I begin with a special thank you to Black Media for keeping this story alive. This had the potential to become yet another tragic story of a young Black Male inexplicably shot & killed by an authority figure. Mainstream Media began covering this story 3 weeks after the fact. If I had to guess what makes this story different from the countless others like it, I would say that it was Trayvon himself. All of the pictures that I have seen of him depict a young man that looks anything but threatening. I remarked to friends that Trayvon resembles Theo Huxtable more than some bad seed. President Obama’s comment that if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon only added to the coverage. Today, more than 6 weeks  later, dozens of cities have held marches denouncing not just the actions of George Zimmerman, but the system that allows people like him to rationalize that it’s okay to profile, and pursue young Black Men.

The truth of the matter, is that this goes well beyond the murder of Trayvon Martin. The 800lb gorilla in the room is race. Trayvon Martin’s death appears to be the last straw. We are told that we live in a ‘Post Racial Society”, but it appears that it only exists in theory. The “Era Of Obama” looked to be the beginning of such a society, but over the last 4yrs, we have seen an increase of racial polarization in America. The racial undercurrent is undeniable. A good example is the Republican Presidential Primary. Time and again, Presidential Candidates Newt Gingrich & Rick Santorum have laced their speeches with racial innuendo, in an effort to appeal to their conservative base. This is the same base that supports the “Stand Your Ground” laws now being questioned. On the surface, Stand Your Ground sounds like   a viable self defense measure. In George Zimmerman’s case, it reminds me of “South Park” characters Ned & Jimbo screaming “he’s headed right for us!”, & using that as an excuse for blowing the assailant to kingdom come. It appears that i’m not alone in my thinking.  

 Over the last two weeks, I have heard a few members of Black Media call Trayvon’s murder an “Emmitt Till moment”. I can’t say that I completely agree with that assessment. While both were young & appeared non threatening; Emmitt Till was brutally lynched. What catches my interest, is how Trayvon’s death is being interpreted. Emmitt Till’s death is considered one of the sparks that ignited the Civil Rights Movement. That Trayvon Martin’s death is drawing a comparison tells us what some think about the state of race in America. While I am pleased with the recent arrest of George Zimmerman for 2nd degree murder, we can’t overlook the fact that like the Civil Rights Movement, public pressure & national outrage were the true motivators. Just last week, The DA’s office in Sanford, Fl. announced that they would not take the case to the Grand Jury. It took the “disappearance” of Zimmerman & the resignation of his attorneys to force the authorities to take action. Does living in a “Post Racial Society” mean we ignore the violation of citizens rights until we’re forced to pay attention? I honestly don’t know. We will have to see how this case develops. What I do know, is this has gone beyond George Zimmerman & Stand Your Ground.

Egypt (Kamit). Would love to walk where my Ancestors walked

I am more than a little disturbed by the not so coded messages of the Republican Presidential Candidates. Recent comments by Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum specifically have motivated me to speak about this. Over the last 2 years or so, I have listened to members of the Political and Media Elite (movers & shakers) talk about the rise of “populist politics” - mostly in relation to TEA Party activities. They frame it like it’s a good thing. Meanwhile, behind the populist curtain, we see a push to curtail collective bargaining in Wisconsin and Ohio. Also prevalent, is a full court press to restrict voter registration and early voting in Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin- to name a few of the 40 states trying to pass legislation. The above States will require a State Issued Photo ID to be eligible to vote. This will prevent thousands of students enrolled in private colleges from voting. It will also prevent people who can’t afford to purchase a State issued ID from voting. The reason cited for this measure is an unsubstantiated claim that it will prevent voter fraud. And while various picture ID cards are deemed unacceptable, gun licenses ARE acceptable as proper ID. Also prevalent behind the populist curtain, is the push to reduce programs like Social Security and Medicare. By using repetition to establish distortions as beliefs, Republican Elites have led their under informed voters to believe that “earned benefits” are “entitlements”. Using the same tactic, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act becomes “Obama-Care”. I have other examples, but I think that I made my point.

What really disturbs me, is the way Republican Elites bast the issues with racially charged rhetoric- not unlike the way a Chef uses hot oil to bast his Peking Duck. While we can agree that we are living in scary times for ALL Americans, Republican Elites have been engaged in a sustained effort to scare the White Middle/Working Class into thinking that President Obama is taking “their” hard earned tax dollars, and giving it to members of “The Welfare/Affirmative Action Class”. While White Americans consistently receive substantial welfare benefits and food stamps, we cannot escape the Reagan Era image of the welfare cheat and dead beat in Black face. And while White Women have benefited from Affirmative Action as much, if not more than any other “Minority Group”, the general public is led to believe that it was a quota system that allowed unqualified individuals to leap frog over qualified White Men. When you factor in fewer job opportunities, diminishing pensions, and evaporating principal assets (home values and stock portfolios), it is clear that the angst is felt by ALL members of the Middle/Working Class. Republican Elites are engaging in a method of divide and conquer. This is not unprecedented. The Populist Movement of the 1890’s was also a movement of “The People”. Political and Corporate Elites were able to infiltrate it, and using racially charged rhetoric nullified it. The end result was Separate But  Equal Laws that were more commonly known as “Jim Crow”. The constitutional rights of Black Americans were circumvented by way of The Grandfather Clause, Poll Tax, and Literacy Test. The similarities between Republican Elites of today and “Dixiecrats” of 100yrs ago is uncanny. I was taught many years ago that those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it. I truly hope that we’re not watching history repeat itself.

Here we are in 2012, a year full of promise & prophesy. My apologies for the lapse since my last blog; like so many, LIFE has been challenging for me. That said, I have been paying attention to events occurring during that time. I applaud the activists of the Occupy Wall Street/America/Earth Movement. Born out of deep emotional frustration, the movement seems to have found it’s legs as their leaders unite under the platform of “Equality For All”. I wish them well. The Republican Candidates have been a source of entertainment, as each takes their position as ‘Flavor Of The Month”, only to fade into the background as quickly as they appeared. Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, & now Rick Santorum have all made the attempt to grab the brass ring- only to fall before the Mitt (Steady As He Goes) Romney Machine. It’s pretty clear now that Mitt will be the Republican Candidate; the question is who will be his running mate. My money is on Santorum. Jon Huntsman would be the logical choice, but that may be too much Mormon for America at this time. Romney needs a staunch conservative on his ticket to attract the TEA Party element. Ron Paul may be perceived as “quirky”, Michelle Bachman as ”inconsistent”, Rick Perry as “uninformed”, Herman Cain as “damaged goods” and Newt Gingrich as “All The Above”. That said, it all makes for good television.

I foresee President Obama taking the initiative on the domestic front this year, in addition to keeping America relevant on the World Stage. North Korea, Iran, Syria, Yemen, & Iraq WILL make news this year. The crisis in Europe is not going anywhere. I am curious to see how The President positions America in regard to these global events. On the domestic front, I foresee The President implementing a jobs program that focuses on infrastructure, & possibly expanding into energy. If the unemployment rate stays around 8%, I find it hard for The Republican Candidate to knock President Obama off his perch. We are already hearing the spin that President Obama should not get the credit for the drop in unemployment, or for his success in foreign affairs. I know that Americans are supposed to have a 30 second attention span, but many of us remember that President Bush took the helm with a surplus and handed President Obama a deficit. All of the spin they can generate cannot erase that. It also speaks to what kind of America Republican Elites are trying to create- An America where Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry, & Newt Gingrich can spew unsubstantiated rhetoric without fear of reprisal. I think Americans are smarter than that. With that, I wish everyone a 2012 that brings good health, community, and success in your pursuit of happiness

I have been watching the events following the “debt ceiling scare”, and can’t help but smile. The TEA-publicans seem dead set on blaming all of the problems that we face as a nation on President Obama. The general argument is that he is a weak leader because he hasn’t generated enough jobs, and hasn’t found a way to get us out of Afghanistan. None of them talk about the events that lead us to the here & now; instead they collectively rant that it’s The President’s mess, and how poor job a he has done trying to fix it. How did we get here? I remember President Obama walking into a mess that was only getting worse. All along the way, the Republican Right have protested and stalled the progress that could have been done. The TARP Reform Bill for example, was planned as a larger measure, but it was blocked. A smaller measure was adopted in an effort to appease both sides, but it was presented with the caveat that it will not be as effective as the original plan. Does anyone remember that? I don’t think the TEA-publicans do. To hear it from them, The President is a Chicago con man that suckered us all with his golden voice. If he’s a con man, what do we call his predecessor? What do we call those members of congress willing to maintain tax cuts for the wealthiest of us, while many of us are in dire straits? I heard one member of congress state that “corporations are individuals too”. If that’s the case, would you consider that “individual” to be guilty of treason when:

1) It claims to be a patriot (American based business), but shuts down it’s manufacturing and production in the U.S.

2)  The ratio of Corporate CEO salaries to that of regular employees on average are 300:1, but they continue to layoff workers before cutting salaries & bonuses

3) They send spies (lobbyists) to Washington intent on persuading members to adopt an agenda that may not be in the best interest of the U.S.

4) Financing is available to hire more staff, but not doing so allows them to manipulate negotiations with Government regulators and other federal entities.

Don’t be fooled by the “dog & pony show” going on. For some reason Political, Media, & Business Elites are willing to disrupt our quality of life, in an effort to prove that President Obama cannot handle the position of President. I don’t know about you, but that is not my definition of patriotism. Maybe it’s just me.

I have been watching the recent turn of events following the debt ceiling mess and the passage of the Budget Control Act of 2011. We all know the details about the bill; notably, the absence of taxes to raise revenue. What has caught my attention most, is the fallout from all of this. First, The Republican factions tried to substantiate a $2.1 Trillion dollar package with holes, when The President was willing to support a $4 Trillion dollar package that was more holistic in approach. Next, Standard & Poor’s lower their rating on the U.S. from AAA to AA+. Chief among the reasons for this move was “political brinksmanship” on the part of our elected officals during the debate over raising the debt ceiling. Removing the “Bush Tax Cuts” was instrumental to stabilizing the debt, and S&P said they don’t see any possibility of those cuts being removed. The Chinese Government has also issued a statement along a similar line regarding politics interfering with process. The debt ceiling has been raised more than 30 times over the last 30yrs with little to no fanfare. Why did this President have to come to congress with hat in hand? It seems to me that S&P were asking the same question. Despite the rhetoric centered on downplaying S&P’s relevance as a rating agency, stocks took a hit at the first bell. Global events (Greece, Spain, & England in particular) have caused the rollercoaster ride on Wall St to continue throughout the remainder of the week, but a slightly better than expected jobs report helped U.S. markets gain some of their losses.

Alot has happened in the last two weeks, but not so much that Republicans can get away with blaming The President for the mess that we’re in. The spin is now that President Obama is a weak and ineffective leader. He lacks leadership. The Republican candidates can all do a better job. I think that they made a critical mistake. Americans may be spoiled, but we’re not stupid. This refusal to eliminate the “Bush Tax Cuts” will be their undoing. Tea-publicans  are playing the historical game of divide & conquer, but it won’t work this time. In the past, grassroots movements like the TEA party have been infiltrated by the Political, Financial, and Media Elite; who were able to shift the agenda of the program to suit their needs. As these “average folk”  sound more like “giants of industry” the masses will abandon them.

The debt ceiling saga continues. With only 5 days remaining to take action, the only movement in Washington, seems to be lips. The Republican Right seem hard set on proving that all the talk regarding a possible downgrading of America’s credit rating is no different from the talk about “The Rapture” back in May. As we all know, that was a non event. Speaker Boehner & his cronies in congress are promoting a ‘Budget Control Act” that they say will cut, cap, & balance the budget. On the surface, it sounds reasonable. The first problem, is that this plan is only a 6 month fix; we will be right back where we started next spring, which will coincide with the 2012 Presidential Election. The next problem, is the fact that this plan has no provision in it to raise taxes on the wealthy, while it calls for capping and cutting programs to the middle and lower class. These “politicians” have short memories. Government programs are the reason why we have a middle class. The WW II generation were able to go to college, buy homes, and get business loans to open their “Mom & Pop” shops because of these programs. The diminished funds available for higher education, housing, and small business loans, have made it very difficult for this generation to keep pace with their parents or grand parents.

 Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and numerous TEA Party affiliates have said that ANY tax increase is a “job killer”. What about raising taxes on  financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, that profited from the mess created by Sub Prime Mortgages? What about eliminating oil subsidies to Corporations that are making money hand over fist? What about companies that call themselves “American”, but manufacture their goods outside of the country? The Republican approach is not new. This is 20th century politics. Even Ronald Reagan compromised with Speaker Tip O’Neil to balance the budget 30yrs ago. Now our AAA credit rating is is jeopardy. To those unfamiliar with this, America’s rating being downgraded to AA  will mean the interest rate that America pays on the money it borrows will go up by 1% -2%. Doesn’t sound like much, but it will mean an additional $100 Billion a year in interest payments alone. Boehner’s plan is estimated to cut $915 Billion over the next 10yrs, but will cost us $1Trillion in additional interest payments over the same 10yr span. How is this good for America?

The political posturing over the debt ceiling has created disgust in democrats and republicans nationwide. At last count, congress has a 10% approval rating. What is ironic about all of this, is the chutzpah being displayed by the Republican Right. They are the same republicans that supported the agenda of ”American Gangsters” Bush & Cheney: They approved two wars that were never paid for, tax cuts to the wealthiest of us, and passed a prescription drug bill that seemed to benefit Pharmaceutical Companies more than people. And all of this was done while pushing a platform of Crusader-ism, that made us look like the global bully on the block. Now the blame on “out of control spending” goes to President Obama, who has been trying to put his fingers in the holes made by his predecessor. Forgotten is the surplus that President Clinton handed over to President Bush. Go figure. Meanwhile, The President has gone on National TV to explain his program of trimming down “entitlements” like Social Security and Medicare, while raising taxes. About 80% of Americans agree that a dual approach is needed, but Republicans appear to have blinders on. They seem to be looking at an opportunity to make this an election issue more than a dead issue. Like I said, chutzpah!