WDET is talking to voters across Metro Detroit as part of our Citizen Vox project.

That includes Jeff Davis, who owns a business in Clinton Township.

Davis says he’s not pleased with President Trump.

But Davis adds that he’s also no fan of Michigan Democrats choice for U.S. Senate.

Jeff Davis: I find it atrocious that Abdul El Sayed equates Iran with Israel. I support (GOP senate nominee) Mike Rogers’ strong support for Israel, who is the best friend of the United States and our ally. And I fear an individual like Abdul El Sayed, who is on record as supporting defunding the police. And frankly, I think he’s extremely dangerous.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: Dangerous how?

JD: Dangerous in the sense that there’s a movement toward socialism. I think he’s a socialist communist with extremely dangerous ideas and I’m shocked that the race between him and Mike Rogers, who is a a military man, a family man. I’m really shocked that the race is so close. Socialism/communism is shown to fail. The U.S. is a country that was began on values of going out west and doing it on your own. People think that government solves problems. Government doesn’t solve any problem. Government makes it worse.

Editors note: Abdul El-Sayed denies any ties to communism and is not a member of the Democratic Socialists of America party, per NBC and the Wall Street Journal.

QK: You’re a business owner. It’s been somewhat of a tough economy for a number of people. How have things been going for you, especially while owning a business?

JD: Business is extremely difficult right now. Taxes are high, bureaucracy is high, the competition from China in the automotive industry is severe. I think Michigan, to a large degree, has not been successful in diversifying its economy like other states have done. It’s been really, really difficult. Being a business owner simply means that you’re a servant to both your customers, your suppliers, and you’re a servant to your employees as well. It’s extremely difficult right now.

QK: Do you hear of or do you have your own ideas of any approach that would help lessen some of the costs?

JD: Smaller government, less taxes. It’s ridiculous. The government should probably be involved in about half the things that it’s involved in. It needs to be cut significantly. If the government was not as fat and bloated as it is at all levels, the average American would have a lot more money in his pocket.

QK: President Trump has talked about trying to lessen the size of government. What do you think of the job that Trump has been doing?

JD: He’s been a significant disappointment. I voted for him. I think his support for Israel has been wavering at times. I think there’s a lot of ego in that administration with Trump and Hegseth talking about how great our military is. “We’re the greatest military in the world.” I think there’s a shallowness there. I think that Trump is not in touch with the average American person and I think he’s been a significant disappointment.

QK: Two of the president’s signature issues over these first couple of years of his second term have been his use of tariffs and the war in Iran. What’s your thoughts on either or both of those?

JD: I think the war in Iran is absolutely necessary. It’s extremely simplistic to say that gas prices have increased. Well of course gas prices have increased. But what’s the opposite? Nuclear weapons in the hand of the mullahs. People don’t want to put their mind in the place that some are so extreme that they’ll fire nuclear weapons at their enemies. But they are. And people don’t want to face the truth. Frankly, I think Trump should be more aggressive in the war on Iran.

With respect to tariffs, I don’t think it’s wise to pick fights with Canada or Greenland or other countries. I think it’s wise to utilize diplomacy first and foremost. There are other things Trump’s done that I really like. The sanctioning of Russia for their aggression against Ukraine, I like that. But Trump does a really poor job of explaining why he’s doing things. And I think that his ego is in the way of a lot of his decisions.

Two Detroit Museum institutions want voters in Wayne and Oakland counties to support a joint operating millage on the November ballot. 

The Detroit Historical Society and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History are proposing a 10-year 0.2 mills they say would generate nearly $29 million in revenue in its first year. 

The President and CEO of the Wright Museum is Neil Barclay. He says without the millage there will be significant cuts to programming and services. 

“I think mostly about our young people who would not be able to come to the museum as much as we even can do now. That those our hours could be reduced. …We would have to look at in terms of bringing our budgets into line with the resources that we have available.” 

Barclay says at a time when African American history is under attack, it’s imperative that a museum stories of the Black community receives sustainable funding. 

Last month the board of commissioners for both Oakland and Wayne counties created the Southeast Michigan Public Historical Museum Authority to put the proposal on the ballot. 

Additional headlines from Friday, Aug. 21, 2026

Bookstore asks neighbors to stop using poisonous pest control

Owners of the historic bookshop John K King Used and Rare Books is asking neighboring retailers not to use chemical poisons to eradicate pests after squirrels were found dead outside the bookstore.

Owners are encouraging the use of enclosed bait stations and snap traps. The bookstores are asking people to report any animals that are acting strange in the area to them.  The bookstore is keeping a record of occurrences.  

Run Walk Picnic

The non-profit organization Zaman International is hosting their annual Run Walk Picnic next month. They are also celebrating their 30 years.  

The event includes a 5k run and walk along the Rouge River Gateway Trail, a three-quarter mile kids run for ages 5 to 12 and an 100 meter kids run for ages 2 to 4. Other activities include pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin decorating, and more family-friendly games.

Zaman was created in 1996 to provide holistic support to women and children experiencing poverty in Southeast Michigan.

The event will be held Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ford Field Park in Dearborn.

Cafe Prince closing

Café Prince in Corktown is closing. The last day the café will be open is  next Sunday, Aug. 30. The café will have a DJ performing a live set, as well as a market selling glassware, plants and fixtures that day.

The current owner Phillip Kafta alluded in an Instagram post the cafe will be turned over to new operator but did not reveal the new owner’s name. The new establishment will open on Sept. 4.

The closing party for the café will be on Aug. 30 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Café Prince is located on 4884 Grand River Avenue.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.