Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Charlotte Mecklenburg, we have a problem, and it's a bigoted white Republican guy who doesn't give a flying fuck!

Well, I've been sleeping on the happenings in North Carolina, particularly Charlotte for a minute because of the beacon of foolishness going on here in the Deep South.  However, I dedicate the existence of the blog to mostly Southern happenings.  In Charlotte's home county, Mecklenburg County, the board of county commissioners has been home to one of the most asinine individuals of the North Carolina GOP, a man by the name of Bill James.  James is the commission of District 6 of Mecklenburg County which includes the extremely southeastern portion of the county including the suburban municipalities of Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville.  He has been serving 7 consecutive terms on the Mecklenburg County Commission.

Last December, James said something quite offensive to Meck. County District 2 commissioner, Vilma Leake, when the Board of County Commissioners were voting upon a same-sex domestic partnership benefits (which passed 6-3).  James asked Leake, "Your her son was a homo, really?" during the vote, and Leake replied, "Don't make me hurt you. Don't do that to me. Don't talk to me about my son."  This guy has a history of being obsessed with homosexual sexual acts and have used the Mecklenburg County email to send out messages about it for awhile now.  DINGBAT WITH REPRESSED HOMOSEXUAL TENDENCIES!!!!  He refused to apologize and went on sending out a message calling Leake, "a religious hypocrite", because she is married to a bishop in A.M.E. Zion Church, which suppose to be against homosexuality.


Today, the Charlotte Observer reports James deriding fellow North Carolinian GOPer, U.S. Senator Richard Burr for voting for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".  He went on to saying Burr's vote is "an endorsement of homosexuality".  His statement quote:

"I think there are a lot of things that people of all political stripes tolerate from their politicians," James said. "But endorsing immorality and allowing military recruits to be preyed on by homosexuals is not one that I will tolerate.

He's also pissed that the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners is looking to recognize and endorse the repeal at their next regular commission meeting and responded by sending out nasty emails repeating his statements about LGBTs being "sexual predators".  He's now catching heat from a number of LGBTs and allies in North Carolina, according to the Q-Notes newspaper.  Also the Charlotte Observer is reporting that some emails from constituents are requesting James be censured by the Board of County Commissioners.


Well, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, my nickname for Charlotte, YOU GUYS HAVE A PROBLEM ON YOUR COUNTY COMMISSION!  This guy is just nutty as a fruitcake and probably is very much a repressed homosexual because he obsesses over it.  

Teena Marie 1956-2010

I swear it seems like every Christmas Day, a major entertainer passes.  I remember like it was yesterday back in 2006 when James Brown passed on Christmas Day because I was listening to WPGC 95.5 in Washington D.C. via AOL Radio and they announced he passed on air while playing Christmas music.  Now, while listening to WPGC's sister station, WVEE "V-103", in Atlanta they announced during their Quiet Storm on Sunday night that Teena Marie had died in her sleep sometime between Christmas Day and the 26th.  It seems like we have reached a time when a number of the "old school" musicians are passing away at a rapid pace.  ***SIGH***

Her music was legendary with "Fire & Desire" with the late Rick James to "Lovergirl", "Ooo La La La" to my all time favorite "Square Biz".

Rest in peace, Ms. Marie.  I will miss you and your soul-funk music, the Queen of Ivory Soul.  You were also one of the few non-black soul artists that gain my respect and admiration for your tenacity music making.

Bama Fact Check looked into the new payroll deduction ban in Alabama

Apart of the ethics reform passed during the special session of the Alabama State Legislature 2 weeks ago was a new law that banned any automatic payroll deductions from public employees to political organizations.  Well, the article "Facts and Myths about the AEA payroll ban" was published 10 days about by the Anniston Star on Bama Fact Check.  It went into detail about the recently passed ban on automatic payroll deductions of public employees directly to political organizations.  Many sees it as a "poison pill" to the Alabama Education Association.  The bill was also known as SB2.

CLAIM: The bill is unconstitutional.
Reality:Maybe, maybe not.

Critics of the ban argued that limiting teachers' ability to donate their own money is unconstitutional.

Ultimately, only the courts can decide whether that claim is right. But recent precedent would seem to suggest that a court challenge to SB2 would face an uphill fight.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a similar case in Idaho in 2009. There, as in Alabama, a teacher’s union collected fees from teachers through payroll deductions, and the state Legislature moved to ban the practice.

Writing for the majority of the court, Chief Justice John Roberts stated that freedom of speech “does not confer an affirmative right to use government payroll mechanisms for the purpose of obtaining funds for expression.” The court ruled that in the absence of a free speech violation, the state had only to show a “rational basis” for banning the payroll deductions. In the Idaho case, the state cited an appearance of “entanglement” with political organizations as its reason for the ban.

This precedent is still up for debate, so we'll have to see about this.

CLAIM: Blue Cross Blue Shield — also funded through payroll deductions — has a political arm.
Reality:Yes, but the firewall between the contributions and the PAC is thicker.

Critics of SB2 have pointed out that teachers already have funds deducted from their paychecks for PEEHIP, the state’s health insurance plan. PEEHIP is administered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama, and critics of SB2 say the group has its own lobbying arm, just like the AEA.

Federal Election Commission records show that there is, indeed, a Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama PAC, headquartered in Montgomery. Funded by contributions from administrators in BC/BS, the PAC has, in the past two years, given more than $80,000 to other PACs and congressional candidates. The PAC has made contributions to members of both parties -— including $10,000 to former Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright of Montgomery and $10,000 to Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Anniston. But the overall flavor of the contributions is conservative, with donations to a group titled Every Republican is Crucial and a group called Defend America PAC, which has given to a number of GOP candidates.

BC/BS vice president Koko Mackin claims there are “no similarities” between the Blue Cross PAC and the one run by AEA.

“Blue Cross’ PAC is totally funded by voluntary Blue Cross employee payroll contributions, and it supports only candidates for federal office,” Mackin said via e-mail.

It’s true that, even though the PAC bears the company’s name — and calls to the PAC are forwarded to one of the company’s vice presidents — every single contribution on record has come from a company employee, and not the company itself.

Mackin also said that employees’ contributions to PEEHIP go directly to the state, which pays BC/BS to administer the insurance plan as a “third-party administrator.”

Now this one is very interesting considering BCBS of Alabama has something similar going on.  Apparently after being in power for nearly 5 decades, AEA would learn a thing or two from these other organizations how to run yourself as two seperate organizations.  Instead, this argument has been debunk and AEA proponents don't have a proverbial leg to stand upon in court with this one.

CLAIM: Gov. Bob Riley ran a PAC from the governor’s mansion.
Reality:Not necessarily.

Proponents of the payroll deduction ban hung their argument on the notion that it's wrong to use public resources to obtain contributions for a political group. AEA members argued that the cost of enrolling teachers in the payroll deduction was virtually nil, but proponents of the bill said any use of public resources for this purpose was too much. Opponents of SB2 countered by alleging that Gov. Bob Riley runs his own PAC —- and runs it from the governor’s mansion, effectively using public property to solicit political donations.

According to records from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office, one Robert Renfroe Riley is listed as the chairman of the aptly-named GOV PAC, which lists its mission as “to elect qualified candidates dedicated to moving Alabama forward.” Riley lists his address as 1142 South Perry St. in Montgomery —- the governor’s mansion.

But that’s the chair’s residence, not the headquarters of the PAC. The official address of GOV PAC is a post office box in Birmingham. Obviously, you can’t hold a meeting in a post office box, so Bama Fact Check contacted Riley’s office to find out where the PAC’s business is conducted.

“My understanding is that the checks come to the post office box, and the treasurer takes them home and does the work there,” said Jeff Emerson, Riley’s spokesman.

The PAC’s paperwork lists someone named Kay Nimm as the treasurer. Nimm’s address is listed as a post office box in Chelsea. Efforts to reach Nimm, at the number listed in the PAC’s papers, were unsuccessful.

Now I find this one to be tale-telling about the outgoing governor and the his administration's actions.  However, his people knew to do their stuff within legal and mostly ethical bounds like BCBS.  
The morale of this story is know your lane and stick to it.  AEA should have learned to fall back years ago on anything that wasn't associated with education.  Instead they decided to meddle with the entire political process on both sides of the partisan spectrum, while clearly history says whom they were playing sides for the majority of the time.   The mid-game side changing didn't help, rather further indict their unethical meddling.  Now one isn't giving credence to borderline actions of BCBS (federal healthcare), GOVPAC (being Riley's sycophants), but they knew their lanes and stayed in them.  AEA did themselves in by playing "Jack/Jill of All Trades" in politics and failing to realize a Jack/Jill of all trades is an expert at nothing at all. 

All this led to (in the words of actress Tasha Smith from the movie Why Did I Get Married? go to 3:18 in the video) "the BOOM" formally known as SB2.

 

On a holiday note...

I'll be laying low since it is the holidays.  However, I might post some.  Anyways, it's been fun doing this for nearly 2 years now on all things from politics, music, entertainment, and urban issues.

Happy Holidays!

Well, well, well, somebody made it big in urban music out of Pittsburgh

Well, if you know my blog track history then you would know I am an avid urban music fan.  Well, fellow blogger, Urban Radio Nation, did a story talking about how up-an-coming rapper, Wiz Khalifa, making it big in urban radio without a local station being in Pittsburgh.  The blog covers the history and closure of long time "heritage" urban station, WAMO, after nearly 5 decades of being on air in Pittsburgh.  Now it's a Catholic radio station airing religious services and programs.  The closest station to the urban format is Clear Channel-owned top 40, WKST, which plays it because of its charting status on the Billboard Top 100.  However, that station is just paying lip-service to the hip-hop song because its hits status, not because it is local per say.

However, Wiz Khalif has made it so big that he is getting spins with his hit, "Black and Yellow", which is based on the colors of the cities sports teams, like the Pittsburgh Pirates, major-league baseball team.  The single is now on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song chart.  It celebrates the "Steel City" and its pride for hometown sport teams.  I personally love the song and play it while in the gym working out because the up-tempo beat.

It's just a damn shame that a city as large as Pittsburgh and with a 27% black in the city (about 10% metropolitan area), it doesn't even have an urban radio station serving its community.  Another time and depressing day for listeners of urban radio that want to see stations represent their hometown artists, whom are good and give their city some spotlight, has to use alternative ways of obtaining success.

Interesting things that have occurred with Virginia

Since the passage of DADT repeal through both houses of Congress, there was a little stir amongst one of the Virginia many GOP delegates.  This one with the name, Bob Marshall, from Prince William County, which is apart of the Metro Washington area of Northern Virginia, is drafting a bill for the regular session of Virginia General Assembly to enforce a state ban on any LGBT members of the Virginia National Guard.  However, this one snag to his plan, the Virginia National Guard is 95% federally funded, so how exactly does Mr. Marshall plan on funding something like if the violate federal law?

I mean this is a recession, and many states are still cash-strapped or deep in the red, but whom how legislating social policy is more important than common sense?

YEAH, OK....***EYE ROLL***

Meanwhile, I'm awaiting for Virginia AG Cuccinelli to come out the gate with some bull that will say it's legit and then the federal court will overturn the stupid law then they all whine the feds are trying to take over everything again, and scene.  It's like a melodramatic act in a play seen all too many times.

(links courtesy of the Washington Post)

The Special Session in Alabama Legislature is over

Here are the things that came out of this special session:

All the proposed legislative ethics bills were passed, but none in their original forms.  The climax of the special session was the AEA-administered coup by the House Democrats against SB-2 which was the bill restrict direct deductions from workers' payroll to support political activities.  It led to a 14-hour filibuster in the Alabama House where the Democrats were blocking cloture, but on the bill in its original form.  However, in the end it passed with a narrow 52-49 majority around 3AM Thursday morning.  Some Democrats are upset like some of my buddies over at Left in Alabama with parallel arguments about the GOP and their funding of local chambers of commerce.  I'm not denying the argument is not legitimate.  On the other hand, I personally think it is a good thing because AEA has to be stripped of power because they are a political liability to Alabama progressive politics.  After the AEA insured the election of 2 of the most dubious gubernatorial candidates in modern Alabama history, I deserved to be pushed into inert category.  It also gives some teachers a choice if they want a portions of their earnings to go to a political organization or not...

Gardendale Republican state senator, Scott Beason, has proven to his constituents what his critics have been saying forever.  He is an optimist and lacks any ethics himself.  He wants to be wine and dined like some cheap whore for favors from lobbyists, but the House Democrats weren't having that.  However, I knew this when that jackal, Beason, attempted to pass a bill that would have prohibit any articles of literature from public libraries, schools, and universities containing references to homosexuality.

In all the special session was pretty fruitful productive.

Don't Ask Don't Tell is done

The US Senate voted with 65-31 vote to end the Clinton administration era policy against LGBTs serving openly in the military.  I'm surprised by the gain of a couple of GOP votes like Mark Kirk of Illinois, Susan Collins of Maine, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, etc.  However, it is done, so the LGBT bloggers should stop whining about how President Obama hasn't fulfilled his promise of repealing it.  It's obvious since the Republicans will be taking over the House and a few more Republican senators in the US Senate next month that anything else socially progressive for LGBTs won't be going down anytime soon.  Now let's rejoice and enjoy the holiday season...

IN RELATED NEWS: In one his last votes as a congressman, when the House voted again on the repeal DADT, Artur Davis voted against it.  It is what it is.  I've always been like "kanye shrug" at Davis when he steps outside of the progressive mode because he is a moderate.  However, the sycophant of Shelia Smoot whining on Martin Weinrib aka "gradyw" of  Left in Alabama and "MartinW" of Progressive Electorate about it.

Another party switcher in Texas

I'm continuing my series of post-election Democrat-to-Republican party switchers across the South.  Today's state of choice is Texas!  Yeah Texas, you guys are apart of the South, LOL!  Anyways, on to more serious business.  On Wednesday, a Hispanic American Democrat, Aaron Peña, of Texas's 40th house district, decided to jump ship and join the GOP super-majority in the Texas State House.  The kicker is this dude is representative from Hidalago County, i.e. "Rio Grande Valley" of South Texas also known as the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area, which has a solid non-white majority and very Democratically oriented politically.  Peña should know his political career is dead-on-arrival after this term and the treachery of switching parties after an election where he was elected as a member of one party then switch.  Oh yeah, Alan Ritter, a white Democrat turned Republican, of Texas' 21st house district switched as well on the same day, but his district is considered a "toss-up" politically speaking since it's not as diverse and of the average Southern demographics (if you know what I mean) in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area of Southeast Texas.  


I have to say the optimism in politics is at an all-time high at the moment...


(h/t to Burnt Orange and Mean Rachel) 

The Inmate Strike in Georgia Prisons

Something that has been largely ignored by the mainstream media outlets including the majority of the ones in Georgia itself.  This is the inmates in prisons across the state of Georgia have been striking over the lack of humane conditions in the state and county prisons.  According to the Black Agenda Report, the prisons are only leaving their cells for hot showers and food, but refusing to participant in their involuntary and uncompensated work assignments.  Their demands includes demanding wages for their labor, educational opportunities, adequate health care and nutrition, and better conditions.  They have the support of the Georgia chapter of the NAACP, the Nation of Islam, the National Association for Radical Prison Reform, the Green Party of Georgia,  the Ordinary Peoples Society, and the Concerned Coalition to Protect Prisoner Rights, which is a coalition comprised of civil rights attorneys, ministers, community organizations and other prisoner advocates. 


This is understandable considering according to the 2005 report conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, blacks makes up 39.8% of the prison population.  That's more than 1 in 3 blacks are or have been incarcerated  Something that obviously affects most black Americans since most of us either know or are related to somebody that has or is prison.  Hopefully, this will end peacefully and the inmates will get their grievances fulfilled and have humane standards in the Georgia Department of Corrections systems. 

Who in the hell still steals copper?

Copper is practically worthless these days after the market drop in late 2007 (because let's be honest take into account the price of gas to travel to where it is and a place to sale it then it is worthless).  Meanwhile, the late thieves in Alabama (where it seems 90% of everything is way behind the curve) are still attempting to steal copper to make a quick buck.  This morning in downtown Birmingham, where the city's Christmas tree was standing in Linn Park was burned down by a couple of these late copper stealing morons.

According to the Birmingham News, the thieves attempted to melt the plastic from the copper to extract the metal to sale by dousing the tree in gasoline and set a small fire.  The idiots also set the tree on fire and burned the majority of the tree lower portion resulting in being taken to the city recycling center to be made into mulch.

It's a damn shame after Birmingham has already suffered through another election of another member of the status quo group, continued plunging of city population, the ongoing battle to handle a deficit, and now this.  Birmingham really needs a break...SIGH!

UPDATE: The local urban adult contemporary radio station WBHK, "98.7 Kiss FM" has decided to step in and help replace the city's tree.  They had the tree delivered to Linn Park around 3PM this afternoon, and other surrounding cities are offering up extra ornaments that have storage to the city of Birmingham to decorate the new tree.  There is a tree lighting ceremony planned for 9AM Thursday morning.

However, on a personal note, it still doesn't change my feelings about the boring ass Kiss FM.  Birmingham should have a station more like V-103 in Atlanta as its leader and community-oriented urban station.

Tom Cuccinelli is at it again, but this time causing problems involving the enforcement of healh care reform in Virginia

Virginia's controversial, foolish attorney general, Tom Cuccinelli, has gotten his wish of repealing the enforcement of some of the Federal Affordable Care Act.  The portion in particular is the mandate of requiring citizens to buy some form of health insurance.  The U.S. District Court Judge, Henry E. Hudson, known for his conservative stances and dabbling in anti-healthcare reform lobbying as well, ruled today that portion of the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional.

"Neither the Supreme Court nor any federal circuit court of appeals has extended Commerce Clause powers to compel an individual to involuntarily enter the stream of commerce by purchasing a commodity in the private market," he wrote. "In doing so, enactment of the [individual mandate] exceeds the Commerce Clause powers vested in Congress under Article I [of the Constitution.]"

The kicker is why this justice ruled in Cuccinelli's favor was because the Republican-dominated Virginia General Assembly passed a state law prohibiting any type of mandate against requiring a health insurance for citizens.  (Of course, the same logic could be drawn from the mandating of certain states requiring drivers to have automobile insurance, but that another conversation).  Cuccinelli feels embolden now since he got his way and even Virginia Republican Congressman Eric Cantor want to even have the case sent directly to the SCOTUS (U.S. Supreme Court).  Oh yeah, the mandate isn't exactly unenforceable because it will be still be allowed while its going through the appeals process.

However, this whole situation is first shot of the GOP and anti-healthcare reform sycophants to strip this delicately constructed law allowing many whom couldn't receive health care including many of my fellow Gen-Y peers as well as those whom are over the poverty line but can't afford it either (also known as the "in-between").   Oh yeah, let me not forget about the other 20 states including Alabama and Georgia, stirring the pot on this law.  This whole fiasco is another reason why anyone with common sense should be against this craziness rather than promoting it...

Oh how cute, another opportunist but this one is black and it's in Georgia

I couldn't leave this one out!

According to the Democratic Party of Georgia, one of their few north Georgian black Democrats (outside the immediate Metro Atlanta area) is switching parties.  His name is Ashley Bell, and is a former president of the Georgia chapter of College Democrats and current Hall County commissioner for the District 4.  He said quote:

“After consulting with family my conscience leads me to determine that the Democratic Party is no longer aligned with my core beliefs,” Bell said. “In short, my personal convictions and conservative beliefs fit comfortably within the Republican Party. That’s why I have made my decision to officially become a Republican.”

“As a Hall County Commissioner, I have strongly supported privatization of services to make them less expensive and more efficient. I have voted against spending increases, supported a resolution to declare English our official language, and supported strengthening ethics standards for government,” Bell said. “Too many Democrats seem to oppose these basic conservative ideas.”

Now I had to research this guys background.  According to the Gainesville Times, Bell is a Hall County native and a very active participant in the DNC, elected as the youngest delegate ever at the convention in 2000, 2004 where he was a primetime speaker.  Why the sudden flip?  Well, individuals whom know him has called him an "opportunist" and "I would posit that he wants a future. Good to know that he's willing to compromise his ideals to accomplish that".  Hmmm....interesting and tale-telling...  (h/t to Blog for Democracy)

It's opportunist season once again and you will see who is actually about clamoring for power and whose about their shit...

Somethings that are occuring in the Alabama Legislature...

I guess the now Republican-majority Alabama Legislature has all those who watch Alabama politics in a tizzy.  First, Alabama's outgoing governor, Bob Riley, decided to do a speech opening the special sessions for "ethics reform" at 6PM on Wednesday, and surprisingly the local Birmingham TV stations with news ops aired.  (Well, some of them like ABC 33/40, WIAT "CBS 42", and WBRC "FOX6").  WVTM, "Alabama's 13" (formerly "NBC 13") didn't air it at all, but did cover it during their 10PM newscast.  It seems like "media bias" to me because not once in recent memory have any of the Birmingham news media outlet felt it was pertinent to air anything from the State Capitol on live television.  ***SIDE-EYE***

Anyways, back to the discussion of the special session.  It looks like the Republicans want to pass 7 key items (of course on their terms):

• Code of Public Ethics and Accountability
• Legislative Double Dipping Ban
• PAC-to-PAC Ban
• Pass-Through Pork Ban
• Protect the Public Trust Act
• Restricting Political Activity on State Time
• Transparency and Accountability Act 

I know some of my fellow progressives like my buddy, "Mooncat", on Left in Alabama has expressed their grievances and agreements with the proposal.  Although others are just looking for a reason to "cause strife" between the "Riley camp" and the "Bentley camp".  Not that I disagree with looking for a counter tactic for  Democrats to use against the Republicans, but they had control of the Alabama Legislature for 136 years and did nothing but hold on to power.

The outgoing governor and newly elected state legislators are just a beacon of interesting ideas including newly appointed Senate Pro-Tem, Del Marsh, who has recommended legislative staff reductions.  The catch is that they might be bringing in their own as usual, who might get paid just as much...

This whole situation with this party shift is a mess, but many (including myself) warned the Democrats of their antics of doing nothing would come back to haunt them sooner than later.

Now what exactly is this going to prove?

I'm starting to wonder if the partisan purists of the Democratic party wants to see this fight blow up in the President's face.  Especially after today when House Democrats wants to block the resolution as is that would allow the passage of the combined bill allowing an long term extension of unemployment benefits in return for a 2-year extension of the tax cuts on the wealthy.  However, what most of them haven't anticipated is the American people will blame them meaning House and Senatorial Democrats in 2012 if they economy stalls because of this "proof of cuming political points" against Congressional Republicans.  I hate the idea of giving an extension to those whom makes $250K+ annually, i.e. the "Bush-era tax cuts".  Meanwhile, the people who are going to be punished is those whom make below this tax bracket and the long-term unemployed.  Every battle shouldn't be won if you are attempting to win a war, but I guess this notion is lost on deaf ears of some Democrats that wants revenge, political revenge.

All I can say let's hope the counter-deal that the Democrats are crafting is going to work....

So Kasim Reed apologizes to the Atlanta LGBTs for the police raid

In an unceremonious manner, Atlanta mayor, Kasim Reed, apologized to the victims of the 2008 raid of the Midtown Atlanta gay bar, Eagle, and called for "healing".  According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the settlement resulted in $1 million to the owners and 60 individuals involved in the raid where Atlanta Police officers handcuffed bar patrons and workers without a warrant.  Reed said:

“I believe that what occurred that evening should not have happened and should not happen again,” Reed said at a news conference. “As mayor of Atlanta, I feel pain for anyone mistreated in our city and apologize to each plaintiff in the . . . case.”

“This week’s settlement agreement is a step forward, and I hope, the beginning of a healing process,” said Reed, who was not mayor at the time. “The plaintiffs and the city . . . have agreed upon clear steps which will strengthen and improve our law enforcement capabilities and help ensure that an incident such as this will not happen again in our city.”

Reed is hoping this will help "heal" the divide between the current administration and the LGBT constituency.  IMHO, that is yet to be seen because I know how some people will be bitter as hell and will hold a grudge for a long time.  Anyways, good to see this case resolved and maybe the APD will not do such random things in the future.

Video is courtesy of the Georgia Voice

And what exactly suppose to be said about the 'compromise'?

Let's see President Obama decided to 'co-opt' a 'compromise' with the Senatorial Republicans over the "Bush-era" tax cuts that are set to expire on 1/1/11 along with a 13-month extension of unemployment benefits which expired on 11/30.  Seems like a no-brainer to me.  However, so of my fellow more partisan-oriented progressives want to hold the unemployed hostage like what happened over the summer to prove a point.  Uh, how in the hell thinks this is a good idea?

Let's be realistic, Obama is setting the Republicans up to be exposed as the classist bastards they are in 2012 when the tax cuts are up for debate again.  Also he isn't going to be held to some delusional partisan ideal that some of my fellow progressives but also liberals will live and breathe by until they day they die.  Common sense will tell you that nothing in life is cut and dry especially in politics.  Now if some of my fellow progressives doesn't realize this then that is on them, but I know what is up with this 'compromise'.

A tragic ending for somebody whom earned my respect and admiration

Unfortunately, Elizabeth Edwards, estranged wife of former 2008 Democratic presidential nominee, John Edwards, lost her battle with breast cancer.  She always was seen in my eyes as sincere advocate for the worker-class and lower class citizenry and health care access for all.  At least she is no long suffering physically (and hopefully emotionally) from such much in her 61 year life.  May she rest in peace.

Eddie Long attempts to silence his accusers with money

Well, I guess good ol' Eddie Long had decided to "keep it on the hush" rather than "fight it to the very end" as he claimed months ago before his nearly 25,000 congregation in Lithonia (Georgia).  Oh hell, oh well.  It just displays to me the burden of proof he was fucking with those males and is an ephebophile and one whom has some strong homosexual undertones to their being.

Well, there is some truth to this, but a lot more misconceptions to this

I just read the article by Josh Kraushaar in the National Journal discussing the diversity problem associated with the Democratic Party.  While there is some truth to this notion because I've been saying this for a while now that there is a humongous problem within the DNC that involving viable black politicos whom are electable to pluralistic, statewide offices such as the U.S. Senate and governorships.  I've said time, time, and time again that there needs to be more pluralistic candidates promoted to candidacy for statewide offices across the South, but there is those whom are vehemently against this.  Yet, some blacks do wonder why the lack of viable black candidates continues persist in the South. 

On the other hand, there is way more young and non-white voters willing to vote for Democrats over Republicans.  The reasoning is quite obvious T.E.A. twits, Dixiecrats, anti-progressive stance will likely be the Republicans undoing. 

Now, the elections of Bobby Jindal, Nikki Haley (ironically both Indian Americans) to the governorships of Louisiana and South Carolina respectively is impressive.  However, notice they aren't electing any blacks or Meso-American Hispanics to the statewide offices because they know it won't fly in the South.  The few blacks elected in the South are always in majority white districts and extremely socially conservative, i.e. Allen West of Florida and Tim Scott of South Carolina.  This individuals aren't reflective of a "pluralistic" candidate rather an anti-thesis of pluralism because they have subjectively refuted an inclusive platform that is very reflective of their congressional districts.  This alone shows anyone with a strong critical analysis skill will notice about this situation of "diversity" in the Republican party.  It also will come back to haunt the GOP because most non-whites see through the overt non-inclusive nature of the current Republican party. 

Oh Beauregard! You are a bigot after all...

After going through the motions of talking about the results of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal in the U.S. Senate all this past week.  Meanwhile, Alabama's own, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, has proven that he isn't just a racially bias asshole, but a very closed minded one at that.  It's seems he doesn't care that the majority of U.S. service members are ambivalent or for the inclusion of LGBT in the military.  He attempts to spew this half-assed incoherent statement in response:

"I'm inclined to the personal view that 'don't ask, don't tell' has been pretty effective," Sessions said during a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "And I'm dubious about the change, although I fully recognize that good people could disagree on that subject."

In other word, even if the vast majority of troops doesn't believe it will a problem he doesn't want it done.  I just enjoy this type of bigotry because it so blatant, yet most white Alabamians will never admit they elected a bigot to office.  I have consistently either voted against Session or abstained from voting on the US Senate race at the ballot.  In 2012, Alabama Democrats should actually attempt to vet and place an opponent against this bigot because he is very racially bias and obviously anti-LGBT...

So if the T.E.A. Party had their way then nobody that didn't own property would vote?

It's no surprise that the T.E.A. twats are still peddling their aversive bias and classist agenda across America.  It so ironic the same group of people have screamed, "We want our country back!" by verbatim would allow another one its "leaders" venture into this territory again.

Well, Judson Phillips of Nashville-based "Tea Party Nation" said on his internet radio show of the same name that went along the lines of defending the original laws that only allowed property owners the right to vote:

The Founding Fathers originally said, they put certain restrictions on who gets the right to vote. It wasn't you were just a citizen and you got to vote. Some of the restrictions, you know, you obviously would not think about today. But one of those was you had to be a property owner. And that makes a lot of sense, because if you're a property owner you actually have a vested stake in the community. If you're not a property owner, you know, I'm sorry but property owners have a little bit more of a vested interest in the community than non-property owners.

Thanks to the gigantic ponzy scheme orchestrated by the U.S. government (primarily under the Bush administration) and financial industry, nearly 1/3rd of US residents are ineligible for homeownership. 

David DeGerolamo, a North Carolina tea party leader and founder of NC Freedom, a state-wide tea party umbrella group went even further saying he wants the 14th Amendment repealed.  

It's like Rand Paul and his bullshit all over again.  Now I'm awaiting the "strict constitutionalists" come out the gate defending this bullshit.  We live in some sad time in this nation when racist and classist bullshit can be defended.

(h/t to the Institute for Southern Studies)