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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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My niece Mackenzie’s Cool Speech on Peer Pressure

Posted in politics, tagged , , on September 1, 2012| 10 Comments »

Makenzie and Susan Taylor

My niece Mackenzie Kerry wrote and gave the following speech.  She is very insightful for a high school freshman and did a great job on it.  In the picture, she is with Susan Taylor, the former editor of Essence Magazine.  When I was about Mackenzie’s age, I started reading Essence monthly because guys should learn about cool women from cool women. 

Mackenzie Kerry: Charlotte Cares Event

If I were a predictable person I would write a speech about the typical drugs, violence and sex.  But you can tell us teens to quit these things all day long and it will go in one ear and out the other. So I had to dig deeper way down to the roots of these problems. What did I find? Better yet who did I find? Insecurity. Insecurity walks on stilts and wobbles wherever she goes. Her nails have been bitten down to stubs and her eyes are glued to the ground. Insecurity may be small and unconfident but don’t let that fool you. She can cast a very big shadow. She can get under your skin and mess your brain.
 
Insecurity is what has the youth of today messed up. Nobody wants to be that one kid who is bullied and destined to spend every lunch at that empty lunch table and their Friday nights at home alone. Everyone wants to fit in. 
 
But you know there can’t be fitting in without peer pressure. Those two are best friends. Peer Pressure only knows one way and that is the way of the world and Peer Pressure will do anything to get you to conform to it. Peer Pressure has the mesmerizing eyes of a snake and a voice a smooth as silk. He will slither like a serpent and whisper right into your ear.
 
Peer Pressure is the one who will convince you to join gangs; the gangs that will provide you with protection, a family, a superior title and plenty of money. The same gangs that will get you injured, put your family in harm’s way, land you in prison. The same gangs that could end your life.
 
Peer Pressure will persuade you to try drugs, because it’s the cool thing to do. They let you escape reality for a period of time. The same drugs that can cause hangovers, depression, seizures, diseases and even death.
 
Speaking of depression, did you know peer pressure can do that too? Peer Pressure a jack of all trades can create violence, gossip and bullying. These are all things that cause you to feel stressed and isolated. Stress and isolation can lead to depression and depression can lead to problems at home and school, drug abuse and yes even suicide.
 
Do you see the theme here? All of these things Peer Pressure does can lead to death. If all of the youth die out then there is no future because we kids are the world of tomorrow.
So how can we build self-confidence and blow insecurity and peer pressure out of the water?
 
Parents you all play a huge role in our future. Although we may not show it all the time we need you. There are many things you do to help us build self-confidence. Recognize our achievements. When we finally reach that goal or get an A on that test any accomplishment, big or small, show us that you care and that you are proud.
 
Secondly, believe in us. It is a lot easier for us to believe in ourselves if we know our parents believe in us. Let us know that you expect us to do everything to the best of our ability and make us believe that failure in not an option.
 
Thirdly be a good role model. Not just for your own child but for any child you come in contact with. There is a shortage of good role models in our communities. Us youth are always going to be looking for role models and if we can’t look to you then we turn to look up upon celebrities. And imagine where the world would be if all of the youth copied celebrities. 
Yes it would be a mess. 
 
Now youth we of course have to do our part. When we are trying to reach a goal, we should strive for an accomplishment rather than perfection. Nobody is perfect except God. When we do make mistakes we should think of them as lessons and opportunities to learn. We should be proud of ourselves for attempting and then let it go because if you hold on to those mistakes they will stay in your head and torment you which will not help build self-confidence at all. 
 
Next, take pride in your opinions. If your friends engage in something that you know is wrong, don’t hesitate to say no. Do not lower yourself to their level. We are children of God and he would expect much more of us. 
 
Lastly, stop thinking those negative thoughts. The dance teacher at my church taught me there is a way to compliment yourself without being arrogant. Replace those thoughts of “You are ugly, and dumb and you could never do that” with “You are beautiful, you are smart and you can do that”.
 
I used to be the shy kid in the corner who constantly worried about what people thought of me. But then something in me changed. Insecurity and Peer Pressure were thrown to the curb and something else took residence in my soul. An explorer committed to following her own direction. The one who exceeds everyone expectations and writes out stereotypes. The one that doesn’t need people to tell her she is pretty and isn’t hurt when people call her ugly because she is perfectly content with herself just the way she is. The one who is strong enough to resist being crushed and molded to fit into what the world thinks she should be. The one we walks down the street with her head up because she is proud to be a child a God. And her name is Confidence.

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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| 250 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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GOP: Ashley Bell Didn’t Win….What the (Rhymes with bell)

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 2, 2012| 2 Comments »

Hall County, Georgia, County Commissioner Ashley Bell loss his election Tuesday night– who saw that coming.  Bell is a bright Black attorney who was a college star in the Democrat Party but recently switched to the GOP.  I thought he was a shoe-in to win Tuesday night but the election should have been for a newly created congressional district.

 We can really mess some stuff up down here in the South and one of the biggest messes is politics. Governor Nathan Deal saw Bell as the future of the conservative movement but to me, there is little place for African-Americans in the current southern GOP.  Of course, the few Blacks who spew that mean-spirited talk radio crap will do well speaking to ultra-conservative groups but they will not do much to expand the conservative tent by explaining their policy positions on my side of the tracks.

Michael Steele and Ashley Bell could have changed the course of American politics because they are level-headed but the party that booted Steele and ignored Jon Huntsman isn’t about healing or serving the whole nation.  It’s about getting folks pissed off and inciting a revolution.  Those of us in the political middle needed guys like Bell to speak with his fellow conservatives about reasonable methods of approaching the rest of the country.  If they did that, a third of Blacks who vote in the South  could get their views.  But, they let anger take over and the rest is history.

I think Bell was once a Rep. Sanford Bishop intern and he would be the perfect young conservative to seek that congressional seat once Bishop retires to private life and corporate board wealth.  Ashley is still rooted in our community and could win enough of the Black vote because he is a good brother.  But, I got the call yesterday saying Ashley didn’t win in the GOP primary.  Why the hell didn’t he have a GOP opponent when he was being groomed to be the next great thing? 

Under our primary system, Blacks would not take the GOP primary ballot for Herman Cain, Ashley Bell or anyone because that ballot is associated with the ugliness of the far-right.  What kind of southerners do we have today?  The southern way is to smile and say syrupy-sweet things to get elected then do whatever once in office.   Well, the “powers that be” in the GOP will take care of Ashley but at some point they need to know that a political party in which everyone is the same isn’t good for a diverse nation.  The same principle applies to a southern all Black Democrat party. 

Someone is getting wise to the game on the GOP side because the new anti-Obama ad is too smooth.  The ad basically concedes the fact that Obama is one of the greatest people ever but questions if he is the right person for this good right now—hats off to the smooth slickness of this method.  Someone at the RNC is begging his teammates to keep it policy vs. policy rather than Obama vs. Romney—smart.  If they wanted some more similar smart ideas, I would suggest listening too and respecting Steele and Bell.   

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBqW4NTFiE

After this ad, what’s next.  “It’s not President Obama fault that Americans suck.”  “America doesn’t deserve a great guy like Obama.   Paid for by people who are good at messing with your mind.”

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Obama and Romney: Sharpening The Axe

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on July 29, 2012| 1 Comment »

At church today, the guest pastor told a story about two guys in a day long woodcutting contest and how one guy kept taking breaks all day.  At the end of the day, the guy who chopped continuously didn’t win because the other fellow wasn’t just taking breaks—he was sharpening his axe.  I love it.

When I web-searched the tale, several versions came up and the follow quote from Abraham Lincoln:   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

http://story.indialeadership.net/2011/02/sharpen-axe.html

The pastor’s point was that we need to rest our minds sometimes and we need to work smart as well as work hard.  In my community, single mothers are often the hardest working people because they are making up for early life decisions.  When I worked in a job training program with these women, they would often say that life would have been much better if they listened to their parents and the folks at school and church. 

My politically moderate friends and I think that who the president is secondary to who you are.  In other words, most of our problems boil down to CDC—choices, decisions and consequences.  Sharpening the axe involves preparing with education in the classroom and preparing for life by respectfully listening to those who have travelled the road you are about to take. 

Today, young people in my community would rather listen to those who glamorize the thug life in song.  As the White House and Congress cuts federal spending, I think that a good balance would be telling the American people honestly that many of their wounds are self-inflicted.  I need Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. Austin Scott, the Obamas and even rich Mitt Romney to speak more about their successes that resulted from listening to their parents, studying hard in school and slowly growing their careers.  Yes, Romney was born into money but there are great life lessons in the missionary work of his church.  Sharpen the axe.

Working smart for families on my block also includes helping their children understand that the conspicuous consumption of designer gear isn’t need for back to school.  These kids should sit down in class, learn the information and do their homework.  Period.  But, we (the people who look like me) get caught up with keeping up the Joneses—that’s why Johnny can’t read.  So, parents are working overtime to purchase $200 sneakers for kids who most play sports on video games that also cost upward of $200.  Really?

Finally, we can’t say enough about sharpening the axe by hanging with positive, reasonable people.  I will get in trouble for saying it but I am amazed by the girls from good homes who have kids too early with unprepared guys.  Kids should graduate from high school then go to technical college, four year college, the military or start climbing the work ladder.  But, these young people should wait until the 23 to 26 years old range to get married and start families because before that they don’t know who they are nor do they know what they need in a mate.    

I want to hear Obama, Romney or some candidate go off on America about Lincoln’s principle of sharpening the axe.

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Voter Suppression Weasels: On Both Sides

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Weasels are hard at work planning to win the November elections with voter apathy and non-voter confusion.  As we say in my neighborhood, “you didn’t have that to do.”  Nixon would have won anyway back in the day if he left well enough alone but dark forces on his side got some bright ideas and he didn’t stop them.

Romney is a good guy according to one of my best friends who worked with him in Salt Lake City but he should say more against the sinister strategies of diabolical nerds. We remember that John McCain took the microphone from that lady at his rally who said Obama was an Arab—she did even get the part of the  world right as she was being wrong.  The same John McCain recently stood up against conservative witch-hunters who are sullying the names of Huma Abedin (Hillary Clinton’s right hand) and other federal public servants because their family members might have known someone who knew someone decades ago.  Romney is silent on this Muslim related matter but my friend who worked with him has always been quickly to point out positive aspects Romney’s faith. 

If the witch-hunters logic is correct, I must confess that I broke bread at many a congressional receptions in the 90s with Senator Strom Thurmond and others who were segregationists in the 60s.  Clearly, these fine southerner gentlemen were once associated with Klansmen and Citizen Council members. 

Oh, I have finally discovered why I can get employment in the federal bureaucracy.  It’s because I talked about neckties with the senior senator from South Carolina back in the day and said hello once or twice a week to Rep G.V. Sonny Montgomery of Mississippi in the cafeteria at breakfast.  Montgomery, as in the Montgomery G.I. Bill, was avoiding the member’s dining room because it was fully of members and he was friendlier to lowly staffers that most of the Congressional Black Caucus was.    

I am not writing about voter suppression because one must be registered to be a voter and these weasel-like efforts are based on people not registering because the process takes a little enough and time.  Someone recently changed the driver’s license process in Georgia to require four or five forms of identification—weasels at work with voting in mind.  To combat a weasel or other pest, we must think like them.  These weasels are the same people who privately joke that if you want to hide something from “certain people” you put it in a book.  I am sure they are thinking that a more involved registration process will turn away millions (I can see those naughty nerds smirking and rubbing their hands together.)

The weasels know that the same young people who will stand in line to get in the club will not spend half that time to register and vote.  Look here, rich folks will be fine if Obama or Romney wins but regular people feel presidential and congressional decisions harder.  When I voted Friday in the primary election, a young poll worker looked over my shoulder the whole time.  I wanted to tell the brother that I was voting years before he was born  but he was well-intended.  My mind turned to the hip hop group Third Base and the line from their classic “Pop Goes the Weasel” that goes “I have got a strong mind.. it dosen’t have to be   spoon-fed…I can read, it doesn’t have to be read.”  These rap purists who dreamed about beating up M.C. Hammer and Vanilla Ice, who they saw as sellouts for commercializing rap.

Well, we shouldn’t beat-up the weasels who are playing games with the important right to vote because they can only do what weak people allow them to do.  The margin of victory for McCain over Obama in 2008 in many states could have been erased easily by young people.  So, the real weasels included those who acknowledge Obama’s effort yet won’t get their facebook friends to vote. 

Finally, registering to vote isn’t about Romney and Obama; voting is a long-term powerful action.  If the GOP will be running the South for the rest of our live, we should (at times) select a one of their candidates who is the better or best among their field.  As we can see from the witch hunters, we could do worse than Georgia’s two GOP senators and my new congressman (Austin Scott.)  I can’t help but believe that these three guys privately are telling the nutty elements on their team to cut it out and dial it down.

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Campaign 2012: Put the South on the Table

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Team Obama and Team Romney need to understand that we simply refuse to have this election decided without more input and involvement from the South.  Yes, North Carolina and Florida are swing states but most of the South is being bypassed because Dixie is supposedly solid red. It seems that our donations to fund swing state campaign ads are more important that our votes—hell “haw.”

Let’s do this: keep our campaign money here in the rural areas and use that money to get out the vote (GOTV).  These two campaigns might spend two billion dollars on TV ad wars and the real winners will be the professional campaign industry.  President Obama once sat weekly in Congressional Black Caucus meetings with Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop and I think that seeing SDB’s approach to moderate service benefited candidate Obama in 2008.  In 2010, Bishop had a formable GOP opponent and they went toe to toe in a media war; I watched cable TV the last few weeks because I was sick of slick campaign ads.  In the end, Bishop won because national conservatives and the Tea Party hit so hard that we got defensive and resorted old school GOTV methods to help the incumbent. If the Tea Party and the bitter national groups had stayed out of that election, the GOP would have taken that seat so thanks. 

Looking at that 2008 congressional race would help Obama and Romney prep for rural battles.  Clearly, the current plan is to have both official presidential campaigns be nice and above the fray while outside groups do any dirty work.  The positive dirty work would be a door to door, house to house, hood to hood effort to get everyone properly prepared to vote.  It is a low down dirty shame that some on the Right want to limited voter participation—you’ll are better than that.  We should counter by making sure that everyone knows the deadlines, rules and regulations for registration and voting.

To be honest, the GOP can never reach a point where 100% of the Black vote in the South is assumed Democrats.  If they do, their attitude and policies would be even more punitive.  Peace and blessing to brothers and sistas on the conservative side because 25% or more of Black southerners are actually conservatives but won’t join a party with a section that is dam near confederate.  The black conservative blog Booker Rising has a nice questionnaire in it’s margins and if my family members took it they would discover that they are more moderate than liberal.  Of course, the rural south GOP allows talk radio to work them into a mean frenzy so their gatherings are more salt than pepper.

We should start now and maximize our voter participation.  If we put 10% of the time and interest we put into football into getting everyone voting, we will ensure that our voice are heard.  Hey, we could combine the two; GOTV rallies in the form of old school parties after high school and college football games.   Yeah, we need to say among ourselves what the national campaigns can’t or won’t say and young  Dem conservative Keith McCants from Peanut Politics should be leading the effort.

http://www.bookerrising.net/2004/08/booker-rising-quiz-are-you-black.html

http://www.bookerrising.net/2004/08/booker-rising-quiz-are-you-black_20.html

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Election 2012: Perfectly Clear

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on July 11, 2012| 1 Comment »

Before we get into the full campaign season, I want to make a few things perfectly clear—as I see them.  First, President Obama and Governor Romney are both basically good fellows tasked with the jobs of leading national parties.  As I have written for years, the Liberals mean well but have poor budget vision and the Conservatives are often right in theory but horribly wrong for forcing said theory upon everyone else.  To be honest, the GOP doesn’t want moderates and you shouldn’t have to tell us twice.  The question then becomes this: which national party can get more of their supporters into the polling place in swing states.

I refuse to believe that Georgia is off the table for the Team Obama and turnout for Rep. Bishop in Albany, Macon and Columbus and Rep. Barrow in Augusta might tilt the balance.  Can the president win without getting three or four states in the South?  It’s a shame that the GOP can’t find a small section under their tent for reasonable moderates because the party that gets the lion share of the middle wins. 

From the “tail wagging to dog” to “the cart being in front of the horse,” pundits will use dozens of adages to illustrate that big money for professional campaigns types is driving this election more than policy and ideas.  Those cats will spend billions saying negative things about the other side that they know aren’t true.

The southern Black vote could have been on the table for the GOP for years but they let the meanest segment of their camp dictate the vibe.  In elections, you can get the voters to vote for you, drive them to vote against you, or bore them into staying home.  Romney isn’t that bad himself but some around and behind them are flat ruthless and they will compel fence-sitters and some times voters to action.

Since I try to be a positive person, I continue to extend an invitation to those in other political camps who would like to know why the middle has issues with the far left and far right.  As Biggie said, call the crib—same number, same hood, it’s all good.

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Youth Exploratory Initiative: Skybox

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on July 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My June was spent in a small summer program called the Youth Exploratory Initiative.  We created this project because kids today seem to spend too much time on video games rather than playing outside like we did.  Let me tell you, those video games have given them an understanding of basketball, football and the military that is vastly superior to our old school childhoods.  They read defensives and select plays in football like N.F.L. coaches.  But, all the videos games in the world still can’t replace their excitement with hitting in the baseball batting cage, facing an opponent in chess, hitting a golf ball 100 yards or conquering the water by swimming or boating.  They went from Wii to “We.”

These young men, who all do well in school, get in their early years what some folks don’t get until high school or college: you gain knowledge to use it in life.  For example, grammar isn’t store in your mind to be use only in actual class or at work.  One should speak well 24/7.

 On this Fourth of July, no fireworks or backyard barbeque spark a young person’s appreciation for the blessing of being an American like the History Channel’s documentary “America: the Story of Us.”  Oh, whoever made this film came from the action movies genre because George Washington looked like Brad Pitt.  Commentary about grit and perseverance was offered by everyone from Rudy Giuliani to Colin Powell to P. Diddy—I got cool points with the Y.E.I. guys because I have a picture with Newt on my blog and the speaker was featured in the documentary.  Yes, moderate Democrats know some conservatives.

Of course, some might say that a summer program with good kids is like preaching to the choir but sometimes it seems like we spend too much time, energy and resources on “other” kids and that is not fair to those doing what they are supposed to do.  Remember in the original “Longest Yard” movie when Burt Reynolds’ character was looking for football players for his prison team and someone said that a guy played at Florida State—to which Reynolds replied, “Florida State University?”  “No, Florida State Penitentiary.”  The late Biggie Smalls rapped that he was more familiar with the state penn than Penn State.

Well, the boys in the Y.E.I. program are more interested in Duke for academic reasons than being gladiators of the gridiron.  Oh, don’t get it twisted; they would love balling in the NCAA, NBA or NFL.  But, their parents have them focused on books and character.  We visited FSU and FAMU and they walked into Doak Campbell Stadium.  I ask them where they wanted to be in this arena in the future: a benchwarmer for national power FSU; a football starter and honor student at visiting Duke; or eventually the guy eating pasta salad in his corporation’s skybox.  Of course, they said a former FSU national champion who was an honor grad and is now in the skybox because he went to grad school at Duke.  

We were lucky that it was orientation week at FSU and FAMU so the guys could imagine their parents walking the campuses with them in a few summers. 

To be honest, the Y.E.I. program was basically a reward for their hard work during the school year and we should do more of that.  You would be surprise by what these kids already know.  Coach A.J. and I played a You Tube video of the greatest music composers of all times and the guys knew most of the music from action movies and cartoons.  But hey, we to introducing them to the classics: jazz and Motown.  To our surprise, the know Motown and old school R&B because the rappers have sampled them to death— keep the legal and your money right.

They also know that rap is a medium of art and that art should imitates life rather than life imitating art.  In other words, thug rap is a corruption of real hip hop, which was mostly positive.  The hardest rappers of the past now have their kids in prep schools because no community should glorify a hard life.  Since parents work hard to give you a comfortable life, those parents are more heroes than some guy with “a condo on his wrist” who is proud of his police interrogation   (FYI “Cashin Out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GbolQtl17o&feature=related ).  Y.E.I. kids’ families are local law enforcement and military veterans and that is real “Call of Duty.”

The web-based information we cover is on a tab at the top of the Project Logic Ga page and pictures are can be found on the Project Logic Ga facebook group page.   Thanks to the sponsor of the project—who actually came up with the idea.  President Obama and Governor Romney would agree that real health care improvement starts with diet and exercise.  Some folks talk a good talk but the team at S.P.A.M. truly is about getting our youth of the path to better health.  (Come on now, The Y.E.I. guys ate four pizzas a day… but washed it down with bottle water rather than soda.)      

The billions of dollars that will be spent on political campaigns this year could be better utilized thanking good kids and the long-term benefits would be amazing.   As professor Aaron Johnson taught them during a brief visit to his econ class at Darton College, it’s all about cost benefit analysis and risk/reward.

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Means Testing: Diddy’s son and A.S.U.’s sons

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on June 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This nonsense about Diddy’s son getting an athletic scholarship puts my years at Albany State College in mind.  For those who don’t know, Justin Combs was offered at $54K scholarship to play cornerback at U.C.L.A. and people are losing their minds because Diddy is worth half a billion dollars.

First of all, I say congrats to Justin because U.C.L.A. was my dream school as a kid.  While my classmates wanted to play for Coach Dooly at U.G.A., I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.  If Justin didn’t the book work and can cover speedy receivers from U.S.C. and Cal, he has the awarded opportunity coming to him. 

In the 1980s, Albany State had a president with a son and a vice president with sons who torn high school up academically.  Those cats could have attended any school in nation but they chose to take presidential scholarships at Albany.  The president’s son had an ice-cold BMW but hey, the guy had it coming for rocking the books.  I will never forget that life lesson created by the president: he gave his son a bimmer but the kid had to pay for the insurance with earned money.  On visits to the local mall, you would see the son working so well at the chicken place that he made manager (I think) before he was 20 years old.  If that guy stayed with that food chain, he would likely be steps away from being CEO today but he went to medical school and now wears a long white coat.  Don’t hate, congratulate.  The vice president was a referee for ACC football; he was serious about achievement and I enjoyed the few encounters we had.

In government, this discussion would be considered means testing.  A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for government money.  Some politicians and policy wonks have proposed means testing Social Security for wealth Americans.  While I will likely never be rich, I wanted the government to clearly understand one thing: you can pay me my money or (as we said in Blaylock Hall at dear old A.S.C.) I can take it out of your ________ . (rhymes with crass)

While I love President Obama, Democrats should be fair regarding the wealthy.  If a guy made his money from hard work and dedication, the state shouldn’t take too much of that money to help some chump who didn’t study in school or failed at business.  That might sound cold but that is real.

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Faith, Bible and Politics

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on May 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

When I lived in D.C., the pastor of my neighborhood Methodist church was the coolest sister who ever stepped into a pulpit.  On one Sunday morning, she said that she saw a rainbow flag on a bumper sticker and on the other side of the bumper was another sticker that read “Father, protect us from your followers.”

Look, we live in a nation that is a tapestry woven from many different fibers.  While I might have personal opinions on certain matters, I think that law-abiding citizens have the right to be wrong and that reasonable people should stand to protect said rights.  If earthly actions would send people to blazes after this life is over, it is fine because there is “plenty room in hell.”  However, I have recently read a new Bible that was given to me 28 years ago (I know, I know) and I better understand that people with faith knowledge are required to share with others. 

Politics and faith blend when you consider 1 Peter 2:13-14 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, as for the praise of them that do well.   Also, Romans 13:1 reads Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

To me, the part regarding “Bishop” is funny because our congressman’s name is Bishop, which means overseer.  Rep. Bishop knows the Bible as does his last opponent, a pastor and elected official.  Actually, the opponent displayed considerable restraint from twisting biblical bishop from say Titus 1:7-9 into his campaign.  I assume that it took serious energy to keep his supporters from heading down that path.  To me, Rep. Bishop seems to fit the qualifications of Bishops found in 1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop then, he desireth a good work.  When Rep. Bishop decides to exit public service and really get paid in the private sector, the speeches praising him will no doubt include references to 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  

In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul wrote “I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks, be made for all men.  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

So, I will be praying for Obama, Romney, Bishop, Saxby, Isakson and the rest. Finally, for my homies in D.C., I am listing the 20 or so parts of the Bible that I find most useful so far.  Peace. 

Devotional List:

1. Psalm 23

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell[a] in the house of the Lord
Forever.

 

2. Matthew 5: 1-14

The Beatitudes

5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
    For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
    For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
    For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

3. Matthew 6: 9-13 Lord’s Prayer

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[c]

 

4. Psalms 37: 1-4

37 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

 

5. Psalm 27: 1-4, 14

 An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

 

6. Psalms 51:10 Clean Spirit

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 

7. Mark 8:36-37  Soul

36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

8. Proverbs 17:22  Broken Spirit

22 A merry heart does good, like medicine,[a]
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

 

9. Proverbs 3:5-8 Guidance for the Young

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct[a] your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh,[b]
And strength[c] to your bones.

10. Exodus 20:12 Ten Commandment of Parents

 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

 

11. Proverbs 6:16-19  Wicked Man

16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

 

12. Proverbs 13:20  Wise Men

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

 

13. Proverbs 16:7-8  Peace and Little

7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

 

14. Proverbs 21:23 Tongue

23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.

 

15. Proverbs 23:9 Fool

9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

 

16. Proverbs 24:17-20  Enemy

17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.
19 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

 

17. Proverbs 29:18 Vision

18 Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

 

18. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Everything Has Its Time

3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

 

19. John 14:1-6 The Way, the Truth, and the Life

14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

 

20. Romans 8:28, 31

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

 

21. Philippians 4:13

 13 I can do all things through Christ[b] who strengthens me.

 

22. John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

23. Ecclesiastes 12: 1, 13-14

12 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.

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Wow, Inmates Cost $47K per Year

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on April 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

We spend too much money putting people in prison.  Of course, criminals must be punished but it would be better if the crimes never happened in the first place.  I am 47 years old and I have never made 47K per year but the national average cost of an inmate is $47,000 and as much as $60,000 in New York. 

The statistics from a CBS Sunday Morning news story are alarming: 1 in 3 Black men between the ages of 18 and 34 are in the system (jail, prison, probate or parole); 50% of released inmates return in three years. 

The old “lock them up and throw away the key” mentality sounds great for political candidates and officeholders but we are spending $63 Billion per year on incarceration.  Guys who ended behind bars, many for non-violent drug related offenses, often discover that education and faith are wonderful; I wish they learned that in junior high school or earlier.

I don’t have the answers: however, I have always felt that prison seems like the bondage of slavery but slaves didn’t have a choice, could still live with mates and could go outside (the good Lord knows that I would go crazy if I couldn’t go outside when I wanted.)  The possible answers include mentor programs for youth, men being real fathers and reducing drug usage.  With constant cries for reducing governmental spending, addressing the prison situation is a must.

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$385 Billion In Uncollected Taxes

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on April 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Those cool people at CBS Sunday Morning recently reported that IRS collects only 85% of taxes due.  In 2006, the uncollected 15% would have been 385 billion dollars and during the last decade the amount was 3 trillion dollars. 

From fudging on deductions to listing someone else’s kids, the tax code invites cheating.  When Senator John McCain was running for president, he pulled a post card from his pocket and said that the tax filing form should be that size.  I say everyone should pay a personal income tax of 14% but what do I know.  Last year, the IRS fired 5000 employees when they should have been adding tax collecting personnel.

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Psalms 71:18: Zimmerman and Old Men

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »

George Zimmerman meant well but we must be careful in our zeal to protect our communities.  Trayvon Martin was a better young man than most but sorting good kids from the bad ones has become difficult because most of them –Black, White and Brown- seems to admire the thug/hard element. 

I didn’t add “Yellow” to the list above because (as I stereotype) Asians youth in America still respect their elders and attempt to be obedient.  Oh, it is a matter of time before certain parts of American culture ruin them also. 

We have two or three generations of young people who don’t give a flip about how they carry themselves.  They will say or do anything in front of anyone and dare you to look at them sideways.  Zimmerman, with the warmth of his firearm, wanted to be that heroic figure in the neighborhood who stood for what was right; he wanted to be the man not afraid to stop the crime drama.  But, he stepped mistakenly to a decent guy. 

On some level, I feel like the guy on the block who senior citizens seek regarding community matters but I am much smarter than Zimmerman.  You must establish a vibe with the young folks and I have found that the holiday season is the best time.  During Christmas and the Fourth of July, my 40 something classmates come home to visit their parents and, of course, yell (like we do) at a brother from down the street.  It usually surprises the current young people to know that their uncles were once young and that some oldheads gave us words of wisdom—now it’s our turn. 

The seed gets planted when my old friends put their massive hands on their nephews’ shoulders and say, “listen to my homeboy and help him keep the block straight for moms.”  That nephew and his crew are the ones with the booming car music at 3 a.m.  We always want to diplomatically address these matters rather than seeing another person heading to expensive penal system.

We have so much unemployment in rural Georgia but a factory closing doesn’t mean you don’t have a job to do.  Most of my friends have worked continuously since high school.  I have seen guys laboring to keep their kids in Polo and Tommy gear but the kids grow up with a feeling of entitlement.  A year out of work might just be the year when dude saves his son from the streets or the year when moms’ house get the renovations it needed. 

On the job front, we are starting to see reports on employers who will only hire whose currently working.  Really?  In my community, we must do everything we can to weather these rough times.  The good news is that Black folks have perseverance encode on our DNA.  If we get rid of Polo, Tommy and other aspects of conspicuous consumption, we could live with less money.  Secondly, we must stop trying to keep up with the Jones because the Joneses are in debt up to their eyeballs. 

There is nothing wrong with a guy being a stay at home dad for a minute; I have been a stay at home son for more than a minute and yes the salary drama is stressing me out.  We are now the old guys who voluntarily read the Bible and I like Proverbs 20:29 “The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the grey head.”  I find Psalm 71:18 to be equally cool “Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and they power to every one that is to come.”  While unemployed, you still have work that needs to be done.

Proverbs 22:6 states “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  Well, my daddy had a strong commitment to our community and my neighborhood was created in the 1970s by men who were overworked and underpaid on someone else’s farms.  If those dead men paid for these houses with years of hard labor, we can’t let a few half-raised youth destroy the area to the degree that widows are in constant fear.  And the crazy thing is that homies who come home from prison are the main ones telling the youth that the wild path isn’t the right one.

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Presidential Elections: Elian Gonzalez = Trayvon Martin

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on March 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Is anyone else thinking that the Trayvon Martin situation might be to the 2012 presidential election what the Elian Gonzalez matter was to the 2000 presidential election?  We remember the young Cuban boy who was in the middle of a Florida battle.  After the Clinton administration sent him back to that island nation, Al Gore narrowly lost the presidency by the state of Florida. 

If any good can come from the death of this young man, igniting a political fire in his generation might be that good.  Young folks should put on their hoodies and head down to the courthouse to register to vote—vote for conservatives, liberals or moderates…just vote.  They should think about their cousins who joined the military and are in harm’s way on foreign soil.  We think of them as heroes but many signed up because that was a stable income during unstable times.  How long should they be there and where are they heading next?  Look, protesting is important but real change comes from the ballot box and the mindset.

America is the land of the free and a person should have the right to be himself.  But, we do need to have a  discussion with our youth about the cold reality of being a minority in America.   And before someone emails me…yes, Black kids kill Black kids every day.  Bottomline: do what you can to see the sun rise tomorrow.  You just might see millions of hoodie wearing young people voting for the first time. 

Those new voters would send a wake-up call to southern state lawmakers who clearly feel that they input isn’t important.

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