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Posts Tagged ‘troops’

The Georgia 2nd congressional district race comes down to one simple point for me: Rep. Sanford Bishop is the goose that laid the golden egg.  We, the 2nd district voters, have positioned him to serve our state and that posturing took time and effort.  Tossing our employee now wouldn’t be smart.

An Albany, Georgia, city councilman who is also a college professor recently called Bishop, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, a $100 million per year industry for South Georgia.  I can get concerned about staff miscues and oversights but protecting a 100M per year is a bigger concern. 

Where were these budget-minded people when we were spending billions “nation building” in Iraq. No one supports our troops more than me but I wish we would have allowed the military the leeway to take down Saddam and his sons with a Navy Seal Team quickly rather than a prolonged situation that had us building schools, hospitals and roads there while our infrastructure crumbles. 

The conservative movement seems hypocritical because Bishop is one of the few Congressional Black Caucus members willing to work with conservatives on issues.  To me, the massive effort to remove Bishop is centered on 2012.  With moderate Democrats gone, the remaining congressional Dems would be more liberal and easier targets for presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

It may sound silly but keeping Bishop and his seniority reminds me of that comedy bit by Sommore.  Her man explains that the woman he is with provides the resources he uses to acquire Sommore’s nice things.  Sommore tells the man to cover her up so the “blank” doesn’t catch cold.

Bishop’s slight oversights are nothing compare to governor candidate Nathan Deal’s mulitmillion dollar oversights but I don’t care about oversights; cover Bishop up so he doesn’t catch cold.  Bill Clinton was “involved” with a chubby intern but his economic policies led to record budget surpluses; we covered Clinton up so he wouldn’t catch cold.   Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss protects our regional farm and military interests with Bishop; cover Saxby up with an appropriate red blanket so he doesn’t catch cold and cover up GOP Rep. Jack Kingston so he doesn’t catch cold while he works (again with Bishop) to securing funding to deepen the Port of Savannah, a leading economic engine for the South.  

To confuse the golden goose/poultry parallel, Bishop could be the 100M golden goose or a chicken on the TV show Survivor.  While some castaways want to eat the chicken for protein now, wiser team members protect the bird for a constant supply of eggs.  Everyone outside the Tea Party Movement know the Obama reelection wave of 2012 will take the 2nd district back for the Democrats.  So, bouncing Bishop would hurt south Georgia for no good reason.  We shouldn’t rally to help Bishop and Obama; we should rally behind Bishop to help ourselves.

I am ticked off that “rallying” is needed anyway.  Let me get this right: Obama comes on the national stage and folks are crying and swooning (he is a great leader.)  But, Bishop has been break his neck for Georgia for decades and folks need to be rallied.  Excuse me.  Sommore needs to be his campaign manager because nobody knows money like Sommore knows money.

Oh, we know Bishop after decades of public service and we know the he wouldn’t jeopardize his status or legacy behind some little part-time jobs or small scholarships.  Please.  Bishop’s efforts regarding job creation  involves billions and college money would be billions in regular scholarships for working people and veterans education benefits for our returning troops and their families. 

Democrats and reasonable moderates need to vote in southwest Georgia or our goose is cooked.   Tea and golden goose liver pate would be one costly dish.

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When you grow up in the diverse South, you should learn to put yourself in the other guy’s shoes, walk in his moccasins or generally imagine life and government from his perspective.  No one wanted to be slaves, current senior citizens should be barricaded in their homes from fear of young thugs and American foreign policy should respect the cultural richness and history of others around the world.  If the Native Americans had a better immigration policy…..

To me, it’s all about political options and agendas.  Elections are for selecting the leaders who will govern in a reasonable manner but the cart is in front of the horse or the tail is wagging the dog.  Today, the campaign process and year-round activism are more lucrative than serving in office.  For example, Sarah Palin status in the game reaps millions more than being governor, vice-president or president and I can’t blame her for staying paid. 

My friends and I pragmatically thought our community should explore positive political options that reflect the sizable African-American demographic that is moderate to conservative.  Our agenda grows from concern that all of our political eggs are in one basket.  In reality, the aggressive agenda of those who love fear overshadows the few efforts toward governing with bridge building and understanding.  Their facts are sound but their methods are detrimental.

During this primary and general election season, southerners should ask themselves if candidates have a good comfort level with citizens across the political spectrum.  Do you see the candidates meeting and listening in areas where few votes can be found because the actions of people there create governmental spending for everyone?  In clearly liberal or conservative areas, the direction is obvious but swing areas or statewide is different. 

On election night in November, we shouldn’t learn that a new group of leaders will govern next year and we never talked with them.  A sad fact about southern living is that we have much in common with the other side of town but never had a conversation.  National groups that relish division and conflict between Americans should be ashamed because that energy and attention should be focused on supporting our troops in two major theaters of war and completing their missions safely—remember we have troops in the field.  

While the far-left and far-right are vocal, the sensible center is larger and sways elections.  I want to see Blue Dog Democrats continue listening to conservatives in their areas and Republican challengers who are comfortable explaining their positions to centrists, moderates and even liberals.  Centrists outnumber extremists from both sides overwhelmingly.

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In my Black college dorm, we played Nineteen to death when we were nineteen and sworn that the “none of them received a hero’s welcome” part would never happen again.  We must appreciate the military and be prepared for their return to civilian life. 

A veteran once told me that the hero’s welcome part was  not true because they came back over time rather than at one time like World War II.  In D.C., the Desert Storm welcome home event included Nam Vets.  That was the best July 4th weekend ever.

I had to add Billy Joel’s Good Night Saigon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZHnfH_3Vxw

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The health care debate dances around the idea that people are obese and unhealthy from lack of exercise and poor eating habits.  The public policy question is how much money should be spent saving someone from themselves.  There was a pastor down here who said when he was in “the world” he knew he was in the world. I appreciate that honest self-analysis and I personally know that if I eat too much of the wrong things I cooked my own goose.  (And drink Grey Goose in moderation.)

The Congress is considering legislation to paid spouses of war veterans with serious brain injuries to assist with their care.  What a great idea since to can’t imagine to debt this nation owes those families.

I wonder if engaged couples are really thinking that this person will be a solid and interesting companion with whom to grow old for the next half century.  As we prepare for Thanksgiving, give thanks for the smooth old couples who demonstrated how it should be done—with style, grace, commitment and responsibility. They don’t make marriages like they use to because they don’t make people like they once did; find yourself in a wheelchair and Boomquesia is out of here like last year.

Happy Thanksgiving and I give thanks that I did not marry Boomquesia.

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Combat Duty: The Fun Side

CNN just reported that military enlistment is surging because private sector job opportunities are low.  Young people can benefit from the security and maturity the armed services provide.  In the Black community, the “service” has long been the door into a new, different life. These web videos show that our forces are having a little fun and bonding in the war zone.  Have fun, stay safe.  Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In this election year, we need to hear from African American families directly affected by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the surge and the plans of the next president.

 

Georgia active duty military, National Guard, reserves, veterans and families, please use this blog to say what is on your minds.  I want to start this discussion by saying that we support the troops in my community because so many of them are our fathers, mothers, son, and daughters.  For me that support includes monitoring the White House to make sure that war plans and actions make common sense. 

 

The military has long provided an opportunity for minority upward mobility and a ticket away from southern suppression but, today the South is the place to be and governmental leaders are quick to send troops into harm’s way.  They say veterans are the most cautious Americans when it comes to declaring war.  I get chills when I think that south Georgia soldiers were facing fire for freedom in Vietnam and their mothers could not order a piece of pie at Woolworth’s—He brought us from a mighty long way. 

 

Let’s start this thread with a list of possible topics:

 

  1. Is the surge working?
  2. Are we spending money building infrastructure in Iraq that should be spent in America?
  3. Would McCain or Obama be better for military families?
  4. Can someone be an effective commander in chief without military experience? i.e. Obama, Palin
  5. Are African American military personnel and their families offended when extremists question the Obamas patriotism?
  6. Do military families sometimes feel that they signed up for defense and not nation building? Is national building part of denfense?
  7. Are African American military personnel generally politically conservative?
  8. Are defense contractors positive or negative to military missions in war zones?
  9. Can we agree that we should ignore collateral damage if we get absolute intel that Bin Laden is in a house or building.   
  10. Do people around the world dislike Americans in general or our governmental and cooperate leaders actions in particular?

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