LIMBO: HOW LOW CAN SOME POLITICIANS GO?

Category: Chronicle Archives Published on Tuesday, 28 July 2009 20:00 Written by Michigan Chronicle

At best it is insulting, and at worst it represents the lowest form of political education I have seen as a political journalist. That Detroit City Council
member Martha Reeves would be carrying campaign literature asking voters to re-elect her and the Vandellas – her Motown signing group – back to the City Council is insane.

What does Detroit want?

Is this the kind of leadership voters are willing to accept from Martha Reeves who told the British press in a recent singing tour in London that her job as a legislator in Detroit is secondary to her singing career?

Plain and simple Martha Reeves, who is running as Martha-Rose Reeves, needs to resign now from the City Council before the primary election. If she fails to do so, Detroiters should vote to get rid of her, and make an example out of her for those who think that name recognition without ideas and proven track records will get you into political office.

There is no doubt that what Martha Reeves is doing is appealing to a certain segment in this community – those who are still madly in love with her days as a Motown queen – but couldn’t care less if she knows what to do to lower their property taxes. That segment of the population is not concerned about whether Martha Reeves understands the rudiments of local government. No matter how poor city services are, and how residents and businesses are faring, what matters to this group of Martha Reeves lovers is that she is an embodiment of Motown.

But that kind of nostalgia will not move Detroit forward. She believes voters in this city are not intelligent enough to realize the significance of electing competent local lawmakers to decide the future of a city presently on trial.

Last week on “Flashpoint” on WDIV, Reeves would not back down on the deranged narcissism tour. She reminded the audience that she is doing God’s business and was even happy getting this much attention.

Apparently Reeves may think she is an angel, and if she is one, she needs to be reminded that there are many people out there tired and are waiting on City Council to address the city’s many problems.

At the end of the day, Detroit has to decide whether it’s future can be held hostage by the likes of Reeves and others who feel that people are not smart enough to read carefully between the lines of the political thread.

A change for serious leadership is needed, not jokers who are basking in their name and popularity in the hunt for votes.

Martha Reeves should leave public office and take the self-appointed, non-publicly sponsored position of Detroit’s music ambassador, whereby she could tour the world promoting Detroit to help attract tourism to the city. That is a project she can dedicate her life to and would be much appreciated in that regard than in her current non-functional public service position.

At least in her musical ambassadorial post she would not be required to understand policy – all she would need is recollection of some of the best Motown songs that would get fans up and jumping remembering the musical golden days of Detroit.

Senior Editor Bankole Thompson is a radio and television analyst, sought after moderator and public lecturer. His latest book is “A Matter of Black Transformation.” E-mail him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .