This is a discussion on Anti Racism, the media, and the African American experience.


Friday, February 29, 2008

CLINTON ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA

Clinton in 2004 campaigning for John Kerry

WE ARE THE ONES - new song by will.i.am

"...The larger question going forward is: do specifics really matter? To quote Mike Tyson: the best fight plan in the world only lasts until you take the first punch in the face. Similarly, the best political ideas only last until you get them before a divided and ineffectual Congress.

Perhaps, more than specifics, we need a leader who can inspire people to pressure their reps to bend to the will of the new. What is rhetoric if not a call to action?

Perhaps that's a question someone would care to ask of Barack Obama..." (excerpts from a Huffington Post article written by writer of Three Kings, John Ridley)


Thursday, February 28, 2008

Barack HUSSEIN Obama - what's in a name?

At what point has an apology lost its meaning? At what point should we start looking at the aggressor as an intentional foe as opposed to a friend with a lapse in judgment? Should we assume that those in control of the airwaves or large organizations are not as intelligent as they’d like us to perceive them to be? They claim to be worthy of our trust in their abilities to lead, yet they continuously act in a manner that demands an apology.

So, I find myself in a quandary. There is a disconnect. Three of Clinton’s staff members acted in a manner that demanded not only an apology but in at least one case a dismissal. McCain’s staff thought it was wise to solicit the services of Mr. Cunningham as a surrogate for Senator McCain. And the staff of the Tennessee GOP thought it was prudent to distort the truth with hyperbolic allegations of anti-Semitic intent on the part of Barack Hussein Obama. In all three of these cases, staff was reprimanded, denounced, rejected and dismissed.

Were the leaders of the organizations sincere in their pronouncements? I have no idea because God did not grant me the gift of psychic abilities. However, the actions and non actions do have further implications that do not take a psychic to dissect.

  1. Either the leaders of these organization SANCTIONED the racist remarks or
  2. The “leaders” of these organizations ARE NOT LEADERS and are therefore not worthy of our trust.

It’s either one or the other and there is no middle ground. If these organizations were for-profit companies, these travesties would never have happened. Could you imagine Bill Gates alleging that Steve Jobs is a socialist? Or that he has anti – Semitic sentiments?!? It would never happen! Yet somehow in politics its allowed – even expected. And maybe that’s the part that makes me madder than ever. That America has sunk to the level where slander is a part of the daily lives of our leaders – that this is accepted behavior. And we follow along like the lemmings willfully stepping off of the cliff – without a safety net.

This is indeed the Washington that Barack wants to change. And so I ask, is this the America that I should be so proud of? Never mind the Rovian disgraces leveled against not just Dems but Repubs too; is this somehow okay?

It is time that we stop being so conservative and accepting of the status quo, afraid that change might be uncomfortable. Of course it will be uncomfortable. As a friend of mine used to say, “all growth is preceded by pain”. We can only hope that the same is true for America and that there is indeed growth after the pain.

A Letter to the Republican Party and any other anarchists

You still to do not realize that this time is different? That this time we're not going to accept business as usual? This time we're paying attention and we don't like what we see! We will not tolerate inflammatory, divisive rhetoric.

It is amazing to me that the party that claims to be a part of the 'moral majority' are acting so contrary to that. You coddle and idolize people like Karl Rove who even against his own fellow Repubs., will race-bait. As he did by passing around pictures of McCain's adopted child and calling her McCain's illegitimate black child.

So, is this the change that we can expect from the Republican party? Is this the change that McCain, who now embraces Rove, speaks of? Or better question, is this really who America is?

Are we an America that decides if one of our own disagrees with us then they are fair game to demonize? If so, then how are we any better than common criminals or better yet, how are we any better than the Taliban or other terrorist groups? Oh what, because we don't physically kill people? Well contrary to what Clinton believes, words are powerful and you can kill with them.

I believe we're better than that. WE HAVE YET to live up to the words of our founding fathers - AS LONG AS A GROUP IN AMERICA IS OPPRESSED - we are FAILING.

Be a part of the solution, not the problem.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Barack Obama does the work of the average person

Barack decided to spend a day doing the work of a home care provider -- so that he would have first hand knowledge of what America's average laborer's day is like. Please watch this, then ask yourself if you believe Hillary Clinton or John McCain would EVER do something like this.

Farrakhan and Obama

Senator Barack Obama is a Christian.

Christians are taught to DENOUNCE the SIN not the sinner.

For Sen. Clinton or MSNBC to demand that he do otherwise is reprehensible.

This is the Change that the Republican's offer

You know for a party that supposedly represents the MORAL MAJORITY, they seem to be seriously lacking in the morals department and polls show they definitely aren't in the majority.

However, John McCain and his republican cohorts offer that they are the voice and face of change - that they are what America needs:

Well I offer you this clip as evidence of the change that they offer. Whether it is Bill O'Reilly and Ann Coulture calling people pinheads or Hannidy race baiting. The Republicans offer politics, fear, and racism as usual. They have not yet realized that America is TIRED OF BEING DIVIDED. That Anglos are tired of feeling like they have to apologize for the stupidity of the Bill Cunninghams of the world.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

On Racism

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

Healthcare in American - Bush/McCain style

Friday, February 22, 2008

I for one am VERY proud to be an American

Well I for one am very proud to be an American, gosh I don't know what's wrong with that tacky Michelle Obama.
I was proud when my nephew went to Afganistan and my sister in law had to buy him a kevlar (sp?) vest out of her own money
I was proud when our president said that we have WMD's then papers came out proving he was planning to go to Iraq at the first opportunity
I was proud when Rumsfeld told the soldiers who were digging up scrap metal to protect their unarmored Humvees that "you go to war with the army you have not the army you want"
I was proud when our president was reading a book (upside down) to kids at the elementary school while terrorist ran OUR airplanes into the WTC
I was proud when our President was impeached and disbarred for lying because he had some woman sucking his #$*(*#&
I was proud when Bush sent our men over to Afghanistan and they came back with weird cancers (my brother did!!!)
I was proud when Reagan started to dismantle the middle class with his trickle down theory voodoo economics
I was proud when jimmy carter allowed our people to become hostages in Iran
I was proud when nixon was ALSO GOT CAUGHT LYING and was impeached
I was proud as we threw sticks at the poor service men coming home from Vietnam
I was proud when they shot MLK
I was proud when they shot Bobby Kennedy
I was proud when they shot JFK
I was proud when then shot my brothers and sister who marched through the streets of the south for freedom
I was proud for 100 years that we've spent in servitude in the south while our young men were lynched and hung from trees
I was extremely proud when we nuked Nagasaki and Hiroshima instead of Germany
I was proud for the 300+ years prior to that that my people were enslaved -- that means FREE LABOR that was stolen which made this country able to become so wealthy
I was proud when they separated the children from their parents and severed families
I was proud when they ended slavery and took a people that had no sense of community and dumped by the side of the road and said go figure it out (and still we stand)
I was proud when the ships came into the harbor carrying my brothers and sister in shackles
and I'm still proud when I go in to urban america and see how schools that have children of color have less resources than suburban schools
and I'm proud that my family gets to choose where to live based on how the police treat black people
and I'm proud when members of my VERY WELL EDUCATED family get thrown on the ground and handcuffed because they "look like some one who..."

FORGIVE ME IF I SOUND A LITTLE ANGRY I'm actually very happy and proud to be an AMERICAN!!!!

I Refuse to Buy into the Obama Hype (now a supporter)

(this has been "reprinted" with the universal permission from grassroots mom)

Wed Feb 20, 2008 at 05:13:32 PM PST

The next President is going to have some MAJOR challenges.
I refuse to buy into the hype, on either side, but especially on that of Obama. However the "empty rhetoric" v. "history of accomplishments" arguments have prompted me to check it out on my own, not relying on any candidate's website, book, or worst of all supporters' diaries, like this one.

I went to the Library of Congress Website. The FACTS of what each did in the Senate last year sure surprised me. I'm sure they will surprise you, too. Whether you love or hate Hillary, you will be surprised. Whether you think Obama is the second coming of JFK or an inexperienced lightweight, you will surprised. Go check out the Library of Congress Website. After spending some time there, it will be clear that there is really only one candidate would is ready to be the next president, even better than Gore. If you don't want to spend an hour or two doing research, then I'll tell you what I discovered on the jump.

I looked up Obama and looked up Clinton. I looked at the bills that they both authored and introduced. Anyone who has been around politics, and is honest, realizes that there are a lot of reasons why a Senator votes one way or another on bills or misses votes. However an examination of the bills that each of these Senators cared enough about to author and introduce revealed much to me: what they care about, what their priorities are, how they tackle problems. And the list of co-sponsors showed something about how they lead, inspire and work with others. Finally, looking at which bills actually passed is pretty indicative of how effective each would be at getting things done.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, let's all be honest here. It is damn hard to get anything through Congress these days. And Obama and Clinton care about the same issues and have obviously worked together on a lot of legislation, whatever Sen. Clinton's campaign may imply. She is a frequent co-sponsor on his bills, and he on hers. They are both completely competent senators.

I started with Sen. Clinton.

I'm not a Hillary Hater, but I certainly didn't like her much either. I didn't like her DLC history; her votes on Iraq, Iran or the bankruptcy bill; her characterization of the years she spent as First Lady as "executive experience." Hillary Clinton is no Eleanor Roosevelt. Perhaps more like Lady Bird Johnson. Hillary claims to have brought us SCHIP (with a little help from Ted Kennedy). Lady Bird brought us Head Start as well as cleaner, nicer highways. Anyone 40 or older probably remembers when the nation's highways were basically disgusting garbage dumps lined with billboards. But no one thinks Lady Bird should have been president. Might as well argue for Barbara Bush because of her efforts on family literacy, or Nancy Reagan and the War on Drugs.

Hillary Clinton does have a solid record in the Senate, however.

I came away from my research really knowing a lot more about what is important to Hillary in her heart: kids and their well being. My research changed my feeling about her significantly. About 40% of her bills dealt with health care and/or kids. As a mom with small kids, I like her passion for children's issues. But curiously, her big bill to deliver health care to every child, the one she lauds on her website, S.895 : "A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to ensure that every child in the United States has access to affordable, quality health insurance coverage, and for other purposes" had not a single co-sponsor. Not one, according to the Library of Congress. Why is that? Is it a bad bill? Or is she not able to recruit support for her signature issue? Or did she just submit it simply to put in the hopper, so to speak, so she could claim she was working on it. I honestly don't know the answer, but I find it curious and suspicious that not even Ted Kennedy co-sponsored it. Its sister bill in the house, H.R. 1535, introduced by John Dingell has 42 co-sponsors. It's just weird. I honestly don't know what to make of it.

S.895 was major. But most of her other bills are much smaller in scale and scope — more targeted and more careful.

For example, she introduced one bill that offered tax credits for building owners who clean up lead paint. Which is a very good thing. And Obama is a co-sponsor. "S.1793 : A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for property owners who remove lead-based paint hazards."

Obama's anti-lead bill (S. 1306) directed the Consumer Product Safety Commission to classify certain children's products containing lead as banned hazardous substances. He had another bill prohibitting the interstate transport of children's products containing lead. (S.2132) And Hillary co-sponsored each of these.

In other words, they both care about protecting children from lead.

The difference is in the scope and the approach.

Obama's bill shows how he thinks big: do everything we can to make sure that lead-painted Thomas the Tank Engine toys don't get into the hands and mouths of millions of toddlers in this country.

Or Hillary: encourage people by offering tax credits to clean up lead paint in old buildings. People have been talking about lead paint in old buildings hurting kids in living in inner cities, since, well when I was a kid — for decades. If it is still a big problem, is offering tax credits for clean up, i.e. scrape down the walls and repaint, the best way to protect kids from lead?

How many of you parents have lead paint problems? How many have (or had) toxic Thomas the Tank Engine Toys? They are everywhere. The local bookstore and kid's shoe store and the doctor's office and the preschool and the toystore all have train tables. There is nowhere you can go anymore with toddlers that doesn't have a Thomas the Tank Engine train table covered with toxic toys. But that's just my feeling.

Obama's bills risk pissing off the toy industry and the Chinese. Hillary's risks nothing.

A lot of Clinton's health bills focus on children. Or women. She introduced a billl for research in the causes of gestational diabetes, for more pediatric research (S.895) and a rural agriculture bill to get farm-fresh veggies into schools (S.1031).

Her bill dealing with the crisis in foreclosure is actually S.2114 : "A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act, to provide for enhanced disclosures to consumers and enhanced regulation of mortgage brokers, and for other purposes." Again, no co-sponsors. Obama also introduced a bill in the face of the mortgage foreclosure crisis: S.1222 : "A bill to stop mortgage transactions which operate to promote fraud, risk, abuse, and under-development, and for other purposes." Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 4/25/2007), co-sponsored by Dick Durbin.

In her ads and speeches, Clinton claims that she's fighting to stop foreclosure while implying that Obama is empty rhetoric. Actually, Clinton is calling for "enhanced disclosures to consumers and enhanced regulation", while Obama's bill will "stop mortgage transactions which operate to promote fraud, risk, abuse, and under-development." After looking at the two bills, Obama's appears to be tougher, more directly addressing the problem.

Speaking of Obama, here's a list of some of his proposed legislation.

Four bills on energy including
• S.1151 : A bill to provide incentives to the auto industry to accelerate efforts to develop more energy-efficient vehicles to lessen dependence on oil;
•S.115 : A bill to suspend royalty relief, to repeal certain provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal certain tax incentives for the oil and gas industry; and •S.133 : A bill to promote the national security and stability of the economy of the United States by reducing the dependence of the United States on oil through the use of alternative fuels and new technology, and for other purposes.

Clinton had only one bill that I could find that addressed the same issue, S.701 : A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a temporary oil profit fee and to use the proceeds of the fee collected to provide a Strategic Energy Fund and expand certain energy tax incentives, and for other purposes.

Obama wants to "repeal certain tax incentives for the oil and gas industry". Clinton sees the answer in a "temporary oil profit fee" and to "expand certain energy tax incentives" for alternative energy. Obama's alternative energy bill (S.133) was co-sponsored by Harkin, Lugar and Salazar. Clinton's bill again had no co-sponsors.

On health care he introduced ten bills/amendments, including one amendment that passed: S.AMDT.1041 to S.1082 To improve the safety and efficacy of genetic tests. Other issues addressed in his proposed health care legislation were AIDS research (S.823 ), hospital report cards (S.692 — the V.A., and S.1824 — Medicare), better emergency care (S.1873), and drug price controls (S.2347).

Clinton's health care bills, for the most part, didn't impress me much, although she introduced many more bills in this area than Obama did:

S.CON.RES.63 : A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the need for additional research into the chronic neurological condition hydrocephalus, and for other purposes.
S.RES.176 : A resolution recognizing April 30, 2007, as "National Healthy Schools Day".
S.RES.222 : A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
S.201 : A bill to establish a grant program for individuals still suffering health effects as a result of the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York City and at the Pentagon.
S.907 : A bill to establish an Advisory Committee on Gestational Diabetes, to provide grants to better understand and reduce gestational diabetes, and for other purposes.
S.993 : A bill to improve pediatric research.
S.982 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for integration of mental health services and mental health treatment outreach teams, and for other purposes.
S.1065 : A bill to improve the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury in members and former members of the Armed Forces, to review and expand telehealth and telemental health programs of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
S.1075 : A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand access to contraceptive services for women and men under the Medicaid program, help low income women and couples prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce abortion, and for other purposes.
S.1343 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to prevention and treatment of diabetes, and for other purposes.
S.1712 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve newborn screening activities, and for other purposes.

and on and on. Plenty of these have plenty of co-sponsors. Obviously, Hillary Clinton really knows her stuff on the issues of health care. None of them passed, however. On Obama's side, one of his health care initiatives passed in the Senate, the aforementioned amendment to Kennedy's S.1082, the FDA Revitalization Act.

Truth be told, it was very depressing doing this research to see all these great ideas and how little actually gets done. Looking at the legislative history of Kennedy's bill is a good example. It finally passed but its sister bill in the House, H.R.2900, was the one that was finally enacted, and with it, Obama's amendment for safe and effective genetic testing. Clinton submitted two amendments to this bill, one of would have eliminated the sunsetting of pediatric data collection; the other would have begin the process to approve generic versions of complex and expensive drugs called biologics or biotech drugs. Neither were adopted.

Now let's look more closely at Obama.

I was blown away as I started going through his record. I've already mentioned his bills on health care and energy. In addition he had introduced bills on Iran, voting, veterans, global warming, campaign finance and lobbyists, Blackwater, global poverty, nuclear proliferation, and education.
On Iran: S.J.RES.23 : A joint resolution clarifying that the use of force against Iran is not authorized by the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq, any resolution previously adopted, or any other provision of law.

On votingPassed out of Committee and now on the Senate Calendar for Feb. 22, 2008
S.453 : A bill to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections Please check this out! This is a great bill. We need this. I can't believe that this time voter intimidation is not already illegal.

On veterans and military personnel: S.1084 : A bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans;

On global warmingS.1324 : A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuel sold in the United States;S.1389 : A bill to authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Climate Change Education Program; S.AMDT.599 to S.CON.RES.21 To add $200 million for Function 270 (Energy) for the demonstration and monitoring of carbon capture and sequestration technology by the Department of Energy. (This last one passed both the House and the Senate as part of the budget bill.)

On campaign finance and lobbyists S.2030 : A bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require reporting relating to bundled contributions made by persons other than registered lobbyists; and S.AMDT.41 to S.1 To require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACs, or political parties for whom they collect or arrange contributions, and the aggregate amount of the contributions collected or arranged.

On Blackwater S.2044 : A bill to provide procedures for the proper classification of employees and independent contractors, and for other purposes, and S.2147 : A bill to require accountability for contractors and contract personnel under Federal contracts, and for other purposes.

On global poverty S.2433 : A bill to require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

On global nuclear proliferation S.1977 : A bill to provide for sustained United States leadership in a cooperative global effort to prevent nuclear terrorism, reduce global nuclear arsenals, stop the spread of nuclear weapons and related material and technology, and support the responsible and peaceful use of nuclear technology.

I counted nine education bills, but it's getting late and I've got to get my kids ready for bed.

As I mentioned earlier, Clinton is a frequent co-sponsor on many of Obama's bills. So is Ted Kennedy. So are a number of Republicans.

Finally, Obama appears to have a better record last year in the Senate on getting his bills and amendments passed than does Clinton. I've listed everything that passed the Senate for each them at the end in boxes. But check out Thomas.loc.gov for yourself. I may have missed something.

In my eyes Obama is the superior choice in every way. He cares about more of the issues that matter to me. Kids and health care are important but so is the issue of global warming, on which Clinton introduced not a single bill last year.

Obama is a leader. With bigger majorities in Congress, much of his agenda should sail through. He can inspire this country to change course on so many things, from health care to global warming, where attitudes have to be changed first. I remember Bill Clinton's endless laundry lists of small, focus group approved initiatives. For those who say Hillary will not govern like Bill did, I respond that the people who were doing the market testing of his proposed policies were Dick Morris, of course, and Mark Penn, who is now running Hillary's campaign.

It's Obama for me! I just sent him $100. My first donation this election.

Yes, We Can!

Clinton's Successes:
S.694 : A bill to direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to reduce the incidence of child injury and death occurring inside or outside of light motor vehicles, and for other purposes. (This is currently in conference committee to reconcile difference with the House bill)
Passed in the Senate:
S.CON.RES.27 : A concurrent resolution supporting the goals and ideals of "National Purple Heart Recognition Day".
S.RES.21 : A resolution recognizing the uncommon valor of Wesley Autrey of New York, New York
S.RES.92 : A resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of soldiers of Israel held captive by Hamas and Hezbollah.
S.RES.141 : A resolution urging all member countries of the International Commission of the International Tracing Service who have yet to ratify the May 2006 amendments to the 1955 Bonn Accords to expedite the ratification process to allow for open access to the Holocaust archives located at Bad Arolsen, Germany.
S.RES.222 : A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
S.AMDT.666 to H.R.1591 To link award fees under Department of Homeland Security contracts to successful acquisition outcomes under such contracts.
S.AMDT.2047 to H.R.1585 To specify additional individuals eligible to transportation for survivors of deceased members of the Armed Forces to attend their burial ceremonies.
S.AMDT.2108 to H.R.1585 To require a report on the planning and implementation of the policy of the United States toward Darfur.
S.AMDT.2390 to H.R.2638 To require that all contracts of the Department of Homeland Security that provide award fees link such fees to successful acquisition outcomes.
S.AMDT.2474 to H.R.2638 To ensure that the Federal Protective Service has adequate personnel.
S.AMDT.2823 to H.R.3074 To require a report on plans to alleviate congestion and flight delays in the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Airspace.
S.AMDT.2917 to H.R.1585 To extend and enhance the authority for temporary lodging expenses for members of the Armed Forces in areas subject to a major disaster declaration or for installations experiencing a sudden increase in personnel levels.

Obama's Success:
S.AMDT.1041 to S.1082 To improve the safety and efficacy of genetic tests.
S.AMDT.3073 to H.R.1585 To provide for transparency and accountability in military and security contracting.
S.AMDT.3078 to H.R.1585 Relating to administrative separations of members of the Armed Forces for personality disorder.
S.AMDT.41 to S.1 To require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACs, or political parties for whom they collect or arrange contributions, and the aggregate amount of the contributions collected or arranged.
S.AMDT.524 to S.CON.RES.21 To provide $100 million for the Summer Term Education Program supporting summer learning opportunities for low-income students in the early grades to lessen summer learning losses that contribute to the achievement gaps separating low-income students from their middle-class peers.
S.AMDT.599 to S.CON.RES.21 To add $200 million for Function 270 (Energy) for the demonstration and monitoring of carbon capture and sequestration technology by the Department of Energy.
S.AMDT.905 to S.761 To require the Director of Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education to establish a program to recruit and provide mentors for women and underrepresented minorities who are interested in careers in mathematics, science, and engineering.
S.AMDT.923 to S.761 To expand the pipeline of individuals entering the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to support United States innovation and competitiveness.
S.AMDT.924 to S.761 To establish summer term education programs.
S.AMDT.2519 to H.R.2638 To provide that one of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5 million or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies in writing to the agency awarding the contract or grant that the contractor or grantee owes no past due Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.2588 to H.R.976 To provide certain employment protections for family members who are caring for members of the Armed Forces recovering from illnesses and injuries incurred on active duty.
S.AMDT.2658 to H.R.2642 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.2692 to H.R.2764 To require a comprehensive nuclear threat reduction and security plan.
S.AMDT.2799 to H.R.3074 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.3137 to H.R.3222 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.3234 to H.R.3093 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.3331 to H.R.3043 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
Senate Resolutions Passed:
S.RES.133 : A resolution celebrating the life of Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson.
S.RES.268 : A resolution designating July 12, 2007, as "National Summer Learning Day".

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Michelle Obama - is finally REALLY proud of her country

Rhetoric: "...for the first time in my adult life I am really proud of my country..." - Michelle Obama

I've been reading other's blogs, and it sounds like the unpatriotic witch hunts that happened earlier this century. Those would have been started by GW Bush -- anyone who was against the war was unpatriotic. I know at least a few talk show hosts that lost their jobs because of their stance. And now here we are 5 years later and most would agree that the war was a mistake. All but John McCain and Hillary Clinton.

We know what Mrs. Obama's intent was. For me, I've always been proud of my son, but the day he graduates I will REALLY be proud of my son. She's been proud of her country but these days when it appears that we've gotten past racial divides she is REALLY proud of her country.
You know the media focuses on such petty stuff. Is this more important than Clinton not releasing her tax documents or intentions for earmarks?!? Is this more important than the fact that McCain says no new taxes, voted against Bush's tax reductions twice and now has decided he won't repeal those tax reductions? is this more important than being at war for 100 years, or singing BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB IRAN?!?!?!

If Hillary had said it I'd be saying the same thing. I don't care about such trivialities, show me your tax returns!!!

Come on people, wake up. Mrs. Obama has already said that she is the personification of the American Dream - poor girl goes to Princeton and Harvard. That statement implies pride in her country.

I bet the same people who are "outraged" are the same people who said that folks who spoke out against the war are unpatriotic. Let's stick to the issues.

Please tell me how would this statement make your life better or worse if Sen. Obama were elected? Seems to me that if in fact she meant what some of the bloggers are saying then she would work really hard to make this a country that everyone could be proud of. And that would make everyone's life better.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Straight Talk, & Distortions revealed

This is funny -- Obama's tongue and cheek criticism of opponents dishonesty


The war in Iraq - Obama vs. Clinton

Sound decision-making skills are not necessarily subject-matter specific. It transcends. Think about this as you make your decision on whom to vote for. Do you want a person who claims to have so much experience but still cannot make a sound decision? (that would be Clinton and McCain) Or do you want someone who's intelligence out weighs their so-called experience?

Saturday, February 16, 2008

I offer solutions while he offers talk (or rhetoric)

I challenge readers to go to each of the candidates websites, including McCain. Click the tab called issues and read how they plan to deal with various concerns.

Just to give you an example: on Education Barack Obama has summarized his plan in 18 pages, with details on what he will do. Hillary's plan is 1 page which is 1/2 bullet points (they take up more room when you're trying to fill space) McCain's plan is about a page. Both plans are missing a lot of the "hows".
  • Hillary has said nothing about how she will attract better talent to the teaching field
  • McCain is still trying to push "no child left behind" which marginalizes our students and compels teachers to simply teach to the test
  • Finally McCain will be pushing the voucher system which will leave the working poor without the ability to choose private over public schools, and will also leave less money to bring inner-city schools up to par with suburban schools.
Once again the media has failed us. They're only reporting what the candidate's political strategist tell them to report. Most people will not take the time to dig up the truth. I must - this is my country and I refuse to be bamboozled or hoodwinked.

We still need folks to do some phone banking, you can do it from your home. I've committed to making 5 calls per night. (which is a sacrifice for me since I'm a full time student, and working mom)

Bill Clinton attacks Obama for not honoring his legacy?!?!?

As far as honoring Former President Clinton's achievements: I think the scandals outweigh the good. Remember that while Hillary was fighting for healthcare, the president was talking it away with welfare reform. While they we're talking about working for the working class, the president was drafting the NAFTA agreement, and finally though Clinton ran his campaign on change and hope, what he offered was more of the same corruption that led to his impeachment and 100s of scandals.

Obama's healthcare plan leaves 15 million uninsured

Here we are again with Clinton's distortion of the truth -- and shame on the media for not doing further investigation, but just printing what they say as gospel.

"Clinton Uses A Dubious Statistic When She Claims Obama's Plan Would Leave Out 15 Million Of The Uninsured." FactCheck.org reported, "Clinton uses a dubious statistic when she claims Obama's plan would leave out 15 million of the uninsured…Clinton based her claim on a column by The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn, who loosely estimated Obama's plan would leave 15 million uninsured…Cohn makes it clear here that he is offering an estimate based on the best information available, not a hard and fast calculation. And the best available information doesn't always agree." [FactCheck.org, 11/16/07]

Clinton Cited "Hardly An Authoritative Source" For The 15 Million Claim. "So where did Clinton get her figure of 15 million uninsured under the Obama plan? Her website cites an article in the New Republic, hardly an authoritative source." [Washington Post, 11/15/07]

Friday, February 15, 2008

The Meaning of Barack

This was posted by an Obama supporter and I thought I'd share it.

Arabic and Hebrew languages both share the same the semitic roots. Over time, as with English, alphabet letters, meanings, pronunciations and spellings have changed. Of all the times “blessing” is intended the word generally used is “barak”, “yivrechu” “yevarech” or some other variant of “barak.” and the hebrew translation for his first name: BARACH (Bar Rach) - To kneel, to bless, to adore with bended knee. When used by man in reference to God, it means to endure with power for success, prosperity and long life. In Psalm 34:2, barach is translated as BLESS and in Psalm 103:1-2, barach is translated to mean WORSHIP.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Exelon, Barack, Clinton and Penn

Even as Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign was blasting Sen. Barack Obama for his ties to the Exelon Corporation, the firm of Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist, was earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from the very same nuclear energy giant. (click the title for full article)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Interestingly, what Sen. Clinton does not tell the media is the very bill that she is accusing Sen. Obama of watering down and making "back room deals" is the bill that SHE CO-SPONSORED. hmmmmm....

Desperation manifests itself in many different forms. It is my belief that a persons character is most amplified and revealed when under pressure. This example was given to me by a professor in my past. "On my way to work one day I see a school bus and it has had an accident, plus it's on fire. I'm late for work. What choices do I make? Do I stop? Do I just call 911 on my cell? Let's say I choose to stop. At that point I'm putting the lives of the people on that bus ahead of my own. Do I actually go on the bus or do I call from the outside asking if they need help? Let's say I choose to go on the bus which is in flames. Do I just rescue a few children near the front or do I rescue them all? Do I step over other kids to reach the African American kids first? Every choice that I make says something about my character.

Senator Clinton has had choices to make. Though the pundits say that she is not behind in the national poles, the voters have said otherwise. She and her camp believed that they would have the nomination locked after February 5th's "super Tuesday". However, the voters said otherwise. Now Barack has won the last 8 primaries and caucuses. Clinton is under pressure, what has she chosen to do? Instead of highlighting all of the great things she has done for America, or touting what she will do, or perhaps even contrasting her methods vs. Obama's; she has chosen to distort, exaggerate, or neglect the truth.

This says something about her character...If she had so much to offer the American people, we would recognize it. This is not the Kennedy/Nixon match-up where Nixon's homely looks could not compare to the movie star appeal of JFK. Hillary is a nice looking lady, yet something is missing. People are not connecting. Most of the folks that I've spoken with and who are voting for her are not doing so because they are excited about what she will be able to do. They simply don't think Barack has enough experience yet - they're doing the lesser of the evils voting method.

Well I've already spoken on the experience issue and will not revisit it here. However, it's a sad testimony. I don't know about you but I'm tired of just having a choice of the lesser of the evils. I think we deserve better than that. I think we deserve a President we can respect and Hillary is not that person.

I'm not voting for Barack because "he's at least better than Hillary". I'm voting for Barack because he's who our nation needs today.

Check out the facts about the lies told against my candidate here:

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Bill Clinton on the importance of Experience

He's a Liar and a Hypocrite. He lied under oath and was disbarred, now he's lying on the campaign trail and calling it advocating his wife...

WATCH THIS

Saturday, February 2, 2008

I am Overwhelmed by the possibility of Barack Obama

Check out this new independent video featuring top music and film stars including will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, Jesse Dylan, John Legend, Scarlett Johansson, and many others... Take a look at the video everyone is talking about --
I'm old enough to have voted for Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton and GW Bush. And never before within my memory have I seen so many people passionate about the political process; passionate about a candidate; passionate about the future of our country. I reckon that some folks are looking around astounded by the tidal wave that they see moving forward. I mean, who would've guessed that this man, Barack Obama, would inspire millions to come out, to change parties, to get involved.

Some had the foresight -- I've met them. I am ashamed to say that I was not one of them. The interesting thing that I've found is that Obama supporters are so much more passionate than any others. I can't read people's mind, but I can read their actions - and by this I make my claim. The other thing that I've noticed is that people who are against Barack tend to be vicious with their attacks - committing character assasination with of course, lies. Obama supporters by in large don't do that. Interesting...

When I think about the possibility that Barack Hussein Obama could be President of the United States I am overwhelmed. I get tears in my eyes, because I never thought I would live to see the day when in African American could be president of the United States. When I look at my community and I see how far we have to go to eliminate the pain, and heal from 400+ years of slavery -- 400+ years of protracted abject oppression - I forget that there are those of us who have moved on.

The other thing that I find interesting is that it took an African American not raised by an African American to do it. Why is this significant, why does it make a difference? Because most African Americans suffer from what is referred to as Cultural Incest; which is a culture that feeds on and proliferates from the worst that that culture has to offer. Some of us suffer from it to lesser degree than others. But I have yet to meet a black person raised by a black person, that does not suffer from it. It is the result of slavery -- the type of slavery that only we have endured. The type of slavery (unlike the Jews) that strips a people from everything that makes them unique -- their culture, language, traditions, etc. Then dumps them 400 years later without an iota of a sense of community or an idea on how to be self sufficient. Barack is not saddled with this baggage. Oh sure, he has probably been called all the names we've been called, and from time to time treated the way we've been treated; but he has not had the poisons of oppression passed down to him from those who were supposed to protect and nurture him. He has not had those generational curses passed on to him.

I believe that by Barack becoming President, it will help us as a community heal from some of that poison. We may begin to hope again. There will be those that will fight it. There will be those of us who are afraid and will say that he's not ready or they'll look for one mistake he may make and say "see, I knew he couldn't do it." These are the symptoms of Cultural Incest. These are the poisons passed down from generation to generation that does not say "YES WE CAN", but "No we can't" and "I won't let you either".

Don't let those nay-sayers get in the way of truth. Don't let those nay-sayers prevent healing within the community. We have to stop looking for a white person to heal us, to help us. Hillary Clinton cannot and will not do it. Barack Obama, with God of course, can do it and will do it. WE ARE NOT CRABS IN A BARRELL. We are part of the greatest civilization on the planet and it's time that we step up and take our rightful place in this world.

DON'T BE BAMBOOZLED or hoodwinked by the power machine. They want us to remain subservient and to depend upon them for our sense of self, for our existence. Foolish people. They don't realize that a stronger African American community equals a stronger America.

Please people, please. See the hope, look beyond self doubt and the past. Look forward to the possibilities - he's brought us this far it's time for us to make it the rest of the way.