Big thread on Friends of Angelo Facebook page with all my essays
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From: Charles Brown
Date: February 25, 2023 at 2:54:53 PM EST
To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
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From: Charles Brown
Date: April 14, 2022 at 8:24:36 PM EDT
To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
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From: Charles Brown
Date: August 25, 2021 at 6:20:07 PM EDT
To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
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From: Charles Brown
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To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Charles Brown
Date: September 11, 2016 at 12:10:25 PM EDT
To: Charles Brown
Subject: Re: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 7, 2014, at 2:20 PM, Charles Brown wrote:
Tammy Barbour
Minister Malik Shabazz in response to your post about Charles Brown on
the thread that BC Baron Coleman removed... Man, Charles gave some
GREAT info that we all need to hear. Hate that we can't access his
Encyclopedia Brittanica on the Emergency Manager Law, so I hope he
reposts it. That's what Baron suggested he do here.
But I want to talk about Charles as far as my opinion on him being a
brainiac, which is what Malik said. Yes, and its a great thing. Here
is why!
It...See More
Unlike · · Stop Notifications · 21 hours ago
You, Ernest Johnson, Daniel Ferguson III, Gloria Newton and 11 others like this.
Charles Brown Well thanks a whole bunch , Tammy Barbour. You are so, so kind.
21 hours ago · Like · 4
Charles Brown Here's one: Occupy the Wall Street dictator before he occupies you
Published
• Sun, Dec 11, 2011
By Charles Brown
Emergency managers have already replaced the people�s elected
officials in majority Black cities around the state and in the Detroit
Public Schools and made draconian austerity cuts to public workers and
public health, welfare and safety services. This putsDetroit between a
rock and a hard place, forcing the mayor and city council to consider
harmful cuts, but less than what a financial dictator would make.
Mayor Dave Bing is pushing for privatization of services and asking
the city�s public unions to take a 10 percent cut in wages that
non-union employees took a couple of years ago. The mayor is also
seeking medical benefit and pension cuts.
Some on the council, worried the mounting debt will enable Michigan
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder to appoint an emergency manager, talk of
even greater sacrifices: laying off 2,300 public workers, closing
recreational centers and eliminating subsidies to citymuseums, the
health department and the Detroit Zoo. Last week, the mayor
volunteered himself to be the emergency manager, but that proposal was
opposed by all.
Gov. Rick Snyder and the Republican-dominated legislature, to give
more powers to the financial dictator than the old law provided,
changed the law regarding the appointment of emergency managers. An EM
will now usurp the powers of democratically elected officials in order
to give priority to financial and Wall Streetinterests over the
interests of city workers and citizens� city services.
If an emergency manager is appointed for Detroit, it will result in
mass firings and harsh wage and benefit reductions for Detroit city
workers. City worker jobs, government jobs, public jobs are real jobs.
Losing jobs will add to the city�s deficit because of lost taxes from
income and property. It will, of course, put more Detroiters into dire
economic straights.
The appointment of an emergency manager to solve the city�s economic
crisis would be profoundly un-American and undemocratic. It would be a
violation of Detroit residents� right to self-determination.
Who is to blame for this crisis?
Detroit�s financial crisis is rooted in the problems of the city�s
automobile-dependent economy. While the auto industry is making a
small comeback, it will never be what it was. Hundreds of thousands of
good paying auto jobs and the tax base they provided were lost, never
to be seen again.
We live in a private enterprise system. This means private business
leaders, not public officials, make the decisions that determine the
ups and downs of our economy. The tea party and Republican story
(pushed 30 years ago by former President Reagan) that �government is
big and bad, and free enterprise is lean and mean,� has been exposed
in the last several years as a big lie put forward by the system,
threatening bankruptcies of the private sector�s largest corporations
and financial institutions.
Where should the money come from to fix Detroit�s deficit? The federal
government � and I say that without any hesitation. If Wall Street
could be bailed out to the tune of $11 trillion (as once reported by
the Financial Times; the amount is probably more than that by now),
Detroit can be bailed out for $300 million or $400 million or more.
Wall Street banks were more broke than Detroit and they were bailed
out by the mythically inefficient public sector, �Big Gov�ment.� Some
of that federal money (that they gave the Wall Street banks) is our
tax money, money from the people of Detroit.
Importantly, it is not Detroit officials� corruption or incompetence
that has led to the fiscal crisis, but the economic and financial
incompetence and greed of banks and corporations. Whatever faults they
have, these local public officials, largely African American men and
women, are no worse than the dozens of white men whoexclusively ran
Detroit city government for so many decades.
Detroit�s deficit is also due to the decisions by the private sector
to move so much of the former robust Detroit business sector out of
the city over the last 50 years. This is another way that the private
sector is responsible for Detroit�s plight. As I said, this is a
private enterprise system and Detroit public officials have
essentially no power over this major trend. They have no authority to
start city-owned enterprises that might substitute for the runaway
plants, shops and businesses.
This city�s financial problems are not fundamentally due to city
officials� bad decisions, but to the disinvestment from and failures
of corporate America in Detroit. The last thing the city needs is a
�CEO-thinking� emergency manager. It was CEO thinking that bankrupted
Wall Street, General Motors and Chrysler.
Given the revenue streams that go straight to Wall Street from
Detroit, it is not far off to characterize any emergency manager as a
Wall Street financial dictator.
I say, �Occupy� Wall Street financial dictators
21 hours ago · Like · 5
Charles Brown Detroit is Haiti: unforgivably Black
Print
Email to a Friend
by: John Henry
October 21 2009
tags: Analysis, Detroit, racism, auto industry, capitalism, Malcolm X
Time Magazine has decided to zero in on Detroit. It kicked off its
project last month with an article headlined "The Death - and Possible
Life - of a Great City."
As a lifelong Detroiter and an African American, here's my reaction.
The Detroit rebellion of 1967 had the impact of crystallizing an
economic blockade on the city that had then been developing for 15
years, a blockade by the bourgeoisie - big capital - something like
that on Cuba.
There was the bullet and then the ballot, a la Malcolm X in reverse:
the rebellion and then the 1973 election of Coleman Young as Black
mayor extraordinaire. For this, and really for now being 85 percent
Black, Detroit is still under economic blockade punishment by the
powers that be.
These were the culmination of a socioeconomic historical shift which
was marked by segregating of residence based on race through white
flight to the suburbs especially beginning in the 1950s, escaping the
move toward integration represented in open housing law. (See Thomas
Sugrue, "The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Politics in Postwar
Detroit," and Coleman Young's autobiography, "Hardstuff.")
It was also part of a relative scattering of some main points of
industrial production from a concentration in the city of Detroit (
and neighboring Dearborn) to the surrounding suburbs. It was a
breaking up of the World War II era Arsenal of Democracy, which had
many left-wingers, naturally.
In a way, it seems to have been a shifting of the location of basic
production from the Midwest to the South, from the U.S. to other
countries, in what gets termed post-industrialism, post-Fordism,
restructuring. The concentrated proletarian powerhouse was busted up
and racially resegregated, on the typical American model: Black vs.
white.
The bourgeoisie cannot really undo what they have done. They are
hoisted on their own petard. Detroit is a pariah society in the
national media still, as the latest Time article shows. White masses
are shy to move back into Detroit, desegregate. The bourgeoisie will
not invest in an African town like this, with so few white people to
benefit. They must blockade us like Cuba, or Haiti. Like the great
heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Jack Johnson, Detroit is
unforgiveably Black and Proud.
Wait, I take that back. They will find ways to invest "in" Detroit,
but so that most of the local population will not benefit. They will
exploit and "skate" - in other words, con and run, get away without
being held responsible for their wrongdoing.
So, Time has a cover story saying that poverty in Detroit today is in
part due to the rebellion of 1967, cause and effect, politically and
economically - case closed.
Actually, it's true. The bourgeoisie are still punishing the
rebellion, among other things. Perhaps, Time is making a confession.
Photo: The Spirit of Detroit statue, outside the Coleman A. Young
Municipal Center in downtown Detroit.
(www.flickr.com/photos/farlane/92665530/)
21 hours ago · Like · 6
Charles Brown CHRYSLER HAS BEEN BAILED OUT TWICE. DO WE SAY WHITE
PEOPLE CAN'T RUN
CHRYSLER ?
By C.D. Brown
When GM and Chrysler went managed bankrupt for something like
$80 billion, nobody said that white people are not ready to be in charge
of transnational industrial corporations and, that Chrysler was dependent on
free tax money from
us; that , as Corporation leader and Presidential candidate Mitt
Romney insultingly said to the NAACP convention, to paraphrase, u
people want too much free stuff.
Chrysler Corporation has been bailed out twice by the federal
government. Congressman James Blanchard road his championing that free
stuff for Chrysler to the Michigan governor's chair. But Prince
Richard Snyder
doesn't want a bailout for Detroit. It is because, unlike Chrysler, Detroit
has a Black majority represented in electoral offices running City
government.
Mayor Coleman A Young, Black Mayor Extraordinaire, won a loan from
the federal government for the
City of Detroit to help Chrysler Corporation build the Jefferson North
Assembly plant. The federal government can forgive that loan which
benefited Chrysler and America handsomely.
Snyder,the Barbarian Governor, doesn't want a
bailout for Detroit, thereby
speaking against the best interests of Detroit. He should be
aggressively seeking a bailout for Detroit, like Governor Christie
aggressively
sought aid for New Jersey for relief from hurricane damage or
Blanchard and Granholm sought bailouts for Chrysler. Detroit
has been under economic "hurricanes" almost continuously for 50 years.
Chrysler has been bailed
out twice from those storms ! (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Chrysler). Not only was
there divestment from the city proper in
capital flight for 60 years, but the auto industry corporations
centered in Detroit have been crushed in the world competition as
emblemized in Chrysler's two insolvencies. The City of Detroit's
elected
officials could do about as much about those auto company disasters in
Detroit's economy as New Jersey elected officials could do to stop the
hurricane. So, city officials should not be scapegoated in loss of
powers under Snyder savage dictator law.
As part of the economic hurricanes, the State of Michigan itself ,
including Detroit, suffered a
one state recession (as the monopoly media termed it) in the years
leading up to two of Michigan's
private auto giants falling into the final insolvencies .
As a result
the State of Michigan fell into fiscal irresponsibility greater than
Detroit's and, had to be bailed out by the Obama
Stimulus for $7.8 billion ( See
http://www.house.mi.gov/.../ARRA%20Forum%20Dec%202009.pdf
).
Then it was not even considered that whites ,who dominate
Michigan's governorships and legislatures (
including many who are still there) couldn't run our State, and liked
"Federal Welfare and Entitlements", free stuff, to bail them out
of their fiscal
irresponsibility. Savage Snyder's current budget "surplus" is wholly
based on the bailout by President Obama and the Democratic majority
Congress of Obama's first term.
Similarly when New York City, New York was in
receivership/emergency financial management in 1975, it was not said
that white people couldn't run a major city. NYC got a $2.3 billion
bailout from the federal government under President Gerald Ford of
Michigan when it was insolvent.
but it was not even whispered that the white people in charge of NYC liked
free stuff. NYC was bailed out when it was insolvent in 1975.
( Bill Summary & Status - 94th Congress (1975 - 1976) - S.2725 -
THOMAS
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z...&;
http://en.wikipedia.org/.../History_of_New_York_City...
So, when Detroit has an immediate deficit we should not say Black
people don't
know how to administer a major city. Since all these other institutions were
bailed out, why not bailout out Detroit without any of this " Black
people like free stuff"?
There is a long history of government
bailout of monopoly private corporations. especially banks and hedge
funds based in New York City (
(History of U.S. Gov't Bailouts
http://www.propublica.org/special/government-bailouts
:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_big_to_fail).
What's good for the
goose is good for the gander.
History of Chrysler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org
Chrysler was founded by Walter Chrysler on June 6, 1925,[1] when the
Maxwell Mot...See More
21 hours ago · Like · 5 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown
WHY THE DICTATOR LAW VIOLATES THE MICHIGAN CONSTITUTION
The Michigan Constitution prohibits the amendment of a city’s charter
unless the amendment is approved by the majority of Electors of that
City ( Article VII Section 22 and Article IV Section 29 ( local acts by
the Legislature). Whether an amendment of a Charter is initiated by
initiative or referendum petitions , its City Council or the State
Legislature, it cannot take legal effect without approval of the
majority of the Electorate in a vote.
Article IV Section 29 provides
that a 2/3 vote of the Legislature may initiate the amendment of a
city’s charter. However, that amendment is not effective if not
approved by the majority of the Electorate of the city in question.
The Emergency Manager ("Dictator") law purports to empower an Gubernatorially
appointed Emergency Manager to assume and to exercise the charter
derived powers of a city’s mayor and city council. However, if an
Emergency Manager were to do so, the Legislature and Emergency Manager
would amend the charter of the city in question.
This act would also
be a local law. Such an act of amending a city’s charter is not
effective without a 2/3 vote of the Legislature and a vote of approval
of a majority of the electorate of the city in question, for a charter
amendment is a local act as provided for in Article IV Section 29 of
the Michigan State Constitution.
An Emergency Financial Manager may
not , without violating the Constitution, take and exercise any of a
city’s, including Detroit's, executive or legislative or any other
charter powers without a
vote of approval by a majority of a city’s Electors.
STATE CONSTITUTION (EXCERPT)
CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1963
Article VII § 22 Charters, resolutions, ordinances; enumeration of powers.
Sec. 22.
Under general laws the electors of each city and village shall have
the power and authority to frame, adopt and amend its charter, and to
amend an existing charter of the city or village heretofore granted or
enacted by the legislature for the government of the city or village.
Each such city and village shall have power to adopt resolutions and
ordinances relating to its municipal concerns, property and
government, subject to the constitution and law.
No enumeration of
powers granted to cities and villages in this constitution shall limit
or restrict the general grant of authority conferred by this section.
Article IV § 29 Local or special acts.
Sec. 29.
The legislature shall pass no local or special act in any case where a
general act can be made applicable, and whether a general act can be
made applicable shall be a judicial question. No local or special act
shall take effect until approved by two-thirds of the members elected
to and serving in each house and by a majority of the electors voting
thereon in the district affected. Any act repealing local or special
acts shall require only a majority of the members elected to and
serving in each house and shall not require submission to the electors
of such district.
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Derek L Forney Charles Brown man you laying it out today....powerful
20 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 6
Charles Brown Thanks Derek L Forney
20 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown
White supremacy surges in Michigan state government
By Shields Green
Circa February 2011
Republican Governor Rick Snyder, State Treasurer Andy Dillon and the
Republican legislators are ratcheting up for a white supremacist*
takeover of Detroit from its people and elected officials as has
already been done with the Detroit Public Schools.
They are aggravating the law, empowering an emergency financial
manager to act as an un-elected dictator, seizing all the powers of
the mayor and city council, who are chosen by the People of Detroit,
attack city workers� wages and benefits and take control of all the
city�s assets. We can expect that they will dispose of the assets to
further enrich suburban and out-state rich people.
The new dictatorial, un-American law is going through the legislature
lickity split headed for the governor to sign. They are preparing to
steal the vote of the Detroit Black majority.
It is not a surprise that this happens as we celebrate for Black
History Month, our first, all-Black Detroit City Council.
This state action is the culmination of many years of out-state
takeovers of majority Black Detroit by majority white populations
out-state. The DPS takeovers by Governors John Engler and Jennifer
Granholm were preceded by the abolition of Recorders� Court, the
abolition of city residency requirements for city workers, snatching
of Cobo Hall, and federal court takeover of the water department. The
majority of white Michiganders also passed a Constitutional Amendment
outlawing affirmative action.
The latest colonialist, white supremacist action is done under the
phony claim that Detroit is fiscally irresponsible.
This comes from a state that is more than a billion dollars into
fiscal irresponsibility; a state that used a huge swathe of federal
stimulus money to cover-up its own �fiscal irresponsibility,� all the
while with its White Supremacist Tea Partiers denouncing President
Obama, who is Black, for providing said stimulus money.
Can you belieive it? In other words, out of one side of the
Republicans� mouth, they won the mid-term election by attacking
President Obama and on the other side of their mouths. Instead of
providing some of the money for impoverished Detroit, they use the
$7.8 billion in Stimulus
money from Obama
(http://www.house.mi.gov/.../ARRA%20Forum%20Dec%202009.pdf )
to hide their own bankruptcy and then turnaround and
move to steal Detroit�s public wealth to enrich their sectors.
The state has reneged on a deal between Engler and former mayor Dennis
Archer to pay Detroit more than $200 million (which would balance
Detroit�s deficit) while restricting Detroit from raising its income
taxes. Thus, the state is forcing the city into an alleged �fiscal
irresponsibility� as a shell game to seize the city�s wealth and
power.
Both Michigan and Detroit are in difficult fiscal straits, not because
of the failings of government, but the failings of private business,
finance and industry which have caused Michigan to fall into a
one-state depression and Detroit into a 30-year depression.
The People United will not be defeated. Fight the Powers that be!
*We use �white supremacist� rather than �racist� because the white
supremacists have reversed the meaning of the venerable sixties
rhetorical term �racist� in the public dialogue to use it mainly to
slander Black people as �racist� or �reverse racist.�
Hopefully , �white supremacist� will be more difficult to twist.
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Charles Brown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shields_Green
Shields Green - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org
Shields Green (1836?-1859), also known as "Emperor," was an ex-slave
who participated in John Brown's unsuccessful raid on Harpers
Ferry.[1] Though he had a chance to escape capture, he returned to the
fighting and was captured with Brown. For their parts in the raid,
Green and John A. Copeland were...
20 hours ago · Like · 3 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown Anybody who wants any of these sent to them on email or
to them directly, let me know.
20 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown Republicans cover up their fiscal irresponsibility with
Detroit's money
by Charles Brown
Detroit has received no bailouts from anybody. However , the State of
Michigan used the $220 million (at least) in FEDERAL revenue sharing
money that it was supposed to give to Detroit ,and the State used
OBAMA FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY (THAT TEA REPUBLICANS BAD MOUTH Obama for
ALL THE TIME) TO BAIL THE STATE OUT OF ITS DEFICIT OF JUST TWO YEARS
AGO. In other words, the State of Michigan would be broke if it hadn't
been bailed itself out with federal money. It should have given some
of that money to Detroit, which would keep Detroit out of current
deficit. The State is fiscally irresponsible and living on handouts
from the federal government. Meanwhile, the State accuses Detroit of
being fiscally irresponsible, while taking money that the federal
government intended to go to Detroit; and which money would have
Detroit out of deficit. The State is covering up its own fiscal
irresponsibility with Detroit's money , and using the shortfall that
that denial of money to Detroit (money that was for Detroit) to
falsely accuse Detroit of fiscal irresponsibility.
The Michigan Republicans are fake, in that they used Federal monies
that they claim Obama should not send to the states to bail
themselves and their state out of deficit. They accept money that they
say they shouldn't get and use it to coverup their own
irresponsibility. Hypocrites, spendthrifts and con-men, that's the
Republican Party.
Furthermore, a fiscal crisis does not cause a threat to the public
health , welfare and safety, the protection of which are the purposes
of government in America. It is cutting public employees that causes
a threat to public health , welfare and safety. Cutting payments to
Wall Street from the City of Detroit's debt service to the 1% would go
a long way to abating a fiscal crisis. Use of federal monies for the
City of Detroit, monies that were intended to go to Detroit, but
hijacked by the State on the way here, would be another big abatement
of Detroit's fiscal crisis. These issues would preserve jobs, wages
and benefits for City of Detroit workers who service the public
health, safety and welfare. Prioritize public welfare over corporate
welfare !
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Maurice Badgett So, Soo true!
20 hours ago · Unlike · 4
Maurice Badgett Yet Michiganders for Obama have a question to ask, the
Wise one and Friends, 'Would you fight for @ the MDP Convention and
then GOTV for Godfrey Dillard for AG, And Tom Borrow for Sec. of State
in 2014?
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Tammy Barbour Keep the information coming Charles Brown!!! its like an
Emergency Manager Digest!
19 hours ago · Unlike · 4
Minister Malik Shabazz CB this is the info I want you 2 print 4 me
next week please!
18 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 4
Minister Malik Shabazz TB you say that BC erased this off of his post?
I don't understand....it doesn't sound like sonethang he would do....
18 hours ago via mobile
· Like · 2
Charles Brown send me your email address Minister Malik Shabazz
18 hours ago ·
Like · 3
Minister Malik Shabazz My mail is ministermalikshabazz@comcast.net but
I can't print anythang @ all right now if you would mail them 2 Barry
Ross with explicit instructions 2 print 4 me I will be
greatfull...barryross@comcast.net but still mail me 2 cuz there are
some pep I might want 2 forward some of the info 2.....
17 hours ago via mobile · Like · 1
Gloria Newton Charles Brown,I said it several times before-you truly
are an wise man!
17 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 3
Gloria Newton Thank you for all that you do.
17 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 3
Tammy Barbour I love BC. But I always joke with BC that he is my
handler, so the EM has him keeping an eye on me so I don't get in too
much trouble. LOL. What he explained happened is that KH was saying
things outside of the bounds he wanted and so he removed the post, not
recognizing that Charles Brown had posted so much valuable information
gold.
17 hours ago · Unlike · 4
BC Baron Coleman It was somewhat of a mistake but through some the
wonderful dialog the post continued to go south and i got tired of the
ignorance from such a simple topic.
I get tired of people who chose negativity as a past time.
I must say Charles Brown is refreshing with his wealth of knowledge,
that is always appreciated.
Press on my wise brother.
17 hours ago via mobile · Like · 5
Tammy Barbour Gloria Newton drumroll for all that Charles Brown said
could happen has happened.
17 hours ago · Unlike · 4
Tammy Barbour Charles Brown is like the smartest black man on earth. I
read some of what he writes and I am like WOW! He be knowing some
stuff man that is deep.
17 hours ago · Like · 2
Tammy Barbour I think Charles Brown should make his own intellectual
group of super smart black men talking about things. And then if he
does, I want to be invited so I can listen in and hear the things he
is teaching about. I really hope.
17 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown thank you very much Gloria. I really appreciate your
compliment. thank you, thank you, thank you !
17 hours ago · Like · 4
Charles Brown will do Minister Malik Shabazz
17 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown Thank you BC Baron Coleman. Don't worry about the
deletion. I am busy sending it out on this new thread posted by Tammy
as all can see up above, and by email to several people. I appreciate
your encouragement.
17 hours ago · Like · 5
Gloria Newton I agree Tammy,he is very wise and if he do get an group
I would love to be invited so I can be educated!
17 hours ago via mobile · Like · 3
Gloria Newton Tammy,you are an very wise woman!
16 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 4
Cammie Robinson Aww!!! BC Baron Coleman I would have loved to read the
post too. Why did the post have to be deleted instead of the person
that was inappropriate? Or at least blocked.
16 hours ago · Like · 2
Minister Malik Shabazz This is Detroit Love family that's what I'm
taliking about us appriciating one another...
Hey CB can I have your autograph?
16 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2
Minister Malik Shabazz Keith Henderson means well family, I know that
it doesnt always come across that way but he does I'm convinced of it.
We just need to have patience, work with him & love on him
15 hours ago via mobile · Edited · Like · 1
Tammy Barbour Maybe, Minister Malik Shabazzbut thanks to him, all that
Charles was explaining is very hard to rewind, he did repost the
articles, but he was also breaking them down some in laymen's terms
and answering questions. I didn't like what Keith was saying but I was
able to move past and ignore because more importantly meanwhile
Charles Brown was blowing my mind with explaining things. Charles is
like the guru, and his knowledge as an attorney, and the one who
understood this with Krystal Crittendon and working at the Law
Department is on a whole different level as an EXPERT than somebody
sitting on the sidelines being a bully. The whole thing stopped the
information that was being delivered and Charles doesn't have all day
to sit on the internet and explain finer points of the law and the
Detroit charter. He and his time are very valuable and it is a
treasure.
16 hours ago · Edited · Like · 2
Ed Strong Wonder why no one is paying attention to this thread. I read
what Charles Brown posted today and was very impressed. In all honesty
I cannot recollect all the points that he made about the EM system.
But if I was on the game show 'Who wants to be a Millionaire and could
pick only one answer it would be the alphabets (B & S) which stands
for British implemented Slavery practices. No taxation without
representation, is what the Colonial Fathers came up with to protect
themselves from EM laws that originated in GB.
15 hours ago · Unlike · 4
BC Baron Coleman Malik u r generally a good read of people, that is a
quality of urs, I know ur heart and that is a value.
I see how peaceful this topic is and full of knowledge, it is a
refreshing read, no attacks, I will leave it at that my friend. U just
get tired of bs sometimes.
15 hours ago via mobile · Like · 3
Charles Brown Tammy Barbour Gloria Newton drumroll for all that
Charles Brown said could happen has happened.////// thanks again Tammy
and Gloria. However, I must say predicting it all is worthless to us,
because I was unable to do anything in unity with others to stop it.
Well, let us look forward and see if we can do more in the future to
win , win , win !
15 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown Takes one to know one, Gloria Newton and Tammy Barbour,
so obviously you two are brilliant.
15 hours ago · Like · 2
Tammy Barbour Ed Strong smile. You'd be a winner! I think that Charles
was in the midst of doing a lot of explaining of what we all know but
take for granted because maybe we learned in school or is couched by
Snyder in a bunch of legalese to confuse us and steal and he was
really breaking it down. I hope that with unity we can stop it now. We
MUST boycott the corporations behind this. Its Bank of America, PNC
(UBS), Walmart, Amway, Koch Industries, Georgia Pacific, Dykema
Gossett, Dow Chemicals who have aided the analysis and the political
lobbying necessary to make this happen. I encourage everyone to go to
the Michigan Center for Public Policy website and type in Emergency
Manager, or Detroit and read their plans and see if it isn't exactly
as Charles predicted. Oh yes BC Baron Coleman, and I want our lawyer
emeritus Charles Brown to keep going and making it so I can understand
better. I don't want him to stop.
15 hours ago · Edited · Like · 2
Charles Brown Two fundamentals of American democracy, law and
political ideology have been violated by Governor Snyder, the
Republicans of the State Legislature, and the Appellate Courts in the
shameful the Wall Street Dictator law, so-called emergency manager
laws : 1) the Constitution begins with the words "We, the People"
meaning that for America all power derives from the People, Popular
Sovereignty. In ignoring the vote of the People of Michigan to repeal
PA 4 by referendum, the Republican dominated government violated the
Will of the People, their lying claim that PA 436 was a new law to the
contrary notwithstanding. A lay person's common sense tells them that
PA 436's essence , an unelected dictator who rules taxpayers of a
city, is the same the essence of PA 4 and PA 72. So, PA 436 should be
invalid. This is unAmerican. 2) Taxation without representation was a
central slogan of the American revolution. It was defined as tyranny.
That principle is provided in the Michigan State Constitution
prohibiting the Legislature or any other state official from enacting
local legislation or laws on a city without a vote of the electorate
of that city. This is the second fundamentally unAmerican action by
the State Republican Governor, Legislature and Appellate Courts. These
two principles are perhaps the most fundamental principles that our
soldiers reputedly fight to defend from enemies abroad. Marines should
be sent in to occupy Lansing protect Detroit's freedoms from our
enemies at home in our own state capital.
13 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown And what of the tax money Detroit sends to Lansing Why
shouldn' t it be sent back to Detroit to pay for our deficit and for
to Detroit city workers to repair Belle Isle instead of outstate
people paid to usurp our city jewel ? What is Detroit getting for all
the tax money we pay to Lansing ? Name one thing Lansing does for
Detroit for the billions in taxes we pay them.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Sturge Moreland Chatles, please paste your comment that begins
"Republicans cover up..."
13 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 2
Charles Brown This communique is a rebuttal to Laura Berman’s article (
http://www.detroitnews.com/.../With-Belle-Isle-Detroit...)
on the proposed lease of
Belle Isle by the State ( which in many ways is a gift , not a lease).
First, if anybody in this situation is comparable to the Tea Party
Republican Senator Eduardo Cruz of Texas, it would be Governor Rick Snyder.
Snyder has been carrying out the Michigan Tea Party’s agenda of usurping
the fundamental democratic right of people of color to have their
elected officials run the
City. The proposed Belle Isle deal was agreed to by Snyder and the
Emergency Manager, who serves at Snyder’s pleasure. The agreement is
hardly an arms
length transaction; and the City’s interests are vulnerable to being
pushed aside in favor of those of the State. Council woman Watson’s
analogy to being taken advantage of by force is quite apt.
Governor Snyder is the real demagogue by the prevarications and
half-truths he has used to justify Emergency Management takeover of
Detroit, of which the Belle Isle gift to the State is just one part
(The proposed deal does not provide for the State to pay fair market
value to the City, so it is more of a gift than a lease in the legal
senses of those words.). The mixed metaphor of “pulpit and hothouse”
is a bit overwrought and , again, wrong. Watson merely speaks the
truth before God in exposing the sweetheart deal between the Governor
and a gubernatorial appointee. The proposed Belle Isle lease
specifies no amounts to be allocated by the State to the City of
Detroit. A lawyer paid to protect the City’s interests would not meet
his or her fiduciary duty to the City if the lease payments amounts
are not in _writing_ in the document. Because , the lease lacks these
figures, the agreement is more of a gift than a lease.
Ms. Berman reveals her contempt for the People of Detroit by her
caricature of them as “dug-in” and “clinging”. They’re just living
here, trying to make ends meet , and enjoy life some by doing things
like making recreational use of Belle Isle. With the imposition of a
literal ,not
figurative , unelected ruler over the city , usurping the powers of Detroiters
to elect those who steward their tax dollars – "taxation without
representation is tyranny" in the famous words of the American
Revoluton– the State is indeed acting like an evil invader. In usurping
Detroiter’s fundamental rights of self-governance, and seizing and
diverting to non-Detroiters our City jobs, wages, benefits, assets,
property and many other things of value, the Governor represents
interests other than those of Detroiters and citizens of other
Democratic strongholds throughout the state.
Evidently, Ms. Berman is ignorant of the fact that the City paid for
several years ago and has a
Master Plan to revitalize Belle Isle. All
the State of Michigan has to do is return to Detroit some of the tax
money Detroiters pay to the State. Then the Master Plan we have for Belle Isle
can be executed by the City itself. What has the State of Michigan
done for the People of Detroit in recent twenty years ? Not much.
Which is why many Detroiters have very little trust in the State’s promise to
"improve" Belle Isle for Detroiters without written amounts in a
binding legal document. Many suspect the real plan is to change
the demographics of those who enjoy it. And Detroiters do enjoy
Belle Isle as it is today, although no one would mind improvements pursuant to
the Master Plan already developed.
In summary, Ms. Berman’s column misses the mark badly in her thoughts
about the proposed Belle Isle deal. In fact , her little verse is
pretty much the reverse of the truth, " before God".
Charles Brown
Detroit
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown .S. News > February > State takeovers of cities and
schools are un-American
State takeovers of cities and schools are un-American
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by: John Henry
February 21 2013
tags: economy, education, privatization, Republicans, national
flint520x300
DETROIT - Michigan's state takeovers of cities and school districts
have been very harmful to the public's interests.
The Detroit Public School District had about a $90 million surplus
when it was self-governing, before it was taken over by Republican
Gov. John Engler more than a decade ago. When the state pulled out,
DPS had a deficit of tens of millions. Now, after two emergency
managers, the deficit from Engler's mismanagement remains, dozens of
schools have been closed, and charter schools have taken much of the
funding. The students are worse off than before the state started
taking over. It seem to be more than incompetence on the part of the
state government It is as if the state is purposely trying to destroy
education for Detroit's children.
Emergency managers were appointed between 2000 and 2002 by Engler in
the cities of Hamtramck, Flint and Highland Park to prevent them from
declaring bankruptcy. All these managers eventually left, but all
three cities are back in the red. Highland Park's city services have
been cut significantly. The failure of the state takeover is
illustrated by the fact that last fall, DTE, which runs the public
lighting system under privatization, removed 1,400 of a total of 1,900
street lamps as a way to cut its monthly costs.
Benton Harbor, Mich., had an emergency manager appointed in 2011.
Since then the city operating deficit, list of unpaid bills and
pension plan deficits have increased significantly.
In Detroit, Michigan's current Republican governor, Rick Snyder, has
really been running the city since the winter of 2012. It is Snyder
who can't or won't turn Detroit's finances around. The most important
evidence of this is that, with the threat of imposing an emergency
manager, Snyder ordered Mayor Dave Bing to negotiate concessions with
the city unions
Bing did, and the unions gave tens of millions of dollars in
concessions. Then Snyder told Bing not to accept the concessions he
had ordered Bing to negotiate! Those concessions, it was said at the
time, would have "turned Detroit's finances around substantially."
Thus, any lack of progress is Snyder's responsibility.
It is clear that Snyder did not improve Detroit's finances on purpose,
so that he can institute an emergency manager to control Detroit's
bankruptcy; minimize the forgiveness of its Wall Street bond debts;
and put the burden on city workers' wages, benefits and pensions. He
is perpetrating a fraud on the people of Detroit.
Conclusion: State of Michigan takeovers of cities and school districts
have done more harm than good to the public's health, safety and
welfare - and protection of public health, safety and welfare is the
only purpose of state government. The Republican-controlled state
government's excuse for the takeovers is that it is seeking to serve
these public purposes - so it should cease and desist from the
takeovers.
The state's takeover actions and laws violate the fundamental American
liberty of the right not to be taxed without being able to elect those
who steward one's tax money in the government coffers.
This is one of the main American liberties our troops defend. The
state takeovers are profoundly anti-American.
Photo: Just one of many boarded up houses in Flint, Michigan. Direct
state control over the town has not solved economic problems. Flickr
13 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown ON THE WALL STREET RAPE OF DETROIT
=
I'm somewhat confused...WHY use the casino revenues to pay off the
swaps instead of making good on pensioners and other key debts? Am I
not getting something? This is confusing had to read it a couple
times.//// You are right, but Snyder, Orr and the "City'" lawyers, who
are really Wall Street bond bank's lawyers, are actually agents of the
Wall Street banks with the swap predatory loans to Detroit, not
lawyers genuinely or vigorouslsy fighting for the City and pensioners.
Snyder and Orr's main purpose is to steal as much from the City and
city workers and pensioners for the banks as they can. They are
thieves.That is not an exaggeration. They are looters. Liars and
cheaters. You are right but they are so wrong it is astonishing.
what
The whole purpose of the Emergency Manager law is to shield Wall
Street municipal bond banks from sharing in the pain of a city's
fiscal crisis. I know that sounds too evil to be true, but it is and
it is why what is happening now is happening. The EM law's preamble
says that its purpose is to protect the State of Michigan's bond
rating, and the only way to do that is to give first priority to
Detroit paying Wall Street municipal bondholders before City workers
or for provision of services to the People of Detroit. Instead of the
EM boondoggle law, fiscal crisis should mean cities go into
bankruptcy where bond debts would be forgiven. So, the State of
Michigan, Governor, Legislature, Courts, as craven agents of Wall
Street , passed the emergency manager law to cut as much as possible
from everything but Wall Street bond debt payments.
It cuts city
services and protection of the public health, safety and welfare; and
city workers' wages, benefits, jobs, pensions; and sells everything of
value such as Belle Isle or the Water Department BEFORE Wall Street
municipal or city bond holders are cut at all. The EM law is an
avoidance of bankruptcy law, because in bankruptcy the Wall Street
bondholders get cut. Even worse, the EM law has set it up that the
Governor , through the EM becomes a dictator over the City and runs
the bankruptcy , perpetrating a fraud that they are representing the
interests of the City and not the Wall Street banks. They are foxes
guarding the hen house in a big way. They committing are unarmed
robbery, tres grand larceny in broad daylight, on television, but of
course the whole media is in on it with them , so they don't expose it
but rather cover it up and say it is not what it is constantly on the
air and in print, and help to put it over with years of lying
propaganda and yellow journalism.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown I said the following to Judge Steven Rhodes :
I am concerned that our
attorney's, Jones Day firm, have a financial conflict in representing
us in negotiations and settlements with Wall Street municipal bond
firms. Also, the State of Michigan and its agents ,the Governor and
Emergency Manager, have financial and fiscal conflicts with the City
of Detroit. Therefore , I am concerned about their ability to fulfill
an attorney and fiduciary duty to the City in representing us in
bankruptcy.
I believe there have been no other municipal or Chapter 9 bankruptcies
with Emergency Manager type laws usurping the City Charter, approved
by the People of Detroit, and usurping the powers of elected
representatives, including the powers to file bankruptcy under Chapter
9. My study of bankruptcy law to this point informs me that the Tenth
Amendment to the US Constitution is given special deference because
of the direction of the first Supreme Court decisions on Chapter 9 to do so.
_Ashton v. Cameron County Water Improvement Dist. No. 1_;
_United States v Bekins_ 304 U.S. 27 (1938)
The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution reads:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the _people_ (emphasis added -CB).
The Tenth Amendment reserves powers ,not only to the States but to the
People.
I urge the court to consider the legal theory that our rights to no
taxation without representation through our City Charter mandated
elected officials are Tenth Amendment U
S Constitutional rights reserved to the People of Detroit, rights that
I respectfully ask the court to uphold in Detroit's Chapter 9
bankruptcy. Detroit's Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
Respectfully submitted.
Charles Brown
end of statement
^^^^^^
Supplementary thoughts:
Most if not all of the monies being divided up in the bankruptcy are
monies paid to the City of Detroit as taxes by the people of Detroit.
They pay the taxes with the premise or promise that the monies will be
stewarded by people they elect and can vote out of office. I am
specifically saying that one of the powers reserved to the People of
Detroit by the 10 Amendment ( and by the 9th , which was coupled with
the 10th in the debates on the Amendments when they were passed; the
9th is exclusively concerning the rights of the People).is _the power
to elect those who steward those monies in bankruptcy; to elect those
who write the Plan in bankruptcy._. The EM law usurpation of this
power is a violation of the 10th Amendment.
The interests of the People of Detroit and the State of Michigan are
in conflict.
The Governor is an elected official, however, he was not elected by
the People of the City of Detroit to steward their taxes paid to the
City of Detroit, as fiduciaries protecting the interests of the People
of Detroit. Also, the Governor represents people from outside Detroit
who have not paid taxes to Detroit, nor a significant portion of the
monies at issue in bankruptcy.. The very Emergency Manager law, PA
436, states that it is enacted especially to protect the _State's_
bond rating from fiscal crises in municipalities in the State . The
State has an interest in Detroit prioritizing paying the municipal
bond firms to protect the State's bond rating. over paying pensions
and other creditors. It also has an interest thereby in paying
municipal bondholders in priority over paying to promote and protect
the public health, welfare and safety of the People of Detroit through
city services provided by city workers, paid decent wages, benefits
and pensions.
The Michigan State Constitution has a provisions against enactment of
local laws , amending municipal charters, without votes of the
electorate. This is a State law reserving powers to the peoples of
local municipalities with respect to elected representation and
fiduciary stewardship of taxes they pay to their municipal government.
Just as the Tenth Amendment provision on powers reserved to the States
is given special attention in Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy because
municipalities are creatures of the State; so should the Tenth
Amendment provision on powers reserved to the people be given special
attention in Chapter 9 bankruptcy , because of the powers of home rule
and self-governance reserved to_ those who pay the taxes_ of the
municipality. The Emergency Manager law create a conflict between
these reserved powers to the state and people that is probably not
present in most Chapter 9 cases. The Tenth Amendment gives equal
weight to both the State and peoples' reserved powers. The 9th
Amendment reinforces the argument here on behalf of powers reserved to
the people.
In sum, 1) Our attorneys and EM are conflicted ; 2) The powers
reserved to the People of Detroit by the 9th and 10th Amendments have
been disregarded and violated.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown http://peoplesworld.org/financial-dictator-would-rob.../
Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote » peoplesworld
peoplesworld.org
DETROIT - A receivership or appointment of an "emergency" financial
manager by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is hanging over this city's head,
based on the phony claim that its deficit poses an "emergency" for the
public health, welfare and safety. The financial manager could usurp
the powers of the may...
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown pinion > Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
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by: John Henry
March 22 2011
tags: economy, African Americans, jobs, civil rights, Michigan
DetroitJoeLouis2
DETROIT - A receivership or appointment of an "emergency" financial
manager by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is hanging over this city's head,
based on the phony claim that its deficit poses an "emergency" for the
public health, welfare and safety. The financial manager could usurp
the powers of the mayor, City Council, pension board, and the City
Charter. The essence of this would be profoundly un-American and
undemocratic. It would be a violation of Detroit residents' right to
self-determination.
In the larger historical view, the financial power structure that
controls Detroit's economic investment and development is responsible
for the long-term economic depression that has afflicted Detroit as it
has become a majority Black, and proud, and disproportionately poor
urban location. There has been a financial and investment blockade on
Detroit by the private sector.
Now the same financial power structure that for the last 35 years made
Detroit what it is economically stands in the shadows as certain
mouthpieces of money in Michigan state government threaten that the
city may have to submit to receivership.
Detroit did not become overwhelmingly Black because Black people
planned to take it over. No, it was by default, from the long-term
process, confirmed by social science experts, of out-migration of many
whites to Detroit's surrounding communities. (See Thomas Sugrue's "The
Origin of the Urban Crisis" and Coleman A. Young's "Hardstuff.") To
this day, at least one official in Oakland County, north of the city,
holds office based on opposition to integrating greater Detroit 40
years ago.
My point is, it has not been Black people who made the Detroit
metropolitan area the most segregated in the country (according to the
last Census).
The out-migration of economic wealth and investment by the financial
power structure has created this out-migration, or "flight," of the
population of this area. People must have jobs in our society. There
is no other way to survive. People follow the jobs. People in Detroit
need jobs and income. Detroit's fiscal stresses are rooted in the job
deficit and the business deficit.
The people of Detroit also have the right to the democratic election
of their own leaders. This principle was proven in the election vote
on ending the state takeover of the Detroit Public Schools board
several years ago. America owes the majority Black population of
Detroit equality of citizenship, which means the right of
self-determination and self-governance, especially with regard to the
financial matters of its city government. This is irrefutable, given
the history of the struggles of Black people in the civil rights
movement in America.
Drawing on this historical context, Detroiters demand that any
accounting of their own government, any assessment of the city of
Detroit's fiscal health, be made based on the following issues:
* Down through the years, returns to city residents in public services
and funding do not equal the federal and state taxes Detroiters have
paid. We say federal and state governments owe Detroit because we have
not gotten full value for taxes paid to them.
* We think the tax breaks given to municipal bondholders on Wall
Street should be shared with Detroit, which sold them the bonds,
providing the tax breaks based on Detroit's municipal status. This
must now be given back to Detroit in a substantial forgiveness of
current bond debts.
* Finally, the state of Michigan, under former Governor John Engler,
made a deal with Detroit under former Mayor Dennis Archer: Detroit
would reduce its income taxes in exchange for revenue sharing from the
state to the city. The state has not lived up to its end of this
bargain. It has cut revenue sharing to Detroit. This reversal has hurt
Detroit's fiscal situation.
Declaring a public emergency because of a fiscal deficit is a fraud. A
fiscal deficit does not endanger the public health, safety and
welfare. The powers-that-be are using this lie as a cover for robbing
the people of Detroit of their vote and their assets, and robbing city
workers of wages, benefits and pensions.
In a protest rally at the state Capitol in Lansing this month, state
Sen. Coleman Young quoted founding father Patrick Henry, saying, "Give
me liberty or give me death." United Auto Workers President Bob King
said the struggle against the tea-Republican Party attacks on the
people of Michigan will be responded to by a struggle all the way to
November 2012. We in Michigan will follow the lead of our brothers and
sisters in Wisconsin.
Photo: The famous sculpture of Joe Louis' fist, in downtown Detroit.
The photographer calls it "a symbol of the strength of Detroit and its
people." ktpupp CC 2.0
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown The Tea Party is UnAmerican: A City budget deficit does
not cause an
emergency to the public
health, welfare and safety
by Shields Green
The Michigan Dictator bill rationalizes imposing a dictator on cities
and towns based on an alleged emergency to the public health , welfare
and safety due to a budget deficit. However, a municipal budget
deficit does not remove critical city services from the People, the
citizens , the Electors. The
deficit or fiscal stress causes a threat to the revenue streams that
Wall Street sucks like blood as a vampire from the working class'
wealth, but not to the well being of the great mass of the People. A
moratorium on payments to Wall Street on municipal bonds would go a
long way toward keeping full pay , benefits and pensions to city
workers and retirees. Realistically, it is these city workers who
keep the PUBLIC HEALTH , WELFARE AND SAFETY, NOT WALL STREET BANKERS
AND HEDGE FUNDS. These government jobs are jobs. Real jobs. When we
say we need jobs, jobs, jobs, to cut government jobs is an insane as
cutting taxes on the rich and giant corporations , where the money is
, to cut the deficit.
A moratorium or substantial forgiveness ( a Jubilee) on mortgage
foreclosures and
payments would keep tens of millions of dollars in the hands of the
working class in the Detroit Metropolitan area, Detroit, Macomb,
Oakland and Monroe..
It is to keep the People's money flowing
to Wall Street and the Big Banks that the State of Michigan, the
Governor , who is the real Dictator in the Dictator law, tells the
Big Lie that
he must impose himself as a tyrant on the City , through his agents
the State Treasurer and an socalled Emergency Manager ( There is no
emergency to the pubilc, but to the monied classes looting us) It
must tell this Big Lie to
justify the UnAmerican act of stealing a City population's fundamental
democratic privileges to choose on its own the officials to control
the City's wealth, assets, wages, benefits and pensions, all that is
valuable to the People's municipal corporation. The State is
training a corps of financial gestapo, all imbued with the money drunk
philosophy of business accounting, Wallstreet technical minions to
shift wealth from the working masses and their local government to the
finance capital and Big Business.
This was the purpose of taking over the DPS when there was billion
dollar bond sale years ago. This was the purpose in imposing the
Dictator on DPS more recently: to take the People's money and give it
to private enterprises, and crony capitalists. The DPS dictatorship is
a pilot program, a test of the reaction of the People of Detroit as to
how they will react to a dictatorial seizure of the City government.
There have bee insufficient mass protests against the DPS
dictatorship to deter a dictatorship over Detroit. So, the
Powers-that-be are moving quickly to seize Detroit.
Only a protracted mass movement from the Bottom up of militant
protest, state initiative
and referendum petitions and votes, recall petitions and votes, of the
Governor in the first place, and 2012 election votes with a tremendous
increase in voter turnout , in Detroit in the first place, will stop
the fascist, unAmerican attack from the tea-Republicans and their Wall street
and Big Business masters.
See you at the protests at the Capitol and in Wall Street's face.
All Power to We, the People ! We are one. Speak Power in the Streets !
Carry on ! Vote Democratic.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown there you go Tammy Barbour
13 hours ago · Like · 1
Charles Brown Tammy Barbour what was that you said about the EM
talking some bs about an old British law on Trustees ? Your response
to him was right on.
13 hours ago · Like
Charles Brown Here it is Sturge Moreland Republicans cover up their
fiscal irresponsibility with Detroit's money
by Charles Brown
Detroit has received no bailouts from anybody. However , the State of
Michigan used the $220 million (at least) in FEDERAL revenue sharing
money that it was supposed to give to Detroit ,and the State used
OBAMA FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY (THAT TEA REPUBLICANS BAD MOUTH Obama for
ALL THE TIME) TO BAIL THE STATE OUT OF ITS DEFICIT OF JUST TWO YEARS
AGO.
the State of Michigan fell into fiscal irresponsibility greater than
Detroit's and, had to be bailed out by the Obama
Stimulus for $7.8 billion ( See
http://www.house.mi.gov/.../ARRA%20Forum%20Dec%202009.pdf
In other
words, the State of Michigan would be broke if it hadn't
been bailed itself out with federal money. It should have given some
of that money to Detroit, which would keep Detroit out of current
deficit. The State is fiscally irresponsible and living on handouts
from the federal government. Meanwhile, the State accuses Detroit of
being fiscally irresponsible, while taking money that the federal
government intended to go to Detroit; and which money would have
Detroit out of deficit. The State is covering up its own fiscal
irresponsibility with Detroit's money , and using the shortfall that
that denial of money to Detroit (money that was for Detroit) to
falsely accuse Detroit of fiscal irresponsibility.
The Michigan Republicans are fake, in that they used Federal monies
that they claim Obama should not send to the states to bail
themselves and their state out of deficit. They accept money that they
say they shouldn't get and use it to coverup their own
irresponsibility. Hypocrites, spendthrifts and con-men, that's the
Republican Party.
Furthermore, a fiscal crisis does not cause a threat to the public
health , welfare and safety, the protection of which are the purposes
of government in America. It is cutting public employees that causes
a threat to public health , welfare and safety. Cutting payments to
Wall Street from the City of Detroit's debt service to the 1% would go
a long way to abating a fiscal crisis. Use of federal monies for the
City of Detroit, monies that were intended to go to Detroit, but
hijacked by the State on the way here, would be another big abatement
of Detroit's fiscal crisis. These issues would preserve jobs, wages
and benefits for City of Detroit workers who service the public
health, safety and welfare. Prioritize public welfare over corporate
welfare !
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown Charles Brown
http://washingtonindependent.com/.../michigan-republicans...
Michigan Republicans sought stimulus funds, argued money would
generate jobs
washingtonindependent.com
Michigan Republicans sought stimulus funds, argued money would generate jobs
washingtonindependent.com
Newsweek reveals a series of newly released documents from the
Department of Energy that shows all of the Republican members of the
Michigan congressional delegation seeking stimulus funding for
projects in the state on the grounds that such spending would create
jobs — despite frequently claiming t...
13 hours ago · Like · 2 ·
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Charles Brown http://www.crainsdetroit.com/.../michigan-gets-more-than...
Crain's Detroit Business
www.crainsdetroit.com
Michigan gets more than $3.8 billion in federal stimulus funds |
Crain's Detroit Business
www.crainsdetroit.com
Daily news and features from crainsdetroit.com and from the weekly
newspaper Cra...See More
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown Hear me now the State would have to have waited at least
another year to take over.
State Treasurer Andy Dillon admitted on Mildred Gaddis' show that the
State owes Detroit $220 million answering a question I gave Mildred to
ask him. Engler and Archer made a deal that Detroit would cut its
taxes if the State would give Detroit revenue sharing money. Detroit's
taxes have remained cut. Michigan renigged on $220 million plus of the
revenue sharing money to Detroit. If the State had paid the money,
Detroit would not have had a deficit at the time the State used the
deficit to take Detroit over under the emergency manager law. Hear me
now the State would have to have waited at least another year to take
over. There were also overstatements of the deficit by the State even
without the $220 million. So, the State would not have been able to
claim "fiscal stress" and takeover.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Sturge Moreland What is going on with your posts Charles Brown, that
won't allow me to copy them?
13 hours ago via mobile · Like
Charles Brown Not sure Sturge Moreland. I'm going to bed, but if you
remind me tomorrow , I'll send them to you by email.
12 hours ago · Like · 1
Ernest Johnson Hmmm...is this you? #thenephewtommyexperience
Photo: Hmmm...is this you? #thenephewtommyexperience
10 hours ago · Like
Sturge Moreland Ok
10 hours ago via mobile · Like
Charles Brown Victory on Defeat
by Shields Green
APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain
Detroit has been crucified, but
Detroit will have resurrection.
The Black Sun always rises.
White demons are possessing the Souls of Black Folk.
The question of the colorline is the question of the 21st Century
as it was of the 20th.
Workers are disunited on the colorline.
The Barbarian hordes have breached the City 's gates.
They will rape Black women again on Jefferson Avenue like Jefferson did.
The bourgeois prince's savages will pillage and rape our Black
Beautiful Detroit.
May Day will come again
Detroit survives despite economic sanctions, blockades ,
disinvestments
Victory on Defeat
What would Coleman Young do ?
Smiles !
6 hours ago · Like · 1
Charles Brown The link for this is above,but I print the full text
here, because this is one of the best ones.
Opinion > Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
by: Charles Brown
March 22 2011
tags: economy, African Americans, jobs, civil rights, Michigan
DetroitJoeLouis2
DETROIT - A receivership or appointment of an "emergency" financial
manager by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is hanging over this city's head,
based on the phony claim that its deficit poses an "emergency" for the
public health, welfare and safety. The financial manager could usurp
the powers of the mayor, City Council, pension board, and the City
Charter. The essence of this would be profoundly un-American and
undemocratic. It would be a violation of Detroit residents' right to
self-determination.
In the larger historical view, the financial power structure that
controls Detroit's economic investment and development is responsible
for the long-term economic depression that has afflicted Detroit as it
has become a majority Black, and proud, and disproportionately poor
urban location. There has been a financial and investment blockade on
Detroit by the private sector.
Now the same financial power structure that for the last 35 years made
Detroit what it is economically stands in the shadows as certain
mouthpieces of money in Michigan state government threaten that the
city may have to submit to receivership.
Detroit did not become overwhelmingly Black because Black people
planned to take it over. No, it was by default, from the long-term
process, confirmed by social science experts, of out-migration of many
whites to Detroit's surrounding communities. (See Thomas Sugrue's "The
Origin of the Urban Crisis" and Coleman A. Young's "Hardstuff.") To
this day, at least one official in Oakland County, north of the city,
holds office based on opposition to integrating greater Detroit 40
years ago.
My point is, it has not been Black people who made the Detroit
metropolitan area the most segregated in the country (according to the
last Census).
The out-migration of economic wealth and investment by the financial
power structure has created this out-migration, or "flight," of the
population of this area. People must have jobs in our society. There
is no other way to survive. People follow the jobs. People in Detroit
need jobs and income. Detroit's fiscal stresses are rooted in the job
deficit and the business deficit.
The people of Detroit also have the right to the democratic election
of their own leaders. This principle was proven in the election vote
on ending the state takeover of the Detroit Public Schools board
several years ago. America owes the majority Black population of
Detroit equality of citizenship, which means the right of
self-determination and self-governance, especially with regard to the
financial matters of its city government. This is irrefutable, given
the history of the struggles of Black people in the civil rights
movement in America.
Drawing on this historical context, Detroiters demand that any
accounting of their own government, any assessment of the city of
Detroit's fiscal health, be made based on the following issues:
* Down through the years, returns to city residents in public services
and funding do not equal the federal and state taxes Detroiters have
paid. We say federal and state governments owe Detroit because we have
not gotten full value for taxes paid to them.
* We think the tax breaks given to municipal bondholders on Wall
Street should be shared with Detroit, which sold them the bonds,
providing the tax breaks based on Detroit's municipal status. This
must now be given back to Detroit in a substantial forgiveness of
current bond debts.
* Finally, the state of Michigan, under former Governor John Engler,
made a deal with Detroit under former Mayor Dennis Archer: Detroit
would reduce its income taxes in exchange for revenue sharing from the
state to the city. The state has not lived up to its end of this
bargain. It has cut revenue sharing to Detroit. This reversal has hurt
Detroit's fiscal situation.
Declaring a public emergency because of a fiscal deficit is a fraud. A
fiscal deficit does not endanger the public health, safety and
welfare. The powers-that-be are using this lie as a cover for robbing
the people of Detroit of their vote and their assets, and robbing city
workers of wages, benefits and pensions.
In a protest rally at the state Capitol in Lansing this month, state
Sen. Coleman Young quoted founding father Patrick Henry, saying, "Give
me liberty or give me death." United Auto Workers President Bob King
said the struggle against the tea-Republican Party attacks on the
people of Michigan will be responded to by a struggle all the way to
November 2012. We in Michigan will follow the lead of our brothers and
sisters in Wisconsin.
Photo: The famous sculpture of Joe Louis' fist, in downtown Detroit.
The photographer calls it "a symbol of the strength of Detroit and its
people." ktpupp CC 2.0
6 hours ago · Like
Tammy Barbour Hi, this is my favorite quote of Charles:
The whole purpose of the Emergency Manager law is to shield Wall
Street municipal bond banks from sharing in the pain of a city's
fiscal crisis. I know that sounds too evil to be true, but it is and
it is why what is happening now is happening. The EM law's preamble
says that its purpose is to protect the State of Michigan's bond
rating, and the only way to do that is to give first priority to
Detroit paying Wall Street municipal bondholders before City workers
or for provision of services to the People of Detroit. Instead of the
EM boondoggle law, fiscal crisis should mean cities go into bankruptcy
where bond debts would be forgiven. So, the State of Michigan,
Governor, Legislature, Courts, as craven agents of Wall Street ,
passed the emergency manager law to cut as much as possible from
everything but Wall Street bond debt payments. It cuts city services
and protection of the public health, safety and welfare; and city
workers' wages, benefits, jobs, pensions; and sells everything of
value such as Belle Isle or the Water Department BEFORE Wall Street
municipal or city bond holders are cut at all.
3 hours ago · Unlike · 1
Tammy Barbour ^^^^^ Let's please all keep this in mind. ^^^^^
3 hours ago · Like
Tammy Barbour Charles Brown you asked about Kevyn Orr referring to
British common trustee law after Al Sharpton went off on him. I love
that MSNBC kind of set Orr and Snyder up, then Al turned around and
Bam. But yes, I was explaining on Malik's show last week that Kevyn
Orr should realize that we have a fourth of July every year, an
Independence Day, to celebrate our Declaration of Independence from
Britain. So why in referring to some European Legal Institution which
was used to attain or strip land from one to give to another seems to
be nothing more than a dictatorship to steal the money for the banks
made to sound dandy by saying it was done in Britain.
Who cares! We
are independent from them. But Engler (whose name refers to England)
and Granholm (who is from Canada a British colony) both were
appointing Emergency Managers. My question is, isn't this America?
From: Charles Brown
Date: April 14, 2022 at 8:24:36 PM EDT
To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Charles Brown
Date: August 25, 2021 at 6:20:07 PM EDT
To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Charles Brown
Date: August 3, 2021 at 12:32:41 PM EDT
To: charles brown
Subject: Fwd: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Charles Brown
Date: September 11, 2016 at 12:10:25 PM EDT
To: Charles Brown
Subject: Re: Big thread on Fr of Angelo with all my essays
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 7, 2014, at 2:20 PM, Charles Brown wrote:
Tammy Barbour
Minister Malik Shabazz in response to your post about Charles Brown on
the thread that BC Baron Coleman removed... Man, Charles gave some
GREAT info that we all need to hear. Hate that we can't access his
Encyclopedia Brittanica on the Emergency Manager Law, so I hope he
reposts it. That's what Baron suggested he do here.
But I want to talk about Charles as far as my opinion on him being a
brainiac, which is what Malik said. Yes, and its a great thing. Here
is why!
It...See More
Unlike · · Stop Notifications · 21 hours ago
You, Ernest Johnson, Daniel Ferguson III, Gloria Newton and 11 others like this.
Charles Brown Well thanks a whole bunch , Tammy Barbour. You are so, so kind.
21 hours ago · Like · 4
Charles Brown Here's one: Occupy the Wall Street dictator before he occupies you
Published
• Sun, Dec 11, 2011
By Charles Brown
Emergency managers have already replaced the people�s elected
officials in majority Black cities around the state and in the Detroit
Public Schools and made draconian austerity cuts to public workers and
public health, welfare and safety services. This putsDetroit between a
rock and a hard place, forcing the mayor and city council to consider
harmful cuts, but less than what a financial dictator would make.
Mayor Dave Bing is pushing for privatization of services and asking
the city�s public unions to take a 10 percent cut in wages that
non-union employees took a couple of years ago. The mayor is also
seeking medical benefit and pension cuts.
Some on the council, worried the mounting debt will enable Michigan
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder to appoint an emergency manager, talk of
even greater sacrifices: laying off 2,300 public workers, closing
recreational centers and eliminating subsidies to citymuseums, the
health department and the Detroit Zoo. Last week, the mayor
volunteered himself to be the emergency manager, but that proposal was
opposed by all.
Gov. Rick Snyder and the Republican-dominated legislature, to give
more powers to the financial dictator than the old law provided,
changed the law regarding the appointment of emergency managers. An EM
will now usurp the powers of democratically elected officials in order
to give priority to financial and Wall Streetinterests over the
interests of city workers and citizens� city services.
If an emergency manager is appointed for Detroit, it will result in
mass firings and harsh wage and benefit reductions for Detroit city
workers. City worker jobs, government jobs, public jobs are real jobs.
Losing jobs will add to the city�s deficit because of lost taxes from
income and property. It will, of course, put more Detroiters into dire
economic straights.
The appointment of an emergency manager to solve the city�s economic
crisis would be profoundly un-American and undemocratic. It would be a
violation of Detroit residents� right to self-determination.
Who is to blame for this crisis?
Detroit�s financial crisis is rooted in the problems of the city�s
automobile-dependent economy. While the auto industry is making a
small comeback, it will never be what it was. Hundreds of thousands of
good paying auto jobs and the tax base they provided were lost, never
to be seen again.
We live in a private enterprise system. This means private business
leaders, not public officials, make the decisions that determine the
ups and downs of our economy. The tea party and Republican story
(pushed 30 years ago by former President Reagan) that �government is
big and bad, and free enterprise is lean and mean,� has been exposed
in the last several years as a big lie put forward by the system,
threatening bankruptcies of the private sector�s largest corporations
and financial institutions.
Where should the money come from to fix Detroit�s deficit? The federal
government � and I say that without any hesitation. If Wall Street
could be bailed out to the tune of $11 trillion (as once reported by
the Financial Times; the amount is probably more than that by now),
Detroit can be bailed out for $300 million or $400 million or more.
Wall Street banks were more broke than Detroit and they were bailed
out by the mythically inefficient public sector, �Big Gov�ment.� Some
of that federal money (that they gave the Wall Street banks) is our
tax money, money from the people of Detroit.
Importantly, it is not Detroit officials� corruption or incompetence
that has led to the fiscal crisis, but the economic and financial
incompetence and greed of banks and corporations. Whatever faults they
have, these local public officials, largely African American men and
women, are no worse than the dozens of white men whoexclusively ran
Detroit city government for so many decades.
Detroit�s deficit is also due to the decisions by the private sector
to move so much of the former robust Detroit business sector out of
the city over the last 50 years. This is another way that the private
sector is responsible for Detroit�s plight. As I said, this is a
private enterprise system and Detroit public officials have
essentially no power over this major trend. They have no authority to
start city-owned enterprises that might substitute for the runaway
plants, shops and businesses.
This city�s financial problems are not fundamentally due to city
officials� bad decisions, but to the disinvestment from and failures
of corporate America in Detroit. The last thing the city needs is a
�CEO-thinking� emergency manager. It was CEO thinking that bankrupted
Wall Street, General Motors and Chrysler.
Given the revenue streams that go straight to Wall Street from
Detroit, it is not far off to characterize any emergency manager as a
Wall Street financial dictator.
I say, �Occupy� Wall Street financial dictators
21 hours ago · Like · 5
Charles Brown Detroit is Haiti: unforgivably Black
Print
Email to a Friend
by: John Henry
October 21 2009
tags: Analysis, Detroit, racism, auto industry, capitalism, Malcolm X
Time Magazine has decided to zero in on Detroit. It kicked off its
project last month with an article headlined "The Death - and Possible
Life - of a Great City."
As a lifelong Detroiter and an African American, here's my reaction.
The Detroit rebellion of 1967 had the impact of crystallizing an
economic blockade on the city that had then been developing for 15
years, a blockade by the bourgeoisie - big capital - something like
that on Cuba.
There was the bullet and then the ballot, a la Malcolm X in reverse:
the rebellion and then the 1973 election of Coleman Young as Black
mayor extraordinaire. For this, and really for now being 85 percent
Black, Detroit is still under economic blockade punishment by the
powers that be.
These were the culmination of a socioeconomic historical shift which
was marked by segregating of residence based on race through white
flight to the suburbs especially beginning in the 1950s, escaping the
move toward integration represented in open housing law. (See Thomas
Sugrue, "The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Politics in Postwar
Detroit," and Coleman Young's autobiography, "Hardstuff.")
It was also part of a relative scattering of some main points of
industrial production from a concentration in the city of Detroit (
and neighboring Dearborn) to the surrounding suburbs. It was a
breaking up of the World War II era Arsenal of Democracy, which had
many left-wingers, naturally.
In a way, it seems to have been a shifting of the location of basic
production from the Midwest to the South, from the U.S. to other
countries, in what gets termed post-industrialism, post-Fordism,
restructuring. The concentrated proletarian powerhouse was busted up
and racially resegregated, on the typical American model: Black vs.
white.
The bourgeoisie cannot really undo what they have done. They are
hoisted on their own petard. Detroit is a pariah society in the
national media still, as the latest Time article shows. White masses
are shy to move back into Detroit, desegregate. The bourgeoisie will
not invest in an African town like this, with so few white people to
benefit. They must blockade us like Cuba, or Haiti. Like the great
heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Jack Johnson, Detroit is
unforgiveably Black and Proud.
Wait, I take that back. They will find ways to invest "in" Detroit,
but so that most of the local population will not benefit. They will
exploit and "skate" - in other words, con and run, get away without
being held responsible for their wrongdoing.
So, Time has a cover story saying that poverty in Detroit today is in
part due to the rebellion of 1967, cause and effect, politically and
economically - case closed.
Actually, it's true. The bourgeoisie are still punishing the
rebellion, among other things. Perhaps, Time is making a confession.
Photo: The Spirit of Detroit statue, outside the Coleman A. Young
Municipal Center in downtown Detroit.
(www.flickr.com/photos/farlane/92665530/)
21 hours ago · Like · 6
Charles Brown CHRYSLER HAS BEEN BAILED OUT TWICE. DO WE SAY WHITE
PEOPLE CAN'T RUN
CHRYSLER ?
By C.D. Brown
When GM and Chrysler went managed bankrupt for something like
$80 billion, nobody said that white people are not ready to be in charge
of transnational industrial corporations and, that Chrysler was dependent on
free tax money from
us; that , as Corporation leader and Presidential candidate Mitt
Romney insultingly said to the NAACP convention, to paraphrase, u
people want too much free stuff.
Chrysler Corporation has been bailed out twice by the federal
government. Congressman James Blanchard road his championing that free
stuff for Chrysler to the Michigan governor's chair. But Prince
Richard Snyder
doesn't want a bailout for Detroit. It is because, unlike Chrysler, Detroit
has a Black majority represented in electoral offices running City
government.
Mayor Coleman A Young, Black Mayor Extraordinaire, won a loan from
the federal government for the
City of Detroit to help Chrysler Corporation build the Jefferson North
Assembly plant. The federal government can forgive that loan which
benefited Chrysler and America handsomely.
Snyder,the Barbarian Governor, doesn't want a
bailout for Detroit, thereby
speaking against the best interests of Detroit. He should be
aggressively seeking a bailout for Detroit, like Governor Christie
aggressively
sought aid for New Jersey for relief from hurricane damage or
Blanchard and Granholm sought bailouts for Chrysler. Detroit
has been under economic "hurricanes" almost continuously for 50 years.
Chrysler has been bailed
out twice from those storms ! (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Chrysler). Not only was
there divestment from the city proper in
capital flight for 60 years, but the auto industry corporations
centered in Detroit have been crushed in the world competition as
emblemized in Chrysler's two insolvencies. The City of Detroit's
elected
officials could do about as much about those auto company disasters in
Detroit's economy as New Jersey elected officials could do to stop the
hurricane. So, city officials should not be scapegoated in loss of
powers under Snyder savage dictator law.
As part of the economic hurricanes, the State of Michigan itself ,
including Detroit, suffered a
one state recession (as the monopoly media termed it) in the years
leading up to two of Michigan's
private auto giants falling into the final insolvencies As a result
the State of Michigan fell into fiscal irresponsibility greater than
Detroit's and, had to be bailed out by the Obama
Stimulus for $7.8 billion ( See
http://www.house.mi.gov/.../ARRA%20Forum%20Dec%202009.pdf
). Then it was not even considered that whites ,who dominate
Michigan's governorships and legislatures (
including many who are still there) couldn't run our State, and liked
"Federal Welfare and Entitlements", free stuff, to bail them out
of their fiscal
irresponsibility. Savage Snyder's current budget "surplus" is wholly
based on the bailout by President Obama and the Democratic majority
Congress of Obama's first term.
Similarly when New York City, New York was in
receivership/emergency financial management in 1975, it was not said
that white people couldn't run a major city. NYC got a $2.3 billion
bailout from the federal government under President Gerald Ford of
Michigan when it was insolvent.
but it was not even whispered that the white people in charge of NYC liked
free stuff. NYC was bailed out when it was insolvent in 1975.
( Bill Summary & Status - 94th Congress (1975 - 1976) - S.2725 -
THOMAS
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z...&;
http://en.wikipedia.org/.../History_of_New_York_City...
So, when Detroit has an immediate deficit we should not say Black
people don't
know how to administer a major city. Since all these other institutions were
bailed out, why not bailout out Detroit without any of this " Black
people like free stuff"?
There is a long history of government
bailout of monopoly private corporations. especially banks and hedge
funds based in New York City (
(History of U.S. Gov't Bailouts
http://www.propublica.org/special/government-bailouts
:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_big_to_fail).
What's good for the
goose is good for the gander.
History of Chrysler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org
Chrysler was founded by Walter Chrysler on June 6, 1925,[1] when the
Maxwell Mot...See More
21 hours ago · Like · 5 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown WHY THE DICTATOR LAW VIOLATES THE MICHIGAN CONSTITUTION
The Michigan Constitution prohibits the amendment of a city’s charter
unless the amendment is approved by the majority of Electors of that
City ( Article VII Section 22 and Article IV Section 29 ( local acts by
the Legislature). Whether an amendment of a Charter is initiated by
initiative or referendum petitions , its City Council or the State
Legislature, it cannot take legal effect without approval of the
majority of the Electorate in a vote. Article IV Section 29 provides
that a 2/3 vote of the Legislature may initiate the amendment of a
city’s charter. However, that amendment is not effective if not
approved by the majority of the Electorate of the city in question.
The Emergency Manager ("Dictator") law purports to empower an Gubernatorially
appointed Emergency Manager to assume and to exercise the charter
derived powers of a city’s mayor and city council. However, if an
Emergency Manager were to do so, the Legislature and Emergency Manager
would amend the charter of the city in question. This act would also
be a local law. Such an act of amending a city’s charter is not
effective without a 2/3 vote of the Legislature and a vote of approval
of a majority of the electorate of the city in question, for a charter
amendment is a local act as provided for in Article IV Section 29 of
the Michigan State Constitution. An Emergency Financial Manager may
not , without violating the Constitution, take and exercise any of a
city’s, including Detroit's, executive or legislative or any other
charter powers without a
vote of approval by a majority of a city’s Electors.
STATE CONSTITUTION (EXCERPT)
CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1963
Article VII § 22 Charters, resolutions, ordinances; enumeration of powers.
Sec. 22.
Under general laws the electors of each city and village shall have
the power and authority to frame, adopt and amend its charter, and to
amend an existing charter of the city or village heretofore granted or
enacted by the legislature for the government of the city or village.
Each such city and village shall have power to adopt resolutions and
ordinances relating to its municipal concerns, property and
government, subject to the constitution and law. No enumeration of
powers granted to cities and villages in this constitution shall limit
or restrict the general grant of authority conferred by this section.
Article IV § 29 Local or special acts.
Sec. 29.
The legislature shall pass no local or special act in any case where a
general act can be made applicable, and whether a general act can be
made applicable shall be a judicial question. No local or special act
shall take effect until approved by two-thirds of the members elected
to and serving in each house and by a majority of the electors voting
thereon in the district affected. Any act repealing local or special
acts shall require only a majority of the members elected to and
serving in each house and shall not require submission to the electors
of such district.
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Derek L Forney Charles Brown man you laying it out today....powerful
20 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 6
Charles Brown Thanks Derek L Forney
20 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown White supremacy surges in Michigan state government
By Shields Green
Circa February 2011
Republican Governor Rick Snyder, State Treasurer Andy Dillon and the
Republican legislators are ratcheting up for a white supremacist*
takeover of Detroit from its people and elected officials as has
already been done with the Detroit Public Schools.
They are aggravating the law, empowering an emergency financial
manager to act as an un-elected dictator, seizing all the powers of
the mayor and city council, who are chosen by the People of Detroit,
attack city workers� wages and benefits and take control of all the
city�s assets. We can expect that they will dispose of the assets to
further enrich suburban and out-state rich people.
The new dictatorial, un-American law is going through the legislature
lickity split headed for the governor to sign. They are preparing to
steal the vote of the Detroit Black majority.
It is not a surprise that this happens as we celebrate for Black
History Month, our first, all-Black Detroit City Council.
This state action is the culmination of many years of out-state
takeovers of majority Black Detroit by majority white populations
out-state. The DPS takeovers by Governors John Engler and Jennifer
Granholm were preceded by the abolition of Recorders� Court, the
abolition of city residency requirements for city workers, snatching
of Cobo Hall, and federal court takeover of the water department. The
majority of white Michiganders also passed a Constitutional Amendment
outlawing affirmative action.
The latest colonialist, white supremacist action is done under the
phony claim that Detroit is fiscally irresponsible.
This comes from a state that is more than a billion dollars into
fiscal irresponsibility; a state that used a huge swathe of federal
stimulus money to cover-up its own �fiscal irresponsibility,� all the
while with its White Supremacist Tea Partiers denouncing President
Obama, who is Black, for providing said stimulus money.
Can you belieive it? In other words, out of one side of the
Republicans� mouth, they won the mid-term election by attacking
President Obama and on the other side of their mouths. Instead of
providing some of the money for impoverished Detroit, they use the
$7.8 billion in Stimulus
money from Obama
(http://www.house.mi.gov/.../ARRA%20Forum%20Dec%202009.pdf )
to hide their own bankruptcy and then turnaround and
move to steal Detroit�s public wealth to enrich their sectors.
The state has reneged on a deal between Engler and former mayor Dennis
Archer to pay Detroit more than $200 million (which would balance
Detroit�s deficit) while restricting Detroit from raising its income
taxes. Thus, the state is forcing the city into an alleged �fiscal
irresponsibility� as a shell game to seize the city�s wealth and
power.
Both Michigan and Detroit are in difficult fiscal straits, not because
of the failings of government, but the failings of private business,
finance and industry which have caused Michigan to fall into a
one-state depression and Detroit into a 30-year depression.
The People United will not be defeated. Fight the Powers that be!
*We use �white supremacist� rather than �racist� because the white
supremacists have reversed the meaning of the venerable sixties
rhetorical term �racist� in the public dialogue to use it mainly to
slander Black people as �racist� or �reverse racist.�
Hopefully , �white supremacist� will be more difficult to twist.
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Charles Brown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shields_Green
Shields Green - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org
Shields Green (1836?-1859), also known as "Emperor," was an ex-slave
who participated in John Brown's unsuccessful raid on Harpers
Ferry.[1] Though he had a chance to escape capture, he returned to the
fighting and was captured with Brown. For their parts in the raid,
Green and John A. Copeland were...
20 hours ago · Like · 3 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown Anybody who wants any of these sent to them on email or
to them directly, let me know.
20 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown Republicans cover up their fiscal irresponsibility with
Detroit's money
by Charles Brown
Detroit has received no bailouts from anybody. However , the State of
Michigan used the $220 million (at least) in FEDERAL revenue sharing
money that it was supposed to give to Detroit ,and the State used
OBAMA FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY (THAT TEA REPUBLICANS BAD MOUTH Obama for
ALL THE TIME) TO BAIL THE STATE OUT OF ITS DEFICIT OF JUST TWO YEARS
AGO. In other words, the State of Michigan would be broke if it hadn't
been bailed itself out with federal money. It should have given some
of that money to Detroit, which would keep Detroit out of current
deficit. The State is fiscally irresponsible and living on handouts
from the federal government. Meanwhile, the State accuses Detroit of
being fiscally irresponsible, while taking money that the federal
government intended to go to Detroit; and which money would have
Detroit out of deficit. The State is covering up its own fiscal
irresponsibility with Detroit's money , and using the shortfall that
that denial of money to Detroit (money that was for Detroit) to
falsely accuse Detroit of fiscal irresponsibility.
The Michigan Republicans are fake, in that they used Federal monies
that they claim Obama should not send to the states to bail
themselves and their state out of deficit. They accept money that they
say they shouldn't get and use it to coverup their own
irresponsibility. Hypocrites, spendthrifts and con-men, that's the
Republican Party.
Furthermore, a fiscal crisis does not cause a threat to the public
health , welfare and safety, the protection of which are the purposes
of government in America. It is cutting public employees that causes
a threat to public health , welfare and safety. Cutting payments to
Wall Street from the City of Detroit's debt service to the 1% would go
a long way to abating a fiscal crisis. Use of federal monies for the
City of Detroit, monies that were intended to go to Detroit, but
hijacked by the State on the way here, would be another big abatement
of Detroit's fiscal crisis. These issues would preserve jobs, wages
and benefits for City of Detroit workers who service the public
health, safety and welfare. Prioritize public welfare over corporate
welfare !
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Maurice Badgett So, Soo true!
20 hours ago · Unlike · 4
Maurice Badgett Yet Michiganders for Obama have a question to ask, the
Wise one and Friends, 'Would you fight for @ the MDP Convention and
then GOTV for Godfrey Dillard for AG, And Tom Borrow for Sec. of State
in 2014?
20 hours ago · Like · 4
Tammy Barbour Keep the information coming Charles Brown!!! its like an
Emergency Manager Digest!
19 hours ago · Unlike · 4
Minister Malik Shabazz CB this is the info I want you 2 print 4 me
next week please!
18 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 4
Minister Malik Shabazz TB you say that BC erased this off of his post?
I don't understand....it doesn't sound like sonethang he would do....
18 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2
Charles Brown send me your email address Minister Malik Shabazz
18 hours ago · Like · 3
Minister Malik Shabazz My mail is ministermalikshabazz@comcast.net but
I can't print anythang @ all right now if you would mail them 2 Barry
Ross with explicit instructions 2 print 4 me I will be
greatfull...barryross@comcast.net but still mail me 2 cuz there are
some pep I might want 2 forward some of the info 2.....
17 hours ago via mobile · Like · 1
Gloria Newton Charles Brown,I said it several times before-you truly
are an wise man!
17 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 3
Gloria Newton Thank you for all that you do.
17 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 3
Tammy Barbour I love BC. But I always joke with BC that he is my
handler, so the EM has him keeping an eye on me so I don't get in too
much trouble. LOL. What he explained happened is that KH was saying
things outside of the bounds he wanted and so he removed the post, not
recognizing that Charles Brown had posted so much valuable information
gold.
17 hours ago · Unlike · 4
BC Baron Coleman It was somewhat of a mistake but through some the
wonderful dialog the post continued to go south and i got tired of the
ignorance from such a simple topic.
I get tired of people who chose negativity as a past time.
I must say Charles Brown is refreshing with his wealth of knowledge,
that is always appreciated.
Press on my wise brother.
17 hours ago via mobile · Like · 5
Tammy Barbour Gloria Newton drumroll for all that Charles Brown said
could happen has happened.
17 hours ago · Unlike · 4
Tammy Barbour Charles Brown is like the smartest black man on earth. I
read some of what he writes and I am like WOW! He be knowing some
stuff man that is deep.
17 hours ago · Like · 2
Tammy Barbour I think Charles Brown should make his own intellectual
group of super smart black men talking about things. And then if he
does, I want to be invited so I can listen in and hear the things he
is teaching about. I really hope.
17 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown thank you very much Gloria. I really appreciate your
compliment. thank you, thank you, thank you !
17 hours ago · Like · 4
Charles Brown will do Minister Malik Shabazz
17 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown Thank you BC Baron Coleman. Don't worry about the
deletion. I am busy sending it out on this new thread posted by Tammy
as all can see up above, and by email to several people. I appreciate
your encouragement.
17 hours ago · Like · 5
Gloria Newton I agree Tammy,he is very wise and if he do get an group
I would love to be invited so I can be educated!
17 hours ago via mobile · Like · 3
Gloria Newton Tammy,you are an very wise woman!
16 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 4
Cammie Robinson Aww!!! BC Baron Coleman I would have loved to read the
post too. Why did the post have to be deleted instead of the person
that was inappropriate? Or at least blocked.
16 hours ago · Like · 2
Minister Malik Shabazz This is Detroit Love family that's what I'm
taliking about us appriciating one another...
Hey CB can I have your autograph?
16 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2
Minister Malik Shabazz Keith Henderson means well family, I know that
it doesnt always come across that way but he does I'm convinced of it.
We just need to have patience, work with him & love on him
15 hours ago via mobile · Edited · Like · 1
Tammy Barbour Maybe, Minister Malik Shabazzbut thanks to him, all that
Charles was explaining is very hard to rewind, he did repost the
articles, but he was also breaking them down some in laymen's terms
and answering questions. I didn't like what Keith was saying but I was
able to move past and ignore because more importantly meanwhile
Charles Brown was blowing my mind with explaining things. Charles is
like the guru, and his knowledge as an attorney, and the one who
understood this with Krystal Crittendon and working at the Law
Department is on a whole different level as an EXPERT than somebody
sitting on the sidelines being a bully. The whole thing stopped the
information that was being delivered and Charles doesn't have all day
to sit on the internet and explain finer points of the law and the
Detroit charter. He and his time are very valuable and it is a
treasure.
16 hours ago · Edited · Like · 2
Ed Strong Wonder why no one is paying attention to this thread. I read
what Charles Brown posted today and was very impressed. In all honesty
I cannot recollect all the points that he made about the EM system.
But if I was on the game show 'Who wants to be a Millionaire and could
pick only one answer it would be the alphabets (B & S) which stands
for British implemented Slavery practices. No taxation without
representation, is what the Colonial Fathers came up with to protect
themselves from EM laws that originated in GB.
15 hours ago · Unlike · 4
BC Baron Coleman Malik u r generally a good read of people, that is a
quality of urs, I know ur heart and that is a value.
I see how peaceful this topic is and full of knowledge, it is a
refreshing read, no attacks, I will leave it at that my friend. U just
get tired of bs sometimes.
15 hours ago via mobile · Like · 3
Charles Brown Tammy Barbour Gloria Newton drumroll for all that
Charles Brown said could happen has happened.////// thanks again Tammy
and Gloria. However, I must say predicting it all is worthless to us,
because I was unable to do anything in unity with others to stop it.
Well, let us look forward and see if we can do more in the future to
win , win , win !
15 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown Takes one to know one, Gloria Newton and Tammy Barbour,
so obviously you two are brilliant.
15 hours ago · Like · 2
Tammy Barbour Ed Strong smile. You'd be a winner! I think that Charles
was in the midst of doing a lot of explaining of what we all know but
take for granted because maybe we learned in school or is couched by
Snyder in a bunch of legalese to confuse us and steal and he was
really breaking it down. I hope that with unity we can stop it now. We
MUST boycott the corporations behind this. Its Bank of America, PNC
(UBS), Walmart, Amway, Koch Industries, Georgia Pacific, Dykema
Gossett, Dow Chemicals who have aided the analysis and the political
lobbying necessary to make this happen. I encourage everyone to go to
the Michigan Center for Public Policy website and type in Emergency
Manager, or Detroit and read their plans and see if it isn't exactly
as Charles predicted. Oh yes BC Baron Coleman, and I want our lawyer
emeritus Charles Brown to keep going and making it so I can understand
better. I don't want him to stop.
15 hours ago · Edited · Like · 2
Charles Brown Two fundamentals of American democracy, law and
political ideology have been violated by Governor Snyder, the
Republicans of the State Legislature, and the Appellate Courts in the
shameful the Wall Street Dictator law, so-called emergency manager
laws : 1) the Constitution begins with the words "We, the People"
meaning that for America all power derives from the People, Popular
Sovereignty. In ignoring the vote of the People of Michigan to repeal
PA 4 by referendum, the Republican dominated government violated the
Will of the People, their lying claim that PA 436 was a new law to the
contrary notwithstanding. A lay person's common sense tells them that
PA 436's essence , an unelected dictator who rules taxpayers of a
city, is the same the essence of PA 4 and PA 72. So, PA 436 should be
invalid. This is unAmerican. 2) Taxation without representation was a
central slogan of the American revolution. It was defined as tyranny.
That principle is provided in the Michigan State Constitution
prohibiting the Legislature or any other state official from enacting
local legislation or laws on a city without a vote of the electorate
of that city. This is the second fundamentally unAmerican action by
the State Republican Governor, Legislature and Appellate Courts. These
two principles are perhaps the most fundamental principles that our
soldiers reputedly fight to defend from enemies abroad. Marines should
be sent in to occupy Lansing protect Detroit's freedoms from our
enemies at home in our own state capital.
13 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown And what of the tax money Detroit sends to Lansing Why
shouldn' t it be sent back to Detroit to pay for our deficit and for
to Detroit city workers to repair Belle Isle instead of outstate
people paid to usurp our city jewel ? What is Detroit getting for all
the tax money we pay to Lansing ? Name one thing Lansing does for
Detroit for the billions in taxes we pay them.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Sturge Moreland Chatles, please paste your comment that begins
"Republicans cover up..."
13 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 2
Charles Brown This communique is a rebuttal to Laura Berman’s article (
http://www.detroitnews.com/.../With-Belle-Isle-Detroit...)
on the proposed lease of
Belle Isle by the State ( which in many ways is a gift , not a lease).
First, if anybody in this situation is comparable to the Tea Party
Republican Senator Eduardo Cruz of Texas, it would be Governor Rick Snyder.
Snyder has been carrying out the Michigan Tea Party’s agenda of usurping
the fundamental democratic right of people of color to have their
elected officials run the
City. The proposed Belle Isle deal was agreed to by Snyder and the
Emergency Manager, who serves at Snyder’s pleasure. The agreement is
hardly an arms
length transaction; and the City’s interests are vulnerable to being
pushed aside in favor of those of the State. Council woman Watson’s
analogy to being taken advantage of by force is quite apt.
Governor Snyder is the real demagogue by the prevarications and
half-truths he has used to justify Emergency Management takeover of
Detroit, of which the Belle Isle gift to the State is just one part
(The proposed deal does not provide for the State to pay fair market
value to the City, so it is more of a gift than a lease in the legal
senses of those words.). The mixed metaphor of “pulpit and hothouse”
is a bit overwrought and , again, wrong. Watson merely speaks the
truth before God in exposing the sweetheart deal between the Governor
and a gubernatorial appointee. The proposed Belle Isle lease
specifies no amounts to be allocated by the State to the City of
Detroit. A lawyer paid to protect the City’s interests would not meet
his or her fiduciary duty to the City if the lease payments amounts
are not in _writing_ in the document. Because , the lease lacks these
figures, the agreement is more of a gift than a lease.
Ms. Berman reveals her contempt for the People of Detroit by her
caricature of them as “dug-in” and “clinging”. They’re just living
here, trying to make ends meet , and enjoy life some by doing things
like making recreational use of Belle Isle. With the imposition of a
literal ,not
figurative , unelected ruler over the city , usurping the powers of Detroiters
to elect those who steward their tax dollars – "taxation without
representation is tyranny" in the famous words of the American
Revoluton– the State is indeed acting like an evil invader. In usurping
Detroiter’s fundamental rights of self-governance, and seizing and
diverting to non-Detroiters our City jobs, wages, benefits, assets,
property and many other things of value, the Governor represents
interests other than those of Detroiters and citizens of other
Democratic strongholds throughout the state.
Evidently, Ms. Berman is ignorant of the fact that the City paid for
several years ago and has a
Master Plan to revitalize Belle Isle. All
the State of Michigan has to do is return to Detroit some of the tax
money Detroiters pay to the State. Then the Master Plan we have for Belle Isle
can be executed by the City itself. What has the State of Michigan
done for the People of Detroit in recent twenty years ? Not much.
Which is why many Detroiters have very little trust in the State’s promise to
"improve" Belle Isle for Detroiters without written amounts in a
binding legal document. Many suspect the real plan is to change
the demographics of those who enjoy it. And Detroiters do enjoy
Belle Isle as it is today, although no one would mind improvements pursuant to
the Master Plan already developed.
In summary, Ms. Berman’s column misses the mark badly in her thoughts
about the proposed Belle Isle deal. In fact , her little verse is
pretty much the reverse of the truth, " before God".
Charles Brown
Detroit
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown .S. News > February > State takeovers of cities and
schools are un-American
State takeovers of cities and schools are un-American
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by: John Henry
February 21 2013
tags: economy, education, privatization, Republicans, national
flint520x300
DETROIT - Michigan's state takeovers of cities and school districts
have been very harmful to the public's interests.
The Detroit Public School District had about a $90 million surplus
when it was self-governing, before it was taken over by Republican
Gov. John Engler more than a decade ago. When the state pulled out,
DPS had a deficit of tens of millions. Now, after two emergency
managers, the deficit from Engler's mismanagement remains, dozens of
schools have been closed, and charter schools have taken much of the
funding. The students are worse off than before the state started
taking over. It seem to be more than incompetence on the part of the
state government It is as if the state is purposely trying to destroy
education for Detroit's children.
Emergency managers were appointed between 2000 and 2002 by Engler in
the cities of Hamtramck, Flint and Highland Park to prevent them from
declaring bankruptcy. All these managers eventually left, but all
three cities are back in the red. Highland Park's city services have
been cut significantly. The failure of the state takeover is
illustrated by the fact that last fall, DTE, which runs the public
lighting system under privatization, removed 1,400 of a total of 1,900
street lamps as a way to cut its monthly costs.
Benton Harbor, Mich., had an emergency manager appointed in 2011.
Since then the city operating deficit, list of unpaid bills and
pension plan deficits have increased significantly.
In Detroit, Michigan's current Republican governor, Rick Snyder, has
really been running the city since the winter of 2012. It is Snyder
who can't or won't turn Detroit's finances around. The most important
evidence of this is that, with the threat of imposing an emergency
manager, Snyder ordered Mayor Dave Bing to negotiate concessions with
the city unions
Bing did, and the unions gave tens of millions of dollars in
concessions. Then Snyder told Bing not to accept the concessions he
had ordered Bing to negotiate! Those concessions, it was said at the
time, would have "turned Detroit's finances around substantially."
Thus, any lack of progress is Snyder's responsibility.
It is clear that Snyder did not improve Detroit's finances on purpose,
so that he can institute an emergency manager to control Detroit's
bankruptcy; minimize the forgiveness of its Wall Street bond debts;
and put the burden on city workers' wages, benefits and pensions. He
is perpetrating a fraud on the people of Detroit.
Conclusion: State of Michigan takeovers of cities and school districts
have done more harm than good to the public's health, safety and
welfare - and protection of public health, safety and welfare is the
only purpose of state government. The Republican-controlled state
government's excuse for the takeovers is that it is seeking to serve
these public purposes - so it should cease and desist from the
takeovers.
The state's takeover actions and laws violate the fundamental American
liberty of the right not to be taxed without being able to elect those
who steward one's tax money in the government coffers.
This is one of the main American liberties our troops defend. The
state takeovers are profoundly anti-American.
Photo: Just one of many boarded up houses in Flint, Michigan. Direct
state control over the town has not solved economic problems. Flickr
13 hours ago · Like · 3
Charles Brown ON THE WALL STREET RAPE OF DETROIT
I'm somewhat confused...WHY use the casino revenues to pay off the
swaps instead of making good on pensioners and other key debts? Am I
not getting something? This is confusing had to read it a couple
times.//// You are right, but Snyder, Orr and the "City'" lawyers, who
are really Wall Street bond bank's lawyers, are actually agents of the
Wall Street banks with the swap predatory loans to Detroit, not
lawyers genuinely or vigorouslsy fighting for the City and pensioners.
Snyder and Orr's main purpose is to steal as much from the City and
city workers and pensioners for the banks as they can. They are
thieves.That is not an exaggeration. They are looters. Liars and
cheaters. You are right but they are so wrong it is astonishing.
The whole purpose of the Emergency Manager law is to shield Wall
Street municipal bond banks from sharing in the pain of a city's
fiscal crisis. I know that sounds too evil to be true, but it is and
it is why what is happening now is happening. The EM law's preamble
says that its purpose is to protect the State of Michigan's bond
rating, and the only way to do that is to give first priority to
Detroit paying Wall Street municipal bondholders before City workers
or for provision of services to the People of Detroit. Instead of the
EM boondoggle law, fiscal crisis should mean cities go into
bankruptcy where bond debts would be forgiven. So, the State of
Michigan, Governor, Legislature, Courts, as craven agents of Wall
Street , passed the emergency manager law to cut as much as possible
from everything but Wall Street bond debt payments. It cuts city
services and protection of the public health, safety and welfare; and
city workers' wages, benefits, jobs, pensions; and sells everything of
value such as Belle Isle or the Water Department BEFORE Wall Street
municipal or city bond holders are cut at all. The EM law is an
avoidance of bankruptcy law, because in bankruptcy the Wall Street
bondholders get cut. Even worse, the EM law has set it up that the
Governor , through the EM becomes a dictator over the City and runs
the bankruptcy , perpetrating a fraud that they are representing the
interests of the City and not the Wall Street banks. They are foxes
guarding the hen house in a big way. They committing are unarmed
robbery, tres grand larceny in broad daylight, on television, but of
course the whole media is in on it with them , so they don't expose it
but rather cover it up and say it is not what it is constantly on the
air and in print, and help to put it over with years of lying
propaganda and yellow journalism.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown I said the following to Judge Steven Rhodes :
I am concerned that our
attorney's, Jones Day firm, have a financial conflict in representing
us in negotiations and settlements with Wall Street municipal bond
firms. Also, the State of Michigan and its agents ,the Governor and
Emergency Manager, have financial and fiscal conflicts with the City
of Detroit. Therefore , I am concerned about their ability to fulfill
an attorney and fiduciary duty to the City in representing us in
bankruptcy.
I believe there have been no other municipal or Chapter 9 bankruptcies
with Emergency Manager type laws usurping the City Charter, approved
by the People of Detroit, and usurping the powers of elected
representatives, including the powers to file bankruptcy under Chapter
9. My study of bankruptcy law to this point informs me that the Tenth
Amendment to the US Constitution is given special deference because
of the direction of the first Supreme Court decisions on Chapter 9 to do so.
_Ashton v. Cameron County Water Improvement Dist. No. 1_;
_United States v Bekins_ 304 U.S. 27 (1938)
The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution reads:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the _people_ (emphasis added -CB).
The Tenth Amendment reserves powers ,not only to the States but to the
People.
I urge the court to consider the legal theory that our rights to no
taxation without representation through our City Charter mandated
elected officials are Tenth Amendment U
S Constitutional rights reserved to the People of Detroit, rights that
I respectfully ask the court to uphold in Detroit's Chapter 9
bankruptcy. Detroit's Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
Respectfully submitted.
Charles Brown
end of statement
^^^^^^
Supplementary thoughts:
Most if not all of the monies being divided up in the bankruptcy are
monies paid to the City of Detroit as taxes by the people of Detroit.
They pay the taxes with the premise or promise that the monies will be
stewarded by people they elect and can vote out of office. I am
specifically saying that one of the powers reserved to the People of
Detroit by the 10 Amendment ( and by the 9th , which was coupled with
the 10th in the debates on the Amendments when they were passed; the
9th is exclusively concerning the rights of the People).is _the power
to elect those who steward those monies in bankruptcy; to elect those
who write the Plan in bankruptcy._. The EM law usurpation of this
power is a violation of the 10th Amendment.
The interests of the People of Detroit and the State of Michigan are
in conflict.
The Governor is an elected official, however, he was not elected by
the People of the City of Detroit to steward their taxes paid to the
City of Detroit, as fiduciaries protecting the interests of the People
of Detroit. Also, the Governor represents people from outside Detroit
who have not paid taxes to Detroit, nor a significant portion of the
monies at issue in bankruptcy.. The very Emergency Manager law, PA
436, states that it is enacted especially to protect the _State's_
bond rating from fiscal crises in municipalities in the State . The
State has an interest in Detroit prioritizing paying the municipal
bond firms to protect the State's bond rating. over paying pensions
and other creditors. It also has an interest thereby in paying
municipal bondholders in priority over paying to promote and protect
the public health, welfare and safety of the People of Detroit through
city services provided by city workers, paid decent wages, benefits
and pensions.
The Michigan State Constitution has a provisions against enactment of
local laws , amending municipal charters, without votes of the
electorate. This is a State law reserving powers to the peoples of
local municipalities with respect to elected representation and
fiduciary stewardship of taxes they pay to their municipal government.
Just as the Tenth Amendment provision on powers reserved to the States
is given special attention in Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy because
municipalities are creatures of the State; so should the Tenth
Amendment provision on powers reserved to the people be given special
attention in Chapter 9 bankruptcy , because of the powers of home rule
and self-governance reserved to_ those who pay the taxes_ of the
municipality. The Emergency Manager law create a conflict between
these reserved powers to the state and people that is probably not
present in most Chapter 9 cases. The Tenth Amendment gives equal
weight to both the State and peoples' reserved powers. The 9th
Amendment reinforces the argument here on behalf of powers reserved to
the people.
In sum, 1) Our attorneys and EM are conflicted ; 2) The powers
reserved to the People of Detroit by the 9th and 10th Amendments have
been disregarded and violated.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown http://peoplesworld.org/financial-dictator-would-rob.../
Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote » peoplesworld
peoplesworld.org
DETROIT - A receivership or appointment of an "emergency" financial
manager by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is hanging over this city's head,
based on the phony claim that its deficit poses an "emergency" for the
public health, welfare and safety. The financial manager could usurp
the powers of the may...
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown pinion > Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
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Email to a Friend
by: John Henry
March 22 2011
tags: economy, African Americans, jobs, civil rights, Michigan
DetroitJoeLouis2
DETROIT - A receivership or appointment of an "emergency" financial
manager by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is hanging over this city's head,
based on the phony claim that its deficit poses an "emergency" for the
public health, welfare and safety. The financial manager could usurp
the powers of the mayor, City Council, pension board, and the City
Charter. The essence of this would be profoundly un-American and
undemocratic. It would be a violation of Detroit residents' right to
self-determination.
In the larger historical view, the financial power structure that
controls Detroit's economic investment and development is responsible
for the long-term economic depression that has afflicted Detroit as it
has become a majority Black, and proud, and disproportionately poor
urban location. There has been a financial and investment blockade on
Detroit by the private sector.
Now the same financial power structure that for the last 35 years made
Detroit what it is economically stands in the shadows as certain
mouthpieces of money in Michigan state government threaten that the
city may have to submit to receivership.
Detroit did not become overwhelmingly Black because Black people
planned to take it over. No, it was by default, from the long-term
process, confirmed by social science experts, of out-migration of many
whites to Detroit's surrounding communities. (See Thomas Sugrue's "The
Origin of the Urban Crisis" and Coleman A. Young's "Hardstuff.") To
this day, at least one official in Oakland County, north of the city,
holds office based on opposition to integrating greater Detroit 40
years ago.
My point is, it has not been Black people who made the Detroit
metropolitan area the most segregated in the country (according to the
last Census).
The out-migration of economic wealth and investment by the financial
power structure has created this out-migration, or "flight," of the
population of this area. People must have jobs in our society. There
is no other way to survive. People follow the jobs. People in Detroit
need jobs and income. Detroit's fiscal stresses are rooted in the job
deficit and the business deficit.
The people of Detroit also have the right to the democratic election
of their own leaders. This principle was proven in the election vote
on ending the state takeover of the Detroit Public Schools board
several years ago. America owes the majority Black population of
Detroit equality of citizenship, which means the right of
self-determination and self-governance, especially with regard to the
financial matters of its city government. This is irrefutable, given
the history of the struggles of Black people in the civil rights
movement in America.
Drawing on this historical context, Detroiters demand that any
accounting of their own government, any assessment of the city of
Detroit's fiscal health, be made based on the following issues:
* Down through the years, returns to city residents in public services
and funding do not equal the federal and state taxes Detroiters have
paid. We say federal and state governments owe Detroit because we have
not gotten full value for taxes paid to them.
* We think the tax breaks given to municipal bondholders on Wall
Street should be shared with Detroit, which sold them the bonds,
providing the tax breaks based on Detroit's municipal status. This
must now be given back to Detroit in a substantial forgiveness of
current bond debts.
* Finally, the state of Michigan, under former Governor John Engler,
made a deal with Detroit under former Mayor Dennis Archer: Detroit
would reduce its income taxes in exchange for revenue sharing from the
state to the city. The state has not lived up to its end of this
bargain. It has cut revenue sharing to Detroit. This reversal has hurt
Detroit's fiscal situation.
Declaring a public emergency because of a fiscal deficit is a fraud. A
fiscal deficit does not endanger the public health, safety and
welfare. The powers-that-be are using this lie as a cover for robbing
the people of Detroit of their vote and their assets, and robbing city
workers of wages, benefits and pensions.
In a protest rally at the state Capitol in Lansing this month, state
Sen. Coleman Young quoted founding father Patrick Henry, saying, "Give
me liberty or give me death." United Auto Workers President Bob King
said the struggle against the tea-Republican Party attacks on the
people of Michigan will be responded to by a struggle all the way to
November 2012. We in Michigan will follow the lead of our brothers and
sisters in Wisconsin.
Photo: The famous sculpture of Joe Louis' fist, in downtown Detroit.
The photographer calls it "a symbol of the strength of Detroit and its
people." ktpupp CC 2.0
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown The Tea Party is UnAmerican: A City budget deficit does
not cause an
emergency to the public
health, welfare and safety
by Shields Green
The Michigan Dictator bill rationalizes imposing a dictator on cities
and towns based on an alleged emergency to the public health , welfare
and safety due to a budget deficit. However, a municipal budget
deficit does not remove critical city services from the People, the
citizens , the Electors. The
deficit or fiscal stress causes a threat to the revenue streams that
Wall Street sucks like blood as a vampire from the working class'
wealth, but not to the well being of the great mass of the People. A
moratorium on payments to Wall Street on municipal bonds would go a
long way toward keeping full pay , benefits and pensions to city
workers and retirees. Realistically, it is these city workers who
keep the PUBLIC HEALTH , WELFARE AND SAFETY, NOT WALL STREET BANKERS
AND HEDGE FUNDS. These government jobs are jobs. Real jobs. When we
say we need jobs, jobs, jobs, to cut government jobs is an insane as
cutting taxes on the rich and giant corporations , where the money is
, to cut the deficit.
A moratorium or substantial forgiveness ( a Jubilee) on mortgage
foreclosures and
payments would keep tens of millions of dollars in the hands of the
working class in the Detroit Metropolitan area, Detroit, Macomb,
Oakland and Monroe..
It is to keep the People's money flowing
to Wall Street and the Big Banks that the State of Michigan, the
Governor , who is the real Dictator in the Dictator law, tells the
Big Lie that
he must impose himself as a tyrant on the City , through his agents
the State Treasurer and an socalled Emergency Manager ( There is no
emergency to the pubilc, but to the monied classes looting us) It
must tell this Big Lie to
justify the UnAmerican act of stealing a City population's fundamental
democratic privileges to choose on its own the officials to control
the City's wealth, assets, wages, benefits and pensions, all that is
valuable to the People's municipal corporation. The State is
training a corps of financial gestapo, all imbued with the money drunk
philosophy of business accounting, Wallstreet technical minions to
shift wealth from the working masses and their local government to the
finance capital and Big Business.
This was the purpose of taking over the DPS when there was billion
dollar bond sale years ago. This was the purpose in imposing the
Dictator on DPS more recently: to take the People's money and give it
to private enterprises, and crony capitalists. The DPS dictatorship is
a pilot program, a test of the reaction of the People of Detroit as to
how they will react to a dictatorial seizure of the City government.
There have bee insufficient mass protests against the DPS
dictatorship to deter a dictatorship over Detroit. So, the
Powers-that-be are moving quickly to seize Detroit.
Only a protracted mass movement from the Bottom up of militant
protest, state initiative
and referendum petitions and votes, recall petitions and votes, of the
Governor in the first place, and 2012 election votes with a tremendous
increase in voter turnout , in Detroit in the first place, will stop
the fascist, unAmerican attack from the tea-Republicans and their Wall street
and Big Business masters.
See you at the protests at the Capitol and in Wall Street's face.
All Power to We, the People ! We are one. Speak Power in the Streets !
Carry on ! Vote Democratic.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown there you go Tammy Barbour
13 hours ago · Like · 1
Charles Brown Tammy Barbour what was that you said about the EM
talking some bs about an old British law on Trustees ? Your response
to him was right on.
13 hours ago · Like
Charles Brown Here it is Sturge Moreland Republicans cover up their
fiscal irresponsibility with Detroit's money
by Charles Brown
Detroit has received no bailouts from anybody. However , the State of
Michigan used the $220 million (at least) in FEDERAL revenue sharing
money that it was supposed to give to Detroit ,and the State used
OBAMA FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY (THAT TEA REPUBLICANS BAD MOUTH Obama for
ALL THE TIME) TO BAIL THE STATE OUT OF ITS DEFICIT OF JUST TWO YEARS
AGO.
the State of Michigan fell into fiscal irresponsibility greater than
Detroit's and, had to be bailed out by the Obama
Stimulus for $7.8 billion ( See
http://www.house.mi.gov/.../ARRA%20Forum%20Dec%202009.pdf In other
words, the State of Michigan would be broke if it hadn't
been bailed itself out with federal money. It should have given some
of that money to Detroit, which would keep Detroit out of current
deficit. The State is fiscally irresponsible and living on handouts
from the federal government. Meanwhile, the State accuses Detroit of
being fiscally irresponsible, while taking money that the federal
government intended to go to Detroit; and which money would have
Detroit out of deficit. The State is covering up its own fiscal
irresponsibility with Detroit's money , and using the shortfall that
that denial of money to Detroit (money that was for Detroit) to
falsely accuse Detroit of fiscal irresponsibility.
The Michigan Republicans are fake, in that they used Federal monies
that they claim Obama should not send to the states to bail
themselves and their state out of deficit. They accept money that they
say they shouldn't get and use it to coverup their own
irresponsibility. Hypocrites, spendthrifts and con-men, that's the
Republican Party.
Furthermore, a fiscal crisis does not cause a threat to the public
health , welfare and safety, the protection of which are the purposes
of government in America. It is cutting public employees that causes
a threat to public health , welfare and safety. Cutting payments to
Wall Street from the City of Detroit's debt service to the 1% would go
a long way to abating a fiscal crisis. Use of federal monies for the
City of Detroit, monies that were intended to go to Detroit, but
hijacked by the State on the way here, would be another big abatement
of Detroit's fiscal crisis. These issues would preserve jobs, wages
and benefits for City of Detroit workers who service the public
health, safety and welfare. Prioritize public welfare over corporate
welfare !
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Charles Brown Charles Brown
http://washingtonindependent.com/.../michigan-republicans...
Michigan Republicans sought stimulus funds, argued money would
generate jobs
washingtonindependent.com
Michigan Republicans sought stimulus funds, argued money would generate jobs
washingtonindependent.com
Newsweek reveals a series of newly released documents from the
Department of Energy that shows all of the Republican members of the
Michigan congressional delegation seeking stimulus funding for
projects in the state on the grounds that such spending would create
jobs — despite frequently claiming t...
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown http://www.crainsdetroit.com/.../michigan-gets-more-than...
Crain's Detroit Business
www.crainsdetroit.com
Michigan gets more than $3.8 billion in federal stimulus funds |
Crain's Detroit Business
www.crainsdetroit.com
Daily news and features from crainsdetroit.com and from the weekly
newspaper Cra...See More
13 hours ago · Like · 2 · Remove Preview
Charles Brown Hear me now the State would have to have waited at least
another year to take over.
State Treasurer Andy Dillon admitted on Mildred Gaddis' show that the
State owes Detroit $220 million answering a question I gave Mildred to
ask him. Engler and Archer made a deal that Detroit would cut its
taxes if the State would give Detroit revenue sharing money. Detroit's
taxes have remained cut. Michigan renigged on $220 million plus of the
revenue sharing money to Detroit. If the State had paid the money,
Detroit would not have had a deficit at the time the State used the
deficit to take Detroit over under the emergency manager law. Hear me
now the State would have to have waited at least another year to take
over. There were also overstatements of the deficit by the State even
without the $220 million. So, the State would not have been able to
claim "fiscal stress" and takeover.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Sturge Moreland What is going on with your posts Charles Brown, that
won't allow me to copy them?
13 hours ago via mobile · Like
Charles Brown Not sure Sturge Moreland. I'm going to bed, but if you
remind me tomorrow , I'll send them to you by email.
12 hours ago · Like · 1
Ernest Johnson Hmmm...is this you? #thenephewtommyexperience
Photo: Hmmm...is this you? #thenephewtommyexperience
10 hours ago · Like
Sturge Moreland Ok
10 hours ago via mobile · Like
Charles Brown Victory on Defeat
by Shields Green
APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain
Detroit has been crucified, but
Detroit will have resurrection.
The Black Sun always rises.
White demons are possessing the Souls of Black Folk.
The question of the colorline is the question of the 21st Century
as it was of the 20th.
Workers are disunited on the colorline.
The Barbarian hordes have breached the City 's gates.
They will rape Black women again on Jefferson Avenue like Jefferson did.
The bourgeois prince's savages will pillage and rape our Black
Beautiful Detroit.
May Day will come again
Detroit survives despite economic sanctions, blockades ,
disinvestments
Victory on Defeat
What would Coleman Young do ?
Smiles !
6 hours ago · Like · 1
Charles Brown The link for this is above,but I print the full text
here, because this is one of the best ones.
Opinion > Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
Financial dictator would rob Detroiters of their vote
by: Charles Brown
March 22 2011
tags: economy, African Americans, jobs, civil rights, Michigan
DetroitJoeLouis2
DETROIT - A receivership or appointment of an "emergency" financial
manager by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is hanging over this city's head,
based on the phony claim that its deficit poses an "emergency" for the
public health, welfare and safety. The financial manager could usurp
the powers of the mayor, City Council, pension board, and the City
Charter. The essence of this would be profoundly un-American and
undemocratic. It would be a violation of Detroit residents' right to
self-determination.
In the larger historical view, the financial power structure that
controls Detroit's economic investment and development is responsible
for the long-term economic depression that has afflicted Detroit as it
has become a majority Black, and proud, and disproportionately poor
urban location. There has been a financial and investment blockade on
Detroit by the private sector.
Now the same financial power structure that for the last 35 years made
Detroit what it is economically stands in the shadows as certain
mouthpieces of money in Michigan state government threaten that the
city may have to submit to receivership.
Detroit did not become overwhelmingly Black because Black people
planned to take it over. No, it was by default, from the long-term
process, confirmed by social science experts, of out-migration of many
whites to Detroit's surrounding communities. (See Thomas Sugrue's "The
Origin of the Urban Crisis" and Coleman A. Young's "Hardstuff.") To
this day, at least one official in Oakland County, north of the city,
holds office based on opposition to integrating greater Detroit 40
years ago.
My point is, it has not been Black people who made the Detroit
metropolitan area the most segregated in the country (according to the
last Census).
The out-migration of economic wealth and investment by the financial
power structure has created this out-migration, or "flight," of the
population of this area. People must have jobs in our society. There
is no other way to survive. People follow the jobs. People in Detroit
need jobs and income. Detroit's fiscal stresses are rooted in the job
deficit and the business deficit.
The people of Detroit also have the right to the democratic election
of their own leaders. This principle was proven in the election vote
on ending the state takeover of the Detroit Public Schools board
several years ago. America owes the majority Black population of
Detroit equality of citizenship, which means the right of
self-determination and self-governance, especially with regard to the
financial matters of its city government. This is irrefutable, given
the history of the struggles of Black people in the civil rights
movement in America.
Drawing on this historical context, Detroiters demand that any
accounting of their own government, any assessment of the city of
Detroit's fiscal health, be made based on the following issues:
* Down through the years, returns to city residents in public services
and funding do not equal the federal and state taxes Detroiters have
paid. We say federal and state governments owe Detroit because we have
not gotten full value for taxes paid to them.
* We think the tax breaks given to municipal bondholders on Wall
Street should be shared with Detroit, which sold them the bonds,
providing the tax breaks based on Detroit's municipal status. This
must now be given back to Detroit in a substantial forgiveness of
current bond debts.
* Finally, the state of Michigan, under former Governor John Engler,
made a deal with Detroit under former Mayor Dennis Archer: Detroit
would reduce its income taxes in exchange for revenue sharing from the
state to the city. The state has not lived up to its end of this
bargain. It has cut revenue sharing to Detroit. This reversal has hurt
Detroit's fiscal situation.
Declaring a public emergency because of a fiscal deficit is a fraud. A
fiscal deficit does not endanger the public health, safety and
welfare. The powers-that-be are using this lie as a cover for robbing
the people of Detroit of their vote and their assets, and robbing city
workers of wages, benefits and pensions.
In a protest rally at the state Capitol in Lansing this month, state
Sen. Coleman Young quoted founding father Patrick Henry, saying, "Give
me liberty or give me death." United Auto Workers President Bob King
said the struggle against the tea-Republican Party attacks on the
people of Michigan will be responded to by a struggle all the way to
November 2012. We in Michigan will follow the lead of our brothers and
sisters in Wisconsin.
Photo: The famous sculpture of Joe Louis' fist, in downtown Detroit.
The photographer calls it "a symbol of the strength of Detroit and its
people." ktpupp CC 2.0
6 hours ago · Like
Tammy Barbour Hi, this is my favorite quote of Charles:
The whole purpose of the Emergency Manager law is to shield Wall
Street municipal bond banks from sharing in the pain of a city's
fiscal crisis. I know that sounds too evil to be true, but it is and
it is why what is happening now is happening. The EM law's preamble
says that its purpose is to protect the State of Michigan's bond
rating, and the only way to do that is to give first priority to
Detroit paying Wall Street municipal bondholders before City workers
or for provision of services to the People of Detroit. Instead of the
EM boondoggle law, fiscal crisis should mean cities go into bankruptcy
where bond debts would be forgiven. So, the State of Michigan,
Governor, Legislature, Courts, as craven agents of Wall Street ,
passed the emergency manager law to cut as much as possible from
everything but Wall Street bond debt payments. It cuts city services
and protection of the public health, safety and welfare; and city
workers' wages, benefits, jobs, pensions; and sells everything of
value such as Belle Isle or the Water Department BEFORE Wall Street
municipal or city bond holders are cut at all.
3 hours ago · Unlike · 1
Tammy Barbour ^^^^^ Let's please all keep this in mind. ^^^^^
3 hours ago · Like
Tammy Barbour Charles Brown you asked about Kevyn Orr referring to
British common trustee law after Al Sharpton went off on him. I love
that MSNBC kind of set Orr and Snyder up, then Al turned around and
Bam. But yes, I was explaining on Malik's show last week that Kevyn
Orr should realize that we have a fourth of July every year, an
Independence Day, to celebrate our Declaration of Independence from
Britain. So why in referring to some European Legal Institution which
was used to attain or strip land from one to give to another seems to
be nothing more than a dictatorship to steal the money for the banks
made to sound dandy by saying it was done in Britain. Who cares! We
are independent from them. But Engler (whose name refers to England)
and Granholm (who is from Canada a British colony) both were
appointing Emergency Managers. My question is, isn't this America?
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