In our Sunday paper, columnist Nolan Finley had an article titles DETROIT’S GRASSROOTS CORRUPTION”. I thought it was an interesting and insightful corroboration of what I mentioned in my last blog about how easily the primaries can be bought.
Nolan talks about political endorsements which are usually important in elections and are highly sought after by candidates. Some voters swear by endorsements and use them to guide their voting preferences.
I feel that the people endorsing a candidate obviously have something to gain if the candidate is elected; in other words, the endorsing body supports the candidate that supports them (the endorsing body) and that makes sense.
In Detroit, the above political logic is not used. Endorsing bodies endorse for a fee – period. Nolan Finley found this out when he interviewed some first time candidates for a Detroit political office – they were stunned.
Nolan said that nearly all of the city’s community and political groups, including its own congressional district Democratic committees, the Black Slate, the Fannie Lou Hamer Political Action Committee and others, want payment when granting an endorsement.
Earlier a WADL-TV host named Mildred Gaddis was found to demand $1,000 for each political interview and therefore probably an implied endorsement.
If Detroit voters think they are getting guidance about which candidate to vote for from so called, informed endorsement bodies, they are being used and abused, the endorsements are nothing more than money makers for the endorsers; they don’t give a shit if they were endorsing the devil himself, as long as he pays, he gets their endorsement.
I have also heard that some churches participated in this pay to play game but this year when you pay, you just get to sit in the front pew and cannot deliver a political speech. In the past, delivering a speech from a specific church meant a tacit endorsement by the pastor.
I hope by now my long lasting commentary on the special political black culture in the city of Detroit is becoming a little clearer and helps explain why the city is in such a blasted mess.
Nolan talks about political endorsements which are usually important in elections and are highly sought after by candidates. Some voters swear by endorsements and use them to guide their voting preferences.
I feel that the people endorsing a candidate obviously have something to gain if the candidate is elected; in other words, the endorsing body supports the candidate that supports them (the endorsing body) and that makes sense.
In Detroit, the above political logic is not used. Endorsing bodies endorse for a fee – period. Nolan Finley found this out when he interviewed some first time candidates for a Detroit political office – they were stunned.
Nolan said that nearly all of the city’s community and political groups, including its own congressional district Democratic committees, the Black Slate, the Fannie Lou Hamer Political Action Committee and others, want payment when granting an endorsement.
Earlier a WADL-TV host named Mildred Gaddis was found to demand $1,000 for each political interview and therefore probably an implied endorsement.
If Detroit voters think they are getting guidance about which candidate to vote for from so called, informed endorsement bodies, they are being used and abused, the endorsements are nothing more than money makers for the endorsers; they don’t give a shit if they were endorsing the devil himself, as long as he pays, he gets their endorsement.
I have also heard that some churches participated in this pay to play game but this year when you pay, you just get to sit in the front pew and cannot deliver a political speech. In the past, delivering a speech from a specific church meant a tacit endorsement by the pastor.
I hope by now my long lasting commentary on the special political black culture in the city of Detroit is becoming a little clearer and helps explain why the city is in such a blasted mess.
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