| …as my Dad used to say, “That’s just how it is.” I have not been watching the news as much as I did before due to prior promises made to family and friends. However, I have been listening and what I’ve been hearing lately from The Ed [Schultz] Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and Countdown’s Keith Olbermann, is forcing me to take note of some of the comments. Some of the commentators and journalist show recent videos of Barack Obama speaking at rallies around the country and say that Barack is acting as if he is on the campaign trail. Some analysts have actually questioned what Barack was doing. Well, I’ve seen those videos and I know exactly what Barack Obama is doing: He is leaving his bed late nights, skipping and/or eating meals with pen and paper in hand; hammering out his carefully prepared speeches and plans for the Nation. He is leaving his loving family while traveling the country to speak to The People. What is Barack Obama doing? He is doing what any responsible hard working Black man does: WORKING HARDER THAN ANY OF HIS FORMER COLLEAGUES HAVE EVER DONE. Now, without any disrespect to my favorite former president Bill Clinton, Barack has to work harder than any of those that preceded him. Why? Because he’s Black. Why? Because a lot, not all but some white Americans who would never – in their wildest dreams – voted for a Black man. Why does Barack Obama have to work harder? Because there are those Blacks who said the reason they didn’t show up at the polls [just recently] was because they no longer felt “engaged” by Obama. Why is Barack Obama working so hard? It is because he made a promise to the American People and Obama can and will succeed if these two things occur: 1.) The Republicans start working in the best interest of The People and stop acting as if it is their party or the name of their party that truly matters. They need to put away their egos and "good ol’ boy" attitudes and start working for ALL The People. (Often times when I think of the Republicans Party, I wonder how in the world could anyone be that heartless, as it would only take a savage person who could tediously sit and watch over 43,000 people die due to lack of health insurance.) The Republicans called an end to spending-caps yet they accept the federally funded monies in their individual districts. In March 2009, Barack Obama asked the Republicans what they wanted in the healthcare bill and asked for any new proposals. The Republicans proposed tort reform, buying insurance across State lines, State innovations, and the ability for individuals to pull together. Obama used all of the Republicans suggestions, but the Republicans refused and it slowed bi-partisanship. And the commentators ask what President Obama is doing??? (Sigh!) Go figure! 2.) The Democrats start listening to Representative Alan Grayson when he told them [on the house floor], to “get some balls.” Surely the Dems are or at least should be aware that their own seats are in jeopardy if they aren't able to show some conformity and get something passed for the sake of The People. Oh and speaking of Grayson, I’ll never forget his speech in the house when he said, “The republican's idea of healthcare reform, is don’t get sick. And if you get sick, die quickly.” Truly, if either Party were concerned about the People’s rising healthcare costs, then they would have done something a long time ago, but since it didn’t effect them personally, they never saw a need to address a problem facing the majority of Americans. Additionally, I appreciate Grayson for quoting the famous expression: “You gotta put some jam on the bottom shelf so the little man can reach it.” (Humph, it’s too bad there are not enough of our elective officials who feel the same.) |
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| Responsible Black Men ALWAYS Have To Work Harder |
| Yes, Obama has the GOP to tend to and combat with along with people in his own party, but it’s more than just them; Obama has to fight for those carrying hitler signs while calling him a socialist and yelling racial epithets. Nonetheless, Barack Obama is not the first to experience the pain and I’m willing to bet the ranch that he will not be the last. Since the beginning of time, Blacks have always had to work harder then their predecessors. Why? Because as my Dad used to say, “That’s just the way it is.” Oh and speaking of my Dad, he had 4 jobs. No, not in his lifetime, but all at once! Why? Because he was responsible. He had a family to house, clothe and feed. He wasn’t the first nor will he be the last. A Black man and/or woman can have the same experience - if not more - the same credentials and the same if not more education, and he will still have to struggle and fight harder. He will still have to run faster and grapple more so then his non-Black contenders. If a Black person makes an honest mistake, then it’s noted 10 times more and is much more injurious then if his non-Black colleague had made the exact same mistake. It’s just how it is and always will be. It’s a matter of trust. It’s not a matter of the politician or the political party, but the color of the politician’s skin. All Blacks know that. President Barack Obama knows that. The good old boys have been running this country for years and only progressed on the sweat and tears of our Black ancestors. However, I believe wholeheartedly that it if it were not for George W. Bush, then Barack Obama would not have had a snowball's chance in being president of these united states. Why? Because it was Bush’s tactics that drove non-Blacks on both the right and in the middle to vote for change. No, not just a change in government or a brown face, but George W. Bush’s actions did not only affect non-Blacks; it hit whites as well. And it hit them hard!!! ...especially middleclass white America. Blacks are aware that when white America catches a cold, we catch pneumonia, but we knew then and now, that it’s business as usual. However, when there were increasingly white Americans feeling the same abnormal inflammatory condition of the lung -the same symptoms Blacks have been facing for centuries - whites knew there had to be change. So, those of you who had such disdain for George W. Bush, you need to re-think your contempt and instead thank him. Thank him for ruing the country so much so that The People saw no other way out other than to vote for a Black man. And thankfully we have one of the HARDEST working Black man as president of the United States of America – Barack Hussein Obama. And furthermore, I thank God for our president each and every day. Barack Obama struggled to get to where he is today and he continues to fight for the goodness and best interest of this country. Yes, I am certain he is tired and weary, but like our ancestors, he continues to battle on; amongst bigotry and hatred. Amongst his own party, he continues to combat the opposition. Can he do it? Yes he can and yes he already has. Unfortunately, after only 11 months when Barack Obama was voted into office, the economy has only grown 5.8%, but he’s working on it. The job loss continues to be a threat, but at least it is at a much slower pace. Yes, I understand that if you’re one of those who are unemployed and hit hard by the economy, this doesn’t mean much to you and you may want to blame the current commander and chief, but there were 740,000 unemployed people before Obama took office and then a whopping 640,000 [more individuals] months after he was in office. In fact, there has been small, small spurts of job growth. To help job growth, Obama is putting a lot of focus on small businesses with tax cuts and capital gains cuts and a $5,000 tax credit. So consider this: instead of 7 million people out of work, it was looming close to 9 million people out of work. The growth of economy had shrunk 6% the quarter before Obama was in office and in that same quarter, the financial institution needed reorganizing and was threatening to close more businesses which would have led the Country further in deeper ruins. (I know, I know, I could not and still don't appreciate it, but it is what it is and it's what not only Obama thought was the best thing to do, but the majority of Democrats and Republicans did too.) At the very same time, the housing market had gone from worse to impossible as it was already plugging into despair 32 months in a row....PRIOR to President Obama. The housing market is now stabilized and the banks are no longer in jeopardy and are slowly but surely starting to lend again. It has been proven that because of Obama's swift response, small town and commercial banks have steadier credit and it is flowing again. Prior to becoming the president of the United States of America, Barack Obama never said he was going to fix America’s problems overnight, but said it was going to take time. He's’ working on it, but people have forgotten that he said it would take years. In 2008 - prior to becoming president of the United States - the United States lost 2.6 million jobs. It was the most in any single year since World War II. Manufacturing was at a 28-year low and even economists said that unemployment could top 10 percent before the recession ends. Economist also said that 1 in 10 homeowners were at risk of foreclosure and the dollar was continuing its slide in value. Those problems were America's problems WAY before Barack Obama started his presidential campaign. Please, on Barack Obama's first few days in office and after setting up his office, he worked and succeeded the following:
Barack Obama has done much much more, but who cares right? He's just another Black man working a job he was hired to do, however, with such hate and racism, it is making his job that much harder. Unless President Obama uses bill 93-344, § 310; 88 297 and/or bill S.3709, he will have not have a snowball’s chance in getting anything passed. |
Shoshana Johnson was shot in both legs and spent 22 days as a prisoner of war (POW) in Iraq. While America heard the story of many white POWs, especially Jessica Lynch (pictured, left), Johnson's story was ignored and not given the respect it deserved. Johnson, now 37 years old, has released a book to describe her mental health problems related to the captivity she experienced. Ms. Johnson is open about how it was a painful for her to be ignored while everyone else gave Lynch's story all of their attention. "It was kind of hurtful," Johnson told The Associated Press. "If I'd been a petite, cutesy thing, it would've been different." Johnson, who was the first black female POW in history, felt that she was portrayed differently because of race. At the same time as Lynch, there were also four male POWs that came from the 507th Maintenance Co. from Fort Bliss, Texas. Johnson was rescued by the Marines about two weeks after Lynch's rescue. Johnson's book is called, "I'm Still Standing." In the book, she sets the record straight about her capture and discusses the mental health issues that affect many veterans across the nation. She claims that the experience led to years of nightmares, which occur regularly for veterans who've experienced the horrors of war. Just the other day, I was on an airplane headed to Fayetteville, NC. I sat next to a soldier on his way back from Iraq. I thanked him for his service to our country, and I mentioned that I admire his bravery. Immediately, I felt sadness after seeing the look in the soldier's eyes. The traumas of war are frightening, and it's sad that naive 18-year-olds are the ones who are fooled in to fighting for corporate money and oil. Not to sound cynical about war, but the bravery and patriotism of young Americans is often taken for granted. At the very least, when it comes to Shoshana Johnson, black Americans should remember the many sacrifices that African Americans have made for our nation. We must also make sure that the sacrifices of black women are recognized just as readily. Shoshana Johnson is an American hero, and it's our job to support her. Written by Dr. Boyce Watkins, founder of the Your Black World Coalition. |
| Shoshana Johnson: Black Female POW Not Getting Respect She Deserves |
| February 2010 Filed under Commentary, Video |
| Duties of the President of the United States The Constitution assigns the following powers to the President: 1-Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces: The President of the United States of America is the head of the U.S. Military. As Commander in Chief, he can authorize the use of troops overseas without declaring war. To declare war officially, he must get the approval of the Congress. 2-Make treaties, with two-thirds consent of the Senate 3-Receive ambassadors and other public ministers from foreign countries 4-Appoint ambassadors, Supreme Court justices, federal judges, and any officials as provided for by the Congress, with the approval of the Senate 5-Give an annual State of the Union Address to Congress: Each year by the first Monday in February, the sitting President must present to the Congress a proposed spending plan for the Federal Government in the coming fiscal year. The Budget is basically a series of goals with price tags attached and allows the President to provide a suggested spending framework to Congress for use in deciding (1) how much money to spend, (2) what to spend it on, and (3) how to raise the money they have decided to spend. According to the Constitution, all Federal appropriations much be authorized by Congress. This is a source of great power for Congress known as the "power of the purse". Once the budget is received by Congress, the House of Representatives work to create a budget resolution, which sets the base line level of spending for the Federal Government. Congress then acts to decide how this level of funding will be dispersed among Federal activities. The online version of the President's Budget can be found HERE. 6-Recommend legislation to Congress: The President does not have the power to write legislation. Only Congress can do that. The President may recommend law, and then a member of Congress must introduce the bill for consideration. When a bill is passed it is sent to the President and he has three options: approval, veto or doing nothing. When the President signs a bill into law, it immediately goes into effect. When the President vetoes a bill, it does not go into effect, and he returns it to Congress unsigned. He usually sends them an explanation of why he rejected the legislation. Congress can override a Presidential veto with two-thirds of each chamber, but this does not happen very often. If the President chooses to do nothing with the bill and the Congress is in session ten business days after the President received the bill, the legislation will become a law without the President's signature. If Congress adjourns within ten business days of giving the bill to the President, the bill dies. The President may only veto a bill in its entirety; he does not have the power of line-item veto. Because of this limitation, the President often compromises and passes a bill that he agrees with, but Congress has attached riders that go against his policy. 7-Convene Congress on extraordinary occasions 8-Adjourn Congress, in cases of a disagreement about adjournment 9-"Take care that the laws be faithfully executed" 10-Fill in administrative vacancies during Congressional recesses 11-Grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the U.S. Conclusion Compromise is a vital aspect to a President's success in working with Congress and the President relies on the support of the American people to accomplish his goals. The American people are the ultimate authority over the President, the Congress and the Senate. Do your research and decide who you would hire for the position to run your country. Be informed before you vote! Supplied by Beverly Bright |
| This entry was posted in February 10, 2010 and is filed under Keeba’s Commentary and Video. Post comments below, or click here to send an email. |
| Keeba Smith is a published writer and desired screenplay artist. She is the author of “Shades of Bright Pale,” and many other unacquainted writings. Please visit www.Keeba.org to find out more about Keeba Smith, read additional critiques and her unpublished autobiography, “Spirit in the Dark.” © 2010 |
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