• Even though things may not look good now, if we do the right thing for the right reasons, then in the end, it will be good.

• Take your medicine – we have to DO THE WORK ! ! !

• When we put the work in, we can be anybody we want to be and so can our kids and grandkids.

• As Detroit citizens, we have to work harder than anyone else.

• Pass the torch and everyone has to be counted.

• Honesty is the best way to go

• Corruption will get you NO WHERE except Jail – Going Directly to Jail  
  – Do not pass Go and Do not collect $200.

• Do it with love and with passion and you can go where you want to go.

• Talk about things, everything, this is our time, vote vote vote. . . .

• We are who we’ve been waiting for . . . and we have to show up . . . nobody is coming to save us.

This is a prelude to 2012 pres. Election, we have to VOTE as our lives and futures depend on it.  DO this in 2010.  Otherwise, how do you think things will go in 2012 if we fail in 2010?

WE have to get everybody involved especially our leaders.  Our Leaders must be standing together   . . .  SIDE BY SIDE BY SIDE BY SIDE . . .

Let’s go Old School to Reverend C.L. Franklin.  For the younger people who don’t know him, He is one of the finest ministers Detroit has ever known.   He is one of the true leaders who held this city together when black leadership was needed to bring the city together.  He was the glue that kept this city together.  He is the father of Aretha Franklin.  He is Legendary. 

In this 2010 election, we are poised in Detroit and Michigan to take our place, as one of the greatest cities, and one of the greatest states, with the right leadership from Virg Bernero.

Like Louisiana  and the city of New Orleans have taken some HARD KNOCKS, even though New Orleans has given America so much in the form of seafood, shrimps, crabs, etc.  Also, they bring in billions and billions in oil based products from the Gulf coast.   Like Detroit stopped making cars and supported the war effort by building the arsenal, during World War II.  Also, Detroit became the Auto Capital of the World.  Detroit took music to a new level, a new sound that extended beyond Motown to reach all over the world.  Detroit stands on the brink to take on Hollywood to be the center of the film industry.  

Now, my fellow Michiganders, Detroit and others in SE Michigan and beyond, now is time to say “What about us?”,  in southeast Michigan, and do something about it.  Join us, work as hard as you can talk to as many people as you can, because our futures and our kid’s futures depend on it.

YES WE CAN ! ! !   YES WE CAN ! ! !

My fellow Detroiters, are you willing to step up and play a part in the most important Governor’s election in the last 50 years?  This election, 2010, we will go to the polls to elect the governor for 4 years and this could be deja vu if we are not careful and get out and vote or we could have another John Engler for another 4 years.  That was a very bad trip. 

Southeastern Michigan has 3 of the largest manufacturing cities in the state of Michigan and also has the most votes.  Those 3 cities are Detroit, Pontiac, and Flint. The reason why I say this is that back during WWII, these are the cities that stepped up and built the arsenal to defeat Germany and Japan. 

Isn’t it ironic that these great cities are struggling more than any other cities.  These are the cities that are going belly up.  These are the cities that should be setting the pace in all elections, by strictly population numbers and voting.  This is where are leaders should be leading.  This is where we must get out and vote as a block and stand up for the interests of these great cites.

We have to work harder than anyone else.  We have to pass the torch.  Everyone has a time when they have to stand up and be counted.  Honesty is the best way to go.  Do it for love and with a passion. You will get where you want to go.  Talk to your friends and talk to everyone, family, friends, neighbors, and everyone.  This is our time.  Vote.  VOTE.  VOTE!!!  If you don’t stand up for yourself, it will never be done.  Stand up for your beliefs.  Stand up and speak out.  It will pay big dividends for you and your kids and your grandkids:  the same as it did for our fathers and grand fathers who were the greatest generation and built the war machine to defeat our WWII enemies.  Blacks came from the down South towards these factories.  Immigrants came from all over the world through Ellis Island toward these factories.  Now we are called upon again to win this battle, quiet as it’s kept, we are who we have been waiting for and we have to show up. 

The battle cry for the 2010 election is “Honesty and hard work is the best way to go.  We have about 3 weeks to go.  We need our leaders, our organizations.  We need the NAACP.  Mayor Dave Bing has already stepped up to endorse Democratic candidate Virg Bernero.  

These two men running for Governor are your typical politicians.  Bernero is your typical Democratic candidate.  Snyder is your typical Republican candidate. Why even debate these guys credentials individually.  If you typically vote Democrat, vote for Bernero.  Expect that those who typically vote for Republicans will vote for Snyder.  The key is if you want your Democratic vote to truly count then you must Vote and get your family, friends and everyone else to also VOTE.

The good news is that Barrack Obama has the rebuilding American projects and putting America back to work.  This is going to complement Bernero.

WhatAboutUs.Info is calling out to the citizens of Detroit to stand up for our people (Detroit’s Citizens) and make their hearts and voices heard.

FOCUS is to differentiate self from the opposition.

Another election is upon us, the General Election, on November 3, 2009; and the same question is facing us again: Why do we, the Detroit citizenry (and most large inner cities) vote against our own best interest 80% of the time.  This happens year after year.

WhatAboutUs.Info would like for us to keep our FOCUS as we move through this campaign.  We have issues and within these issues there are certain truths.  We are not here to attack anyone’s character.  That would be politics of division-which is “old hat” and has been proven counter productive.

What we are here to do is take every opportunity to verbalize our agenda for a new politics, based on community involvement and inclusion.

The Class of 2009 would like to ask the City Clerk, Ms. Janice Winfrey, to let Detroit have voting booths within the Senior Citizen Buildings and give this November 3, 2009 election a better chance to be honest and fair.

We have to hear the voices of the community: the complete community-the young and old; the rich and poor, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Chaldeans, Arabs, Native Americans, everyone.

This includes members of the Gay community.  We have to feel the pulse of this city and keep our FOCUS.

Remember, Class of 2009, stay FOCUSed and use all nine of your votes. Stick together for victory by voting for each other.

Detroit, the Class of 2009 will win the General Election on November 3, 2009 by sticking together and staying FOCUSed.

The reason we’re in the fix we’re in is because of our failure to see the big picture.  We get caught up in the temporal, the temporary.  We get caught up in the feelings of the here and now.  We’re too busy looking at what the next person has and what we don’t have

and feeling slighted.  Greed, jealousy and envy has never served anyone well; and has certainly kept us, as a people, from prospering.

Until we can see the big picture, humbling ourselves long enough to listen and FOCUS, we will always end up with the short end of the stick.  This City Council has worn out their welcome and lost our trust.

WhatAboutUs.Info, endorses the following slate:

o      Charles Pugh

o      Andre L. Spivey

o      Lisa Howze

o      Fred Elliott Hall

o      John K. Bennett

o      Saunteel Jenkins

o      James Tate

o      Shelley I. Foy

o      Raphael B. Johnson

o      David J. Cross

o      Mohamed Okdie

Out of these eleven (11) candidates, the City of Detroit will seat Detroit’s next nine (9) council members.

No more waste, mis-management, bribery and corruption.

Not one Vote for incumbents!

No Incumbents-Not A One!

Use all nine of your votes; and vote for each other.

That is the key to Victory for the Class of 2009.

In the pursuit of excellence and the best chance for Detroit to get a fair election, we hope our City Clerk, Ms. Janice Winfrey, will have the audacity to put voting booths in Senior Citizen Buildings and   make the citizens of Detroit proud, with a totally transparent election.  Ms. Janice Winfrey is Detroit’s City Clerk and it is her prerogative to do everything she can to ensure Detroiters an honest and fair election.

Also, get the word out to those Primary Election candidates, who were not successful.  Ask them to join us because they are battle tested and ready for the upcoming 2010 elections.  There is a change coming!  You have a chance to overpower the incumbents with numbers, more votes!  But, you must support one another.  You and your supporters can’t give the incumbents any votes.

Numbers are the X Factor in this election.  Use all nine of your votes when you go to the polls; and the Class of 2009 should vote for each other: No incumbents, Not a One.

See you soon.  Visit our website, WhatAboutUs.Info, and leave a comment.

WhatAboutUs.info is informing the citizens of Detroit on why we have worked so hard to get most of Detroit’s voters registered and ready to vote.

The NAACP along with other organizations has shown up Big Time when it comes to registering voters.  Also, the vote is ripe and ready.

Factor #1 is that Janice Winfrey is Detroit’s City Clerk and it’s her job to run elections that are honest, competent and fair, for the citizens of Detroit.

The City Clerk plays no favor, but does have the duty and obligation to promote and advertise elections.  She must see that the absentee ballots are handled in a fair and safe way. This includes not sending an absentee ballot to dead people; and if a citizen does not ask for an absentee ballot, don’t send one.

A candidate can win the count on the street and still lose the election when the absentee ballots are counted.  Most of the time, incumbents get the lion’s share of those votes. 

We, the taxpayers, spend millions of dollars on our elections for Mayor, City Council, Charter Members and City Clerk. 

We need to spend an additional hundred thousand dollars or more on the advertisement and promotion of the upcoming General Election, November 3, 2009, in order to impress on citizens the value of their votes.  The previous low count is unacceptable!

We at WhatAboutUs.info believe that if the citizens of Detroit spend  millions of dollars to hold an election; then it is reckless malfeasance if we don’t do more to promote that election.

Let’s not forget the Presidential Election of 2000, where George Bush stole the election in Florida.  Once again in the 2004 Presidential Election, the election was stolen, this time in Ohio.  Come on, are we learning from the past?  We had to deal with eight years of Bush and eight years of war.  Our economy went from surplus to deficit. The thing that the 2000 and 2004 elections have in common is that the Secretary’s of State in Florida and Ohio were the deciding factors.  That’s No Joke!  This is serious business! 

Thus, here in Detroit, we need the City Clerk to have these qualities: Trustworthyness, Integrity, and Honesty.  We at WhatAboutUs.info believe that Janice Winfrey has all the above.  These are the qualities we teach our children  and grandchildren every day.

Now, Class of 2009, back to the Plan.  If you stick together, you can take all nine of the City Council seats.  The large number of citizens stepping up to be candidates in the Primary was good for the City of Detroit.  This showed that you were energized to make a difference.  Remember, do not vote for any incumbents.  That’s the Key.

Get the word out among all of the General Election candidates that we must use all 9 of our votes for the Class of 2009 Slate.  All of your supporters must understand and vote for no incumbents.

Also, get the word out to those Primary Election candidates, who were not successful.  Ask them to join us because they are battle tested and ready for the upcoming 2010 elections.  There is a change coming!  You have a chance to overpower the incumbents with numbers, more votes.  But you must support one another.  You and your supporters can’t give the incumbents any votes.

Detroit, Obama said this would happen, numbers are the X factor in this election.
 

So, until next time, work those Senior Citizen buildings, shake every hand you can.  Always take at least six (6) of your supporters with you when you go to events or go door to door.

Don’t let those incumbents lay low and try to dumb down the Citizens of Detroit.  If you let them lay low, they will wait until the final days before the election and blast Detroiters with bogus self-promotion, misleading promises and flashy advertisements.

Let’s get going and promote this election to get the biggest turnout ever.

Detroit, yes we can!  There is no reason in the world why Detroit,  with the right leadership, can not become that stunningly, shining, beautiful city on the Detroit River.

Class of 2009 , the Plan is simple!  If you and all your supporters just stick together; use your nine votes on each other; and do not vote for any incumbents, you will be successful!
 

Peace Out . . .stick together, use all nine of your votes on each other and Victory will be ours.  Detroiters . . . just like Obama said it would.

The purpose of this entry is to provide a resource for the candidates we support.  We are supporting 11 candidates.  While we know that there are only 9 open spots, this is a process of elimination. We are absolutely NOT supporting any incumbent. 

In alphabetical order:

Name: John K. Bennett

Email: bennett4Council@comcast.net

Website: http://www.bennettfordetroit.com/

Telephone: 313-268-9065

Name: David J. Cross

Email: davidcross@electdavidcross.com

Website: http://electdavidcross.com/

Telephone: 313.729.6288

Name: Shelley I. Foy

Email: info@foyforcitycouncil.com  

Website: http://www.foyforcitycouncil.com/

Telephone: (313) 520-5794

Name: Fred Elliott Hall

Email: http://www.fredhall2009.com/conatct_us.html

Website: http://www.fredhall2009.com/

Telephone: 888-409-HALL (4255)

Name: Lisa Howze

Email: Lisa@LisaHowze4DetroitCityCouncil.com  

Website: http://www.lisahowze4detroitcitycouncil.com/

Telephone: (313) 899-7912

Name: Saunteel Jenkins

Email: saunteel@saunteeljenkins.com

Website: http://www.saunteeljenkins.com/

Telephone:  (313) 887-7792

Name: Raphael B. Johnson

Email: RaphaelBJohnson4CityCouncil@gmail.com

Website: http://www.raphaelbjohnson4citycouncil.com/

Telephone: 313-425-6820

Name: Mohamed Okdie

Email: Vote2009@ElectMohamedOkdie.com  

Website: http://electmohamedokdie.com/

Telephone: (313) 673-8584

Well, Class of 2009, the August 4^th Primary is a thing of the past, but the citizens of Detroit learned that numbers don’t lie as revealed in the following data.

The City of Detroit has only five (5) incumbents left standing, and except for Ken Cockrel, we have a horse race.  The numbers are closely bunched together.  Don’t forget, we had under 15% turn out of voters.

Class of 2009, we can and will clean house!  First, we must  target and educate absentee voters.  Begin today, with all your might, to work the Senior Citizen’s Buildings.

We must not Let the “Absentee Bandits” Steal Votes From Our Seniors. 

The incumbents may think the senior votes belong to them. They don’t!

In the General Election, on November 3, 2009, the Class of 2009 will work as one unit.  Put on your walking shoes. Call on every one of your supporters.  Point to the public records of the incumbents:  Bribery, Tax Improprieties, Silly Deals for Cobo HALL They all have dirty hands and yet, they  continue to occupy those council seats and poorly represent the citizens of Detroit.  The citizens of Detroit go deeper and deeper into that Black Hole of Waste, Mismanagement, and Corruption.  We can’t  let this foolishness continue and see our city assets go down the drain.  We have lost enough already.  Detroiters, we have had it with these “speed bumps”.  We deserve better! 

Here are a few things this slate of men and women would like to do:

1)   Target and educate absentee voters, with emphasis on those in senior citizen’s buildings.

2)   Make this campaign into a race on the issues that are holding the city of Detroit down.

3)   Spend four (4) hours every day shaking every hand you can.  Two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening knocking on doors.  Keep at least six (6) supporters with you at all times.

4)   Focus on the City Budget and City Services.  Detroit citizens deserve Better Service.

5)   Continue to reach out to the city’s faith based community.

6)   We need to repopulate the city and offer effective quality public safety, quality education and quality living for all citizens.

7)   Share our message of financial healing with more voters.  In the words of Fred Elliot Hall: “It’s been my task to try to be a bridge between all groups because we’re all in such bad condition right now in terms of the economy.”

8)   Have the whole Class of 2009 go door to door to appeal to all registered voters and give them a reason to want to vote.

9)   Have the whole Class of 2009 petition the City Clerk’s office to provide  information  for the citizens of Detroit about the November 3,2009 election.  The low turn out of voters in Detroit elections is unacceptable.  The City Clerk runs the elections.  So, she has the responsibility to do what’s necessary to remedy this problem.  “The duty of a public servant is to serve”. 

10)The following media should be used daily to promote this

upcoming  election:  Radio, Television, and Newspapers: The Detroit News, The Michigan Citizen, The Michigan Chronicle, The Telegram and The Detroit Free Press.  The Detroit City Clerk’s office must use these venues  to increase voter turn out.  An election with less than 15% turn out is unacceptable!  The Class of 2009 wants Janice M. Winfrey to join President Obama in saying, “Fire it up”.  The winner in this request will be the citizens of Detroit.

Remember, Class of 2009. let’s co-sign this Slate of new council members: one for all and all for one; and  your experiences in 2009 will have all of you tested and ready for the elections of 2010.   You will realize the fruit of your persistence and determination.

WhatAboutUs.info endorses the following Slate:

• Charles Pugh

• Saunteel Jenkins

• Andre L. Spivey

• James Tate

• Lisa Howze

• Shelley I. Foy

• Fred Elliott Hall

• Raphael B. Johnson

• Mohamed Okdie

• David J. Cross

• John K. Bennett

Out of these eleven candidates, the City of Detroit will seat Detroit’s next nine council members.

No More Waste, Mismanagement, Bribery and Corruption!

See you soon.  Visit our website: WhatAboutUs.info and be sure to leave a comment.

Well, here we are Detroit! The weekend before the Primary Election: This is the first step to filling the nine open seats on the Detroit City Council, from the Class of 2009.

There is strength in numbers and this large number of candidates will be a blessing to the City of Detroit. I'll say it again.  Listen! 

When all of us do one thing together, at the same time, WE WIN.  What's that One thing? VOTE together at the same time on August 4th, 2009.

And VOTE NO TO ALL INCUMBENTS.

Not since the days of Joe Louis winning the World Heavyweight Championship, or Coleman A. Young being voted the First Black Mayor of the City of Detroit, has the city been so energized to do better.

Back to the Class of 2009's Plan.  It's all about voter turn out. It's about lots of candidates. It's about lots of votes, but not a one for an incumbent. NOT ONE, with no exception.  Now the candidates that don't make the cut will work hard for the ones that do make it.  This Class of 2009 will be the future of Detroit, Wayne County, and Michigan Politics for years to come.

There are those who think Black Detroiters are to be taken lightly.  They are making a Big Mistake. The Class of 2009, 167 strong, is not only going to keep the Faith.  They are going to increase the Faith throughout our communities.

NO INCUMBENTS - NOT A ONE

This plan gives us a wonderful chance to talk with each other about our city and how our city leaders are performing.

Let us not forget that many of the people that live in the suburbs, mostly Whites, were born (or their parents were born) in the City of Detroit.  We know you got love for Detroit. Learn to be fair and treat people like you want to be treated.  Also, Blacks, by the thousands, still have love for our city and care about what happens to it.

The Class of 2009 is better qualified and has more experience and professionalism than the nine sitting council members.

This blog wants to point out that we have love for the police and preachers that are running for Detroit's City Council.  However, we support them as police and preachers.  Let the police perform the police activities needed in our city.  Let the preachers perform their preaching from the pulpits in our city.  While they are doing great in these roles, we do not see these skills transferring to the skills needed for Detroit City Council.

NO INCUMBENTS - NOT A ONE

So, to the Class of 2009, Obama said this would happen.

Here's our Battle Cry:  NO INCUMBENTS - NOT A ONE

Another election is upon us in the City of Detroit and the same  questions are facing us again.  Why do we, the Black Citizens in  Detroit and almost all large inner cities, vote against our own best interest, year after year.

Well, let's try to look at the facts and see how they add up.

 "WhatAboutUs.info" will do a forensic audit on the 2009 Election for  the Detroit City Council. 

Now listen, we all know there's strength in numbers.  All new  candidates have to make sure that they tell their supporters, to tell  their friends and family members, that this Class of 2009's plan is  to use Emails and Word of Mouth. 

We can't say it too many times!  Tell your supporters to tell the  citizens of Detroit to get on board with the Class of 2009's plan:  out with the old and in with Nine New Council Members. 

Don't vote for any, not a one incumbent! 

Emails, Emails, Emails are our big guns! 

Forward them to everyone: every group, every church member, every  relative ,associate, neighbor, college and university student. 

This is to the Class of 2009 candidates (each and every one of you).

Who is backing the incumbents? Check the slates of the following and  that will show you the money.

Our campaign is not about money. Our campaign is about hard work,  networking, Emailing and Word of Mouth. 

Here are the No Vote Slates:

• Detroit News
• Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Detroit Renaissance
• Detroit Free Press
• Those promoted by Dennis Archer (Mayor #2) 

Email is the name, Email is the game.

So, lets get out there and use our Emails to represent the 156  members of the Class of 2009 on August 4, 2009. 

The candidates that don't make it can begin to prepare for the following opportunities to serve Detroit, Wayne County, and Southeastern Michigan in 2010.

Detroit has had four elected Black Mayors.  Mayor Bing is the fourth and he is running for re-election, the Primary is August 2009.

1^st  – Mayor Coleman A. Young

2^nd – Mayor Dennis Archer

3^rd – Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

4^th – Mayor Dave Bing

Detroit might have the best we had so far in Mayor David Bing to protect and service the citizens of Detroit.  Why? . . . Because he has all the tools to operate a $3.5 Billion organization.

WE DO WANT TO KEEP MAYOR DAVE BING! ! ! !

Coleman A. Young was one those Great Black Citizens – The First Black Mayor of the City of Detroit. 

The first two and half terms of Coleman A. Young’s stewardship of our City had a major shift in Black Representation.  Prior to Mayor Young’s election, there were only about 20 percent Black employees in City Hall.  After a short term with Mayor Young, the Black employees were up to 80 percent.  There were similar numbers shifted in the Police Department and Fire Department and all over the City of Detroit.

The second Black mayor of the City of Detroit was Dennis Archer.  Mr. Archer tried with all his might, along with Governor John Engler, to take away all of Coleman Young’s gains.

Folks, do not take my word for it, let me count a few of them, which came to hundreds of millions of dollars. 

Examples include:

• Gave away the Casino licenses without one going to us.
• Recorders Court
• Residency requirement for Police and Firemen and all city workers removed so they could move out of the City of Detroit and still collect paychecks from Detroit.
• Renaissance zones –Along Fort Street, gave away all the Prime Land on the Detroit River, including years and years of Tax Breaks.
• Eminent Domain – The Graymark project where more Prime Land on the waterfront was given away for pennies on the dollar.  This project was NOT a public project, but it was a private project for profit.

Mayor Archer said he wouldn’t make one Black man rich, and he didn’t.  

WE DON’T WANT ANOTHER DENNIS ARCHER.

The third Black mayor of the City of Detroit was Kwame Kilpatrick.  Coming in as a bright, young man, there were more houses built in Detroit during his terms than in the past 30 years. 

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a Bright Young Man, hit a lot of speed bumps and that, in the end, was more than the citizens of Detroit were willing to take.

WE DON’T WANT ANOTHER KWAME KILPATRICK.

Ken Cockrel was not an elected mayor and he is not considered in this perspective.  He lost to Mayor Bing in the election.  We will address Mr. Cockrel run for City Council – Ken Cockrel is one of the persons running who Does Not Need To Come Back. 

WE DON’T WANT KEN COCKREL IN ANY CAPACITY.

We Need a WHOLE NEW CITY COUNCIL!

We need to re-elect the best in Mayor David Bing.