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Posts Tagged ‘Georgia’

Obama and Republicans: Circle of Friends or Enough Already

Posted in African Americans, Georgia, tagged , , on May 18, 2009| 5 Comments »

It’s nice to have friends from across the political and social spectrums because discussions and debates bear fruit and we mutually grow.  Some people have a hard time putting their minds around the idea that what you knew as “this” has changed to “that” and what you thought about your group has changed also.

In politics, some Republican officials and operatives don’t seem to realize that their divisive techniques of the past has turned off the sensible center and changes are needed are they will become an anachronism.  If your numbers are falling at an alarming rate, don’t stand around waiting for the masses to come back around or for the other guys to fail.  In the South, we prefer conservative and moderate politics to liberal politics but the extreme elements on the right are abrasive and unjustifiably arrogant.  Pelsoi, Reid and congressional Democrats have similar traits on the left but not to the offensive level.  

In the middle of all the drama, we have President Obama and his wide-eyed collection or hodgepodge of supporters who simply wanted public officials to confer and arrive at logical conclusions to move the nation forward.   There are Republicans who swear that all Democrats are ultra liberals yet the Georgia congressional Republicans work with their Democrat colleagues.  If the Democrats of Georgia allowed the Blue Dogs to consider and support President Bush’s policies then the Republicans of Georgia should do the same with Obama initiatives. 

From childhood playgrounds to the halls of Congress, southerners have a long history of being friends with people who are different when it is convenient then getting amnesia when it is convenient.  The D.C. axiom goes “we have no permanent friends or permanent enemies; just permanent interests.” 

The interests of my community are better served if we diverse our political portfolio while certain stock is low.  Mark my word: that stock won’t stay low. To my Republican friends, I will caution you one last time to make a comfortable place for moderate thought inside your party as the Democrats did with the Blue Dogs or you will have a party of extremists who the public in general find off-putting.

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Tax Tea Party: Patriots, Revolutionaries or Both

Posted in politics, tagged , on April 15, 2009| 24 Comments »

Today is the day for the big Tea Party protest in Atlanta, Albany and many cities.  I have good friends deeply involved in this movement to protest the Obama Administra`tion and Congress big spending and massive bailouts.  It’s always good to hear the people speak up.

 

I am a little concerned with the “revolutionary” nature of emulating the “Boston Tea Party” but I don’t think the supporters are equating President Obama to King George III because the next step in the radical process would be similar to the Boston Massacre and eventually Lexington and Concord.  Was Obama recently elected legally and wasn’t it clear that heavy spending was in order to recover from the mess he inherited.   When bloggers and Talk Radio guys intelligently debate concerns about our fiscal future, we are witnessing democracy in action; a beautiful thing.

 

But we must be careful about signaling sick-minded individuals who when worked up take unthinkable actions in the name of patriotism.  Protest, get mad was hell, and vote out leaders you dislike but don’t provoke open rebellion and the illegal overthrow of the American government.  Remember, that many Americans view the southern obsession with the Confederacy as near treason. 

 

Have a health protest and hopefully the elected officials will hear your productive concerns.

 

http://www.atlantateaparty.net/

 

http://swgapolitics.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/albany-tea-party/

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Thurbert Baker runs for Georgia Governor

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on April 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »

baker1

Georgia’s Attorney General Thubert Baker wants to be Georgia’s next governor. He has won statewide several times and has the respect of the law enforcement community.   Some people would say that a person like him….you know…a Democrat..could not win a red state.  Those same people said a skinny guy with a funny name from Chicago; you know.  

 

Again, I wish half the people running for governor would find a nice congressional race but people must follow their hearts and guts.

 

Pundits shouldn’t start with that liberal gibberish because Georgia’s top lawman is always centrist or moderate at least.  

 

 

http://www.thurbertbaker.com/

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Votings Rights Act

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on March 24, 2009| 2 Comments »

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue recently filed a brief in a Texas case before the U.S. Supreme Court regard the pre-clearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act.  Perdue referenced the Obama election to question the need for future federal oversight.

 

After the 1990 Census, the surge of GOP members in the Georgia congressional delegation was a result of putting Black voters into federally mandate Black districts.  Blacks and Whites can work together in the Georgia General Assembly because this 90s collaboration blindsided White Democrat congressmen from Georgia who had a functional relationships with the Black community.  

 

Was it the price of progress to see certain members retire in their prime while others when down swinging?  I was fond of Thomas, Darden, Hatcher, Ray, Roland, Jenkins, Jones and Barnard.  Bishop and Kingston rode that wave into the big leagues and they are good people but the polarization from redistricting means a MOC can win reelect while ignoring a sizable part of his constituents. 

 

The election President Obama does not mean the end of racism; we have it in my neighborhood because Blacks can be big time racists too.  At Albany State University, we studied the Voting Age Population requirements of the Voting Rights Act.  The GOP was smart to realize that a congressional district can be Black friendly with 51% Black adults—not Black voters, just adults.  Of course, Black voter apathy means many of those voters are not registered.  So, you get Black districts where GOP candidates have a fighting chance and more importantly the contiguous districts are so White that the GOP candidate (Black or White) can win easily.  (We should not assume Black voters are Democrats and White southern voters are Republicans; also, conservative voters can be Democrat moderates who are just over the line.)

 

In southwest Georgia, the Black community loves Sanford Bishop for his services and many Whites like his responsiveness to regional issues (pork).  While Kingston is okay with the Black community in southeast Georgia, some of his GOP colleagues function under the mindset that those who constantly vote against me should be ignored.  Georgia congressional Democrats don’t ignore GOP constituents outside Atlanta because they can write campaign checks and that is the mother’s milk of politics. 

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Congress and Quality Opponents

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on March 18, 2009| 1 Comment »

In college, the jam band “The Time” served as a perfect complement to Prince; the two acts pushed each other like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.  After success as producers of several Janet Jackson albums, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis said something while receiving a lifetime achievement award that will always stay with me.  Lewis said thanks to the people who believed in them but more importantly thanks to those who did not because they provided the producers’ catalyst for success. 

 

Bird and Johnson step on the national stage during NCAA March Madness in 1979.  I picked Louisville to win the 2009 championship because a guy who grew up across the street from me started on their 1980 championship team; I am loyal like that.   Wiley Brown would have taken Olympic gold if President Carter did not boycott Moscow Olympics because the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.  The 1980 Louisville Cardinals, the 1980 national football champion Georgia Bulldogs and those Afghan nuts proved that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

 

The teams not playing in the NCAA tournament this year missed “the big dance” because they lacked wins over quality opponents.  My gut feelings told me that Barrack Obama was not quite ready for the presidency after his win in the Iowa Caucus and that a win in New Hampshire for him would make voters think he was untested and green.  When Hillary Clinton got emotional into that café and spoke from her heart, she stepped her game up and elevated Obama’s game to the presidential level.  I always said Clinton verse Dole should have been Elizabeth against Hillary; and the current first lady is the real senior policy advisor.

 

I believe in quality opponents–the loyal opposition, divided government, arch-rivals, nemesis, worthy adversary.  Competition brings out the best.  The philosophers in my church parking lot think today’s Black youth are soft because they did not face the racial strife we did.  Let kids be kids but put down the game controller and rake the yard.  I am not going into that “all that does not kill you makes you stronger” stuff because I am not for near-death experiences.

 

I think members of Congress without quality opponents tend to get “nationalized,” content and soft.  Without opposition, they rubberstamp the dictates of the national party.  House Minority Whip Eric Cantor was correct to say that congressional conservatives must pull President Obama to the center and insist on budgetary constraints.   That attitude is much better than conservative partisans who want the nation to struggle under Democratic leadership so they can win future elections.

 

What if Herman Cain beat Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Jim Marshall last November?  Cain would be having monthly meeting with President Obama to outline his objections to White House proposals and programs.  Since Cain won’t leave his successful empire to be a House freshman, GOP Georgia state representative Austin Scott should reconsider his run for governor and beat that Blue Dog who never supported Obama.  How does Marshall vote for liberal Nancy Pelosi for speaker but never said he voted for less-liberal Obama for president?  

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Political Agendas: Cannot Serve Two Masters

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , on March 11, 2009| 3 Comments »

In American politics and government, the best interests of the nation should be priority one.  However, only the naïve ignore the political agendas all around us. 

 

Faith

State/Region

Political Party

Movement/Causes

Race/Gender

Profession/Industry

(Did I leave about 100 others out)?

 

Did the Founding Fathers (all landowning White males) think 2009 America would be this diverse or that a Black guy would be in the Executive Mansion without a mop in his hand?  Some southerners think public policy should directly reflect the Bible while others push issues that benefit their businesses, professions or careers.

 

Robert E. Lee’s pre-Civil War dilemma fascinates me.  The son of a former Virginia governor and the husband of Martha Washington’s great granddaughter, Lee turned down Lincoln’s offer of a senior command to fight for Virginia and the Confederacy; he loved his state deeply.  At my Black college, the history and pol sci majors would “trip” over Lee being the epitome of the southern gentleman while fighting for a “jacked up” cause while Grant was a drunk fighting for the right cause.  As a side note, many non-southern Whites did not support the expansion of slavery because slaves provided free labor in jobs White immigrants wanted. 

 

At times, Atlanta has produces liberal members of Congress who put national causes and movements before Georgia.  Residents of Georgia’s cities don’t realize that agriculture/ food processing is the economic backbone of the rural regions so we bump heads on the farm agenda. 

 

In Sunday School back in the day, we were taught, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth.”   Luke 16:13

 

The parable in Luke 16 seems to speak of political parties, unions, lobbyists and interest groups.  I am not calling them Pharisees because that group seemed to be preoccupied with the letter of the law.  

 

What about Romans 13: 1-2: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” 

 

Personally, I am a Georgian, Methodist, African American, moderate Democrat, and southerner.  But, my sub-agendas must be reconciled with the best interests of the United States of America.  So help me God.

 

http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=209

The parable of the unjust steward

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Georgia Political Spectrum

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on March 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »

To me, a political spectrum exists that travels five degrees to the left and the same distance to the right.  The players at the extreme polar ends (the Fives) make the largest amount of enthusiastic noise but they might not have the largest numbers.  The Centrists (Zeros, Ones and Twos) are the quiet majority of Americans.

 

Plot Some Players

 

President Obama          Left Two

Senator McCain           Right Two

Senator Chambliss       Right Four

Senator Isakson            Right Four

Rep. Kingston              Right Three

Rep. Bishop                  Left One

Rep. Marshall               Right One

Rep. Barrow                 Zero or Center

Rep. Lewis                   Left Four

Rep. Scott                    Left Two

Rep. Westmoreland     Right Five

Rep. Deal                     Right Four

Rep. Broun                   Right Five

 

If a House District contains voters who are collectively Zeros, Ones and Twos, why run candidates who are Fours and Fives?  Obviously, bringing more new voters into the base is the desire.  However, an incumbent or new candidate could seek support from voters who are slightly over and near the center.  For example, Georgia’s 8th and 12th congressional districts elected Blue Dog Democrats who are comfortable with many conservative elements.  In recent election cycles, the GOP candidates in these two districts were Right Fours who sought to characterize the incumbents as liberal Democrats. 

 

While Reps. Marshall and Barrow voted for Left Four Nancy Pelosi for House speaker and indirectly endorsed other Left Fours as powerful committee chairs, the GOP produced opponents who could not win in centrist districts.  Why not admit that Right Twos and Threes should be cultivated and accepted by the GOP for certain districts? 

 

Before 1992, moderates dominated the Georgia congressional delegation.  These members had to balance the political desires of the entire spectrum—delicately. The post-1990 census redistricting maps created federally mandated Black-friendly districts but therefore made the neighboring districts so conservative that Republicans could be elected who sometimes ignored their Democrat constituents under directions from the conservative movement leaders. 

 

Of course, all politics is local and Rep. Kingston and Rep. Bishop perfected the art of using regional interests, field staff and personal contact to garner support across the spectrum.  These two representatives relish walking into meetings with voters who disagree with them to listen and debate policy decisions.

 

The liberals in the Democrat party learned to peacefully exist with the Blue Dogs Democrats and together they produced the numbers to take the Congress and the White House.  Because the GOP is less flexible, southern moderates and centrists are rare in their party.  Young and energetic Sarah Palin-types had better be Right Fours and Right Fives.

 The core principles of conservatism appeals to Black moderate and centrist Georgia voters because Reps. Marshall, Barrow, Bishop and Scott win regularly.  Michael Steele’s blueprint for GOP party change outlines a new openness to diversity. I am not confident this plan will work because Steele is talking acceptance of Right Ones and Right Twos while the grassroots of the GOP is thinking repent from your centrist sins and move far enough right to be suitable for their party.

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The Economy, Charities and Congressional Campaigns

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on March 4, 2009| 2 Comments »

In Albany, Georgia, the American Red Cross stood strong with disaster relief when the city was flooded twice.  This important organization almost shut it’s doors this week due to a 85 to 90% downturn in donations—people who would normal give $100 were giving $25 and people who gave $25 were giving nothing.  An area private Christian school is experiencing the same giving dire straits and a friend with a youth sports program near the Georgia coast is facing a serious budget crisis. 

 

It’s the economy, weak stock portfolios and the job cuts.  Of course, state and local governments can’t help because their tax revenues are down.  After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I thought political candidates would reduce their solicitation; deferring to more pressing needs.  It did not happen.

 

As we prepare for the 2010 elections, parties and candidates should use technology and new media to publicize their positions on issues before the public in a fiscally sound manner.  And if you are running just to be running, you are taking contributions from needed programs. 

 

Senate candidates need big money to run ads in several media markets but most Georgia House candidates are safe.  House candidates in contested races should stay lean and raise money from a few companies and industries with direct connections to our state.  Do you really need a million dollars to beat someone if you are doing your job? 

 

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will talk someone into running against Senator Isakson of Georgia.  What a waste of money and energy in a clearly red state.  Both Georgia senators caught heat from the far right in recent years for working with Democratic colleagues on immigration, energy, farm and bailout proposals.   In a state as diverse as Georgia, statewide officials must build bridges while their House counterparts answer to a more narrow demographic.

 

In 2004, Isakson face a successful Black businessman and former congressman in the GOP primary and won without a runoff.  In the general election, he received 58% of the vote against Black former congresswoman Denise Majette, a former judge with an undergrad degree from Yale and a J.D. from Duke.  If he won against Herman Cain and Denise Majette, there is no one on the Democrat bench who can seriously challenge him in a state that McCain won over Obama.  If you have money to give to an Isakson opponent, give it to the Red Cross so they can help with a real disaster.

 

They are going to take my original Blue Dog Democrat pin for that last statement but I am more concerned with giving GOP senators the leeway to discuss issues with President Obama than party politics.  Despite the talk radio chatter, Obama is not partisan anyway; check his cabinet and his Super Bowl party list.  Members of Congress should vote against legislation and budgets their find wrong but have a civil dialog first.

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T.I., the Barbershop talk and Appalachia

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , on March 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Every Southerner should watch M.T.V’s “T.I.’s Road to Redemption” because the heading to prison rapper is making a sincere effort reach America’s youth.  Before they take the wrong path, young people need to hear that “real talk” about choices, decisions and consequences from every angle: family, schools, churches, positive peers and reformed thugs. 

 

When I was a kid, we called “real talk” the Barbershop talk.  In the shop, a want-to-be goon walked past the retired gentlemen without speaking and sat down—trying to be hard.  Of course, my friends and I would come in the places with “how are sir…good to see you…yes sir, I am trying to staying out of trouble…yes sir, I look like my father.”  When the retired vets and pensioners started teaching that knowledge and wisdom, we listened intently and took copious mental notes. 

 

“It’s not the government’s job to take care of these babies…get a good government job on the military base…before you marry a girl, get a look at the women on both sides of her family…a bullet doesn’t have a name on it…don’t buy a new Cadillac if you are renting an apartment…they want you in jail…get your lesson at the schoolhouse…gin makes you sin…some folks are like crabs in a barrel…grown men don’t wear baseball hats to the side…don’t break your parents’ hearts.”

 

Georgia’s T.I. put himself through some things and is about to serve federal time on gun charges.  Tupac and Biggie told those rappers and ballplayers that they couldn’t be a multimillionaire and live in the same neighborhood; wearing 100K in jewelry to the sweatiest club is trouble waiting to happen and the baby mamma/child support drama is inexcusable.  President Obama is pushing sensible people to encourage the youth because the cost of the judicial and corrections systems is taking money from education and taxpayers’ pockets.

 

The federal government should get T.I. to chronicle his incarnation as a continuation of his reality show because the young man has a way of speaking that Barbershop talk that is second to none.  Most of those Barbershop talks from the last 80 years ended, “now you can do it but you can’t say you were never told.”

 

Another outstanding piece on T.V. was ABC story about Appalachia—Lord, have mercy.  I got my 9-year-old niece to watch it with me and she came away with a better appreciate for her smooth life.  Black folks don’t have a monopoly on struggling; some among us haven’t had a real rough patch yet, thank heaven. 

A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains Part 1 of 6

 

O’Reilly on Appalachia

(This blog is fair and balanced…sometimes)

 

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The Campaign Industry and Willacoochee, Georgia

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on February 9, 2009| 1 Comment »

The campaign system is driven by the “campaign industry” –those professionals more interested in finding candidates who can afford their services rather than candidates who want to change how Washington works.  It’s that revolving door President Obama describes where friends bounce between the administration, the congresss, lobbying firms and campaign/consulting firms.   The situation is just another example of what the jam band Cameo termed “Talking out the side of your neck.”

 

If you are a Black voter in Willacoochee, Georgia, your two senators and one congressman are Republicans.  While you might prefer Democrats in those positions, you should consider developing a functional relationship with those officials—like Republican voters in Blue Dog Democrats’ districts.  And, if you know a Democrat won’t win a seat anytime soon, consider supporting the GOP candidate who has the most reasonable approach and sincerely attempts to connect with our community.  For the record, Willacoochee is in Congressman Jack Kingston district and Jack has a reputation of listening to everyone in his district and hires many Black staffers in key positions.

 

The center of the Democrats efforts in Georgia will always be voter-rich liberal Atlanta.  But, Black economic interest outside Atlanta is more conservative, supportive of the military and supportive of agriculture.  Those campaign industry professionals won’t tell GOP candidates that because they don’t know the South.  If Black Georgia is not moderate to somewhat conservative, why do Congressmen Marshall, Barrow, Bishop and Scott enjoy great success in the Black community? 

 

Bottomline: GOP candidates from moderate districts should be moderates on some level or their campaigns are a waste of time, energy and resources.  Let’s stack the deck with good Democrat candidates and not so bad GOP candidates. 

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New Campaign Finance

Posted in politics, tagged , , on February 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »

What should we learn from the money part of the 2008 elections as we prepare for the 2010 mid-year elections?  Obama, love him or hate him, revolutionized the process by getting much money from little donors (little meaning small amounts not short people.)  When people give you money to run a campaign, they will be the first once at your office with a wish list.  Sometimes the items on the list are in the best interest of most Americans, other times the items serve the agenda of a few.

 

During the 2008 elections, I grew weary of the campaign ads blitz with a quickness.  The same short on substance ads over and over and over again had me watching T.V. with my finger on the remote control.  And I knew that someone did a whole lot of fundraising to finance those ads.  Are the members of congress spending time studying the federal government and proposed legislation or looking for dollars.

 

I want to mention great southern gentleman congressmen who often ate breakfast in the Rayburn House Office Building cafeteria (oatmeal with raisins) rather than the member’s dining hall—maybe he was avoiding his begging colleagues because he was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.  Congressman William Natcher had the respect of staffers because he never missed votes, did not take campaign contributions and funded his campaigns himself from 1953 to 1994.  

natcher

 

Of course, Natcher brought that pork to Kentucky and had votes that most southerners made back in the day but he should be an example for current candidates who really wants to run and win differently.  New Media gives candidates the opportunity to connect with voters without bombarding them with the same expensive ads. (What about five-minute campaign web videos on the top 10 issues and posting video from a dozen debates and forums?)  Smarter voters are starting to realize the “real” candidates cannot enter the arena without the lofty cash the system demands. 

 

If a candidate was smart and innovative, he/she could run for congress with a relatively small amount of money and label the other candidates as “bought and paid for” by national special interests.  The special interest money in the innovative campaign should be posted on the web and directly related to the state’s economy.  The people might appreciate a Natcher-type official over a money-hungry politician.   President Clinton’s remarks when Chairman Hatcher passed said it best:

 

 

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=49891

 William J. Clinton

Statement on the Death of Representative William H. Natcher

March 30, 1994
Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Congressman William Natcher. We want to extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and staff for their great loss. For the past 40 years, Bill Natcher has served the people of Kentucky’s Second District with distinction and uncommon dedication. Earlier this month, I visited Bill Natcher at Bethesda Naval Hospital where I presented the Presidential Citizens’ Medal to him. The citation for that medal offers a fitting remembrance of Congressman Natcher’s career: “Few legislators in our history have honored their responsibilities with greater fealty or shunned the temptations of power with greater certainty than William Huston Natcher.”

Bill Natcher governed and campaigned the hard way. He never missed a rollcall vote or a quorum call in the House for 40 years. He never took a campaign contribution. He never made a political commercial. He never hired a press secretary. He read and answered his own constituent mail. He drove through the small towns and farms of central Kentucky visiting the people he represented at county courthouses and general stores. He paid his campaign expenses out of his own pocket and never had to spend much money. In an era of sound-bites and high-tech media campaigns, Bill Natcher was a rarity.

Some may think that Bill Natcher’s death marks the end of an era in politics. I hope not. I hope that Congressman Natcher’s devotion to public service serves as an inspiration to the young men and women of America for as long as his voting record stands. Bill Natcher once said he wanted his tombstone to read, “He tried to do it right.” Let us all carry those words forward in his honor and memory.

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Austin Scott for Governor?

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , on January 28, 2009| 25 Comments »

scott

http://www.tiftongazette.com/local/local_story_027143054.html

 

GOP Georgia State Rep. Austin Scott of Tifton is running for Governor.  This news is interesting because Scott is famous for siding with Democrat Governor Roy Barnes to change the Georgia flag.  Without getting into a debate about the Stars and Bars, Scott displayed a heaping amount of intestinal fortitude for his history of bridge-building rather than traditional rural rock throwing.

 

In the Tifton Gazette article, Scott outlined an innovative fundraising plan to raise $100 from 100 people in each of Georgia’s 159 counties—the people in a dozen counties can’t afford to pay attention, so good luck there.  But, the plan sounds somewhat Obama-like and I have been writing that the GOP needs to shake things up with some young blood and fresh ideas.

 

To be honest, I wish Scott would challenge Rep. Jim Marshall for his congressional seat because Obama needs constructive conservatives in D.C. and I am still ticked-off that Marshall was never in candidate Obama’s corner.  What should the Black community do if we realize that the Democrat candidates for governor cannot win in this Red State (like no Dem will beat Senator Isakson, so save your campaign money and consider it a stimulus check from me.)

 

The logical action would be focusing on the GOP primary—where the governor will be selected- and supporting the most appealing candidate.  But, then again, that would be too much like right. 

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Job Cuts and Personal Responsibility

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , on January 26, 2009| 9 Comments »

Last night, 60 Minutes left me stunned with stories about a possible Israeli-Palestinian Apartheid state and a future pill that will slow the aging process.  But, the story that really hit hard detailed huge job cuts with DHL in Wilmington, Ohio; thousands of jobs gone from a small hardworking town.  I wake up to the news that Atlanta-based Home Depot is cutting 7,000 jobs, Caterpillar eliminates 20,000 jobs, Sprint/Nextel cuts 8,000 and John Deere is cutting 700 jobs.  Of course, South Georgia recently took a hit with closing of the Cooper Tire plant in Albany.

 

The mayor of Wilmington outlined the rippling consequences by pointing out that the local hospital functions with funds from the DHL employees’ health insurance coverage.  When those people start seeking indigent care, the double impact of revenue loss and free care increase will killed the hospital. 

 

When the America dream turns into a nightmare, it is rough to witness.  Back when we were in high school, Billy Joel’s “Allentown” served as a wakeup call with lines like, “For the promises our teachers made—if we worked hard, if we behaved.  Now are graduations hang on the wall, but they never really helped us at all.”

 

Each family needs a comprehensive “Economic Recovery Plan” that focuses on sound decisions, cutting waste and supportive actions.  What I really want to say to the teens in Georgia working families is don’t bring new drama into the household.  If your parents were on their feet in steel-toed shoes for years to provide for the family, don’t come home grinning about a pregnancy or call from police station—be strong for yours and reduce their burden.

 

Southerners are resilient by nature and conservatives should prepare to say “amen” when President Obama starts appealing to every American to consider “personal responsibility” during these hard economic times.  Former Morehouse College President Dr. Benjamin E. Mays once called a cut-up student into his office to inform the young man that he would be on the next bus home.  Dr. Mays basically said that we as a people had come from so far yet had some much farther to go…we could not afford to have he holding us back. 

 

In our community, we spend much energy and capital correcting and addressing the actions of certain members of the family.  Can you prune rotten branches from the family tree?  Tell you what: first deference should be toward hardworking people experiencing a rough patch due to job cuts and not…(I better stop right here).

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Georgia Congressional Races: Find and Hone Your Voice

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on January 21, 2009| 4 Comments »

Former Georgia 12th congressional district candidate John Stone recently announced that he is taking a position back in Washington and will not be a candidate for that seat in 2010.  His decision is a good idea because that district (and the 2nd and 8th) is for a moderate GOP candidate—those don’t exist…yet.  The correct GOP candidate for these three districts would be a Republican version of the Democrat’s Blue Dogs—someone ideologically near center.

 

If Democrat voters have learn to live with Bishop, Marshall, Scott and Barrow being near center, then Republicans need to do the same with certain candidates in certain races.  But, arrogance prevails and they want all GOP candidates to be far right 100% of the time—you can’t win like that.  Secondly, arrogance is present when any party or group won’t honestly admit when their team could have done things better.  I give John Stone credit for truthfully analysis policy problems from the right and left during his congressional campaign.  Stone must have realized that winning that seat would have required him becoming a political chameleon and in his heart that was something he could not do.

 

During the Obama inauguration, my mind went to his battle with Senator Hilary Clinton.  Basically, Clinton and Obama helped define yet other like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. I don’t think voters would have consider him “tested” enough without that challenge from Clinton and later McCain.

 

Potential Georgia congressional candidates should spent 2010 listening to the people and finding their voice.  Of course, hopefuls might learn that there are not right for the race in their area.  A candidacy could be positioning for future races after redistricting. (It is hard to explain that to your spouse.)

 

In the 2nd congressional district, we were caught off guard by the possibility of Congressman Sanford Bishop leaving for the U.S.D.A.  Who is the 2nd district heir apparent?  Could we grow an Albany-Valdosta area person to replace Bishop when President Obama makes him a cabinet member in the future?  Tifton, Albany and Valdosta should be in one congressional district and Bishop deserves to have a Columbus-based district.  Yes, Congressman Westmoreland is right about modifying the Voting Rights Act because (to me) Moultrie and Covington have no business in the same district and the same is true for Columbus and Valdosta. 

 

http://westmoreland.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=2029

 

Competitive contests keep incumbents on their toes and groom the next generation of leaders.  The Albany Herald newspaper reports that the GOP 2nd District Convention will be April 18 and the GOP State Convention will start on May 15.  By mid-April, moderate GOP contenders for Scott, Bishop, Barrow and Marshall emerge should—think Obama, Palin types.  These candidates might not win in 2010 but the redistricting committee will have something to consider.

 

Moderate GOP candidates in heavy African American districts should be reasonable conservatives who will sit at the table with the new administration and push conservative elements into the new agenda.  (Like Newt improving the Clinton agenda on budget and welfare reform.)

 

This morning former GOP congressman Joe Scarborough (currently of MSNBC) told Congressman Artur Davis that many congressional Democrats also endorsed the Bush policies.  This great point opens the door for critical analysis of the rubberstamping Democrats by new-style GOP and Dem candidates.  “President Obama is rebuilding from Democrat miscues also.”

 

Oh boy, President Obama is about to open up with both barrels regarding personal responsibility and “ask not what this country can do for you..”  Is that from JFK or Newt?  So, the next logical question is why didn’t the Democrats start this discussion in the past.  In fairness, Bishop and the Blue Dogs have tried on some level, but Havard Law grad Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama is one of the leaders of the new school with Obama.  Where does that leave the old school?

 

Political diversity for our community is an objective of this blog and we believe a smiling, positive conservative with a rich civic resume could move the GOP forward and received new support from across the racial and political spectrum.   Steal a play from the Dems playbook; stop living in the past.  To me, getting positive southern Republicans is what’s next for the South.

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Barrack Obama Inauguration: Your Thoughts

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , on January 19, 2009| 4 Comments »

 

obamadance 

It is just plain exceptional that we are about of have a wonderful young man who looks like me become president of the United States, leader of the free world and commander-in-chief of the most powerful military force ever. 

 

When I was six years old, I could read books in the public library but was not allow to check them out.   As they said at the MLK Program at my church this morning, he brought us from a mighty long way.  (He being God for my heathen friends—right- sin, cast, stone.)

 

The roughest part of the swearing for me will be thinking about people like my daddy who did not live quite long to see this historic event.  My daddy was always so proud when a Black person won on Wheel of Fortune since he had a preoccupation with moving African Americans forward.  He also obsessed on “guiltying” negative people of color into changing for the good of the nation and race. 

 

Congratulations America for climbing this hill and best wishes on the next one, and the one after that.

 

Mr. President, you surely have my support.  

 Great Pictures

http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2009/01/21/inauguration-day-in-dc/

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Obama and Georgia Congressional Candidates

Posted in politics, tagged , , on January 15, 2009| Leave a Comment »

obama-bush

 

Repeatedly, I have written that Barrack Obama as president would be something completely new. GOP candidates have an opportunity to be different, better conservatives than the combative elephants of recent campaigns. John Heilemann wrote an article in the New York Times titled “The New Politics: Barack Obama, Party of One.”  I swear this guy must be bugging my phone because I have been saying that Obama is beholden to the average person who gave him money (like my $10) rather than the traditional Democrat funding sources alone.

 

The President-Elect had the Blue Dogs, the Congressional Black Caucus and other groups uncertain about supporting him because they did not control him and he wasn’t in Washington long enough to earn his Dem “bones” Soprano style.  John Edwards and Hillary Clinton were fellow veterans from earlier battles. 

 

The definition of pragmatic is “concerned with causes and effects or with needs and results rather than ideas or theories.”  Obama the Pragmatic is about the business of fixing America rather fighting party battles and I was begging Black southerners to support reasonable Republicans who wanted to help in the same way reasonable members of our party became the “Reagan Democrats.”

 

Change stinks for those who might be on the outs.  But listen to this: the agents of change are turning their noses up to a range of Washington insiders who did not resist our nation’s slow slide into our current situation—Red and Blue rubberstampers are equally nervous. 

 

Governor Palin might be right about bloggers getting off on creating confusion and mess. So, I want to help the change effort in my own little way by continuing to push  the Black community toward helping better Republicans.

 

If you live in an area where your two senators, congressman and governor are Republicans, you should know that the real action might be in the primary election.  The logical act for you would be supporting a more reasonable GOP candidate; someone who will work to add conservative elements to the Obama agenda rather than hoping the new president fails. 

 

In Georgia, I think Senator Isakson’s reelection is a given and I personally like the guy.  If someone wants to be a GOP congressional candidate in 2010 in a district with a sizable African American population, he can do himself a favor by getting to know the Black community now—two years of connecting and networking is better than a zillion 30 seconds ads. 

 

The Obama White House won’t be perfect but those GOP incumbents who regularly criticize in a ugly and vile manner should find themselves facing a primary opponent with the support of  Obama backers from both parties.

 

Finally, we should not forget the Democrats like some Blue Dogs who rode Obama’s coattails when it was convenient but might be AWOL when it is convenient.  We are watching you like a hawk.

 

Five months ago I knew that I would be writing “help the new president help the nation” five days before the inauguration.  I did know whom the voters would select as the new president but I knew I am such a good American that I would respect and support the direction that was chosen.    

 

Presidents are public servants—not monarchs or rulers- and this young leader will need us to me the best us we can be.  It is the right thing to do.  During the next two years, keep an eye on the demeanor and conduct of the loyal opposition.  For southerners, the GOP core principles are sound but techniques of the far right can get questionable at times.  Be genteel and good people will remember your approach in 2010—you might just get a cool pass. 

 

 

 

Why Barack Obama Is a Political Party of One – The All New Issue — New York Magazine

 

http://nymag.com/news/features/all-new/53380/

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Understanding Southern Subcultures: the N-word and B-word

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 8, 2009| 5 Comments »

(I should not go down this road…a wiser dude would press delete)

 

A few years ago Chris Rock went off about how he loves Black folks but he hates N-words.  We know the history of the word “nigger.” During college, we listen to the great Chuck D of Public Enemy say, “every brother, aint a brother because a Black hand took the life of Malcolm X, the man…the shooting of Huey P. Newton..the hands of a nigger pull the trigger.”  

 

Change in my community that starts with the election of Barrack Obama is a good time to stop using the N-word.  Obama and his Red, Black, White and Brown supporters grew up in sweeter parts of the nation than me or the southern ones are the next generation of less bitter people—that’s wonderful. 

 

Reality dilemma: what do we do about identifying and labeling actual negative elements and subcultures.  There are sub-groups inside Black, White and any group who should be identified, prayed for, but in the mean time avoided.  “This _______ just robbed his grandmother.”  This blond_____refused medical treatment from an Asian paramedic and bled to death.”  “I have had it with _______ driving in my subdivision with foul music blasting at 3a.m…. some folks had zero home training.”  “_________ never believed Obama could win because they felt ________ are not suppose to be in the White House.”

“Those rotten high school _______ are making school unbearable for good students.” 

 

Don’t get me started about the denial of righteous sisters about the existence of B-words.  No, people should not walk around calling all women out of their names but we need a word for the worst females.  “That _________ was with that woman’s husband in his wife’s bed and put her panties in the lady’s jewel box.”   “That ______ laughs about getting the money dude should be paying in child support.”  “This stupid ________ killed her sweet kids because her new boyfriend doesn’t like children.”

 

We should have compassion for those who are “limited” for whatever reason.  In doing my little part for “change,” I will refrain using the N-word and I have never been big on the B-word.  I am replacing both words with “fool.”  As children, we could not say fool in my family—which was odd because we clearly had some fools around. 

 

While we are at it, “fool” should replace “cracker” when referring to the worst White element also.  Cracker is an interesting word in Georgia because the minor league baseball team in Atlanta before the Braves was the Atlanta Crackers and the Negro League team was the Atlanta Black Crackers.  (I had better leave that alone.) 

black-crackers

 

Obama likes JFK so in 2009 “Ask not what your country can do for you…ask what you can do to deal with the fool subcultures messing up America.”

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Have a Punitive Holiday

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , , , on December 22, 2008| 1 Comment »

To the victor go the spoils…

No southerners in the new cabinet proves that President-Elect Obama is about putting the right people in the right position rather than filling quotas—which is what we want anyway, right. 

 

When you ask southern Republicans where they stand on “Black issues,” they loving saying that all issues are Black, White, Brown, Red, Yellow issues.  The same logic might hold true for regions—but a son or daughter of the South would have been sweet as a Georgia peach.  With that in mind, I could accept Team Obama’s selections better if the West and Midwest weren’t so heavily represented. 

 

Obama is a man of his word and he always said, “I might be skinny but I am tough…I came up in Chicago politics.”  In tough politics, you don’t saying untrue and insulting things about someone for years and expect them to do for you before doing for those who had your back. 

 

The word is punitive.

 

I think that Sanford Bishop would have been Ag Sec if the Sarah Palin Tour in support of Saxby for Senate during the runoff did not end the honeymoon in record time (I told you to vote for Saxby in the general).  It makes you think about Robert E. Lee being torn between Lincoln offering him the command of the Army of Northern Virginia and his love for departing Virginia—the rest is history. 

 

Obama’s nature won’t let him be ugly toward our region; he could get all of the cabinet from western Idaho if that would help solve what is the matter.

 

Let me pull out my crystal ball and predict the future: most of the rural southern local courthouses and municipal buildings with nice framed pictures of President Bush won’t request new presidential pictures after January.  And we wonder what’s up with the cold shoulder for the sunny South. 

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Did Cooper Tires “play” Albany?

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , , , on December 19, 2008| 3 Comments »

The news of Cooper Tire Plant closing in Albany has made for a solemn holiday season in southwest Georgia. I can’t go to the post office without having a gloomy conversation or two about the families involved—cousins, classmates, friends. If you read the past post on this blog, my writing implored south Georgia voters to declare Saxby Chambliss and Sanford Bishop our guys so they could focus on getting Cooper off the cropping block like Georgia members of Congress have kept our military bases safe. It turns out the fix could have been in from the start.

The Albany Herald Editorial Board wrote today (article found below) that Cooper Tires might have been “playing” south Georgia. They speculated that Cooper knew the Albany plant would close and they used the study period to entice sweeter deals from the other three plant cities—good business or dirty pool?

lastlecture1

I am reading The Last Lecture by the late Randy Pausch—positive man who departed this life to soon. In his chapter “Don’t Complain, Just Work Harder,” Dr. Pausch wrote,” Too many people go though life complaining about their problems. I’ve always believed that if you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you’d be surprised by how well things can work out.”

The Cooper employees are being dignified about their situation at this point but if they get to feeling down they can remember that Randy Pausch and many others would love to be in their shoes—this too shall pass.

Was closing inevitable?
http://www.albanyherald.com/stories/20081218e1.htm
Based on the information that has come out, it may have been the right decision for Cooper, though it is a devastating blow to a region that is already the ninth-poorest congressional district in the United States. Metro Albany’s unemployment is above the state average, and it’s guaranteed to trend upward as the layoffs progress in the shutdown process that will be completed by the end of December 2009. Southwest Georgia and its retail core of metro Albany are already struggling with the stagnant economy that is gripping the nation. Losing the half-billion dollars a year that Cooper meant to the regional economy will make the hole deeper and harder to climb out of.
What makes the already bad situation even worse for many is the suspicion that the decision was made long before the study was conducted.
In mid-November, The Albany Herald received anonymous correspondence from a source that purported to be Cooper employees at Findlay, Ohio. The letter bore a Findlay postmark. Verifying the contents of the letter was problematic, but in retrospect the contents proved to be remarkably prescient. “It is with a great degree of certainty that we know Cooper plans to close the Albany plant,” the letter stated. “Unfortunately, the facility study is a ploy to fleece the other states out of any financial assistance they can offer.”
If that was the strategy, it worked ideally for Cooper. In Findlay, Ohio, union workers at the Cooper plant voted to accept a pay cut. In Texarkana, the union voted to kill its contract and pass another one in which workers’ salaries were frozen and other concessions were made. Mississippi is giving Cooper $30 million in incentives to keep its non-unionized plant in Tupelo open. As soon as the last piece — the Texarkana plant vote last week — fell into place, Cooper’s board met and the decision to put Southwest Georgians out of work was made.
If the decision to close the plant was made completely on the merits, then, painful as it is, you have to accept it for what it is — a reasoned business decision. But if Albany’s workers never had a chance and were merely held out as human bargaining chips so Cooper officials could wrestle better deals at their other plants, that is contemptible.
And given the timing, the letter and the chain of events, there unfortunately is some reason to be suspicious.
— The Albany Herald Editorial Board

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Obama and the South

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , , , , , on December 17, 2008| 1 Comment »

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack gets the nod as Obama’s Agriculture Secretary while Colorado Senator Ken Salazar gets Interior Secretary.

Congressman Sanford Bishop of Georgia at Ag would have been good for our state and region because the Obama picks have skipped the South completely. With all of the good appointments selected, should the South and the Congressional Black Caucus feel slighted…snubbed…dissed.

Selecting Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as the head of Homeland Security is the only nod to a person from a state that McCain won. What happen to that “we are not the red states of America or the blue states of America, we are the United States of America” stuff because this cabinet seems like the opening volley in a new Civil War. Is the President-elect planning to replace Defense Secrtary Gates with former Senator Sam Nunn after a year? The South is being treated like a red-headed stepchild.

UPDATED:

What a messed-up day: Bishop won’t be ag sec and 1300 jobs are gone as the Copper Tire Plant closes in Albany, Georgia.  Readers of this blog know that I was begging south Georgia Blacks to acknowledge that Saxby would be and should be the senator and that time and energy spent supporting Jim Martin for senate should have been used campaigning to keep our tire plant.

 

It just occurred to me that the hardcore Democrats on the Obama Transition Team shot down Bishop for Ag Sec because Georgia went for McCain/Palin in the general election and the Chambliss-Martin runoff results are a black eye.  During the nomination press conference, an Iowa reporter asked Obama why Vilsack was cabinet material all of a sudden.  I am having a hard time remember the last Georgian in a White House cabinet…Attorney General Griffin Bell, 1979 in think….Colin Powell when to Ranger School in Fort Benning……this is messed-up.

 

Vilsack Joins Obama Team as Secretary of Agriculture

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20081217/pl_cq_politics/politics2998682_1

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