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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
I can’t stand Bill Belichick but must admit that he was smart to tell his Patriots defenders to allow the Giants’ Ahmad Bradshaw to score a touchdown in the last few minutes of the Super Bowl. Belichick did the calculations and knew he wanted the ball back in Tom Brady’s hands. The decision, which almost won them another championship, put me in the mind of Muhammad Ali’s Rope-dope and made me think about this presidential primary season.
Belichick didn’t tell his team to “let” them score; he told them to “help” them score. If you noticed, Pats players were prepared to push Bradshaw into the endzone to preserve precious seconds. President Obama might have a hard time beating a GOP candidate like Mitt Romney because Romney knows business and the business sector needs to create millions of jobs. The Belichick type move for Obama supporters would be helping Newt Gingrich score by winning open primary state elections.
If you notice, I wrote Obama supporters rather than Democrats because the Democratic National Committee would never endorse or support party members voting for any Republican anywhere for any reasons. I am more interested in holding the White House than protecting their party brand. If Romney gets his party’s nomination one day, he will become sweet and nice to the political center the next day to win the general election (if the Tea Party lets him.) It will be Romney’s Belichick type move to soften his party and secure the White House—it might work.
But, good old Newt doesn’t play that game. He is hardcore and has a long record to prove it. Remember, we can beat Newt in November if we help him win the nomination now—hold your nose and think Belichick.
I am voting for President Obama in November and Newt Gingrich in March. Obama supporters in conservative states with open primaries should know that giving the president Newt as a target is as important as their general election vote. Every Mitt Romney associated super PAC T.V. ad regarding Newt’s negatives actually reinforces my contentions. The reasons Democrats should vote for Newt jump out at you:
Clean cut Romney: That Mitt Romney reminds me of a guy from a soap opera star. He actually is a nice person with a super family so there is little motivation to vote against him for personal reasons while Newt gets our blood boiling. “Obama is a food stamp president.” “Poor kids should work at school.” A longer GOP primary gives Newt time to rough up Romney.
Plan B: While we want to see a second Obama term, we must explore options. To me, Romney is pro-big business but Gingrich would inadvertently improve regular folks’ lives. The government doesn’t really care about babying grown people nor should it. With Newt in the White House, everyone would be compelled to step their game up because the safety net would be thin. Plus, I am tired of watching Obama fight the good fight alone.
Michelle vs. Callista: Quick, name five Black women who are more important that Michelle Obama in the history of this nation. Better yet, name five women of any color. The sista is special and I can’t imagine replacing her with Mrs. Gingrich. Mrs. Obama vs. Mrs. Gingrich would drive millions to the polls for Obama.
Homeboy Newt: Newt knows the South. If someone other than Obama must be president it should be a Georgian. As quiet as it is kept, Newt has a great record of supporting African American conservatives. When I worked on the Hill, a sista was Newt’s Chief of Staff and Newt is constantly cultivating the next generation of Black conservatives.
Tick off the GOP: The Republicans are purists that only want conservatives voting in their primaries (except Ron Paul.) Democrats voting in their primary would drive them crazy and distort their statistical analysis. Actually, open primary better reflect a cross section of the electorate.
Summary: we need to educate voters on their options. If you live in an open primary state, voting for Newt is something to consider.
I am sick and tired of national folks taking political jabs at my south Georgia congressional delegation. The fellows need to jab back. My rural south agenda focuses on agriculture, education/jobs, military/veterans and transportation. If they take care of those areas, other stuff is secondary because all politics is local.
My Georgia is the area south of a line from Columbus to Macon to Savannah. “JABS” could be Jack, Austin, Bishop and Saxby as in Rep. Jack Kingston, Rep. Austin Scott, Rep. Sanford Bishop and Sen. Saxby Chambliss. Of course, Senator Johnny Isakson is the coolest of the cool and we appreciate his ATL-based service as well. Party politics requires these guys to publicly act combative with each other but we know that JABS circle the wagon when Georgia issues are on the table.
Sen. Chambliss catches heat from the far Right when he negotiates with Democratic senators but kuckleheads should know that negotiating is what leaders do. Jack Kingston can throw policy jabs with the best of them but coastal Democrats will admit that Jack will go anywhere to explain his rationale and many African American conservatives have worked in his D.C. and district offices; the same can’t be said about most GOP congressmen.
The Austin Scott and Sanford Bishop areas of south Georgia are interesting because the recent changes to the congressional map made Bishop’s district more Dem-friendly and Austin’s area more GOP friendly. Does this mean Bishop is going to become more liberal? No. Actually, Bishop, as an appropriator, has become more of a fiscal educator during his Georgia visits. Of course, he isn’t as fiscally conservative as Austin Scott but considering SDB’s district he does more than expected and hears it from real liberals.
The new map will move my hometown from Bishop’s district to Austin’s district but that is fine with me because interests don’t stop on political lines. Kingston has always protected Naval Air Station Jacksonville because many employees from that base live in southeast Georgia and a similar situation exist between the 8th district and the 2nd district. People live in rural towns but work, dine and shop in Albany, Columbus and Macon. So, the conditions in both areas are contingent or mutual.
I am keeping my eyes on JABS and would love to see them use the basketball fundamental technique called the jab step to get the national haters off them. In basketball, this moved is used to create space from the opposition before executing one’s next scoring move. Jack, Austin, Bishop and Saxby deliver or score for south Georgia but I need them to be more vocal about their achievements. And if an occasional misstep occurs, Georgians can weigh the good vs. the nots-so-good and decide. For example, we heard a lot of drama about candidate Nathan Deal but he has been a decent governor who is about to overhaul the expensive criminal justice system in this state. We spend too much money on criminals and change starts with education.
Look, people have agendas and you can detest folks for working their hustle. But, national groups can’t tell me that JABS are wrong; those guys are fellow Georgians and we will make that determination on our own. As a matter of fact, regular Georgians should use the web and public events like our unlikelyalliesproject.com meetups to discuss our elected officials.
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.
If I could wave a magic wand on New Year’s Eve, the notations I would place in southern voters’ minds as we enter the election year would involve understanding. Kandi from the Real Housewives of Atlanta was in a hip hop group with T.I.’s lady Tiny back in the day and they had a hit called “Understanding.”
Xcape’s “Understanding” had a line that said, “You don’t really know me… you just want’a do what you want’a do… that’s not the way it is baby…you gotta listen to me.” That line applies to elections, politics and policy because the South has a history of leaders and parties who arrogantly want to make desicisions for everyone without input from or understanding of everyone else.
I am an American who is concerned that the so-called developing world could blow past our nation in this century because those hungry people are driven liked we once were. Simply put, we might get out hustled by Latin America, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia because their young people aren’t playing when it comes to education and training while too many of our youth are soft whiners. We must understand that the entire nation must be striving collectively.
Anyway, the following points are the ideas I would put in voters’ heads:
1.President Obama can’t improve your life alone. He can only foster an environment conducive for your personal development. That’s what he said from the moment he stepped onto the national stage but folks don’t know how to listen.
2. Newt Gingrich as president could actually be good for my community. While we never know which version of Newt will show up, Speaker Gingrich from the Clinton era was a great ideas person who sincerely wanted to change the cultural mindset of Americans in a positive way. Look: the government doesn’t now nor has it ever cared about the average person. With Newt as president we would know that fact without a doubt and get about the business of personal responsibility.
3. Jon Huntsman is the most Obama-like Republican and moderate Democrats should vote for him to encourage the GOP nominee to make him their VP candidate. As quiet as it is kept, Obama respects Huntsman more than he does most of the Congressional Black Caucus. If the GOP takes the White House, moderates will wish level-headed Huntsman was at the table.
4. A small percentage of Democrats could sway the GOP presidential primary. “Ted, is right..we should vote for Huntsman just in case Obama doesn’t win or Newt to help Obama win.” Of course, no one understands my points until after the fact.
5. In South Georgia, running someone against Sanford Bishop will crank up Bishop’s campaign apparatus and organize Democrat GOTV efforts in Albany, Columbus and Macon. If President Obama wins reelection by a slim margin and by surprisingly winning Georgia, Bishop’s opponents can be thanked. By the same logic, Democrats can’t beat Austin Scott so we shouldn’t run anyone against him. That energy would be better spent developing a functional relationship with the young lawmaker.
Bottomline: Using the “Understanding” song in a blog post is recycling a past post. Another past post is my notes from “The Art of War.” That Chinese warfare manual is like a blueprint for politics and modern business. A central theme in the book is respect for and understanding of the other side. If the GOP understood Democrats, they would select Huntsman as their nom but the hardheaded never learn. If the Dems understood the Tea Party, they would vote for Huntsman in the GOP primaries in droves to keep them out of the White House. But, we are more concerned about the NFL playoffs.
If the GOP presidential primary process continues deep into the winter, all candidates will benefit in some way (including President Obama.) We should pause to think about Tim Pawlenty and Mitch Daniels—good guys that most voters never got to know as presidential candidates because they exited too early. Those exits should be a lesson for current candidates who don’t see much of a lifeline at this point. Your lifeline might be open primary states Democrats, a pool of voters rarely mentioned but prime for the taking.
President Obama will be the Democrat nominee, so most southern Democrats are free to vote in the GOP primary and change the game. In my opinion, the following presidential campaigns should support our Hear Me Out/ “Unlikely Allies Project.com” effort for these reasons:
President Obama: The GOP candidates’ fighting among themselves shortens the coming barrage against Obama/Biden 2012. Smooth, reasonable GOP candidates being ignored on the national stage bodes well for the president’s effort because voters wonder why these quality candidates aren’t doing better.
Herman Cain: The best crowd-pumper-upper in the GOP field; has Black Democrats looking seriously at conservatism; fundraising master. The GOP nominee will need him everywhere (if he isn’t the nom.)
Jon Huntsman: Reasonable guy who Obama appointed ambassador to China; having him in the GOP field makes moderates wonder why the Republicans are looking elsewhere. Huntsman might get more primary votes from moderates and centrist Democrats than Republicans. The GOP nominee will need him to campaign for moderate voters; might be U.S. ambassador to U.N. or Secretary of State; the GOP candidate Democrats don’t want in the general election.
Rick Perry: Despite recent events, Perry could get a support boost from blue –collar southern Democrats; governs a state with an economy larger some nations.
Newt Gingrich: Southerners remember his speakership and Contract With America; ideas guy who needs a little more time to get back in it; some Georgians support Gingrich and Cain for regional reasons.
Ron Paul: Many Independents, Libertarians and politically homeless people love this guy’s straight talk ; GOP polls don’t reflect his true potential.
Michelle Bachman: Might do big numbers with Democrat women.
Like college football 2011: President Obama is like L.S.U. and that would make Mitt Romney one-loss Alabama and Rick Perry maybe Arkansas. Well, brainy Huntsman (Sanford) and undefeated, unchallenged Cain (U of Houston) are who Obama/L.S.U. wants to face in the general election/national championship game. “To be the best you beat the best” sounds great in theory but in reality you want an easier opponent at the end. LSU/Obama fans are cheering for Houston/Cain and Sanford/Huntsman.
Summary: We think every presidential campaign (except maybe Romney) should support and promote our UnlikelyAlliesProject.com effort to education open primary states Democrats about their options. These campaigns should get their folks to “like” our facebook page then come to public forums to speak up. With the importance of the issues, we must all be engaged every step of the way.
To hear experts talk, the next presidential election will be decided in a few swing states. Democrats in red states must sit back, donate and watch. The only say many moderates have during the process is the primary elections.
President Obama will be the Democrat nominee but should Dems hedge our bets by voting in the GOP Primary for the most moderate Republican or the candidate we would like to see faceoff against the president.
When told to fall in line in 2008, Hillary Clinton’s supporters created the moniker PUMAs (Party Unity My Ass.) They felt it was her turn and that she was better prepared to be POTUS. Eventually, they got behind the Dem nominee and without them it would be President McCain and yes Vice President Palin.
In 2012, the passionate, committed conservatives won’t compile with party bosses so easily if their guy/gal doesn’t make the final cut. They talk a good game but must make a PUMA-like decision between selecting a nominee who is most like them (Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Michelle Bachman) or selecting someone who can appeal to political moderates and independents (Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman.)
Did I mention that Red State Democrats have nothing but time on our mischievous hands?
Red State Democrats should consider these GOP Primary options:
Those Who Love Obama’s vibe: vote Huntsman.
Those Who Love An Economic/Jobs focus: vote Cain, Romney or Gingrich.
Those Who Want to See a Georgian In the Oval Office: vote Cain or Gingrich.
Those Who Want to See the GOP nominee be Just Like the Average Far Right Conservative and therefore Unappealing to the Political Center thus Improving Obama Chances: vote Cain or Perry.
Summary: Red State Democrats are consequential after all but can they be organized to make such crafty, cunning poll move. “Hell Naw” is the likely answer.
Presidential politics puts college football’s option offense in my mind. Mixing metaphors is risk as we remember Obama/Palin with lipstick on a pig and more recently Herman Cain’s 999 with apples and oranges. Those other candidates at the Western debate knew full well what he was saying. State sales tax will still be there anyway on apples…whatever. I like a flat 14% income tax personally.
While I am no expert on football, I know that the triple-option, the veer or the wishbone is the base formation that allows three running options: the fullback receiving the handoff, the quarterback side pitching to the half back or the quarterback running the ball himself. The quarterback might also pass to a receiver. With the new “spread” option, the quarterback is in the shotgun formation and the defense is spread because several wide receivers are used.
In 2008, Barrack Obama was basically the quarterback of a spread, wildcat offense because we put the best player on the team at quarterback and said run fast and think on your feet.
(Here is where the metaphors get murky and confusing.)
Today, the American voter is the quarterback, Obama is the tailback; Biden is maybe the blocking fullback; and Hillary joins Timothy Geithner as wide receivers going deep. A sound economy is the goal line/endzone and some feel that Hillary should be quarterback.
We can stay with the current starters or put in the red-shirt (red as in Republican) freshmen who really to play. Romney wants to be tailback while Rick Perry is a tight end who needs to block but can also catch the ball. In from the pizza concession stand, Herman Cain could be Hershel Walker or another Marcus Dupree. Coach Newt Gingrich knows the Xs and Os but coaches don’t suit up.
Bottomline: Voters need options. If something isn’t working, we need to pitch, pass or put someone else in the game. Of course, the GOP could be the other team and they are keying on Obama because he might be all the weak Dem team has. Check this out, we are all on the same team and penalty flags are flying everywhere.
Ultimately, the people drive the economy and we have been weak in the weight room, weak in practice and unprepared on game day. The developing world might be the other team and they have become the manufacturers we once were. The game shouldn’t be decide in the press box (the media) by has-beens or never-weres….dog- gone Monday morning quarterbacks.
Oklahoma’s J.C. Watts was the sweetest option quarterback in history while Texas’s Earl Campbell and O.U. Billy Sims were the best running backs. You never knew if Watts was running or pitching to his tailback and sometimes he pitched down field. Former GOP Congressman Watts recently brought liberal former House Armed Services Chairman Ron Dellums into his governmental lobbying firm. J.C. is smart enough to know that you scheme for gameday by knowing the other side or using a scout team of red-shirts.
The presidential primary is like the recruiting process and we want good red-shirts on the team because we might need to change late in the game or season if the starters aren’t producing (double-digit unemployment, four dollar gas.)
Obama is my starter but who do we need on the sidelines in waiting—Romney, Cain, Perry, Gingrich. “Veer right…and pitch down field on two.”
Have the presidential opponents for November 2012 been determined a year early? We aren’t comfortable with that notion because our community should have more say in the matter.
Because there is nothing better than a well-informed electorate, we are starting an Unlikely Allies Project called “Hear Me Out” to educate Americans about the primary process and voting options; and to encourage hearing all candidates in every election. Listening to all sides could be considered educational or it could be considered reconnaissance.
While blogging and social media are useful, real Americans discussing information, issues and options in person is better. We feel the first option should be pointing out the fact that Georgians and other southerners may vote in either major party primary if they choose. While party purists dislike that idea, the option should be on the table.
In the tradition of Helen’s Political Roundtable, we hope to bring mixers, meetups and socials to your community soon. So, the “out” in Hear Me Out refers to interesting discussions out or off-line as well as listening to other sides points of views and opinions.
Hear us out and we want to hear you out. We might have more in common than you think.
Herman Cain said Black Democrats are brainwashed and he is right. Also, he is brainwashed and I am brainwashed. Hell, everyone I know is brainwashed to a certain degree by someone or something—some negative and some positive.
My dictionary tells me that brainwashing is an intensive indoctrination, usually political, aimed at changing a person’s basic convictions and attitudes and replacing them with a fixed and unquestioned set of beliefs. The negative connotation comes with the unquestioned part because I will question everything that comes out of a human’s mouth…any human…pastors included.
To start, some brains need washing. We know that U.S. Marines basic training on Parris Island begins with breaking down the old person and ends with building a warrior. Thugs and gangbangers need their brains washed as do most of the greedy bastards on Wall Street and many in congress. Some people argue that the loving nature of the Black college fraternity pledge process was sullied by veterans on the G.I. Bill who mixed in methods learned while dealing with the enemy in war. Newsflash, fraternity pledges aren’t the Vietcong so stop brainwashing college kids.
Fat folks need their brain’s washed and their colons cleansed. I can say that because I am little heavy and realize that the proper practices of diet and exercise are vital. Is it brainwashing if it is welcomed?
I personally know and like Herman Cain; he is a great guy. As an older gentleman, he has earned the right (like Rev. Jeremiah Wright) to say some interesting things. When he was going-off about Muslims, I wished I had his Blackberry number because I was convinced that the far-Right had brainwashed that Morehouse Man (that or he deserves an Academy Award.) Cain later met with peaceful Muslim leaders and walked back his comments about no Muslims in his cabinet.
We should all be cautious around those who seek to indoctrination us—just make your point and I will consider it. Actually, we have seen a redirecting in the political arena over the last forty years. Public policy was once driven by political scientists and policy wonks—the eggheads charged with better governing. Today, ad men and Madison Avenue types are running the show in government as every idea gets tested before market research groups. They are looking for buzz terms that can brainwash the voters—Death panels, Death tax, stimulus, reinvestments. It is a dirt chess game and we the people are the pawns.
Yes Mr. Cain, some far-Left Democrats have been brainwashed into an entitlement mentality. But, Cain should realize that some far-Right conservatives have been brainwashed into an “us vs. them” mentality that pits Americans against Americans and continues the mentality that an elite segment of the electorate should make decisions alone. I shouldn’t get started about what happens when that segment (who are often correct on policy) don’t get their way. They have been brainwashed into circling the wagons and starting revolutions.
Mind you, those on all sides who seek to brainwash the masses do so with power and money as their personal motivators. I have pretty good filters (everyone thinks they have) so you can’t tell me that Obama and Huntsman aren’t good dudes who sincerely want to improve the nation. However, the political arena is so dirty these days that a leader must be an angel with dirty wings because nice guys finish last.
Fox News on Right and MSNBC on Left slowly have brainwashed people and I learned that from my CNN brainwashing. On some level, we are all brainwashed and I leave you with Luke 6:42.
Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Georgia’s proposed congressional map is out and I feel just fine. President Obama once said don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. I would have liked my hometown to remain in Rep. Sanford Bishop’s district but we took one for the team.
Since my county is GOP-dominated, it’s better for Bishop that we bounce into the 8th congressional district and Rep. Austin Scott is much more open to debate and discussion than the average southern Republican. The guy can go toe to toe while keeping the punches above the belt.
Being comfortable in a conservative congressional district was prepped by having two conservative U.S. senators and surprisingly by the moderate service of Blue Dogs like Sanford Bishop and former Rep. Jim Marshall.
We must ask ourselves if GOP congressmen are more influenced by the energetic Tea Party Movement or the sizeable moderate sections of their areas. To be honest, Democrats and Black folks need to build a functional relationship with whoever serves them because elected officials sometimes look at election results and get punitive.
If this map stands, it would be a waste of time and energy running candidates against Bishop and Scott. The battleground is the new 12th district and my good friend Helen Blocker Adams might be kingmaker over there because she knows Augusta like the back of her hand and real people trust her.
Man, I wish Bishop and Scott could take the time they would spend (waste) fundraising and campaign and use that energy to find a common ground.
If crystal balls were real, I would look into one and tell Georgia what will happen with congress reapportionment and the 2012 elections (no need to state the obvious in safe seats.)
Georgia 2nd District: Macon, Columbus and Albany will again be in this district and it will be Dem for the next ten years. If Rep. Bishop decides to move into a position with the next administration (Obama or some GOP POTUS), the GOP should start grooming a likable African American candidate who is less bitter (a Black Scott Brown.) If Bishop is unbeatable in 2012, wise guys in the GOP should discourage anyone from running just to be running because Bishop’s campaign apparatus serves as the S.W. Georgia foundation of Obama 2012.
Georgia 8th District: This district becomes unwinnable for a Democrat with the exit of the Dem. sections of Macon. As in the 2nd, energy and resources spent running a candidate could be better spent in truly contested congressional districts or charitable contributions. If we free up members from raising money, they would have more time to seek solutions and would be less beholden big money donors.
Georgia 1st District: While members don’t own districts, Rep. Jack Kingston is one conservative who doesn’t deserve token Dem. opposition. Kingston has built a strong relationship in the Black community with his work on regional interests, frequent visits to “Democratic” events and his long history of hiring minority staffers. He covers southeast Georgia like the dew or that funny smell from the paper mills.
Georgia 12th District: With the exit of Savannah to the 1st, this congressional race will be hotter than fish grease. A few GOP members of the state legislature will run because it’s their turn but they should dust off Michael Steele’s old diversity plans and find a woman, a minority or a minority woman. From the political center, I will say that the GOP doesn’t understand how easy it would be for women and minorities to support a less bitter conservative who adds range to the old boys club. Rep. Barrow could switch to the GOP now and be safer; but he will likely stay Dem and count on the GOP producing a primary winner with little appeal to the center.
Georgia New District: Hall County based…safely conservative.
Summary: Georgia is the biggest state east of the Mississippi River and President Obama needs to win it to have a second term. Half of Georgia lives in metro Atlanta and there are a dozen different types of Black folks and a dozen different types of White folks in the peach state. While urban Blacks are real liberals, rural Blacks could support certain conservatives in certain situations. In this crystal ball, I see President Obama leaving office in 2013 or 2017 (hard to make out) but the aftermath is rough on the Black community. We put all of our political eggs in one basket and an elephant is kicking that basket across the South.
With secondary concern with presidential politics, our community should build a functional relationship with conservatives—at least the Black ones. My dear brother Obama thought he would find a few conservatives interested in dialog and compromise but hell no. If I could see into the conservative strategy meetings, it seems that the plan is to beat up on the president so much that we would say, “come home, man, before the stress beats you down.” He said he was tough (which means the ablilty to take punishment like the only Black kid in a whole school.) But to lead in this times, he needs to be rough also (like elbows on the basketball court.)
On Chuck Todd’s MSNBC show recently, he had a segment asking the question “Is this the worst congress of all-time.” While I am not sure about all-time, it might be the worst of my adult life for the reasons discussed by former Senator John Breaux and Political Scientist Norm Ornstein.
Congress and the White House in the past started with the center (where most Americans still reside politically) and worked on the Left and Right. Today, policy starts on the Left and Right and goes nowhere. I think 90% of congress were decent people when elected but they get that “gang mentality” from their political parties and it’s battle battle battle.
Who wants to go through life constantly pissed off? Senator Breaux was an endangered species as a moderate to conservative Democrat. The segment rightfully pointed out that there is no more overlap in congress today since centrists like Breaux exited. In the past, there were a few southern Democrats who were more conservative than California Republicans.
Why can’t members work together? When did compromise become a dirty word? I personally refuse to let anyone pit me against fellow Americans. Some of MSNBC is slowly becoming the same as Fox News. If the negativity fostered by media continues, a center-based, anti-party centrists movement might be in order.
Congressional redistricting should embrace split counties in some situations as the logical reflection of the divisions between people. We know the cigar-chomping leaders will make the decisions behind closed doors and spin their maps as “the best interest of all Americans.” But, a case can be made for putting like-minded people in the same districts because some of us are weary after a lifetime of constant fighting.
Democrats and Republicans don’t understand each other and rarely communicate peacefully. Heaven only knows how many people in south Georgia only have friends away from work who are just like them and that’s cool in a free society. The problem is leaders of one party might make decisions that involved the entire area with limited input or knowledge of others. From home schooling/private school to church, the only Blacks some people know are on Tyler Perry T.V. shows. Have mercy.
During Georgia’s redistricting hearings, the usual suspects bounced up to the microphones to declare that this county or that county shouldn’t be divided because of the tremendous amounts of love and happiness inside those county or city lines. Child, please. Railroad tracks and highways divide most rural southern areas—east is east and west is west and never say they meet. Oh, the Chamber of Commerce types will have you think that all is well and bless their hearts, all is well insider their worlds.
In southwest Georgia, I wouldn’t mind seeing all strong Democrat population pockets placed in the 2nd Congressional district. Yes, the neighboring 3rd, 8th and 1st districts would be even more GOP and that’s fine because they are “balling” down here or as the kids say, they are like “butter” because you know they are on a roll.
In Worth and Tift counties, U.S. Highway 82 neatly divides the GOP northern section from Blue areas in the south. Some would also argue that the Red areas of Lee County deserve placement in the conservative 8th. While I am a cosmopolitan guy with a wide variety of friends and associates across God’s green earth, it sincerely hurt my heart to hear that so many conservatives felt the centrist Democrat congressman in the 2nd didn’t listen to them at all…zero…zilch. Really? I know for a fact that said congressman breaks his neck to hear from everyone and while his final votes reflect the majority of his district, he tries to hear from the other side more that 99% of the southern GOP members of Congress try to hear from the Dem side. When Georgia’s GOP senators dialog with Democrats, instant talk of primary challengers starts.
The fact that Georgia has two GOP senators is a game-changer for me anyway. Here is the logic: everyone has two senators and one House member representing them in Washington. Georgia’s senators are legislatively similar and also similar to most GOP House members. If you are a non-conservative Georgian, you should hope like crazy that you have a Democrat House member to hear your concerns. For me, that’s representation is more important that being connected with the other half of my county.
At the redistricting hearing in Albany, Georgia, Brad Hughes, a promising young public servant from Early County, Georgia, stated that having two members of the state house serving his area was like the best of both worlds. Well, the same logic could apply to congress for the next ten years. Keith MacCants at Peanut Politics asked recently on his blog who should run against Rep. Bishop in 2012 since Mike Keown has decided to seek other office. Hughes, who ran against Bishop in the past, would be better than most conservatives at bridging the political divide. Can he win? No. But he can position himself to be appointed congressman by the governor if Bishop is selected by a president to be a cabinet secretary or maybe the historic next ambassador to ag nation Cuba. You heard it here first and remember that a GOP president also would like a cool Dem or two on his team and despite the noise from last year, Bishop is one of the best peacemakers.
I am uniquely qualified to write about peace between parties because I am a Democrat who supports Georgia’s GOP U.S. senators but please don’t tell anyone or the guys will get primary opposition. If conservatives want out of my 2nd congressional district, I say good riddance and I hope you have the time of your life chilling with like-minded people somewhere else. You should “get” while the getting is good because if Keown couldn’t turn the 2nd red in 2010, it can’t be done anytime soon. Green Day had it right with Good Riddance and Bill Joe was a big Obama support in 2008.
If you ask asked the people south of Hwy. 82 down here if they want to be in a Dem congressional district for the next ten years, they would look at you like you were crazy. Heck yes, they want into the second congressional district and heck yes, the GOP people north of the Hwy. 82 would like to have a safer conservative in the 8th district for the same period of time.
Project Logic Ga 