Akindele Unleashed

Transforming Urban Communities into Real Digital Networks by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-10-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Conservatives and liberals must understand that the world they once knew no longer exists. The resistance of evolving technology, education and infrastructure is fading away as we transition from a 20th century way of thinking into a 22nd century way of thinking. We are no longer secular but universal in our way of solving problems in our communities.

Therefore, urban conservatives must lead the way when it comes to holding urban communities accountable when linking up with the rest of the world. We have to become more in tune with digital technology. For example, developing an urban regional wireless network in areas such as Benton Harbor and Muskegon will deliver affordable broadband wireless services to citizens in all areas of the region. If implemented it will be the largest project of its kind in the world and may transform the urban landscape region by enhancing the lives of community neighborhoods and overcoming the digital divide. Universities such as Western Michigan and Grand Valley State can partner with the urban municipalities to envision how a broadband wireless network can transform the lives and experiences of its citizens and visitors alike. The urban regional wireless network could provide a source of inspiration for novel ideas as well as a living laboratory for examining new applications.

Urban communities in Michigan have become mired in problems like accidents, crime, poverty, traffic and failing education. Despite the advancements in society at large, a significant portion of urban residents have been left behind. The emergence of digital technology in urban communities in Michigan will give us a chance to re-shape the landscape of the urban community. We have the opportunity, as well as responsibility, to design this emerging digital urban environment right, so that it benefits people in all walks of life.

It will require the creation of both a large-scale information infrastructure that will cut through existing physical and social infrastructures in the city and the design of new services and applications. It also requires new media both in form and function that can take advantage of the mobility and the ubiquity of information. By designing new digital urban communities and networks it will help us to re-think the meanings of familiar activities, while at the same time it allows us to envision novel forms of social interactions. Also, it will demand new forms of partnership between public and private sectors, researchers and practice, and the social and technical realms. The digital urban community, then, is a socio-technical innovation space where new forms of digitally mediated social interactions are designed and the meanings of old social interactions are re-shaped and mediated through new technologies.

Like water, gas, and electricity, access to the Internet and other information technologies can no longer be viewed as a privilege, yet it remains out of reach to the disabled, communities of color, new immigrants, non-English speakers, the homeless, and low-income families. The struggle to control broadband technology and the infrastructure that facilitates Internet connectivity is contested by public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Broadband access involves a digital landscape that few city officials are willing to take direct responsibility for.

One group that is connecting large urban areas digitally through wireless networking is the City of Philadelphia. A nonprofit organization called Digital Impact Group is leading the way in the city of Brotherly Love. A long-term vision is for Philadelphia - now among the least connected cities nationwide - to become the nation's most connected city. Our focus on developing programs to connect all of our citizens to the Internet is leading the way toward universal digital inclusion through creative collaboration with small business, large corporations, community organizations and the public sector.

As a result of Philadelphia's bold leadership on this issue, low-wealth families across the city are gaining access to computers and broadband service, enabling them to take advantage of opportunities that before were closed to them. Philadelphia stands alone among major cities in the development of a collaborative, comprehensive, community-based strategy to provide low-wealth families the tools they need to connect to the Internet.

Building research and technology parks in Benton Harbor that will bring in information and digital research companies will bring in much needed revenue as well as a tax base for an area that is desperate for job growth.

Urban conservatives in Flint, Saginaw, Detroit, Lansing, Muskegon and Benton Harbor should lead the way in innovation and digital technology by supporting smart policies that will benefit urban areas in Michigan.

The Mythical Check and The Future of Detroit by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-10-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

Detroit is facing an economic crisis of proportions not seen in decades. Personally, I do not think people realize how deep the situation in Detroit is when it comes to stability. Most days people feel that we are headed towards anarchy in this city. When you add poverty to the crisis we have a serious catastrophe.

This past week we saw how truly depressed and distressed came out in droves seeking housing and utility assistance payment from the City of Detroit as part of the "Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program," a federal stimulus fund designed to help residents pay rent and utility bills. 35,000 people were so desperate for help with mortgage and utility bills that threats were made, fights broke out and people were nearly trampled.

Keep in mind that our city's official unemployment rate is 28.9 percent.

Officials said a total of about 65,000 people over the past few days have gotten applications for a share of $15.2 million in federal stimulus money to help people avoid foreclosure or quickly rebound from homelessness. Only 3,500 people may receive the help. The sad thing was how people lined up thinking that they were going to receive a check or debit card. A mythical check was waiting for them.

It looked like scene from Hurricane Katrina.

The reality is that poverty exists for several reasons. One major reason is the lack of education. The other is that black people in this city will not hire one another in terms of employment. A third reason is the 100% dependency and victimization mentality that has paralyzed the city through racial paranoia and fear.

We cannot begin to even heal with this type of mentality. Let alone we have city officials who think like this and love to fan the flames of ignorance from community to community.

While Detroit struggles to come into the 21st century it will also struggle to come into the global picture. The automotive industry is dead and along with it the unions who have controlled the politics of the city for over 5 decades.

When I speak to urban conservatives on the future of our city and other urban areas across America I often tell them to have vision. We have moved past those who want to continue to keep the status quo.

One thing that no one running for any political office in this city (or any urban area) is the need for micro-insurance. This is a term increasingly used to refer to insurance characterized by low premium and low caps or low coverage limits, sold as part of atypical risk-pooling and marketing arrangements, and designed to service low-income people and businesses not served by typical social or commercial insurance schemes.

It's a financial arrangement to protect low-income people against specific perils in exchange for regular premium payments proportionate to the likelihood and cost of the risk involved.

Sharing risk through micro-insurance could help communities rebuild after natural disasters. The United States poorest people often live in the places most likely to be struck by disasters and they are the least likely to have insurance. If we allowed Detroiters to turn to micro-insurance programs it will allow participants in a community to pool their risk and hence lower their premiums to as little as $2 per year.

While we are talking about urban agriculture in Detroit how come no one is discussing the need to develop biobutanol? This is an advanced biofuel made from wheat, corn, sugarcane, and other agricultural feedstocks. Biobutanol’s advantages over ethanol will become more obvious in the years ahead: Its energy content is closer to that of gasoline, it is less corrosive, and it can be delivered and dispensed using current infrastructure.

Building an biobutanol plant here in Detroit can put people back to work. This project is tied in with building research parks in our city. The same for tactical bio-refineries that can turn garbage into fuel. A portable generator developed for military applications can turn food, paper, plastic, and other trash into electricity. Not only will this help troops stay mobile, but it will also increase their security by eliminating telltale information in a unit’s waste. Detroit should lead in this industry.

While building our research parks it should house the world's most innovative information technology companies. While we are transforming Detroit from an automotive market to a financial market we should also train and innovate a new generation of career-path information technology workers who will help design and market new high tech computers such as the quantum computers. These are computers that use spinning electrons rather than silicon-based chips to process data could do in seconds what would take a modern computer billions of years, raising the prospect of infinite processing power by the year 2020.

Already most security systems use what is called biometrics. Governments and corporations are using fingerprints, hand geometry, the iris, voice, and facial features in a growing number of identity verification systems, with fingerprints making up 67% of these applications. The question is where are the firms in our city and other urban areas across Michigan to build and program this level of technology. Again, putting people to work.

If you think what you saw at Cobo Hall is a sign of mass breakdown of social services wait until we evolve where electronically enabled teams in networks, robots with artificial intelligence, and other noncarbon life-forms will make financial, health, educational, and even political decisions for us. The reason for this is because technologies are increasing the complexity of our lives and human workers’ competency is not keeping pace well enough to avoid disasters due to human error.

So while we are still fighting over things that should have been solved in the 20th century we must look ahead to our immediate future if we do not want to fall further behind the wheel. Detroit must be able to diversify its economy if it wants to stop shrinking as a city. However, I see Grand Rapids surpassing Detroit as the largest city in Michigan by 2020 because Grand Rapids's infrastructure is ready for what is outlined in this article. Detroit's future looks bleak unless we embrace silver rights, 21st century strategies and begin to think ahead instead of playing race games and staying in poverty.

Urban Profiles: Ron Edwards by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-10-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Oftentimes, I hear some far left wing liberals discuss how social conservatism is dead in the water. They point to people like President Obama and how people did not use the Bible to make a vote. Well here is the reality. Social conservatism is not dead. It simply needs to be retooled.

It is being retooled as we speak and this time black social conservatives are truly leading the way.

One such leader is Star Parker (pictured here). But I would like to discuss about someone local who I think many need to get to know. His name is Ron Edwards and the brother is no joke. If we want to seriously look at how to revitalize social conservatism then simply look at Ron Edwards.

If you ever get a chance to hear him on Joshua's Trail like I have (and also shared the mic with him many times on WDTK 1400 AM on Saturdays) all you would hear is things that are uncomfortable coming out of his mouth.

That means he is telling the truth or as he put it "simply blowing the myths away."

The Edwards Notebook is his signature editorial that he gives during the broadcast and also at the top and bottom half of the hour anywhere between 11AM and 7PM during the week. This notebook is designed to do two things. (1) To remind you that there is no God but God and (2) to remind you that America is the best thing since slice bread. His no nonsense approach to politics often teaches us a lesson on why the United States must continue to function as the greatest country in the world.

What kills me is how black people try to deny the fact that they are social conservative. This is nothing new as we have shown time after time that blacks support marriage between man and woman, frown upon abortion and support prayer in schools. Ron Edwards understands the needs for not just blacks but all Americans who worship under one God.

For 20 years Ron has been a forced to be reckoned with, educating people on issues that the regular mainstream media would not do. and now From WJMO, WCPN & WGAR in Cleveland to WWJ and now WDTK-AM here in Detroit here is a man who will not bend his Christian values for no one.

He sounds like my kind of guy. A man who will stand up for what's right. If Ron understands that America is caught up in a cultural war how come most of us are on the sidelines silent?

For those who feel that social conservatism is long dead in a post-Obama world is highly mistaken. As long as people like Ron Edwards is here to help spread that gospel of truth and victory around the social conservative movement is not going anywhere.

Continue to support Ron Edwards by listening to the Edwards Notebook online at http://www.edwardsnotebook.com

A New Economy for Urban Michigan: Building A Hair Dynasty by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-10-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

In the City of Detroit you will find almost on every corner a hair and cosmetics business. The major problem is most of these stores are not owned and operated by people of color but our Asian counterparts. Now I do not have a problem with diversity, however, I often ask myself would Asian support a Chinese buffet owned and operated by blacks in an Asian community? The answer to that is no. So why do we allow people to come in and control 90% of the economy in our community?

According to Target Market News blacks spend over $18 billion annually on hair care products. Black women use five times more hair products than their white counterparts and spend close to $23 billion annually on hair and beauty supplies.

This opens the door to a new economy in areas like Detroit called hair manufacturing and distribution.

The purpose of this is to help existing black producers who already produce black hair products. One generation after blacks fought in the civil rights movement whites and Asians took control of the nation's black hair care and beauty supply businesses. Today, they own 82% of Black hair care and beauty supply dollars. Asians have built a monopoly because of the wig industry from China, to the manufacturing of hair and beauty products and now have manicure and pedicure booths and stores in urban areas across the country. These types of monopolies aimed at black people in America helps produce wealth, income, and recession-proof jobs for Asians.

One can look into history to see how Madame C.J. Walker developed and dominated the black hair care and beauty industry that helped generate income and wealth for people of color. Because blacks never developed a true distribution system others were able to squeeze out those black producers who could not buy them out.

In a silver rights era we must open the doors of competition in urban areas to help develop new economies to keep a certain level of sustainability in urban communities. We often look to government to give us our fare share of revenue sharing when people right here in Detroit can produce revenue sharing by building hair distribution systems to (1) keep competition going against stores like Lee Beauty Supply and (2) reduce the unemployment rate by hiring people who are qualified for the job.

One thing that I keep on telling people is that the city needs to reproduce what is recession proof. Barber shops and beauty salons are recession proof jobs that can be strengthened by connecting the products they use in their shops with both production and distribution companies right here in the City of Detroit. We have to be in the business of building careers not building hustlers on the side. Detroit is engaged in a hustling mentality and we must convert this into building careers and wealth.

Once again, urban conservatives need to reach out to the hidden constituency called the Diaspora. This is something we must not ignore. We have a number of Africans who reside here in Metro Detroit who have a unlimited number of braid shops and lockticians. These women help generate wealth and in many cases send money back home to places like Senegal and Ghana. Building bridges with this group can also turn a domestic revenue generator into an international market by building distribution centers in both Detroit and Senegal.

When we marry education with silver rights we will not have to rely on Lansing to give us our fare share of revenue sharing or cut jobs. We will be in a position to produce a legacy.

A New Economy for Urban Michigan: Aquaculture by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-10-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

While urban planners here in Detroit are trying to "rightsize" the city by implementing urban agriculture one thing we have not discussed fully is urban aquaculture. The City of Detroit, Benton Harbor and Muskegon are ripe for urban aquaculture to help generate revenue into these cities.

Aquaculture is fish farming. This is where people can cultivate fish for food in a controlled environment, such as a tank or pond, and harvesting them when they reach preferred size. Some may be interested in raising an easy-to-breed species that is fairly inexpensive to feed and relatively free of parasites and diseases. In a time of over-fishing and degradation of wetland habitats, aquaculture presents itself as an environmentally and socially sound alternative. Urban conservatives can help develop programs that will provide fresh, high-quality fish at a fair price to local ethnic markets, along with potential jobs for vendors.

This industry can be built due to the high consumption of seafood by blacks. Blacks consume 3-4 times more seafood than other races of people in the United States as well as spend nine dollars for every one dollar that whites spend on seafood. A seafood factory will meet that growing need. However, what are we doing to produce an industry that will help generate revenue as well as investment opportunities for areas such as Detroit, Benton Harbor or Muskegon?

Fish farming sounds a lot easier than it is. It involves close monitoring of the water chemistry and fish health, along with the daily work of feeding the fish, transporting them, and finding a viable market. Besides the challenge of physical labor, aquaculture systems are also expensive. The controlled environment required to grow fish in tanks includes an aerated water circulating system, carbon filters to clean water, fish feed, transporting tanks, and equipment for monitoring the water's chemical composition.

Examples of this can be found in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Growing Power. This is a two-acre urban farm that was founded by Will Allen in 1993. Growing Power inspires school kids and entrepreneurs alike with the fresh produce, meat, and fish it grows in the heart of the city. Growing Power now has satellite farms and community gardens around Milwaukee and Chicago.

Others are following Allen’s lead, growing fish and plants in a three-tiered aquaponic system. In aquaponics, fish and plants are grown in one integrated structure. Fish waste fertilizes the plants, and plants and bacteria clean the water for the fish. Aquaponic systems mimic the natural water purification that takes place in streams and wetlands.

Milwaukee is emerging as a leader in the urban farming revolution, especially in aquaculture. Local organizations are recruiting more urban agrarians through education. Growing Power has regular workshops, and a nonprofit Urban Aquaculture Center that includes an education center as well as a production facility that is in development.

Aquaculture has been increasing around the country, and urban fish farms like Sweet Water are on the cutting edge. Purdue University’s Kwamena Quagrainie, who specializes in aquaculture marketing, does not know of any other commercial urban fish farms.

Detroit, Benton Harbor and Muskegon can benefit from urban aquaculture. Urban fish farms may help fill these gaps, with Detroit and other cities reaping economic, health, and environmental benefits. Urban agriculture and aquaculture provide jobs near a ready workforce, fresh foods for underserved populations, reductions in fossil fuels for food transport, and an use for empty industrial buildings.

If urban conservatives can lead the way to help other succeed it will provide a valuable business model for entrepreneurs in Detroit and other urban cities in Michigan. It will also strengthen the current of change that is reshaping how we grow our food.

The Mackinac Experience: Reaching Out Globally by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Everytime I go to Mackinac City and Mackinac Island I am fascinated by the Jamaicans who work on the island. Their hard work and determination to do what's right should inspire all urban conservatives. However. when I come back to my community we have blacks who simply hate on our West Indies community.

our Of course, for some who live in Detroit who have fallen for the cultural stereotypes of Jamaicans simply are ignorant. This is why I push for education because it is a tool that helps eradicate ignorance and stereotypes. While I was on I-75 coming back from Mackinac City I was in a intense discussion with some of my female friends on the phone from Detroit. They lambasted me because they felt that I was seeking a weaker woman in the Jamaican. They feel that Jamaican women will work for the crumbs that fall from the table instead of fighting for what is right. I could not believe that these women from Detroit were ridiculing their Jamaican sisters because they work in the service industry.

Then more stereotypes followed. "How many jobs do they have? 3 or 6? How many babies they have 10?" The other sister on the phone cried about how Africans and Jamaicans take jobs away from African Americans. They clowned about how Jamaicans cannot speak proper English. They both agreed to think that Jamaicans are better than African Americans and felt that I was a traitor to our sisters here in Detroit if I was to date one of them.

What they did not know that all of the Jamaican women I spoke to were married. The two sisters on the phone from Detroit were divorced.

It always depresses me when black people hold ignorant views of other black people across the Diaspora. No wonder our community is a joke here in Detroit. Being bi-cultural myself I have been targeted by other African Americans in this community as being better and not being in the in-crowd in terms of following the status quo. We practice so much cultural oppression in this community it is not funny. We clown the Senegalese women for braiding hair, and if that family is a Muslim them they must be terrorists. Nigerians are looked upon as scam artists and not wanting to help African Americans (which is false). Where are they getting this nonsense from?

What’s REALLY depressing about it all that essentially all black and African people have the exact same negative stereotypes for each other, the same stereotypes western Whites and Europeans gave us. You think people would listen to themselves. We’re all unceremoniously labeled as shiftless, lazy, morally loose, repugnant, violent, prurient beasts with animal-like behaviors who love sex and sensibility.

To show you how ignorant these sisters were they forgot that both groups suffered the traumatic experience of slavery (slaves were often shipped back and forth between the Caribbean and the United States), were cut off from our African homelands (forcing us to create a new identity in the new world), and both of us have black skin in a racist society. However, people from the Caribbean do not complain and use race as a crutch. Even after fighting wars, AIDS and malaria Africans come over to the United States and prosper. Meanwhile, some African Americans have a belief that government is supposed to take care of us instead of providing us the services that we need. Everyone else understands the role of government but we still think the white man who runs the government is against us. That sound like some who do not want government involved in anything.

Anyway, when I was talking to our Jamaican sisters on Mackinac Island they wondered why our women complained about everything. However, one Jamaican woman said something that struck a serious nerve in me. She said how come black people in this country blame racism for their condition when it was clear all they really needed to do was sacrifice and work hard for what they wanted. Pull themselves up by their bootstraps by working hard and invest in our communities. She said African Americans were too sensitive to the subject of race and politics.

It sounds like urban conservatives have been going after the wrong constituency all these years. I walked away from that conversation thinking that maybe we need to rethink our strategy in terms of outreach to black folks in urban communities and look towards something greater and something more international. Jamaicans, who come from intact households, appreciate hard work, love God like no other, and will support their men at all costs. I have noticed similar behavior traits with Nigerians and other people globally.

Black people in America will continue to vote Democratic in large numbers for whatever reasons. That will not change. However, I think Republicans, especially urban conservatives, need to reach out to other people in the Diaspora. They lean towards our values. The women are easier to get along with, the men are serious about family building and the children are serious about education. We do not need to keep reminding blacks in urban communities about what we did as Republicans in the 20th century. We need to reach out and communicate with people that look like us who come from other parts of the world who have come to America to seek opportunities.

My conversation continued with our Jamaican women in Mackinaw City. Another woman asked me "how come African-Americans could not simply “get over race”. We are operating in a new age where opportunity was abundant. Instead of complaining, African-Americans needed to apply their energy towards a career or an education and stop using race as a crutch."

That was MINDBLOWING.

It’s sad when people try to place their prejudices on others. I do not have anything against our people in Detroit or other places. I simply want to deal with people who are not afraid of commitment, afraid to speak their mind in a peaceful manner and think global. Some blacks here think too local and that leads to other issues that are counterproductive. We should not have to make our Jamaican brothers or sisters (as well as others) Americanized. We should allow them to keep their values. In fact, I like it when Jamaican women keep their values instead of trading them in for something corrupt. It shows me that they are serious about their culture and God.

The real problem is we are so far removed from our roots that we no longer realize how much we have in common. We don’t realize that our language, our food, and our traditions are similar even though we are thousands of miles apart. The more we learn these commonalities the easier it will be for us to unite.

This is why urban conservatives must create a new path of distinction in our community by connecting with those across the Diaspora. We have the same issues (none of us want higher taxes), are concerned about global education and want to improve the quality of life. Also keep in mind that we have African Caribbeans in the United Kingdom and African Canadians who are conservative and share some of our concerns. The same with our British counterparts. Urban conservatives do not make any distinction between Christians, Muslims and Jews because we come from our father Abraham.

Regardless of how confusing the media tries to portray people we are one family. Its time to stop playing politics and play policies that will work in urban communities. Reaching out to Jamaicans are no different. Urban conservatives both respect Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey the same way mainstream conservatives respect Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater.

I am not excluding our Hispanic brothers and sisters nor our Arab, Jewish, Asian and Indian families. They too are urban conservatives. We all need to kill the stereotypes about one another. I met a Puerto Rican woman at a store recently who wanted to teach me Spanish while she wanted me to teach her about the Yoruba in education. The point here is when we reach out to new people you will realize how much we have in common.

It's time for our community to expand our horizon in relationship building. Maybe the woman you are looking for is Jamaican or the man you looking for is Senegalese. Either way it goes open the door to kill the stereotypes. We may even begin rebuilding our families if we look past the stereotypes.

The Mackinac Experience: Pushing for Conservatives of Color by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

I was amazed of how 2100 Republicans registered for the Michigan GOP Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island. Unfortunately, only a few minorities were at this conference. In fact, it was so noticeable that people started asking me questions as soon as I got off the ferry boat Friday evening.

The question? Where are the minorities at the conference and where are they in the party?

Therefore, a small group of us had an impromptu discussion on this issue Saturday at the Grand Hotel.

I got a chance to hear some of the debate between the gubernatorial candidates early Saturday morning. While they discussed the economy one thing people always forget is how urban communities are instrumental to the advancement of the State of Michigan. They talk about Detroit and bringing Detroit back but there are other communities that need to be bright back as well. However, it seems like the biggest challenge is how Republicans can approach urban areas.

The answer is simple. Just talk about issues that are relevant. I think I brought this up several times in our discussion. Instead of template talking points and foreign platforms I stressed the need for discussions on mental health, family building, global education, and even participating in race relation discussions. The key here is relationship building. You simply cannot just come into the black community hoping to find some votes during election time. It's impossible.

A big point that I stressed is how the GOP must understand the demographics of where they are targeting voters. You cannot take a boiler point platform into the Brightmoor section of Detroit. You will get shot. Instead, find out what community groups and neighborhood associations are over there and build relationships with them first. We wait too long to do this. Not just in Detroit but find out the landscape in all urban areas across Michigan. Find out why their schools are failing. Don't just say the teacher unions are blocking progress. There are other ways to go around the teacher unions.

How many people in the GOP are connected to groups like the Skillman Foundation or Detroit Parent Network? The NAACP? The Urban League? We know the GOP has ties with various Chamber of Commerces across the State of Michigan but are we partnering with other community based groups who have direct access to people in our community? When was the last time the GOP connected with Focus Hope? The North Oakland Republican Club volunteered to work in a soup kitchen in Pontiac not too long ago. Most GOP clubs will not even conduct meetings in urban communities. That alone shows the disconnect.

Have we viewed ourselves as a party that want to cross barriers with other people or are we just simply talking? For example, how many Republicans who were on Mackinac Island talked to our Jamaican brothers and sisters while they were there? I have said repeatedly that we are forgetting about a hidden constituency that we have not tapped into. I got a chance to speak to several Jamaican women on the island. These women had ONE THING IN COMMON. God, hard work, not seeking a handout, honoring the man in the house through God, family oriented, not allowing anger to blindside them, valued educational values, not blaming other races for holding them down and loving life to the fullest. One even expressed the fact that she does not wear skirts to church but long dresses. Out of the 12 women I spoke to 11 of them were married.

That sounds a lot like the GOP to me. Yet, most of us looked at them as just servants and not stakeholders in this party. I can say the same for Nigerians, Ghanaians, Senegalese and others across the globe. If we want to attract conservatives of color into the party then you have to give them a serious reason to consider. We also have to realize that every black or Hispanic that want to participate in our party may not be Christian. Do we alienate them or do we open our arms and agree to disagree and move on?

Civic education forums are needed to inform constituents on the issues as well as creating solutions. I said nothing about bashing elected officials. I said solutions. If the GOP becomes more solution-oriented we will see a positive outcome in urban communities. If we keep up this tirade of bashing people we will not win in 2010.

You cannot neglect urban communities because they are the very instrument that can help revitalize Michigan. Even Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty stated in a luncheon I was at on how poor urban areas are recruiting grounds for new Republicans. Creating jobs and improving schools are goals that resonate with all parents. The message has to be consistent.

But our dialogue was awesome. I enjoyed meeting with the stakeholders in this meeting. We need to have more and actually conquer our fear of one another.

The Mackinac Experience: Fix Michigan by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

The Michigan Republican Party has just completed its 28th annual Biennial Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference and trust me it was worth the 4.5 hours getting there. As usual, the stakeholders in the party are here for one thing.

Fix Michigan.

Yes, while our state is suffering massive unemployment and Lansing's lack of ability to lead many grassroots, business, educators and state party leadership came together to find solutions and ways on how to Fix Michigan. What caught my attention is how John Rakolta simply told the audience in the first Fix Michigan panel that race still plays a role in blocking regional cooperation.

This is true.

However, with Michigan's general election next year we need to prepare ourselves to move forward. But we cannot fix Michigan if we still think going back to a security blanket of ideas will work. We live in a different America now as opposed to 1994 when we had the Contract on America.

What I heard from some of the people attending the conference was how the party must go on offense if we want to win in '10. We cannot get arrogant and lazy this time around. We assumed in 2006 that we had Gov. Granholm and the rest of the Michigan Democrats on the ropes. Instead, Michigan Democrats reloaded quickly with Jon Stryker and the Coalition for Progress. They got a whiff of smelling salts in the corner, had their eyes cut, was splashed in the face with some water, and charged out like a bull, knocking the GOP back on its heels. We did not recover in 2008 either but things will change.

It's time to get personal and get specific. I have been saying all along how we need to touch every demographic without fear.

Finally, we need to stop wasting time on insane, utterly ridiculous goose-chases such as MLB steroids, or televangelists. How completely ridiculous. People are sickened of the fact that our Senators have nothing better to do than to investigate Benny Hinn. This convinces people, more than ever, that the Republicans are out of touch.

I am approaching Mackinac City off I-75. After ducking state troopers and sheriffs I finally made it.

We are getting on Shelper's Ferry to cross over from Mackinac City to Mackinac Island.

I love the Mackinac Bridge. I crossed the bridge to see the Upper Peninsula. What a different world.

The Straits of Mackinac. The water is beautiful.

Congressman Eric Cantor from Virginia speaking to us at breakfast.

Congressman Eric Cantor takes a picture with the urban conservative.

Nick DeLeeuw from Right Michigan doing God knows what.

State Senator Mike Bishop throws a party at the Pink Pony on Mackinac Island. People could barely get in the party because so many people were there.

State Representative Paul Scott has his supporters. Many wonder if Rep. Scott will run for Secretary of State of Michigan. We shall see after the budget crisis.

More supporters for Paul Scott.

9th District GOP Chairman of Oakland County Glen Clark pumping up the crowd for State Rep. Paul Scott.

5th District GOP chairman Lutullus S. Penton of Genessee County pumps up the volume for Rep. Scott.

State Rep. Gail Haines, Sheriff Mike Bouchard's daughter and State Rep. Sharon Tyler making their presence known at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Dr. Tom George speaks to Kelly Mitchell.

Ingham County GOP Chair Linda Lee Tarver is on her way to the evening reception with her husband Clint. Both of them are always stylish as usual.

Finally, it's silly to chide donors for not "opening their wallets" when as of now, they have nothing or no one to open them for. Stryker was important, not because he poured money into the moribund Democrat Party, but because they gleefully used the money to attack Republicans. Something to think about.

History shows us that since the end of the Whigs (who never had a chance, hence they were called "stillborn" by one historian), we have had two viable parties and only two viable parties. That won't change. Change must come within the GOP. We did it before, we can do it again. But a major purge is in order, and I fear some black times are ahead for the state until we get our act together.

But the conference was awesome as usual.

Here are the straw poll results from the weekend:

Governor
Votes cast: 1,244
Mike Bouchard: 298 votes (23.95 percent)
Mike Cox: 300 votes (24.12 percent)
Tom George: 41 votes (3.30 percent)
Pete Hoekstra: 219 votes (17.60 percent)
Rick Snyder: 386 votes (31.03 percent)

Attorney General
Votes cast: 1,212
Mike Bishop: 446 votes (36.80 percent)
Bruce Patterson: 69 votes (5.69 percent)
Bill Schuette: 697 votes (57.51 percent)

Secretary of State
Total votes: 1,186
Cameron Brown: 311 votes (26.22 percent)
Judy Emmons: 11 votes (0.93 percent)
Michelle McManus: 404 votes (34.06 percent)
Anne Norlander: 248 votes (20.91 percent)
Paul Scott: 212 votes (17.88 percent)

Chainging The Culture About Our Children by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-20T18:37:00.000-07:00

Since President and CEO of the International Women's Forum Michelle Bernard has given educational activists the green light for us to push for an educational revolution tonight on her nationally televised town hall meeting on MSNBC with Dr. Bill Cosby we need to transform the way we view education in urban areas. Between watching the town hall meeting, called About Our Children and the educational documentary 2 Million Minutes, I am fully convinced that we need to change the culture immediately in our urban centers to compete in a 21st global educational and economic model.

The real war is not between Democrats and Republicans or liberal or conservative. The media has done such a great job in confusing people with these labels. The real war is the lack of education in our communities whether those communities are black, white or Hispanic. While countries like India and China are becoming the center of attraction globally academically the United States continue to fall behind the global standards. We can no longer look at this as a race or political problem. It is a threat to national security.

In the documentary 2 Million Minutes it shows when a student completes the 8th grade, the clock starts ticking. From that very moment the child has approximately Two Million Minutes until high school graduation, to build their intellectual foundation and to prepare for college and ultimately career.

How a student spends their academic career from 8th grade to 12th grade in class, at home studying, playing sports, working, sleeping, socializing or just goofing off will affect their economic prospects for the rest of their lives.

Statistics for American high school students give rise to concern for our student's education in math and science. Less than 40 percent of U.S. students take a science course more rigorous than general biology, and a mere 18 percent take advanced classes in physics, chemistry or biology. Only 45 percent of U.S. students take math coursework beyond two years of algebra and one year of geometry. And 50 percent of all college freshmen require remedial coursework.

This fall at Michigan's colleges, thousands of students are arriving with great expectations -- only to find themselves relegated to paying for high school courses without even receiving college credit. Those courses are called remedial classes, which students have to take because they were so poorly prepared in their K-12 schools.

At Michigan State University, the proportion of incoming freshmen who need remedial classes jumped to 28 percent today from 25 percent last year. At Delta College north of Saginaw, 81 percent of incoming students need remedial classes. That number has grown 3 percent in recent years.

The growth is a sign, some experts say, that Michigan school districts are not taking seriously the implementation of the new high school curriculum that state leaders adopted in 2006 to better prepare students to succeed in the knowledge economy.

It;s not just hitting urban communities like Detroit and Flint but also upscale areas like Rockford, Michigan. The upscale suburban city outside of Grand Rapids, where most families send their children to four-year universities. What most parents in Rockford don't know: The district's latest state test scores show only 24 percent of its kids are college-ready in all subjects based on ACT indicators, which colleges use for admissions.That suggests most of those students will have to take remedial classes, a predictor of college failure.

Now it is true that more Michigan schools are meeting federal education standards, helping them avoid costly sanctions, but they are graduating with the skills to compete in Michigan and America but are nowhere close to global standards.

An estimated 80,000 jobs go unfilled in Michigan and an additional 30,940 jobs could go unfilled in the near future, according to a 2008 EPIC/MRA future business study. This indicates Michigan's high rate of unemployment has more to do with a lack of necessary education and training among residents than a lack of employment opportunities. Studies indicate there is a strong correlation between increases in average test scores and national economic growth. In country after country, a boost in test performance was linked to a distinct rise in annual per capita gross domestic product growth, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

Even students going directly to entry-level jobs or entering technical schools need higher-level thinking and math skills, researchers have found across the country.

The more math Americans learn, research shows, the more money they earn. Students who take challenging high school courses, especially in math and science, will earn $1 million more than students who do not.

Algebra II, in particular, is a predictor of success in college and in getting a good job in the knowledge economy -- more than race, socioeconomic status or family income.

While many of us are playing partisan politics and discussing how each party is racist have anyone payed attention to our students scored next to last, world-wide in advanced math? In Physics the U.S. scored at the very bottom of the heap.

American 15 year olds came in below average, at country ranking #29 in science and rank position #35 in math according to Program for International Student Assessment based in Paris, France.

The international 'Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)' reported, : "the effectiveness of the U.S. primary and secondary education system can be characterized as mediocre at best."

Mediocre?

What about in June 2006 when Achieve, Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit education organization formed by governors and prominent business leaders, found that math and English tests for high school diplomas require only middle school knowledge, and that those math graduation tests measure only what students in other countries learn in the seventh grade?

What about reading numerous reports that home-schoolers scored 70% higher than public school students on standardized national achievement tests, regardless of race, economic status, or regulation levels?

Or the decline in the number of U.S. citizen science graduate students still continues, and that the growth of business administration Ph.D's lags so far behind population growth that major business schools now employ professors to teach graduate level business courses that, according to the dean of MIT's Sloan School of Management "don't know a lot about business?"

Or found out in February 2005 to read that China produced 4 times more BS engineering degrees than the U.S., and Japan twice as many. Nobel Prize-winning scientist R.E.Smalley of Rice University reported "by 2010, 90% of all Ph.D. physical scientists and engineers in the world will be Asian living in Asia." The International Math & Science Study reported U.S. 12th graders were out-performed by 90% of other nations in math and 76% in science. In advanced math the US was out performed by 94% and in science by 100% of other nations. The American Association for the Advancement of Science reported 90% of math books and 100% of science text books are unacceptable.

Or found out in 2005 when the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that the testing of 300,000 students nation-wide showed that 82% of 12th grade students were not proficient in math and science - - even worse than 10 years earlier. 73% of 4th graders failed to gain proficiency scores. 8th graders showed no improvement in the past 10 years. When the test was taken again in 2006 over 65% of 12-graders were not proficient in reading, a worse result than 1992 when the test was initiated.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the information age not the industrial revolution. While we sit and play partisan politics the global experience will pass us up. Camden, New Jersey spends $27,000 per pupil and still have a failing school district. While it is true that American schools do a particularly poor job of educating blacks and Hispanics, one should not conclude that white students in middle-class suburbs are uniformly well served. In mathematics and science, the nation's top high school students rank far behind much less elite samples of students in other countries.

China, is likely to become a major center of global technological innovation, as it joins Japan as a scientific and technological power. The United States graduates about 60,000 engineers each year; Japan 70,000. China is now graduating about 325,000 engineers annually. Think about it.

What is worse is that our students fall further behind those from other nations the longer ours are in school. For example: our 4th graders performed mediocre since 46% of other nations outscored them in math. But it gets worse. By the time they were in the 8th grade they were outperformed by 68% of the other nations. And, lastly as mentioned above, by the time they were in the 12th grade they were outperformed by 90% of other foreign nations. This is indeed shocking, signaling that an education gap opens up wider and wider vs. other nations as ours progress from one grade to another.

Our children do not appreciate educational values. It's time that they do. Parents and stakeholders must begin to transform their thinking in terms of thinking global. This is part of the silver rights movement. Again, we do not need political parties to give us our marching orders. Stakeholders like Michelle Bernard has already given us that challenge. It's time for us to move away from meaningless debates and start concentrating on our future.

Lastly, its time to increase our educational output to attract diversity into our community. We do not need race baiting or fighting against regional cooperation to create a new educational incubator that will help our students prepare to become global citizens.

We must change the culture of education if we want to promote global education. We start NOW.

Building A Better Regional Approach To Education by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

The founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, John Hope Bryant, has a mission statement that makes total sense.

"There is a difference between broke and being poor. Being broke is a temporary economic condition, but being poor is a disabling frame of mind and a depressed condition of your spirit, and you must vow to never, ever be poor again."

His vision for the poor, the under-served, and the wealthless of the world is to help them see themselves -- differently. We can do this by helping to expose, to educate, to empower, and ultimately to inspire them.

This is deeply rooted in what we call silver rights. This is a concept that documents and validates the next phase of civil rights: the empowerment movement not only of American minorities, but of majorities as well. That is, we transition beyond giving a fish, beyond teaching to fish, to owning the pond itself.

Yesterday, I was part of a quality education tour sponsored by the Detroit Regional Chamber. The group that made up the tour were both stakeholders in the policy, educational and business sectors.

The first school we attended was the Detroit Edison Public School Academy (DEPSA). DEPSA is the FIRST CHARTER school in the state of Michigan to be honored with the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award bestowed by the Department of Education. It is also accredited through the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.

The school has an excellent curriculum, clean and modern facilities, tons of extracurricular activities, a dynamic superintendent who is always striving for higher levels of achievement, caring and involved principals, and great teachers. I was amazed by some of the things that they are learning. I love the attitudes of the teachers and administration as far as learning and raising the bar.

The vision of DEPSA's Superintendent Ralph Bland is current, appropriate, solid and well disciplined. The children are being challenged as we were parents to excel in studies. It was great to see our children study like we did in college. You won't find anything like it in the City of Detroit. The quality of education your child receives all comes down to the teachers, the students and parental involvement.

After we left DEPSA we went to the Foreign Language Immersion Cultural Studies (FLICS). FLICS is one of the best kept secrets in the Detroit Public Schools. In fact, it is probably the most important school in DPS because language immersion programs have grown for a number of reasons: competition in a global economy, a growing population of second language learners, and the successes of previous programs.

This school offers a rigorous core curriculum that includes total immersion in French, Spanish and Japanese languages as well comprehensive study of English language arts with Open Court Reading. Beginning in kindergarten, students receive instruction in the target language from native-speaking teachers and highly qualified instructors. An appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity is stressed.

One of the key principles of immersion education is that linguistic and cultural knowledge is a resource—the more you know, the better off you are. Immersion education adds knowledge about a new language and culture while building on a child’s English language skills and knowledge of U.S. culture.

Students from the French program have won first place in the National French Contest for two years in a row.

This teacher was teaching a Japanese language course at FLICS. How many black men do you see teaching Japanese on any given basis to children? Despite having no Japanese heritage, the students can rattle off the hiragana characters of the Japanese language. No one in the class was speaking English.

This teacher was teaching Chinese to a group of children. Again, no English in the classroom. Keep this in mind. FLICS is located right here in Detroit at the old Renaissance High School (which moved next door). Some of these children can speak Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and French better than their suburban counterparts.

More Chinese instructional learning going on at FLICS.

The challenge for Detroit Public Schools or charter schools is to develop at foreign immersion cultural high school at the high school level. As we move into a global society these types of schools will be needed.

The afternoon session of the Quality Schools Tour included testimony from various educational stakeholders in the community on the needs to improve quality education in Michigan. The House GOP Educational Committee met with us to hear our concerns. We testified the need for alternative teacher certification, quality charters, and I even gave a testimony for allowing Wayne RESA to control failing school districts that are operating financially in a deficit like Detroit Public Schools. This is a better alternative as to allowing the Office of the Mayor to run Detroit Public Schools.

The quality schools tour that was sponsored by the Detroit Regional Chamber is part of a growing silver rights movement. This movement is rightly focused on an inclusive policy, aimed at empowering the wealthless of America. Because we believe that education is the ultimate poverty eradication tool it is necessary for us to put our differences aside and come together on educational policies that makes sense.

This includes creating a curriculum that links students to the jobs and careers of the 21st century in Michigan by building learning partnerships between businesses and schools to develop in-demand job skills and talents as well as expanding mentoring and internship
opportunities, especially for minority students.

Our K-16 curriculum needs to focus on critical thinking and problem solving as well as global perspectives and languages. This, including the core courses that children needs to compete, will help create a new well balanced student.

There is no way we can improve our economic conditions in the State of Michigan without addressing the needs of education FIRST. There is no way we can reinvigorate and diversify our
economy by forging unique niches that draw on established and emerging assets without realizing that global education needs to be paramount. This includes treating the arts and culture as both educational and economic tools of regional growth as well as improving core infrastructure. Also, encourage businesses to partner with school districts to develop an entrepreneurial curriculum.

Educational reform fits into the platform of the silver rights movement because we believe in giving individuals "a hand up to a hand out," and actively promote programs aimed at helping people, people help themselves. Whether those programs are financial literacy or public health we need a proactive and coordinated partnership between the private sector, government, technology and the community.

Through global education we can begin to convert the economically uneducated to the economically literate, and empowered. Showing people how to help themselves and creating more stakeholders in Michigan. Our movement is reflective of all people and all races, because without strong, consistent and positive intervention, all the major trend lines suggest a large and growing educational disparity gap; and "any nation is at its greatest risk by those who have no stake in it." But with positive intervention, consistency we can realize the rebirth of the American dream of equality for all.

We have to create an era of educational prosperity that will lead to family building and wealth in Michigan. An educational era where selfishness is replaced with enlightened self-interest. This will in turn lead to an economic era giving birth to the stakeholder class. Lodged between the working class and the middle class, the stakeholder class doesn't necessarily make more money, but makes better decisions with the money they make. All deeply rooted in education. There would have been no financial crisis if people would have been smarter about their money instead of making it a political issue. If we need a tea party we need one for financial literacy. It's easy to point the fingers at someone else but hard to point it at yourself.

If we continue to support organizations like the Detroit Regional Chamber, Skillman Foundation, MAPSA, the Hannibal Public Policy Group, Emerging Leaders Think Tank, Detroit Parent Network, and others who are in the mix in terms of building educational and regional power here in the State of Michigan we will begin to see a transformation in our region. These groups I mentioned not just have a vision for Detroit but all of Michigan. This is why I travel across the State of Michigan talking about educational reform efforts.

The Challenges That Lies Ahead by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-16T05:48:00.000-07:00

Presently, I am reading this document entitled, "RNC MINORITY OUTREACH:
SAY ONE THING, DO ANOTHER." After reading the document I simply said to myself people still have work to do.

To me, the document, written by the Democratic National Committee, speaks in volumes. Some may write it off as a way to divide the party but if you actually read the content of the message one can only wonder why the RNC keeps going over this minority outreach thing and blacks still vote 90% Democrat.

I do not think the issue with Black Republicans being elected or even being respected in local and national communities is an issue. That is not the problem. The issue is connecting a message with your constituents.

If you take a look at the present day National Republican Party it's broken up into three distinct factions.

1. The Social Conservatives. These are the people who are mostly Christian and exercise their Christian values in politics.

2. The Libertarians. This is another group who stresses limited government (some stress NO government at all), adhere to the Constitution of the United States and have a disdain for social conservatives.

3. The Fiscal Conservatives. This group pushes for fiscal policies that advocates a reduction in overall government spending. They believe in free trade, deregulation of the economy, lower taxes. Most of this group are strong followers of former President Ronald Reagan through his "Reaganomics" platform.

Then you have those paleoconservatives who have left the Republican Party and are now part of the Constitution Party. This party is deeply rooted in Christian nationalism and have a splinter group called the American Independent Party.

When you look at the present day plight of Black Republicans where do they fall under? While the three groups have an identification and can expound on their platform politically Black Republicans today do not have a clear platform. That alone is a serious core problem. Present day Black Republicans discuss patriotism, independence and cultural conservatism that is connected to the Black church.

However, the last 40 years in the United States Black people in our country have voted Democratic. So what is really going on here?

The way I see this is the lack of REAL identity with our Black Republicans. There is no real contrast between Black Republicans and the three groups I just mentioned. Black Republicans actually fall in one of the three groups. Which can be a good thing our bad thing depending on where you live.

Most Black Republicans who I know personally often tell me that they cannot gain real ground in the Black community because so many blacks are Democrats or liberals. I then ask what message are they telling black people in the urban areas. They tell me that they talk to blacks about limited government, free enterprise and tax cuts.

That's the main problem. The message and not understanding your audience. No one understands this message in certain parts of Detroit or Pontiac. So you have lost your potential voter.

Again, Black Republicans have to begin to create an identity that sets them apart from the rest of the crowd. The most basic fundamental issue here is crafting a message that is going to make sense. Too many of our young Black Republicans I have noticed are using terms from people like Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater. Rarely, I ever hear anyone discuss the efforts of Booker T. Washington, Ida. B Wells or Marcus Garvey. The reason for this is because most have never been exposed to real African and African American History as it pertains to Black Republicans and blacks in general. It's one thing to master American History but its another to fully understand your past to move into the future.

On the flip side of things most Black Republicans STILL dwell on the past and what Black Republicans did for blacks. This level of history is important but it cannot be used to craft public policy and solutions in 2009. It also does not show how this history is relevant to other blacks across the Diaspora in 2009 when it pertains to global trade and development in cities like Muskegon, Detroit and New York. Black Republicans have to stay current not dwell in the past.

We also need to do our homework and stop mimicking others when they talk about the war on poverty. Yes, we know that Lyndon Johnson created the welfare state but what is never discussed from any Black Republican (or Republican in general) is how the Vietnam War created division in black families nationally. There are never any discussions on how black men came home, affected with Agent Orange, only to come home to poverty and eventually drug use or selling drugs because they could not find a job. Some committed suicide after fighting for their country. There are more to the destruction of the black family than playing politics. Black Republicans must be able to articulate these issues in a honest and truthful manner.

One thing that bothers me is how we have become silent on the education issue. Black Republicans cannot get caught up on being loyal to the Republican Party when we have some Republicans who support teacher unions. Education is an issue that needs repairing in all urban school districts across the country. Some have taken the argument of using school vouchers. That's nice, however, how do you translate that into educational policy? Even though I support vouchers is it an issue right now in Detroit? How many libertarians have submitted signatures to get vouchers on the 2010 ballot? We are seeking REAL educational reform not talking points. Black Republicans should be right on top of this issue along with charter schools.

How many Black Republicans have designed educational or non-partisan think tanks to improve education as well as working with elected officials to make this a reality? What's our position of Mayoral controlled public school districts? These are discussions we need to be taking leadership on in our organizations. Stay away from extreme discussions on education that will not make sense.

It's easy for Black Republicans to call President Obama names day in and day out but it makes our case even harder when its time to go into the black community and expound on our message. Our excuse is black people are so brainwashed that they will not listen to us. They should not listen to us because we are parroting a platform that simply does not talk to our people. That's just the truth.

A quick history lesson here. When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963 the entire country mourned his death. The leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, told the NOI not to come out and make a comment about JFK because not only people loved him but it would bring serious repercussions on the NOI in general. In other words, they would be looked upon as lunatics and anti-American. Who made the statement about the "chickens have come home to roost?" Minister Malcolm X. He made this statement because of the United States involvement with world affairs and the CIA murder of Patrice Lumuba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1961.

Malcolm X was silenced for 90 days and excommunicated. We know what happened next.

Today, we face a similar situation. Blacks (and Americans in general) love President Barack Obama regardless of what people think of his policies. Regardless of what his approval rating is nationally 1 out of 3 Americans prefer Obama over Bush (or ANY Republican) to be President. So when Black Republicans go on this "temper tantrum" of character assassinating the President and has not even crafted an urban agenda that will be an alternative to what President Obama is proposing to urban communities then we make ourselves look bad. Does that mean we should not critique the President? Absolutely not, we should but be ready to have an answer that do not fall in one of the three categories above. That means we need to study and analyze information to create a platform that makes sense. We cannot allow room for distractions at this point. To continue character assassinating the President will not only make our job harder but people will not take Black Republicans seriously. Making excuses for why our community is in the situation its in will simply not work. SOLUTIONS not WHINING win results.

A full blown libertarian message will not work in our community no matter how many libertarians tell you it will. Neither will a full blown social conservative message. What I have learned through my personal experiences is talking to people about crime, lack of quick police response time, failing schools, and even discussing health care and mass transit are issues that people want to discuss and want serious solutions. I also tell residents that government is not supposed to babysit you. You have to get up off your ass and make a living.

Black people are seeking solutions not bashing. Black Republicans should discuss high speed rail, green jobs, social entrepreneurship through micro financing, and most importantly defusing the war on poverty by showing compassion by both helping and educating the poor so they can pull themselves out of poverty. Again, K-16 education should be our TOP priority. Period.

Do not be afraid to connect with other Africans from across the globe. This puzzles the hell out of me. Studies how that 19.4 percent of all adult African immigrants in the United States held a graduate degree, compared to 8.1 percent of adult white Americans and 3.8 percent of adult black Americans in the United States, respectively. Of the African-born population in the United States, age 25 and older, 86.4% reported having a high school diploma or higher, compared with 78. 9% of Asian born immigrants and 76.5% of European born immigrants.

African immigrants to the United States are the largest immigrant group that has the lowest percentage of people not fluent in English. This is likely due to the fact that English is one of the most spoken languages in Africa.

The goals of Africans vary tremendously. While some look to create new lives in the U.S., some plan on using the resources and skills gained to go back and help their countries of origin. Either way, African communities contribute billions to the economies of Africa through remittances.

My point is while Black Republicans are trying to seek alliances with everyone else how come there has not been any mass push to connect with Africans or people of Caribbean descent? This is strange to me. I can see why most Africans in this country vote Democrat (except the ones in places like Texas). They simply adopt to their environment. How can we continue to ignore people in this country from across the Diaspora?

I recently interviewed two couples who were Black Republicans from the South about two months ago. One couple were in their last 80s and another were in their mid-70s. Both couples admitted to me that Black Republicans today are lost. They are not the Black Republicans of Frederick Douglass or even Booker T.Washington. These were pioneers in their craft. But the next thing they told me was interesting.

They wanted to know why so many Black Republicans have become so individualistic in their approach and thinking when it came to the black community. They explained to me how traditionally, blacks in the community were more community-oriented than individualistic. They told me that was a trait of the old Southern Democrats who fought against civil rights, voting rights for blacks, and high taxation. They said that Black Republicans of the 20th century would have never participated in "tea parties" but would have fought for quality education, fought against racism, helped improved as well as helped sustained the quality of life. Most of the Civil Rights workers were Black Republicans. They told that there have always been intellectual differences between blacks (they used W.E.B DuBois and Booker T. Washington for example and DuBois and Garvey) but not at the level we are witnessing.

To add on to what they are saying many have forgotten that the NAACP was OUR organization upon its inception in 1909. Same with the National Urban League in 1911. Black Greek Organizations as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities. All of what I just named here can STILL be relevant to Black Republicans IF we have a CURRENT message that resonates with people. The conservative foundation does not have to change. The strategies MUST adapt to the times if we are to be taken seriously. To abandon OUR own traditional foundations that we started in the early 20th century and then want to earn respect is absurd.

Again, do not make excuses on how the liberals have taken over higher education. How many of us are creating the balance in education to begin with? You cannot complain about higher education if you are not in the mix yourself on any level.

Another issue that the elders brought up is the fact that Black Republicans today are very anti-government. They think it is very foreign to them because blacks have always had a relationship with government dating back to the end of the Civil War. The elders challenged me to take a look at how government helped free blacks with the 13th, 14th and 15th amendment. They could not fully understand how the very same government that helped us become free are now the enemy. They concluded by saying instead of protesting government you need to lobby for better solutions and run on a platform that makes sense.

The point of them saying this is that Black Republicans lack an identity that people can respect. We follow more than we lead. If we bash anyone that is a Black Democrat then we get a pat on the back. If we work with Black Democrats to create legislation that will help fight against child poverty then we have sold the "party" out. It's these types of divisions that will kill our community while the conservatives in the suburbs flourish and continue to prosper.

Therefore, Black Republicans cannot wait for the RNC to developed a clear approach to attract the Black vote. Even with Michael Steele and Angela Sailor in charge that is not going to happen. It will take grassroots Black Republicans, who are not afraid to disagree with Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck or even our libertarian brothers and sisters, to move an agenda forward. Who said Black Republicans had to follow? Just lead for once. Have others support our causes.

It's the responsibility of those who are passionate to first study their history, their culture, and fully understand the plight of the black experience in the United States. We have to begin to think for ourselves, talk about the issues that are relevant to everyday people in our community and engaging and debating in policy solutions that will help forge a new reality for urban communities globally. Then we will be in a position to win elections, gain respect and connect with others who have been afraid for so long to speak out. Most Black Republicans are afraid to speak out in fear of those white conservatives who may call them names and try to break their spirit the same way they tried to break Colin Powell and Michael Steele. At some point you have to step out on faith and let go and let God guide you to what makes you feel passionate.

To my young Black Republicans I urge you to travel, study how other people are living globally, watch international channels such as the Travel Channel, BBC, Africa Channel and others that will be a window to the world. Read books that will stimulate your intellect. Don't just read Michael Medved, Glenn Beck or Larry Elder. Study the works of Dr. Dambisa Moyo, who has an international perspective on things. Stay away from conspiracy theories because it leads to confusion.

When you disagree with ANY elected official present your policy statement and explain intelligently why I disagree or AGREE with the official. Learn to be civil in discussions. Do not be anti-intellectual or no one will pay attention to you or your platform. Learn to be engaged in race relation dialogues in your community and in both Democratic and Republican Parties. If you choose to be active in the Republican Party as an officer do not let your urban agenda be buried under the talking points of the party. An urban agenda is just as important as lowering taxes or supporting a national defense for our country.

Discuss the importance of regional cooperation and link in with organizations that is about bridging our region together. If you live in an urban community like me get to know all of your state representatives and state senators. In fact, get to know all of your elected officials, read up on them, their background and who they are connected to. Research their bills and what they have introduced legislatively. You should do the same with local, county and federal lawmakers. Study the City Charter of your city, county charter (if you have one) and both the State and Federal Constitution so you can be familiar with the laws. Black Republicans have to think higher and be consistent with messages if they want to attract black people into the circle. There is no room to be anti-intellectual in this day and time with so much information available through the Internet to help our community.

Instead of walking in the door pissed off at them because they are a Democrat listen to what they are saying FIRST. You might agree on what is being said in the room. Then present your point in a way that will bring the both of you together. Always be the solution maker not the problem creator.

Help and encourage young people to do community service. There is nothing wrong with it. Community service can help students graduate. This can include working in a soup kitchen or mentoring young black men who were released from jail. We do not need the government helping us with this when there are numerous non-profit agencies who are already doing this.

Address how HIV/AIDS is killing our community. Even some of the most conservative black churches I have visited will not address this issue. They are quick to address abortion but not HIV/AIDS. Both are a cycle of death why not address both of them and come up with ways of prevention?

Address the issue of broken marriages in our community. Find out why young people are practicing same sex relationships. Black Republicans, like urban conservatives, must be serious about solutions instead of using social conservative talking points.

Lastly, stop getting involved in things that are just counterproductive. Black Republicans were traditionally freedom fighters, has helped set the course of the country coming out of the Civil War, supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities, kept our neighborhoods intact and loved their country, culture, education and history. Many still do but are caught up on anti-intellectual things that is dumbing down America instead of building it up.

The Republican Party was stared in 1854 as an anti-slavery group for blacks. This party was founded to help blacks but has been hijacked by anti-intellectuals who is bathing in fear and paranoia. Today, Black Republicans must take the lead once again IN THIS PARTY, without fear and intimidation, to set this party back on course to make it relevant not just to all Americans but globally. If that means becoming State Chair of the GOP, Congressional or County chairs, vice-chairs, urban outreach directors, etc, so be it but do it in a manner that will bring about change.

If Black Republicans can simply engage our community, redefine ourselves nationally, and reach out to those who want to support our cause I guarantee you we can win elections locally, county, state and nationally. There is no one stopping us from sending Black Republicans to Congress except us.

A Global Vision For Detroit Will Help Build Innovation by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

The City of Detroit is in a position to transform itself into a modern day financial and global hub for commerce, trade and development. However, business and governmental leaders in both our city and region face a destructive social backlash that could foment political instability and reverse the trend towards becoming part of the global community if they fail to develop effective solutions to the current economic and educational crisis.

However, the leadership we need to implement must reflect this. This is why I will continue to support Mayor Dave Bing and his efforts to move Detroit into the global market. We simply do not have a choice. I will also support candidates who can demonstrate that they have a working knowledge of global issues that they can connect with both Detroit and the region.

In order for Detroit to compete globally we need to look at redesigning our economic growth model. When I attended the candidate forum last night at the Detroit Urban League I did not hear anything about policies, industries or cultural shifts that are needed to develop an alternative to Detroit's economic growth model other than relying on the State of Michigan for revenue sharing.

To begin with this process regional business leaders need to understand what the new environment will look like. The economy before the financial crisis was not “normal” and will not return to that situation. There was an extreme expansion of credit that will not be repeated.

For companies to thrive in the post-crisis era here in Detroit and throughout the region, innovation must be the key. Innovation is the essence of value creation, and the ability to reinvent business models. When companies diversify, the businesses should complement each other and allow for innovation. There is also need for new business models. Consumers are challenging the old model. Today’s consumer is setting a new standard, looking for new products and new ways of buying things. This is creating a transformation agenda for businesses in meeting this need.

The appropriate business model depends on the situation. Whether a company should be diversified or focused, that is completely up to them. It needs to be what fits and works. But it is clear that if a company is not successful in one market it is unlikely that it will be successful in others. And for diversification to work, the company cannot have a “top-down” centralized model – flexibility and some decentralization are needed.

Organic growth is always the strongest way for a company to grow, but acquisitions are the quickest way to get there. However, mergers and acquisitions need to be done right. Some Metro Detroit companies have expanded internationally, but not all stories have a happy ending. They have found that there is just as must potential to destroy value as to create value. Issues such as higher labor costs and major cultural differences in Metro Detroit and elsewhere are difficult to overcome. All risks need to be considered, and there has to be an underlying purpose for acquiring a company. It needs to link to the overall strategy and what value it will bring. Size itself is not enough to do this. Following mergers, companies then need to be aggressive about driving integration.

Another thing that Detroit and the rest of the region must understand is how our educational system must become more aligned with the skills required by industry.

The current K-16 system both statewide and worldwide is under pressure, and a shift of values is necessary if education systems are to be made ready for the next wave of economic growth. The greatest need is to correct the mismatch between what students study and what the market demands. To help solve the mismatch, the private sector needs to be brought into the process of curriculum development to create a balance.

Urban school districts such as the Detroit, Inkster, River Rouge, Muskegon and Benton Harbor continue to lag behind developed countries when it comes to entrepreneurial activity, mostly due to heavy bureaucracy. Creating a more enabling environment will help them overcome this problem. Cultivating entrepreneurship among students will equip them to go beyond being employees by becoming employers. Entrepreneurship must therefore be made an acceptable career choice.

Of primary importance is adding soft skills to the hard skills that 2-4 year education institutions currently teach. The private sector currently complains that graduates are unable to make and execute decisions, work in teams, communicate, and turn information into knowledge and wisdom. Furthermore, some struggle to even use basic computer programs.

Taking teaching outside the classroom will help students to learn and discover more. This will make their education more real and the lessons longer-lasting. Basing education institutions on values, with a shared mission, will help teachers and professors to adapt their programs to meet their overall objectives. Meanwhile, funding will reward those providing relevant programs with measurable outcomes.

The basic operating principles of the private sector can be transferred to the education system, to ensure it meets the ever-changing needs of the market. Deregulation and competition will ensure educational institutions produce better results and more graduates that are employable. A mixture of public and private funding will in turn help maintain overall levels of innovation.

An educational system that is effective from K-16 as well as innovation will help merge Detroit with the rest of the tri-country area here in Southeast Michigan. Candidates who are running for office here in Detroit and other urban areas must promote regional cooperation. This is important because it will help to offer residents many amenities and can make life easier. If our region is to become home to some of the world’s population, our problems must be addressed. Solving the problems of our region and urban cities will go a long way to addressing the world’s problems.

City leaders in Detroit must move towards a global community. Period. Our lifestyle choices and expectations will determine how Detroit and the rest of the region will develop in the future. Mass transit with light rail,while reducing personal traffic, congestion and sometimes pollution, will encourage and enables urban sprawl. Allowing Wayne RESA to run failing school districts such as the Detroit Public Schools would be revolutionary. A more diverse community in areas like Detroit would help integrate our school system.

Some argue for taking a more local approach to city life, suggesting living, working and playing within the same general area, thus reducing the environmental impact and possibly improving the quality of life.

Detroit will not become a global city until we elect, support and produce global visionaries who will move us towards globalization in our community. Keeping the status quo of leadership and their rhetoric will simply not work.

The Real Health Care Plan: Our Community by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

I listened to President Obama's health care speech to a joint session in Congress last night while I was at State Senator's Hansen Clarke's health care town hall discussion that was sponsored by WDET 101.9 FM and Wayne State University. While I was listening to the panel discuss health care and solutions one panelist said something that stuck out in my mind.

He said there are over 200,000 people without health insurance in the City of Detroit. The city only has 871,000 residents. That's too many people to be without health insurance. Add a 28.5% unemployment rate and that spells disaster.

The poor state of health of blacks has been attributed to disproportionately large incidences of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, the leading causes of death in the United States. These diseases are the major causes of decreased longevity, decreased quality of life, and poor treatment outcomes among blacks. The elimination of health disparities in the United States is a high-priority need because research indicates that blacks (and other people of color) live with more morbid conditions that negatively affect the quality of their lives and die at a younger age than our Caucasian counterparts.

Heart disease is about 40% higher among blacks than among Caucasians,and strokes are more likely in blacks than in Caucasians. Cardiovascular disease mortality in blacks aged 20-74 years is at least 35% higher than in Caucasians. Certain modifiable risk factors, including hypertension, high cholesterol, tobacco use, obesity, and lack of exercise are the main targets for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Under girding health disparities are factors that directly affect the health of blacks and other people of color, such as education level, socioeconomic status, communication barriers between health care provider and patient, and overt discrimination.

There are some things we need to consider when we discuss health care without the rhetoric. For one, we need to practice prevention. When you pick up that cigarette, that pork chop or steak and continue consuming this behavior over and over again what do you think is going to happen to your body eventually? Try exercise and a better diet. This alone can reduce the chances of people getting diabetes.

However, we can only go so far with that. Some things that happen to us is hereditary. Things like bad cholesterol or cancer running in the family may not be so preventive. Therefore, we need to look at some avenues in terms of expanding coverage of perinatal, cancer and other chronic diseases.

When I talk about health care I am not just talking about it from the Democrat vs Republican issue (which is a waste of time because both plans add to the national debt). I am also speaking of environmental issues. This is just not an urban issue. You can live in the sticks and drink poor quality of water with high bacteria that can cause health disparities.

For those who live in South Poletown/Dequindre Yard (in Detroit where we have the largest incinerator in North America) the asthma rate is higher than anywhere in the State of Michigan. Asthma is a growing concern in this country, particularly in inner-city African-American and Latino populations. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness and is the second most important respiratory condition as a cause of home confinement for adults. Each year, asthma causes more than 18 million days of restricted activity, and millions of visits to physicians' offices and emergency rooms. A recent study found that children with asthma lose an extra 10 million school days each year; this problem is compounded by an estimated $1 billion in lost productivity for their working parents.

But it does not stop there. We have environmental issues in Southwest Detroit in 48217 that are not properly addressed. This is the largest black population in this area but others such as Arab and Latinos are affected as well. We must expand this health care debate outside of what the media wants us to talk about.

Whether President Obama's plan will work depends on its implementation. What I mean by this is some feel that his plan will not work because of costs. However, what people need to understand is that our health care system is broken and must be fixed. Instead of adding on to the national debt we need to seek ways to bring affordable health care to our door steps instead of looking towards Obama's plan as the only solution. Which I know is not the only solution.

One thing I did appreciate him saying is the value of competition. Now he is talking my language. The same way we need educational choices to bring forth competition to make products better and more affordable is the same way we need in the health care system. In the urban community we need all the competition and "a la carte" menus of health choices we can get because the urban community is hit the hardest. We have a McDonalds, Burger King, White Castles, liquor stores and coney islands on every corner in our community. Do we have a choice to go in and purchase the food or liquor of our choice. Yes we do. But that same mentality of capitalism is killing our people. It would be different if the food had a different quality. In Dearborn, MI there is a Kentucky Fried Chicken that are owned by Arabs that sells Halal chicken to people. In Oak Park and West Bloomfield, MI there are Jewish people who sell kosher chicken to people. Both Arabs and Jews live longer than blacks in Detroit. I do not think I even seen a Church's chicken in Dearborn or West Bloomfield.

Remember St. Ides? Remember how many rappers were promoting this malt liquor, which by the way 8.2% of alcohol by volume, which puts it at the high end even for the high-alcohol malt liquor category for American large beers. This beer was specifically targeted in large urban communities. You see, we promote our own demise in our community.

On the flip side, when I go into the suburbs I see better quality restaurants and less liquor stores. I see Whole Foods and Good Foods Centers. I see actual grocery markets and produce stores. Our mindset has to change. The culture must change if we are serious about health care.

Blacks continue to suffer disproportionatelyfrom a number of diseases that result in chronic disabilityand cause premature death. In spite of the advances in medicalscience and the development of more effective treatments andinnovations in health care delivery, substantial disparitiesremain between blacks and the general populationin physical and mental health and in the delivery of healthcare services.

Speaking of mental health issues we cannot get distracted as urban conservatives with the mainstream media fascination of health. Mental health is a crisis in the urban community and is rarely discussed at great lengths. Part of the mental health crisis is the number of schools administering drugs into our children to calm them down because they have been labeled as ADHD or LD. Most of these children are not even close to being that, however, because some do not understand the behaviors of our children the solution are drugs. This is far from the truth. The solution is diet and meditation. If you change the diet of the child and be consistent that child will expel any poison from his/her body.

Mental health leads to hypertension, heart disease and other ailments in our body. People who normally practice racism, sexism, paranoia and fear have mental health challenges. Do we wait for the government to give the solution or can we solve this in our churches and mosques?

You see, urban conservatives do not have to wait for President Obama because we believe as a group that we can craft solutions that will help supplement what the President is trying to accomplish. We have to illustrate the effectiveness of partnerships withthe black church to provide health education and social supportsuch as weight reduction programs and drug abuse preventionprograms; use of mutual assistance groups to augment healthcare for people with chronic illnesses; other community-centeredinitiatives; and educational and behavioral strategies targetinghealth care utilization, medical compliance, and the promotionof wellness. This all goes back to our belief that faith based and non-profits must work together to create a wholistic approach to health.

As urban conservatives we believe in promoting mental health professionals who will focus on strengthening families and building social competenceand emotional skills. These include competence development modelsto enhance the family's capacity to build competence and self-esteemin their children and frameworks that assist families in examiningrelationships and understanding, alleviating, and preventingviolence as a means of coping with stress.

While many thought I was going to attack the President's plan for health care reform that is not the case here because the bottom line is that we have to learn to take care of ourselves. Churches can lead that effort. For example, the Seventh Day Adventist Church promote health living by teaching their people to be vegetarians. Yorba Linda, CA is one of the most healthiest city in America. The city is ran by the Seventh Day Adventists. This is a model that urban conservatives can take and apply to other urban cores while the structure of health care reform is taking shape in Washington D.C.

Partnering with other community health resources rather than relying solely on internal church resources could help our community. A majority of the church goers in our community have one or more cardiovascular risk factors that could be significantly reduced by lifestyle changes; therefore, a concerted effort by church health ministries to implement lifestyle behavior change programs is necessary.

I will be truthful and honest that it is true that a large portion of the state's racial and ethnic minorities,including blacks, face significant barriers to health care,including obtaining coverage for treatments and medications prescribed by their providers. More Michigan doctors are finding their ability to care for their patients negatively impacted by third parties. Combined with the cost of treatment, these health disparities can make it extremely difficult for patients to manage their disease and maintain a quality of life. What I heard from President Obama was a mix of Democrat and Republican ideas for this health plan. Regardless of what the outcome will be in the near future we must be committed to improving the lives of urban people and others across the state. We have to take those steps first not the federal government.

Urban conservatives cannot get distracted with antics such as Congressman Joe Wilson from South Carolina calling President Obama a liar. Or RNC Chair Michael Steele denouncing the plan. If Mr. Steele is going to denounce the plan then he is supposed to bring forth an alternative health care plan to the urban community (which he and many other Republicans failed to do). This is real leadership. Anything else is pure distractions that we do not need. If you do not like President Obama's plan for health care then please present an alternative plan other than holding up bills in a joint session of Congress. That's not good enough. Also, it might help to come into areas that are impacted the hardest like Highland Park, Muskegon, Detroit, Inkster, River Rouge, Ecorse, Flint, Saginaw and Benton Harbor to actually listen to the stories. I heard the stories last night at Wayne State University. It's time for the GOP to overcome fear and paranoia if they wish to seek support from minorities and the American public.

We must promote the practices of managed care so that physicians can act in the best interests of their patients, and without interference from outside influences such as monetary incentives or fears of punitive actions.

Faith based and non-profits must focus and develop networks that will provide health education to the residents of the urban underserved communities; training community health workers through distance learning programs: tracking health concerns; and generating health data profiles. The network would also give doctors and staff in area hospitals and health centers the connectivity that would ultimately result in an integrated medical record for over 200,000 Medicaid recipients and low-income citizens of Detroit. One of the major goals of the project is to provide the clinical professionals, serving the most disadvantaged citizens of our community, access to the Internet, E-mail, clinical information systems, library information, patient information and medical research data bases.

It's interesting that we always come back to education. The number one issue that any conservative needs to talk about is education. Health care reform, the economy, ideologies, eradicating racism, etc. are all tied in with education. Urban conservative have ALWAYS been consistent on our platform with education because we strongly believe that an educated population with family building will produce wealth creation in a community.

Lastly, part of urban renewal in urban communities is health care reform. Policymakers need to understand the connection between health, spirit and community. Black men and women have the highest occurrences of hypertension, diabetes, and hospitalizations for stroke. The prevalence of obesity is highest among black women. Hispanics were least likely to have health insurance, receive influenza or pneumococcal vaccinations, and have the highest rates of poor or fair health.

Let us create a model that can be attached to the best health care plan that will suit our needs. If we successfully implement a plan like this we can move forward to helping others globally. We have a commitment to improving our own health, creating a health care plan that people in our community can afford and push for a handup instead of a handout plan to bring people back to great health.

We Cannot Be Distracted by President Obama's Speech To Children by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

I just listened to President Obama's speech on education to our children. Prior to the speech there were concerns about the President trying to indoctrinate our children with socialism. It sounded more like personal responsibility to me than indoctrination.

Did anyone hear anything different? Education eradicates poverty and ignorance. Other presidents have spoken before our nation's children.

On November 14, 1988,President Reagan addressed and took questions from students. According to his press secretary Marlin Fitzwater the speech was broadcast live and rebroadcast by C-SPAN and Instructional Television Network fed the program “to schools nationwide on three different days." A great portion of Reagan's speech spoke to the American "vision of self-government" and the need to keep faith with the unfinished vision of the greatness and wonder of America."

Here is an excerpt:

"Today, to a degree never before seen in human history, one nation, the United States, has become the model to be followed and imitated by the rest of the world. But America's world leadership goes well beyond the tide toward democracy. We also find that more countries than ever before are following America's revolutionary economic message of free enterprise, low taxes, and open world trade. These days, whenever I see foreign leaders, they tell me about their plans for reducing taxes, and other economic reforms that they are using, copying what we have done here in our country.

I wonder if they realize that this vision of economic freedom, the freedom to work, to create and produce, to own and use property without the interference of the state, was central to the American Revolution, when the American colonists rebelled against a whole web of economic restrictions, taxes and barriers to free trade. The message at the Boston Tea Party -- have you studied yet in history about the Boston Tea Party, where because of a tax they went down and dumped the tea in the Harbor. Well, that was America's original tax revolt, and it was the fruits of our labor -- it belonged to us and not to the state. And that truth is fundamental to both liberty and prosperity.

Add to that, Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” to drugs; advice some remember as being given first in 1982 to students at Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland, California.

Reagan's successor the first President Bush in a September 1991 teleconference addressed school children. In a moment of educational motivation and self-candor said, “All of you can turn learning into an adventure. And to do this you have to prepare not just by studying, but by studying hard, especially math and science. And that means doing what I too often fail to do, that means homework.”

Moreover, in 2001 Bush asked the kids to each donate a dollar to improve conditions for Afghanistan children.

Expectantly, both Reagan’s and Bush’s addresses were characterized by the loyal opposition as “political advertising.”

Urban conservatives do not have time to address why the President of the United States is addressing children on the first day of school. This is a moot point. It's a point that we simply cannot get involved with because there are other serious and critical areas of educational reform we must address first. I'm not interested in President Obama's speech to children so much as to understanding why are we spending so much money on Race To The Top funding knowing that this is not the long-term solutions to education. You cannot throw money at the problem You need a serious solution.

I also would like to know why Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Al Sharpton and Newt Gingrich are on tour for educational reform but declined to come to Detroit, Highland Park, Inkster, Pontiac, Muskegon, Muskgeon Heights, Grand Rapids, River Rouge, Ecorse, Flint, Saginaw, Jackson, Willow Run or Benton Harbor? If the Secretary of Education will not come to the urban cities then its time for young adults under 40 to travel to the cities with our message of educational reform.

Urban conservatives need to stay on task with solutions ONLY. Educational reform cannot happen unless we evolve into the information age. Then discuss at the local level on how we can push for alternative teacher certification to allow organizations such as Teach for America and others to participate in educating our children. Expansion of charter schools in urban areas in Michigan are needed to provide MORE options for parents and children. Push for global education by diversifying our school districts. Maybe its time to bus in children of different cultures again to help solve some of the racial issues in this region.

We need Wayne RESA to run failing school districts such as Detroit and consolidating others to mainstream dollars and cents.

While we are wasting time criticizing the President for a message of personal responsibility we need to figure out how we are going to keep school districts afloat because the Michigan Senate gave recommendations for the foundation allowance funding to be reduced by $110 per pupil ($174.2 m), eliminated small/rural declining enrollment grants ($10.6 m). Governor Granholm had recommended a $59 per pupil reduction and a reduction of one-half of the declining enrollment grants. The House did not include any foundation reductions.

The Senate also reduced Vocational Education and Adult Education by 10% ($5.4 m), reduced ISD operations by 5% ($4.1 m) and the Early Childhood Investment Corporation by $750,000, and included testing changes saving $2.6 million more than the Governor's reductions of $941,300.

The Governor's budget recommended restoring the prohibition that school districts could not operate schools within the boundaries of the Detroit Public Schools, without DPS' approval. The House amended this language to prohibit any district from operating an instructional site outside of the district's boundaries, without the approval of the resident district, for programs established after 2008-09. The Senate struck the language, clarifying that any district can go into any other and open an instructional site.

In other words, an Oak Park School can operate inside the City of Detroit as a school of choice.

Also, did you know that the Michigan House of Representatives added a requirement that districts provide at least 170 days of pupil instruction, where a day is defined as at least five hours of student contact time. The Michigan Senate changed the language to require 165 days in 2010-11 and 2011-12, and at least 170 days beginning in 2012-13. In addition, the Senate added a requirement that districts not provide fewer days of instruction than were provided in 2008-09, and did not define the length of a day of instruction. The Senate also added language requiring the Department to approve certain full-time online learning programs as meeting requirements for hours of instructional time.

Average days in school for Japan is 240 days out the year. South Korea and Taiwan is 222 while Israel average around 215 days of the year. I cannot believe we are debating about giving our children 165-170 days of instructional time here in Michigan where over 50% of the population in the City of Detroit alone is functionally illiterate. It's a no brainer. Pass a bill to expand instructional time to compete.

Here is another angle for you. A 2006 US News & World Report study showed that students in Japan, Germany & France:

Spend 100% more hours studying math, science and history than U.S. students.
A full 50% of all students take advanced examinations, compared to but 6.6% in U.S.

Not only do more foreign students take advanced exams, but their passing rate is 8 times higher than Michigan (33% vs. 4%) which equates to foreign schools having a success rate 57 times higher than Michigan (and other U.S.) schools for advanced examinations.

It may be concluded that foreign schools compared to Michigan:

Require 100% more hours studying math & science.
Require 800% more students to take advance examinations.
Produce 5,400% more advanced exam graduates.

Students of other nations have 22-35% more school days per year than U.S.

Additionally, some nations (like Germany) require 13 years for a high school diploma vs. 12 years in the Michigan. Not only do more days in school potentially assist their higher quality output, but it is done at LESS cost per student.

Overall, U.S. spending per student is between 50% higher and 2-3 times higher than these nations despite fewer class days than others, yet our comparative test scores in math & science are lower.

China, for example, is likely to become a major center of global technological innovation, as it joins Japan as a scientific and technological power. The United States graduates about 60,000 engineers each year; Japan 70,000. China is now graduating about 325,000 engineers annually.

The International Math & Science Study reported U.S. 12th graders were out-performed by 90% of other nations in math and 76% in science. In advanced math the US was out performed by 94% and in science by 100% of other nations. What is worse is that our students fall further behind those from other nations the longer ours are in school. For example: our 4th graders performed mediocre since 46% of other nations outscored them in math. But it gets worse. By the time they were in the 8th grade they were outperformed by 68% of the other nations. And, lastly as mentioned above, by the time they were in the 12th grade they were outperformed by 90% of other foreign nations.

So when I read SB 698 by Sen. Wayne Kuipers to amend the Revised School Code to permit a pupil to meet the algebra II requirement of the Michigan Merit Standard by completing an approved CTE program that had embedded math content I become concerned.

Under the Code, the Michigan Merit Standard requires at least four credits in math, including algebra I, geometry, and algebra II, or an integrated sequence of that course content that consists of three credits.

Also, to the extent that fewer students dropped out of school because of a real or perceived inability to complete algebra II, the State would incur higher per-pupil foundation allowance costs for the additional length of time these students remained in school. In other words, the State saves foundation allowance funding when a student drops out, and if students remain in school, the State pays school districts foundation allowance funding for each student counted in membership. If, as a result of this legislation, more students were counted in membership than otherwise will occur, higher State school aid foundation allowance costs would result.

But my only major concern about the bill is how is lowering the high school requirements in math is going to make us more competitive globally in the long run? How is revising the high school graduation curriculum requirements replacing Algebra II with the option to take a vocation education program in electronics, machining, construction, welding, engineering, or “renewable energy"? How come school districts cannot simply expand their schedule by adopting trimesters as well as expanding the number of days in the classroom (instruction time) to acomodate all of this? What about year round schooling?

What about teaching our children civics lessons from K-12 so they can FULLY understand what Socialism, Marxism, Communism, Capitalism and other political philosophies mean. Children should know what is a mixed economy. Our children should know the history of the United States, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, as well as understanding why it is important to preserve these sacred documents. We only teach civic education for a half a semester in high school. That is not enough.

The same for geography. How come a student from other parts of the globe know more about American History, culture, science, math and can speak 3-5 foreign languages fluently more than the American student who lives here? They take Christianity, Islam and Judaism more seriously than we do here (especially Africans, Arabs and Jewish people). Americans are far behind but have an opportunity to catch up if we develop educational incubators that promote global learning.

In closing, we, as urban conservatives, should not fall for conspiracy theories but global education that will help eradicate racism, sexism, and other negative things that will cause us to be distracted. In the game of global education and silver rights we cannot afford to be distracted with nonsense that will prevent us from achieving our goals. Our mission is global. Our job is to prepare our children for a 21st century global reality.

The Information Age of Education by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

In urban America educational reform is littered with failures. If you take a look at the various reform efforts over the years and see the same results you will find that our children are doing no better than their global competitors.

What is never discussed openly are the barriers to educational reform. These barriers include size and demographics. Presently,the U.S. school system includes nearly 3 million teachers and 50 million students. The sheer size of the system makes reform exceedingly difficult. Now consider the following demographics:

Only 20 percent of U.S. adults have children in school.
There are more people over age 65 than teenagers.
The fastest growing population group in the U.S. is people over 85.

By looking at these statistics it clearly demonstrates why schooling is not a priority in the U.S. and why it is not likely to become a priority in the near future. As people get older, they become less interested in youth issues; their own health and financial security take top priority.

But what people do not understand is that education is a national security issue. The lack of quality education for all children jeopardizes the fundamental American belief that every citizen has the opportunity for success, no matter their background or place of origin. When you have a bad education system, we're going to lose jobs and lose small businesses and lose our ability to compete. When we lose the fundamental core of our economic prosperity, we will be become weak and we will become more vulnerable to attack.

If these size and demographic barriers are as intractable as they seem, then how is it possible to reform urban education in the 21st century? I will attempt to answer this question without going into the school governance issue.

The heart of the problem lies in the socio-economic revolution that society is currently undergoing. After the agricultural and industrial revolutions, information is the third great socio-economic revolution. Like the others, it will reshape where and how we live and work and that will reshape how we educate. In the past 100 years, reform of our educational system moved at a snail's pace. Teachers started the century with books and chalkboards and ended it with the same tools. Some school districts like Inkster, Pontiac and Highland Park, MI still use chalkboards as a form of teaching.

The information revolution have sped up the pace of reform in the 21st century. For example, the Internet is infiltrating society faster than any other technology in the history of civilization. The transistor radio was in existence thirty-eight years before fifty million people tuned in; TV took thirteen years to reach that benchmark; the PC took sixteen years. Once it was opened to the general public, the Internet crossed that line in four years. The bottom line is that the Internet is not a fad, but rather the most obvious manifestation of the information revolution.

What are the implications of this educational revolution for reform? Instead of tackling existing educational policies and practices directly (such as with broad governmental efforts like No Child Left Behind or more limited policies such as school vouchers or standardized testing), the most effective reform strategy is to support the development of information technologies that are consistent with life and work in the 21st century.

It would be nice for education reformers to lobby for a free, ubiquitous, high-speed information infrastructure that would give all Americans instant access to infinite resources including the world's great libraries, museums and universities. Education reformers should also lobby for free, multi-media, interactive, Internet-based information databases, repositories, communication devices, and training programs available at any time and any place to every citizen. They should support efforts that are creating new learning environments that harness the power of information technology to improve the quality of teaching and learning, contain or reduce rising costs, and provide greater access to education. These lobbying activities, if successful, will do more to advance reform of education than any direct attempt to reform the educational system itself.

If you are an educational practitioner interested in reform, then you should lobby your state lawmakers to support rigorous information technology requirements for certification requirements.

The longer the time lag between socio-economic change and education reform, the greater the chance of national decline due to an outdated workforce ill-equipped to compete globally and technologically. Reducing that lag is the most significant challenge facing both educators and politicians in the twenty-first century. Nothing less than the survival of our country rests on their ability to understand the ramifications of the Information Age for the reform of education.

Racism Is A Disease That All Of Us Need To Fight by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

I was at the Oakland County Commissioners meeting last night listening to Mayor Dave Bing speak. He discussed how both Detroit and Oakland County need regional cooperation to move Southeast Michigan forward. I agree with the Mayor because it is time that we put aside our differences and move ahead into the 21st century.

However, we still have both sides of the border fighting against each other on many levels. On one side, we have Detroiters who accuse Mayor Bing of union-busting and trying to sell off the jewels of Detroit while we have the suburbs fearing that crime will rise if we allow more diversity into their paradise.

We talk about racism all the time but allow me to discuss it from an urban conservative perspective.

Racism only exists because of the lack of education from both sides. It has been passed down generation after generation. It creates hysteria and paranoia. The children are then indoctrinated with this level of knowledge that create stereotypes.

Regional cooperation, not racism, is necessary because our region must depend on one another for survival. For example, the DDOT bus crisis that is going on in Detroit. It's time that we push forward a new regional transportation plan that makes sense. There are a growing number of people want a choice and better options for how they can get around this sprawling area. The current system of private car ownership only works for one-half the population. The other half is too young, too old, and too poor or has handicaps that prevent them from operating an automobile.

The two bus systems have failed to streamline their services to make the commute from the city to the suburbs an easy one. For instance, as of 2004, a transfer from a DDOT bus will get you on a SMART bus, but the two services’ bus stops are inconveniently far from one another. Also, SMART buses have a very limited number of stops in the city.

Detroit is one of the most segregated cities in the country, therefore DDOT serves a largely black demographic, and SMART serves predominantly white communities in the suburbs. Because of racial tensions that have not died away since the Detroit riots in 1967, the people running these services fail to cooperate fully.

There is also a great disparity in the quality of service between the two. According to MDOT.com, SMART has 89 more busses in service than DDOT, and DDOT serves almost three times as many passengers.

Cities such as San Diego, Dallas and Portland, Ore., which have thriving public transit systems with funding similar to Detroit are places that most people think would not support public transit, but have been able to successfully create a reliable transport system. Detroit faces a more difficult problem on the race front, as the other cities that have overcome the barriers of sprawling metro areas and lower funding don’t have racial disparity like Detroit’s.

What people need to understand is the fact that transit projects help to revitalize urban areas and create jobs all along the routes. However, if we are always giving excuses on why we should not have this then we will remain in the stone age.

Again, racism is a serious disease that needs to be treated.

Another problem that I hear from black people in Detroit is the number of young white people moving into Detroit in lofts and condominiums. Of course, some of the old black population are saying how "the white people are moving back." What they do not know is that we have a white population that already exists in Detroit. These white people are not moving back to take over the city. They are moving back to be closer to their jobs, their schools and in many cases their families.

The fear factor from old black folks is how whites want the city's water, resources, etc. I heard it all over the years. It sounded like more fear than fact.

The fear of electing the Detroit City Council by districts is ridiculous. For anyone to think that white people are pushing this so that they can get a seat on council is insane. That is not the case at all. It's called accountability.

But the ignorance does not stop there.

In Livonia, where we have a critical mass of black people shop and work, they decided to cut the SMART buses out of Livonia due to "costs of the residents". Then residents got up and fought like hell against Wal-Mart staying open for 24 hours to "reduce crime". If Livonia has a low crime rate then what the hell are they talking about reducing? Reducing what?

This region have a history of racial insensitivity. Not just the communities but the old guard of leadership. We STILL have people in Detroit that are elected from the Coleman Young era who are now state representatives and state senators. Some sit on City Council. Some work in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building. Many of the old guard are in the 13th/14th Congressional Democrats from the Coleman Young era of politics.

If you go into Oakland County you will find the same thing. At some point we have to change.

The other issue are the panel discussions on race relations. How in the world can you solve any true race problems with the same people on the panel from the same organizations year in and year out? You cannot solve ANY race problems with the same people talking about the same issues. A REAL race dialogue is finding the most conservative or liberal person you can find, a person who does not want his daughter dating outside of her race or a black man who recently was fired from his job from a white woman and thinks it was racially motivated. Another example is black children in a multicultural school learning about everyone else's history but their own from a white man or woman but can learn about everyone's else culture and history.

These are the type of people we need to have on the panel not the president or CEO of a non-profit come on give some remarks. If we are going to embrace regional cooperation nationally then let's embrace the idea and notion of being honest.

The PRIME TIME to have a race dialogue is right now where the media is accusing tea party protesters and health care reform protesters of racism. For some young people who I have talked to recently they feel that this is racism from conservatives. On the flip side, we have liberals who want to push a homosexual agenda down traditional families throats in the name of tolerance. If traditional families do not go along with that they are called prejudice.

We believe that America is a Christian nation. Meanwhile, there is a church and liquor store on every corner in the urban community. At the same time, 80% of families are ran by single parents (mostly women), lack of marriages have destroyed our family base, drugs run rampant, schools are failing and poverty is high. In the suburbs, we do not see this as much. Most suburbs are more conservative than the inner city. So, even though we are all brothers and sisters in Christ how come 11:00AM on any given Sunday is the most segregated hour of the week?

How come social conservatives criticize the War on Poverty plan by President Johnson to destroy black families but have not joined us black social conservatives in mass to help people get out of poverty? Where is the counterculture? Is there a drawling line here even though we worship the same God?

While President Obama is being attacked, from his birth certificate to socialism to the fact that he is black, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele has been the target of what people may perceived to be racist from the GOP. Here is a man who has been the target of social conservatives (mostly white men), Rush Limbaugh and others who felt that Katon Dawson should have been the Chair of the RNC instead of Steele. Dawson used to belong to a country club for all white males.

So we have two black men who are the head of two political parties. Both are being attacked by conservative white people and conservative black people. Is one group being accused of racism while the other group is being accused of self-hate? If it fear? Some blacks who I have interviewed for this article feel that President Obama has taken the white man's birthright away from this country and the black conservatives who are bashing him are house negroes who beg for the crumbs that fall from the white man's table. Is that racist or is that how some truly feel?

We need to ask questions such as how come liberals think conservatives are being racist when they protest? How come conservatives bash the hell out of President Obama more so than any other President in recent time? How come black people think white people are trying to take over Detroit? How come How come when black middle class families move into affluent areas they are met with racist acts? How do Asian and Indian families feel about Hispanic families moving into their neighborhood?

You see, until we break the grip of shame in our communities and break the fear factor we will never move our urban communities, region, state or country forward. Racism is a disease that education can only cure. Urban conservatives believe in solutions not whining.

If Obama policies do not fit the puzzle then find a better way. If Steele is not doing what you expect him to do then run a better candidate. Critiquing the plan, not the character, is what going to help you gain ground as an individual.

No one wins the race in racism. We cannot call ourselves Americans, Christians or spiritual people and practice this type of negative behavior. At some point we really need to sit down as adults and talk about our problems instead of using fear. Fear is the is the prosperity killer. Racism is deeply rooted in fear. We cannot allow fear take over our lives.

Our children are depending on a better region to raise their families. Let's stop fooling ourselves and be honest and truthful with each other. Let's educate each other's history, culture and religion so we can cure the disease called racism.

Are You In? by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-09-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

I was at the Detroit Public School back to school rally with Robert Bobb and Bill Cosby. The theme of the school district "I'm In" rang throughout the auditorium of Henry Ford High School. The energy was positive and of course Dr. Cosby always telling it like it is to our parents.

But, just like any other entity, change will not come from Dr. Cobsy or Robert Bobb. It has to come from the parents and community.

Who allowed our community to die in the last 30 years and have allowed crack to enter our doorsteps. Today, our women are giving birth to drug addicted children who have a wide range of problems from ADHD to violent behaviors. These children will grown up and in return give birth to another generation of children.

At some point we need to fully understand that the village concept of raising a child does not exist as long as your village is compromised with drugs and disease. Something else needs to take place.

What should take place is the changing the culture of our future. You cannot do that with federal money or improving state benchmarks. You have to create a revolution based on core conservative principles that has kept our families intact. Have you ever sat down and talked to a couple in the community who has been married over 50 years? What is the secret to relationship building in our community?

Urban conservatives should not allow distractions such as the health care debate to get to them when we have our own health care crisis in our community. Our health care crisis is the lack of marriages, relationships, eradicating drugs, stopping the flow of sexually transmitted diseases and other mental health related issues that we must find solutions for before we usher in a new generation of death.

If you want to change the condition of the school district change the culture of the community first. That's how you "get in". Otherwise, you are wasting time.

It's Time To Sell Detroit To The Highest Bidder by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-08-30T05:28:00.000-07:00

The City of Detroit is in a $300 million deficit and Mayor Dave Bing is trying to move our city forward. I often tell young people that the best leaders in the world are those who make the unpopular decision. They are the leaders that never go along with the rest of the population and these leaders are independent thinkers.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a few bus town hall meeting that were sponsored by the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT). Between the unions and the citizens who were whining about losing their bus service on Saturday after 6pm and all day Sunday I can clearly tell you why Detroit will never move into the 21st century.

This community is paralyzed with too much fear and intimidation. Racism also plays a huge role in preventing Detroit from coming into the 21st century. I have never thought to see the day that the old guard of leadership is preventing young people from taking the mantle of leadership because the old guard are afraid of change.

It's not just Detroit but in other urban areas across Michigan such as Southfield and Pontiac. How can you change the direction of our urban communities if we keep recycling the same people over and over again?

For example, Mayor Bing hired Warren Evans to be the Detroit Police Department Chief. Meanwhile, Wayne County hired FORMER Detroit Police Chief Benny Napoleon. So between these two men what FRESH ideas are we going to see here in Detroit and Wayne County?

Look at the leadership on the Detroit City Council. The incumbents are in support of the same union network that is killing job growth in the City of Detroit. Yet, they claim we want to see Detroit in the 21st century. They are not telling the truth.

Our city has been ran so poorly over the years that we need radical and revolutionary changes just to even make the Black Enterprise top 10 cities to live in.

Bing has warned that the city could run out of cash by October and that at least 1,000 workers must be laid off if bankruptcy or an emergency financial manager is to be avoided. Yet, the unions are fighting this.

The city spends most of its money in four departments, according to the 2009-10 budget: Police, Fire, Transportation and the Department of Public Works. This year's price tag for all four: nearly $950 million.

Detroit subsidizes about $80 million alone annually to run the Detroit Department of Transportation -- something no other major city does. This is a waste of money. The best plan for this is to consolidate both DDOT and SMART into a regional transit authority similar to the Regional Transportation Authority in Illinois. However, I also think we need to look out the box and begin discussing privatizing.

(1) Detroit may need to privatize DDOT and lay off union workers.

The city could competitively franchise the entire bus system to one of a number of large bus companies, for a period of up to 20 years. Under such an arrangement, the private company would provide a basic level of service specified by the city of Detroit, charge fares within a broad range authorized by the city, and renew the bus fleet and facilities. Like D-DOT today, the private company would have an exclusive right to operate service along the city's routes.

Another option would be to have competitive contracting. In England, London Transport, which is twice the size of New York City's public transit system and 15 times the size of D-DOT, competitively bids out to private contractors all of its bus services. Competitive contracting has reduced operating costs 45 percent, inflation adjusted. In addition, service quality and the number of passengers using the system are both higher than before. London Transport maintains its right to establish routes, fares, and service standards. It even tells the private contractors how to paint their buses.

London is not the only major urban area to competitively contract its transit services. Other cities that have competitively contracted transit services, or are in the process of doing so, include Stockholm, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; Adelaide and Perth, Australia; and Helsinki, Finland. The European Union is issuing regulations that will require most public transit systems to be subject to competition. In America, the cities of Denver and San Diego have saved 35 percent and 40 percent, respectively, thanks to competitive contracting for transit services.

Detroit could reduce the cost of its operations by at least 40 percent using competitive franchising or competitive contracting. This estimate is based on hourly operating costs. Detroit spends more than $75 per service-hour per vehicle, whereas competitively contracted buses cost approximately $45 per hour, a 40-percent difference. Savings of this magnitude could exceed $60 million annually.

Detroit outlaws the use of "jitney" services by private vendors. A jitney may be a taxicab, van, or minibus that charges a flat fee while operating along established routes. In New York, jitneys are providing low-cost, flexible service to low-income residents that is less costly than transit service and more convenient for many riders. Many will provide door-to-door service for repeat customers. If legalized, they could supplement current transit service, reduce subsidy requirements, and provide a new source of income for city residents who could become jitney entrepreneurs. All of this would benefit the community by increasing employment and providing higher levels of service to people who do not have ready access to automobiles.

Some other things we need to look at.

(2) Privatize the Department of Public Works.

There are many different types of privatization. One of the most common is "contracting out," or "outsourcing," a process whereby a unit of government contracts with a private firm to provide some service. Another common form of privatization is when a government gets out of providing a service entirely.

Refuse collection provides good examples of both of these types of privatization. In Traverse City, for example, citizens privately contract with any one of four private, for-profit companies for their garbage collection. In fact, municipalities throughout Michigan and more than 50 percent of U.S. cities contract out some or all of their refuse services.

So how come Detroit cannot do the same?

Even the threat of outsourcing garbage collection can force city services to do better. A great example of this took place in Flint, where bulk pick-up — garbage consisting of large and odd-sized items such as mattresses and refrigerators — used to cost the city an additional $400,000 annually.

Why? Because city public works employees would pick up only small and regular sized trash during normal working hours and return on overtime to collect bulk items. In 1994, to end this practice and to save money for the city, Former Mayor and current State Representative Woodrow Stanley solicited bids to collect and dispose of refuse from five private companies. The bids Stanley received confirmed his suspicion: Privatization could cut the city's total garbage collection cost by about $2 million.

Flint's city employee unions knew the mayor was serious and worked with him to develop a plan that would shave about $1.4 million from the budget. In addition to agreeing to collect bulk items during regular working hours, city employees agreed to increase the number of stops on each route, reduce the number of shifts from two to one, cut the sanitation staff, and require workers to work a full eight-hour day instead of going home early as they often had done in the past. The result: better service for less money. Total spending on waste collection dropped 31 percent the first year after the concessions took place.

Now if FLINT can do this what is Detroit waiting for? Get rid of the union workers and privatize the trash to save money. It's not rocket science.

(3) Privatize EMS

This is a BIG one for me. I never understood why the Detroit Fire Department utilize EMS services. No need for a regional authority on this one. We need to privatize EMS. Period.

How many times have we called EMS only for them NOT to show up or it took so long that we just drove ourselves to the hospital? There is solid evidence to support the argument that we go through here in Detroit would not have happened in a similar event in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, or several other large American cities. These cities, and a number of other large cities in America as well, have much faster EMS response times than seems to be the case in Detroit.

Chicago, with a population of 2.8 million, reports EMS response times average 4 to 6 minutes. Los Angeles, now the second largest city in America with a population of 3.8 million, reports EMS response times average 5 to 8 minutes.

Yet, unlike Detroit, these cities have completely restructured their EMS systems to make use of private EMS providers working in concert with traditional public fire departments to assure maximum efficiency. There can be do doubt that this restructuring has not only contributed to more rapid EMS response, but to lower per-capita EMS costs as well.

Grand Rapids, the most populated of the Michigan cities listed relies on private providers. Flint used private providers working in concert with the public fire department. Other Michigan cities were Sterling Heights and Ann Arbor. More recently, smaller cities, such as Traverse City, Kalamazoo, Grand Ledge, Portage, and Jackson, as well as Wexford County, have moved to full private provision. Cost savings have been reported as high as 50 percent. Saving 25 percent from Detroit's EMS bill would knock $5.3 million annually from the cost of providing this service.

(4) Sell Belle Isle to a private entity.

How much might Belle Isle sell for? I'm not sure but since the island is in decline I cannot see why we cannot change this island into another Mackinac Island in Southeast Michigan. There are assets on Belle Isle including the two golf courses, a driving range, and several buildings that are not included in the estimated valuation. Belle Isle would generate an estimated $14 million in property taxes per year according to some sources.

The island could be sold to a builder or group of builders under a guarantee that the city of Detroit would exempt all commercial activity on the island from past or future city regulation.

The owner(s) could then prominently advertise to interested businesses and the general public the island's freedom from city regulation. Patrons coming to the island would do so with the knowledge that they were voluntarily entering upon unregulated territory. The attraction: bargain basement prices for virtually all goods and services.

The owner or owners also could draw up zoning ordinances and island speed and noise limits, and hire a private security force, possibly through Wackenhut Corporation, a private, for-profit security firm already under contract with the federal government. A Belle Isle private police force could be armed, make arrests, and book suspects where necessary, just as city law enforcement does now. Serious crimes, such as homicide, could be handed over for adjudication by city police.

Other parks such as Rouge Park and Eliza Howell Park could also be privatized or turned over to Wayne County Parks or Metroparks.

(5) Privatize Public Lighting

Detroit runs its own electric power company. Because the city's Public Lighting Department operates with far less efficiency than private, investor-owned utilities, it must of necessity feed on the economic lifeblood of the city. This drains funds away from other city services that might otherwise improve. Private utility companies — of which there are many — can do the job far better for less money.

Detroit has appropriated over $70 million to fund Public Lighting operations and capital improvements which includes a $12.7 million subsidy to cover the shortfall in expected revenues. In other words, far from operating at a profit like a private company must in order to survive, the city currently is operating its power grid at a nearly 19-percent annual loss. This perpetually hemorrhaging arrangement is what generates the more than 318 million kilowatt-hours of electricity that 1,578 public entities and private businesses are forced to use because it is their only choice. Detroit's energy customers include city departments, public schools, police stations, fire houses, libraries, the Joe Louis Arena, the Michigan Department of Transportation, Wayne State University, Cobo Center, City Airport, and the People Mover.

Selling Detroit's electrical power system to an investor-owned utility such as Detroit Edison would benefit the city in several ways. First, sale of the Public Lighting Department to a private company would generate a huge, one-time influx of much-needed cash. One Detroit utility expert says electric utilities commonly sell for 1.5 to 2.5 times their equity (which could place the private sale of Detroit's Public Lighting at between and estimated $300 million to $500 million.

Another benefit of selling the utility would be the steady flow of new revenue into city coffers through property taxes paid by the utility. But perhaps most important of all is that the sale would result in better service to customers, who could rest in the knowledge that those providing their power are doing so on the understanding that failure is not an option, as it unfortunately can be in a public-sector operation, which continues to receive funding regardless of how efficient or inefficient it is.

Mayor Bing was correct when he said he wanted to privatize the Public Lighting Department. We need to get behind and support this effort. Either we have lights on in the streets or our people will fall victim to crime. Ask the union workers, who most do not live in Detroit and enjoy the benefits of living in areas like Redford where the lights are on, if safety is a major concern of theirs?

In a silver rights era we need to become self-sufficient not dependent on government. Our city is broke. The civil rights/black power leaders are still pitting Detroit against white people and the suburbs. Therefore, we need leaders who are going to handle the pressures of creating a new silver rights reality here in Detroit. It's time to bust up the unions once and for all. It's time for new leadership that will work for us.

If Detroit was to get an emergency financial manager he/she would do exactly what I have recommended. So we might as well come into the 21st century and support a mayor who has the best interest for Detroit.

It's Time For A Detroit-Wayne County Consolidated Government by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-08-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

I have a challenge to those who are running for Detroit Charter Commission. Instead of duplicating the same thing as Wayne County why don't we just consolidate governments?

Take a look at Detroit. The city is in a $300 million deficit and Mayor Bing wants to cut bus service on Saturdays at 6PM and all day on Sundays. My proposal would be to just consolidate bus service and create a regional transit system that will benefit all 126 communities in Southeastern Michigan.

I would like to see Detroit and Wayne County merge under one system without excuses. A consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction.

Examples of consolidated city-county governments are the following:

Athens-Clarke County, GA. In 1991, after a vote the preceding year, the original city abandoned its charter in order to form unified government with Clarke County. It is referred to collectively as Athens-Clarke County.

Indianapolis-Marion County has a consolidated government. In fact, the legislative body for the city and county is the City-County Council. It is made up of 29 members, 25 of whom represent districts, with the remaining four elected at large. As of 2008, Republicans hold a 16-13 majority. The council passes ordinances for the city and county, and also makes appointments to certain boards and commissions.

Louisville-Jefferson County has a consolidated government. Louisville Metro is governed by an executive dubbed the Metro Mayor and their legislative body is called the Metro Council. This council has 26 seats corresponding to 26 districts apportioned by population throughout the city and county. The residents of the semi-independent municipalities within Louisville Metro are apportioned to districts along with all other county residents.

Nashville-Davidson County merged in 1963 as a way for Nashville to combat the problems of urban sprawl. It offers services such as police, water, fire, electricity, water and sewerage treatment. Nashville is governed by a mayor, vice-mayor, and 40-member Metropolitan Council. The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of government for Nashville and Davidson County. There are 5 council members who are elected at large and 35 council members that represent individual districts.

So how come we cannot have a Detroit-Wayne County merger where we could consolidate our resources such as fire, police, schools, utilities and bus service? It's important that we began to have a serious discussion on redefining the role of Wayne RESA and how they will run a county schoolwide system similar to what we are seeing in Fairfax County, VA. At the bare minimum Wayne RESA should run the Detroit Public Schools and give authorization powers to the Mayor of Detroit (similar to what the City of Indianapolis have).

Let's look at from this angle. Government serves people and taxpayers. People want good services, at low cost, with quality delivery. They want safe neighborhoods, clean and well run streets, great schools, parks where kids can play soccer, baseball and the fountains work, well run permitting departments, good trash collection, low cost utilities and honest leaders and tax appraisals.

People do not care if the City or the County provides the service, as long as it is done well at the best price.

So what should a wise community do? We should do everything possible to prioritize what our people want from our local governments, optimize services, make government lean, not mean and start now. Every government should look at joint projects, cost sharing and consolidation wherever possible. After all, every one of these local governments serves the same taxpayer.

And the best way to do that? Instead of having these council by district conversations in these candidate forums let’s ask both our Detroit charter commission candidates as well as state lawmakers if they would like to see both the city and county charter eliminated to form one consolidated charter that will help streamline services for both Detroit and Wayne County.

We need to bring in stakeholders such as the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance, SEMCOG, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, and Center for Michigan to just name a few to actually conduct some dialogue on this issue.

Wayne RESA Should Run Detroit Public Schools by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-08-18T11:15:00.001-07:00

Educational reform is needed in the State of Michigan. One such reform is the one where U.S. Department of Education Arne Duncan is promoting incentives for state lawmakers to turn over cities that have failing school districts over to the Office of the Mayor.

In Detroit, Mayor Dave Bing wants to control the Detroit Public School system.

State Representative LaMar Lemmons Jr. has introduced House Bill 5084 on June 11, 2009, to authorize a ballot measure in Detroit that would place the Detroit School District under the authority and management of the mayor.

However, before we look at that I think there is another model we need to take a look at that is non-traditional.

For a very long time I have been an advocate of Wayne RESA running the Detroit Public Schools. Wayne RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) is the intermediate school district for Wayne County. It provides services such as group purchasing, computer service, and staff development. Its service sector covers 34 local school districts having approximately 20,000 teachers and 400,000 students.

An intermediate school district is a government agency usually organized at the county or multi-county level that assists local school district in providing programs and services. Additional they collect data for the state department of education. In Michigan, an Intermediate School District has a Board of Education chosen by a group of electors with one member from each local school district's Board of Education.Additionally they may recommend merger of school districts to the Michigan State Board of Education.

Michigan's 57 ISDs were formed in 1962 by Public Act 190, which took the state's existing 83 county school districts and renamed and reorganized them under the new name of "intermediate school districts."

ISDs are structured as separate taxing units to provide various administrative and instructional services to local school districts. All Michigan ISDs have elected board members. However, unlike school board members in local school districts who are popularly elected by the residents of a given school district, many ISD boards of education are chosen by the board members of each local school district within its borders. Each ISD has a superintendent that is hired by the board of education.

ISDs are involved in the accounting and auditing of student numbers for each district. Since Michigan counts students twice per year (in September and February) for funding purposes, the ISD provides auditors who visit each district to review student enrollment numbers. The auditors report each school district's K-12 student count to the state government. The data are then used for providing state aid to each local district.

Another area is the oversight of special education for local school districts. ISDs help relieve individual school districts of the responsibility of operating individual special education programs.

ISDs' third area of responsibility focuses on career technical education and career preparatory programs. In Kent County, approximately 2,500 students benefit from various vocational courses offered at the Kent Career and Technical Center. The emphasis is on hands-on education in courses ranging from agri-science to computer aided design.

The Bay-Arenac ISD-composed of seven school districts with a student population of 30,000-in Michigan's "thumb area" offers its local districts career technical education, professional development activities, curriculum development assistance, grant writing expertise, and pupil accounting.

However, many people do not realize that their property taxes support two school districts – the one that neighborhood kids attend, plus one of 57 Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) in Michigan. ISDs are an intermediate level of bureaucracy between regular school districts and the state Department of Education.

Taxpayers also do not realize that Proposal A’s prohibition on new school operating fund millages contains a big loophole: ISDs. Unlike regular school districts, which can only request new millages for buildings and other capital improvement projects, ISDs can go to the voters for more taxes to pay for day-to-day operations — the very practice that led to the taxpayer revolt which brought about Proposal A back in 1994.

Some feel that ISDs are a waste of taxpayers money. I propose that we should redefine what the role of the ISD should be to make it more accountable and effective. For instance, instead of allowing Mayor Dave Bing to run the schools we need to allow Wayne RESA to run Detroit Public Schools. In other words allow the counties to run the schools instead of local school districts by consolidation and eliminating services that are being duplicated. Most local school districts are doing the same thing as the ISDs which is causing districts to go into deficits and lose money. The Michigan model of school governance has failed and we need to take a look at radical approaches to running a transparent and effective school district.

Let's look at some examples of county ran school districts here in the United States.

(1) Clark County School District is the 5th largest school district in the United States. It serves all of Clark County, Nevada including the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. The district is divided into 7 Regions and, in addition to the general schools, it also operates 25 Alternative Schools and Programs. The district also has limited involvement with charter schools but, with the exception of providing some bus service, does not have any involvement with the private schools in the county.

The school district is governed by a seven member board of trustees elected from sections of the county. There is only one superintendent.

Clark County schools operate on a budget of $2,497,253,000, has 14,862 teachers and a staff of 5,268.

(2) The Fairfax County Public Schools system (abbreviated FCPS) is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers all public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. With over 168,000 students enrolled, FCPS is the largest public school system in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and in Virginia. The school division is the 13th largest school system in the nation and maintains the largest bus fleet of any school system in the United States.

The most notable commitment the county makes to its school system is the allocation of 52.2% of its fiscal budget to the school system. Including state and federal government contributions, along with citizen and corporate contributions, this brings the 2009 fiscal budget for the school system to $2.2 billion.The school system has estimated that, based on the 2006 fiscal budget, the county invested $13,340 in each student in 2009.

Since the early 1990s, FCPS' fastest growing segment is its Asian-American student population, which is second only to whites. Most of the Asian student growth comes from Korean Americans as Fairfax County is home to strong Korean American communities in business districts such as Annandale and Centreville. As a result, most FCPS schools have access to Korean interpreters and staff members to help parents who do not speak English well. There are also many Chinese American and Indian American students moving to Fairfax County.

(3) Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) is a large school district headquartered in Upper Marlboro, MD. The district serves the Prince George County which is the most affluent county in the United States with a majority African American population.

With approximately 128,000 students enrolled for the 2008–2009 school year, the Prince George's County Public Schools system is the second largest school district in the state of Maryland, the third largest school district in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area after Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia and Montgomery County Public Schools, MD and the 18th largest school district in the nation.

(4) The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. These schools form the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,400 separate schools.The department covers all five boroughs of New York City. (Note: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island or the Bronx do not have their own school district).

Because of its immense size—there are more students in the system than people in eight U.S. states—the New York City public school system is the most influential in the United States. New experiments in education, text book revisions, and new teaching methods often originate in New York and then spread to the rest of the country.

(5) Montgomery County Public Schools is a school district that serves Montgomery County, MD. It is currently the largest school district in Maryland serving over 139,000 students. Students in the district score among the top in the United States in Advanced Placement examinations.

(6) Los Angeles Unified School District s the second-largest in the United States. It is the second largest employer in Los Angeles County after the county government.The total school district budget for 2008 was $19,986,000,000 US dollars.

(7) The Wake County Public School System is a public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 137,706 students enrolled in 159 schools as of the 2008/09 academic year, it is the largest public school district in North Carolina. The current school system is the result of a 1976 merger between the previous (historically largely white) Wake County school system and the former (historically largely minority) Raleigh City schools.

The district since has become notable for its integration efforts. Schools in the system are today integrated based on the income levels reported by families on applications for federally subsidized school lunches, with the goal of having a maximum ratio of 40% low-income students at any one school. Consequently, thousands of suburban students are bused to magnet schools in poorer areas—and likewise, low-income students to suburban schools—to help maintain this income balance.

(8) The Puerto Rico Department of Education operates all schools in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico thus also functioning as a single school district.

These are models of governance in urban educational settings nationwide. You will find more county ran schools than city ran schools.

The Detroit Public Schools have been changing for a very long time. We have had area schools, reform boards and even been classified as a first class school district. None have worked to help our children, help our fiscal health of the school district nor has changed the way we should be viewing 21 century models of governance.

The Detroit Public Schools would see its school board abolished by July 1 and any public school statewide could be converted into a privately run “conversion” school. State Representative Phil Pavlov has introduced House Bill 5236, would define a first-class district as one with 60,000 students or more. However, it would terminate the elected board on July 1, 2010, and give all financial authority in a chief executive officer appointed by the mayor. The CEO would hold monthly meetings with a community advisory council.

The “conversion school” bill would allow 51% of parents or 51% of tenured teachers to petition a school board to convert a public school into charter school.

The bill is not a bad bill but after reading it for myself there are a few things I would add to this. One, because Attorney General Mike Cox has already ruled Detroit Public Schools as a general powers district and not a first class school district we no longer have to keep the number of students at 60,000. Second, instead of abolishing the Detroit Public School board and giving all financial authority in a chief executive officer appointed by Mayor Bing I would turn this responsibility over to Wayne RESA.

You can read the bill here at http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2009-2010/billintroduced/House/htm/2009-HIB-5236.htm

We know that Secretary Duncan and DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb wants Mayoral control of the Detroit Public Schools. But Bobb is only catering to the Detroit model of education. He already knows that his own reform efforts will be repealed the minute he leaves Detroit. Therefore, we need to look at serious educational reform models that work. Bobb knows the county ran model of education works because he saw this while he was a school board member of the D.C. Public Schools. So why is he catering to a failed Detroit reform model is beyond me.

It is time for serious educational reform efforts to take place both in Wayne County and at the state level to benefit urban areas such as Detroit. We do not have time for town hall meetings on this issue. What we need is educational reform activists who are not scared of the old guard of educational and civic leadership to get the job done. That is why I am asking people to begin this discussion on allowing Wayne RESA to run the Detroit Public Schools.

Radical Educational Reform Not Paying Students Will Get The Job Done by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-08-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

I recently heard Professor Roland Fryer from Harvard University's Department of Economics speak at a forum held by State Senator Hansen Clark and moderated by Senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle Bankole Thompson. In January 2008, at age 30, Professor Fryer became the youngest African-American to ever receive tenure at Harvard.

The town hall meeting dealt with educational reform. I have been going to different town hall meetings on educational reform the past several months. Each meeting always comes back to saving Detroit Public Schools.

Some of the points Professor Fryer pointed out was key for an educational revolution. One such point was changing the psychology of the way we view education from a parental and community standpoint. I thought this was important because oftentimes parents use the educational system as a person babysitting service instead of being involved in their children's activities.

But the good professor lost me when he said we should utilize incentives to reward our children for good grades.

Let me perfectly honest with you. I am against paying children for good grades. Once we start down this slippery slope, you have to keep raising the stakes. And once kids get old enough to earn their own money, you lose leverage.

Not to mention that this kind of deal doesn't always work. For high-achieving students, money doesn't matter. And students who are underachievers fail because they're inconsistent. So if they slip and get a poor grade, they figure that they're not going to get the reward and give up. Even worse, parents sometimes end up paying them for half measures and the system backfires.

It's also a bad idea because it substitutes an external reward -- money -- for an internal sense of satisfaction and therefore interferes with developing a work ethic.

When I look at school districts such as West Bloomfield, Grosse Pointes and Birmingham they do not pay their students. Those academic work ethics come from home. Parents are involved in their school districts.

But in urban Michigan the biggest obstacles that will lead to educational reform is the parents in our community. There are lots of great students out there who can really do better but they comes from homes that do not encourage education. The parents do not follow up to make sure the children do their homework. They do not make it a priority to get the children to school on time. They do not make sure they are prepared for a day of school.

Paying students is not part of educational reform. It’s bribery.

Since when did we decide we were going to teach our children to hold out their hands and expect things? And believe me, if we start paying kids at underperforming schools for their grades, that’s exactly what will happen. For the rest of their lives, they will expect someone to come behind them and give them candy, or money, for everything they do (or don’t).

So I disagree with Professor's Fryer's assessment with paying students for good grades. Newt Gingrich has also pushed for this idea and I disagree with him as well on this issue. It is not the government's job to pay students for good grades.

Educational reform is not a pie in the sky effort to cater to special interest groups like the teacher unions. It is a radical and revolutionary approach to elevating our community both academically and economically. I find it interesting that I did not see anyone from the Detroit Regional Chamber and Detroit Renaissance at this forum or was even invited since Professor Fryer is an economist discussing educational reform.

If Detroit is serious about educational reform then let's stop this idea of getting better people on the Detroit School Board who are going to turn this ship around. I doubt it and it's time that we abolish the Detroit school board and allow Wayne RESA to take control of the Detroit Public Schools. If you look at other counties across the United States you will find that their Intermediate School Districts run the school system not the local boards. It is a forum of regionalization that is needed in Detroit.

The only other option I can see is allowing Mayor Dave Bing to run the school district. I will support this only if Mayor's Bing office would allow the authorization of charter schools in Detroit.

Attorney General Mike Cox gave an opinion recently on how Detroit Public Schools is no longer classified as a First Class School District but a general powers district. Therefore, Wayne County Community College need to step up and begin authorizing charter schools.

But the biggest reform effort in Detroit Public Schools that has not been discussed is changing the culture of our schools. I can care less about academic reform if our children are still coming into the classroom with a prison mentality, sagging their pants sporting white wife beaters (t-shirts), ladies wearing scarves and sporting 20 tattoos on their bodies and around their neck how are they going to learn. The prison culture has a vise grip around our community. Not only our children are not motivated but our parents are illiterate on many levels to the extent of where they cannot help our children.

I am tired of pouring millions of dollars into community centers, non-profits and the likes only to find out that parents and students are not utilizing these venues but allowing BET and MTV to raise them.

We make excuses on why Detroit Public Schools have not made the grade. We do not need professors from Harvard or Robert Bobb telling us why our schools have not made the grade. It's simple. As long as we have a prison culture running our schools no level of reform will work. As long as we have thieves, lesbian gangs, and the lack of basic skills running the front office, the classrooms and running the halls what makes you think anything will change. Breaking up the good ol-girl network in Detroit Public Schools will take innovation, skill and patience.

And we cannot allow this same network to come over to the charter school market. Most charter schools that are failing has an element of Detroit Public Schools in it. In other words, some of the educational leaders in some of these charter schools are from DPS with the same ghetto/prison mentality. This is not the case with all charter schools.

I also heard how we need more men to step up in the schools. Yes, that is true but FIRST we need to make sure the men are reformed, educated and understand the landscape of what they are getting themselves involved.

I CANNOT believe the number of black women in our community that have gone silent on the whole lesbian gang situation in the Detroit Public Schools high schools. Where are our women at on this? We have girls who are scared to go to school because of being jumped and initiated into these lesbian gangs. I have not read one newspaper article on this. Are we afraid of the Triangle Foundation? All these sisters in these churches in Detroit and I have not read, seen or even heard ONE movement of conscious black women addressing and CURING this situation in our schools. It's easy for a woman to invite me to church to hear the Word of God but it's hard for other women to create and execute a strategy to push for serious moral and academic values in our schools. Before you wonder about my relationship with God I wonder about your relationship with your daughters in the community. I cannot teach a girl to be a woman but YOU CAN. I can only give her the balance she needs.

We have to kill the spirit of prison culture if you want real educational reform. No one talks about this because most educational leaders are participating in the ghetto/prison culture themselves. As long as you have a civil rights/black power mentality running the Detroit Public Schools we will spin our wheels in the ground. I am not interested in saving Detroit Public Schools, in fact, at this point let's kill it and rebuild it from the ground up.

What I am interested is serious educational reform that will align our curriculum with other global models of education such as Great Britain, Hong Kong and Singapore. am not interested in government throwing money at education to solve the problems. I am interested in creating a global educational model that we can use in urban communities. No more excuses for our children and community. Teacher certification reform is critical if we are serious about educational reform. The current path to certification is outdated and needs to be amended.

One major problem in Michigan is that the current teacher compensation system has the wrong incentives. Currently, nearly all teachers are paid according to the single salary schedule. This compensation method rewards teachers for experience and level of degree. For example, if a teacher earns a masters degree, she gets a significant pay bump. If she stays in the job for another year, she gets yet another raise. Despite the research that shows that teacher seniority after the first five years does little to impact student achievement, individual teachers still get their raises year after year. As for extra degrees, no research definitively links increased credentials to higher student performance either.

Teacher unions have designed a system to protect the weakest teachers, not to promote student achievement. As long as a teacher does not do anything egregious, the checks keep coming and the teacher unions get their cut.

Measuring a teacher by his students’ academic performance is an accurate way to determine, to some degree, the quality of his work. Under the system defended by unions, an excellent teacher, whose students demonstrate significant learning gains, earns the same amount as the teacher who clocks in and then checks out. Therefore, there is little incentive for teachers to go that extra mile.

Finally, we need county and state lawmakers who are on the side of educational reform not just keeping the status quo. I have no interest in supporting anyone running for county commissioner, state representative or state senator who has no working knowledge of educational reform. As I have said to my urban conservative colleagues education is the #1 issue in our movement. Everything else will fall in place when we raise the bar on education.

An Urban Conservative Perspective on Health Care by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-08-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

There is a raging debate over the need for health care reform here in the United States. We have town hall meetings where people have been disruptive. Other meetings not so disruptive. Personally, I do not want to be lied to by any Congressman or woman. So I watch the action on television.

Of course, as urban conservatives, our voices have been silent in this debate. While one group is whining about the rising cost of health care the other side is saying it is needed to ensure all Americans.

At the epicenter of this health care debate is the urban community. Blacks and Hispanics are hit the hardest with health and medical disparities more than any other group in the United States. Blacks and Hispanics make up nearly half of the estimated 50 million Americans who have no health care insurance. 7 million blacks alone in this country do not have any form of health insurance.

But let's tell the truth here. If this reform effort goes through that means the real fear of private insurers, pharmaceuticals and major medical practitioners is that they’ll have to treat millions of uninsured, unprofitable, largely unhealthy blacks and Hispanics.

Of course, some of us do not want this to happen.

Harry Truman proposed the first national health care plan in the late 1940s. Ever since then the number of blacks and Hispanics without a prayer of obtaining health care at any price has always been wildly disproportionate to that of whites – even poor whites. It has steadily gotten worse over the years.

Studies show how blacks and Hispanics are far more likely than whites to suffer higher rates of catastrophic illness and disease, and are much less likely to obtain basic drugs, tests, preventive screenings and surgeries. They are more likely to recover slower from illness, and they die much younger.

Blacks' health problems are further complicated by its struggles with incarceration, drug use and the HIV/AIDS virus, the leading cause of death among young Black women between the ages of 25 and 34. Early detection and life-saving medication are really critical in prolonging life with HIV. This cannot happen without quality health care.

Studies have also found that when blacks and Hispanics do receive treatment, the care they receive is more likely to be substandard than that of whites. This is even after blacks and Hispanics are enrolled in high quality health plans. The other thing that no one is saying is how private insurers routinely cherry pick the healthiest and most financially secure patients in order to bloat profits and hold down costs. Patients pay more in higher insurance premiums, co-payments, fees and other hidden health costs.

When we don't have access to health care, that means we routinely delay care. The lack of routine medical care in itself is a cause of serious ill health.

So with all of this foolishness going on and the media as usual blowing stuff out of proportion we need to look at a different approach to health care reform in our community.

(1) Engaging Non-Profits through Social Entrepreneurship. The first thing we need to take a look at is empowering community based non-profits health care organizations staffed with nurse practitioners that can provide the same care as a doctor at half or a third of the cost. The development of innovative non-profit groups that sponsors a health co-operative working for all the non profits, little companies and employees.

Part of this is creating a social entrepreneur network of low-cost health providers for insure families. This is critical because our community should be engaged in a market-mediated system, where the system of entrepreneurialism and innovation is protected and incentivized. Some social entrepreneur networks who support low-cost insurance for families can engage in a personalized health system. This is a system that is built around each person’s individual health needs and status, which allows every individual to have access to the treatments and solutions that are best for their personal profile and make-up.

For example, if you see somebody black and over 40, they've probably affected in some way by at least one of the following -hypertension, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Our community cannot embrace a plan that's going to have exclusions, where people cannot be treated for pre-existing conditions. Everybody walking has got a pre-existing condition even young people. We must fix this in our efforts for health care reform.

Other social entrepreneur networks could integrate an intelligent system, meaning that the system is electronic versus paper-based, is IT-rich and functions as an inter-connected, interoperable system.

(2) Allow association health plans. Owners of small businesses in urban areas should be able to band together across state lines to increase their purchasing power to buy less expensive insurance or to self-insure. Large multi-state corporations like General Motors already have this purchasing leverage.

(3) Permit individual membership associations (IMAs) to affinity groups as a college alumni association, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the National Bar Association, or the Southern Baptist Convention, which have members in many different states, should be able to offer their members health coverage. IMAs would enable people to band together in large pools across state lines. A particular advantage of IMAs is that the individuals in them often remain lifetime members. Obtaining policies through an IMA would provide them with continuity of coverage no matter how many times they changed jobs in addition to passing on all of the benefits of continuous coverage, such as familiarity with provider networks.

(4) Tort Reform. The U.S. civil justice system is the most expensive in the world, about double the average cost of virtually any other industrialized nation. But for all of the money spent, our civil justice system neither effectively compensates injured parties nor encourages the elimination of medical errors.

(5) Engaging our Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Schools like Howard, Meharry and Morehouse have been leading the way in the field of medicine. However, part of the critical issue here are the barriers to us getting the type of care and being able to find a physician that understands the community. We must step up to the plate, develop satellite (out-of-state) HBCU campuses and online courses in the field of public health and medicine to equip our graduates to practice medicine in areas where low-wealth people exist. WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE OUR HBCU's for they are extremely critical to assisting urban communites to advance in medical technology and medicine. Social entrepreneurs, not government, who are enegaged in health care reform should have a list of providers to assist with families.

Meharry Medical College, Howard University College of Medicine and the Morehouse School of Medicine would embrace a plan that insures more people because these schools are “safety net facilities” providing health care to the nation’s neediest and most ill.

(6) Personal responsibility. I cannot believe the number of people that will not do these 5 things:

1. Know your health insurance plan's rules and follow them.

2. Buy a "lite" health insurance policy.

3. Plan ahead for emergencies.

4. Cut your pharmacy costs.

5. Quit smoking, exercise and take care of yourself.

6. Get your annual check up (especially black men). The doctors and nurses are NOT our enemy, rising health costs are. So please get your teeth fixed as well. It's not cute to showcase tooth rot in the front of your mouth.

The problem with black people in America is the fact that we think Obama's health care reform is going to benefit us. Have we forgotten what the United States Government has done to our people during the Tuskegee Experiment that lasted from 1932-1972 where they tested and injected black men with syphilis to see the effects? I'm not saying that Obama is trying to do weird experiments on our race because that is not the case here nor I believe that is in his character. The point I am simply making is let's not jump in the bed with a government that has a history of hostility towards minorities when it comes to health care.

Let's think for ourselves on this one. The only health reform that we need is the one that will benefit our community. This includes reducing homicide, increasing healthy marriages, obtaining a quality education, expanding urban agriculture projects, opening health food stores and co-ops that promote healthy living and creating an execution plan for our both our occupational therapy and mental health community.

No one is going to take care us but us. This is why I urge urban conservatives to take the lead on this issue. Health care reform is an issue that urban conservatives should be silent on. We have our work cut out for us. Our community is counting on us to come up with alternatives to the health care crisis other than what we are seeing from President Obama and others who are caught up in partisan bickering instead of dealing with the issues at hand. Fear tactics and paranoia should also be left at the door as well.

Detroit: Our Neighbors Are Watching by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-08-03T05:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, the City of Detroit will vote in a very serious primary election. At stake is choosing the Detroit City Council, Detroit Charter Commission, Mayor, Detroit City Clerk and Detroit School Board. I am not concerned about the Mayor or City Clerk's position but I am concerned about the Detroit City Council and Charter Commission primaries.

The present Detroit City Council are the most unintelligent group I have ever encountered. Some of these council members do not even have a college degree. Some, like Martha Reeves, cannot identify Highland Park and Hamtramck on a map.

We have a Democratic City Council that are still living in the civil rights/black power movement of the 60s. If the GOP was serious they would have taken advantage of pushing local candidates to get on the Detroit City Council. With the weakened state of the unions and economy this would have been peak time to usher in a new level of leadership.

One major endorsement that caught my eye was the Detroit Regional Chamber's endorsement of Jai Lee Dearing; Gary Brown; Fred Elliott Hall; Saunteel Jenkins; and Charles Pugh and incumbent Ken Cockrel, Jr.

The bigger problem is that none of these Detroit leaders do not fully understand that the atmosphere of our city is ripe for a riot. Michigan's unemployment rate is at 15.4% which is driving a record number of state residents to sign up for Medicaid, the state's health care plan for the poor.

Detroit is ripe for civil unrest. Look at the reality of the City of Detroit and why we are headed towards anarchy.

1. Unemployment: 22%.
2. Graduation High School rate: 24-38%.
3. Adult illiteracy: 55%
4. Bachelor's degree or higher: 11.0%
5. Graduate or professional degree: 4.2
6. Never married: 43.6%
7. Now married: 31.2
8. Separated: 4.2%
9. Widowed: 8.3%
10. Divorced: 12.7%

11. Rank #1 in the nation in violent crime.

12. Wayne County, Michigan, lost more than 89,000 residents from 2000 to 2006 -- a loss of 4 percent of the county's 2 million residents.

13. A third of the population in Detroit lives in poverty.

14. Detroit Public Schools did not make AYP.

15. The City of Detroit is $300 million in a deficit. The Detroit Public Schools are $259 million deficit.

16. Detroit has 871,121 residents down from 951,270 in 2000 and 1, 027,000 in 1990.

17. 12.3% of the residents in Detroit are White while 81.2% of the residents in Detroit are Black.

18. Looking at the Black population in Detroit only we get this...

a) 775,772 residents in Detroit are Black.
b) 321,182 Black people have a high school diploma.
c) Only 45, 239 Black residents have a bachelors degree.

The average price of a home is now $18,513 and its going to get worse. Detroit is facing a crisis of epic proportions that officially puts Detroit statistically (and real term) on par with the great depression.

Detroit has superseded New Orleans as the “worst city” in America…. but New Orleans had a Hurricane they could assign blame to… Detroit has no such natural disaster crutch.

This is the reason why we need silver rights leadership in Detroit. We no longer need leadership that is going to keep us in the dark. We need people who are serious about movement and creativity.

However, my biggest fear is always people voting by name recognition. With 167 people running for Detroit City Council and a projection of less than 15% showing up at the polls we could be headed towards disaster unless something changes. Adult illiteracy is high and candidate forums this election cycle (like every election cycle) are filled with more candidates than constituents.

The rebuilding process begins with the SILVER RIGHTS MOVEMENT of the 21st century if we have a shot of rebuilding our city. The people running our local government do not understand the role of government. The appropriate role for the government is to establish and enforce objective standards of law, demand honesty and accountability from market participants, and protect people from force and fraud. It is not supposed to prevent willing, informed individuals from making personal decisions about what to do with their money. This is what our Detroit City Council is doing daily.

The candidates running for Detroit City Council need to understand this principle.

Detroit must become a free enterprise city by becoming a free market similar to what is shown in international places such as Hong Kong and Seoul, South Korea. We must allow people and corporations the possibility of failure if we are to give them a shot at success. We also must realize that taking responsibility for failures, learning from them, and overcoming them, is a vital part of development as a productive citizen in a free society.

As financial markets become simpler and more accessible with much lower transaction costs, they provide newer and more powerful opportunities for all levels of society to participate and share in the country’s prosperity. Detroit's leadership must allow all individuals to share in the benefits of risk-sharing and sound investments is one of the best ways to increase prosperity for the State of Michigan.

However, we still have candidates who are afraid to discuss privatizing and regional authorities.

Detroit must become the educational hub of the Midwest. Any effective education policy will need to acknowledge the importance of family involvement in the education of children. Family members will usually have a stronger understanding of each other than any outside bureaucrat, and this connection is a vital tool in passing on knowledge, tools, and values. Parents both deserve and need to be involved in our educational systems, for the good of the students, the teachers, the community, and the families themselves.

Looking at the number of people running for Detroit School Board I am hearing more of the same. "Fixing DPS" and "no more charters" are not going to cut it anymore.

Those who are elected to the Detroit charter commission must revise the Detroit City Charter into a 21st century document. This includes a hybrid system of council by districts where 5 are elected by districts and 2 at-large.

Our choice for Charter Commission:

Tonya Myers-Phillips.

Chiquita McKenzie- Bennett

Ken Harris

James Heath

Olumba-John Olumba

Jenice Mitchell Ford

Kortney Rice Neloms

Ricardo Moore rounds up the list of people for Charter Commission.

The reality is whoever you pick for Detroit City Council, Detroit Charter Commission and Detroit School Board make sure they have some sense. Do not make any excuse for you NOT to vote. People died for the right to vote so having voter apathy in this election or ANY ELECTION is inexcusable. If you do not vote then we will retain the same leadership with the same results. You will have no one to blame but yourself if we keep the same incumbents.

Detroit is part of a region. Both our urban and suburban allies are watching this race. Let's do the right thing and vote for the best people.

Dr. Corletta J. Vaughn for Detroit City Council. People have asked me questions about a pastor running for Detroit City Council. You voted for Nick Hood III for 8 years on City Council and his father before. Give it a rest and stop making excuses.

Raphael B. Johnson. People have been giving me the flux about him. Let me say this. Most of you who will not vote for him because of his past are hypocrites. If you vote for people who are pro-choice into office and support the killing of infants in the womb (abortion) and vote these people over and over again then please do not give me grief over someone who is taking responsibility with supporting his wife and raising his two children. Leave the past in the past. Thanks.

Karinda Washington. A woman of extreme integrity, honesty and accountability. A true power broker. Some has said she is too young to run. Did you say that to Jonathon Edward Barlow, who is only 25 years old and running for Detroit City Council?

Darlita Jones. The global silver rights candidate who is the ONLY candidate I have heard about discussing a MSU Experiment Station and connecting it with urban agriculture to generate jobs and other resources. Most are not ready for her innovative mind. The MORE reason why we should support her for Detroit City Council.

Shantel Bell. She is hitting houses, businesses and other venues to get her message across. One of the global silver rights candidates running to make a difference. A woman of her word.

Lisa Howze. She has put the "F" in fear in terms of scaring the old school grassroots. She has been labeled as a "Detroit Regional Candidate" even though she did not get the endorsement of the Detroit Regional Chamber.

The only CPA running for Detroit City Council Lisa gets on the Council and clean up the books Detroit will have AAA bond rating. Our city will then move in the direction of global economic growth like Hong Kong. A true silver rights candidate.

Our safety candidates who will lead the charge of protecting us and the residents of the City of Detroit.

Roy McCalister Jr.

John Bennett

Brenda Goss Andrews

and Kyra Joy Hope, who has signs everywhere in the City of Detroit.

Other business candidates include:

Joan Gist

James Tate

Dalton Roberson Jr.

and I cannot leave out Andre Spivey who has done a good job of holding his own and keeping his integrity while running for Detroit City Council.

Now who will you support and vote for?

Detroit City Council Profiles: Small Businesses Will Bring Back Detroit by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-07-31T04:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, I called Ken Harris the silver rights candidate who is running for Detroit City Charter Commission. I called him this because he fully understands how it is critically important to move Detroit into the 21st century through economic empowerment with global education. I have said the same thing about Lisa Howze, Shantel Bell and Darlita Jones, who all three are running for Detroit City Council.

There are MORE candidates who understand that Detroit will never come back until we fully understand that we the people, not the unions, will bring back our community with small businesses and an economy that is diversified. I will discuss these two candidates in these profiles that are leaders in our community.

One such candidate who is running for Detroit City Council is James Tate. James wants to create a renewed interest in local business and products will also revitalize our local economy. One way to bolster this effort is through an earnest "Buy Detroit" campaign. Obviously, this type of promotion would not seek to prohibit residents from purchasing goods or services outside of the city.

In order to do this James will work on increasing enforcement on ordinances that we already have on the books such as ordinances against the blight that is plaguing our community. The structures in our community have been allowed to deteriorate for a number of years and no one is being held accountable. This affects the quality of life for residents and it brings the property value down for everyone around them.

He wants to preserve and improve the city's financial outlook by not charging future generations with increasing debt that is made.

Joan Gist is another candidate who would like to increase small business participation here in the City of Detroit. She wants to review the city's budget to streamline services through automation and online access. Joan wants to take a look at consolidating and reducing in various city departments to save money.

She is pushing to establish a mutually agreed positive image of Detroit with the collaborative efforts of all media (print, radio and television)and the business and neighborhood communities. She has a plan to attract college students and young professionals back into the city through improved public education access, housing and job opportunities.

Joan, who ran for Detroit City Council in 2005 and is the mother of former Miss USA Carole Gist Stramler, have stressed over and over again of how important education is in order to help revitalize our economy. She feels that if we do not get our educational system back on track, we won't be able to attract young families wanting to raise their children or work in this city, let alone attract business to a city with an illiterate rate as high as Detroit's.

The silver rights movement is real and alive globally. Both James Tate and Joan Gist are working hard to make Detroit a global hub of business and technology. We have to move Detroit from an automotive market to a financial market if it wants to compete in the global market.

Detroit City Council Profiles: Safety Is Key To Accountablity by Akindele Akinyemi

2009-07-31T03:43:00.000-07:00

In Detroit, we have a serious problem with safety. In fact, safety is one of the two major problems that are plaguing Detroiters (the other being education). It is absolutely ridiculous for me to drive down Schoolcraft or Linwood in Detroit and it looks like driving down Michigan Ave in Canton Township because it is so dark. I feel like I am driving down a country road in some parts of the City of Detroit.

In this city when its dark crime occurs. Whether its rape or murder we already know that when its dark outside it is a sign of danger.

Continuing our profile series for Detroit City Council there are some people I would like to highlight who can assist in renovate our Detroit Police Department, increasing quick police response time and move our community forward.

One person who gives us hope in this city is Kyra Joy Hope. Kyra originally planned to go to medical school until she was shot by a stray bullet in the early 80s and was drawn to law enforcement. Kyra has spent 22 years in the Detroit Police Department and currently holds the position of lieutenant. In her career she has been on the D.E.A. Task Force, Liquor License Unit, Chief’s Administrative Operations Division, Investigative Operations Division, and Gang Enforcement Unit just to name a few of her accomplishments.

Kyra would like to allocate city funds that are needed instead of waste and fraud. She also would like to review the process to see if certain city departments need to exist. Instead of cutting city services she wants to see if certain programs can be salvaged.

Brenda Goss Andrews is another highly intelligent and qualified woman for the role of City Council when it comes to improving our police. As a retired Detroit Police Deputy Chief, Brenda wants to restore citizen confidence in city government. She feels that it is critical that the city of Detroit return to solvency. The current budget crisis has occurred as a result of a broken system of governance and years of inadequate safeguards, lack of appropriate oversight,in many areas including contracts, wasteful spending, malfeasance in government, and a pay to play culture.

Brenda is the only candidate that has actually controlled, prepared, and managed a city of Detroit annual operating budget including a proposed capital budget. Each budget year she had to go before city council along with the Chief of Police to present the department's budget. She has experience in directing, managing and budgeting a major multi‐million dollar new construction project; which is the Southwest Public Safety Center that includes police, fire and municipal parking departments.

Brenda has also attended the prestigious FBI Academy in Quantico, VA where each year only 250 law enforcement officers are selected to attend world‐wide.

John Bennett is one of the most outspoken police officers running for Detroit City Council. You are talking about someone who does not hold back what he said (almost sounds like me). he has been through the politics, the mud and is still on his feet. He speaks for those who are underrepresented, does not care about the spotlight and is not running for personal gain.

John wants to see a honest and principled leadership. His work and experience as a police officer, and the founder and operator of the Detroit Uncovered website, has brought him into direct and daily contact with Detroiter’s and their problems, at the neighborhood level.

John wants to make Detroit a safe city by increasing police manpower in the neighborhood, to make it a clean city by requiring business and residents to take better care of their property or
face fines and utilize forensic audit and look at the budget to root out waste and duplication.

Finally John shares our sentiment in transforming Detroit into a family city by addressing the quality of life. He wants to push to eliminate abandoned homes and buildings and clean up parks and reopen recreation centers.

Roy McCalister is another police officer that is highly qualified to sit on the Detroit City Council. In addition to leading the Homicide Unit at Detroit Police Department and serving on the Board of Directors or as president of many civic organizations, Roy was a leader of the law enforcement training efforts for an area of an entire country. As the Regional Commander (Region 3) of the Northern Province of Iraq, Roy was chiefly responsible for training, advising and mentoring the Iraqi Police Service and the larger Iraqi Security Forces.

Roy wants to improve policy leadership and city assets, enforce ordinances and resolutions as well as conduct a forensic audit of the City of Detroit's finances.

I will tell you this, this man is a man of high integrity and will hold the city accountable for our actions.

It is important that we have qualified and accountable people who view safety as a high priority issue on the Detroit City Council. Kyra Joy Hope, Brenda Goss Andrews, John Bennett and Roy McCalister are prime examples of leadership that Detroit needs.