Who Owns the Civil Rights Movement?

The day after competing views marched on Washington D.C. to honor the March on Washington, news outlets began to diagnose the marches and quickly asked the question who owns the civil rights movement?  While African Americans are quick to proclaim the civil rights movement as ours, I have to remind people that civil rights is not one particularly group of people to own. Civil Rights is for everyone and it was thanks to a diverse group of people that the Civil Rights Movement was able to accomplish its landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 that had previously failed in previous decades. Nonetheless for news outlets to ask the question who owns it, is just baseless when both conservatives, liberals, moderates, Republicans, Democrats, Independents, African Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, Asians, Men, Women, Children, Students, the working/middle class, the unemployed, the rich/wealthy class, the poor/underprivileged class, the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender  (LBGT) movement and a host of other groups.

Civil Rights is universe and no group of people own it and no one person owns. Civil rights is about having equality for all of mankind and that is why if we are to move forward as a nation, we must put our political differences to the side to find common ground to fix the ailing problems that plague our nations from education to health care to the economy. We must fix all these issues and we must be ready to deal with them head on without anyone claiming to have the mantle of the civil rights movement because it belongs to no one man, woman or group.

More Davids Than Goliaths by Harold Ford Jr.

I have read many political books in my life but More Davids than Goliaths by Harold Ford Jr. is a powerful yet insight book into the political philosophy and education of Harold Ford Jr. A philosophy or political thought that guided him as the U.S. Congressman from the 9th District of Memphis. I finished the book in less than a week but from reading it, I quickly gained greater respect for Harold Ford Jr. and despite all the negativity that some will write about him and the book, I say they don't see the inspiring story of despite a family name, Harold Ford Jr. earned his right to be a Congressman and to serve the people of Memphis. Harold Ford Jr. writes graciously and thoughtfully. It is truly an must read book for any politician because in politics like in life there are more davids than goliaths and I understand that firsthand.

Reference:

Ford Recounts Political Education At Book Signing

http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=52236

Kendrick Meek in the News

What the news is saying about Kendrick Meek

Victory AD

While President Obama and Vice President Biden continue to seek credit for "ending the combat mission" in Iraq, this video praises the contributions of our troops for helping bring greater stability and security there -- significant progress that was only made possible through a surge strategy most Democrats like the President and Vice President opposed. As the drawdown of troops in Iraq continues, House Republicans are grateful to all the men and women in uniform, as well as their families, for the courage and sacrifices they have made, and continue to make, to advance freedom abroad and strengthen our security here at home.

New Orleans 5 Years After Katrina

5 years ago, America witnessed the worst disaster we ever encountered in terms of Hurricane Katrina hitting the Gulf Coast. Now 5 years later, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast still needs help due to not the oil spill but Katrina itself. While progress has been made in some areas of the city where the storm hit five years ago. There is still more that needs to be done to help get the people back to the city and to help those who have never left the city.

So while the progress of the region is mixed and some people have said that due to the oil spill to the Gulf, it has made the recovery of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast even tougher than it has been. Nonetheless, the reality is that progress in the region has been slow. Entire school districts have been overhauled and the political structure of New Orleans has changed dramatically as a result of Hurricane Katrina but there is still more to be done to redevelop areas of the city and to rebuild entire neighborhoods that were shattered by the storm 5 years ago.

Thus as the city still tries to rebuild, people like Spike Lee have a new film documentary that highlights the progress of the region as well as the devastation that still needs to be dealt with the federal government and the state of Louisiana. Still the region needs volunteers and the psychological damage done to many individuals are scars that have turned many people off from coming back to the Gulf Coast and those still there are not happy with the conditions of their once beloved city. As a nation, we shouldn't be happy either when 5 years after a storm, our people are still suffering in this great nation and while money alone won't fix the problem, we need to understand volunteers are needed just as much as money.

The call to serve has never been greater and my hope is that we all continue to assist our fellow Americans in rebuilding the Gulf not just because of the new disaster (oil spill) but because of Katrina and the unfinished business we still have regarding the region from that. We can't fail our fellow man and that is why we cannot forget this horrific incident and what needs to be done to rebuild the Gulf Coast region like it has never been hit before.

Reference:

New Orleans' progress mixed with pain

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-27-katrinaani27_ST_N.htm?csp=34news

Boehner Delivers Remarks on Jobs & The Economy at the City Club of Cleveland

Full Text: Boehner Delivers Remarks on Jobs & The Economy in Cleveland, OH available here:http://gopleader.gov/News/DocumentSin...

Congressman John Boehner is right about one thing and that is Obama's economic team should be fired especially Timothy Geithner.

Kendrick Meek Primary Victory Speech

Congressman Kendrick Meek Democratic Primary Victory Speech on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

Kendrick Meek Moves on to the General

Finally I will get a chance to see a race with two candidates that are good for the job. That opportunity is in the form of Kendrick Meek, the now Florida Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate race in Florida and now Florida Governor Charlie Crist who has abandoned his Republican Party to run for the U.S. Senate seat as an Independent. Now there is a 3rd candidate in the race which is Rick Rubio, the Republican nominee who is not good to me because he is pandering to the conservative base. Nonetheless it is a good day for independents like myself because I believe Kendrick Meek and Charlie Crist are good people who will represent the state of Florida well as the next U.S. Senator.

So I hope that one of them get the seat instead of the Republican nominee.

A Roadmap for America's Future by Paul Ryan

Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has a plan or at least ideas that I think are worth considering if we as a nation are going to eliminate our nation's deficits. In fact, many politicians on both the right and left want to wait until after the midterm elections to deal with our nation's budget deficits and national debt. However Rep. Ryan has offered the only true alternative to the White House plans to deal with the deficit disasters that our nation is facing today. In fact Rep. Ryan's plans and ideas are not simply smoke and mirror plans or rescued plans GOP or conservative plans but they are actually fresh ideas that can actually help curve our nation's debt.

Rep. Ryan's roadmap to America's future centers around dealing with America's healthcare system and the waste involved in that as well as the waste involved in medicare and medicaid which Ryan offers ideas on how to save our nation in the short and long term future. Ryan's plan also has ideas on how to deal with social security so it can be stronger and more Americans can gain access to it in the future and it offers tax reform idea that go beyond simply extending Bush tax cuts as so many conservatives have advocated for and I even support myself since all America's benefited from the cuts in some way shape or form. However Ryan's plan speaks more indepthly about budget reform in terms of Federal Government's major entitlement programs needing to be overhauled so that they work more efficiently and effectively for the American people while saving our nation millions or billions of dollars in terms of waste.

Ryan's best idea for his roadmap for America's future is job training which says

"Roadmap prepares the Nation’s workforce for success in the global economy by creating incentives for States to transform conventional Federal job training into a flexible, dynamic program focused on results, accompanied by clear measures of transparency and accountability."

So to ignore Congressman Ryan's ideas and plan as simply providing tax breaks for the wealthy, ending medicare as we know it, or privatizing social security is just flat out wrong. Congressman Ryan's ideas and plan does not do anything of the such but it does offer clear cut ideas on how our nation can deal with our budget deficits so that our nation's debt doesn't grow any more out of control. So I urge everyone to look at the roadmap and see what you think. I guarantee you that you will come away agreeing with some of Congressman Paul Ryan's ideas and perhaps even wanting to alter other ideas he offers in order to strengthen them..

http://www.americanroadmap.org

Paul Ryan discusses "A Roadmap For America's Future."

"Hi, I'm Paul Ryan -- Congressman from Janesville, Wisconsin, and the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee -- and I'd like to talk to you about an issue of historic importance for us, and for our children and grandchildren.

Today, America faces a choice between two economic futures.

Currently, we are on a path of unsustainable Federal Government spending. The main problem -- and greatest threat to our nation's economic future -- is the looming crisis of entitlement spending. The well-intentioned social insurance strategies of the past century -- particularly Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid -- are headed toward financial collapse.

And, as experts have long warned Congress, not only will these programs grow themselves right into extinction, they'll impose a crushing burden on our economy and budget -- piling massive amounts of debt on future generations, crippling our ability to compete in the international marketplace, and dramatically reducing Americans' standards of living.

In fact, by the time my three kids are my age, they will have to pay double the taxes we pay today -- just to keep the government afloat -- no new programs, no new spending -- double the taxes just to maintain the status quo.

Compounding this problem is a tax code that discourages work, savings, and investment -- and puts American companies at a significant competitive disadvantage with businesses overseas.

This is the future we face if we do nothing. I believe we can -- and must -- set a different course. If we begin to act immediately -- there remains the opportunity for a dramatically better American future. But the time for talk has passed. We need a plan.

Over the past few years, I've solicited input from many people -- policy experts, budget and economic analysts, and working people from throughout Wisconsin and the nation. And I've come up with a comprehensive plan to transform the Federal Government -- to fix healthcare, Medicare, Social Security, our trade imbalance, our tax system, and our growing debt.

My legislation -- A Roadmap for America's Future -- achieves the following:

First, it ensures universal access to health insurance; and rescues and strengthens Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security -- allowing them to fulfill their missions and making them permanently solvent.

Second, it returns Federal spending growth to sustainable levels, and removes the massive future debt burden.

And third, my plan promotes solid, sustained economic growth that provides an ever-increasing number of good-paying American jobs, and puts the U.S. in a position to lead -- not merely survive -- in the global marketplace.

My plan addresses all of these issues at once, because -- whether the issue is health care, international competitiveness, or debt -- piecemeal, incremental "fixes" will never match the magnitude, the urgency, and the interrelated nature of America's greatest domestic challenges. I believe this comprehensive approach is critical to achieving real, long-term solutions.

My plan is also backed up by the numbers. Based on the analysis of government actuaries, this plan is projected to make the Social Security and Medicare programs permanently solvent, and lift the growing debt burden on future generations, while keeping tax rates low.

While there is a consensus in Congress that we do, in fact, have a massive problem on our hands, we are far from agreement on how -- or even if -- we're going to deal with it.

But let me be clear: we're going to have to start tackling these problems, or they're going tackle us. The entitlement crisis is real, it's serious, it's not going away, and it's getting dramatically worse with every year we fail to act.

It may be one of our greatest challenges, but it is also a truly historic opportunity.

A Roadmap for America's Future is a real plan, with real proposals, real numbers to back them, and real legislation to implement it.

Not everybody will agree with every aspect of this proposal, and that's fine. But it is my sincere hope that it will spur Congress to move beyond simply rehashing the problem -- to debating, and implementing actual solutions for the American people.
Thank you."

No Corporate Takeover of Our Democracy--Think Again

The President calls out Republicans for blocking campaign finance reforms that would address last year's Supreme Court decision opening the floodgates of corporate money into elections.

While President Obama and the Democrats try to portray Republicans and the Supreme Court as the bad guys in terms of corporate money going into elections, the reality is that, corporate money has always existed in our Democracy. Think about this, in the 2008 Presidential election including the primaries and general election, we as a nation spent a little over $5 Billion.

If you don't believe me than just look below at OpenSecrets.org numbers from 2008.

Cycle Total Cost of Election
2008* $5,285,680,883
2006 $2,852,658,140
2004* $4,147,304,003
2002 $2,181,682,066
2000* $3,082,340,937
1998 $1,618,936,265
*Presidential election cycle
Methodology

Its clear that corporate money was involved in the elections either directly or indirectly but the indirect part is unclear but it will be more clear this year due to the Supreme Court ruling regarding campaign finance laws. For years, politicians and both the Democratic and Republican parties have received corporate dollars funneled to them directly and indirectly in order to tilt campaign races one way or the other.

So to accuse Republicans of trying to keep the floodgates of corporate money into elections is just not completely true. While they prevented the blockage of new campaign finance reforms, it is unclear how much better the campaign finance laws would have prevented or limited corporate dollars from impacting elections because since McCain-Feingold, it seems as if corporate dollars have poured into campaigns more than ever these days. Thus President Obama's weekly address is just not completely accurate and many in the White House know it.

I will put it like this, the more laws we come up with to regulate Wall Street and corporation, the more people these companies hire to find ways or quote unquote loopholes to the laws. Its like how the rich deal with taxes, they hire tax lawyers and finance people to help them find ways to not give the government any more tax dollars than necessary which is why some people say the rich give to non-profits so they won't have to pay Uncle Sam so much come tax time. No matter how you look it, that's how corporations look at campaign finance and that's how unions, special interest groups who are suppose to be non-partisan, and political parties look at campaign finance because they all find new ways to get indirect and direct money to help a certain candidate elected or passed.


More information on 2010 Campaigns:
  

Religion & Politics in Detroit

Religion and Politics does not suppose to mix but its like I tell most people, politics is involved in everything we do. Therefore after having an insightful text messaging conversation with a good friend of mine regarding the problems of the City of Detroit, it was revealed to me why Detroit has the problems it has. My friend told me that the reason why Detroit has political and social problems is because the city lacks spiritual energy.

Next, my friend said that the more churches the less spiritual energy there is. Therefore I had to really think about that statement and led me to the conclusion that my friend was saying that the more people go to church, the less spiritual energy they have to do the right thing and treat people the way God wants his children to be treated. So as I think about it, I want to say it wrong but it is no denying that Detroit has over 7,000 churches yet we have a moral decay. My friend summed it up like this, " We are emotional in church but when ti comes to spirituality only a few of us understand it.

Thus if Detroit lacks spiritual morality than it could be the very reason why we are constantly dealing with the same issues year in and year out. With a church on every corner and nearly 3 quarters of the Detroit population not being married it is clear that perhaps Detroit's political and social-economic problems is a direct result of the city's spiritual faith being torn down spiritually. With that said, I must say that perhaps the social and political issues of Detroit today are a direct result of Detroit morally not being right due to our spirituality.

If Detroit was as deeply rooted in our spirituality as we portray ourselves to be on Sunday morning than why are we so quick and fast to put people out of work, to take city services and to give top tier salaries to City Council staff and Mayoral appointees as well as raises.  Then if we think about it more indepthly than we will realize that all the city scandals regarding infidelity and cover ups is a direct result of us not having morally correct people in various positions in the city.

Detroit is known for electing people based off name recognition but if we look at the character of many of the people that the city has elected since 1993 than we will see that many have lacked morals especially spiritual morals. Thus if our elected leaders are lacking morals than why are we electing them to office when we know that they are not intwine with the faith that many of us follow. My friend made a good point that we have so much energy in church but once it is over, we sometimes leave our spirituality at the doors of the church rather than take it home with us.

I'm not sitting up here saying I am perfect and I am not guilty of it too because I have been. However when it comes to electing people, it takes a lot to earn my vote because I look deeply at a person's character and what they have currently done to improve the city. That's why when it comes to religion and politics in Detroit or anywhere in America, we can't separate the two. Our faith must be rooted in every decision we make including voting and holding politicians accountable. Now at the same time, our elected officials have to keep faith at the center of their lives other wise we will continue to see the moral and social decay that we see now because too many decisions are rooted in chasing the almighty dollar instead of the Almighty Lord and Savior which it should be.

This is reality we must face today not only in Detroit but in America.

What the Elite Really mean?

What they really mean: Message From The Elite

This is a very unique video and question? What do the elite in our nation really want and what do they really mean when they speak to us. Many of us wonder what we want they elite really mean when they propose plans to help the poor or the working class. Many of us wonder is everything as cut and dry as the elite try to portray things when they are making plans to try to solve the woes of our nation and the world. So what doe the elite really mean when they speak? Just something I want people to think about.

New GOP Ad

Crazy

The War on Our Youth: ACT Scores Show Small Progress & Decline

This year's ACT score data shows that the national composite average has dropped from 21.1 in 2009 to 21 in 2010. However the data does show that 24 percent of ACT-tested students met or surpassed all four of the test's benchmarks measuring their preparedness for college English, reading, math and science. That is up from 23 percent last year and 21 percent in 2006. Therefore to a degree, more students are college ready than last year but the numbers are still not enough.


I know some people will say that is that really progress and to a degree I must say it really is not since more than 76 percent of ACT-tested student didn't meet or surpass all four of the test's benchmarks. So America's colleges and universities will see majority of their freshmen classes coming in needing to take one or two remedial classes. Therefore if we as Americans look closer at the data, we find that we have a lot of work to do in regards to preparing our students for college and the ACT test.


That's why as we discuss how we improve our nation's educational institutions, we need to first look at how we are teaching our students and preparing our students to take the ACT because that should be the national standardized test in our nation. The ACT is the only test that should matter because it tells us if our nation's high school graduates are truly prepared for college. So if our nation is to do better in educating our youth than we must start by retaking how our students learn and how we test them when state standardized tests are nothing like the ACT test which they should be.


For now though, we must continue to try to win this major battle on our youth once and for all so we can win the war.

Winning the War on Our Youth!

What if the Tea Party was Black?

A few months ago, Tim Wise wrote a widely circulated article called, "Imagine if the Tea Party Was Black " which challenged America to take a close look at the hypocrisy of the Right Wing. Now, a Pittsburgh rapper is accepting his challenge in true Hip Hop form. Jasiri X has released a video called "What if the Tea Party was Black." The Hip Hop artist says that he got the idea when Paradise,a member of the pro-black rap group X-Clan, forwarded him a copy of Wise's article. "I saw the article and I liked the concept," says the rapper. So Jasiri hit the studio with producer Cynik Lethal while Paradise grabbed his video camera and they went on their mission to defeat the Right Wing propaganda machine.

LYRICS
What if the tea party was black
Holding guns like the Black Panther Party was back
If Al was Rush Limbaugh and Jesse was Sean Hannity
And Tavis was Glenn Beck would they harm they families
If Sarah Palin was suddenly Sistah Soaljah
Would they leave it with the votes or go and get the soldiers
Yall know if the tea party was black
The government would have been had the army attack

What if Michael Baisden was on ya FM dial
For 3 hours every day calling the president foul
Would they say free speech or find evidence how
To charge him with treason like see he's unamerican now
What if Minister Farrakhan prayed for the death
Of the commander in chief that he be laid to rest
Would they treat it as the gravest threat or never make an arrest
Even today he's still hated for less
What if President Obama would have lost the election
Quit his job so he could go talk to the left and
Bash the government for being off of direction
Fraught with deception
And told black people they want all of our weapons
And we want our own country and called for secession
Would he be arrested and tossed in corrections
For trying to foster aggression
Against the people's lawful selection
Our questions

What if the tea party was black
Holding guns like the Black Panther Party was back
If Al was Rush Limbaugh and Jesse was Sean Hannity
And Tavis was Glenn Beck would they harm they families
If Sarah Palin was suddenly Sistah Soaljah
Would they leave it with the votes or go and get the soldiers
Yall know if the tea party was black
The government would have been had the army attack

What If black people went on Facebook and made a page
That for the death if the president elect we prayed
Would the creators be tazed and thrown in a cage
We know the page wouldn't have been displayed all these days
What if Jeremiah Wright said that everybody white
Wasn't a real America would you feel scared of him
If he had a militia with pictures that depict the president as Hitler
They would kill and bury that
Wait
What if Cynthia McKinney lamented the winning of the new president
And hinted he wasn't really a true resident
With no proof or evidence
Would the media treat it like a huge press event
They would have attacked whatever group she represents
They would have called her a kook on precedent
And any network that gave her due preference
Would be the laughing stock of the news so our question is

What if the tea party was black
Holding guns like the Black Panther Party was back
If Al was Rush Limbaugh and Jesse was Sean Hannity
And Tavis was Glenn Beck would they harm they families
If Sarah Palin was suddenly Sistah Soaljah
Would they leave it with the votes or go and get the soldiers
Yall know if the tea party was black
The government would have been had the army attack

First Amendment vs. Ground Zero Mosque

The First Amendment of the United States of America Constitution states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

So on Friday at a White House Dinner celebrating the Muslim Holiday Ramadan, President Barack Obama became the most vocal Democrat to support the building of a ground zero mosque in New York. However many Republicans had already disagreed with the building of the mosque and victims of 9/11 also disagreed with it. Now the First Amendment of our nation's constitution states that we shall not establish any law that doesn't respect the establishment of one's religion and that is the exact argument that President used in his remarks in support of the building of the mosque.

President Obama is right with his remarks and while I would like to see the mosque built somewhere else out of respect for the 9/11 families. The reality is that despite my own feelings for that, our nation was formed for people of all religions to escape religious persecution. Therefore those Democrats and Republicans as well as other Americans who have forgotten that, need to go revisit history. While 9/11 is the worst terrorist attack on American soil, we can't condemn Islam and all Muslims as if their religion is evil and bad for our nation because if we look at other terrorists attacks on our soil or killings on our soil, majority of them were down by quote unquote people of Christian faith. So are we preventing Christians from building churches anywhere in this nation.

The answer is no and that's why the Ground Zero Mosque should be allowed to be built plus one component of the Mosque is a Tolerance Center that is aimed at helping to teaching tolerance amongst the Islamic faith and other religions. This is the exact reason why the mosque should be built so that 9/11 families should be able to go to learn how to forgive other Muslims for the wrong doing of others Muslims who used the name of Islam to justify their devilish deeds. It is no different than how people of other religions particularly Christians try to justify their evil deeds with their faith. That is the exact thing that many slave masters and those who supported Jim Crow did in the South.

This is why denying Muslims any rights that other religions have is just flat out wrong which is why President Obama got his remarks right despite his critics. In fact President Obama should not have had to come out in support of the mosque if cowardly local Democrats had of stood up supporting it when other local Republicans were condemning the building of it. The loudest voice outside of President Obama supporting the building of the mosque was New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who is an independent, which is why perhaps this is the year of the independent movement.

Still this is yet another reason why our nation continues to have issues regarding race and religion because so many people are not willing to be tolerate of others beliefs and feelings.

The Independence Revolt

Two years after breaking in favor of Barack Obama and the Democratic Party and 4 years after favoring Democrats in the 2006 midterm elections, independents are revolting against the policies of the Democratic Party. However independence are not revolting in favor in Republicans but more so in favor of lack of proven results to fix America's economy and to clean up Washington which Democrats pledged to do in 2006 and in 2008. In fact, independents are more upset with Washington today because lawmakers are still running the nation's debt while funding pet projects back at home that are a waste of taxpayer dollars. Also independents are upset about the lack of funding for main street which is still suffering in America's economic climate with unemployment at 9.5% with no signs of going down before November's midterm elections.

So the independent revolution that voted in favor of Obama and the Democrats in 2008 are not so happy these days with the state of affairs as Wall Street and many of the companies that received TARP dollars and other government funding are claiming record highs these days. Thus, the real question is where is the accountability that was suppose to come to D.C. and where is the quote unquote help for main street that was suppose to come with the passage of TARP and the economic recovery act. Such relief has not come yet and many independents are still feeling the economic pitch which is why they are revolting from in these midterm elections by either voting against Democrats and incumbents regardless of their party affiliation or perhaps deciding to sit out midterms.

Right now as it stands, the independent revolution is going and many political experts are starting to see that in many key battleground states that independents outnumber one party or the other because people are growing tired of political party affiliations. This growing trend is what both the Democratic and Republican Parties have feared since the country has always been a centrist right country because of our spiritual beliefs. Still as the midterm elections approach, this does not fare well for Democrats who are even running away from the President in some states because they fear any attachment to him could cost them a primary or the general election. All in all, this sits well for independents who votes are being coveted day in and day out because they hold the key to many Gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and House congressional races in many battleground states. So come November, if Democrats don't improve their status with independent voters, it could be a long midterm election night for the Democratic Party.

With Obama address, Democrats revive specter of GOP threat to Social Security

On the 75th anniversary of Social Security, President Obama promises to protect it from Republican leaders in Congress who have made privatization a key part of their agenda. He makes clear that, especially in light of the financial crisis, gambling Social Security on Wall Street makes no sense.

Now while Democrats want to use Social Security against Republicans this Fall, the reality is that not many Republicans want to privatize Social Security. In fact many Republicans want to fix Social Security just like some Democrats do. However what isn't being discussed by Democrats is how to actually fix it. Yes, Democrats want to preserve Social Security and Republicans want to do the same but neither side has come up with a way to do so or an idea outside of privatizing or giving the American people the option to open up privatized accounts on Wall Street.

That is why on the 75th anniversary of Social Security, President Obama and Democrats attacking Republican leaders is so funny since it was Republican leaders along with Democrats who helped defeat President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security in Bush's second term in office. Therefore as we fast forward to the present, there are some Democrats who say Social Security doesn't need to be changed at all, it is working great.

Now the reality is that Social Security is set to be depleted between 2015 and 2020. So if that is the case than what will our federal government do to make sure that Social Security is around for my generation. That is the big question and at present day, Democrats are attacking Republicans for trying to privatize Social Security and Republicans are saying we need to fix Social Security but not many are saying privatization is the way but they knowledge it does need fixing while many Democrats don't even acknowledge that.

So who are we the American people suppose to believe and which political party should we entrust we preserving Social Security. That is the millionaire dollar question and if I knew the answer I would surely share it but for now, I can't trust neither party with solving this complicated issue since they haven't been able to fix other pertinent issues thus far.

The White House vs. The Professional Left

The White House is now attacking the left for what Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says, "The Professional Left won't be satisfied until the Pentagon is gone and America has a health care system like Canada." Perhaps all the pressure is finally getting to some in the White House and its clear that Gibbs comments ruffled some feathers and even in trying to end the feud, Gibbs continued to make smart remarks.


Thus what is happening right now as the White House goes after the left especially since the White House has attacked everyone else already, it is funny to now hear them attack their own base. The quote unquote professional left are the very one's who helped than candidate Barack Obama get the Democratic Presidential nomination in the first place over Hillary Clinton in 2008. Now 2 years later, it seems as if the White House particularly Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is mocking the left and progressives who worked night and day to get Democrats elected and Obama in the White House.


The left has been at odds with the White House over all types of issues but that is because many on the left feel that the White House is not fighting hard enough to keep many of the promises that candidate Obama made in 2008. If you think about Gitmo is still open, health care passed with no public option, and the banks were no held accountable as candidate Obama promised. This is why this feud with the left is not over and the White House better begin to listen to the left instead of running from the left that got Obama the nomination to begin with.


A promise made should be a promised kept and that is why the left are at odds with the White House because some many promises are not being kept. This is why Robert Gibbs is frustrated because the quote unquote professional left is holding the White House accountable like they did with than former President Bush. Accountability is critical and the left should continue to fight to hold the White House and Democrats accountable for the campaign promises they made in 2008.

The War on Our Youth--Education: The Economic Issue of Our Time

President Obama speaks about the link between higher education and economic prosperity and calls on the United States to lead the world in the percentage of college graduates in remarks at the University of Texas. August 9, 2010.

President Obama is right, education is the biggest economic and social issue of our time. If we don't deal with it properly than generations of more Americans will be left behind. That's why I am fighting now to overhaul education and the test base system that was created by "No Child Left Behind." Such a system has caused us to lose yet another generation of youth and we can't continue to go down that path. However we can't simply blame teachers and teachers unions for the way our kids are being educated. The fact of the matter is that there is no one group of people who we can blame as the scapegoats for our failing education system. Parents, teachers, administrators, lawmakers, the community and most importantly students are to blame for the lack of education that our kids has been receiving over the decades. In fact whenever I talk to youth, I tell them that if you don't expect more for your selves than how can you expect someone else to expect more for you. So the real scapegoat to the educational woes we face is no other than us as America.

Deficit of Hope

This is a new Republican National Committee Ad. The ad says, "American's are fed up with Obama's economy of persistently high unemployment, crushing debt, and continued assault on the private marketplace." So taking off one's political cap for a second, is there any truth to the ad on the basis that Americans are fed up with Washington not just the Obama administration but Washington, D.C. in general when it comes to high employment and crushing debt as well as an economy that hasn't recovered despite the claims that legislators on the hill say, we are better off than we would have been without the Economic Recovery Act or TARP.

Well my answer is yes, Americans are fed up and tired of political bickering and jockeying that only benefits one political party over the other. Americans want solutions and at the current state, those solutions will be hard to find with this Congress. That's why in November regardless of your political party affiliation, we as Americans must elect the best candidate who has proven results to go to Washington to represent us the people who are suffering.

Florida's U.S. Senate Candidate Kendrick Meek's New Campaign Ad

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Go to www.kendrickmeek.com for more information.

Representative Rangel Reaction to Ethics Violation Charges

Representative Charles Rangel addressed the House of Representatives, speaking about 13 counts of ethics charges against him. He defended himself and said he would not resign. Therefore shouldn't the House Ethics Committee instead of going on vacation and break give Rep. Rangel his due justice by having his trail before the November Elections. While some people want to say that Republicans on the Ethics committee don't want to do that, the reality is that some Democrats on the committee feel the same way as well Republicans. So why do we even have Ethics committees in Congress if they are not going to make sure that the excused Congressional leaders get a speedy and fair trail or hearing. Nonetheless the word fair when it comes to Congressional leaders is an oxymoron just like the word ethics. Let's see how all this plays out but its clear Rep. Rangel is not going down quietly and he shouldn't.

The Middle is the Way to Go

As the November General Elections approach, it seems as if many quote unquote political experts are beginning to realize that if Democrats or Republicans are to win in November, they have to appeal to the middle. However, what is amazing is that this isn't a new political theory or concept but it is the middle that has led to either the Democratic or Republican Party taking over Congress or the White House. While some politicians or political experts would like to say independents are only Republicans or Democrats in disguise depending on how the November results occur.

The truth is that if Democrats win in November than many Republicans will say the independent base was Democrats who didn't want to identify themselves as Democrats and the same will be said by Democrats if Republicans win in November. Well let me begin to say that nothing can be further from the truth. I am an independent because I have never believed in the two party political system and I have always believed in examining candidates regardless of party affiliation to see who is the best candidate. As I look at this November, I must say if I was associated with a political party than how could I defend the misdeeds, the verbal miscues or the lack of results of either party these days as unemployment remains at 9.5 in this nation and our nation's schools are not any better than they were two years ago.

That's way I am an independent because I don't have to defend the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. I don't have to sit up here and pander to the left or the right just get out of the primary. The reality is that, I can bash the brains out of both parties and those who defend the misconduct and stupidity of each side. I can stand here and look at the candidates without getting caught up in the fact that one is a Republican and one is a Democrat and look at who is the best candidate based off the issues that affect me the most. I can stand here and not feel bad that I am leaning one way or the other because my allegiance is to America, my state, my county and my city not to a political party. In fact I can even vote for a third party candidate if I want and still feel good.

That's why all these political experts who are starting to realize again that way to win November is to appeal to the middle need to quit their job and give it to me because the middle will always decide most general elections in statewide races. So if any candidate out there who doesn't realize that than their hopes of winning their General Election might be slim to none. The 2010 midterm elections is truly the year of the independents and its growing more rapidly.