Detroit’s finances are on life-support. And U.S. Representative John Conyers wants to pull the plug.
 
Last November, the City Council cancelled its holiday recess amid reports that, without drastic cuts, the city will run out of cash in April. Motown has been raped and pillaged by so many corrupt politicians over the last several decades that the long-term prognosis is dire.
 
Last month, a review by the Michigan State Treasury found evidence of “probable financial stress” (if that isn’t an understatement!), and questioned the city’s ability to remain solvent. Subsequently, last week Governor Rick Snyder appointed a 10-member team to review Detroit’s fiscal situation in depth, and determine whether an emergency manager may be required, as provided for under state law, to avert bankruptcy.
 
Detroit faces a budget shortfall that is now close to $200 million, with no relief in sight. Even the mayor, Dave Bing, somewhat reluctantly admits that the city is probably in need an emergency manager;

“An emergency manager is what we want to avoid,” said Dan Lijana, a spokesman for Mr. Bing, who briefed members of the City Council on the issue privately in recent days. “But if we don’t address the $150 million shortfall, there isn’t another option.”

Source: New York Times ~ Nov.3, 2011

 
Now you’d think the city’s residents might welcome the state’s assistance in solving the current financial crisis. Many do, but not Rep. John Conyers (D) of Michigan’s 14th district.
 

 
Conyers, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is infamous for asking “What good is reading the bill?” during the healthcare legislation debate. He’s served in congress since 1965 – a poster boy for term limits.
(Incidentally, his wife, former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, is presently a guest in the West Virginia federal detention center.)
 
Rep.Conyers has been leading beleaguered Detroiters astray for 46 years and shows no signs of stopping now. In fact, he doesn’t seem to care if the city goes flat broke. He and his assorted cronies, union pals and the entitlement crowd want nothing to do with help from any “outsiders” – consequences be damned. On January 2nd he and other local leaders met at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit with hundreds of concerned residents, singing “We Shall Overcome,” and voicing their opposition to the state’s intervention. As MLive reports:

Conyers, who has asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to review the constitutionality of Michigan’s Public Act 4 (which allows for the appointment of an emergency manager), told residents he will use his relationships in the White House to stop the appointment of an emergency manager for Detroit.
 
“It just so happens that I have a closer relationship with the 44th President of the United States and his Attorney General, Eric Holder, than I have ever had with anybody in the Washington White House,” he said, failing to mention the public disputes he has had with President Barack Obama.

 
(Color me unimpressed.)
 
At a similar rally last week (Conyers was not in attendance), Minister Malik Shabazz expressed the sentiments of the Anti-Emergency Manager crowd:

“We’re not going to allow the hands of the human rights clock or the civil rights clock to be turned backwards,” Shabazz said. “They keep taking and taking and taking from Detroit. Why not leave us alone. That’s all we want. Leave us alone and let us govern ourselves.”

 
So apparently fiscal irresponsibility is now a civil right. The same political party that ran Detroit into the ground for the last 60 years would rather see the city go bankrupt than let the state implement any measures to improve the situation.
 
And they don’t really want to be “left alone.” They’ll be more than happy to grab more handouts, federal, state or otherwise, but not if it entails any financial accountability.
 

 
Rather than helping his constituents, John Conyers selfishly manipulates them.
Jim Jones and the tragedy of the Peoples Temple came to mind because, here too, was a man like Conyers, pathetically obsessed with his own power and influence.
 
Let’s hope there are enough sane Detroiters who realize that ignoring the reality of looming financial disaster would be “citycide.”