Detroit's City Council Candidates Must Deliver on Promises, Not Excuses.
As Detroiters prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming municipal election, one thing is clear: they deserve better representation than what current City Council candidate Karen Whitsett has shown in her time in Lansing. Whitsett's lack of engagement with policy-making and her history of absenteeism from sessions have raised serious questions about her ability to represent the needs and values of Detroit.
Whitsett's own admission that she doesn't do policy work is a red flag, particularly for a city like Detroit where residents face complex challenges in areas such as economic recovery, affordable housing, and public safety. When asked why she avoids policy work, Whitsett has said it's "not really my thing." But what kind of leader abdicates the responsibility of making tough decisions that impact the lives of their constituents? It's an alarming indication of a fundamental disconnect between Whitsett's self-interest and her duty to serve.
Whitsett's record is riddled with examples of her failure to show up for work. According to The Detroit News, she has missed 77 percent of session days in Lansing this year, including a recent all-night session where her absence would have significantly impacted the passage of the annual budget. This lack of accountability and commitment to doing her job raises serious questions about Whitsett's fitness for office.
Moreover, Whitsett's voting record is also a cause for concern. She has consistently voted against policies that benefit working-class families, such as raising the minimum wage and expanding paid sick leave. Her vote in favor of House Bill 4706, which cuts billions of dollars from Medicaid funding and slashes environmental programs, is particularly egregious given Detroit's high rates of poverty and environmental degradation.
Whitsett's lack of leadership on critical issues like reproductive rights and public safety is equally disturbing. She voted against legislation that would have protected women's healthcare access and safeguarded the lives of Black mothers. This kind of partisan politics has no place in a city where health care, housing, and economic opportunities are scarce.
The people of District 7 deserve better than a candidate who prioritizes her own interests over their needs. Detroit needs a City Council that is active, engaged, and committed to making decisions that improve the lives of its residents. We need leaders who understand the importance of policy-making, accountability, and collaboration with working people.
Whitsett's record shows that she is not that leader. She has failed to show up for work, betrayed workers' rights, and voted against policies that would have improved the lives of her constituents. If she couldn't effectively serve her district in Lansing, why would she be any more effective on the Detroit City Council?
It's time for a change in District 7. We need a councilmember who actively works to improve the lives of all its residents. We need someone who understands the responsibility of their office, the power of policy-making, and the impact their leadership has on the daily lives of working people.
Karen Whitsett is not that leader. She has shown she is not up to the task.
As Detroiters prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming municipal election, one thing is clear: they deserve better representation than what current City Council candidate Karen Whitsett has shown in her time in Lansing. Whitsett's lack of engagement with policy-making and her history of absenteeism from sessions have raised serious questions about her ability to represent the needs and values of Detroit.
Whitsett's own admission that she doesn't do policy work is a red flag, particularly for a city like Detroit where residents face complex challenges in areas such as economic recovery, affordable housing, and public safety. When asked why she avoids policy work, Whitsett has said it's "not really my thing." But what kind of leader abdicates the responsibility of making tough decisions that impact the lives of their constituents? It's an alarming indication of a fundamental disconnect between Whitsett's self-interest and her duty to serve.
Whitsett's record is riddled with examples of her failure to show up for work. According to The Detroit News, she has missed 77 percent of session days in Lansing this year, including a recent all-night session where her absence would have significantly impacted the passage of the annual budget. This lack of accountability and commitment to doing her job raises serious questions about Whitsett's fitness for office.
Moreover, Whitsett's voting record is also a cause for concern. She has consistently voted against policies that benefit working-class families, such as raising the minimum wage and expanding paid sick leave. Her vote in favor of House Bill 4706, which cuts billions of dollars from Medicaid funding and slashes environmental programs, is particularly egregious given Detroit's high rates of poverty and environmental degradation.
Whitsett's lack of leadership on critical issues like reproductive rights and public safety is equally disturbing. She voted against legislation that would have protected women's healthcare access and safeguarded the lives of Black mothers. This kind of partisan politics has no place in a city where health care, housing, and economic opportunities are scarce.
The people of District 7 deserve better than a candidate who prioritizes her own interests over their needs. Detroit needs a City Council that is active, engaged, and committed to making decisions that improve the lives of its residents. We need leaders who understand the importance of policy-making, accountability, and collaboration with working people.
Whitsett's record shows that she is not that leader. She has failed to show up for work, betrayed workers' rights, and voted against policies that would have improved the lives of her constituents. If she couldn't effectively serve her district in Lansing, why would she be any more effective on the Detroit City Council?
It's time for a change in District 7. We need a councilmember who actively works to improve the lives of all its residents. We need someone who understands the responsibility of their office, the power of policy-making, and the impact their leadership has on the daily lives of working people.
Karen Whitsett is not that leader. She has shown she is not up to the task.
I don't think it's fair to trash someone's whole career just 'cause they don't do what one person thinks is "policy work". It seems like a pretty low bar to set for a politician 
. Whitsett's got some major strikes against her, but also some people might see her as a breath of fresh air after years of old-school politics 
.
. Her record shows she hasn't been engaged in policy-making and has missed a ton of sessions, which is crazy considering how important those are to the city's economic recovery, housing, and public safety 
.
. And with a voting record like hers? More red flags for me! Her record shows she hasn't been a fan of policies that help working-class families or protect people's healthcare, which is just wrong 
.
. We need a council member who's active, engaged, and committed to making decisions that improve lives, not one who just checks boxes. I'm not convinced Karen Whitsett is the right person for the job 
.
. I mean, missing 77% of session days? That's just unacceptable. And it's not like Detroit needs someone who can't even be bothered to show up for work. They're already struggling so much in terms of economic recovery and affordable housing... do we really want someone who doesn't care enough to make a difference?
failed policy work, voting against working-class families & reproductive rights... it's a total no-go for me! 
what kind of leader abdicates their responsibility? we need someone who's gonna actually show up & make things happen not just collect a paycheck 
Ugh, I'm so frustrated with politicians like Karen Whitsett who just don't seem to care about making a difference in their community. It's all about personal gain and party loyalty over people's actual needs... 
In my opinion, if you're gonna run for office, you should be willing to put in the work and make some tough decisions that might not be popular with everyone. Whitsett's lack of engagement and accountability is super concerning, especially in a city like Detroit where they need someone who can help turn things around. I mean, what kind of leader just shows up late or takes credit for other people's ideas? 
We need someone who's gonna roll up their sleeves and get stuff done, not just collect a paycheck. 
we're too focused on who's not doing it right instead of what can be done differently. whitsett's excuses aren't an excuse for us to give up hope 
we need someone who's gonna put people over politics and actually make a difference for the community 
detroit deserves better!
! It's clear that Karen Whitsett needs to step up her game if she wants to be a good representative for District 7. Instead of tearing her down, I'd rather focus on lifting up the positive change-makers who can bring fresh ideas and energy to the table 
. I mean, what kinda leader doesn't do the work? And 77% absenteeism from sessions in Lansing is just insane 
. We need someone who'll put our community first, not their own interests 
whats wrong wit her tho? 