I first heard about the charges brought against the mayor and Christine Beatty at about 11 this morning. It is now 6:30, and I am already sick of hearing about it. And it has only been 7 and a half hours! This is sure to be headline news around here for some time in the future, so I guess I better prepare myself.

I don’t know why, but it was comforting to come across this AP story and read about cities like Newark and Austin, both of whose mayors are currently embroiled in scandals. Unfortunately, it seems that, like Kwame, neither of these mayors has resigned.

I had my book club on Tuesday evening during the mayor’s State of the City address, so I didn’t hear it as it was happening, but I hard plenty about it on the local news when I arrived home that evening. The mayor said a lot during the speech, but the biggest hoopla to come out of the night were his remarks that the media is acting like a lynch mob against him and his blatant use of the N-word. (more…)

I’m beginning to think we only know a small portion of what really happened with the Kwame Kilpatrick/Christine Beatty text message scandal and the whistle-blower lawsuit.
(more…)

I felt a sigh of relief today when I came across this headline: “Detroit mayor’s chief of staff resigning amid perjury allegations”. More after the jump.
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Did the Democratic/Independent crossover vote give Romney the win? (see my two previous posts)

Who knows?

But it’s clear that the GOP primary will be very long, very heated, and very expensive. With nothing to gain by voting between Hillary or Uncommitted, I have a feeling that Michigan Democrats did what they could to help their party.

While I would rather have had a true Democratic Primary in Michigan as well, the decision to move our primaries up to January 15 was a success because it made our issues the issues of the American political media for a solid week. We do need more economic stimulus and a fair playing field for the American auto industry. We do need job growth and an end to the stream of foreclosures plaguing the state. And for a week, the nation listened and took notice. One week on the national platform may not be much, but it’s more than all of the Super Tuesday states will get.

Check out this video by some guy you’ve never heard of that makes the case for Romney, and 5 points to anyone who can tell me what the Treaty of Ghent was without going to Wikipedia.

<img src=”http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/3/demformitt.jpg”

Michigan’s primary election takes place this Tuesday, January 15, and as many of you know, the Democratic choice will be between Hillary Clinton and Dennis Kucinich (and “Uncommitted,” if you really want to vote for Obama and Edwards, but can’t). THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT WRITE IN A CANDIDATE’S NAME ON THE BALLOT. YOUR BALLOT WILL BE TOSSED. (I don’t know why this is. I haven’t been able to figure out. But everyone says it’s true, so don’t do it.)

But there is one other choice….

Michigan Democrats can make a difference in the overall election after all. The beauty part of Michigan’s primary election rules is that you can cast a ballot for either party, no matter your party affiliation. And since Hillary will be the winner anyway, why not shake things up in the Republican primary, by voting for Mitt Romney.

Daily Kos, a popular Progressive blog, is rallying the troops to upset the Republican election like we did in 2000 when our state went for John McCain over George W. Bush, after then Governor John Engler (remember that scumbag?) “guaranteed” a win the Bush.

Here’s why you may want to vote for Romney:

The longer the Republican primaries go on, the more money they’ll spend and the more they will attack each other, viciously. Mitt Romney has pulled his money out of other states and has bet his political future on Michigan this Tuesday. If he wins, he stays in. If he loses, he lost for good. The longer he’s in, the better for the Democrats.

So by voting Romney, it turns out that the Democrats in Michigan can effect change with their primary vote.

If you feel particularly strongly about Hillary, then by all means vote for her. But instead of voting for “uncommitted” and hoping the Democratic party gives back some of Michigan’s delegates at the convention, why not shake things up a bit?

I know, I know. If you do vote for Romney, you may feel a little dirty and in need of a shower after leaving the polls. However, if you want real change in Washington, if you want to hold the Bush Administration accountable for every pernicious lie and abuse of power over the past 8 years, then the “big picture” candidate for Michigan Democrats is Mitt Romeny.

It seems as though Michigan’s Republican Senate, with its slimy leader Mike Bishop at the helm, will refuse to take up a measure to force four Democratic Presidential candidates–Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, John Edwards, and Christopher Dodd–back onto the ballot after they pulled their names from the running when Michigan announced an early primary date of January 15.

On WDET today, I heard the pompous Bishop say that it’s not the job of the Senate to get in the middle of Democrat’s affairs and that such a vote would be keeping the legislature from discussing more pressing issues, like the never-ending state budget negotiations. Like most political talk meant to divert citizens from understanding the true motives behind a decision, Bishop makes a somewhat-valid point. However, the Republicans have something to gain by not allowing the Democrats to have a primary with a full slate of candidates.

Michigan election laws allow citizens to vote in either party primary, regardless of one’s party affiliation. Since Hillary is basically a lock to beat Dennis Kucinich, many Independents and Democrats may spend their votes on the Republican primary. Thus Republicans can argue that higher poll numbers shows that Michigan is leaning Republican. In addition, the Republicans will be able to flout the fact that they provided Michigan citizens with a true primary, that Republicans were unafraid to challenge Iowa and New Hampshire by coming to Michigan. They can claim that the Democrats really don’t care as much about Michigan’s people as the Republicans do. Based on recent Republican policies and actions, this is patently untrue to me, but they will make the argument nonetheless.

I certainly would have liked to have had a true Democratic primary here in Michigan with all of the candidates on the ballot. However, four candidates decided that they couldn’t suffer the backlash from Iowans and New Hampshirites should they leave their small, un-diverse populations to run in a state that actually matters in the general election and better represents the country as a whole. As much as I respect all four candidates (and I’m rather partial to Richardson), I feel that this was an act of political cowardice.

I was kind of on the fence about Hillary, but at least she didn’t chicken out, and it doesn’t seem as though there has been any backlash in Iowa or New Hampshire (although she has refrained from paying the Mitten a visit). She’s got guts, she’s smart, and she’ll make a good president.

So on the 15th, I’m going to go into the voting booth and press my pointer finger on the electronic screen next to the “Hillary Clinton” box with pride. I’m not a betting man, but I’ll put my odds on Hillary by a landslide.

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to effect economic and political change, then that people often have no other choice but to rock you.

The Wayne State Law School Student Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, an organization “dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system,” is having a benefit this Saturday at the Village Idiot Pub on the Eastside of Detroit.

The benefit features an eclectic blend of bands, featuring The Hadituptoheres, The Sons of Adray, and Dan Kennedy.

Each band features either a current student member or alum of the Guild. Five bucks at the door, starts at 9pm. All proceeds go to the Wayne State Law School Chapter of the NLG.

Come out for the music, the drinks, and the social justice.

But Grand Rapids is. And so is Ann Arbor. And Kalamazoo. And Royal Oak. Even Taylor is a Cool City. But not Detroit. Detroit can be pretty hip, but it’s not Cool.

That’s because Detroit is not one of the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities, a group of cities all over the nation whose mayors have signed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to actively reduce carbon emissions and institute energy conserving programs and build energy-efficient buildings in their cities. It’s an initiative that asks mayors to institute changes that will ultimately save millions of dollars in the long run. Sounds like a good idea to me.

Granted, Detroit has a very, very, very long way to go before becoming an environmentally friendly city. It has myriad problems that need solving, but the naysayers must be put to rest sooner or later and Detroit, if it is going to attempt to revitalize and become one of America’s great cities again, must take an active role in becoming more environmentally conscious. Here’s a copy of the Agreement that Kwame–or the mayor of your particular suburb–should sign.

So please tell him. Here’s Kwame’s phone number and email:

(313) 224-3400
mayor@mayor.ci.detroit.mi.us

He probably won’t answer, but leave a message and maybe he’ll get back with us.