Benton Harbor Michigan Becomes A Ward Of The State

Benton Harbor Commissioners, mayor to file lawsuit against financial manager

Final Call - March 2010 - Commissioners In Benton Harbor Resist City Take Over

Let me set the record straight up front by specifying my knowledge of the present situation in Benton Harbor before I go on.   I only learned of the assignment of a Financial Manager to the city as appointed by the governor after reading the most recent edition of 'The Final Call' newspaper.   From what I can tell the city is in dire straights.  The city had to agree to this arrangement as part of a larger austerity plan.

The Local Leadership Seek To Protect Themselves Against The Larger Establishment

The most recent article about Benton Harbor from the recent "Final Call" is not on line yet.  In reading it I could not help but note how the local leadership of the city is seeking "community unity" as it FIGHTS against the actions of the financial manager that was imposed upon them by the state.  My key point is that even as "favorable people" become the ESTABLISHMENT and unfavorable results are obtained - those who are in power are able to escape damnation by calling for UNITY in the community as they fight against the external threat.  The fact that this present governor - Jennifer Granholm - is a Democrat just as all of the local politicians in Benton Harbor does not bode well for the assumption that the new Republican governor will have a "constructive" relationship with the city.


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Again - my goal is not to debate the party issue.  I am interested in understanding the dynamic by which the rank & file who is made to suffer after their years of loyalty given to the machine they have put into power allows the machine to retain its confidence and credibility with the masses.   It seems that the people are enforcing a dogma rather than a set of effective outcomes.

The words said by President Obama - "Don't give them the keys back" never seems to apply to these favorable machines.

I am not suggesting that they flip over to become Republicans.
I am merely wondering why they continue to invest in the "American Political Domain" for their development instead of a more organic alternative.