Jesse Jackson was back in Benton Harbor yesterday, this time alongside Congressman John Conyers, Chair of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus Congressman Fred Durhal, Jr., Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, Benton Harbor Mayor Wilce Cook, and others. They announced that a lawsuit will soon be filed on behalf of Benton Harbor. Jackson says they will now file a lawsuit, challenging the […]

I have been writing pretty intensively about the dismissal of the Benton Harbor City Commission by the Emergency Financial Manager, Joe Harris. Like many of you, I am incensed at this draconian step being taken, a disenfranchisement of the residents of Benton Harbor and an abridgement of what I think most of us understand as democracy. Taxation without representation is […]

I’ll give Rick Snyder credit. The dude displays a whole lotta chutzpah. He’s going to be the Grand Marshal at the Benton Harbor Grand Floral Festival next month Gov. Rick Snyder plans to take part in the 2011 Grand Floral Parade on May 7 as its grand marshal. Blossomtime Executive Director Sabrina LaSota said the governor’s office has confirmed his […]

I don’t have complete details at this time but it appears that there is an organized effort afoot to start a recall effort against Michigan State Congressman Al Pscholka. Who is Al Pscholka? In addition to being the state Representative from the area that includes Benton Harbor, Pscholka is a former aide to Congressman Fred Upton, a man who has […]

A few things to report today about Benton Harbor. First, Jesse Jackson made an appearance in Benton Harbor yesterday to highlight their situation. “Clearly we must prepare to file a major lawsuit to restore democratic rights in Benton Harbor,” said Jackson. He encouraged church and city leaders to form a coalition. ~SNIP~ “You don’t solve an economic crisis by decapitating […]

Based on some tips from folks who have contacted me about my blogging the Big Government TakeoverTM of Benton Harbor by Rick Snyder’s Emergency Financial Manager, Joseph Harris, I’ve been doing some digging into the development known as Harbor Shores. I have found an amazingly tangled web that involves a number of very powerful, very wealthy men. In the process […]

Last night on her show, Rachel Maddow connected some very important dots in the situation that led up to the Big Government TakeoverTM of Benton Harbor, Michigan by Joseph Harris, aka “The Czar of Benton Harbor”. But she didn’t connect ALL of them. In her piece we learn these facts about Benton Harbor and its twin city next door, St. […]

New Benton Harbor Emergency Financial Manager (EFM), effectively the “Czar of Benton Harbor”, Joseph Harris got right to work this weekend in his new capacity by reconfiguring the city’s Planning Commission and Brownfield Commission. In two directives released Friday, Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joseph Harris removed members of the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Planning Commission, appointed others, and reduced brownfield […]

Will the Tea Partiers protest against the Big Govt. Takeover™ of Benton Harbor? Hahahahaha! Just kidding. Benton Harbor is more than 90% African American. I’m just sayin’…

By now you have probably heard about Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s takeover of Benton Harbor, Michigan‘s government via his Emergency Financial Manager. As I said in my previous piece on this, while I understand the utter shambles that Benton Harbor was in, I also understand that there are systemic reasons for that in addition to malfeasance and mismanagement. A population […]

NOTE: I have an important update to this entry up titled “How Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is quietly & intentionally creating more Benton Harbors” that you may find of interest. NOTE 2: A second update is here: Benton Harbor Emergency Financial Mgr. gets right to work and shows how Harris is already at work, rejiggering two city development commissions. As […]