Could Detroit Democrats back a Republican for governor?
The 2010 race to elect a new governor is on. We are only a few short weeks away from selecting the new "leader" of this historically grand state.
If ever there is a time when leadership matters, this is it. No sense reiterating the problems we are experiencing. Whatever pain there is, it is exponential in many Detroit neighborhoods.
So, who is will it be? Who gets the Detroit vote in the governor's race in November? Will it be the "angriest Mayor," Virg Bernero, or Rick "The Nerd" Snyder.
Tom Watkins: Few of the major elected political players, from Mayor Dave Bing to Detroit City Council members, have strong allegiance to the Democratic primary victor, Virg Bernero.
As it stands there is little excitement in Detroit for the upcoming election. Many across the state and in the city do not even know who the candidates are at this point.
Few of the major elected political players, from Mayor Dave Bing to Detroit City Council members, have strong allegiance to the Democratic primary victor, Bernero, the mayor of Lansing.
Bing is withholding his endorsement of Bernero until they "have a few more conversations and he gets to know him better." Could a sitting Democratic mayor of Detroit turn his back on a fellow Democrat and endorse a (scary music please) -- Republican?
Bing, a former businessman, may be more in sync in both style and substance with Snyder than he is to the candidate from his own party. He also can read both a balance sheet and polls that show Snyder up by 20 points.
Will Democratic loyalty trump political reality and expediency?
Clearly, Bernero has democratic beliefs and values in his DNA, knows the struggles of leading an urban city and has been vocally frustrated by the lack of an urban agenda coming out of Lansing for the past 8 years. His focus is on championing the working person and standing up to fight for Main Street against Wall Street.
Yet in this political year when the stakes are so high could Bing and other Democratic power brokers south of Eight Mile -- from churches to neighborhood block clubs -- decide to color outside the political lines and play footsie or climb into the sack with the Republican Snyder?
There is no more loyal constituency to the Democratic Party than African American voters. In normal times, if the Good Lord himself were to come back to Earth -- if he had an "R" after his name-- he would go down in such an election, making hell seem cool in comparison.
However, this is not a typical or normal year!
The Democratic kingmakers in Detroit do not have to necessarily "endorse Snyder" to help him. They can help him by sitting on their hands as they did during Gov. James Blanchard's 1990 re-election bid against John Engler, not pushing the normal "GOTV" or get out the vote efforts.
Blanchard going for his third term got the cold shoulder from Detroit Mayor Coleman Young. The Detroit turnout was lower than the previous two elections and Blanchard lost by the slimmest of margins. Many pundits attribute this upset to the "ho hum" and some would even say the out-and-out hostility that Young showed toward Blanchard.
The Snyder camp, perhaps sensing these political winds and because his policies are inclusive of urban issues, is not writing off Detroit. The campaign and candidate are making smart moves in public and behind the scenes to woo the Detroit vote.
Perhaps the endorsements and enthusiasm for the Democratic standard bearer, Bernero, will begin to flow before the ink is dry on this column.
Also remember, Rick Snyder's mentor -- former Gov. William Milliken -- was good to Detroit.
As the Chinese say, "May you live in interesting times." Time will tell.
Tom Watkins is a business and education consultant in the U.S. and China. He served as state superintendent of education from 2001-05 and was deputy campaign manager, deputy chief of staff and state mental health director for Gov. Blanchard from 1982-90. He can be reached at tdwatkins@aol.com.
Comments
northside
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 4:55 a.m.
And a mere five days later Bing endorsed Bernero. So what was the point of this article?
David Cahill
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:02 p.m.
Snyder is another in the long line of self-funded Republican millionaire vanity candidates springing up around the country this year. That doesn't work for me.
Veracity
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 10:43 a.m.
Heardoc: Voters will be disappointed if they elect Rick Snyder as Governor. His plan to eliminate $1.5 billion in business tax without a plan to replace the lost revenue will cripple many state services important for Michigan residents. Furthermore, reducing taxes will not guarantee new jobs in Michigan. Businesses can find other uses for the increased profits reaped from lower taxation. Most likely business executives will reward themselves with bonuses and increased salaries. Stock holders, if any, may be allowed to share in the wealth. And what new jobs are created will be created overseas. Infrastructure and service jobs which can not be outsourced will suffer because of reduced state revenues. Education and social safety nets will be impacted as well. Michigan's economic condition can deteriorate further. Michigan's problems do not have quick fixes that are going to occur on the day that a new governor is inaugurated. In these difficult times the next governor must have appropriate skills and experience as reflected by his record. It's folly to elect a governor primarily because of his promises.
Heardoc
Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8 a.m.
Appears that there are not any real competitors for governor other than Snyder. Bernero will never make it -- the mood is against the social policies of both Obama and Granholm. Our state is in the worst condition since it's inception -- high unemployment, lowering property values, unable to retain the young workforce all with the democrats in charge in both the state as well as the federal government. The city of Ann Arbor is about to go through a dramatic budget crisis with regards to the water system, pension payouts and lowering property values combined with overspending (City Hall building) we will see republicans take charge of the city finances and put the city back on a sustainable path -- and no more resolutions regarding Arizona laws--Geez that was a silly reolution........
Veracity
Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 9:57 p.m.
Voters in November will vote for their expectations but hopefully will be realistic and base their expectations on the past record of each candidate. Rick Snyder supporters claim that their candidate will create many jobs in Michigan because he did so as an officer of Gateway Computers and as a venture capitalist. However, Rick Snyder became an employee of Gateway Computer six years after Ted Waitt and Mike Hammond created and made a success of the company. During the last ten years Gateway increased outsourcing to foreign countries, Rick Snyder was acting CEO briefly in 2006. By 2007 Gateway laptop computers were made in China and its desktops in Mexico. The failing company was sold to Acer in 2007. As a venture capitalist, Rick Snyder collected money from investors which was then used to finance newly created companies. Any jobs created by Rick Snyder's investments were due to the actions of others who ran the supported enterprises and not directly by the candidate. On the other hand, Lansing gained 3100 new jobs in the past year, counter to the trend in most other areas of Michigan. Also $161 million dollars of federal clean-up funds and $188 million dollars of construction funds came to Lansing over the last two years. Virg Bernero can claim some credit for these economic successes. Also Virg Bernero assisted in balancing the Lansing city budget during the past 5 years. That is the record! Just the facts.
KeepingItReal
Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 4:21 p.m.
After following Detroit politics for over 20 years, I can conclude that it does not matter who Bing endorses in this race. Black votes are predictable so no democratic candidate has to exert much of any effort to get its vote because their political leaders (if you want to call them leaders) will be jostling to see what benefits they will get from the candidate. Also, the black vote in Detroit has almost become meaningless in statewide elections because only 17-20% of its registered voters turnout out to vote. So whether Bing endorses Bornero or not won't make much of a difference. However, I for one, as a Democrat for the second time in my voting career, will cast my vote for a Republican. The democrats have too long taken blacks for granted and the black have little to show for other than a few meaningless appointments. Even the President doesn't show much deference for blacks. So, I will be voting for Synder and I hope other frustrated black voters will vote for Synder as well. I intend to work on his campaign.
John Q
Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 8:49 a.m.
If Snyder does get elected, he's going to be in the same bad position that Bing is in today. He'll control the executive branch and nominally control the bureaucracy. But he will come into office with no political allies, no political experience and a lot of people in the legislative branch whose views don't match his. In Bing's case, most of the city council leans to his left, which has made it difficult for him to implement the changes he wants to see happen. In Snyder's case, he'll have a state legislature fractured between the right-wing of the Republican party and the left-wing of the Democratic party. There will be very few moderates in the middle where Snyder's supporters claim he stands. Just as Bing was shown to be politically impotent when he couldn't get support for Mayoral control of Detroit Schools, a Governor Snyder will quickly find that being Governor doesn't come with the powers that he had as a corporate executive.
Snarf Oscar Boondoggle
Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 2:02 a.m.
ohgoodgriefcharliebrown.... as poositioned at this moment (subjerct to change) the choice is between someone who is 'angry at the past' -vs- someone whio is 'confident in te future'.... and this is a 'choice'?
timjbd
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 9:58 p.m.
ERM Ghost: "This is one Democrat who will be voting straight ticket Republican in the fall so that in four years, when this state is even deeper in the dumpster than it is now, there can be little doubt whose fault it is." I am inclined to agree with this strategy. We have watched years and years of Democrats having to come in and sweep up republican disaster after disaster. Why should people be surprised when people who claim to hate government turn out to be terrible at running the government and run it and us into the ditch? The only problem is that the republicans have now perfected their system of gaining power (by lying to gullible voters on Fox News and Limbaugh) then selling off all public assets such as school systems, toll roads and bridges, hospitals, electrical utilities, water systems, the profitable part of the postal system, etc. Can you imagine that these republicans who presided over the near destruction of the global financial system (along with help from Bill Clinton, Goldman Sachs and Robert Rubin) are now looking to gain seats? That can only be the result of massive fraud and outright lying to gullible masses who are stupid enough to vote against their own interests. But I digress... Anything that was built with public money for the public good but which can provide recurring revenue to Wall Street is under attack. Once those things are assimilated by Wall Street, they are never coming back. This is why BushCo can claim to have shrunk government (fewer government employees) while at the same time adding $$multi-trillions to our debt (going to private contractors at 3x the cost). It's because government is actually MUCH MORE EFFICIENT at providing services than a rapacious private sector. If the private sector WERE NOT rapacious, it might be a different story but IT IS rapacious and so privatization does not save the public money, no. It hemorrhages public money into private bank accounts. It also comes crawling to taxpayers to pay off their bad debts while keeping all the profits when the good times are rolling. Nice trick. So vote republican and watch the rest of whatever public assets that are left in Michigan get sold off to friends of Rick for one-time payments which magically disappear. Then we can all pay whatever rate the market will bear for the things we used to get at cost and take for granted like water. Maybe then people will light their torches. They did in Bolivia.
gsorter
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 9:43 p.m.
stunhsif, I completely agree. This state seems to have no idea how fierce the competition is, whether Texas, China, S. Korea,etc, and how easy companies can pick up and move to better climes (both weather and business climate). We have to offer something truly compelling to lure more businesses here, not chase the ones that are still alive away with closing so-called loopholes. Scrapping the MBT tax, and forcing property SEV's to truly match property values would be a great start. Is it complete coincidence that the states that are gaining population fastest also have the lowest business taxes (Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Texas, etc). Washington, a solidly blue state, has no corporate or personal income taxes, and property taxes of about 1% of value. Yet they have great schools, good roads, and people moving in, not out. Go figure?
John Q
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 9:29 p.m.
Bing's not a Democrat. If he endorses Snyder, it's Dave Bing the closet Republican endorsing Snyder, nothing more, nothing less. Bing doesn't have a political organization that can turn out voters for either candidate so whichever candidate gets his endorsement isn't going to get much else for it. As for the history of CAY giving the brush-off to Blanchard, see how well that worked out for Detroit. Engler made it his mission to punish Detroit every chance he got, even vetoing transit legislation as he was going out the door.
stunhsif
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 9:12 p.m.
Ain't noboby gonna turn this state around anytime quick and we all know it. This state is living and spending as if we were in the good old days ( as in the 50's and 60's and 70's). Small business and big business have fled this state for various reasons( unions and high cost mfg), despite recent concessions. Toyota and Subaru were looking to put plants in this state and went to Indiana because they were too afraid of the unions. Hospitals in this state are suffering because of the bancrupcy from GM and Chrysler. Most hospitals ( except U-M) have cut 8 to 10% of employees and cut employee wages 5%. This is all too predictable folks. On top of that, the state of Michigan is simply not attractive from a logistics standpoint and a climate standpoint. As someone who is in the transportation industry, I can tell you for certain that my companies growth is coming from the south and the southwest. The business in the rust belt is shrinking big time. We can either bury our heads in the sand or learn to deal with it. The sooner the better!
Speechless
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 8:57 p.m.
In response to the back-and-forth up above between 'gsorter' and 'timjbd,' here's a rephrasing of a paragraph I wrote earlier today following Rick Haglund's latest column on the Michigan governor's race: This state needs to demonstrate the political will to close some tax loopholes that benefit the well-off and bring little or nothing to Michigan in return, as has been suggested by Jeff Irwin, Alma Wheeler Smith and other officials. In addition, state voters should give approval for implementation of a graduated state income tax, which will require the wealthy to make a larger — and more appropriate — contribution to state revenues. By doing both of these, then not only will the state once again have the means to adequately fund state services, but it could also opt to lower taxes on business, particularly for small businesses, where a reduction is most meaningful. Haglund's column: http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/michigan-voters-need-to-know-how-gubernatorial-candidates-propose-to-fix-states-problems/
Speechless
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 8:41 p.m.
"... Democratic kingmakers in Detroit... can help him [Snyder] by sitting on their hands as they did during Gov. James Blanchard's 1990 re-election bid against John Engler, not pushing the normal "GOTV" or get out the vote efforts...." While the political maneuver in question would be similar to 1990 if Mayor Dave Bing carried it out, his reasons would likely be entirely different. Detroit's then-mayor Coleman Young and his allies objected to Blanchard's years of toadying to "Reagan Democrats" in the outlying suburbs, especially Macomb County. Gov. Jimmy would 'triangulate,' Clinton-style, by dissing Detroit interests to appease suburban and out-state audiences, sometimes backing this up with action. Blanchard supported Detroit less than Milliken. Twenty years later, we now see a more conservative Detroit mayor keeping his polite distance from a Democratic candidate for governor who has seen fit to remove himself as far from Republican-appeasing 'triangulation' politics as any statewide candidate in decades. Note, too, that Mayor Bing endorsed Andy Dillon late in the primary campaign, so he needs to save a little face.
stunhsif
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 8:26 p.m.
@Ghost-InsideTheHall-dading, Can't we all just get along? Lordy Lordy, I thought I was going to miss the Ann Arbor News but this is just too much fun! TGIF I still miss getting the paper every day and the Sunday-Thursday papers are basically just a rehash of what I have read on A2.com. Cannot wait to see Bernero and Snyder duke it out, gonna be a doozy.
kathryn
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 7:59 p.m.
For once, I think "Ghost" nailed it: "Those of you who think a governor can just wave a magic wand and makes things happen need to take a remedial civics class." Exactly why does anybody believe that electing a Republican is automagically going to improve the economy here? Because there will be business tax cuts? Will there be? The Governor doesn't make law. Who knows if a political novice like Snyder can herd the cats in Lansing into doing his bidding? And are we _sure_ that cutting taxes will attract new businesses? Really? Even if the state is too broke to keep the lights on and the potholes filled? (Or do some people just keep repeating, while clicking their heels together three times... "Cut taxes and they will come.") Just like in the last presidential election, I try to pick the person who seems intelligent, knowledgeable, reasonable, and with a bit of leadership ability, then I hope they do the best they can to steer us back to a place where we would want to live.
timjbd
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 7:59 p.m.
Gsorter, Good call on Texas and Nevada, too. When those states run out of fresh water (sooner than they are letting on), maybe you can spend all those tax savings trucking in water from T Boone and his giant drinking straw up into the Ogalala aquifer. That's the Pickens plan no one talks about.
timjbd
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 7:53 p.m.
Feel free to go Galt elsewhere. I assume you have already done so and are here just to drop your talking points so mission accomplished.
gsorter
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 7:11 p.m.
Regarding our business success, we are $2 million in revenue and growing, not what I would call a failing business. Just not willing to grow in Michigan when other states actually want and understand businesses.
gsorter
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 7:08 p.m.
Timjbd, I assumed the rest goes to the feds, the numbers I quoted are only for the State kleptocrats
sbbuilder
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 7:04 p.m.
timjbd (and ghost) A fact is something that can be scientifically proved or verified. I'm not sure there is indisputable evidence to back your contention. Here, on the other hand are some indisputable 'facts'. http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/incometaxandtheirs/a/taxburden06.htm (In 2006, the top 5% of wage earners paid 60% of taxes, etc.) http://www.heartland.org/policybot/results/18402/As_Tax_Rates_Fall_Wealthy_Pay_More.html (More IRA data.) To bring the conversation back to Michigan, I tend to agree with Rhe Buttle. Rhetoric has to take a hike in this stifling economy of ours. If we continue to try to preserve the Party base at all costs, we may find that that cost is too high. When the ship is half underwater, I don't think it matters who throws you your lifeline. So long as that lifeline does what its supposed to do. (re apple and domestic jobs: the bulk of their products are manufactured in China. For example, every single IPad is manufactured in Shenzhen. Apple has been shutting down domestic production (http://www.appleinsider.com/search.php) for years. This is an important point to remember when criticizing Rick for his role in exporting manufacturing jobs. There are extremely few high tech computer manufacturing jobs left in the US, except for chip manufacturers, and even those are leaving. To single out one single company for moving jobs overseas is to ignore the fact that just about every other one has left as well.)
timjbd
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 6:59 p.m.
Gsorter, 3.5 + 12 = 15.5 not 50. If you disagree that the trend in business taxes in the US has been going down, I'm happy to correct you. Michigan does not have enough tax revenue to pay for teachers, police, fire dept's and so the answer must be to cut taxes for the wealthy and businesses. You know and I know that the governor is cutting all kinds of tax deals to get businesses here. If you are not getting rich enough in your business, perhaps that might tell you that you are in a bad business for these times? Just because you start a business, you cannot depend on the largess of the government and citizenry to keep your bad business afloat. Maybe you need to realize you are not a successful businessman?
gsorter
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 6:27 p.m.
timjbd, Make sure you include outrageous Michigan and Ann Arbor property taxes in your calculations regarding our "undertaxation" Also, don't forget the 12% Michigan Business Tax I pay as a small service firm. Add 3.5% more for state income tax, then wonder how Ann Arbor thinks it can attract more tech firms. Put it all together and any small business here pays close to if not more than 50% in taxes. Texas, Nevada, and Washington are much more competitive tax-wise, and certainly places we would rather expand to. No wonder we are losing population.
timjbd
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 5:57 p.m.
ERM's Ghost: "Indisputable facts = "rant" in coserva-speak." Exactly.
timjbd
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 5:54 p.m.
Leaguebus was right on the money (far more so than was the guy who wrote this op-ed which.. was ridiculous) in pointing out that all the rest of the public school teachers, police and firemen will have to be fired/laid off before Snyder can cut even more from the taxes of the wealthy. Business taxes (and tax rates on the richest 10%) nationally have NEVER been as low as they are right now. The trend has been driving ever downward for 30 years and not-so-coincidentally so has employment in Michigan. People do not seem to get the connection. This phenomenon was pointed out in William Greider's book, "Citizen GE" where he described how GE argued for massive tax cuts from the Reagan administration- got them- then used the proceeds to move 100's of plants- along with the jobs- overseas to Thailand, Taiwan, etc. This is exactly what every business does with their tax cut proceeds. Once there are no more jobs to ship overseas, the savings go right to their shareholders on Wall Street. The state is out jobs and tax revenue and Wall Street moves in for the kill. Rick Snyder himself presided over the process of dismantling Gateway Computer and selling it off piecemeal to a Taiwanese company. Now he crows about retaining jobs in the call centers (not in Michigan, by the way). Hooray! Check out a stock chart that compares Gateway to competitor Apple Computer over the years that Snyder was there. (Steve) Jobs was building high tech American jobs at Apple while Snyder was shipping the high tech jobs to Taiwan at Gateway. I'm not all that familiar with Virg but at least he has a passion for people who work for a living rather than for Wall Street titans and their money. Say what you will about Granholm but having finally supported Obama in 2008, she brought home HUGE amounts of stimulus money for Michigan as well as other desperately needed help. Virg could keep that flowing. Elect Snyder and see what happens to all that. Suddenly those battery operations move out of state, the film industry dries up, etc. That's the way it works, folks.
sbbuilder
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 5:51 p.m.
The Detroit Democratic party is indeed in a pickle. They see the tidal wave coming, http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/governor/2010_elections_governor_map.html and are not quite sure of how to deal with it. They risk alienation either way. Coleman Young was already a long established power broker, and did not fear any consequences from not overtly backing Blanchard. I seriously hope Snyder, who looks like he will walk away with the election, will choose to overlook party differences and work to get this State back on its feet. Another note is the black lockstep with the Democratic Party. There are indications all around the country that this may not hold true this time.
InsideTheHall
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 4:54 p.m.
Nice rant Ed, the rationalizing amongst the A2 liberal elites is underway.
dading dont delete me bro
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 3:43 p.m.
thank you mr. marrow's ghost, i rest my case.
leaguebus
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 2:32 p.m.
I think that Rick is going to have to calm down on the tax cuts for business. The state cannot afford any more tax cuts until the rest of the police, firefighters, and teachers have been laid off. Plus the Arab-American voters in Dearborn must not be too happy with the Republican response to the New York Mosque situation. The Latino's population should be pretty excited about the Republicans wanting to repeal the 14th amendment. I think Rick is in an interesting situation, his party is slowly alienating all of the minorities in the country and now with some high up Republicans wanting to cut Social Security Benefits so they can continue the tax cuts for the wealthy, the AARP should be gearing up for a fight. It should be interesting from now to November.
Rhe Buttle
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 2:14 p.m.
Reading the story and the comments, the sad thing is that people are willing to put up with an either/or proposition. Its either the Democrats or the Republicans. Why? Aren't there more opinions than that? Why not just vote for the candidate that meets your personal measure of a quality candidate and eliiminate these arbitrary designations... black/white, left/right, politician/businessperson, man/woman. Use some intelligence and determine where they stand on the issues, stop using the party bloc as a discriminator. That, of course, requires some patience and ability. Can Detroit vote for a Republican? That isn't the question - the question is can Detroit vote for Rick Snyder. I'm not convinced he is a Republican, at least I hope he isn't. I think he will pick up a lot of votes that are regret votes: the businessperson should have been elected governor last time, not the blonde Canadian.
InsideTheHall
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 2:10 p.m.
The real question is: Will the Ann Arbor liberal elites vote intellect over brawn? This is already a hot topic within the university circles. Snyder will be freindly to UM (he is an alum)and Bully Bernaro's union puppet masters don't exactly like the Starbuck drinking, birkenstock wearing, nose in the air liberal elites. Stay tuned the rationalizing will be mighty entertaining this Fall.
dading dont delete me bro
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 2:06 p.m.
@81wolverine, i was being sarcastic. the typical response from the democrats is to blame the republicans/engler. the next response is to blame the legistlature for not working with jenny. i do not drink the jenny kool-aid, nor have i.
Cash
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 1:28 p.m.
Bing is not "Detroit Democrats". He's basically had name recognition and I'm not sure how popular even his name is in Detroit right now. You can't base the Detroit vote on how Bing leans...as Bing is about as popular to labor in Detroit as Engler would be. And since the horrible shooting of the child by DPD....he will have a lot of work to do to get elected himself again should he choose to run.
Lokalisierung
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
"A comment was removed because it repeated the name of the Republican candidate for governor approximately 358 times." Zing!
Ignatz
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 1:03 p.m.
I still wonder how Mr. Snyder is going to help generate new jobs. Is he going to make it a law the we buy American made goods only? Other than that, he'll be marginally successful, at best.
81wolverine
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 12:47 p.m.
@dading: What REALLY put the state into the shambles it's in today is having mostly clueless, spineless, career politicians in Lansing over the last 30 years who lack the foresight and ability to work together to create a business environment that generates new jobs. Both parties are to blame. But your "Jenny" did precious little to turn around the state economy either. Above all, this will take someone who can pull together the back-stabbers in Lansing to start working for the people of the state instead of themselves. I hope Snyder is the man to do it. My guess is that Bing will pull a Coleman Young and give Bernero the cold shoulder. That would be the wisest course of action. Detroit's brighter future would be in the hands of a governor like Rick Snyder who understands how to create businesses and jobs - not an organized labor person like Bernero.
dading dont delete me bro
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 12:03 p.m.
why would detroit back a republican? afterall, it's the republicans (mainly engler) that put this state into the shambles it's in. has nothing to do w/jenny from the block and her last two terms.
Technojunkie
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 12:01 p.m.
The Democratic Party has been far too successful at making voting for them a test of racial loyalty for blacks. It doesn't matter how little good, or how much abuse, voting Democratic does to Detroit. Even a direct insult, like switching to controllable caucuses in 2000 to keep Detroit voters from nominating the "wrong" candidate like they did in 1998 primary with Fieger, hasn't been enough of a wake-up call. That said, if it's going to happen, Bing and Snyder are the ones to do it. Bing's the first clueful mayor Detroit's had in a long time and Synder wants to see Detroit recover. I won't give more than 1 in 100 odds though.
michiganexpats.com
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 11:51 a.m.
Sounds like to me that "Bing is withholding his endorsement of Benero" is a message enough.
Lokalisierung
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 11:16 a.m.
Agree with TopCat...this is silly.
JSA
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 11:12 a.m.
I don't think Bing could survive politically if he endorsed a Republican. The Democratic Party would retaliate and turn off the funds wherever they could. His problem is that it is likely that Snyder is going to win and win big and his failure to support Snyder is not likely to do him any good in looking for help from Lansing.
Top Cat
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 : 10:39 a.m.
This is speculation and pure nonsense. Of course Bing will endorse Bernero. Bing is just holding out to see what he can get for his endorsement from Bernero and Obama.