On August 4th, please vote to approve the Hurley Hospital mileage request, and take a stand to protect your access to emergency healthcare and expert medical services. With rising unemployment, high rates of foreclosure, and decreasing healthcare benefits, Hurley has been financially crippled. As a result, Hurley has engaged in budget cuts from their executives all the way down to their staff. However, these cuts are not enough, and Hurley’s continued viability is questionable. All Hurley is asking from the community is that we pay on average an additional $1-$2 per week to protect one of our local hospitals. Why should we support Hurley?
1) Hurley is one of the largest employers in Flint. Genesee County has already lost enough jobs. We cannot afford to lose another key employer.
2) Hurley specializes in pediatric medicine and neo-natal care. These two specialties are sorely lacking at Genesys and McLaren.
3) Hurley fulfills a vital role in reducing strain on the other Genesee County hospitals. Without Hurley, the other hospitals would be badly cramped, thus, reducing their services as well. Therefore, this is not just a Flint issue, but a mid-Michigan issue as well.
4) Hurley provides medical care to two-thirds of Genesee County’s uninsured. Where will these people go without Hurley? As the proportion of Michiganders with health care coverage declines, institutes like Hurley become more important in creating a much-needed option. This good will should be rewarded to prevent illness in the region, restore efficiency of Michigan workers who fall ill, and lower mortality amongst at-risk citizens like infants and seniors.
5) Hurley is part of the effort to revitalize Flint and Genesee County. Hurley is part of Flint’s core downtown redevelopment effort. Facilities at Hurley provide important training opportunities for students specializing in nursing who attend one of Flint’s fine secondary education institutions. Also, a plan is currently underway to bring a medical school to Flint, which would require a strong Hurley to meet the needs of students attending the program. This plan brings additional tax revenue into the city, which may eventually fund this mileage by itself.
While it may be easy for some in Genesee County to dismiss Flint, this is a short-sighted and narcissistic view. This view dismisses Flint’s standing as the central city of Genesee County. Those who subscribe to this ignorance risk watching their own medical care decline because the decline of Hurley will send shock waves throughout the mid-Michigan medical infrastructure. In addition, those who believe that their property values are safe from a declining Flint fail to realize the converse – their property values could rise with a revitalized Flint. All citizens of Genesee County will prosper together from a new, stronger Flint. Therefore, on August 4th, please remember to vote for the future of Flint – please remember to vote for your own economic and medical stability.
Have some MI pride: if the auto industry collapses, Detroit will die. While liberal Californian commentators argue that “Detroit must die,” I am sure they wouldn't be so direct if I wrote a column that San Francisco must die. I am tired of taking the brunt of the nation's recessions, while being criticized or ignored for it. Michigan's long-sitting Congressmen are openly attacked by Nancy Pelosi and her "Coasters." These Coasters then attack our hard working Michigan employees as being greedy and lazy. Even Mitt Romney, son of Michigan Governor Romney, dismissed Michigan and blamed those who were responsible for building the arsenal of democracy. Congressmen, try telling the seventy year old retiree who now has carpal tunnel syndrome from working in the shop that she was just too lazy and greedy to expect her retirement. Our industries are allowed to fail without condolences, but with massive applause.
Now, I will be the first person to admit that these CEOs were stupid for taking separate private planes to the same city and the same meeting. Yet, our Congressmen reminded me of angry children who just wanted to get back at the kid on the playground who has all the toys. Our Senators seemed content to sit back and watch it all happen; after all, they won’t be near Ground Zero here in the Midwest when things get chaotic. They will be content down south, to the east, and to the west ruminating about how great their states are doing, while ignoring this national security issue. It is about time that Michigan tell the rest of the Nation that enough is enough, we won’t be the Nation’s crutch like usual.
Cramer may be a little eccentric in the clip above, but boy does he summarize the importance of this bailout and hit the nail on the head. The financial sector is only half the problem here. The problem is systemic and has been slowly gathering momentum since the late 1970’s. American wages have been either stagnate or declining since, while every other cost has been rising. This problem should not be revelation for most rational human beings, but the majority of economists have been ignoring this problem in favor of promoting the trickle-down theory. This is what happens when intellectuals sell out.
Since the end of WWII, the capitalist economy has been based around consumerism, which requires a strong middle class with the resources to spend, spend, and spend. Yet, as mentioned above, wealth has concentrated and the middle class has shrunk. So who picks up the tab necessary to keep this economy circulating? For the last three decades, we have been acting on a binge, spoiled by credit to keep the bubble from exploding. However, our national economic policy has continued this slow pace toward chaos through deregulation, unfair trade agreements, and the destruction of safety net programs designed to stabilize the country after the Great Depression. Let’s not be partisan, this was the general direction even under democratic leadership.
While I am not saying we should move backwards, I also realize the days of trickle-down are over. The concept is antithetical to consumerism. We want as many people as possible to have disposable cash, decent jobs, and low costs. This sounds like a difficult objective, and it is to the point of being practically impossible. But there is some clarity: the assumption that a small group of concentrated wealth will share that wealth in a capitalist economy has been forever tarnished.
The last thing this country needs is 3 million more unemployed, millions of failed pensions plans for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to pick up, the failure of support industries, the fail of small businesses, and the huge numbers of uninsured that will all result from the collapse of the American auto industry. The market will handle it you say? No, they won’t because no one has disposable cash on hand to start up new companies that are more efficient than the current companies. Bankruptcy? I think everyone is misunderstanding bankruptcy. GM will not cease to exist. However, it might as well. Who will buy cars from a bankrupt company that will not honor its past service and parts guarantees?
Bankruptcy mostly impacts employees. GM can void its union agreements. All those pension benefits are still guaranteed by the United States government through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Yet, there is no way they will be able to live up to those pension agreements. Health care? Gone too. Many will lose jobs working at insurance companies. What about the wages we need to maintain a consumer economy? Definitely gone. Oh, and heavy layoffs is the last thing our economy needs to jump start after the financial crisis.Bankruptcy also voids other contracts forcing the burden on small suppliers. If they tank, the Big Three tank.
Next, stop bad-mouthing the UAW. They cut the salaries of their new-hires by half. They picked up millions of pensions and health insurance costs. They have been cooperating with layoff after layoff. Everyone deserves the right to be compensated for their work. Last time I checked, that's the goal of capitalism. Just because the rest of middle class American has collapsed does not mean the last bastion of the middle class should collapse as well. Again, how does that help our consumer based economy??? I'm not saying we should remove all blame from the shoulders of the UAW, but there are deeper problems at work here that are diminishing GM sales.
GM is a company that has lobbied against the future. They have done everything to prevent the natural progression of history and technology. It was only a matter of time until the rest of the world moved on without them. That being said, this is not a company that is unsalvageable. This is a company that needs a new direction that Congress should prepare to give it one like they did during WWII.
Unfortunately, we won't be getting a bailout for middle class working American under this Congress full of Coasters with their economic blinders on. Hopefully, Obama can wrestle these ego-centric and narrow minded senators into making the right choice.
The Genesee County Young Democrats would like to congratulate Dayne Walling on receiving our endorsement for mayor of Flint. This is an important election as Flint is in a position of change and transition. In this time of change, Flint needs a mayor with fresh, intelligent ideas and a proven track record.
Mr. Walling's alternative methods for rebuilding Flint focus on community involvement and are necessary changes from the overly bureaucratic structure that has plagued Flint since its growth from a logging community to an industrial center. At a time when localities receive fewer federal dollars, watch as their populations disintegrate, and suffer from political corruption, Flint's community is the solution for rebuilding Flint. At the center of Flint's future is the next generation. Young people will shape the next decade for Flint and Mr. Walling is perfect to lead us to this destination.
Mr. Walling also has tremendous experience for his age. He is Flint's only Rhode Scholar. He assisted the redevelopment of our nation's capitol by bringing millions in grant money in his role working for the Mayor of Washington D.C.. Never once did he forget about his roots in Flint. As co-founder of the Flint Club, Mr. Walling created a way for former Flint residents living abroad to reinvest in their home town and aid its comeback. Finally, Mr. Walling came home to work for the Genesee Land Bank, a nationally renowned governmental organization built to redevelop beleaguered neighborhoods in Genesee County.
The GCYD would like to thank both candidates for their prompt and complete responses to our questionnaires. We wish Mr. Walling luck and look forward to working with his campaign in the month of October. This election is incredibly important and if anyone would like to assist us in taking back Flint, call Keith Flynn at 810-625-0741. Or check out Mr. Walling website and contact Mr. Walling's campaign headquarters at 940 S. Grand Traverse Flint, MI 48502, 810-233-9190. Also, check out the coverage of the endorsement in the Flint Journal.
Our next meeting will be Saturday, Sept. 22nd, Brown Sugar Cafe, at noon. The Brown Sugar Cafe is located on Saginaw St. across from the University Pavilion in downtown Flint. We will endorse a Flint mayoral candidate, plan our strategy for aiding our mayoral candidate, and discuss our next community service project. It should be an interesting meeting so come on out. If you have any questions call 810-625-0741.
Ultimate Frisbee, you know, is a very Democratic game. It requires almost no equipment, just a frisbee and a field. Unlike those tools of the GOP Establishment baseball and football, anyone with a buck-fifty can throw down old school and enjoy the sport of kings... erm... frat boys!
Anyway, here are the details:
Friday, August 10th at 6pm.Memorial Park, Lovely and Scenic Downtown Flint.
Now, Memorial Park can be a little tricky to get to what with all the one-way streets downtown. The parking lot is off of 5th Street, which is a one-way going eastbound (it's essentially the eastbound counterpart to Court Street, which is one-way westbound in downtown). The best way to get there is from Saginaw Street. Turn onto Court St. (you can only go west) and take that to S. Grand Traverse. Turn left onto Grand Traverse (Tom Z's Coney Island is the landmark) and the next street you reach is 5th St. Make a wide left turn and the parking lot is immediately on the left side of the street. You can't miss it.
My directions were complicated (fitting, since so is Downtown Flint), so I've made a handy-dandy map:
Anyhow, we hope to see you there! Please let us know if you're coming so we have enough refreshments. Either e-mail gcydonline@yahoo.com or call Keith at 810-625-0741! ~Will
This is another member profile featuring our previous treasurer Dan. So Dan, I hear you've been a member of the GCYD for as long as it's existed. How do you think it has changed over the years and where do you think it is going?
Well first off, you can't prove I stole that money. GCYD has changed a lot over the years that I have been with them. We have expanded considerable over the years and have done many events that i didn't think we could ever pull off. We are continuing to grow and I believe that we will have a bright future with our continued campaigning to increase youth turnout in Genesee County.
So what is your educational background and what are your goals?
I have Associates in Accounting from Baker College of Flint. My goals are two fold. I hope to be a Marine and i would also like to be a police officer later in my life.
So where are you politically speaking? I know you have been conservative on some issues and liberal on others. Tell us where you stand.
Wow, you pulled that question did you? Well, to tell the truth, I'm not a Democrat. I am also not a Republican, though you all seem to love calling me that. I guess, if i had to label myself, I would call myself an independent. I believe in some parts of both platforms but I can't identify with either one completely.
OK, what is the future of Flint?
HA, a burning post apocalyptic wasteland? Well, only as long as Williamson is still in office. I know we can do better. Flint can live again, but not until we have someone that can actually do the job in office. Williamson can't even get the grass cut in our public parks.
what do you like to do with your spare time?
I read, do some gaming, clean my gun collection, drive aggressively, drink, sharpen my five dozen knives, swords, and unique weapons, and smoke. lots and lots of smoking. I can't start my day without a drag of nicotine and shot of J.D.
OK. Different strokes for different folks. I hear you are going into the Marines. Why did you join and what do you think about the war in Iraq?
I've always wanted to be in the Marines. They are the best of the best and that is what I hope to one day become. I am not a Marine yet, but I will be someday. Nothing will stop me. As for the war in Iraq, I can only say that I will be there to follow orders. I will do as I must and as I am told by my superior officers. I have no further comment on that subject.
Alrighty, one more question. I hear you've had some bad luck recently at speedway gas station where you used work. Care to discuss what you think about corporate America and your previous employer?
Ah, speedway. I'd burn the place to the ground if it wasn't a crime. Don't get me wrong, I hold no ill will towards my fellow co-workers or my store manager. It is the district manager and all those above her that I dislike. They obviously disliked me too or they would not have fired me under the false pretense of insubordination. They also tried to show a history of insubordination by writing me up for not forcing customers to buy bags of M&M's every time they came into the store. I'm sorry for the fact that I hate going into a store and having someone try to sell me something that i don't need every time I am there. I respected the customers enough to not do this to them every time they came to my register. I was only one month and five days away from being vested with the company which would have given me a bonus of over $1000. Interesting that she decided to cut me loose just before i would have gotten more money out of them, don't you think? The only one that could fire me was the district manager or higher in the company. I believe she fired me out of her own dislike of me rather than a real reason like theft. But I guess I should thank her at the same time. After five years of being abused by this company, I finally got the kick in the butt i needed to move on and join something that i can be proud of. The Marine core will be my new home and i welcome it with open arms. As for corporate America, well, nothing will change as our economy slides further and further into chaos. They have their profits and they will continue to force their goods on everyone even when we don't need what they are selling. What can you do to stop it though?
Well, there you have it. Thank you Dan and good luck in the Marine Corp. We know you will do an excellent job for our country.
Welcome to another member profile. Today we are introducing Ben Shell.
So Ben, where do you come from?
Flint, Michigan Ok, so what's your major? Biology but let's see.
If you could be any politician, which one would you be? Well, I don't like any of them, but I'd be....wow I don't know. Maybe Lincoln or Teddy Roosevelt. Really though, if you think about it, would you actually rather be any of those Presidents? If anything I'd like to be President Shell, because we can always change the future, what good is imagining yourself as someone else when your strengths could be used today? Which President/s do you like most? Well, I think Lincoln goes without saying. Roosevelt because he brought economic maturity to American capitalism by regulating trusts (fed the fires of American Industry). Also, JFK because he led the country at a very difficult time in our history, helped avoid the world's annihilation via nuclear weapons which allowed all of us to exist today. I also like President Clinton. I know a few people that have met him personally and he was just a really good President. That's a whole two sentences more than I can say about Dubya.
What do you do for fun? I listen and play music. I read tons and play Star Wars Battle Front. But mainly music.
What do you play? I play bass guitar, trumpet, piano, and I just learned violin.
Have you played with any bands? Ever since I was 15, countless bands.
Whose favorite Star Wars character? Not Jar Jar Binks. Between Boba Fett and Darth Maul. No one beats the Fett man -Peter Griffin
What do you think of the Mayoral race? It's pretty important. It could be a turning point for Flint. Either it will be the same or it will change for the better. It will effect the entire country. But guess what? No one in Flint even knows what a Rhode's Scholar is so it wouldn't surprise me if he loses *wink*wink p.s. he lost.
What is the most important issue to you in politics today? Education and health care reform. While it's a cliche to say knowledge is power, I think that the higher echelons of society are trying to keep the lower class from gaining power. Like medieval ages the powerful want to suppress everyone else to retain power. They only want people like them running things. This is one of the problems occuring all over the world and will most likely help lead to our collapse as a species.
Final question, what is the future of Flint? The future of Flint is whatever Flint makes for itself. Pretty much, the entire country laughs and scoffs at Flint, but as for the future, one day it'll either become a center of education, ideally with employment for all or a ghost town.
In today’s Flint Journal, there was an article regarding the possible cleanup of “Chevy in the Hole” which is by Atwood Stadium near downtown Flint. For those who don’t know, this is the site of a large Chevy factory in Flint, which was demolished and cost many people their jobs. U of M grads have designed a park for the site that could move the neighborhood forward as well as the city. All I know is that I am glad to see that someone is doing something to replace the disappointment left after GM decided to leave a vacant lot. Good luck to those in charge of the project!
There is no question that the city of Flint faces the challenge of crime as well as economic hardships. Flint’s crime rate surpasses the national average in almost every felony. As the city tries to restore law and order, city administrators are forced to consider the practical realities which hinder their ability to provide crime prevention to the citizens of Flint. For instance, there is little space to house all who are arrested in Flint on a daily basis. Mayor Williamson’s solution is to open more jails. Makes sense. If there is not enough space then why not create more space. On the surface, the simplicity of this plan seems like pure genius. Many love this idea including the police who feel they are making a difference when the criminals they put in jail are not just walking through the jail’s revolving door, but are incarcerated till trial where they belong. However, this is deceptively simple.
While I support the jail being re-opened, the Mayor’s plan leads to uncertainty as to how long the jail will remain open. Like almost all of the Mayor's policies, the re-opening of the jail is not fully explained and the public is placated by his financial contributions to other similar programs. The reality is that the jail would require the employment of about 30 guards, upkeep on the facilities, and money to support the jail’s population. These costs could rise past $1 million per year assuming the guards are paid $30,000 a year. The fate of the jail depends upon the Mayor funding the facility and its staff from the Flint Auto Auctions o junkyards, but it is hard to believe that the auto auctions will be able to support the jails permanently considering they make on average about $500,000 a year.
All of his other solutions depend upon his continued monetary support. Where will we Flint be when he is no longer funning for mayor? Just like the mayor's dumpsters, which littered our streets when he was running for Mayor, the funds for the jail could dry up and leave the city in the unfortunate position of releasing prisoners and employees. This smells like a political stunt designed to win the Mayor votes in time for the campaign season and it would be irresponsible to rely on the Mayor’s patronage.
None of the Mayor’s plans are designed to rebuild our city. Instead of aiding that effort, he constantly struggles against those who are trying to build long-term, enduring solutions like the Genesee County Land Bank, Uptown Development Corporation, and the Mott Foundation. Really, the Land Bank is one of the only government agencies in Flint which has had success. Affordable downtown lofts, small businesses tailored to meet the demands of college students, and the rejuvenation of Flint neighborhoods can all be attributed to these actors. Political favors at election time are not going to be enough to fix Flint’s problems. If we want to rebuild our community we will have to do it from the ground up and avoid relying on the simple solutions. Putting criminals behind bars will help the city, but we must also work to support such a project financially. Plus, this alone will not save Flint. It will take a reinvigorated downtown built to support a diverse economy built off of our abundance of opportunities in higher education. Only by rebuilding Flint's workforce and securing jobs for the future will crime decrease. If there is anything that our community must take from Flint’s history, it’s that we cannot depend upon short-sighted visions for our community and we must focus on building long-term solutions that will endure the test of time.
Afternoon everyone, today it's our pleasure to introduce you to Keith Flynn, with an interview live from the Brown Sugar Cafe in lovely and scenic downtown Flint.
Okay, Keith, where are you from? From the gorgeous city of Flint, MI.
Great, tell us a little bit about your education... Well, I went to high school at the Valley School in Flint, graduated from Albion College in 2006 with a major in Political Science and Management. I'm currently enrolled at MSU Law, dual degree in Law and Industrial Labor Relations.
How long have you been with GCYD? I've been with GCYD for five years now.
What do you hope for GCYD to accomplish going forward? I want to see us become an enduring institution in Flint politics.
Sounds like a great goal, Keith. So, who do you like for President in 2008? Right now I'm between Barack Obama and John Edwards and, boy, am I torn.
What does Obama have to do to win? He needs to reveal more about what he wants to do specifically. Broad, rhetorical comments can energize voters but considering all the problems our nation is currently facing, Americans want real ideas of how to move forward.
Okay, looking back, who is your favorite President ever? FDR.
Short and to the point, a man of few words. So, what do you do for fun? I golf, play tennis. I watch a lot of sports lately. I play video games. I'm a video gamer.
What's your favorite game? Difficult... I'd say... The first Halo. I really liked that one.
You say you watch a lot of sports lately, what do you think the Tigers are going to do this season? *psst*Win the World Series.
Alright Keith, we'll get you out of here on this: In three sentences, what does the future hold for Flint? The future of Flint is the growth of high-tech industry, which will be built off of our strong higher-educational infrastructure. The challenge of today is to build our public school infrastructure so that all Flint citizens have access to the skills they need for Flint to grow and prosper. Flint needs to remember the past but in the process move in a completely different direction for the future.
Alright thank you Keith. Tomorrow, a sit-down with our Vice President, John Cherry.
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
We are a hardy, ragtag band of do-gooders struggling against political corruption and fighting for a strong Democracy. We work to get young people involved in politics to change Flint politics and improve our community. A government of the people and for the people should never forget any of its people. States like Michigan and cities like Flint, which have been hardest hit by economic changes, should never be forgotten by our elected officials. Young people are the ones affected the most and it is up to us to get politicians elected who will build the nation that our forefathers dreamed.
