I will dedicate this blog post to the truth as to why Southern Democrats are on the skids. It has all to do with the miraculous cloaking of so many leftover Dixiecrats in many positions of these state parties. Like YouTube sensation, Cadillac Kimberly said, "I don't go IN on anybody. If I was going IN then I would put on a Teflon vest. I speak the truth".
Most Southern white Democratic politicos aren't shit. It started with the American Civil Right Movement and the fight for equal rights, liberties, and protections for people of color (non-whites) under the law. Most Southern states until the 1970s were dominated by Democrats. Due to the Democratic party history of aligning itself with the New Deal programs championed by Franklin D. Roosevelt that benefited a great deal since it provided electricity and other modern amenities that others in the Northeast and Midwest had for a couple of decades. However, this whole allowing "others" equal treatment and rights just didn't (and still doesn't sit well with most white Southerners). These voters are called a love term known as Dixiecrats. Oh yeah, don't let the dissolution of the "party" fool you at all, they still exist but are more covert about their ways...
In the South, many state Deep Southern Democratic parties like Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Georgia have coddled these type of voters with "Yellow Dog", "Blue Dog", or just plain conservative Democrats to conserve their partisan majority of their state legislatures. This was at the advantage of productive socially progressive and many times fiscally sound decisions to better their respective states. However, by the "1994 Wave" in states like Georgia, Democrats lost both houses of state legislature due to this persistent of coddling of a group of voters in areas where you know the white voters will associate Democrat label to "bettering others over them". Now this "wave" has finally come to Alabama in form the same occurring nearly 15 years after neighboring Georgia.
In both states cases, the state Democratic party leadership has spent so much political capital trying to keep Democrats whom would turn on their own in a heartbeat in their ranks. Now as a political independent, I'm all for fighting for your constituency, but there is a thin line between being a champion of the people and a selfish bastard. The recent episodes in Alabama and Georgia has shown that these types can play-pretend to care about the people but still get away for bloody murder in a gerrymandered or racially imbalanced district.
Many of these types are the latter because the now curious case of soon-to-be former Florida congressman, Alan Grayson, stood to the very end as a champion of the people and socially progressive leader although a number of the foolish asses in Florida's 8th congressional district that will listen to the sound of water boiling and think it's a platform. (Interesting side note, FL-8 is a district that includes the eastern and northern portions of the city of Orlando, which are both predominately white, whereas the western side and more racially diverse side of the city is in another district. This is all while the majority of FL-8 is west of the city of Orlando itself. Another case of gerrymandering...)
What needs occur from here on out is Democrats realize that any white politico that spends more time basically speaking in cues about blocking social progress especially those that benefit non-whites and lower class shouldn't be trusted. It seems more like these types have a demographic, mostly white males over age 50 years. That can be traced back to the fact that they were born during or prior to the Civil Rights Movement and doesn't seem to have actual respect for the rights of those different than themselves. It's time for them to take out the trash and make sure it doesn't stick around for more issues.
Oh yeah, let's not confuse these types with moderate Democrats, whom will actually support socially progressive stance, but show resistance to somethings on fiscally sound grounds. Those types aren't a part of the problem because when push comes to shove involving social progress they tend to be on the right side of history.
The discussion of social issues and happenings across the South (sometimes the nation). Along with some rants about things such as the media (radio, TV, and internet), music, etc. from a socially progressive yet politically independent perspective.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
And action!!!!
It's time for Congress to be the star of the short film called "Lame Duck" and watch the Congressional Democrats particularly from the Senate scramble to pass as much legislation as possible before January. AND ACTION!
The first scene is the recommendation of a formal censure of Congressman Charlie Rangel of Harlem (aka Manhattan North these days) by the House Ethics Committee. His acts of idiocy has come back to haunt him and now he will face the music which means he might not get his long-held chair roles on key Congressional committees back. Anyways...
The Senate will attempt to muster up enough votes to remove DADT by attaching to the DREAM Act, which is more controversial than the DADT since it's about the immigrants. Boy, does Harry Reid really know how to put those important bills together.
Nancy Pelosi was reanointed by the majority of House Democrats (68 members) as House Minority Leader. I don't know how I feel about this considering she could have allowed former House Whip James Clyburn to be #2 rather than Steve Hoyer of Maryland. It seems like there still need to appease the fickle within the ranks, but I'm not buying it.
Now, I'm trying to figure out whether to began the series on the hypocrisies of the Congressional Republicans or not. However, I will note before they have even taken helm of House, the Congressional Republicans are yet to prove to the people and their critics if they are going to refuse the Congressional Benefit Health Insurance after campaign against government-funded health care. There still seems to be one of the incoming freshmen Republicans already whining and bitching about not being able to use his government-funded health insurance until February. that r Also let's not forget the fuckery of how the House Republicans have already vowed to ban earmarks yet those amongst their ranks in the Senate like Alabama's own Richard Shelby has yet to show if they will do the same. Talk is cheap, people, so put up or shut the fuck up...
Friday, November 12, 2010
UGH!!! There are too many idiots in this world, but way too many in the Nashville area
The foolishness of the fighting over a Muslim mosque in suburban Nashville has once again reaffirmed idiocy still is prevalent in modern society. The on-going fight over a proposed mosque in Rutherford County, Tennessee, near Murfreesboro, has boiled down to the argument that Islam is attempting to take over the Westernized world to enforce Shariah law. ***EYE ROLL***. The attorney of the opponents of the mosque, Joe Brandon, Jr., has been pedaled ignorance involving this case to the point of absurdity in the Rutherford County Chancery Court. Brandon has used random accusation saying the Rutherford County Planning Commission has predeclared the case prior to the vote on it over the summer to saying that Shariah law promotes pedophilia. According to the Tennessean, even the Rutherford County Attorney, Jim Cope, has said this case has turned into a circus.
All I have to say about this is, "See I told ya that there are still some lunatic white Southerners whom will say ANYTHING to perpetuate fuckery that they feel is justified..." You don't see any black Southerns that damn stupid to take some bullshit like this to court because they know it wouldn't fly. Idiots.
All I have to say about this is, "See I told ya that there are still some lunatic white Southerners whom will say ANYTHING to perpetuate fuckery that they feel is justified..." You don't see any black Southerns that damn stupid to take some bullshit like this to court because they know it wouldn't fly. Idiots.
Labels:
bigotry,
ignorance,
Nashville,
racial bias,
racism,
religious foolishness,
Southern issues,
Tennessee
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The obvious racial problems still occurring in this nation
We live in a society where aversive bias still lives and thrives. It was clear with the way some political pundits this evening wanted to declare that the "sweeping" losses for some Democratic politicos was the result of poor leadership from the President [Obama]. However, it is far from the contrary. We still live in a society where many white Americans have yet to gotten over their issues of race at all and where there are forces at work that are destroying any chance of economic recovery. Economics doesn't tell the full story behind what is really going on. I'll mostly focus on the South since I know this region all too well.
In the South, a region that by default been one where there are clearly 2 categories of citizenry, poor and wealthy. The middle class didn't exist in the South until the mid-20th century due to the invention of electricity (thanks to the New Deal programs of Tennessee Valley Authority and the creation of electric cooperatives). It brought modernization and vast amounts of projects that brought employment for many following the Great Depression. However, the middle class in the South has always been an anomaly. Then you throw in the additional variable of race, where mostly poor and middle class whites would allow themselves to be manipulated (and to the day still do) by wealthier whites to hate and commit acts of oppression against people of color (non-whites). This led to a stratification of economics on racial terms and beacon an on-going problem where many white Southerners doesn't like (whether overtly or covertly) non-white Southerners as neighbors, coworkers, or even as fellow citizens. This rule of mindset shows itself in the way Southern states, more predominately in rural, less economically empowered regions, there will be an immediate backlash or outright rejection of the election of any form of leadership that isn't white or displays WASP values. Interestingly enough, blacks haven't shown such bias against white leadership in areas where they are reside in large numbers.
However, as the past has shown that there are some neophytes within black political circles in the South whom will exercise some form of reverse racial bias against black politicos and even some progressive whites to win political races in majority black districts. This has occurred multiple times the major Southern cities in Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, and New Orleans. What is more is alarming is that state Democratic parties has given the nod-and-wink to instants where this occurred to in statewide offices. This year alone in the states of Alabama and Georgia, the state Democratic leaders along with the black leaders have thrown strong and populist black gubernatorial candidates under the bus for white males with electability issues. In the case of Alabama on the basis of his (Artur Davis') vote on the health care reform legislation in Congress, and the case of Georgia because the state party leadership felt that the former governor (Roy Barnes) was more electable to rural whites over his opponent (Thurbert Baker).
In the congressional races of candidates like Terri Sewell, the issues amongst black leaders with her more progressive, egalitarian style of campaigning because she was woeing the white and LGBT vote of Alabama's 7th congressional district. Her candidacy unnerved the same forces that have been working behind the scenes that has maintained power in Birmingham and Montgomery with Alabama Black Caucus in the state legislature. On the other hand, the power-tripping and egotistical actions of Georgia congressman Sanford Bishop with him being one of the 3 black congressional reps implicated in giving scholarships allocated for citizens of their district for their own family or kin. This along with the by-default racially bias mindset of the 2nd congressional district of Georgia may have cost him his seat to a white Republican, whom has a horrible track history in the Georgia General Assembly.
Racially omission has played a key role in the race between Alabama's 2nd congressional district representative, Bobby Bright and Montgomery council member Martha Roby. There has literally been a painting and campaigning of white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant values over the more racially diverse district, which includes the majority black city of Montgomery. The race itself is an example of this issue where there is nothing being offered by either candidate for the districts 25+% black constituency.
In conclusion, this whole political overview shows what is going on in our society involving politics and race along with economics. It's just a microcosm of what is going on nationwide in other major areas like the Midwest, Northeast, and the West Coast where there are bubbles of racial and ethnic diversity.
In the South, a region that by default been one where there are clearly 2 categories of citizenry, poor and wealthy. The middle class didn't exist in the South until the mid-20th century due to the invention of electricity (thanks to the New Deal programs of Tennessee Valley Authority and the creation of electric cooperatives). It brought modernization and vast amounts of projects that brought employment for many following the Great Depression. However, the middle class in the South has always been an anomaly. Then you throw in the additional variable of race, where mostly poor and middle class whites would allow themselves to be manipulated (and to the day still do) by wealthier whites to hate and commit acts of oppression against people of color (non-whites). This led to a stratification of economics on racial terms and beacon an on-going problem where many white Southerners doesn't like (whether overtly or covertly) non-white Southerners as neighbors, coworkers, or even as fellow citizens. This rule of mindset shows itself in the way Southern states, more predominately in rural, less economically empowered regions, there will be an immediate backlash or outright rejection of the election of any form of leadership that isn't white or displays WASP values. Interestingly enough, blacks haven't shown such bias against white leadership in areas where they are reside in large numbers.
However, as the past has shown that there are some neophytes within black political circles in the South whom will exercise some form of reverse racial bias against black politicos and even some progressive whites to win political races in majority black districts. This has occurred multiple times the major Southern cities in Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, and New Orleans. What is more is alarming is that state Democratic parties has given the nod-and-wink to instants where this occurred to in statewide offices. This year alone in the states of Alabama and Georgia, the state Democratic leaders along with the black leaders have thrown strong and populist black gubernatorial candidates under the bus for white males with electability issues. In the case of Alabama on the basis of his (Artur Davis') vote on the health care reform legislation in Congress, and the case of Georgia because the state party leadership felt that the former governor (Roy Barnes) was more electable to rural whites over his opponent (Thurbert Baker).
In the congressional races of candidates like Terri Sewell, the issues amongst black leaders with her more progressive, egalitarian style of campaigning because she was woeing the white and LGBT vote of Alabama's 7th congressional district. Her candidacy unnerved the same forces that have been working behind the scenes that has maintained power in Birmingham and Montgomery with Alabama Black Caucus in the state legislature. On the other hand, the power-tripping and egotistical actions of Georgia congressman Sanford Bishop with him being one of the 3 black congressional reps implicated in giving scholarships allocated for citizens of their district for their own family or kin. This along with the by-default racially bias mindset of the 2nd congressional district of Georgia may have cost him his seat to a white Republican, whom has a horrible track history in the Georgia General Assembly.
Racially omission has played a key role in the race between Alabama's 2nd congressional district representative, Bobby Bright and Montgomery council member Martha Roby. There has literally been a painting and campaigning of white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant values over the more racially diverse district, which includes the majority black city of Montgomery. The race itself is an example of this issue where there is nothing being offered by either candidate for the districts 25+% black constituency.
In conclusion, this whole political overview shows what is going on in our society involving politics and race along with economics. It's just a microcosm of what is going on nationwide in other major areas like the Midwest, Northeast, and the West Coast where there are bubbles of racial and ethnic diversity.
Labels:
Alabama,
black politics,
Georgia,
politics,
race,
Southern issues,
the South
Monday, November 1, 2010
An objective take on the Florida senatorial race situation
It looks like there will be likely a runoff with Mark Rubio and Charlie Crist in the senatorial race in Florida. However, the foolishness and bullshit of Bill Clinton to push for Kendrick Meeks isn't as "out-there-in-left-field" as most would perceive on the surface. There is a practical reason for this, whether it is right or not, for him trying to do this.
1) Florida wasn't going to elect a black Democrat for shit, and that is a reality. We are talking about FLORIDA, the state where if you are black then you better be light and damn near white to be considered "normalized" by the state's standards. 2) The political climate of this year and it being FLORIDA again. The state is a "bellwether" that bounces from one end of the "moderate/swing" to the other. It all depends on the marketability of the candidate. We are in a time where black politicos and political figures are under attack thanks to the fuckery pedaled by the "Angry White People Coalition", the mainstream media and their agenda-setting habits, and duplicity of a number of black congress members for their antics over the past few months. It's like a cornucopia of "get the darkies" that hasn't helped someone like Kendrick Meeks candidacy for nothing. I hate to to be the barer of a reality check, but his candidacy was D.O.A. from day 1 thanks to the circumstances presented. Meeks is from a "safe district" for Democrats and progressives, liberal alike in Florida, but statewide Florida is STILL a Southern state at the core, which means NO BLACKS for prominent offices unless they paint themselves in "our [white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant] values".
It's disheartening for me personally as a black male, but it's the truth. The people and forces at work in our society still wants to play "let's get the nigger/darkie". As pseudo-egalitarian as our society pretends to be (especially some whites), there is still the propensity for it to still blame all blacks for the actions of a few...
As slimy and two-timing as Bill Clinton is (and Lord knows I can't stand him), his stunt with Meeks (like the one with Sestak in Pennsylvania) was pertinent to this situation this year. He was essentially trying to keep the Democratic roles filled so the Dems can stay in power and keep the radicalized candidate on the Republican ticket out of office.
1) Florida wasn't going to elect a black Democrat for shit, and that is a reality. We are talking about FLORIDA, the state where if you are black then you better be light and damn near white to be considered "normalized" by the state's standards. 2) The political climate of this year and it being FLORIDA again. The state is a "bellwether" that bounces from one end of the "moderate/swing" to the other. It all depends on the marketability of the candidate. We are in a time where black politicos and political figures are under attack thanks to the fuckery pedaled by the "Angry White People Coalition", the mainstream media and their agenda-setting habits, and duplicity of a number of black congress members for their antics over the past few months. It's like a cornucopia of "get the darkies" that hasn't helped someone like Kendrick Meeks candidacy for nothing. I hate to to be the barer of a reality check, but his candidacy was D.O.A. from day 1 thanks to the circumstances presented. Meeks is from a "safe district" for Democrats and progressives, liberal alike in Florida, but statewide Florida is STILL a Southern state at the core, which means NO BLACKS for prominent offices unless they paint themselves in "our [white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant] values".
It's disheartening for me personally as a black male, but it's the truth. The people and forces at work in our society still wants to play "let's get the nigger/darkie". As pseudo-egalitarian as our society pretends to be (especially some whites), there is still the propensity for it to still blame all blacks for the actions of a few...
As slimy and two-timing as Bill Clinton is (and Lord knows I can't stand him), his stunt with Meeks (like the one with Sestak in Pennsylvania) was pertinent to this situation this year. He was essentially trying to keep the Democratic roles filled so the Dems can stay in power and keep the radicalized candidate on the Republican ticket out of office.
Labels:
Bill Clinton,
black politics,
Congress,
Florida,
partisan foolishness,
politics,
racial bias
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