POWERED BY REAL TIMES MEDIA
Volume 78 – Number 22
Dems convention in Detroit this weekend Members of the Michigan Democratic Party will converge at Cobo Hall on Feb. 14 for their spring convention where they will meet and caucus on issues and elect leaders of the various congressional districts. The Jonathan party faithful will also Kinloch choose a chair and two vice chairs for the party. Detroit political activist Jonathan Kinloch is among those running to be the next chair of the 13th Congressional District, the home of Congressman John Conyers, dean of Congress.
WHAT’S INSIDE Loretta V. Davis (Page A-5) As president and CEO of the Institute for Population Health (IPH), Loretta V. Davis is on a mission to help facilitate, champion and advance public health services and achieve positive outcomes throughout metro Detroit.
Dance competition (page B-1) Through a unique Instagram contest, youth dance teams are invited to showcase their best moves for a chance to perform with the Detroit Pistons hip-hop dance squad. The competition is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (Page C-1) Since its inception in 1980, the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) has been a beacon of light and champion of advocacy for its members. The main purpose is to level the playing field.
The queen of televised gossip (Page D-1) No one can “dish” like Wendy Williams whose daytime TV show has a huge following and steadily grows in stature…and ratings. Her fans can’t get enough and she is happy to oblige. Regarding the celebrities she covers, Williams says gleefully, “Their business is our business.”
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February 11-17, 2015
michiganchronicle.com
Diversity reality check for Patterson By Bankole Thompson
their deeds.
CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR
Let me be clear, political speeches are important. They speak to the ethos, character, mind, vision, judgment and belief of a political leader. And the art of a political speech lies in the ability to demonstrate clearly one’s understanding of a problem and willingness to discuss and find rational solutions to the challenging problem. It also lends itself to acknowledging what may be unpopular but is true in our present dispensation and how to utilize that for the greater good.
I’m not one to always make a big deal out of political speeches, because most of the time the remarks that some of our politicians offer at public events and ceremonies are designed just for optics and nothing else. Few are Bankole followed through Thompson and only a handful of them will come back to ensure that their words match
Lately I’ve found myself zero-
City Address) and the other that Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson delivered last week, his State of the County Address. In the case of Mayor Duggan, I was glad to see that his speech touched on crucial issues Detroiters are concerned about, some of which I raised in my column, “Mr. Mayor: Alternative State of the City Address,” last week.
L. Brooks Patterson ing in on the speeches of our area political leaders, like the one that Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gave Tuesday night (State of the
However, with Patterson’s speech it was a different presentation, and one that could be best
See PATTERSON page A-4
Peters: I’ll stand for Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters is in a special place of his own in the world’s most influential legislative chamber that is sure to make him a darling of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Because he was the only Democrat in the nation to win a seat in the United States Senate during the 2014 midterm congressional elections. He was also the highest vote getter in Michigan winning, 100,000 more votes over incumbent Michigan Republican Governor Rick Snyder during that election cycle. In total, Peters received 1,704,936 votes. He is clearly settling in his new role with a mandate from Michigan voters who chose him over former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. He is already sitting on four powerful committees in the Senate. His seat on the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee and the Joint Economic Committee all have a direct impact on how Michigan does business with the federal government. In this interview with Bankole Thompson, editor of the Michigan Chronicle, Senator Peters explains why he is disappointed with President Obama’s budget, the Detroit River bridge project, the GOP and bipartisanship, child care and preschool, veteran affairs, entrepreneurship, ISIS and many more. Excerpts follow. MICHIGAN CHRONICLE: You expressed disappointment in President Obama’s budget for missing funding for the Detroit River bridge project. What is the economic impact in Detroit if federal help doesn’t come through on this project? GARY PETERS: I support many of the policies in the President’s budget that would help Michigan’s working families, like extending the child tax credit, and I applaud his efforts to end the misguided policy of sequestration, which are blanket, indiscriminate spending cuts that would have a negative impact on the middle class. However, I am disappointed that the President’s budget did not allocate funding for the New International Trade Crossing in Detroit. This is a project that will create thousands of Michigan jobs, enhance trade with Canada, our closest trading partner, and transform Michigan into a transportation and logistics hub for trade, manufacturing and innovation. As a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I will continue working with Congress, the Obama administration, the Snyder administration and the Canadian government to pursue all options to ensure funding for construction and staffing of the customs
GARY PETERS, newly elected U.S. senator, vows to stand up for Michigan’s needs and priorities. — Andre Smith photo plaza. These stakeholders are having ongoing negotiations and I believe they will be able to reach a deal to fund and staff the customs plaza. MC: You are the only Democrat to make it to the U.S. Senate in the 2014 midterm election. What kind of reception have you received so far in the Senate? GP: While I am the only Democrat in the freshman class, I have enjoyed getting to know my Senate colleagues over these past weeks through freshman orientation and bipartisan lunches and have already begun building the good working relationships that will allow me to be an effective voice for Michigan in Washington. I also have a
few friends from my time in the House of Representatives, Shelley Capito of West Virginia and Cory Gardner of Colorado, who are joining me as new senators this year. I believe the relationships we have built working together in the House will help us continue to work across the aisle on important issues. Our country faces big challenges and people want Congress to work together in a bipartisan way to solve those problems. I’m looking forward to continuing to build relationships with my Senate colleagues and find bipartisan, common sense solutions for our country’s toughest problems.
See PETERS page A-4
Sharpton promotes Black vote in London By Herb Boyd SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Along with invitations to the White House and other prestigious addresses, the Rev. Al Sharpton can now include the Oxford Union, where such luminaries as President Ronald Reagan and Mother Theresa have spoken. It was also where Malcolm X was a debater almost 50 years ago to the day, although Sharpton was quick to remind that he was invited to speak, not debate. And speak he did on this whirlwind trip last weekend with attorney Michael Hardy as they attended the Oxford Union, Parliament and Bishop Joe Aldred’s church, and met with folks at Operation Black Vote, headed by
Simon Woolley. Their meeting with Woolley and “It was great,” Sharpmembers of Operton said of the trip. ation Black Vote “After I spoke at the was extremely sigOxford Union, I fielded nificant, Sharpton a number of very intersaid, because the esting questions from elections in May the young people in atin many of the distendance. They wanted tricts will have an to know about race relaoutcome riding on tions in America, and I the Black vote. told them we had made Al Sharpton progress but still had a He told listenlong way to go.” ers how perceptions of him have Sharpton said that being changed over the years. hosted at Parliament and meeting with Diane Abbott, the longest serving Black member of the body and the Labour Party’s Chuka Harrison Umunna, who won a seat there four years ago, were among the highlights of the trip.
“They would characterize me as fat Al, with a medallion in a tracksuit,” he began. “I was the cartoon character. But ever since we got Obama in the White House dealing with issues of race inequality, I’ve gone from the cartoon character to their editorial.
I’m no longer a laughing matter.” When Woolley mentioned the importance of the Black vote in the upcoming elections, Sharpton said, “The fact that the Black vote could decide 169 marginal seats means in this election you hold the balance of power. Now that’s real power.” In an exchange of tweets with Woolley, Sharpton reiterated some of the steps toward unity for Blacks no matter where they are in the Diaspora. “The blood that binds us,” he said, “is thicker than the waters that divide us.” At the end of his speech, which was delivered at Westminster University, Sharpton received a 10-minute standing ovation.