Applause for laziness, NOT!

This whole referandum that is going to be held Tuesday in Alabama is a croak of sh...well you know the rest.  I swear this is why I HATE partisanship in Alabama because all it is about is a bunch of clusterfucking of both sides of the do-nothing cause.  Note: Alabama's legislators really don't do anything when compared to their federal counterparts, and that let's you know who truly lazy Alabama's legislative branch is.

Now there is this fear-mongering campaign being led by a variety of special interests and the Alabama Republican Party establishment that wants to pass this so that the state can transfer $437 million from its rainy day fund to cover their asses literally and politically.  Also it will cost Alabama $3 million additional dollars in funds to just hold this election.  However, the some Alabama Democrats and even stranger bedfellows are against it.  Their motives is to trying to make their Republican counterparts work.  Also there are some Alabama Republicans that doesn't support this either, but that is another conversation.

The reality caveat is that when Alabama Democrats were in charge they didn't do anything.  This is another 3-ring circus that the vast majority of Alabamians perpetuate upon themselves by not doing their homework when electing local representation in the Alabama Legislature.

Le sigh!  I need to be truly done with this place...

Do I honestly care?

Do I care that on former Alabama Democratic gubernatorial nominee turned Virginia Republican Congressional candidate, Artur Davis, is set to be speak at the Republican National Convention this week in Tampa?  Nope.

I still don't care at all, my ambivalence towards his existence because he is still carrying on his brat-like, vindictive behavior because he is still butt-hurt from losing the 2010 Democratic nomination to the Sand Mountain redneck, whom as well turned into a Republican as well, Ron Sparks.  Yeah, Davis has spent the past few months galavanting with the Angry White People Coalition, i.e., T.E.A. Twats in Virginia. Oh yeah, he wants so badly to impress those delusional and psychologically disengaged whites in the far-flung exburbs of Washington DC in Northern Virginia.

Meanwhile, Sparks is not only apart of the Bentley administration as an "economic development liaison", which doesn't amount to heap of beans because that position has about as much pull as I do as a being a political consultant at the moment, but he has been quieter than whore in church.  This is another episode of the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) being duped into believing anyone with integrity would actually want to run for anything outside of Birmingham or maybe the other 3 larger cities in that state.  Alabama is currently a place where everyone has been polarized long before the current trend plaguing the US as a whole, except it is based upon social egalitarian progression versus status quo and circling of the wagons.  The few whom are for social egalitarian progression has been vastly outnumbered by 2:1 to those whom want to maintain status quo and circling of the wagons for their particular interests.  (FYI, Redeye, yeah those like Joe Reed, AEA, and the homophobic coalition are a part of the latter rather than former...)

It's embarrassing if you ask me because I'm not the type of person that set my hopes so high for a state that has repeated violated human rights and civil liberties of anyone that isn't a cisgendered, white, heterosexual male.  Then again, folk isn't innocent either when many of the state legislative representation they sent to Montgomery are always trying to work against LGBTs, whom are black as well, and whom live in their very districts in Birmingham.

Things I must say aloud that need to be told

Riddle me this, riddle me that, why is it that certain men whom want to be 'closeted' about their lives seem to post pictures on social networking sites like Facebook and/or Twitter on Memorial Day weekend?  I mean if you are a single black males and most people realize you are a ***AHEM*** 'confirmed bachelor' then why would you travel to Miami or Washington, D.C. and then post the pix?  I'm not dumb and some others aren't dumb either people, the widely known skinfest for black SGL men and their admirers was held on the Greater Miami area this past Memorial Day weekend (as it is every Memorial Day holiday for the past 11 years) and also the DC Black Pride was held in Washington.  So...  I mean in the words of Ed Lover, "COME ON, SIR!", we all now know are suspecting that you aren't straight, but you want to play that role then have at it but don't say I didn't warn you all.  I'm not saying, but I'm just saying...

In other things, I see that the GOP side of the 2012 presidential race has turned into an attention whorefest where Sarah "I can see Russia from my backyard" Palin is riding around the Megalopolis corridor beckoning for attention.  This Alaskan heifer wants everyone to pay attention to her simple-minded ass, but yet wants to proclaim she isn't running.  Then why are you traveling up on the down the East Coast in a bus, moron?  I can't stand people whom want attention but then play dumb when they are called out on it.

In Alabama, recall they say, recall?  I don't think so.  However, Alabama State Senator (and well known corrupt politico), Roger Bedford along with Senator Marc Keahey has filed two separate but identical bills in the Alabama Legislature calling for recalls of state politicians.  However, the catch is it is only for state officials not county or municipal level officials.

“The potential for recall elections forces legislators to be more accountable to the people, and diminishes the influence of special interests groups and political party bosses,” Keahey said.

Keahey’s amendment would allow the public to recall an elected official after one year into the elected official’s term of office. To recall an elected official, Keahey’s bill states that voters must file a petition with the Secretary of State. The petition must be signed by a number of voters that equals at least 25 percent of the vote cast in the previous election for the office being recalled. The petition must then be submitted to the Secretary of State within 90 days of the original filing. If the Secretary of State determines that all requirements have been met, a recall vote will be scheduled for the sixth Tuesday following the announcement of the decision.

I knew Bedford especially didn't truly mean to promote reform considering he is the well-known Pork King of the Alabama Legislature.  But I digress, it seems like they have formulated 2 bills hoping it will pass this late in the regular session of the Alabama Legislature, which I know they won't unless a miracle on Goat Hill occurs.  Anyways, that's that.  (h/t to Left in Alabama and the Atmore News for the links).

Oh while I was away taking care of business...

I was taking care of some graduate school business, but did have my ear to the blogosphere and the news...

Kudos to Charles Barkley for speaking his mind about Bernice...Bernice King, whom is the current sitting president of the SCLC, for her lack of regard for LGBTs of color yet want to take claim to "carrying the torch" of her father.  Speak the truth and shame the demons amongst us...

Auburn University QB soon to be NFL draftee, Cam Newton giving away his education for something as unstable and unpredictable as a career in professional football.  Now very wise at all if you ask me, and Dr. Boyce Watkins agrees with me on that.  As a matter of fact, Watkins went even further and said that his giving away a paid for education is just further the "plantation mentality" for black Americans.  WOW, WOW, WOW!  I don't wholeheartedly agree, but he has a some strong points about them taking advantage of these talented individuals.

Then there was the Over-the-Mountain Democrats forum of last Tuesday (January 18th) about "How Will the Democrats Rise Again?" at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.  My buddy, Mooncat at Left in Alabama, covered it quite well links here, here, and here.  The truth is the Alabama Democratic Party is screwed because white Democrats are too busy trying to "chase after rainbows", i.e. "the elusive rural white vote" while running away from being associated with President Obama (whom isn't popular with a faction of white Alabamians) then the "Joe Reed Problem".  The man that is the human equivalent to "a runaway train from hell" while playing up the Bojangles angle.  I've covered that thing for awhile now and have nothing else to say about it...

Finally, the incident in Carroll County, Georgia of the Metro Atlanta area.  According to the Times-Georgian of Carroll County, 43-year-old Chris Staples was residing at his mother's residence on disability since he had injured himself on the job many years ago, and has been openly homosexual for nearly 20 years.  WSB-TV reports that on Sunday, there were two incidents that occurred at the residence, first a rock thrown through a bedroom window with a message from the assailant conveying their knowledge of Staples' sexuality and he was going to hell then a fire set to the residence.  One has to wonder who in the hell in 2011 still spins their time worrying about what some low-key individual especially a homosexual does with their life?  Nuttiness

I should be back to somewhat regular posting later on this week after getting caught up with other things I'm handling involving my Masters' program...

CORRECTION: According to last Friday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bernice King turned down the role of president of the SCLC, but that doesn't excuse her track record on LGBT rights...

Why I am not surprised or shocked by the events of yesterday in Tucson...

It's very tragic and disheartening about the events that led up to the 6 causalities including U.S. District Court of Arizona judge John Rolls, 11 injured including Arizona's 8th congressional district representative, Gabrielle Gifford in the Tucson area.

I can tell you why because we live in a society where everyone wants to pigeon-hole others in categories thus making us a society of the proverbial, "label whores".  It seen it daily on blogs, forums across the internet on subtle things from politics to entertainment.  Case and point, on one of my frequent posting sites, Left in Alabama, there are a number of individuals whom I consider just plain divisive and destructive to anything because they can't generate a coherent or logical discussion about anything.  I've pointed this out numerous times in the past including the members like RedEye, Gradyw/Martin Weinrib, Dale Jackson among others that constantly bring nothing to the table other than acrimony.  Anytime I've gotten into a discussion with them they try to run the gambit of tricks and even attempt to go for the jugular, but in the end wind up looking like an idiot because I've proven time and time what they are foolish.  I don't blame the administration there for the issues, but some of the individual are just ridiculous.

Other sites like Jack & Jill Politics, there are posters whom will do nothing but denigrate or flat out insult posters whom might not agree with their views like CPL/Christian Progressive Liberal (the irony of that name and her actions).  I remember very vividly when I decided to engage in the discussion of the candidacy of Artur Davis in the Alabama's gubernatorial race, CPL wanted to be very nasty and even attempt to insult me because I corrected their misinformation and half-truths.  It's just become a regular old circus these days on some of these sites.

Also on Rod 2.0 and Pam's House Blend, these two LGBT oriented (and black issues-leaning) blogs have shown that there are some posters (in Rod 2.0.'s case even Rod McCullom himself) who will attack those whom doesn't agree with practically everything that said on that site.

These examples are just a sample of what I see as a breakdown of civility in our society and that's just on the internet, but its hiding under the surface (and behind a computer screen).  What's more disturbing is what is hiding below the surface in everyday life with individuals we encounter in our daily lives.  Ironically, these sites suppose to be places of openness of those whom feel "left out" in many ways.

The overzealous nature of partisanship on both sides of the aisle and then the ideological battle of placing everybody in "categories" of being either "liberal" or "conservative".  Some people are just "moderate" on most political issues or "socially progressive" but hold reservations on other things thus not having them fit in any particular political mode and that's their prerogative as American citizens.  However, there are those on both sides of the ideological extremes that wants to war with those because of those differences.  Until we learn that there will always be those in the middle and stop trying to wage this "us versus them" type of mindset, don't be surprise if other more heinous things occur.   It's one of the constant reasons why I stay annoyed by some because they want others to "fall in line" of group-thinking or be royal asses just for the hell of it with no coherent or logical backing to their stances.  

Seriously, people need to get a grip and realize the consequences of their thoughts and divisive rhetoric.  

(h/t to Tucson's local newspaper, Arizona Daily Star for the links to the story)

UPDATE on Charlotte-Mecklenburg fiasco involving the very vocal county commission

On Tuesday, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners did pass the resolution supporting diversity, inclusion, and tolerance of all members of their community regardless of sexuality.  They along with the public did  criticize District 6 Commissioner Bill James for his comments criticizing North Carolina US Senator Richard Burr for voting for the passage of DADT and equating homosexuality with sexual predatory behavior.  They went IN on his ass.  After getting chewed out, James along with the rest of the Board of Commissioners voted to pass the resolution.

According to the Charlotte Observer, James has ran his mouth like WHOA on blacks, "urban blacks live in a moral sewer" to illegal immigrants to drug dealers.   This guy is a piece of work, but a typical Southern white Republican...

(h/t to the Charlotte Observer and Pam's House Blend)

Terri Sewell is now a seated representative for Alabama's 7th congressional district

It's an interesting yet remarkable accomplishment for Alabama with the seating of the 112th Congress of the United States, the first black female is congressional representative has been sworn in.  It's one bright spot for Alabama is Terri Sewell since all the other Democratic House representatives either lost their seats (Bobby Bright) or changed parties yet still lost (Parker Griffith aka "Mr. Two-Last Names").  Sewell supports economic development and major improvements of transportation infrastructure of the Alabama's 7th congressional district (which includes the cities of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Selma) along with the passage of DADT, hate crimes legislation including LGBTs, the passage of ENDA, and even same-sex unionship (i.e. "same-sex marriages" for you jargon-heads who love that goofy term).  Sewell pride herself as a pro-women's rights advocate (for equal pay and reproductive choice for women) also supporter of healthcare reform, and financial reform.

It's going to SO INTERESTING watching Republicans trying to play damage control when the media scrutinized them like they did with the Democratically-controlled 111th Congress.  Especially after them already waffling on their stance of being so transparent.  However, let's take a moment to enjoy Terri Sewell.

CHEERS!

(h/t to Left in Alabama and WAKA-TV for the links)

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) 

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....

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.

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. 

Why Southern Democrats are on the skids...

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.

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...

The gifts that the Alabama Education Association (AEA) has brought to us

The Alabama Education Association (AEA) has basically sabotaged anything remotely progressive (or on that matter, rational) for Alabama for the next 4 years.  There are basically 2 morons running for governor, and anyone with a spark of knowledge about politics knows that it's usually this way.  However, the caught is that AEA has funded both of their campaigns by spreading lies about their primary opponents and using political action committees (PACs) to do it.  We all know the narrative about how the idiot known as Ron Sparks wind up on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket.  This time around, I'll tell the tale about how the ornery dermatologist from Tuscaloosa, Robert Bentley, wind up on the Republican ticket. 

Apparently, AEA and Stan Pate, a major Alabama real estate development from Tuscaloosa, got into cohorts with one another to spread lies via 9 different PACs against primary opponent, Bradley Byrne.  The PACs all swore they represented "conservative Alabamians" and such.  Meanwhile, all of their addresses were P.O. Boxes that were owned by AEA members or the organization itself.  The whole scheme wreaked of fraud and underhanded campaigning on the part of the AEA.  This led to the run-off between Byrne and Bentley where the PACs continued their spreading of misinformation.  This type of scam occurred on the Democratic ticket as well along with the help of Joe Reed and his sycophantic org, the ADC (Alabama Democratic Coalition) along with the pseudo-progressive black org, the ANSC (Alabama New South Coalition) against Artur Davis.  

Now the majority of Alabamians are having "buyers remorse" before the election because they finally realizing that were played like Nintendo by the AEA.  The AEA is a fraudulent organization that doesn't represent anything but status quo these days.  If they stood for integrity they would have helped Alabama secure funds for the the federal education improvement programmed created by President Obama instead of fighting against it all because it would allow state-administered charter schools.  They would have been fought tooth-and-nail to improve adequate funding for school districts in places like the Black Belt, rural South Alabama, where there are schools where there are no texts available for their students.  The AEA is another symptom of the shit that plagues Alabama and should be treated the same way other lobbyists are treated, with a long-handle spoon...

SMH! I have no words for the craziness

 
There seems to be a coup amongst Southern rural white Democrat reps to down right sabotage any efforts to maintaining sanity in the region.  Let me see, there is Bobby Bright in Alabama's 3rd congressional district trying his damnedest to make sure his gullible (predominately white) constituency that he is an "conservative independent, gun-totting, down-to-earth type of guy".  Uh yeah, that'll work in the long, Bobby...

The curious case of déjà vu for Alabama's 5th congressional district (you know the place where current sitting representative Parker Griffith switched sides from Democrat to Republican because he felt it would help him get reelected), with their "Democratic" nominee (I used that term lightly), Steve Raby is basically playing from the same book of ambiguity as Griffith.  This is just Alabama.

Meanwhile in Georgia, there is their 8th congressional district (middle Georgia around Macon), their sitting representative, Jim Marshall, saying he is a "conservative, gun-totting, fighting against Washington conservative".  It seems like the same script, different cast all over the South with rural, white Democratic representatives.  They seem to want to be associated with this culture of hokey bullshit (yeah, I went there), so they can go back and repeat the same thing they did before (nothing that I can see other than be a placeholder).

This is bull is the textbook reason why I don't fool with rural politics because it's all about being very hokey and WASPy along with be very vague on platform details other.  The ad populum fallacy of this crap is they aren't progressing their constituents' interests nor are they being a leader at all rather jumping on the bandwagon of mediocrity.

I'm an independent, but have hardline stances that are represents social progression and fiscal responsibility.  Meanwhile, other constituents in their respective districts that maybe socially moderate, progressive, liberal, or non-white are left in the dust and having their loyalties to taken advantage of because they have a "D" behind their name.  This type of dysfunctional political behavior is the reason why most non-whites and socially progressive whites leave these areas.  These so-called "independent" Democrats are Tagalogs of the southern, closed-minded culture that has retarded this portion of the country as a whole.  My advice to them is position yourself as a social moderate and attempt to reach out and inspire the base to vote rather than chasing after the fickle and socially conservative whites, whom by default tend to vote for a Republican.

(Photos courtesy of Left in Alabama)