The brazen lies and intentional omission of the obvious

After reading this idiotic article on Real Clear Politics about how "liberals doesn't white politics" by David Paul Kuhn.  The amount of foolishness spewed by this guy is AMAZING to even somebody with a social psychology background as myself.  He attempted to brush over how although there has been some incidents of racial bias and what not, the TEA party movement isn't about race or ethnic bias.

Disregard centuries of furious debate over the role of government. Disregard the Great Recession, historic economic anxiety, this hyper-partisan era, or the comparable vitriol Bill Clinton knew. Disregard white working class skepticism of liberalism since the Great Society, when liberal policy became less concerned with them. Disregard the average man today who sees rich guys and poor guys getting the big breaks from big government. No, Rich explains, it's all about whites who want to "take our country back" from a black president.

What then shall we make of Howard Dean? Over and over, fiery Dean railed during the 2004 campaign, "It's time to take our country back!"

This is the argument that suffices for logic. Rich tosses out the most loaded charge in American life, racism, without evidence. All he has are anecdotes of angry white activists. So he stereotypes. It's like a white person who watches a black criminal on the local news and draws racist generalizations.

Clearly, some Tea Party activists are driven by racial animus. We read it in the signs. Dale Robertson, Teaparty.org founder, held up a sign last year that read, "Congress = Slaveowner, Taxpayer = Niggar." Recently, in an ugly scene near the Capitol, some Tea Party protesters reportedly hurled racist epithets at members of the Congressional Black Caucus (including civil rights hero John Lewis). But it's the generalizations that are absurd and self-defeating.

Yeah, only a fool would believe that one, Kuhn.  He conveniently forgot how some spewed the word "nigger" to Georgia Congressman John Lewis and spat on Missouri Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver on the weekend in which healthcare reform has passed.   Let's keep it real, some of those who originally wanted start the TEA party movement might have objectively wanted it to remain racially ambiguous, but let's face the facts.  First, the movement is still over 90% white and the few non-whites involved are negligible since they are as entertainment for the crowd like Jerome Lewis.  The twisted irony of how they conveniently formed after a black president was elected and a Democratic-majority of Congress occur isn't a coincidence.

White politics exists, and most politic experts such as such as myself are well-informed of this, but most of it involves the omission of the social ailments of non-whites and usually rails upon how white males are "mistreated" by the changing American society.  Hell, you and those like you should take a note from your predecessors handbook and was told to non-whites, "either get with the program or get lost".  If you can't keep up with the economy and increasingly diverse nation then you need to evolve and change so you can survive rather than using rhetoric like "taking our country back".  Notice non-whites have never said such things because they don't believe in owing this country rather just being citizens that contribute to the place as most productive members of a society.  This article posted by David Seaton on Talking Points Memo explains exactly what has been occurring best.  If you are using that type of rhetoric that lets us all know that the problem with white politics is it's about ownership and possessiveness in a patriarchal sense rather than being just a productive contributing member of society.

IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND DON'T BE MAD THAT EVERYBODY HAS CLOCKED YOU AND THOSE THAT ARE THINKING LIKE YOURSELF!

Another chapter in the ongoing saga involving Birmingham

As mentioned earlier this year, there is a bill that has been floating around the Alabama State Legislature to synchronize all municipal election seats including City Council and mayor into one date every four years.  It would alleviate the double-dipping, backstabbing, and saboteur behavior of elected officials in Birmingham City Hall every 2 years while vying for the seat of mayor all the time.  Although that version had passed the Alabama State House, Merika Coleman listened and used some common sense and resubmitted her bill back to its original version with ending the current mayoral term held by the jackal, William Bell, in 2011 rather than extending it to 2013.  The next mayor of Birmingham would have an abbreviated term of 2 years and would have to run again in 2013 with the City Council. 

Wise choice, Coleman, very wise choice.  You are wise to listen to those who warned you of the repercussions of extending that jackal's term. 

The battle in GA amongst the Governor, State Assmbly Republicans, and the Attorney General

Another health care reform passage spin-off, instead of the Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker joining the ranks of the other Southern state attorney generals like the gay obsessed Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli, closeted Alabama AG Troy King, South Carolina AG Henry McMaster, Florida AG Bill McCollum, and Louisiana James D. "Buddy" Cadwell (who is a Democratic, probably a socially conservative one that allowed Mr. Jindal aka "Mr. I wish I was a white" to encourage him), and Texas AG Greg Abbott suing the federal government over the health care bill.  He is refusing to sue over the healthcare reform law and its enforcement, so the Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue along with Republican-majority State Assembly are pushing for the state to sue on its own and impeach Baker over his refusal.  Perdue was attempt to use an ultimatum to force Baker to react and file a suit against the portion of the law requiring all individuals to obtain health insurance as unconstitutional.  However, Baker also a Democratic gubernatorial candidate refused to oblige to the threats.  

GOOD FOR YOU, BAKER.  I wouldn't listen to the idiocy and political grandstanding bullshit either because it's a waste of state funds when there are more imperative things that all these states need to be concerned with like a balanced budget...

But there's more!!!!

The blogosphere is a buzzing about Alabama Congressman and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Artur Davis' steadfast stance to vote against healthcare reform although he said it was needed.  His talking out of both sides of his mouth looks stupid and confusing on the surface, but he might have A POINT.  Now, I'm one who doesn't trying to psychologically analyze the mind of somebody as flip-flopping as Davis, but he does have a means to an end.  However, the empirical question to this whole situation is "Was the "no" vote really worth it?"

Here's my take, it might not be as serious as some people like Rod McCullom of Rod 2.0, who loves making cheap shots at Davis wherever possible but won't do the same to others while giving them Swiss cheese-like passes for their bullshit or the salon.com and the talking head brigade.  Alabama is a moderate-to-conservative state where there is more socially conservative whites that vote in drives over any other group of people.  Oh yeah for the record, although Alabama's 7th Congressional district is the most "Democratic-leaning" (as they allege only salon.com) in the state, doesn't equate to most "gay-friendly" (to Rod and the simpleton brigade).  This district is quite the place for Democrats, but the kind like that isn't progressive for nothing.  Mainly since most of the LGBT population in Greater Birmingham doesn't even live in Birmingham proper, which is the coextensive with most of this district's boundary in this region.  If you want to know who makes up this district, yeah they are black but they are socially conservative and not very gay-friendly at all (just see the Birmingham municipal elections for measure).   Honestly, I believe the dog-and-pony show outside his main Birmingham office last week and the statement by his primary Ron Sparks was more for show by some this state's scrupulously simply Democratic party.  You guys can have fun on the ignorance you're pedaling around the Internet about a place you don't know, so when somebody calls you out don't say I didn't say "I TOLD YA SO!"

Anyways, Davis is a politico, who shouldn't be taken that serious, and is stuck between a rock and a hard place in this bizarre state.  He knows he was taking a political gamble being as placing your entire stack of chips on the blackjack table for wager, but he might not lose after all.  The only people he has to ultimately answer to will be those who will actually go to the voting booth come November not the hearsayer, naysayer, or talking heads that lack the facts on the blogosphere.  IN OTHER WORDS, if you are black or non-white in Alabama and eligible to vote then get off your ass and do it if you want your voice hear.   However, IMO Davis, Pelosi, and Obama were all in on his "no" vote and he was doing to protect his ass from further ostracism coming from that aforementioned simple-minded group of majority white voters in Alabama.

OH WELL, I'M NOT LOSING ANY SLEEP OVER HIS VOTE BECAUSE THE SHIT STILL PASSED...

Tragically, ACORN is done...

While the healthcare reform legislation passed in the House and Democrats and some Progressive patting themselves on the back for the accomplishment of a controversial issue, ACORN's board of directors decided to fold the national urban issues advocacy organization citing depleting funds.  SIGH! 

It's a time like this when we really need ACORN because they have fought long and hard for the people against predatory lending involved in the housing crisis, jobs, living wage, voting right, and education reform.  Last fall, the ignorant brigade of Angry White People Coalition and idiots and so-called "progressives" like Congressman John Conyers voted to strip the critical funding that the federal government gave to the organization.  Those idiots were reacting and believing that garbage from that idiotic white boy who prove to be a fraud and a criminal himself.  ACORN did win a court battle that they fought to get their funding back, but unfortunately the damage was done...

This shit disgusts me to no end because this organization actually helped those who couldn't speak for themselves.  The New Orleans-based organization's mission was always to fight to the hardships of those who were either impoverish, undeserved, or non-white, but of course this will go into the abyss because healthcare... SMH

Now the TRUE COLORS are coming out!

While the healthcare debate comes to a head, I mean vote, there have been hoards of TEAbaggers in DC around the governmental buildings cutting up like roaches in an empty nasty house.  Those jackasses were calling out names at John Lewis of Georgia's 5th Congressional District (which is pretty much all of the city of Atlanta and some of the surrounding areas) and openly gay Massachusetts' 4th district Congressman Barney Frank.  The terms "nigger" and "faggot".others such Missouri's 5th district Congressman Emmauel Cleaver was spat on.  Meanwhile, the supporters of the "movement" is purportedly denying the existence of racial bias (however, I doubt that one for sure).  Now they aren't going to be as nice about the whole homophobia at all because that is openly accepted.  However, it's disgusting yet not surprising that some white people are showing their TRUE COLORS within the "Angry White People Coalition".  What's even more tale-telling is how obvious some people are to this for all this time when in reality there the indicators have been there from jump, the TEA Party movement is the closed-minded, white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant crowd that doesn't give a flying fuck about anybody but themselves and obviously abhors the thought of having a non-white president because it shows they are losing control of the nation's leadership positions.

Time for one of my random thoughts about places involving media...

Well, when I think about places across the South, mainly the cities, I always who is the dominant and most reliable outlet of information in that region.  Like in Atlanta, it's a given that its the Cox Media-owned ABC affiliate, WSB-TV "Channel 2", who has been the leader of the region since literally the beginning since its the first TV station to come on air in the South (according to them).  While growing up, I used to think it was so funny that WSB-TV would have all this local programs in an era where local programming was going out of favor because of corporate ownership of media choosing syndicated programs over such.  However, Channel 2 would air "Close-Up with Monica Kaufman", who is legendary in the Atlanta region and those who are familiar with WSB-TV since she is the station's longest serving anchor to-date and one of the nation's longest serving female newscast anchors (35 years).  Also their airing of the nation's largest Independence Day parade on July 4th called "Salute 2 America" along with the "Macy's Great Tree" at Lenox Square shopping mall.

What so sad about the whole situation in Atlanta is the closest competitors, NewsCorp-owned WAGA-TV "FOX5 Atlanta" has half the ratings of anything WSB airs, which I know somebody at NewsCorp and FOX is pissed about consistently in a major market like Atlanta. 

The local NBC-affiliate WXIA-TV, is my personal favorite, but it has been fighting for years to remain #2 in the market with "FOX5 Atlanta".

What's so funny is they had been so dominate with their identity and signature "Action News" product of WSB-TV is that stations in other portions of the South have immolated them like WMC-TV in Memphis with similar logo, news products, and simplification of identity.

The station that has immolated WSB-TV is WMC-TV 5, which is the leading station is arguably the leading news station in Memphis.  The Raycom Media-owned NBC affiliate of the market, which was formerly owned by Atlanta-native, Bert Ellis, who was a huge fan of WSB-TV and used it as a benchmark to create the current look of WMC-TV.

Also Atlanta is one of those dubious markets where the other stations had to shuffle network affiliations due to because WAGA-TV was originally a longtime CBS affiliate until 1994 then it wind up on longtime independent station WGNX, now WGCL-TV.  Since WGNX/WGCL-TV has been hobbling along without a solid identity for years since its days as 'WGNX 46' then owned by Tribune Broadcasting, but now known as "CBS Atlanta" and owned by Meredith Corporation.

When applying that knowledge to here in Birmingham, well there isn't a leader because it is a market where corporatization took away any sense of locality for any of the stations.  The closest station to be "local leading station" was WBRC, but the whole NewsCorp-New World Communications deal back in the 1990s like WAGA-TV in Atlanta, took away that and made it into a FOX-owned station until 2008.  Now its back in the hands of the Alabama-based Raycom Media, but it's just lacking because the station has maintained the "FOX6" name for over a decade.

The other stations here like formerly NBC-Universal-owned NBC affiliate WVTM, which is owned by the god-awful Media General corporation is joke, and WBMA/WJSU/WCFT "ABC 33/40", the combination ABC affiliate is such a small town oriented station.  Whereas, WIAT has resurrected from the decade of ownership by Media General and now owned by New Vision Television, but it is immolating what WBRC and WBMA/WJSU/WCFT have been doing and that is create this "small town mindset" which is so counterproductive to the region as a whole in unification around Birmingham. 

Yeah, even the media here sucks...

The battle over the title "Capital of the South"

Oh brother, Charlotte is trying HARD to gain the title of the "Capital of the South" over longtime titleholder Atlanta in the past decade.  It seems the battle continues through this horribly deep recession.  Charlotte popped off the shots a few years ago when the leaders in North Carolina wooed then financial corporation after the merger of Philadelphia First Union and Winston-Salem-based Wachovia to Charlotte in 2001.  The city already had Bank of America since 1998 when Charlotte-based NationsBank merged with BankAmerica.

In reality, Charlotte isn't even remotely on Atlanta's level at all since one has a little over 2 million inhabitants whereas the other has 5.4 million inhabitants in their respective metropolitan regions.  Also the amount investment in Atlanta in more diversified economy compared to generally financial and service oriented economy of Charlotte.  Most urban studies observers such as myself will give Charlotte kudos for creating the LYNX light-rail transit (LRT) system from the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) in 2008 and having an active and livelier downtown area called "Uptown Charlotte" even during the afterwork hours with substantial population.  However, the infrastructure and population of the combined areas of Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead of Atlanta with MARTA service to all those areas as well surpasses Charlotte still.  Charlotte has the potential of leading the league of cities like Orlando, Tampa, Denver, Austin, Baltimore, etc. because of its size and immense amount investment in infrastructure and strong leadership.  However, its infrastructure still isn't a major hub in the road network, air, or water categories since there's only 2 interstates that pass through Charlotte (I-77 & I-85), Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is up there and an actual international airport but only in certain categories, but like Atlanta it lacks a major river or waterway.  The 2 cities are alike, yet not alike because Atlanta developed way sooner, has a more massive population base, larger airport, more roadway and rail infrastructure, and finally total domination as hub of the state of Georgia.  Whereas, Charlotte is competing with Raleigh and its sister city, Durham, for the dominance of North Carolina because Raleigh is still growing at a rate much faster than Charlotte and its home county, Wake, is well on its way like Charlotte's Mecklenberg to being the state's first with 1 million inhabitants.  On the other hand, North Carolina is a more urbanized and progressive state than Georgia since NC did go for the nation's first black president, Barack Obama, by a razor thin margin and has invested in rail transportation while Georgia still chooses to be typical southern state that is automobile-oriented, socially conservative, and anti-city ideology. 

In the end, sorry Charlotte, but you guys still are only a second-tier city compared to Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Houston, and Washington in the domination of major cities.

Road rankings and Georgia still fairs better than Alabama

In the Readers' Digest ranking where they looking at the quality of roads and the most deadliest states for DUI, speeding tabulated from the Federal Transportation Administration from 2009.  According to the rankings, Alabama is the 9th deadliest state for roads in general and driving under the influence of a controlled substance and #1 for speeding.  The good news is Alabama has the 28th best roads in the nation based on the quality rankings.  However, our eastern neighbor, Georgia, has the 9th best roads based on the quality rankings, but is 20th deadliest state for roads overall.  Other Southern states are as followed: Tennessee was #19 for best roads, #15 for deadliest roads; Mississippi was #38 for best roads, 6th for deadliest roads and DUI, and 2nd deadliest for speeding; South Carolina was #35 for best roads, 3rd deadliest roads and deadliest for speeding, and 2nd deadliest for DUI; North Carolina was #36 for best roads and 17th for deadliest roads; Florida was 20th for best roads and 14th deadliest roads; Louisiana has the nation's worst roads (#50), 2nd deadliest roads, and 3rd deadliest for DUI; Arkansas was #31 for best roads, 5th for deadliest roads and #10 for deadliest for DUI; Texas was 29th for best roads, 16th for deadliest, 8th for deadliest for DUI, and 10th for deadliest for speeding; Oklahoma was 46th for best roads and 11th deadliest; Virginia was #9 for best roads and 40th for deadliest; Finally, Kentucky was 34th for best roads and  7th for deadliest.  The link for the full list is here.

However, the Southern states got mixed reviews, but the larger states were the ones with better roads than the smaller ones who seem to all rank poorly on the good rankings.

Why teachers' unions are the problem?

After watching enough TV ads into ad nauseum from Alabama's Education Association (AEA) and other teachers' unions across the nation, I've come to the conclusion when it comes to education reform in Alabama and most places that teachers' union are at fault.  Yeah, I said it!  They seem to be come preoccupied with preserving the teachers' jobs rather than educating students with the best methods.  However, instead we have this bizzaro situation where they are flooding the airwaves with the same ignorance that socially conservative interest groups uses to scare the common consumer into believing that "Washington wants to control your lives and your children's education with their liberal ideology".  Sounds familiar, huh? 

Also in other non-Southern states like Rhode Island, where there are school districts that are bold enough to terminate the entire teaching staff of a school when that isn't the answer either.  The administrators should be held as equally accountable as the teaching staff because this problem didn't form overnight and those administrators who have been there for years have seen this coming and knew what was happening.  So if you are going to fire the teachers then the administrators needs to be fired as well.  This hierarchical prejudice and ridicule of those on the lower end of the totem pole needs to cease because those higher ups are just as responsible.

Meanwhile, states like Alabama are missing out on critical funds that are needed to fund charter schools because the teachers' unions are too busy trying to cover their asses and member enrollment and dues.  The radical polarity of their isn't wise or practical at all because most solutions to any problem doesn't require switching from one end of the spectrum to another.  Also this is the time for those with a little sense and individual thought to stand up to these damn teacher's unions and their bullshit whining, bitching, and moaning about preserving their members' jobs when they are have school districts like Birmingham that are nothing but jokes, but all the administrators are getting paid $100K salaries annually....  SMDH

A little advice to Progressives, don't ally yourself with unions especially teachers' unions because as every other interest group, it's every man for himself.  Pluralistic alliances are ALWAYS the most productive ones because it allows the issue to be pushed to the forefront and made into a policy.

What is wrong with Houston's METRORail?

This afternoon, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County's METRORail experienced another crash with its fellow METRO Bus in downtown Houston.  The problem with METRORail is their long track records of collisions with either private vehicles and fellow METRO Buses in the Greater Houston area since the system's inception in 2003 prior to Houston hosting Super Bowl XXXVIII.   In the system's inaugural year of 2004, there were 61 crashes and on April 15, 2006, is where one turned fatal.  Now what I'm wondering what in the hell is wrong with this particular system?  Houston is a very automobile-oriented city and this one of the last major cities to implement rail transit into their public infrastructure.  However, those cities like Denver, Salt Lake City, and Charlotte have all introduced light rail transit (LRT) in the 00s, but in the case of Houston their LRT has mixed traffic right-of-way.  Interestingly enough, other cities with mixed traffic right-of-way, METRORail has been one crash after another hence their fucked up reputation.  Texas Department of Transportation (TDOT), like most southern state transportation departments, seems to be so gung ho to continue to build roads over public transit.   So this doesn't bode well for the system when they are in the midst of planning and implementing a massive expansion by 2030 the plans are on the table to have 5-line regional LRT system servicing most areas withing the I-610 (Houston) beltway.  I want MTA of Harris County needs to get it together on this and fix this shit because Houston is in the league of Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington as gridlock cities when it comes to commutes, so PLEASE GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER! 

Oh, WOW! Step away for a week and all hell breaks loose...

In Virginia, Bob McConnell pretty much tells his own State Attorney General to STFU on the whole removal of non-discriminatory language from state colleges and universities.  McConnell's own words:  "It was very important for me... to say discrimination will not be tolerated, and there will be sanctions for anyone that engages in discrimination."  Now, that's what I call COMEDY!  He told Mr. Cuccinelli to shut his shit the fuck up on the political grandstanding against LGBTs in Virginia.  Also McConnell is covering his own ass so he won't be seen as an overt bigot but not as a "traitor" to the socially conservative cause. 

The officials in Itawamba County, Mississippi, decided to cancel the main county high school's prom because of a lesbian couple want to attend together as a couple.  Now, unlike what went down at Thraptown High School in Franklin County last year in Northwest Alabama, these students both attend this high school, so the circumstances have a more internalized effect.  Whereas, the Franklin County situation was their "justification" of outside-of-district, but it was soon resolved when the lack of logic and rationale of the argument was exposed for the world to see.  However, in the case of Itawamba County in Northern Mississippi, the officials are standing by their guns so one of the teens has filed a lawsuit against the school district in federal court.  In all likelihood, she will win because the school isn't violating any real policies since they are both students of the school at an event just hosted by not an official event of the school. 

In Texas, a state that I've always considered a lost cause socially and politically, the state board of education has approved a referendum that would enforce an ultra-conservative curriculum in state public schools.  An ultra-conservative faction within the Texas Board of Education was successful in injecting conservative ideals into social studies, history and economics lessons that will be taught to millions of students for the next decade.  They want to remove mentions of the Enlightenment period and Thomas Jefferson from the state curriculum and replace these with the discussion of John Calvin and the Judeo-Christian ideology of the nation.  Also mention the nation is not a democracy, but constitutional republic.  Now, that is true about the last part, but the rest is bologna.  However, I stand my statement that Texas is a lost cause politically because it is one of those places where you see more ignorance-based emotional foolishness pedaled than logic.  Let's be real, the only real election there is the Republican elections because outside of Dallas, Houston, and Austin, there is little to any progressiveness in the state, and even then I wouldn't waste my time trying to move there.  Honestly, Austin doesn't count because it is too damn whitewashed for politically because the non-white population is too small to make any real affect, so that "Keep Austin Weird" crap is for the birds.  It's a crazy state where you have to give the side-eye to altogether. 
 
Also in Oklahoma, another lost cause, the state senate has approved a bill that would become an amendment of the state constitutional allowing the law enforcement to chose not to assist federal officials in the investigation of hate crimes.  Here's some of the bill's language:  Under the new provisions of Senate Bill 1965, reports that were collected during investigations of possible hate crime that did not end in a conviction would be destroyed or kept by the Oklahoma Bureau of Invesigations.  The bill originally was to investigate the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, but state senator Steve Russell, a socially conservative Republican from Oklahoma City and former army commander at Fort Hood in Texas, was the one who perverted the bill into its current form.  I'm going to take some words from Dr. Martin Luther King, "an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere".  Especially in a racially-aversive state like Oklahoma, where if you are non-white, LGBT/SGL, or anything out of the WASPy-ordinary then you are subject to be a victim of this ignorant law.

Meanwhile, here in Alabama, a caravan of idiots, OOPS!  I mean Birmingham City Council members, mayor, and some of their staffers are going to the National League of Cities conference in DC this week.  However, they are practically leaving the city without any really leadership.  The jackal, William Bell, just announced last week that the city is going to have to make cost-cutting measures such as delaying funding and contracts for the rest of the fiscal year, yet he along with the rest of the caravan of idiots are going to DC blowing $31,000 of city funds.  Now, Carole Smitherman is staying behind and politically grandstanding saying "somebody has to man the shop".  Yeah, the judgment is clear that all of the leadership in Birmingham is idiotic and irresponsible as hell as far as I'm concerned.  Who in the fuck goes on a trip and then takes their staffers as well to when you have a $77 million gaping hole in the budget?  Smitherman, you are just as irresponsible as the rest in my book because you knew what has been going on since jump and just trying to reconcile your reputation with folks, but it's tarnished so save the drama for ya mama.  SMDH

Oh yeah, the jackal and that xenophobic third-generation Greek immigrant mayor of Hoover, Tony Petelos, wanted to question the financing of the monstrosity that is being forced-fed on people in the Greater Birmingham area.  Here's a clue you two morons, why don't you flat out and oppose the thing instead allowing this bullshit to be constructed? Also the Battle Royale of 2 white women with power trips is amusing to me, Jefferson County Commission President Bettye Fine Collins and Jefferson County Treasury Jennifer Parsons Champion over the distribution of federal funds that were allocated from the federal stimulus package last year.  CUTE, BUT YOU BITCHES ARE BOTH STUPID...

That's what been going on that I want to talk about in the past week, and I'll be back to regularly posting probably this week...

Hmmm.... More craziness from Virginia...

Well, I see the Commonwealth of Virginia and their newly elected socially-conservative officials in the governor's and attorney general offices obviously have nothing else better to do than worry about "tha gays".  First, the governor rescinded the executive order issued by former Democratic governor and current DNC chair Tim Kaine allowing for LGBT/SGL employees to be a protected from termination.  Then the Northrop Grumman controversy with Equality Virginia and Maryland tied all into this, and now this ignorance and press-ness of Ken Cuccinelli, who was behind the idea of the rescinding the LGBT protections by Governor Bob McDonnell, now telling all public colleges and university to end their protections extended to LGBT students, faculty, and other employees.  WOW, WOW, WOW!  Cuccinelli, who is from Fairfax County in the DC Metro, seems to be a little too pressed and worried about about the LGBT/SGLs in VA.  Is maybe because he has some lenient homosexual tendencies???  Maybe so because this one white boy doesn't seem to get the memo that we are in 2010 not the 1900's anymore, so going gaga over ''tha gays" usually a psychological cue that you might have some unresolved issues within yourself. 

Here's some excerpt from the letter:

"It is my advice that the law and public policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia prohibit a college or university from including 'sexual orientation,' 'gender identity,' 'gender expression,' or like classification as a protected class within its non-discrimination policy absent specific authorization from the General Assembly," 

So Cuccinelli, you feel like it is your duty to go out of your way to issue a legal advice on an issue that hasn't come to the forefront?  Yeah, you are a queer with some deep-seeded issues that is waiting to boil over sooner than later.  Oh well, at least outgoing Alabama Attorney General Troy King will have a successor as the most controversial AG from the South pedestal and might even been vying for "the biggest closet-cased white boy in power award".  One thing I have to give to black homophobes most of them either foolish reverends or pastors or ignorant ass hypocrites that cite the Bible for their convenience, but most white homophobes be those closet-cases white guys that are oozing to get out their mental gay hells.  

Unfortunately, Virginia progressives will learn that you can't conveniently expect those in the Democrat Party to let them cause inept, bitch-ass candidates to run for statewide offices anymore.  You have to vie for candidates that are pragmatic yet progressive or at least moderate to run for statewide offices if you want to prevent a repeat of the idiocy that is now leading your state.  That's the problem I have with some fellow progressives, they let liberals and conservatives control the discussion when they should open their mouths and voice some rationale, reasoning, and common sense into the political arena about who you want for a candidate for office.   SMH

Well, former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford was sentenced to 15 years to prison

Another day, another one goes DOWN.  This morning, federal justice Scott Coogler sentenced former Jefferson County Commissioner and Birmingham mayor Larry Langford to 15 years in federal prison for his conviction of 60 counts ranging from tax fraud to money laundering while as Jefferson County Commissioner.  Meanwhile, Birmingham is suffering another blow to its reputation as a place because of the ignorance and lack of discernment of the electorate.

In my own word, another nigga went down for their own stupidity and greed, and has to now pay for it.  If he had any sense he would walked away from that situation, but was blinded by his own ego and greed.  SMH

College Cost Carnage nationwide!

Now this is something serious!  The cost of college will be going up in a number of states even for in-state students this year and this shit is bananas.  The curious case of Georgia where the State Assembly is predicting that there is going to be a $1 billion shortfall in the state budget, so that means an additional $300M cut from the  University of Georgia System budget including the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech (yikes!).  

Well, a number of protests are scheduled and have occurred in response to this proposed cuts that will affect everybody practically.

More information about this story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/04/us.day.of.action/index.html

Another tale of partisan idealism versus realism

Oh Ar-kansas!  You are a state that I mostly ignore aside from KIPR, the mainstream urban station out of Little Rock that sometimes listen to online or Crittenden County because its apart of the Memphis metropolitan area.  However, the stoic tale surrounding your senior U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln is a textbook example of why I give the Democratic Party the side-eye.

Organized labor and liberals have committed more than $5 million to Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s primary election opponent, Bill Halter, signaling that the Arkansas Democratic Senate primary is shaping up, for the left, as a hill to die on.

Virtually overnight, outside groups have erased the seemingly insurmountable financial advantage Lincoln brought to the contest. On Tuesday, an umbrella of four labor groups that have long been frustrated over Lincoln’s refusal to support card check legislation — the AFL-CIO, Communications Workers of America, AFSCME and United Steelworkers of America — jointly announced they were each pledging to spend $1 million in an all-out effort to dislodge Lincoln.

By Wednesday morning, a coalition of liberal organizations led by MoveOn.org — which blasted out a fundraising appeal calling Lincoln “one of the worst Democratic senators” — had raised an eye-popping $1.1 million for Halter, Arkansas’s lieutenant governor, who announced his candidacy Monday.

The Sierra Club, meanwhile, announced it was going up with a radio ad blasting Lincoln for her effort to block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases.

The progressive Netroots, for its part, has embraced Halter, with Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas writing, “Bill Halter will rescue the Democratic establishment from itself and help us hold a seat Lincoln is guaranteed to lose.” Firedoglake blogger Jane Hamsher prominently featured Halter in fundraising appeals on her site and blasted Lincoln as a “corporatist.”

For liberals, discouraged over the inability to push through a sufficiently progressive agenda in President Barack Obama’s first year in office, the opportunity to take down Lincoln, a two-term incumbent who has opposed high-profile items ranging from cap and trade to the public option for health reform, is proving to be irresistible.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33880.html#ixzz0hERSvkBj

Boy, this is where liberals and progressives split because most progressives are realists whereas their liberal counterparts are more idealistic about partisanship.  The Arkansas Democrats are mostly moderate to conservative group of people that would in political vernacular be considered centrists, so the forcing the hand of the people in a state that has little political shifting over the years due to explosive population growth and ethnic diversity compared to say North Carolina, Georgia, or Florida is a recipe for disaster.  The idiocy of trying to force Democrat out of office over something like that will prove quite fatal in the long run.  Ar-kansas isn't exactly a progressive state at all, and the idea of getting all these liberalized groups interfering with the Democratic primary reeks of trouble down the line if Bill Halter is to win.  I've been hearing for years that the Arkansas Republican Party has been bloodthirsty to get a conservative Republican in the U.S. Senate from their state and the liberals have made it very possible this year.  I've learned to "lee-bee-it-bee", let it be, let it be, about Blanche because she would play her own self out (just like Evan Buh-Bayh).  However, the input of those like moveon.org and AFL-CIO will just fire up the rural, conservative white base to go for the Republicans in the end which would mean no more Democratic-dominant Senatorial delegation. 

I'm one of those who say if you can't find a moderate to run in a mostly conservative state like Arkansas, then leave it the hell alone...

A bill to synchronize the elections of Birmingham City Council members with the mayoral elections

Alabama State House Representative Merika Coleman of Birmingham drafted a bill that would synchronize municipal council and mayoral elections in Birmingham to all on the same day.  The bill passed the House committee on Monday and will go to the full Jefferson County delegation to debate the bill.  However, the bill would extend the term of the jackal from 2011 to 2013 (hmmm...). It sounds like to me Coleman is allowing that jackal more time to prove how much of a jackass he is to the people rather than who potent he is to the city.  The Birmingham City Council agree with me (to certain extent) and that is not giving Bell an additional 2 years in office.  The election should be held next year in 2011 rather than 2013. 

Also State House Rep. John Rogers of Birmingham also has drafted a bill that would realign the City Council representation from 9 districts to 8 districts and on at-large seat for the City Council President (not a bad idea).  However, why don't they just go back to all at-large voting for all seats which would allow the possibility of a more progressive city council?  I mean it would remove the existence of fiefdom ideology from the City Council elections where people think they can talk shit about one side of the city and its demographic of citizenry without being held accountable to all the citizens at the ballot.  The more accountability, the better because Birmingham needs to force those idiots "who want to have their cake and eat it to" to be gone if they decide to run for mayor instead of going back to being a vindictive city councilor.  My advice to Merika Coleman is, rewrite the bill and move the election to 2011 if you want to gain more support and likelihood of your legislation's passage. 

The current electronic bingo bill failed in the Alabama Senate

DISCLAIMER: Honestly, I feel like it was a flawed bill from the beginning because Alabama should do like neighboring Mississippi and just legalize class III gambling which is casino-style gaming including slot machines and table games rather than this crap.

The bill in the Alabama State Legislature that would allowed electronic bingo gaming at only 7 sites in state stalled in the Senate after the vote didn't yield enough for its passage.  The "Sweet Home Alabama" bill would have allowed electronic bingo games, what they call "casino", at 10 establishments in Jefferson, Mobile, Hale, Macon, Houston, and Lowndes counties.  The vote was 18-16, 3 short of what is needed for a 2/3rd majority for its passage.  The main opponents of it were Republicans from all over the state, particularly the ones from Greater Birmingham like Hank Erwin from Alabaster, Jabo Waggoner from Vestavia Hill, and Steve French of Birmingham.  The bill was drafted and sponsored by the controversial pork-barreling Rodger Bedford of Hamilton (Democrat) and pushed by Alabama Senate President Pro-Tem Rodger Smitherman (and also husband of Birmingham District 6 City Councilor, Froglady aka Carole Smitherman). 

Like I said go for the full fledged thing of casino-style gambling rather than select locations of this bullshit when you know you can go the full 100 yards rather than 45-50 yards with retarded results. 

MARTA is slashing a quarter of its service

As of  March 30, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will slash a funds for service due to a nearly $120M budget deficit in the Fiscal Year 2010 (sounds familiar?)...  For the second consecutive year in a row, the 1-cent sale tax revenues from Fulton and DeKalb counties have dropped drastically due to the deep recession.  The motion will force an entire restructuring of the entire system since nearly half of the systems buses routes will be affected.

MARTA could lose 66 of its 131 bus routes, or more than half. Bus routes could be dropped in some areas to make up for losses on other routes. Wait times for trains, which increased after last year's modest budget cuts, could stretch to 30 minutes on weekends before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m.  Rush-hour train intervals could be 12 minutes.

The Georgia General Assembly doesn't seem to care per say in the interim since the only plan on the table is one working with the helping with transportation funding starting in 2012 and 2013.  However, the current users of MARTA will be suffering because this will constrict the service to what those in Birmingham deals with the MAX system of BJCTA.  SIGH! 

It's official!

Washington, D.C. is now the first city in the South that allows full-fledged same-sex unionships within its jurisdiction. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case by Fauntroy and the other haters, so the case went back to the District Superior Court, where the justices there also refused.  It's a turning of a page for an area that has been plagued with so much controversy surrounding this one issue from the Archdioceses of Washington, D.C. removing its spousal benefits from all employees to the ending of foster care services within the District itself, but leaving it in suburban Montgomery County in Maryland.  The trifecta of fuckery with the Northrop Grumman involving Equality Virginia and Maryland officials badmouthing Virginia because of the acts of Governor McDonnell. 

Congrats, DC!

The first female chair of the NAACP

Last week, the NAACP announced their new chair following the outgoing chair Julian Bond, and for the first time it was a woman.  Rosyln M. Brock is also the youngest person to sit as the chair of the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People (NAACP).  The Washington Post focused on the relevancy and generational shift of leadership of the NAACP, and how Brock could change things.  One thing that did stand out to me in the article was this exert:

"We have to recognize and to own that we can't be all things to all people, and that there are new players in the space that we operate in who may be able to do some things better than we can."

The article also talking about how organization president Ben Jealous has focused on improving the NAACP online presence.  As well, Jealous has pointed out that work with LGBT organizations would improve the organization presence on those issue.   Brock and Jealous both want to make the NAACP more oriented towards getting the younger generation of people involved in the organization's mission to improve the quality of life of ethnic minorities. 

However, the Baltimore Sun in an op-ed posted a question of whether or not the NAACP will focus on the LGBT agenda? They pointed out how Brock and Jealous are the youngest to hold their pedestals, but the specifics of how will the two work toward expanding the parameters of social justice to include LGBTs of color like those in the military, where they make up a large number of those discharged by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".  The article also digs into how they can get the "rank-and-file" members to adjust their beliefs on homosexual behaviors and how that like slavery and segregation, it was taught that the bible justified it at one point. 

Personally, I feel there should be some coordination between the NAACP and other orgs on the LGBT issues, but totally partaking into the arena of it would be reaching at best.  The case and point of David Patterson be an eery reminder of what the slippery slope of running to include LGBT issues without pluralistic support will get you especially when you have orgs like Equality Virginia will burn their proverbial bridges with otherwise allies because they didn't get their way all the time.  Some of these organizations seem to have their own agenda first and forehand and then essentially abandon their "allies" in their key times of need for political support.  I would cautiously aide those when possible, but wouldn't throw myself under the bus for somebody that doesn't seem apt to do the same.  REAL TALK.

In additional DC news...

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington has made another major move to prove they are asses with agendas.  First in late February, the Archdiocese's Catholic Charities announced it would end its 80-year-old foster care program offered in the District in response to the passage of the same-sex union ordinance.  They did it basically to prevent recognizing LGBT employees who would want extended benefits for their partners.

Also now the Archdiocese of Washington is refusing to honor any spousal benefits whatsoever involving its employees.

Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers -- the latest fallout from a bitter debate between District officials trying to legalize same-sex marriage and the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.

Starting Tuesday, Catholic Charities will not offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan. A letter describing the change in health benefits was e-mailed to employees Monday, two days before same-sex marriage will become legal in the District.

"We looked at all the options and implications," said the charity's president, Edward J. Orzechowski. "This allows us to continue providing services, comply with the city's new requirements and remain faithful to the church's teaching."

Catholic Charities, which receives $22 million from the city for social service programs, protested in the run-up to the council's December vote to allow same-sex marriage, saying that it might not be able to continue its contracts with the city, including operating homeless shelters and facilitating city-sponsored adoptions. Being forced to recognize same-sex marriage, church officials said, could make it impossible for the church to be a city contractor because Catholic teaching opposes such unions.

WOW, WOW, WOW!  The Archdiocese in DC is determine to make sure they don't have to recognize any form of same-sex unions.  It's a mess, but hey it's legal because all employees will lack spousal benefits including the heterosexual ones.

The opponents of the District's same-sex unionship ordinance makes a last-minute hail mary to the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and declare that the ordinance should be upon for a public vote via referendum.  Walter E. Fauntroy, a civil rights-era organization of the March on Washington and the District's then-non-voting delegate in Congress, was the one of those who filed papers to the Chief Justice John Roberts to place the ordinance on a ballot before its goes into affect on March 3rd. 

THAT'S CUTE, looks like those who are desperate to worry about other's lives are just so pressed and determined like the Archdiocese to make a scene.

Now what does this solve?

Once again, selfishness, idiocy, and stupidity strikes!  This time in the DC Metro aka "The DMV" over the relocation of the corporate headquarters of Northrop Grumman from Los Angeles to the region.  The recent inauguration of the socially-conservative Republican Virginia Governor Bob McConnell and his executive order that removed LGBT from the state's discrimination ordinance for employment.  He also blocked the passage of a legislation that would extend health benefits to the same sex partners of state employees.  This was at the recommendation of also recently elected Republican Virginia State Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli about LGBT issues.

The Sunday edition of the Washington Post covered the foolishness being perpetuated by openly gay Maryland State Senator Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery County) and Equality Virginia to discourage Northrop Grumman from relocating to the Northern Virginia side of the DMV because of the executive order. 

Here's an exert from the letter from the Washington Post:

"Here in Maryland, we value our gay and lesbian citizens as part of a diverse population that makes the state strong," Madaleno wrote. "Virginia is doing the opposite and letting its LGBT citizens -- and those considering whether to move and work there -- know that they and their families are unwelcome second-class citizens. And they are counting on corporations like yours not to care."

Also Madaleno said that "Virginia is turning back the clock" in the letter.  However, Equality Virginia takes the cake by penning a similar to the Northrop Grumman CEO Wesley Bush also discouraging the corporation from locating in Northern Virginia.  Northrop Grumman has received a perfect rating from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for its protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees.  Also known for its diversity and productivity involving its employee.

Now, my thing is last time I remember this is apart of the private sector and can make its own policies for its employees.  I would expect that Madaleno because he is vying for a new economic development opportunity for his state and district by playing up their more progressive issues and the recent decision by the Maryland Attorney General saying they would recognize same-sex unions from other jurisdictions.

The Commonwealth of Virginia isn't off the hook because like most former Jim Crow-law states, i.e., Southern states, they have right-to-work laws, which means you can be fired for anything.  Which is very detrimental to black, Latinos, LGBTs, etc. and working in states where employers can use this policy to terminate you.

However, the scorched earth ideology of Equality Virginia is dumb ass hell, and insures that they will likely not have any if not many working-class voters come next time a pivotal issue involving LGBTs.  Equality Virginia is saying to those who might want to get a decent job at the headquarters, screw you, because they didn't get their way.  Hell, as much I can't stand the current mayor of Birmingham, I'm not shitting on Birmingham even on this blog because of that.  My advice to Equality Virginia is with that type of strategy they are taking you are going to make more enemies than friends with that foolishness you are doing to your own state.  If you want enact change to the policy then push for the Virginia General Assembly to pass a legislative amendment that will change state employment laws permanently rather than burning crucial bridges with potential allies on progressive and working-class voter issue.  This stunt by Equality Virginia is exactly why there is such a disconnect between most progressive-leaning groups and LGBT-rights advocacy groups because a majority of time the latter will act extremely selfishly more than the former....

Outgoing U.S. Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky...

Is an ASSHOLE.

He knows he is one, but why waste our time telling him.  The jackass needs a beatdown like hell.  Oh yeah, if you don't know who Bunning is then here's the story about his assholery:

WASHINGTON — Two thousand federal transportation workers were furloughed without pay on Monday, and the Obama administration said they have a Kentucky senator to blame for it.
Federal reimbursements to states for highway programs will also be halted, the Transportation Department said in a statement late Sunday. The reimbursements amount to about $190 million a day, according to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The furloughs and freeze on payments were the result of a decision last week by Republican Sen. Jim Bunning to block passage of legislation that would have extended federal highway and transit programs, the department said. Those programs expired at midnight Sunday.
The extension of transportation programs was part of a larger package of government programs that also expired Sunday, including unemployment benefits for about 400,000 Americans.
Bunning objected to the $10 billion measure, saying it would add to the budget deficit. He didn't respond to a request Monday for comment.
The impasse has provided the administration with an opening to excoriate Republicans for allowing popular programs to run out, even if only for a short time.

Bunning spent last Thursday and Friday filibustering the passage of the bill because he felt it was the time and place to bitch and moan about government spending.   During this tirade, he told one Democratic senator TOUGH SHIT about the filibuster of an unanimous vote to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Benefits, federal funds to pay US DOT laborers, and Medicare benefits, which will cause people to lose their unemployment benefits along with others losing their jobs.

Here's a moment of how much of an asshole he is:


Interestingly, Senator Bunning has the Jim Bunning Foundation that has only raised $504,000 since its founding in 1996, and of that he paid himself $180,000 and only gave $136,000 to charities.  SCANDALOUS   Even his constituents in Ken-turkey are turning on him like an in-grown toenail!  In the words of a very close friend of mine would say, LET THE FLAMING BEGIN!

UPDATE:  The ass backpedaled and folded after the Democrats turned up the heat to the point that he would have made the entire Republican Party look bad, so he allowed for the vote to go through.

Well, I hope the losers are happy - 2 for the price of one weekend

On Friday, current sitting NY Governor and pretty much the only black governor that New York will probably ever see, David Patterson, announced on Friday afternoon that he wasn't going to run for re-election afterall.  This in turn gives the Democratic candidacy for governor to the nappy-headed ho and backhanded racist known as Andrew Cuomo.  Oh I hope Rod, Pam, etc. are happy that their "savior" for same-sex unions has been politically crucified because of collapsing political support and a "scandal" where his administration stepped into a domestic violence case involving close aide, David Johnson.  In related news, on Sunday via The New York Times, the black flip-flopper Harold Ford, Jr. said he wasn't going to run for the U.S. Senate on the Democratic ticket challenging the white female flip-flopper, Kirsten Gillibrand.  An additional coup for the fools to go ga-ga over since you've removed to blacks from the political scene for the price of one weekend!

Boy, this is perfect since the LGBT bloggers like Rod, Pam, etc. abandoned Patterson like Diaz said then for bonus they got rid of their "nemesis" Ford because he used to not be for full-fledge unions while as Tennessee Congressman.  Now Ford didn't walk away without making some parting shots as the idiots and asses in New York Democratic Party who pretty much didn't want him to run.

"The public is "nervous" and "clamoring for change" but "too few in the Democratic Party are really willing to break with orthodoxy" to solve problems. State Democrats, he said, "spent too much time this past year supporting a national partisan political agenda — and not enough time looking out for their own constituents."

You gotta give it up to whiners they will whine about everything, but when people put their neck out for them they are nowhere to be found...