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Georgia GOP State Convention: Peaches Have Black Pits..Usually

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , on May 18, 2013 | 2 Comments »

The Georgia Republican State Convention is popping this weekend so it’s time to play “count the negroes.”   I will get calls from Black GOP friends and associates regarding the size vehicle you could put all of the African-Americans at this event in at one time comfortably.   Escalade seems appropriate because we love ourselves some Cadillacs.

 
Georgia contains the best Black area in the world, Atlanta, and therefore, the state has many many business-oriented, self-made Blacks who are conservative to moderate on paper.   Secondly, outside of Atlanta, Blacks are use to functioning with GOP elected leaders.   The opportunity has been there for GOP candidates to enjoy 10, 20, or maybe 30% of the Black vote but they don’t want it because the regular GOP crew would see sizable Black numbers as an indicator of liberalism.

 
The 2014 U.S. Senate primary on the GOP side could be decided by a few votes.   This week, former Secretary of State Karen Handel jumped into the race.   This former Atlanta area elected official could have been governor if she cultivated a little of the Black support she experienced in the ATL but she was defeated in a primary runoff by 2500 votes.   Of course, the maneuver I am suggesting would have required Black voting in the GOP primary but wise folks know that the Dem team is weak in Georgia so the GOP primary is often where leaders are picked. I do it all the time.
 

Rep. Jack Kingston is in the senate race also. …Jack…cool Jack….my man Jack.  Careful, Jack. Please.   One on one, Kingston is one friendly guy but the GOP information (or disinformation) machine requires the delivery of rough talking point (yes, the Dems do the same thing.)   Jack is well liked in the Black community from Augusta to Warner Robins to Valdosta because he supports our military bases and farms.   So, Kingston should play that Rep. Austin Scott/Rep. Sanford Bishop nice guy role by voting the party line but limited the non-policy attacks on the president from the other party.   The Obama administration is currently giving them plenty of real targets so fire away nicely.

 
Handel or Kingston could get 20% of their primary votes from crossover Blacks who aren’t GOP if they play their cards right.   The percentage is more than enough to tip the scales to victory and if Michelle Nunn doesn’t jump into the race, the whole state should vote in the GOP primary.

 

In the land of MLK, “I have a dream” that one day the GOP—the party of Lincoln- will have a state convention with brothers and sistas with goatees and naturals.   I mean the bros should have goatees.   You know, guys who grew up on Black self-reliance discussions at the dinner table. People who are uncomfortable with the government being all up in their business.   People who don’t need the state to tell them to care for and feed their children.

 
Surprisingly, Clarence Thomas is one the most afro-centric cats on the nation stage and as Chuck D said about someone else “don’t tell me that you understand until you hear the man.”   A new Black conservatism could be based on Thomas’s book about his grandfather. Black southerners are primed to be separated from real liberals and from the thug element of the hip hop culture.   However, we can’t find a home inside the Right because the far Right likes ugly talk too much.   What’s a brother to do?

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T.V. Brainwashed: “Married To Medicine” isn’t Georgia

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 24, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

The horrific, cowardly acts in Boston last year were carried out by young men who were brainwashed and/or radicalized. An argument can be made that all or most of us could be or have been radicalized on some level when inundated with too much of a particular point of view.

Blacks in America would be a good place to start this discussion. We knew upon arriving on these shores that wrongful actions brought us here. But, we had to patiently wait until the mid-1970s to experience the freedoms of this free nation. Americans who believe in the Christian Bible know our book is filled with references to waiting on the Lord and to me, being humbled by suffering prepares us for heaven as a proposed to those who think they have heaven on earth. Those cats might have a dated with a fire on the other side.

My friends from the Taxed Enough Already Party (TEA) are correct in many ways on taxes but they don’t have the patience of Black folks. If these guys don’t get what they want now, they are ready for an actual revolution…now.

People on both ends of the political spectrum often constantly listen to and read information from pumped-up sources. Too much of these opinions at one time can lead to an overdose. For example, viewers should know how to watch T.V. shows in their proper entertainment context.

Seinfeld doesn’t reflect all of my Jewish friends; Homeland doesn’t reflect all of my Muslim friends and the Real Housewives of Atlanta only reflects the lifestyles of about a dozen families in the ATL.

Oh, we should talk about Married To Medicine, the latest effort of the gay agenda at Bravo to make everyone else look foolish. (Kidding)

When I was a child, people said that politics was show business for ugly people. But, reality television has blown that out of the water…like blowing stumps on Swamp People. Today, the music T.V. channels have no music videos and the history channel has little history on it’s main channel. It’s all about reality shows and the affect of American culture could be cancerous.

The fight between lovely sistas in ball gowns last week on Married To Medicine should in no way reflect the behavior of Black professionals in Georgia. Bravo searched high and low (really low) for people who would trade dignity for instant fame. Oh, I knew as a child that lawyers, bankers, professors and physicians were regular people away from work and subject to the same drama as anyone else. Actually, my college sweetheart contends that her colleagues in the medical profession are socially awkward because they spent so many years in the books while others were learning social skills.

An old adage states “just because you paid for college, doesn’t mean you have class.” We have a problem in the Black community that centers on the desire for wealth. We like people to see us with shiny stuff in shiny cars heading to fancy meals at fancy places. If your natural abilities didn’t provide you the means to get this stuff, you can always marry well if you are smoking hot.

The Mariah lady to M to M is simply hood and will always be hood. The show is produced in some way in association with her production company. So, she sat in a board room at Bravo and pitched this product with promises of cattiness, ugliness and fights. The two lady doctors are classy as is the attractive woman Toya, who was basically jumped by Mariah. Of course, the hood has people without money who have class and they lack of money could be based on their refusal to compromise their integrity wealth.

So, people across America watch messy T.V. about groups of Americans they don’t know and formulate faulted opinions. “He is not this child’s father…either.” Then during the news hour, Fox News tells you that you are paying for these people to hang out all day while you are at work making money that a Kenyan born president will take from your check. On the other side of the extreme, MSNBC is doing the same thing from the stay point of “the government can fix all the problems in the nation with enough tax money….no one in America should be outside the middle class.” Huh? Can everyone be middle class? Isn’t the government ensuring a minimum quality of life basically socialism?

Fox, MSMBC and Bravo don’t brainwashing as well as the hip hop culture. Did I love hip hop as a college student? Yes sir, I was proud that urban youth created an art medium to reflect the realities of their situations. But today, life is imitating art because youth are glamorizing thugs and strippers while some students are actually downplaying their academic success. On his quality reality show last week, rapper T.I. told his kids that he never met a thug who wanted to be a thug. My man told them to rap about having a nice life. T.I. is the king of the South.

In summary, we need to be careful what we watch and hear because forces can radicalize you before you know it. In a diverse nation, there is no substitute for getting to know (humanizing) others. When we know each other, we can start the process of explaining now personal choices and decisions have consequences. If not, the next generation of Black southerners might include people that some people (including positive Blacks) will want to rightfully avoid.

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Alicia Keys “Brand New Me” Is A Great Political Anthem

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on March 5, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

To me, Alicia  Keys has written the political song of the decade unbeknownst to her.   She was writing about love or whatever but the lyrics capture my feelings and concerns for the troubled environment in the political/policy arena.

The arena stinks out loud these days.  People are more interested in fighting the opposition than building solutions which improve our great nation.   Is the tail wagging the dog because people in official Washington are battling and giggling while the rest of the nation scratches our heads.

Look, I don’t hate members of any political party and hope that leaders can constructively dialog with each other.   While television fuels intramural conflicts among Americans, I personal believe (like General Colin Powell) that a silent majority of people in the political center and seeks healthy communication at the policy-making table.

I feel sorry for those who live for negativity and thrive on angst.  My life is too short to spend it bitter—that takes too much energy.   We should look at A. Keyes words as if they were written to ugly-acting political folks on both sides.

To be hopefully, I personally feel that we have many good-hearted Americans in the arena.   To start, I like the spirit of Barrack Obama, Jon Huntsman, Condi Rice, Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush.   Also, the guys at No Labels are on the right track.  As readers of this blog know, I am a moderate Dem who votes for good people with secondary regard for party.   I am more interested in solutions, peace and regional issues.   Plus, good old plain talk is music to my ears.

In my community, the leaders that get us back to self-reliance and away from governmental preoccupation will be golden.   Politically, I am a brand new kind of me and I feel better than I did during my hyper-partisan college years.   Is anyone with me?   I know that rural southerners generally seek the good in people and situations.

Alicia Keys — Brand New Me

It’s been a while, I’m not who I was before
You look surprised, your words don’t burn me anymore
Been meaning to tell you, but I guess it’s clear to see
Don’t be mad, it’s just the brand new kind of me
Can’t be bad, I found a brand new kind of free
Careful with your ego, he’s the one that we should blame
Had to grab my heart back
God know something had to change
I thought that you’d be happy
I found the one thing I need, why you mad
It’s just the brand new kind of me

It took a long long time to get here
It took a brave, brave girl to try
It took one too many excuses, one too many lies
Don’t be surprised, don’t be surprised

If I talk a little louder
If I speak up when you’re wrong
If I walk a little taller
I’ve been on to you too long
If you noticed that I’m different
Don’t take it personally
Don’t be mad, it’s just the brand new kind of me
And it ain’t bad, I found a brand new kind of free

Oh, it took a long long road to get here
It took a brave brave girl to try
I’ve taken one too many excuses, one too many lies
Don’t be surprised, oh see you look surprised

Hey, if you were a friend, you want to get know me again
If you were worth a while
You’d be happy to see me smile
I’m not expecting sorry
I’m too busy finding myself
I got this
I found me, I found me, yeah
I don’t need your opinion
I’m not waiting for your ok
I’ll never be perfect, but at least now i’m brave
Now, my heart is open
And I can finally breathe
Don’t be mad, it’s just the brand new kind of free
That ain’t bad, I found a brand new kind of me
Don’t be mad, it’s a brand new time for me, yeah

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Hill Harper: Letters To A Young Brother

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on February 22, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

hill harper
Between Barrack Obama and his Harvard Law School classmate actor Hill Harper, I surprisingly think that Harper could have as big an impact on young Americans of all colors.  Hill has dedicated his life to sharing positive information with others.  Below are my notes from his first book.  The underline sections are the beings of paragraphs that I really found useful.

Letters To A Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny         Author: Hill Harper

Xii           I want young men to have knowledge of the things that bring them true empowerment: education, a strong sense of purpose, compassion, confidence, and humility to name a few.

Xvi          It is no coincidence that both my mother and father became doctors just as it is no accident that I graduated from Brown University magna cum laude and received graduate degrees with honors from Harvard Law School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government.  My family taught me that doing my best, educating myself, and being in service to others were not optional and that having values and being truthful were not negotiable.

p. 5         You will live longer, become better educated, make more money and be happier than the previous generation.  You are here to improve the human race, and you need to embrace that.

p. 8         A good man is honest, lives his life with integrity, and behaves responsibly.

p. 9         Be Balanced

p. 13      You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends.

p. 14      While it is important to have friends, it’s also important to realize that you, completely on your own, have to be able to make yourself happy.

p. 17      There is nothing wrong

p.  20     Luckily, as I matured

p. 21      Rejection is God’s protection

p. 21      So the most important thing I learned is that my absentee parent didn’t leave me, she left the situation.  My mom left the relationship with my father because she felt she had no other choice.  Even though your father may have left when you were a baby, it’s important that you realize he didn’t leave you.  He didn’t even know you.  Your father left for reasons that had nothing to do with you.

p. 24      Truth be told

p. 24      Also, you may not

p. 33      Will Smith: Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.

p. 34      School, as hard as it may seem, is easier than the real world.

p. 36      The only two areas in your life where you should allow yourself to owe someone else money is for school (education debt) and when you buy your house – and notice I’m saying “when” you buy your house not “if” – that’s what we call “mortgage debt.”

p. 42      Hey, man

p. 44      General Colin Powell: “There are no secrets to success.  It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

p. 44      “Working smart” means using your brains first to formulate a plan of how to “work” most effectively.  If you are working smart, you are first very clear about what you want to achieve – that’s your goal. Then, before you take the first step toward achieving that goal, you use all the knowledge and information you have at your disposal to decide what the most effective route will be to get there.

p. 66      “There are some things that money can’t buy.”  In fact,, if you break it down, money can buy one thing, and one thing only and you know what that is?  Options.  Money cannot buy you freedom or happiness or love.  If you have enough money, it gives you options as to what you can do in your life and with your life.

p. 68      More focus needs to be put on developing an inner happiness, doing what you love, and having faith that if you do these things, the money will come.

p. 69      For instance

p. 74      The first car

p. 79      Girls are attracted

p. 81      Women care about much more than just external things.  A woman wants a man who will treat her with respect and wants to do fun things with her and make her laugh.

p. 82      Sanaa Lathan: All I want to know is can I talk to him?  Is he really interested in getting to know how my mind works?  Does he truly listen when we talk?  Do we have fun, do we laugh, and ultimately how do I feel when we’re together?  Be careful of wearing too much bling cuz it might outshine your better qualities.

p. 87      Throughout the history of the world more men have been brought down and had their lives destroyed because of their irresponsible sexual activity than by any other single act.

p. 88      Sex is not a bad thing.

p. 89      And remember, just because a woman wants to have sex with you, it doesn’t mean you should feel you have to have sex with her.

p. 90      Men have lost

p.  92     Gabrielle Union: Oftentimes as girls and women

p. 99      Let’s face it-mistakes

p. 101    Mistakes are decisions we have control over.  And you can make a mistake in an instant, which is why it’s important to know who you are and what you stand for before you find yourself in a situation where you make a wrong decision.

p.  103   It seems a recurring theme

p.  111   So let me set you straight- making money is not a goal.  Making money is a result.

p. 114    If you find what you love to do then, ‘hard work’ becomes easy – it’s more fun than just chillin’ or doing some job just for the money.  If you’re doing something you love, working hard at it is more fun than working just to work; now that’s hard!

p. 116    Venus Williams: School is very important

p. 122    Here are some questions

p. 128    I’ll give you an example….Barrack Obama

p. 129    You have to first, dream; and second, work hard to achieve those dreams.

p. 135    “There are three kinds of people: Those who make things happen; those who wait for things to happen; and those who sit and wonder what happen.”

p.  155   Every day we are faced with challenges and choices.  Some are harder than others.  And sometimes, what seems like a big deal at the time doesn’t matter at all a week later.  The one thing I’ve learned is that if I approach each day with an attitude of gratitude, even the most difficult challenges fail to bring me down.

p. 156    Obama: Life appears to be hard

p. 161    Wealth comes from knowing both your value in the world, as well as the value of the blessings life has brought you- family, friends, future opportunities, health, and the opportunity for true unreasonable happiness.  You win when you embrace all of these and look toward the future with a positive attitude.  So yes, you are wealthy already if you just look around you.

p. 163    Another wealth component

 

p. 167    Mantras and affirmations are strong tools that have been used for thousands of years in prayer and meditation.

I promise:

-          To be strong so that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

-          To make everyone feel that there is something special in them.

-          To look at the positive side of everything and make my optimism come true.

-          To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.

-          To learn from the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

-          To have a cheerful presence at all times and give every living creature I meet a smile.

-          To give so much time and effort to the improvement of myself that I have no time to criticize others.

-          To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

-          To be a light for others, not a judge of others.

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Naturally: African Americans, Jack Kingston and the U.S. Senate race

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

My thoughts on the future of Black political centrists in the South have been two weeks and/or two decades in the making.   So, brace yourself for an unusual brainstorm.  The open U.S. Senate race in Georgia next year forces us to plot our best plan for representation.

 
Senator Saxby Chambliss is an establishment Republican and I have appreciated his service regarding the regional issues of agriculture, military and veterans.   Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. Jack Kingston, now Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and those who went to congress in the early 1990s worked together on issues of vital importance to the peach state.   In this Progressives vs. the Tea Party era, I miss that old school dialog.

 
For two weeks, I have been hearing that the Democrats won’t likely field a viable Senate candidate and the practical part of me says that moderate to conservative Georgia Dems could and should vote in the GOP primary next year to ensure that we don’t have a divider  representing our diverse state.

 
I was thinking about who is a “natural” Democrat or “natural” Republican last week and it made my head hurt.   While watching to the T.V. show TMZ, a story came on about Raspberry favoring of food.  It turns out that a food can be labeled as naturally Raspberry because it is natural and taste like Raspberry but it comes from the backside of a beaver. http://www.befoodsmart.com/blog/tag/raspberry-flavor/

 
That isn’t natural to me and it’s not natural to force everyone in a big state like Georgia into two political parties and expected them to naturally and neatly stay there.   A few years ago, the Georgia Dems lost two rising young stars to the GOP.   Ashley Bell of Gainesville and blogger Andre Walker of Atlanta were on CNN explaining their rationale and it seemed natural to me.   Before, they were my brothers and today they are still my brothers.   Walker once wished happy birthday on facebook to the naturalized American actress Charlize Theron, whom he considered an African-American because she is an American born in South Africa. Huh?

 
I personally like the No Labels political movement because we shouldn’t run away trying to put people neatly into boxes and categories. Like they say at church, we should look at a person’s “thoughts, words, and deeds.”

 
A Black conservative from the ATL told me yesterday that Rep. Tom Price looks good to him in the race for U.S. Senate.  I asked about his track record for explaining conservatism to non-conservatives and dude could say anything.   Remember, the wave created by the Tea Party doesn’t cotton well to conservatives talking with others without yelling.  Moderates and liberals are often viewed as the enemy.

 
Look, on Capitol Hill, I worked for Rep. Charles Hatcher, Rep. Don Johnson and Rep. Sanford Bishop and all three strongly insisted that we listened to and served everyone in the congressional district—not just the people who voted for them.   I was personal friends with a staffer in Rep. Kingston’s office and would hang after work with her at conservative functions because she was a natural hair wearing, smart Spelman College woman.   Yeah, Jack had a Spelman grad in a major position on his legislative team.   I talked with Kingston alone at a reception one night for 15 minutes and came away with an appreciation for his commitment to southern Georgia.   He mentioned that he promoted south Georgia colleges and universities during his time in the Georgia statehouse because students should get quality educations in our part of the state also.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/59464/october-18-2005/better-know-a-district—georgia-s-1st—jack-kingston

 
We would trip about Kingston going to political forums at Savannah State University without staff.   The guy loves the lively debate. Actually, he was the first member of congress to brave Stephan Colbert’s “Better Know a District” segment.   Because Kingston briefly lived in Ethiopia as a child, Colbert decided that he is an African American—like Charlize Theron.   There you have it; Jack Kingston is an African American who might run for U.S. Senate next year.   Some wiseacre is going to Kingston knows as much about the southern African American experience as my man President Obama.   I will leave that alone but he like knows more than most GOP candidates for Senate.

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What Dems Should Do about Saxby’s Senate Seat

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 27, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Moderates need to use the coming Georgia U.S. Senate race as an opportunity to flex our “king making, scale tipping” muscles. Sen. Saxby Chambliss is an old school pro-business Republican rather than a new school pro-crazy drama starter. The far Right wants him gone and they want him to take any member of congress who talks with the other side with him.  No.

The extreme radical element of the GOP shouldn’t run Georgia or America. They are small in numbers yet vocal and crafty. Well, the reasonable center is huge and somewhat homeless regarding political parties. Since Georgia is a red state because the Democratic Party is poorly organized, Saxby’s replacement will likely be decided in a July primary rather than a November general election. Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. John Barrow or Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed could beat a Tea Party candidate but that is too risky.

Moderate Democrats must consider the possibility of swaying the Republican primary to a Saxby-like conservative. This move keeps a zealot out Georgia’s Senate office. Personally, I would pick Rep. Austin Scott or Rep. Jack Kingston because I want one of the two Senators to come from south Georgia and have a history of serving agriculture and military areas.

Since rural Georgia Democrats are as conservative as California Republicans, we can dig the whole no labels approach to governing—voting for a less bitter conservative would be easy.  We need solutions; we need peaceful dialog.  We need someone who will join with the Blue Dogs, Jon Huntsman, Barrack Obama, Condi Rice, Jeb Bush and Colin Powell to get about the business of fixing what is broken with our government and our mindsets.

Furthermore, candidacies for this Senate seat will likely open up U.S. House seats and I want to see some variety in the Georgia congressional delegation. A minority or woman in the Georgia congressional delegation from the GOP side would be peachy keen because someone should be at the table to say “enough with the silliness…let’s do the people’s work and govern.”

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Hillary Clinton: Clear the Field

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , on December 10, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

That Hillary Clinton is sitting in the catbird seat.  She will be serving the nation in or out of office— directly or indirectly.  We know that she has first dibs on the next Democratic nomination because she is overqualified to be president and took one for the team by being gracious in defeat.  Secondly, the juggernaut of two Clintons and two Obamas will be a campaign force of epic proportions.

But check this out: the Dem Team will “clear the field” for her.  In other words, no other candidates enter the primary and she saves the energy and resources that might be used.  The 2012 GOP presidential results might have been different if Romney didn’t stand on the stage with that cast of characters and didn’t have to fight for the far right vote during the primary—so thanks.  If the GOP cleared the field for hipper congressional candidates, they would have a foothold with the Middle.  But, they let Tea Party cats win primaries and those guys are D.O.A. in November. 

On Meet the Press this weekend, they said that polls indicate that Clinton would get 62% of the Republican women vote—“ouch”, game, set, match.  My conservative friends call it identity politics but Hillary and Obama are super without regard to that stuff.  Yes, I would have voted for the Colin Powell or Condi Rice for president.

I see the indirect benefit of Hillary 2016 as this: if the GOP has any hope, they must court the middle and/or the rest of America.  They policies must reflect the interest of the nation wider and not just their circle.  And for that, Hillary will be helping the game while chilling, doing daily zumba and not lifting a finger.  How many times have we told the right that they need to create and cultivate a division similar to the Dem’s Blue Dogs.  But, the hardheaded never learn.  Hillary is going the beat them like a drum.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_politics

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Michelle Obama, Darius Rucker and Lynrd Skynrd: Simple Life Is Alright

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 17, 2012 | 2 Comments »

I could do more for the future of young Americans with this blog post than Obama and Romney combined.  The central concept is live a simple life.  With secondary regard for whom is or isn’t president, folks need to develop their faith, eat right and exercise, grow their career and minimize lust for material things.

Obama is the key—Michelle Obama.  The first lady’s personal history is the story of a Chi-town girl who got her homework, focused in class and honored her parents with her actions.  As we would say back in the day, I like how she “carried herself.”  We spend billions of state, local and federal governmental dollars addressing personal problems that some Americans went out of their way to create.  They should have been living the simple life. 

Last week, a country song came on the truck radio called “Alright” and it was all about enjoying a basic existence.  I don’t want to get side tracked about how country music is really blue-eyed blues, and rock and roll is blue-eyed soul which was stolen. 

Anyway, I searched the net for the song and it is actually by Darius Rucker, the brother who turned to country after fronting the pop/rock group Hottie and the Blowfish.  Peace, love and happiness to Brother Rucker and his song is similar to the rural vibe of many tunes in that genre.  As quiet as it is kept, my favorite cd of all time is Lynrd Skynyrd greatest hit compilation called “Gold and Platinum.”  Rucker’s song feels like Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” and both songs seem to be based on what you tell kids at home and at church. 

On that same cd is the mellow cut “Comin Home.”  It’s all about missing being at home.  While cities are nice to visit, living 10 to 15 miles from an urban area is cool to me.  As more rural Americans move away from direct involvement with agriculture, opportunities persist in food inspection, processing and distribution.  When people grow weary of the congested North and the struggling Rust Belt, they should consider Georgia other than Atlanta (someone needs to pick up that city and shake it until some of those people fall out.) 

Bottonline: if you live a simple life, you can limit drama, stress and strain.

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Plantation Mentality of Politics 2012

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on November 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Plantation with modern bridge

To be honest, you should never operate an entity or enterprise without input from all involved people.  On this election day, I can’t help but thing that this election is one of the last of it’s types–or should be. 

The Republicans think they know what is best for this nation and the Democrats think the same thing.  If I put on my old polly sci major hat and observe the situation the way Dr. Hollis taught us at college, I might conclude that the Dems better reflect a cross-section of the American people.

My conservative friends will quickly point out that the majority might be wrong and then the pull out the slavery example from our history.  Well, if you want to talk about that period, we should consider the plantation mentality that makes a small group think their prosperity is good for everyone (i.e. apartheid in South Africa, trickle-down economics in America.)  

Today, they call it plutocracy, rule by the wealth.  I personally think Governor Romney as an elder in his church has done a thousand times more to help needy people than the average American.  But, I also think that this smart, likeable guy is the Trojan horse that gets the plutocrats into the White House. 

We can’t keep having elections where most of the members of a major party look like each other.  Also, the people in that party shouldn’t hate other nations where a religion runs the government while they are trying to do the same thing here.  And don’t get me started on the idea that all members of another party are godless heathens.  As Dr. Hollis, Attorney Tucker and the other professors taught us at Black college, government functions best when all voices are heard. 

When the GOP goes back to the drawing board after this victory or defeat, they should consider using various color markers because (mark my word) that plantation mentality only leads to civic war.  (You know that is what some folks want.)   The silly thing to me is that the GOP doesn’t realize that could have 15% of the vote in my community if they keep to the issues of jobs/economy rather than letting the far right push social issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy

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Romney and Obama during Hurricane Sandy: Fought the Good Fight

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on October 30, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those directly or indirectly affected by Hurricane Sandy—that would be every American. (It’s four a.m. and I don’t know if that should be affected or effected but during troubled time, I don’t care.)

I am proud that President Obama and Governor Romney limited their campaigns because of the storm.  To me, the Obama of the first debate didn’t see a need to campaign much more anyway.  He did what he wanted to do for the nation and if said nation didn’t like it….peace.  He saw no need for a hard sell after giving it his all. 

At the same time, I don’t think Romney recognizes the “him” that he is presenting in order to win the election.  I think he is a moderate who ran as a far Right conservative to win the GOP primary— now, he wouldn’t mine leaning back to the middle to get over the hump.

These campaigns needed suspending and any future donation money should go to storm relief families.  Oh, and get ready for some nuts to start talking about heaven’s hand in the election by way of the storm.  Heaven only knows if that is the case; but, I will say that I have never seen an incumbent candidate more at peace with the coming results.  You could say he is thinking “let the chips fall where they may” or Obama is reading 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 

I have a feeling that if giving the choice between (a) being a great disaster president over the next week yet losing the election because he didn’t make a  final push or  (b) winning the election by keeping one eye on the storm recovery and one eye on the campaign—Obama would quickly pick choice A but maybe being a great disaster president wins the election.  Yes, Romney managed the disaster at the Salt Lake City Olympics but that isn’t the same thing.  

In times like these, the leader of the free world should take a minute to hit a few gospel classics on you tube after his prayers—that “Order My Steps” song and the one about “Victory is Mine.”  What about “By and By.” 

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The New Normal: Democrats vs. Republicans with a twist

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on October 10, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

I have been watching NBC’s show “The New Normal” to support Georgia homegirl NeNe Leakes.  They recently had an episode titled “Obama Mama” that covered the major political issues well.  Hell, the show’s character debated President Obama’s positions better than Obama during the Denver debate.

1418571  Democrats vs. Republicans Clip

From All in the Family to Modern Family to the New Normal, T.V. can shape or soften opinions.  Dennis Haysbert, the guy from the insurance ads, contents that his role as president on Fox’s “24” prepped the nation for Obama.  I don’t know about that but he was presidential. We need to see some fire from POTUS Obama during the future debates because too much is on the table to be cool.   

Americans  in real life should able to have a health, civic discussion of the issues with coming to blows.

Full Episode: Obama Mama   

http://www.nbc.com/the-new-normal/video/obama-mama/1418604/

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Table of Discussion: School Choice and Family Planning

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

School choice and family planning are two topics I would love to hear discussed in my community because they are at the foundation of our futures.  However, I want that discussion to take place around a discussion table sixty or seventy years ago. 

A.G. Sadler Sr., third seated from left

A photo of my father and his fraternity brothers meeting at the local Black college hangs in my mother’s den.  The organization wore Black and Gold and he was old enough to actually know founders personally but it could have been a meeting of any Black fraternity or sorority of that time because they were all committed to moving the race forward.  You can see the steely determination in their eyes: we as a people would have the opportunity to learn, earn and prosper in this great nation and the sky would be the limit once those doors of opportunity opened. 

If we had a time machine or a portal to the past (like a smart phone app), we could tell these gentlemen that we were from 2012 and that a Black man was in the White House…a Black man without a mop.  Since most of the men in that picture were college professors or public school educators, I want to know their opinions on school choice.

Today, we recognize that public school K-12 education needs a top to bottom overhaul.  I personally think that the teachers enter the profession ready to teach and that the facilities are generally acceptable in my area.  For a myriad of reasons, some of the kids just aren’t ready, willing and able to learn.  I think the foundation of education is discipline or obedience learned at home and church. 

Those guys in that photo didn’t question their parents in their generation and neither did we in my generation.  Today, I hear kids ask their parents “What?” and “Why?” with a tone that would have never happened in my day.  One of the men in that photo was likely the dentist that my father would have taken me to see after he knocked my teeth out for saying “What.”

We should discuss parents having a tax credit or voucher to put their children in the best quality educational situation.  When schools in the South were integrated, White private schools popped up in every county.  But, I can remember the dedication of the educators from the all-Black schools.  A period of “separate but equal” would have been fine with many Blacks because they wanted fairly funded schools more than forcing us to attend school with people who thought of us wrongly. 

When we debated school choice as congressional staffers in the 1990s, I would always argue that private schools would cherry-pick the best students and those remaining in the public schools would be students from families that couldn’t afford to get out.  If the best 20% opted for private schools, the worst 20% should have a voucher to attend a special school after getting kick out of regular school. 

Public policy can’t solve the education problem because the ultimate problem is that some people are having children before they are prepared to raise and nurture them.  To me, people shouldn’t get married until they are around 24 years old and they should then wait 24 months before having kids (a waiting period to ensure that the marriage is viable.)  Before 24 years of age, people could be finishing their education and training, moving up in the workplace and having fun socially.  Children should come into the mix when folks are ready to be parents like those Alphas in that old photo.  Instead, we have kids having kids and early grade teachers are half educators and half parents. 

Current conservatives trip me out with talk of abortion and welfare.  The guys around that table never envisioned people having the government deeply involved in their lives. They were concerned more with anti-lynch and opportunity.  The conservative men in that photo would have a lot to say about the long-term effect of LBJ’s policy that would come in a decade or two. 

A recent study indicates free birth control dramatically reduces abortion and teen pregnancy.  Since the far Right conservatives are rightfully concerned with governmental spending, they should know that abortions and public assistance goes down if fewer pregnancies occur in the first place.  The guys in that picture could discuss the wrongness of abortion and premarital sex as well as the wrongness of hungry children and struggling families.  Reasonable people know that you can’t always push your faith’s beliefs into the public policy of a diverse nation. 

http://news.yahoo.com/study-free-birth-control-leads-fewer-abortions-210623724.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CabFnBQvlUAOf7QtDMD

The achievement-oriented Blacks of my fathers’ generation would be disappointed to learn that music is crime and sin-based and hip hop shapes the mindset of our youth more than parents and church.  If those guys in that picture were transported into current times, they would figure out a way to get the best education for their families.  Unfortunately, those pioneers in education would be compelled to seek schools for their families that kept their kids away from certain elements without regard to race.  Oh, I would teach government and tennis at an all-male school that brought academic heat all day every day–a place where gentlemen were built.

Teaching the guys in that photo was easy because they were enthusiastic about learning; it was learn or be an unofficial slave during Jim Crow.  If they had a window on today at that table, they would be flabbergasted with the way our youth are carrying themselves and disappointed with the squandering of opportunities.

I enjoyed hearing this speech by Kappa founder Edward G. Irvin.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P7rpu-0Tf4]

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Mega-congressional district Georgia 2nd/8th

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , on September 30, 2012 | 3 Comments »

Who really represents you in congress could be a technicality?  On my street, a community activist has several “Sanford Bishop for Congress” signs in his yard.  I started to tell him that after the last redistricting, we can’t vote for Bishop and he doesn’t represent us anymore.  

But, the thought occurred to me: “your congressman” isn’t necessarily the one who has your geographic district.  For example, ultra-conservatives that live in Rep. Bishop’s 2nd congressional district of Georgia ignore his service because they want a far-right winger in office.  For southwest and middle Georgia, Rep. Bishop and conservative Rep. Austin Scott actually listen to more of the opposition than most members of congress.  While moderates appreciate Bishop’s listening to everyone, I think the far-right section of the conservative movement only wants GOP representatives and senators to hear from them—because they are the only people who are right.

Since junior high school, I have known that once elected an official was obligated to serve everyone but that is some theoretical middle school stuff.  In actuality, neither Bishop nor Scott will have a real competitive race before the next redistricting after the next census.  So, conservatives will fuss at Bishop then call one of the two GOP U.S. Senators’ offices.  As a moderate in conservative Austin Scott’s district, I can still dialog with him because the guy is about explaining his views in a healthy manner (rather than being as ugly as the far-Right.) 

Rep. Bishop still represents my community and that is fine because more people who sleep in my town work in Bishop’s district than work in our technical congressional district.  We work, shop, worship, study, eat and chill across that invisible congressional line.  Bishop and Scott have parts of Macon, Georgia and Columbus, Georgia, and you can believe that people constantly smudge- out that line in their minds. 

You might not be able to vote for the congressman or woman from the neighboring district but you can still make that campaign donation.  Also, our votes are becoming less impactful anyway.  As a moderate Democrat, my voting in the GOP primary was more important to selecting the next president than my coming vote for President Obama in this non-swing state.  Yes, I voted in the GOP primary because I wanted to ensure that even if my guy didn’t win, the winner would be the best from the other side.  In other words, Romney wasn’t crazy like some in the GOP primary field—just aloof.  

For the record, I would be undecided at this point if the GOP presidential candidate was Jon Huntsman, Condi Rice or Mitch Daniels.  I don’t vote for Bishop and Obama because they look like me.  I vote for them because they try to incorporate everyone’s opinions in the decision-making process. 

To my conservative friends, I say look to Austin Scott when you discover that you can’t be a national party without having a functional relationship with the political center.

I should call it like it “t.i.s. tis.”  I live in the mega-congressional district Georgia 2nd/8th which is represented by Rep. Bishop and Rep. Scott.

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The Two State, Two Step for Obama/Biden

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on September 25, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Obama/Biden strong supporters in non-swing states are chomping at the bid for some of the action.  It’s hard to hear that our states are (in the words of Evelyn from Basketball Wives) non-mother “blanking” factors.  There should be options (in addition to writing checks and phone-banking) for all this energy.

It came to me at 4 a.m.: The Two State, Two Step

Step 1: Vote Early in your home state, get everyone you know there to vote anyway because we still believe that Georgia and other states are winnable.

Step 2: Plan to pour energy and time into a neighboring swing state—but, in a direct, surgical manner.

The second state might be the state where you attended college, served in the military or a place with a lot of your family.  If phone-banking and knocking on doors aren’t your style, you should figure out a way to be helpful with rallies, rallies and more rallies.  We must do what we can to let swing state iffy voters know that their votes are so very important.

I will break down what gets the crowd out in my community in a way that nerdy campaign folks don’t know.  We love those family reunion/homecoming style/intergenerational old school mixers. The D.J. needs to dig in the crates for Maze, Tina Marie and Teddy (Pendergrass or Riley).  “Come on and go with me (to vote) because the nation is out on a limb and we need happy feelings….can’t we try.”   That is what we call partying with a purpose and you know positive people like to dance when the music isn’t rough.

Bush vs. Gore taught us that every vote counts and this effort might be the push that drives out our additional two percentage points.  Oh yeah, driving folks to the polls literally is a proven method but I drive an old pickup truck with little room.  South Georgians should focus on helping the Obama supporters from Jacksonville to Pensacola.  The Gulf coast is lovely this time of year.  North Carolina isn’t half bad as the leaves change.

You know that the Obamas without us is like Harold Melvin without Blue Notes (featuring Teddy Pendergrass)–so Wake Everybody.

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Romney and Prince’s “Pop Life”

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on September 22, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Candidate Romney should have listened to the song “Pop Life” by Prince before making his 47% statement last spring.  He could have spent two days in south Georgia listening to Rep. Austin Scott and two more days learning from me on the front porch—but more about that later.

“What’s the matter with your life…is proverty bringing you down.”  Prince is actually a rather conservative music star and his patriotism and logic comes out in his lyrics.  In “Pop Life,”  Prince sang, “everybody can’t be on top…life, it ain’t real funky unless it’s got that pop.”  There it is; that is what I have been waiting to hear from some leader for three decades.  America doesn’t guarantee a great life to everyone but (as Newt Gingrich said when he was Speaker of the House) everyone should have the opportunity to learn in a quality school, train as an adult and build wealth overtime through hard work and smart living.   Yes, we should have temporary help but don’t plan on life-long government assistance.

Everyone can’t be middle class and those who find themselves in a lower-income bracket likely arrived there because of personal decisions, playing in school and simply being out hustled by the real go-getters.  I am not a real go-getter and most classmates from 16 years of formal education drove harder for the good life– congrats to them on their success.  I know who to blame for my thin wallet—the guy in the mirror.   Attending a high school football game today is difficult for me because I am concern with the fact that some of the kids in the crowd are prepping for the state penn rather than Penn State.   Their music doesn’t have the substance of Prince or early rappers.

My wallet would be crazy fat if conservatives asked me how to create a segment in their movement that would attract the sensible center but they are too busy loving on the angry far-Right.  During then congressional candidate Austin Scott’s effort to unseat Blue Dog Dem Jim Marshall, I saw Scott and RNC chair Michael Steele get off a bus together.  I knew that the Dems would be in trouble if the Scott, Steele, Jon Huntsman, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and similar minds crafted a message high on issues and solutions and low on name calling and fear tactics.   That development never happened and President Obama has the lion share of us in the middle.

Yeah, my man Prince wrote the daylights out of Pop Life with lines like “..is the Mailman jerking you around…did he put your million dollar check in someone else’s box.”  While Prince was talking about the sweepstakes, people in my community put too much hope in the lottery and wishing that their sons will make the NBA.  Once and for all, if your son spent as much time and effort in school work as he does bouncing a ball, he could be so rich that he had money offshore like Romney.   Plus, most former NBA players are destitute six years after leaving the league.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1153364/index.htm

Austin Scott seems like Barack Obama during his first congressional bid.  He played the smooth role and stayed fiscal in his concerns about Democrats–avoiding the birther nonsense.  Do you think the GOP spent much time studying his blueprint for defeating a moderate Democrat?  Nope.

Well, I am not one to want anyone to wallow in ignorance.  When they get ready to learn how to approach reasonable people reasonably, my flat wallet and I will be right here.

Pop Life  By Prince 

What’s the matter with your life
Is the poverty bringing u down?
Is the mailman jerking u round?
Did he put your million dollar check
In someone elses box?

Tell me, what’s the matter with your world
Was it a boy when u wanted a girl? (boy when u wanted a girl)
Don’t u know straight hair aint got no curl (no curl)
Life it aint real funky
Unless it’s got that pop
Dig it

Pop life
Everybody needs a thrill
Pop life
We all got a space 2 fill
Pop life
Everybody can’t be on top
But life it aint real funky
Unless it’s got that pop
Dig it

Tell me, what’s that underneath your hair?
Is there anybody living there? (anybody living there)
U can’t get over, if u say u just don’t care (don’t care)
Show me a boy who stays in school
And I’ll show u a boy aware!
Dig it

Pop life
Everybody needs a thrill
Pop life
We all got a space 2 fill
Pop life
Everybody can’t be on top
But life it aint real funky
Unless it’s got that pop
Dig it

What u putting in your nose?
Is that where all your money goes (is that where your money goes)
The river of addiction flows
U think it’s hot, but there wont be no water
When the fire blows
Dig it

Pop life
Everybody needs a thrill
Pop life
We all got a space 2 fill
Pop life
Everybody wants to be on top
But life it aint real funky
Unless it’s got that pop
Dig it

Pop life
Everybody needs a thrill
Pop life
We all got a space 2 fill
Pop life
Everybody can’t be on top
But life it aint real funky
Unless it’s got that pop
Dig it

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Obama’s and Romney’s Spiciest Supporters: Hush Ya’ll

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on September 15, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Golf tournaments in Atlanta and Memphis sometimes have paddles that put me in the mind of campaign strategies. While marshall’s paddles usually say “Quiet Please,” our southern signs state “Hush Ya’ll.”  I love it and I think candidate Barack Obama privately told certain supporters that in 2008. 

If Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and Minister Louis Farrakhan were at the front of Obama supporters, that support would have fuel the loyal opposition.  Actually, President Obama spent more time trying to connect with Rep. Paul Ryan and House Republicans than listening to the Congressional Black Caucus.  The CBC likely said, “We have seen that …..brother.”

If you live by the sword, you die by the sword.  Governor Mitt Romney had to stand on the stage with a cast of characters in the GOP primary who push their agenda to the far right and who said outlandish things about non-Republicans.  Well, it is hard for Romney/Ryan to secure the political center now when they failed to denounce crazy talk about Obama’s birthplace, “I want MY country back” and those who (they feel) don’t love America. 

If Obama told the far left “Hush Ya’ll,” Romney likely wishes he could do the same with the most vocal segment of the conservative movement.  But, those activists are not hearing it; they want red meat and they want plenty of it.  That same red meat will drive folks to the polls—not only to keep Obama in, but also to keep the crazies waiting in the wings out.  Again, Romney is a Trojan horse and you know who is inside said horse–the damgum Tea Party.

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Obama Can Win Georgia/Glad It’s Not Huntsman

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on September 13, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

 

For those just taking notice of the presidential election, the headlines should currently read “Jon Huntsman and President Obama in vigorous yet civic debate on ideas.”  See, the GOP selected Governor Romney out of a cast of characters and the least amount of interest went to the former Governor of Utah Jon Huntman, a man President Obama appointed Ambassador to China.

Team Obama had the foresight to embrace Huntsman because that sullied him with the conservative movement.  Chicago knew that Huntsman was a candidate who could win the political center.

Chicago and wherever Romney is based has also decided that the election will be won in a few swing states.  Horse feathers!  If most of the south is off the table, the state and local organizational structure isn’t active on the Democrat side.  To me the Red Team is a small, well organized army with weak generals while the Blue Team is a large, unorganized team with better generals. 

Despite the wisdom of Fox News and MSNBC, Georgia can be won by the Democrats.  The  untapped potential for Dems might be motivated the ugliness of the GOP primary–”let’s go to the video tape.”  So, people need to stop this “call your cousins in Florida and North Carolina” talk.  If the people Democrats care about actually voted, the election would be over.  The election might be over if Team Romney doesn’t start producing some plans and ideas.  Romney looks like presidential material; while Obama and Huntsman are presidential material.   

The sweet thing about blogging is that it serves as a record of who wrote what and when it was written.  My friends in the conservative movement know that Michael Steele, Jon Huntsman and I have been begging them to create a moderate wing of their team.  But, they let the crazy 15% drive their bus…off the cliff.

I declare Georgia to be on the table and Romney, a decent fellow, should explain why he doesn’t say anything when the far Right zany talk starts.  Also, I don’t give a dizz-am about party once a candidate wins an election.  If the people are paying your salary, you should visit, listen and explain in every community.  It’s called “forming a more perfect union.”

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Whole Ballot Voting

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on August 25, 2012 | 1 Comment »

In my opinion, our community’s voter education effort involves:

A:  Getting new voters registered before the deadline.

B.  Encouraging early voting with new media and facebook.

C.  Taking family and friends to the polls.

C.  Whole ballot voting. 

I just coined the term “Whole Ballot Voting” because too many people voted for Obama/Biden in 2008 and nothing else on the ballot.  After Obama and Romney exit the national stage for sweet mansions, we will still be living with the other federal, state and local officials.  If I had my druthers, most local elections would be non-partisan but the old school “ticket” or “slate” is still important.

In the old days, the top of a party’s ballot lead, pushed or carried down-ballot contests—by top I mean president, governor, U.S. senator, congressmen and state-wide officials.  Of course, the GOP took or the Democrats gave up too much power in the South.  So, who leads the Democrats’ efforts in most of Georgia outside Atlanta?  Sanford Bishop and John Barrow would be the natural leaders and Barrow has his hands full these days with relection.

When giving credit where credit is due, the GOP is one well-oiled political machine.  Like the Confederacy, they do a lot with a little.  Democrats, like the Union, have the numbers but keep getting out maneuvered and out foxed.  So, President Obama is a combination of General Grant’s field marshal skills and President Lincoln’s intellect.   During the RNC Convention this week, we should watch Red Team’s operation for pointers.

In the future, we should cultivating the next generation of leaders or better let everyone lead a little bit.  For now, we must encourage and education our community about the importance of other contests.   For example, the state Public Service Commission doesn’t seem exciting but they regulate telecommunication, natural gas and utilities–they impact everyone’s wallet.

The GOP is slick and savvy and they selected nice guy Mitt Romney to serve as a Trojan Horse.  Once they get back into those White House gates, he will be pushed aside and policy will be driven by some nameless diabolical minds.  Oh, Romney isn’t a bad fellow but there is 10 to 15% of the conservative movement that is as ugly as they come.  Remember, that ugly element ran the moderate Republicans out of the party.  

We must vote the whole ballot so leaders won’t make decisions without hearing all sides.

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Pivotal Sanford Bishop

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on August 22, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Duct taping my 2008 Obama sign over an old Sanford Bishop for Congress sign was a green move to me and old political signs are like old Levis jeans and even older boxy Volvos.  Rep. Bishop doesn’t technically serve my hometown anymore but interests don’t stop neatly at political lines.  The southwest Georgia economic engines that Rep. Bishop, Rep. Austin Scott and the two U.S. Senators protect are often located in one congressional district while employees live in another district.   For example, Bishop should know ABAC and Scott should know ag school Fort Valley State—good people on both campuses. 

On the subject of GOP congressional candidates, the GOP amazed me again in the runoff elections yesterday.  When Austin Scott played the cool role and beat a long-term Dem. congressman, his election should have served as the template for 2012 candidates—nice, smart and someone who doesn’t frighten moderates.  Of course, these candidates (like a Trojan Horse) can do anything once in office.  In the GOP congressional primary runoffs to face Rep. Bishop and Rep. John Barrow, the primary voters selected the most conservative candidates rather than someone who could attract a percentage of the political middle or moderates. 

With the large turnout from Obama supporters coming in November, Bishop is on cruise control but there is still important work for him this year.  Senior statesman Sanford should be unofficially in-large in rural Dem turnout from Savannah to Columbus and all points south until Florida.  He should lead Dems in areas without major Democratic leadership in the form of a sitting congressman or serious congressional candidate.  I have heard Rep. Bishop quote Luke 12:48 “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” 

Team Obama needs to put Bishop to work in South Georgia and maybe North Florida since North FLA is really south Georgia and south Alabama.  Remember, Congressman Bishop has been running campaigns and on the local news in North Florida for years since the coverage radius crosses state line.  Oh yeah, Bishop’s hometown is in south Alabama so he knows the panhandle of FLA.

I think it is important of make Team Romney campaign in safe Red states.  Romney, Ryan, Austin Scott, Johnny Isakson and other non-crazy Republicans should say something when the crazy section of their team open their crazy mouths and the crazies are requiring crazy talk.  Come on and keep scaring Dems to the polls.  Look, there are many legitimate issues on the table; so, why say wild things you’ll know aren’t true. Obama should be looking at Bishop’s style and Romney should be looking at Austin’s.

Hey, Bishop could help President Obama surprisingly win Georgia and the White House might upgrade him into the cabinet.  Then, the GOP can find a cool brother or sista to run in the 2nd rather than a Tea  Party type.  But, that situation would be too much like right.

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Register By October 9th /High School Football

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 21, 2012 | 47 Comments »

Georgia is a possibility for Team Obama if we get young people registered and prepared to vote.  Chuck Todd with MSNBC keeps pointing to a map with Florida, North Carolina and Virginia as the only swing states opportunities in the South.  The president won these states in 2008 and Florida is the big prize because it had 27 electors (electors are the people voting in the electoral college and equals the number of members of congress.)

In 2008, Senator McCain won Georgia by 52 to 47 (a margin of 5.2%.)  That’s peanuts or should I say there are enough guys in rural Georgia named Peanut, Dirty Red and Man to sway the 2012 election.  Actually, the 204,607 votes need to change that election and maybe the 2012 election could be found easily in Atlanta, our five next largest cities and dozens of rural towns.  The congressional races of Rep. Sanford Bishop (Macon, Columbus, Albany) and Rep. John Barrow (Augusta) cover the non Atlanta population centers except Savannah so turnout in these areas is important.  Look at it like this: on the first full night of high school football, stadiums around the state will have thousands of unregistered young Black adults. 

If you can sit in a ball park for three hours, you can take 10 minutes to register and 10 more minutes to vote.  Many of the young men on that field, the cheerleaders and the band members  will decide to serve our nation in the armed forces and we should elect leaders who view them as people—someone son or daughter.   

October 9, 2012, is the last day to register to vote for those wanting to vote in the presidential election.  How would Obama supporters feel if the election turned even nastier after that date but thousands of then-concerned Georgians couldn’t vote because they missed the deadline?  Before someone trips out about race, I wanted to remind people that our community was seriously loving on southern White guy Bill Clinton;  that’s my dude.  Actually, I voted for Romney in the primary because he was the best in a jacked-up field after Jon Huntsman left the GOP primary contest.  If Huntsman won the GOP nomination, I might be 50-50 between the president and him at this point.  So, supporting Obama isn’t about race as much as it is about keeping the crazy part of the consevative movement out of the White House and the fact that the president has done a good job.

We know that the Democratic Party of Georgia and the national DNC isn’t as crafty as the GOP.  The boys in Chicago and D.C. don’t know the kudzu covered rural South like we know it.  Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and even Georgia can be won by President Obama if we mounted a serious GOTV and registration efforts before and/or after high school football games.  

Social media and smart phones are the tools and wouldn’t it be nice to use these devices for something positive.   Hey, we need to fire up the grills and get the best old school D.J.s to pump Maze, pfunk and Tina Marie. It’s time to talk with the young folks about history and it’s way of repeating itself. 

My friends in the GOP have a way of ignoring those who vote for someone else (Dems listen to everyone.)  While Obama and Romney will be rich and happy no matter what, we need to show some political muscle so the federal, state and local elected leaders will remember our side of town when making policy and laws.   

http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/Voting_information.htm#Registering to Vote

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