Dan Gilbert, Quicken Loans founder and chairman, appeared for a special conversation during which he spoke at length about Detroit and the need to change the narrative of the city.
Gilbert also took time to further dismiss the “60 Minutes” presentation on Detroit which he said underestimates the growth that is taking place in the city. He said he was ready to put the searchlight on helping rebuild Detroit’s neighborhoods, citing as an example his willingness to be part of a three-person committee created to address blight in Detroit.
Bertram Marks, general counsel of the Detroit Council of Baptist Pators & Vicinity, highlighted the need for public trust. Detroiters, he said, want to have faith in their government.
“Those who wish to serve in public office can only be effective when they are trusted. Once trust is established, it must be maintained. Accountability to the needs and desires of the public should be the principal measure of how we screen and elect candidates for public service,” Marks said. “We have all been both witness and victim to the wounds inflicted by corruption. It has been horrendous. Equally troubling is the rising tide of mistrust concerning the perceived agendas of political parties.”
Marks said Detroit’s revival cannot be a Republican or Democratic tool to promote the prowess of one party over another.
“Instead, the comeback story of Detroit must be an effort free from cronyism, racism, political wrangling and labeling. As Detroit rebuilds itself, those charged with the responsibility of governing must be bipartisan, multicultural and beyond pandering to wealth and power,” Marks said. “The people who are most vulnerable in our community must be our top priority. Making sure these citizens have a high quality of life is how history will measure the revitalization of Detroit.”
I have long maintained that the whole notion of government accountability is rooted in the idea of strong democratic governance. That those who seek public office must bring with them accountability as a virtue and a way of life. That elected and public officials sworn to protect the public’s interests must conduct themselves always in and outside of their offices in a way that shows accountability, qualities and attributes deserving of anyone who should be trusted with the public coffers.
In our current political dispensation, the most visible and important example in seeking an honest government is the saga of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was convicted in a sweeping federal corruption trial and has now been sentenced.
TV One network aired the first national comprehensive documentary on the rise of fall of the former mayor Monday night that was very telling. The one hour film on Kilpatrick captured in details and facts the essence of that era and really put into context the temptations that accompany political office and how that leads to bad governance. It is a sad American story to come from Detroit. But the city should not be held hostage by that era.
Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, told the gathering at Wayne that it is time for Detroit to free itself from the Kilpatrick era and move on.
Federal Bar Association Chapter President Michael K. Lee applauded the summit, saying, “The power of elected officials is derived solely from the willingness of the people to agree to that governance. That willingness is contingent on the credibility of those in public office as seen through the eyes of that populace. A primary tool that a populace uses to measure that credibility is transparency, by which a populace can measure honesty and integrity.”
Wayne Law Dean Jocelyn Benson also was a panelist at the summit, welcomed the opportunity for the law school to serve as the venue for the summit.
“An honest and open government is the most basic part of maintaining the public trust and reinforcing the democratic process,” Benson said. “Wayne Law School is thrilled to be hosting this event focused on how the public, private and non-profit sectors can work together to ensure municipal government in Detroit is transparent and accountable.”
Paul Tait, head of the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), one of the summit sponsors who deputized for MAC chairperson and also chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors Debbie Dingell, said it was timely that Detroit begins to look at public integrity in government with the next chapter of leadership.
Bankole Thompson is the editor of the Michigan Chronicle and author of the forthcoming 2014 book on Detroit titled “Rising From the Ashes: Engaging Detroit’s Future with Courage.” His most recent book “Obama and Christian Loyalty,” deals with the politics of the religious right, black theology and the president’s faith posture across a myriad of issues with an epilogue written by former White House spokesman Robert S. Weiner. He is a political analyst at WDET-101.9FM (Detroit Public Radio) and a member of the weekly “Obama Watch” roundtable on WLIB-1190AM New York. Email him at bankole@bankolethompson.com and visit www.bankolethompson.com.
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