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Posts Tagged ‘Clinton’

Space Cowboys: Can Bill Clinton Dems Save the Day From Trump And Sanders

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on May 17, 2016| Leave a Comment »

So, Trump has Newt Gingrich and Hillary has Bill Clinton.  That is a really good deal because (as quiet as it is kept) leaders got along after hours for the good of the nation back in the day.  If you notice Bill Clinton is like Bush 41’s play son.  President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich met privately late at night  and supposedly saved Social Security.

It seems most of the players in the political arena are actually acting most of the time.  On the Democrat side, most members of the Congressional Black Caucus care more about keeping their positions of power by promising free this and that than telling the truth about improving our communities.  The truth starts with folks taking an honest look in the mirror.

On the Republican side, a little article in the Capitol Hill newspaper from the Clinton/Gingrich era sums it up for me.  When the Contract With America Republican revolutionaries went on a retreat to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, a cover band that night played Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” and a surprising number of freshmen put their fingers to their lips on the part about “I am a midnight toker.”  Basically, the reporter felt these high-minded conservatives were no strangers to being literally high.

You know a brother played bass on “The Joker” and that first line about “some people call me the space cowboy…some people call me the doctor of love” got me thinking about the movie Space Cowboys.  In that film four Air Force test pilots hoped to be the first Americans in space but the government in their wisdom replaced the Air Force with NASA and the first in space was a chimp named Mary Ann.  Well, dam.

Four decades later, NASA sought the help of those old fellows because a Russian communication satellite needed to be control and the systems were similar to American old technology.  After taking the space shuttle to the Soviet craft, they discovered four nuclear warheads that would target America if they fall out of orbit.  Tommy Lee Jones’ character decided to use his jet pack to push the weapons into deep space before finally getting to the moon and dying.  Hey, Jones was Vice President Gore’s roommate at Harvard.

Thank you for reading that long movie recap because I needed that foundation to make a point.  The point is that those of us who were around the Congress and White House during the Clinton era seems like those space cowboys.  Remember, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich and House Budget Committee chair John Kasich crafted an economic plan (after fighting like cats and dogs) that left America with a budget surplus and a strong, healthy economy.

After riding his coattails, the nasty Republicans figured out a way to toss homeboy Newt.  More surprising, Al Gore loss to George Bush because the same people that the Clinton/Gore White House helped failed to vote.  I am not pissed at the Republicans for winning; I am pissed at our community for not voting.

As in the movie Space Cowboys, it’s time for the old school Clinton Dems or the Blue Dog Democrats to rescue the world from pending disaster.  To me, there are five sections to the electorate right now.  On the Republican side, you have the “traditional establishment, less taxes, pro-business conservatives” and you have the “far Right, listen to talk radio until a blood vessel is going to pop in their forheads, I want my country back” folks.   On the Dem side, you have the Clintonites/Obamacrats who are the Dem establishment and you have the new socialists of Bernie Sanders with their give me, give me, give me mentality.

The 5th section would be the millions of people who will sit at home and not vote this year.  Mind you, these same people might be living in government-assisted housing and eating food….I better stop there but you get the point.

If the Sanders supporters don’t vote for Clinton, Trump is president.  I have friends who argue that Trump being president would be better for our community than Sanders because we will know once and for all that the White House can’t help us and it is therefore vital that we help ourselves by changing our personal actions.

Real talk, Trump’s message of making goods in America sounds similar to the “Look for the Union label” movement of my childhood.  Hell yes, we use to have four factories in every south Georgia town and of course we had agriculture.  Today, stuff is cheap in the dollar store because it’s made by cheap labor overseas.  But, the homies don’t have a dollar because the community is unemployed.  Wall Street did that to increase their profit margins.  I would pay a little more for American made goods and products if that put people back to work.

We can’t fall for Trump’s excellent acting job; he is more P.T. Barnum than F.D.R.  There is a sucker born every minute and you can’t blame Trump for trying to pull off the greatest ruse in history.  Being president is harder than it looks and some folks simply aren’t presidential material.  In the political arena, you have activists and governors.

Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Newt Gingrich, John Kasich and Ronald Reagan are governors while Sarah Palin, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are activists.  Activists serve an important purpose but to govern requires tact and diplomacy.  There is a big difference between Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

Winning the White House in 2016 might come down to which side listens to their old school space cowboys.

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Hillary’s Relationship with Georgia

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , on May 12, 2016| Leave a Comment »

hillary-clinton-hosts-african-americans-for-hillary-rally-in-atlanta

Hillary Clinton wouldn’t be the Democrat nominee without Blacks in the South. Bernie Sanders has been whupping her almost everywhere else because he promises free this and free that.  Young Blacks are eating his candy by the spoonful but oldheads know the path to success doesn’t run through government offices and that wishing for governmental free stuff makes Americans soft.

The nerds from the Ivy League that run the DNC think Clinton wins the White House without winning much between Virginia and Texas but I think she needs to win two of four certain states: Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina. She wins Georgia and/or Florida by keeping it close in the rural areas and going over the top in the cities.  Rep. Sanford Bishop can deliver three of Georgia’s non-Atlanta cities and therefore counterbalance a quarter of rural Georgia.

The Sanders factor should have Dems worried because his voters might stay home if progressive elements aren’t in the Democrat platform.

Hillary Clinton can’t do it alone.  A certain number of people will vote for Hillary Clinton while a large number of Black voters will be voting against Donald Trump.  Hillary, gratefully take those votes.  Another large number of Black voters will be folks voting to protect President Obama’s legacy from Trump and his minions.  Again, Mrs. Senator/Secretary, Merry Christmas from the Obamas.

So, this election will involve having billions on the table.  The Democrat elite are planning on spending money raised in Atlanta on T.V. ads in swing states.  A quarter of that money should be used as Get Out the Vote in the best Black state in the union….the peach.  Nationally, we don’t need ads of Clinton in a hard hat, Clinton reading to school kids or Clinton watching a production line.  We know the Clintons are good people.  That money should be spent getting infrequent voters to the polls.  Who is good at that?  Me.

I am calling it the way Babe Ruth called that home run or the way Curry tosses up a 3 point shot and walks toward the other basket.  Hillary Clinton will be president and we will hand her Georgia on a platter.  It’s not about her winning our state; it’s about us lighting a fire under infrequent voters.  Next year, we want to see one Georgian in her cabinet…Ag Sec, Labor Sec, HUD Sec…a few names come to mind.

 

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Stop Tripping on the 1994 Crime Bill

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on April 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Clinton Crime

A million years ago, I was a congressional staffer and the 1994 Crime Bill was my baby. Since I wasn’t a high-profile staffer like the cats on House of Cards, I generally did the less sexy issues involving national parks, crops and naming post offices. But I was knee deep in that crime bill drama.

That legislation was driven by years of high crime rates and drug addiction.  In 1986, Maryland basketball star Len Bias died shortly after signing with the Boston Celtics and House Speaker Tipp O’Neill demanded that legislation addressing crack be ready after the August recess.  I was in college then but word is that a staffer from legislative counsel sat at his dining room table and just made stuff up—no hearings, no research.  That is the reason we had that crazy difference in sentencing for crack crimes and powder cocaine crimes.

Anyway, our Crime Bill was well researched and well fought over.  While Black Lives Matter is tripping on Bill Clinton, they need to see how many members of the Congressional Black Caucus crafted and voted for the Crime Bill.  And for the record, I appreciate the spirit of activism of the Black Lives Matter movement but I generally don’t care for people jumping up inside anyone’s event…there is a time and place.

The 1994 Crime Bill was a balance of prisons, prevention and policing.  I want to say that the community policing provisions could be used by local police today.  At times, I feel that the local police seem like overseers in my community—the average citizen isn’t the enemy and the average citizen hates crime more than anyone.  Some police have been hardened by the constant battle with the worst 10% of the community but that is no reason to treat the community a certain way.

With community policing, the officers develop personal relationships with folks on their beats.  They get out of the cars and pull off those mirrored Cool Hand Luke sunglasses to connect with citizens…Mrs. Jones didn’t turn on her porch light at dark, check on her.  I will always have a glass of Crystal Light Peach Mango Tea for any officer literally walking a beat.

Officers, deep inside, don’t want to see youth in jail but they must do their jobs and as Beretta said, “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”  It’s the community’s job to offer options and opportunities to young people so they don’t go down that wrong path.

Finally, I can’t remember if the assault weapons ban was in the final Crime Law but I told my boss that people should have a certain amount of fire power to defend their families and to hunt.  However, military style weapons for home defense in  subdivisions is too much; good news is you got the bad guy…bad news is you blasted Mrs. Jones’ porch light across the street.

On the other hand, Worth County, Georgia, is half the size of Rhode Island and if the bad guys are at your rural house on one end of the county, your family could be cold by the time the deputies arrive.  In that case, you need to let that clip sing.  Biggie Smalls said, “Call the coroner..there’s gonna be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing if my burglar alarm starts ringing.”

So, Hillary Clinton isn’t responsible for everything President Bill Clinton and the Dems did back in the day.

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2016 Rural Georgia Voters Guide: Consider Yourselves Told

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2016| 1 Comment »

MAD-Magazine-Uncle-Sam-Scream

Why why why won’t Georgia voters listen to me.  They should be because I hold the keys to election and policy success.  Georgia has gone to hell in a handbasket politically because the far Right folks have hijacked the conservative movement and the people Democrats break their necks to help won’t getting in the voting line.  They will get however in the “where is something free” line with a quickness.

Bernie Sanders: Senator Sanders is a nice enough fellow but how are you win Democratic primaries when you aren’t a freaking Democrat.  Geez.  The last thing Black folks need to hear in rural areas is a Santa Claus type character talking about redistributing wealth like Robin Hood.  The first thing working families need to read is the Best Interest Initiatives blog posts   on improving your life with little government involvement.

Hillary Clinton’s Southern Plan: Don’t sleep, Black generally love the Clintons and the Obamas.  But, cue the Janet Jackson tune about “what have you done for me lately.”  Most of the “Marched with King” folks are exiting the national stage and post-Obama will bring the reality that Candidate Obama was right: the White House can’t fix your life.  You need to fix your life or, more importantly,  you need to be deliberate in your actions/careful about how you carry yourself.

So, Team Hillary is counting on Black pastors and labor leaders to rally the bros and get Sanders off here back.  However, the hip hop culture is starting to embrace that socialist talk because they didn’t experience the cold war and the red scare…to me, socialism and communism are first cousins.

The Democrats southern plan shouldn’t start in the big cities because those people are real liberals.  In the non-Atlanta parts of Georgia for example, Blacks like moderate Sanford Bishop and don’t hate reasonable conservative Johnny Isakson.  The sensible center sways elections and the Tea Party got the GOP to kick most moderates out of their ranks.

So, Hillary needs to dust off the old Clinton/Gore/Zell Miller brand of moderation for the non-urban parts of her efforts. The new moderation starts with a frank discussion about limited government and so hard talk about why folk’s situations are messed up.  Of course, presidential campaigns can’t directly hard talk but that’s why Al Gore invented the internet and bloggers.

Democrats options for the Republican primaries: We know that Hillary will be the nom and why waste your primary vote.  Dems in Georgia can vote in the GOP primary and my first notion is to vote for Jeb Bush or John Kasich because they are presidential material should something bad happen with that Clinton email witch-hunt.   Of the other hand, helping Donald Trump win the GOP nomination would lock the White House for Clinton because (missing linking verb coming)…..”he crazy.”

Sanford Bishop gentlemen in waiting: Old Jimbo Fisher waited formally for Bobby Bowden to retire as head football coach at FSU.  In Dem circles, we speculate who wants to be 2nd District congressman or woman when Bishop heads for the golf course.  I think Hillary can win Georgia and it would be important for the South that she gets a few Dixie states.  To win Georgia, Dems need to go 45% in rural areas and go over the top in Atlanta.  To do that, they need candidates to take one for the team in GOP control congressional districts.

The last big action of Bishop’s national political career should be similar to his first—helping the Clintons win Georgia.  Rep. Bishop often quotes 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.

This blogger and former Bishop staffer is formally asking “the more.”  We need SDB to in charge of turning out the Dem 45% everywhere in Georgia under a line from Columbus to Augusta.

Secondly, someone who wants to be congressman after Bishop retires should run in the 8th congressional district.  That candidate will help drive out the Dem faithful in the heart of Georgia and that energy will spill over into neighboring areas.  We know the five serious candidates thinking about being next after Bishop and I know a good effort in the 8th would help hone that message…a message I hope to help craft.  And remember, news media coverage in the radiates into the 2nd.

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The Centrist Dilemma: Keeping Trump Out of the Oval Office Is More Important Than Putting Hillary In It

Posted in politics, tagged , , on December 7, 2015| Leave a Comment »

donald

Donald Trump is good theater; he’s much fun.  The guy says what’s on his mind and that’s refreshing to some.  However, governing in the nuclear age requires more than P.T. Barnum.  It requires the tact and diplomacy of Kennedy, Lincoln, anybody named Roosevelt and nobody named Trump.  Yes, even bullish Teddy walked softly and carried a big stick.  Donald Trump is good for reality television; Trump in the White House would be a nightmare.

Trump is forcing me into the waiting arms of Bush, Kasich and Rubio.  As a moderate/centrist Democrat, one would think that I would prefer the worst GOP candidate to be the nominee because that person would be an easier opponent for Hillary.  But, this isn’t a Saturday Night Live skit.  This is real life and the issues on the table are far too important.  An organized Democrat Party would declare Hillary our nom and urge primary voters to help secure the GOP nomination for Trump by switching.  Hell naw!

If voting for Bush, Kasich or Rubio in the GOP primary helps one of them actually win the White House over Hillary, I will take that over a possible President Trump.  Anyway, Hillary only loses next November if the coalition Obama created doesn’t come back out to vote and if that happens the Democrats get what we deserve….helping working people who can’t find the time to vote….ask Al Gore about that.

Finally, the Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot by flirting with three candidates that never held elected office.  Reagan couldn’t be a member of the current GOP.  Democrats must seize the opportunity created by the GOP being pulled too far to the Right.  Hillary can win but Democrats need to vote down ballot also—from Congress to dog catcher.  Decent Republicans shouldn’t stand idly by when crazy stuff is being said.  Thank you Governors Kasich and Bush for being reasonable American leaders… your poll numbers reflect how crazy things have become since Fox News and the Tea Party commandeered your party.

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What The South Should Do For Hillary Clinton NOW

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on October 19, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Turning-Blue-Red-Map

To be frank, Democrats in Dixie carry little weight for either major party.  The Republicans know Democrats aren’t for them.  National liberal Democrats tolerate moderate southern Dems unenthusiastically.

In a presidential general election, the Democrats concede the South and save their ammo for the so-called battleground states.  Dems also put up little fight in southern governors, U.S. Senators, and state legislatures contests.  However, the D.N.C. will hit up southern cities like Atlanta for fancy fundraising.

Nutshell:

Republicans win White House = Dam those rural Dems

Democrats win White House = rural hick Dems didn’t help worth a dam

Not so fast: Southern rural Democrats who are moderate to conservative can support Hillary Clinton in the primaries.  Real city liberals on the two coasts (wine-sipping, tofu-eating, NPR listening) are feeling that Bernie Sanders socialism rhetoric.  Black southern moderates know “give me, give me, give me” is the last thing Blacks in the struggle need to hear at this pivotal time.  Deep inside, President Obama was a “lift yourself up” moderate raised by corn-fed Midwesterners.  The Clintons were Democrat Leadership Council moderates before getting “citified.”

Moderate Democrats should spend the next few months standing up for the center and convincing young Southerners that Sanders playing Santa Claus isn’t the move.

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Don’t Flirt with Bernie Sanders/ Life on $7.50 hour—You Are In My System

Posted in politics, tagged , , on October 9, 2015| Leave a Comment »

7699_WelfareReformWordle_ContentImage

Political flirting is a very bad thing for our community.  Flirting in general isn’t cool because by nature it implies certain possibilities to elicit a certain response.  We are in the middle of a pivotal presidential campaign and Americans are flirting with feel good candidates.

It’s just like the girl in high school who flirted with the guy who said all of the right stuff but that guy wasn’t “till death do we part” husband material.  With the first primaries and caucuses quickly approaching, we need to focus on serious candidates who can enter the Oval Office and lead the free world.

Bernie Sanders seems like a smart and considerate guy.  His ideas and facts on wealth and income add substance to the debate.  However, he is an advocate or activist like Jesse Jackson and Ralph Nader.  Activist point out problems while leaders solved them.   Our community can’t let Sanders get into our system…it’s all about systems.  Sanders knows the economic system is tilted toward the rich but wealth redistribution gives our community more dreams of getting something for nothing.  Rich people design the system to benefit themselves but they did put in the work…most of the time.

The criminal justice/penal system seems like modern slavery to me but again did you commit a crime.  If you know the system is jacked up, you should avoid it.  The educational system clearly needs improvement but can your family and you honestly say that your best effort was or is being made.  Sanders and the real liberals have people feeling like victims.  Yes, you are a victim of the person in the mirror.  If the local school system is so horrible, why were so many focus kids able to learn there?

Sanders is a self-confessed socialist and to me that means he is half a step from being a communist.  What the hell?  The Democrat nominee will have to explain to the nation in the general election why her party seriously considered a socialist.

Let me talk “cash s” to my people for a second.  America has a capitalist system and a democracy.  For most of our nation’s history, people of color didn’t have a fair chance to participate in this system.  We built America for free before 1865 and for nearly free for 100 years after that.  When capitalism works properly, you get up in the morning and legally grind for your family while keeping liabilities balanced relative to income.  Young people shouldn’t jump up and have babies with the idea that the government or grandparents will provide for them—grannie stepping in financially for the sperm donor.

Friends familiar with Europe keep telling me that Sanders’ version of socialism is similar to our allies in Western Europe who pay like 25% in taxes but the government pays for health care, college etc.  I have a bad feeling about bring that crap over here…wait a second, we are half way there.

Here is a system for you: a kid listens to his or her parents and focuses in school.  After high school, the young person slowly learns a career from formal training or on the job.  A family is started with a person he knows well—a person who also is executing clearly defined goals and objectives.  This family has and raises children without stepping foot into the public assistance system because focus people don’t need the government telling them to care for their kids.

Senator Sanders will blow your mind with the stats on his videos; he is keeping Secretary Clinton on her toes.  We can take elements of his plans into consideration but plans on paper don’t always turn out well in reality.  Sanders could pull enough “want something for nothing” voters to steal the Democrat nomination.  If that happens, I can’t vote for him.  Dems can flirt with Sanders for a second but take Hillary down the aisle. Remember, Hillary might pull 20% of the women who voted for Romney.

Finally, Sanders’ views on the minimum wage have young voters dreaming of getting fatter checks.  These young people could struggle less if they put less on their plates.  The recent CNN video of the struggling young lady who works at McDonalds broke my heart.  However, who made her have a kid with that heading to jail guy before they established a constant income.  The government can’t save you from you—avoid their systems.

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Hillary Clinton’s Concerns: Rachel Dolezal and Louis Farrakhan

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on June 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Secretary Hillary Clinton becoming president could come down to getting out the Democrat base in November 2016 and that won’t be easy because something fresh and different must be crafted.  Yes, she is a thousand times better for our community than most of the GOP candidates but that isn’t enough.  Democrats must frame their approach to our community post-Obama.

History will remember Barrack as a great president—one of my three favorites of all times.  We remember that candidate Obama said he wasn’t running to be the president of Black America and he was correct; he is the president of the all of America.  With that said, Blacks can finally see that who is in high office is secondary to what we do for self.  John F. Kennedy said “ask not what this country can do for you….ask what you can do for this country.”  What you can do is stop messing up and stop waiting for the government to fix your life.

At church yesterday, the head of the Stewards Board made a brief speech that centered on our community now being free but stated that with freedom has come a freedom to rob, kill, steal and do other detrimental things.

I have been saying for years that we are our own worst enemies.  In the post-Obama era, we need an honest and frank discussion about how we carry ourselves.   Hillary Clinton’s campaign could go the way of Al Gore’s if the Black community doesn’t feel that voting is important.  After everything the Clinton/Gore White House did for regular people, these same people didn’t feel the need to vote for Al Gore…unbelievable.

So, the zillions of dollars that will be in the elect Hillary movement should be used in part to explain to our community that Democrats are about us more than the GOP.  No, Blacks won’t vote for the Republican nominee because the crazy part of their party keeps us away but Blacks might stay home.

Surprisingly, Rachel Dolezal and Louis Farrakhan could tilt the balance of power in a way similar to Elian Gonzalez and Al Gore.  Remember, the Cuban boy who was sent back to Cuba by the Clinton Administration.  I knew right then that this issue would determine who would be president and the election came down to south Florida, pregnant chads and all that drama.

Rachel Dolezal is a White civil rights activist who decided at some point to self-identify as Black.  There have always been White Americans doing serious work for the advancement of racial equality; their efforts and achievements exceed those of most Black people.  But, she should have said I am White technically but Black culturally.

The presidential campaign problem is this: Dolezal felt the need to become Black because she likely knew that Blacks are weary of non-Blacks telling us how to feel, think and action.  You know we all loved Bill Clinton as the first socially Black president until we actually had a Black presidential candidate.  Remember, all hell broke loose when the Clintons tried to tell their long-time Black friends that being with Hillary was the thing to do.  But, we (yes, me included) said Obama is special…not because he is Black but because he is just special….Washington, Lincoln, JFK, special.  Oh, Bill Clinton is one of my favorite presidents of all-time but he couldn’t get me away from Barack.

In the South, Blacks now make up most of the Democrat Party because most rural Whites (former Dixiecrats) bounced for the GOP.  However, the leadership of the Dem Party is still rich White people.  In Georgia, I call them the Buckhead crew.  The old saying goes “real power is who is at the table when the money is counted….not who is on the stage during the speeches.”  The Buckhead crew eats and Blacks get the crumbs afterwards…just like the plantations of old.  It’s based on color and that color is money green.

The Buckhead crew and the national DNC try to win in Georgia by getting out the vote in Atlanta.  But Atlanta Blacks are too liberal to vote for moderate Dems like the recent U.S. Senate and governor candidates.  That energy should have been spent getting out moderate to conservative Black voters in areas that support Rep. Sanford Bishop and former Rep. John Barrow.  Hillary could win Georgia with non-Atlanta Blacks, White suburban moms and the ATL base.  Rachel Dolezal has us thinking about who is at the top and that’s thinking that Hillary doesn’t need.

Minister Louis Farrakhan drives the Buckhead crew crazy because he could plant a seed of doubt with Blacks about Democrat leadership.  First, Farrakhan’s views on Middle East and religion aren’t on the table in this blog post.  Peace to all three Abrahamic faiths from this Black Methodist.  I will say that Psalms 82 makes the Dems seem more in tune with Biblical teachings regarding the needy than the GOP.

Psalms 82

82 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

 

In the post Obama era, we remember that Farrakhan and Black nationalists have been encouraging Blacks to do for self, eschew governmental assistance and getting ourselves together for over half a century.  Psalms 82 could play out today like this: help those who might become poor not become poor in the first place.  Paul wrote that those who don’t work shouldn’t eat.  Some feel that Democrats handouts since LBJ have limited Black growth. Farrakhan recently did a radio interview in preparation for another massive Washington rally and everyone on Hillary’s team should listen to the whole thing.

In the future, the conservative movement will realize that Farrakhan’s message to our community is similar to their message.  Hillary Clinton has time to craft the next phase of our community’s relationship with the Democrat Party.  The approach should be more about self-determination than assistance.

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Scandal: Not Voting Early To Stop Impeachment

Posted in politics, tagged , , on October 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »

voted

Early voting wasn’t an hour old and I was done…finished…over.  To my surprise, many other voters were doing the same thing.  Word on the street is that the Dems are sleeping on Black turnout and that could be the difference.  Yet, they are making the same old traditional efforts but again said efforts aren’t energizing the masses.

Low Black turnout is scandalous but many of those same people tune in weekly to ABC’s Scandal.  Really?  That fact is a dam shame because the TV show is fake political drama while voting puts you in the middle of real drama that affects your daily life.

First, the Republicans were drama queens last winter when they continued to scare the daylights out of people regarding Democrats and their plot to take over the universe.  Even more dramatic were plans and proposals they would implement if given more power.  For example, they “out conservative” each other with promises to impeach President Obama.

Until like the impeachment of Bill Clinton, they might actually remove Obama from office if they control the U.S. Senate.  But, the sistas are busy watching Scandal and the bros are deep into professional, college, high school and pee wee football.  I watching 13 hours of college football on Saturday but my black behind was there to vote this morning…so I can watch 13 more this coming weekend.

Oh, those Republicans wrote the book on crafty because after the primary elections were over they stop talking about impeach.  The orders to curtail impeachment talk came from bigwigs because they didn’t want to pump up the Obamacrats.

You could pump up dam near everyone I know if they talked about the Republican proposal from last winter to make school kids who eat free lunch clean the school.  Everyone I know in my rural Georgia town ate free lunch back in the day or had family members who did.   Hell, free lunch to me was nothing because most Black parents were limited in educational and employment opportunities based on color.  Their money was low because the cash in the hood was the money left over after others got paid.

My favorite Republican friend on Capitol Hill was surprised that her former boss was pushing this working kids notion on the Senate campaign trail.  If the Democrat outside groups don’t push impeachment and the school lunch drama in the final weeks of the campaign season, they aren’t truly interested in the Black vote.

Yea, I watch Scandal on Thursday night and the lovely Kerry Washington is a big Obamacrat.  She would tell you in a minute that Olivia Pope would figure out a way to get the base out…. I know Liz is creeping with a Republican president on the show.

Finally, it felt good voting for some of those intelligent women running statewide as Democrats.  For the record, I voted for a few Republicans and those freedom-loving Libertarians also.

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If I Wrote a Political Sermon Outline: Psalms, Clinton, Psalms, Obama

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on October 3, 2014| 1 Comment »

I wish I had the ear of a bunch of preachers.  I would make a you tube video or radio spot that was basically a sermon outline about politics.

Faithless/Same Bible-

Narrator: To hear some people tell it, half of Americans are faithless heathens.  The same people seems to think that they are God’s only children and that fighting with fellow Americans is the answer.  That doesn’t seem Christ like to me—where is the compassion?

President Bush 43 went Washington with compassion as the center of his moral compass; he funded more African development projects than any previous president.  Surprisingly, President Nixon created the Earned Income Tax Credit. But, those who like to be angry have taken over the Republican Party and push good people into the corner or out altogether.

During this election year, you have prominent GOP leaders talking about forcing children that receive free lunch to clean the school.  Is humiliating needy kids Christ-like?

The attacks on President Clinton and now on President Obama draw you to Psalms over and over.

Psalms 9:18: For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectations of the poor shall not perish for ever.

Psalms 34:6  This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his trouble.

Psalms 41: 1,7 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.

Psalms 54:3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul.

Psalms 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty; then I restored that which I took not away.

Psalms 82: 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

Psalms 109: 1 Hold not the peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked dand the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

 

President Obama and Democrats welcome the opportunity to address the nation’s problems in a constructive way with the Republicans.  Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.  But, the other side think they alone own America—they want their country back? Who took your country and when was it given solely to you?

Psalms 118:22-23 The stone that the builders refused has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  That stone was Jesus and what could be more Christ-like than for the people who have been rejected by the elite and powerful to become the cornerstone of our nation.

Leaders on both sides can say what they will to each other but we won’t improve as a nation until the concept of better living reaches the most rejected among us—the cornerstones of the future.

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1 Peter Chapter 2: Respect the Office of the President. GOP and Dem Plantations

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , on September 8, 2014| 2 Comments »

heston

Heston at the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.

My daily devotion today covered 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, and for the praise of them that do well.  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

Would someone kindly explain to me how some southerners ignored federal laws since the end of the Civil War whenever they pleased?  It continues in some form to this day.  Gangbangers and thugs are un-American to me and these southerners are also.  I could put them in the same category as the Klan, the Taliban, ISIS, and the mafia.  Okay, that’s being a little dramatic but I am rightfully ticked off at these folks.

“Charlton Heston is my president” read the bumper sticker in the 1990s.  Really?  Bill Clinton was the president and you fools are pissed because he won the elections fair and square.  Of course, Heston was leader of the NRA at the time and back in the day he earned cool points for being in the civil rights fight with MLK and company.  But, the NRA crowd should play like that; it’s borderline treason while being protected free speech.

George Bush “became” president over Al Gore in a questionable election—the most questionable in history.  But, Bush was still my president because I respect the democratic process.  Barrack Obama wins two elections yet the Right uses every dirty trick in the book to undermine him and his supposedly Kenyan White House.  The cherry on top is the effort the suppress voting by these people who evidently shouldn’t be voting.  Again, we are talking about un-American activities and I think limiting people’s right to vote fits in that category.

So, what’s the best reaction to these actions?  Voting and standing up for yourself.  You know, President Obama is such a nice guy; he might actually be too nice.  As he says, he is a thin guy but he is tough.  Well, the tough guy has some supporters who are rough in a good way.  Without dancing around with floury talk, we need to speak to the regular folks about what the Right does and says when they think no one is watching.  It would be so sweet to see the look on their faces when they realize that “unlikely voters” voted.  President Obama might be bracing for two years of hell if the Republicans take the U.S. Senate but we aren’t going to let that happen.  You don’t get to humiliate his gentleman because those who put him in office didn’t follow-up by voting for the House and Senate.

Not so fast!  The far Left is a zany as the far Right.  Once and for all, the government cannot provide housing and food for everyone forever—that would be socialism, not democracy.  The government should hopefully working toward the fair opportunity for every American to achieve a nice life but (as Prince sang in “Pop Life”) everyone can’t be on top.  The nice life goes to those who put in the work and kept it clean.

In my community, we are always talking about the ongoing plantation in America.  Yet, some people dream about a second Civil War that will get us back to pre-1865—do you really think private ownership of military weapons is for home protection and hunting.  Oh, those weapons for hunting all right but not whitetail deer (I better stop writing here.)

But, the Democratic Party feels like a plantation also in a different way.  How Black is that party in Dixie but the decisions and power rest with the few in the big house.  The old saying goes “who is in the room when the money is counted.”  I love it; not who was on the stage or who holds office.  Mr. Charlie is still running the South at the end of the day so let’s hope he is pleasant.

We should end this blog post by continuing with 1 Peter Chapter 2.

16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

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Barack Al Gore Obama

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , on January 8, 2012| 4 Comments »

I see it coming from a mile away and know I am going to be ticked off by the Democrats.  It happened before with Al Gore.  Since Bill Clinton’s White House did some much for regular people and left a budget surplus, Al Gore should have been a shoe-in.  But, some folks are too lazy to vote and therefore deserve who or what they get. 

Barrack Obama isn’t a loser and if the presidency goes to the GOP it will be the result of swing state Democrats sleeping.  As I have written in the past few months, winning elections requires cunning, strategy and timing.  Again, southern Democrats should consider voting in the GOP primary to select someone they want Obama to face (Gingrich, Santorum, Paul) or someone reasonable who should be on the ticket as POTUS or VP (Romney, Huntsman.) To be honest, our southern votes in November will be a formality and not as important as campaign donations that will help the reelection efforts in swing states.  Obama 2012 might need to replace Georgia in the win column with another southern state won in 2008 but that is improbable.

His narrow defeat crushed Al Gore but Barack Obama could actually be better off by exiting the White House.  The president battles the loyal opposition alone with little help from his cabinet, the Dems in congress or his so-called supporters in the electorate.  Maybe he should say “ten cents in a bucket…mother (blank) it.”  Obama could spend the next four years enjoying his family and speaking openly about what we need to do to improve as a nation.  Post-WH Michelle Obama will become one of the most important first ladies in history. 

I, for one, don’t want to see Obama get beat down for four more years while trying to help folks who need to help themselves (ourselves) first. It is an inconvenient truth.   Paul and Santorum might drive some moderates into the arms of Romney because Plan Bs must be considered.  If Newt would stop talking  about food stamps and stay intellectual “with his,”  he could have appeal to moderates.

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Sacrifice: From Rangel to Chelsea’s Mother in Law

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , on August 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

You should take one for the team.  That’s what a baseball player (like on the Bad News Bears) does when letting a pitch hit him.  In the 90s, Chelsea Clinton’s new mother-in-law did just that to help pass Bill Clinton’s budget plan by one vote.  As a congressional freshman, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky knew the plan was good for America and that it was political suicide in her district—always try to do the right thing.

Texan J.J. Pickle voted for civil rights legislation after famously saying, “Lyndon, I can’t vote for that…that’s political suicide in Texas.”  LBJ then listed all the appropriations projects he was going to pull from Pickle’s district.  Pickle survived had a sweet suite in the Cannon House Office Building for years—his constituents could stand behind him while he sat at his desk and get a photo with the Capitol dome in the background in the window.  All politics is local at the end of the day.

On a trip back to D.C. a few years ago, I met Georgia Rep. David Scott on the corner outside Pickle’s old office.  He was nice to my friends and me.  I hate that Dr. Deborah Honeycutt and Scott are in the same congressional district because I think she could add a Black woman’s calmness to the House Republican conference and heaven knows they need it.  If given the opportunity to support less enraged Republicans, our community should take a good look. 

I had to get around to Chairman Charlie Rangel.  He was the epitome smoothness when I was a staffer.  We said he sounds like a Black Ralph Karmden from the Honeymooners.  “Norton….Norton…pal of mine.”  Today, we wonder if Rangel has any pals on Hill.  People who read his book “And I Haven’t Had A Bad Day Since” or who saw him promoting it on Cspan know he survived some of the bloodiest fighting in Korea and was hero for leading other troops out of a Chinese encirclement in freezing weather.  He should cut a deal with the House to make this situation go away and then he should gracefully retire to the Dominican Republic.  (I kicked it in Sosua, D.R. and had a fine time…muy bueno.)

Rep. Rangel should take one for the team because his minor infractions could tip the balance in November.  He was a mentor to my southwest Georgia congressman and other members of the CBC.  Let me say this in no uncertain terms: if Sanford Bishop doesn’t win in November, the CBC and the White House will gut farm programs like a fish.  Rep. Mike Espy of Mississippi and later Bishop championed these programs inside the CBC and over time members learned that farms and agricultural operations are vital to rural America’s local tax base—farms fund schools.  While the Tea Party Movement would love that seat, south Georgians should think hard before bouncing a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. 

I think Bishop’s opponent knows that redistricting is around the corner and a strong showing in 2010 might convince his former colleagues in the statehouse to put his county in a more consevative district.  Of course, he wants to win now but the power and knowledge of SDB is important in this struggling region.  When or if the Democrats hold the House, SDB could be an appropriations subcommittee chairman—we called them cardinals.

At church yesterday, I was thinking about Abraham, Isaac and sacrifice—you know, the Ram in the brush story.  Like in a lifeboat at sea, the collective must decide who should be sacrificed so most can survive.  I am a moderate who will admit that Isakson is the Republican in the Georgia delegation with the best relationship in the Black community and Bishop is similar in our party.  Bishop has caught heat from city liberals and CBC members for supporting issues of importance to rural America.  If someone must take one for the team, lean into the pitch or be the Ram in the brush, it should be the Democrat who is the least Democrat.  That would be Rep. Jim Marshall of Macon.  This White House and the DNC should protect loyal members like David Scott, Sanford Bishop and John Barrow first. 

In 1993, a snowstorm caused the House of Representatives to have a half day and I went to the Union Station to see Schindler’s List.  My goodness, I could tell by the support from family members that a few people in the crowd were actual Holocaust survivors.  While that was one of the roughest movies of my life, one somewhat comic scene relates to this blog post.  A ruthless German officer had prisoners lined up and he shoots a man while trying to discover who stole a chicken.  A teenager step forward and reveals that he knows who the food taker is.  The teen points down at the dead man and the German believes him. 

The boy was wise enough to think that this poor fellow is already gone; let him be a sacrifice so that no one else dies over a chicken.  The Democrats aren’t crafty enough to think that if a member of the Georgia delegation must be sacrificed, it should be the one who is political gone already. 

Let me tell you what might happen: the GOP could be within a few seats of controlling the House and offer Marshall a chairmanship to switch parties.  Of course, he will take it and Democrats will come across as schmucks.  By the way: the second coolest Republican in Georgia behind Isakson is Jim Marshall’s opponent.  Is Michael Steele reading this?  Bro, this is the seat to get.  Say you want them all.  Right, and people in hell want ice water.

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Democrats’ Loyalty and the Movies

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , on September 28, 2008| 8 Comments »

You are a political junkie if you know the name Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky.  The mother of Chelsea Clinton’s boyfriend, MMM made the deciding vote in the House for Bill Clinton’s Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.  That five year budget plan cut taxes for fifteen million low-income families, made tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses, raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of taxpayers and mandated balanced budgets. 

 

As Senator Joe Liberman mentioned on stage at the 2008 RNC Convention, President Clinton balanced the budget with his plan and the American economy grew stronger.  On the day of that historic budget vote, the crafty Republicans waved goodbye to MMM as she walked in the chamber to vote—like the Lynyrd Skynyrd lyric said “shaking like a left on a tree.”  Legend has it that two other Democrats were holding  MMM up.  34 Democratic incumbents were defeated in the “Republican Revolution” in 1994 in part for making that vote.

 

This walk down memory lane supports the concept that sometimes the community as a whole is better served by the sacrifice of one.  In one of those Star Trek movies, Spock went out like a solider—took one for the team- just like Congresswoman Margolies-Mezvinsky.  It was 1982, Sarah Palin and I were finishing high school on opposite sides of the country and my sister was finishing Georgia Tech.  I saw that movie while visiting her; walking across I-75, stopped at the Varsity for some greasy food and burped my way to the Columbia Theater—Star Trek: the Warth of Khan in doby sound. (Some movies need to be seen on the big screen.)

 

Remember, Spock and Jim said, “It is logical, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…or the one.   I have been and always shall be your friend. Live long and prosper.” 

Of course, we learn in Star Trek III that Spock planted his Kattra (living spirit) in McCoy.  Movies have always been tools to me that shape or parallel stuff happening in life. Petite MMM went out like Spock saving the Enterprise; she helped the enterprise known as the American economy by doing what she felt was right. 

 

Senator Sam Nunn did not vote for that budget plan and Vice President Gore broke the tie in the Senate.  Nunn could do that because he is “Sam Nunn”—the staff joke on the Hill was Nunn did not want to be VP because it would be a demotion.  Nunn’s role in national defense gave him icon status—presidents came to see him.  Since this rant has developed a movie theme, Nunn and the Democrats made me think about  Colonel Jessep (Jack Nicholson’s character) in A Few Good Men:

  Col. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls and those walls need to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and curse the Marines; you have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives and that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said “thank you,” and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.

 

 

You Can’t Handle the Truth…there it is; naïve people wonder why some people boldly stand up while others stand idly by.  I am puzzled by the local, state and national Democratic Party officials’ quietness on Rep. Jim Marshall party attitude.  As I have written before, Marshall would have my respect if he endorsed Obama or McCain but this no comment stuff does not fly when members of Congress have faced political peril to fight for what they believed.  Rep. Bishop and Rep. Barrows courageously put their political futures on the line by supporting Obama while many members of the Congressional Black Caucus did the same by supporting Senator Clinton. 

 

Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky is not a footnote in congressional history because she can hold her head up high. The Dem Team needs White male southern support and Jim Marshall is AWOL.

 

You Can’t Handle the Truth…Why did it take me so long to figure out that Marshall obviously has a pass from Speaker Pelosi—keeping the House is more important than getting the White House. 

 

You Can’t Handle the Truth…Marshall also has a pass from the African American leadership in Macon—Obama got sold down the river for earmarks and pork.  I might not be the brightest person and clearly I can write well but even I know that shortly after the election Democrats are going to plan how to marginalize Marshall and that will justify him moving to the GOP.  Yes, he would have just used Dem money to win an election, did not support Obama/Biden and might join the Republicans. 

 

Last movie: ice-cold Michael Corleone talking to his brother Fredo about the family and loyalty.  “Don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again….ever.”  “I know it was you Fredo…you broke my heart.”  Michael Corleone should be head of the DNC but we really should think about Frank Sinatra, who is singing in the following Godfather video.  Sinatra is rumored to have secured the election of Kennedy by making “certain” calls to certain people who were “connected” to labor unions in Illinois and West Virginia.  He watched the back of MLK, Sammy Davis, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Joe Louis; Sinatra was all about loyalty and that was a close presidential election.

 

 

I told my friends that Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez would cost the Democrats the election and I was right.  I have a feeling that one person (I am not saying who) could cost the Democrats Georgia and therefore the Presidency is year. 

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