and correct the short comings of the the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case and Michigan's emergency manager law. Citizens United Here is an early filing of the Super PAC that supported Mike D

An editorial in the Detroit Free Press is a poor way to start fresh in Detroit and is disappointing. No matter what you think of him, degrading Benny Napoleon is not the way to start the rebuilding of the city. Benny Napoleon seems to be a fine man who has dedicated himself to the city. There is no need to slam the man who got 45% of the voters to cast their ballot for him. This was accomplished even though outside money poured into Duggan's coffers. What did you accomplish by calling Mr. Napoleon a "lesser opponent"? You just slapped the 45% of voters supporting Napoleon in the face. I am glad to hear that Orr recognizes his operational weaknesses. He seems to have a very big ego and we will see if he is ready to share some of his intoxicating power. I sure hope so. The same holds true with the Governor. I am suspicious given the fact they just hired a Deputy Emergency Manager for $175,000 per year. You say records matter. It did not seem to matter when Mr. Orr, w

Isn't it time everyone be honest with themselves. Detroit is in a financial mess. The state gave the city a chance to enter into a consent agreement so it could work on solving its own problems. My guess is the state did reach out to Duggan asking for his advise on an EM. What should he have done? Hang up the phone? If the Governor ask for your advice you give it to him. The EM law has some issues and hopefully the Governor has enough confidence in himself to admit the law is flawed and make some corrections so the new Mayor operates the city and the EM works on solving the finance problems. Orr is over his head on the operations end and is too vain to admit it. As Marvin Gaye said, "Let's Get it on." Enough of this BS. How long after the election is everyone going to complain about the election?

The newspapers and airwaves are filled with discussions regarding President Obama's overall performance .  "President Barack Obama’s job approval has reached an all-time low in the polling of NBC News and the Wall Street Journal , one of the major media surveys conducted by a bipartisan pair of experts. Just 42 percent of Americans approve, they report today. In polling parlance, Obama is “upside down,” with 51 percent disapproving. This is down from a peak of 61 percent approval in April 2009, by the NBC/Journal count.", October 31, 2013  Obama’s ‘Tanking’ Approval — Where, Actually, is the Floor? As these ratings fall most of the discussion relates to the implementation of Obamacare, spying on leaders of our allies by the NSA, leaks by Snowden regarding the spying on American citizens, how the crisis in Syria is being handled, the shutdown of the government and the debt ceiling crisis. Barack Obama is President and the buck stops at his desk. Others in Washing

One of Eisenhower's greatest contributions to the county. "My fellow Americans: Three days from now, after half a century in the service of our country, I shall lay down the responsibilities of office as, in traditional and solemn ceremony, the authority of the Presidency is vested in my successor. This evening I come to you with a message of leave-taking and farewell, and to share a few final thoughts with you, my countrymen. Like every other citizen, I wish the new President, and all who will labor with him, Godspeed. I pray that the coming years will be blessed with peace and prosperity for all. Our people expect their President and the Congress to find essential agreement on issues of great moment, the wise resolution of which will better shape the future of the Nation. My own relations with the Congress, which began on a remote and tenuous basis when, long ago, a member of the Senate appointed me to West Point, have since ranged to the intimate