Barack Obama Is "The People's President!" Decision 2012

Let Me Be Clear People!

Just Because I Didn't Agree With ALL Of Pres. Obama's Policies & Decisions During His First 2 Years In Office Doesn't Mean He Lost My Vote.

I Supported Barack Obama In 2008 & Likewise For 2012.

Its Ok To Disagree & Apply Pressure To Our ELECTED Officials.

That's What Defines REAL Democracy.

(If Both Of Us Always Agree Then One Of Us Isn't Necessary!)

But When The Dust Clears Who I Endorse & Stand By Defines ME!

He's The Person Best Suited To Continue Leading This Country & I Stand With Pres. Obama In 2012.

I Realize My Decision To Support Pres. Obama Has Made A Lot Of People Very Angry, But At The End Of The Day I Have To ONLY Live With Myself & Answer To God.

Thus What Others Think Of Me Doesn't Matter Because They Too Are Accountable To God!

Much Like His 2008 Campaign Strategy, Pres. Obama's 2012 Campaign Strategy Will Also Be About Building Relationships With People From All Walks Of Life & Promoting A Grassroots Movement.

Like His Predecessors JFK & Bill Clinton, Barack Obama Is Truly "The People's President!"

Most GOP Leaders & Candidates Stand ONLY For Billionaires, Millionaires & Corporate Titans.

While Pres. Obama, MOST Democrats, Progressives & Independents Stand For ALL American Citizens!

The NEW America!

The America Which Welcomes ALL & Loves ALL!

This Includes Extremely Wealthy People, Senior Citizens, Veterans, Middle Class, Lower Income & Young Voters, Regardless Of Ethnicity Or Culture.

NOT Just Wealthy Citizens But Everyone Who Resides Within America's Borders.

While Most GOP Leaders & Candidates Appear To Only Be Interested In Dirty,
Racially - Divisive, "Southern Strategy" Politics, Pres. Obama's Camp Is Fighting Hard To Heal & Restore Our Nation's Integrity.

Fighting Hard To Bring Back American Jobs From Overseas.

Fighting To Help Small Businesses Create Jobs In Every Community By Revamping The SBA Process.

Fighting To Keep Our Country Safe. (Remember Obama Got Osama!)

Fighting Hard To Ensure Our Financial System Is NEVER Raped Again With "War On Terror", Fake Wall Street Hedge Funds & Subprime Mortgage Schemes.

Fighting To Help Revise Our Nation's Corrupt, Horribly Unfair Tax Code & Fix The IRS System.

NO Corrupt Flat Tax Rate Please!!

(Everyone Should Pay Their Fair Share Of Taxes Even Billionaires & Millionaires!)

Fighting To Stop Abuse & Fraud Within The Medicare, Medicaid & Social Security Systems, Yet Preserving Those Same Systems. (Remember Kathy Hocul's NY-26 Win Last Tuesday?)

Fighting To Stop Childhood Obesity The Leading Cause Of Juvenile Diabetes.

Fighting To Stop Food Stamp Abuse By Making It Illegal For States To Allow Recipients With Young Children To Consistently Purchase & Feed Their Children Candy, Snacks, Sweet Drinks Versus REAL Food (Fresh Vegetables, Fruits, Whole Grain Breads, etc.,).

Fighting To Stop Many Single Mothers (Black & White) From INTENTIONALLY Making Their Children SICK Just To Get Disability Checks.

Fighting To Stop Age & Racial Discrimination As It Relates To Unfair Hiring Practices.

Fighting To Stop The Destruction Of Collective Bargaining Rights For Labor Unions.

Fighting To Stop Private & For-Profit Schools From Ripping Off Students By Giving Them Fake Degrees Or Degrees With Little Value In Exchange For Student Loans. (i.e., Most Cosmetology Schools. Most NOT All!)

Fighting To Stop Consumer Abuse At The Hands Of BIG Banks (Too Big To Fail!) & Our Nation's 3 Largest Credit Reporting Agencies (Equifax, Experian, Trans Union).

Fighting To Stop ILLEGAL Foreclosures. Especially Among Active Duty U.S. Military Service Members & Veterans.

Fighting To Stop Health Insurance Companies From Taking Money From Members Then ILLEGALLY Denying Them Coverage.

Fighting To Stop Governors From Privatizing Prisons For Revenue Which Encourages Wrongful Convictions & Long Term Imprisonment Of Black & Hispanic Men.

Even Black & Hispanic Men Who Are First Time Offenders Or Those Who Have Committed Non-Drug-Related, Non-Homicidal Crimes.

Fighting To Stop Police Brutality & Taser Gun Abuse.

Fighting To Stop Governors From Allowing Black & Hispanic Children To Remain In Foster Care Until They Age Out (NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINA) Versus Being Adopted By GOOD Foster Parents (NOT Criminals), Just For The Purpose Of Getting More Federal Funding Only To Later Be Wasted On Political Wish Lists.

Fighting To Stop Federal Funding For Public Schools From Being Used To Segregate White Students From Minority Students.

Fighting To Preserve Funding For Early Childhood Programs Like Head Start Which Leads To Higher Academic Success For Low Income Black & Hispanic Children.

Fighting To Help Upgrade American Schools, Including Those In Urban Areas To Better Prepare American Students To Compete In The Global Workforce.

Fighting To Upgrade America's Infrastructure (Bridges, Roads, Highways, High Speed Rail, Internet Access).

Fighting To Protect Veterans From Being Taken Advantage Of By Fake Veterans Advocacy Agencies & Greedy Property Management Companies That Overcharge Veterans For Rental Properties.

Fighting To Stop VA Hospital Pharmacies (Especially In Southern States) From Issuing Pain Pills To Veterans Like Handing Candy To Children On Halloween Night.

Fighting To Stop Voting Rights From Being Violated.

Is Barack Obama God Or Jesus Christ Incarnate?

NO Of Course Not!

But I Do Thank God For Him.

No Doubt He Needs Another 4 Years Wouldn't You Agree?

So If You Haven't Already Made A Decision To Step Up & Volunteer With Pres. Obama's Re-election Organization, Please Do It TODAY!

Time Waits For NO One & 2012 Is Just Around The Corner!

Check Your Attitudes & Egos At The Door! Get Onboard!

Let's Unite, Mobilize & Re-elect Barack H. Obama For Another Term!

YES WE CAN! AGAIN!

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

GOP presidential contenders drift to the right

In the first presidential election since the Tea Party's emergence, Republican candidates are drifting rightward on a range of issues, even though more centrist stands might play well in the 2012 general election.

On energy, taxes, health care and other topics, the top candidates hold positions that are more conservative than those they espoused a few years ago.

The shifts reflect the evolving views of conservative voters, who will play a major role in choosing the Republican nominee. In that sense, the candidates' repositioning seems savvy or even essential.

But the eventual nominee will face President Barack Obama in the 2012 general election, when independent voters appear likely to be decisive players once again. Those independents may be far less enamored of hard-right positions than are the GOP activists who will wield power in the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary and other nominating contests.

"The most visible shift in the political landscape" in recent years "is the emergence of a single bloc of across-the-board conservatives," says the Pew Research Center, which conducts extensive voter surveys. Many of them "take extremely conservative positions on nearly all issues," Pew reports. They largely "agree with the tea party," and "very strongly disapprove of Barack Obama's job performance."

Climate policy is a dramatic example of how GOP presidential hopefuls have shifted to the right in recent years. Former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Jon Huntsman of Utah, along with other likely candidates, have backed away from earlier embraces of regional "cap-and-trade" programs to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

Such stands were unremarkable in GOP circles just a few years ago. Sen. John McCain, the 2008 presidential nominee, supported a cap and trade plan to place prices and limits on the emission of heat-trapping gasses.

'I'm sorry'
Now the position is anathema to millions of Republicans, and therefore to the party's candidates. Pawlenty is the most effusive in his backtracking. "I was wrong, it was a mistake, and I'm sorry," he says repeatedly.

The likely presidential candidates have shifted rightward on other issues as well.

Romney, who leads in most polls, has rejected his earlier stands supporting abortion rights, gun control and gay rights. He says his 2006 law requiring Massachusetts residents to obtain health insurance was right for his state at the time, but he has condemned the Obama-backed mandate that would cover all Americans.

Pawlenty campaigns as a tight-fisted conservative who would refuse to raise the nation's debt ceiling, even though many Republican leaders say economic chaos would ensue. Yet in 2006, Pawlenty told a newspaper, "the era of small government is over" and "government has to be more proactive, more aggressive."

Pawlenty says he was partly quoting another person. But in the same 2006 interview he said, "there are certain circumstances where you've got to have government put up the guardrails or bust up entrenched interests before they become too powerful."

Pawlenty has abandoned such talk in his presidential quest.

The Republican Party's rightward drift is causing headaches for the presidential hopefuls on the issue of Medicare, a potential minefield in the general election. House Republicans passed a bill that eventually would convert Medicare to a less costly, less generous program. It would help older Americans buy health insurance, but it no longer would provide benefits based mainly on a patient's needs rather than costs.

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich touched off a firestorm by calling the plan radical. He spent the better part of a week trying to recant, change the subject and get his campaign back on track.

Pawlenty, after promising to offer his own Medicare plan, acknowledged conservatives' priorities and said he would sign the House measure if it were the only choice before him.

Romney hedged Friday on whether he would sign the House bill into law. "That's the kind of speculation that is getting the cart ahead of the horse," he said. "I'm going to have my own plan."

Many Republican activists are delighted by the rightward tack of their party and its presidential contenders.

If anything, "mainstream Republican leaders are pushing the party too far to the left," said Sid Dinerstein, GOP chairman in Palm Beach County, Fla. The House plan for Medicare is the only one that makes sense, he said, and GOP candidates "should become articulate and knowledgeable in talking about it."

'Wiggling all over the place'
Louisiana's Republican chairman, Roger F. Villere Jr., agrees.

"The conservative issues are the correct issues," he said. The presidential candidates should embrace the House stand, he said, and persuade voters they care more about saving Medicare than the Democrats do.

Some in Obama's camp, however, say the presidential contenders risk locking themselves into hard-right positions that won't play well when less ideological voters flock to the polls in November 2012.

Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich and others "are wiggling all over the place" to appease staunch conservatives, said Bill Burton, Obama's former spokesman and now a Democratic fundraiser and advocate. Americans want strong, consistent leaders, he said, and the Republican contenders aren't filling the bill.

Obama, of course, has had his own inconsistencies, such as backing away from calls to increase payroll and income taxes on the wealthy.

Moreover, competitive Democratic primaries are usually the mirror image of GOP contests. Democratic candidates generally edge to the left to attract liberal activists before hewing back to the center for the general election.

This time, however, Obama has no primary opponents to worry about. That allows him to focus on the all-important independent voters, who swung the 2008 elections to Democrats, and the 2010 midterm elections to Republicans.

The latest Pew Research study suggests that independents, who "played a determinative role in the last three national elections," will have even more clout in 2012. They comprised 30 percent of the national electorate in 2005, Pew found. They now make up 37 percent.

Whoever survives the conservative-dominated Republican nominating process will have to address those independents' concerns quickly and adroitly.


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Sources: Barack Obama.com, Fox News, MSNBC, NY Times, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

"God Bless America" By Kate Smith (Video)

Sources: Youtube

Gen. Martin Dempsey Appointed New Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman

What Better Person To Help Transition Our Proud Men & Women Currently Serving In Uniform From A War State Of Mind In Afghanistan To Serving In A Non-Combat Environment, Than General Martin Dempsey.

Like His Professional Predecessor Gen. Colin Powell, Gen. Dempsey Loves Being A Soldier, Loves Serving His Country, Loves Being A Leader.

Today President Barack Obama Once Again Made An Excellent Decision As It Relates To Keeping Our Nation Safe.

First He Appoints General Petraeus To Head The CIA, Next He Appoints Leon Panetta To Head The Pentagon & Now General Martin Dempsey Has Been Tapped As The New Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman.

I'd Say Such Intelligent Decisions Proves Pres. Obama Really Knows What He's Doing When It Comes To Selecting The Right Kind Of Leadership.

"Iron Sharpens Iron!"

i.e., Great Leaders Appoint & Associate With Great Leaders!

Congrats Gen. Dempsey!

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!

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Obama nominates Army head to serve as new Joint Chiefs chairman

President Barack Obama on Monday nominated Gen. Martin Dempsey, the relatively new Army chief of staff, to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The term of the current chairman, Adm. Michael Mullen, ends in September.

Obama also nominated Adm. James Winnefeld, the current head of the U.S. Northern Command, to serve as vice chairman. He tapped Gen. Ray Odierno to replace Dempsey as the Army's chief of staff.

The president, speaking at the White House, urged the Senate to confirm the three men "as swiftly as possible" in order to help ensure a "seamless" Pentagon transition.

Obama praised Dempsey as one of the country's most "respected and combat-tested generals."

"I expect him to push all our forces to keep adapting and innovating," Obama said. "We will provide what it takes to achieve our objectives in the current fight."

Outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates released a statement praising Dempsey, Winnefeld, and Odierno for having "excelled in key command and staff roles" and possessing "the right mix of intellectual heft, moral courage, and strategic vision."

If confirmed by the Senate, Dempsey would be in the key position of being Obama's senior military adviser overseeing the drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He would also work with incoming Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who still needs to be confirmed by the Senate, in establishing priorities for cutting defense spending.

Dempsey has extensive combat experience. He served as the commander of the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad in 2003, and then helped train Iraqi security forces in a subsequent tour of duty in Iraq. He also has served as acting commander of the U.S. Central Command overseeing U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Persian Gulf and Central Asia.

The selection of Dempsey is unusual partly because he took over as head of the Army only on April 11. In that brief period of time, Dempsey has earned strong praise for what is considered to be his outgoing personality. Among other things, the general receives a list of soldiers both in the United States and overseas every week and calls them to get their direct opinions on life in the Army.

He spent last Friday in Washington meeting with children who have lost parents and other relatives in war-time military service.

He has also gained attention for his long-standing habit of beginning some of his public speaking events by singing songs such as "New York, New York." On his Facebook page he recently asked troops to offer their suggestions for music he could play at events where he is speaking.

Dempsey's sense of humor has opened him up for some ribbing as well, like at the ceremony when he took command of the Army.

"His rise to this great height is yet another one of those classic American immigrant success stories," said Army Secretary John McHugh during official remarks. "One can only imagine how different his life might have been had his family not decided to leave New Jersey and move across the river to New York state."

Gen. James Cartwright, a four-star Marine who currently is vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, had been the perceived front runner to replace Mullen. But in a 30-minute meeting with Obama before the president left for his recent trip to Europe, Cartwright was told he would not get the job, according to a Defense Department official with direct knowledge of the meeting.

The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of discussing White House personnel meetings involving the president.

Cartwright is now expected to submit his retirement papers and conclude his term as vice chairman as scheduled in early August.

Cartwright had long been considered a White House favorite, but had run afoul of other senior officers inside the Pentagon who felt he more than once went behind their backs in offering the president military recommendations and advice on a range of issues, including lower troop levels in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department official who is familiar with Cartwright's thinking says the general was aware of these criticisms, and only offered recommendations when asked by the president.

"There was an impression created he wasn't a team player," said the official, who was offering a defense of Cartwright's actions

"Gen. Cartwright never believed he was a deputy. He believed he had a legal and moral obligation to give the president his best military advice," the source said. "He is not obligated to provide the same advice as everybody else."

The official acknowledged the widespread view many had, however, that Cartwright plays his cards close to the vest inside the Pentagon and often shared little with colleagues about his real thinking.

The official also noted that neither Gates nor Mullen had recommended Cartwright for the job as chairman, which meant his nomination by the White House would have been difficult to justify to Congress.

Spokesmen for both declined to publicly comment on any aspect of the chairmanship issue.

Cartwright had also been the subject of an investigation by the department's inspector general over whistleblower allegations of improper conduct with a junior female officer who fell asleep intoxicated in his hotel room during a business trip. He was cleared of wrongdoing by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, but the official said Cartwright felt he was the still the subject of a "whispering campaign" after that.


Sources: Army Tradoc, CNN, MSNBC, Wikipedia, Youtube

"The Star Spangled Banner" By Whitney Houston (Video)

Freedom Is NOT Free!

God Bless & Many Thanks To All Men & Women Who Proudly Serve Our Country In Uniform! And Many Thanks To Those Who Sacrificed Their Lives For Our Continued Freedom & Democracy!

Whitney Houston's Awesome Performance (Below) Of "The Star Spangled Banner" Reminds Of Us How Fortunate We Are To Have Such A Brave, Well-Prepared Military Force Protecting Our Nation.





Sources: Youtube

Palin Launches East Coast Bus Tour To Steal Obama Supporters: Decision 2012

After Sarah Palin's "Southern Strategy", White Fright 2012 Vote Stealing Scheme Was Recently Revealed, Now She's Planning To Upset Loyal Obama Supporters In The Northeast.

That's Right Beginning Sunday, May 29th, Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (She Quit Remember) Is Launching A Bus Tour Throughout The Northeast To Lure Away Extremely Intelligent, Loyal Obama Supporters.

Considering Her DEFEATED Political Record Which Includes Quitting Her Job As Alaska Governor, Screwing Up Senator McCain's 2008 Campaign With Her Divisive, Hateful, Racist Rhetoric & Lack Of Accurate Substantive Foreign Policy Knowledge, This Should Be Very Interesting.

You See Palin Is Well Aware There's Absolutely NO Way Any SERIOUS 2012 GOP Candidate Will Place Her On A Ticket With Them!

(NOT If They Want A Real Shot At Running Against Pres. Obama!)

So She's Doing The Next Best Thing.

Trying To Keep The Momentum High (And Her Brand Name Valuable) By Speaking Before Large Crowds.

Since Its Obvious Richard Nixon's, "Southern Strategy" Mess Would NEVER Work In The Northeast Like It Does In The South, I'm Curious To See How She'll Be Able To Steal Away Extremely Intelligent, Loyal Northeastern Obama Supporters.

(Notice My Use Of The Word "INTELLIGENT" When Speaking About Northeastern Voters Who Would NEVER Vote For Sarah Palin!)

Inquiring Minds Would Certainly Like To Know.

You Can Betcha Bottom Dollar Pres. Obama's People Are Watching That's For Sure!

If You Really Want To Know How This Story Will End, Just Stay Tuned To Lawrence O'Donnell's "The Last Word" On MSNBC.

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Palin Set to Launch Bus Tour of East Coast

Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin on Sunday will launch a tour of the East Coast, including a stop in the politically important state of New Hampshire, a development likely to roil the GOP presidential nominating contest.

SarahPAC, the former Alaska governor's political action committee, announced Thursday that Ms. Palin would tour "historical sites that were key to the formation, survival and growth of the United States of America."

She will appear Monday at the annual Memorial Day "Rolling Thunder" event on the National Mall in Washington, a gathering of motorcycle-riding veterans.

Aides wouldn't detail other stops on the tour but said it would include New Hampshire, site of the nation's first presidential primary election, fueling speculation that Ms. Palin is preparing to run for president.

SarahPAC aides said they don't know if she intends to run.

Whatever her plans, Ms. Palin's re-emergence into the spotlight will affect the race for the GOP nomination, party strategists say. The tour likely will garner wide press attention at a moment when Republican presidential hopefuls have started trying to generate enthusiasm for their own candidacies.

Ms. Palin's revived public presence could reshape the battle for the support of social conservatives and tea party-affiliated Republicans.

Her flirtation with a run also could prompt undecided Republican donors and party leaders to hold back on aligning with any candidate as they wait for the field to settle.

"She's a threat to everyone," said Fergus Cullen, a former Republican Party chairman in New Hampshire.

The tour announcement is the latest of several moves by Ms. Palin that have whipped up speculation about her political plans.

In recent days, she and her husband, Todd Palin, purchased a $1.7 million house in Scottsdale, Ariz., giving her a base of operation in the lower 48 states. She also rehired two logistics aides she had dismissed, a Palin aide said Wednesday.

In addition, a full-length feature film focused largely on her time as governor is in the final stages of editing by conservative filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon.

A Palin confidant said he is 95% certain she won't run. Ms. Palin's image among the broader public has dimmed in recent months, polls show.

The April Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that 25% view her favorably, while 53% view her unfavorably. Only 9% felt very positively toward her, a low in Journal polling, while 41% viewed her very negatively, a new high.

Ms. Palin still places in the top tier when GOP voters are asked their choice for president. She was second, at 15%, in a Gallup survey of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents released Thursday, trailing only Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, with 17%.

Gallup said Ms. Palin was the top choice among voters most concerned about social and moral issues, while Mr. Romney's support was more broad-based, including a larger share of voters concerned with government spending and the economy.

Still, the confidant of Ms. Palin said she doesn't want the negative scrutiny that would come from a run, and she doesn't want to jeopardize the lucrative speaking, broadcasting and book-writing career that has followed her unsuccessful run for the vice presidency.

Ms. Palin is a contributor to Fox News Channel, which ended its contracts with several other Republicans when they began to campaign for the White House. "We are not changing Sarah Palin's status," said Bill Shine, executive vice president of programming for Fox News, on Thursday. Fox and The Wall Street Journal are owned by News Corp.

Republican organizers say Ms. Palin's re-emergence could siphon support from other social conservatives and tea party favorites, such as potential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.) and announced candidate Herman Cain, a former corporate executive.

As a number of GOP figures opted recently not to run, attention had turned to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty as the leading alternative to Mr. Romney, the putative front-runner. Those deciding not to run have included Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and real estate mogul Donald Trump.

"He just got rid of Trump, who had sucked up all the oxygen," said Kevin Smith, director of Cornerstone Action, a conservative think tank in New Hampshire, assessing Mr. Pawlenty's position. "Now all of a sudden Palin starts stirring the pot."

Alex Conant, a Pawlenty spokesman, said "we welcome everyone into the race and look forward to voters comparing the candidates' records."


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Sources: CBS, Daily Mail, Fox News, McClatchy Newspapers, MSNBC, Wikipedia, World Socialist Web, Youtube, Google Maps

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" Writer Dead At 62: R.I.P.

Yesterday Bold Warrior, Poet & Musician Gil Scott Heron, A Chicago Native, Died In A New York City Hospital.

He Was 62.

The Cause Of Heron's Death Has Not Yet Been Released.

Mr. Heron's Famous Tune "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" Motivated Millions Of Black People Worldwide To Get Off Their Behinds, Take Charge Of Their Destiny & Make Change Happen Versus Waiting For Change. He Will Most Certainly Be Missed.

R.I.P. My Brother!








Musician Gil Scott-Heron dies at 62

Musician Gil Scott-Heron, who helped lay the groundwork for rap by fusing minimalistic percussion, political expression and spoken-word poetry on songs such as "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," died Friday at age 62.

A friend, Doris C. Nolan, who answered the telephone listed for his Manhattan recording company, said he died in the afternoon at St. Luke's Hospital after becoming sick upon returning from a European trip.

"We're all sort of shattered," she said.

Scott-Heron's influence on rap was such that he sometimes was referred to as the Godfather of Rap, a title he rejected.

"If there was any individual initiative that I was responsible for it might have been that there was music in certain poems of mine, with complete progression and repeating `hooks,' which made them more like songs than just recitations with percussion," he wrote in the introduction to his 1990 collection of poems, "Now and Then."

He referred to his signature mix of percussion, politics and performed poetry as bluesology or Third World music. But then he said it was simply "black music or black American music."

"Because Black Americans are now a tremendously diverse essence of all the places we've come from and the music and rhythms we brought with us," he wrote.

Nevertheless, his influence on generations of rappers has been demonstrated through sampling of his recordings by artists, including Kanye West.

Scott-Heron recorded the song that would make him famous, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," which critiqued mass media, for the album "125th and Lenox" in Harlem in the 1970s. He followed up that recording with more than a dozen albums, initially collaborating with musician Brian Jackson. His most recent album was "I'm New Here," which he began recording in 2007 and was released in 2010.

Scott-Heron was born in Chicago on April 1, 1949. He was raised in Jackson, Tenn., and in New York before attending college at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Throughout his musical career, he took on political issues of his time, including apartheid in South Africa and nuclear arms. He had been shaped by the politics of the 1960s and the black literature, especially of the Harlem Renaissance.


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Sources: CBS News, MSNBC, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Palin's Possible 2012 Run: "Southern Strategy" & Katie Couric Interview

As it relates to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R) jumping into the GOP's 2012 Presidential Bid Circus to run against Barack Obama, I'll believe it when I see it.

But for right now I don't see it!

Why?

Because she resigned from her official state job as Governor to go on book tours, why would anyone in their right minds want to support her or believe she is Committed to helping govern an entire country?

In addition let's not forget her foolish answers in 2008 to Journalist Katie Couric's Interview questions regarding Foreign Policy, U.S. Supreme Court Justices & What types of books she reads.

You know the SAME interview which earned Entertainer Tina Fey an Emmy or two for mocking Palin.

Man that skit was so funnnny!

So do you really think she is intellectually capable of winning a debate against Barack Obama or beating him in a General Election?

Please People!

Hold It!

Sarah Palin may Not be the most Intelligent Woman on the planet, however she isn't Stupid by a long stretch.

In fact she's the Queen of Cunning & Subtle Racist Tea Party Rhetoric!

Sarah Palin has made it no secret what her plans are for 2012 & that she absolutely despises Pres. Barack Obama.

Simply because he's BLACK!

Not Because of "his Policies" as she so often claims when granting interviews to the Fox News network.

What are her plans for 2012?

To stir up as much Racial Hatred in the South & within the state of Arizona as possible!

Sarah Palin truly believes that if she can stir up Racial Hatred in Southern States & Arizona, she will help the GOP win big time in 2012.

Now how do I know her devious scheme is being fueled by Racism?

Because when George W. Bush was in the White House I NEVER heard a peep out of Sarah Palin about Bush's Policies.

NOT even about his "War On Terror", Weapons of Mass Destruction, Wall Street Deregulation, etc., NOTHING!!

However suddenly Barack Obama comes on the scene & she becomes this raving Political idiot!

And who cost Senator John McCain the 2008 Presidential Race?

Sarah Palin's Racially Divisive "Southern Strategy" tactics.

Yes she's the reason why so mannnnnny Young White Voters decided to cast their ballots for Barack Obama.

For some dumb reason both Sarah Palin & Newt Gingrich think that Richard Nixon's Racist, Southern Strategy plan STILL works today.

Well guess what?

It doesn't!!

Not Many Registered Voters Support or Endorse that Crazy, Racist, GOP Tea Party Rhetoric anymore.

People want Solutions NOT Division!

Just as long as they can provide EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS, who cares if the person best suited to help provide those solutions is Black Or White?

So if anyone thinks Sarah Palin will actually run against Barack Obama in 2012, perhaps you need YOUR head examined!

But if Palin thinks that by continuing to exercise Richard Nixon's Ineffective, Racially Divisive, Southern Strategy Political tactics the Republican Party will win back the White House, perhaps she needs HER head examined!

Remember NY-26 & VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!











She's Back!

As if on cue, Sarah Palin announced Thursday that she is launching a multi-state bus tour this weekend that will have her visit a number of states with important presidential primaries.

The trip will begin in Washington, D.C., on Sunday and then move on to New England, where Palin is expected to make her first stop in New Hampshire since running as the Republican VP nominee in 2008.

From Palin’s new SarahPAC website:

"The 'One Nation Tour' is part of our new campaign to educate and energize Americans about our nation's founding principles, in order to promote the Fundamental Restoration of America."

Original post at 9:49 a.m.: And just like that, she’s back in the headlines.

For the past several weeks, Sarah Palin had been largely relegated to the pile of possible-in-theory-but-unlikely-in-reality Republican candidates who were mentioned in passing as political pundits and journalists speculated on the 2012 GOP field. But, at least for now, the former Alaska governor has squeezed back into the conversation.

The fresh round of media speculation built quietly over the past several days, but by Thursday had broken through to the front page of the New York Times (“Recent Moves by Palin Hint At Candidacy”). The Wall Street Journal, likewise, offers its own take in an A7 article that leads with news about Palin’s new Arizona home.

The latest batch of articles – which also included an Associated Press story, as well as ones by Politico, the National Journal and a number of regional newspapers – are pegged to a string of recent Palin developments.

First, there was last week’s declaration that she does, indeed, have the “fire in the belly” needed to stage a bid. Then, there is her reported new $1.7 million Scottsdale home, which would give the former Alaska governor a more ideal travel hub from which to base a campaign. Throw in the rehiring of a few key staffers, the launch of a new SarahPAC website, and news of an upcoming feature film about her set for a June premiere in Iowa, and the speculation certainly seems warranted.

While Palin is unlikely to provide clarity any time soon, the renewed focus on the former Republican VP nominee will continue to cause headaches for the current crop of GOP candidates, as well as the party establishment that is hoping to rally support around them.

A Palin run would face plenty of obstacles, but her name recognition and strong base of supporters is undeniable. In the most recent Gallup poll, completed after Mike Huckabee and Mitch Daniels officially dropped out of the race, Palin trails frontrunner Mitt Romney by only two percent, 17-15. Of course, as Slate’s David Weigel notes, 15 percent is about half of what she got in the very first survey of this primary season.


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Sources: CBS, NBC, Slate, Wikipedia, World Socialist Web Site, Google Maps

"Kill Medicare" Throw Grandma Away! Video Ad: Decision 2012

How & Why Did Democrat Kathy Hocul Win NY-26's Congressional Race Last Night?

Check Out The Video Below.

VOTE NO To The GOP's "Kill Medicare" Buget & Agenda!

Vote OBAMA In 2012!




Sources: CNN, MSNBC, TPM, Youtube

Hochul's Win Fueled By GOP's "Kill Medicare" Agenda: Decision 2012

If Democrat Congressional Candidate Kathleen C. Hocul's Recent Win In New York's Formerly Staunch Republican 26th District Doesn't Send A Message To The Republican Party About Class Warfare, I Don't Know What Else To Tell Them.

That's Right!

Last Night Kathleen C. Hocul Beat The Pants Off Of Her GOP Opponent Jane Corwin After Corwin Endorsed Republican Congressman & Future GOP Star Paul Ryan's "Kill Medicare" Budget.

Can You Say; A Referendum On GOP's "Kill Medicare" Budget?

I Guess Corwin's Dirty Politics Scheme Of Barring The Certified Winner Via An Court Order Didn't Work!

FYI: Considering NY-26 Is A District That Has Elected ONLY Three Democrat Candidates Since 1857, I'd Say This Win Could Be Considered A Political Miracle!

Such Political Victories Against GOP Leaders' Class Warfare Agenda (Haves Vs Have Nots) Just Might Be The ONLY Way For Democrats To Win Back The U.S. House & Spur Democrat Congressional Leaders Into Taking Their Jobs Much More Seriously Next Time Around.

As It Relates To Paul Ryan's "Kill Medicare" Budget, Hardworking Americans, Including Our Nation's Very Valuable Senior Citizen Voters, Are Tired Of Congressional & State Lawmakers Balancing Our Nation's Budget On The Backs Of Middle Class, Senior Citizens, Veterans & Low Income People.

What About The Super Wealthy?

How Is It That Billionaires & Millionaires Are Legally Allowed (Due To Our Corrupt U.S. Tax Code) NOT To Pay Taxes?

Even Worse, How Is It Billionaires & Millionaires Are Legally Allowed To Send American Jobs Overseas (For Cheap Labor) & Still NOT Have To Pay Taxes, While Tax Bills For Middle Class, Senior Citizens, Veterans & Low Income Citizens Continue To Increase Annually?

Don't You Think Something Is Very, Very Wrong With This Picture?

And Now GOP Congressional Leaders Want To Kill Medicare Too?

Come On!

If GOP & Tea Party Leaders Are Truly Serious About Reducing The Deficit & Balancing The Budget Why Not Kill Subsidies & Tax Breaks To Oil Companies?

Why NOT Make The Super Rich Pay Taxes Too?

Why NOT Revise The U.S. Tax Code So That Its Fair For ALL American Citizens?

(NO CORRUPT FLAT TAX RATE PLEASE!)

i.e., EVERYONE Will Have To Begin Paying Taxes!

Why NOT Make The Super Rich Corporate Titans Bring Back American Jobs From Overseas & Pay American Workers REAL Wages For Their Labor, Instead Of Paying 50 Cents An Hour To Some Third World Country Sweat Factory Employee?

And....

Instead Of Proposing To Kill Medicare, Medicaid & Social Security Why Not Just Stop All Of The Fraud & Waste By NOT Allowing State Governors To Use Medicare, Medicaid & Social Security Funds To Balance Their State Budgets?

ALL Governors SHOULD Know How To Properly Balance A State Budget Without Robbing Their State's Most Vulnerable Citizens Or They Should NOT Be A Governor!

So With These Issues In Mind I Hope, Pray & Trust That Pres. Obama, Democrats, Independents And Union Leaders Will Rise Up, Mobilize, Keep The White House And...

Take Back The U.S. House In 2012!

Its Time For A New America!

America That's Fairly Opportunistic For EVERYONE!

NOT Just Wealthy White Citizens.

Congrats Are In Order To Kathy Hocul Of NY-26!

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!








Democrat Kathy Hochul wins House seat in New York special election

Democrat Kathy Hochul swept to victory Tuesday night in a closely watched Congressional election in New York state, which turned into a proxy battle on a House Republican proposal on Medicare.

The race in New York's 26th Congressional district was to fill the seat of former Republican Congressman Chris Lee, who resigned over pictures and e-mails of him trying to find a date on Craigslist.

The seat had been considered safe for Republicans, who had held the district for more than four decades.

Democrats claimed the victory "had far reaching consequences around the country" over Medicare, while a top Republican warned trying to "predict the future based on the results of this unusual race is naive and risky."

With nearly 90 percent of precincts reporting, Hochul has 48 percent of the vote, Republican Jane Corwin 42 percent, self-proclaimed Tea Party candidate Jack Davis nine percent, and Green Party candidate Ian Murphy one percent.

The crowd chanted "Medicare, Medicare" during Hochul's victory speech in Buffalo, after the issue became the center of the once-little talked about race.

Hochul and Corwin attacked each other over it, with both campaigns, parties and outside groups flooding the airwaves with television commercials. Many of the ads spotlighted the political battle over House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan's plan to drastically cut federal spending by reforming Medicare.

Hochul told supporters in her speech voters "looked beyond party labels ... for a message they believed in."

The Eric County clerk vowed to help balance the budget "the right way, not on backs of our seniors."

During the campaign, she highlighted the national fight, telling CNN before the election, "Corwin has 100% embraced the Paul Ryan budget. Even when Republicans in Washington walk away from it, she's been asked again and again, and she continues to support it."

Corwin called Hochul's message "scare tactics," and had argued, "she's trying to put out the idea that I'm trying to end Medicare. There's nothing further from the truth, I'm working to protect Medicare.

Minutes after the results were announced, both parties sought to paint far different implications of the race.

Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said, "Tonight's result has far-reaching consequences beyond New York."

Schultz said "it demonstrates that Republicans and Independent voters, along with Democrats, will reject extreme policies like ending Medicare that even Newt Gingrich called radical."

She said that she hopes the GOP will listen to voters.

"With this election in the rear-view mirror, it is my hope that Republicans will accept the message being sent by voters in this race, in the polls and at town hall meetings across the country and work with Democrats to get our fiscal house in order while protecting Medicare and other initiatives vital to our economic recovery," she said.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Steve Israel said, "We served notice to the Republicans that we will fight them anywhere in America when it comes to defending and strengthening Medicare."

But National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions said the race does not have national implications.

"Obviously, each side would rather win a special election than lose," he said. "But to predict the future based on the results of this unusual race is naive and risky. History shows one important fact: the results of competitive special elections from Hawaii to New York are poor indicators of broader trends or future general election outcomes. If special elections were an early warning system, they sure failed to alert the Democrats of the political tsunami that flooded their ranks in 2010."

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus argued the presence of a third party candidate was a factor in the race.

"Corwin ran a strong campaign in spite of facing a Democrat and a Democrat posed as a Tea Party candidate, both of whom sought to distract from the central issues in the minds of voters: restoring our economy and creating jobs," he said in a statement. "If we have learned anything from these results, it is that Democrats will stop at nothing to preserve the status quo in Washington, which is propelling our country towards bankruptcy."

Looking to the race for the seat next fall, Priebus said, "there is no question Kathy Hochul will have a tough time holding onto this seat in 2012 with Barack Obama and his failed economic leadership weighing heavily on the minds of western New York voters when they return to the polls."

Both parties have brought in some of their big guns to stump for their party's candidates.

House Speaker John Boehner and Cantor made recent trips to the district to campaign for Corwin.

For the Democrats, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, one of the Senate Democratic leaders, went to the district recently to campaign for Hochul, as did the state's other Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I Can Hear GOP Leaders On Capitol Hill Biting Their Nails Over This Race As We Speak.

This Afternoon Republican Candidate For The NY-26 Special Election Jane Corwin, Obtained A Court Order Barring Any Certified Winner In Today's Election Results.

A Clear Case Of Fear & Super Dirty Politics Wouldn't You Agree?

How Can A Candidate Block A Certified Winner Before The Actual Votes Are Counted?

I Really Hope Corwin's Democrat Opponent Kathleen C. Hochul Pulls This One Off Because New Blood Is Most Definitely Needed In This Stuffy Congressional District Of NY.

Stay Tuned.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthe economy

Corwin granted court order barring certification of winner

Jane L. Corwin this afternoon obtained a court order from State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia barring a certification of a winner in the special 26th Congressional District race pending a show-cause hearing before him later this week.

The Buffalo News obtained a copy of the show-cause order Buscaglia signed this morning based on a petition the Republican candidate filed Monday.

Under the judge's 11-page order, attorneys for Corwin have until Wednesday to serve copies of the court order on the election boards of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties, their sheriff's offices, the state Board of Elections and her three opponents.

Pending court proceedings before Buscaglia on Thursday at the earliest, the judge also impounded all voting equipment and enjoined the canvass of paper ballots "except as directed by this court" and "temporarily enjoined and restrained from certifying" the winner pending that court hearing.

Chris Grant, a spokesman for the Corwin campaign, said the court action "is very typical" in such close elections.

"We recognize the closeness of the race and we want to make sure that every legal vote is counted fairly and accurately," Grant said.

Paul B. Wojtaszek, Buscaglia's law clerk, said such prospective court actions are permissible under the state's Election Law when a close vote is borne out by pre-voting polling.

Buscaglia has scheduled a hearing in the election case for 10:30 a.m. Thursday in his second-floor courtroom at 25 Delaware Ave. But the entire matter could be "moot" if the winning margin is sufficient to eliminate any need for court action, Wojtaszek said.

Corwin is battling Democrat Kathleen C. Hochul, Tea Party candidate Jack Davis and Green Party candidate Ian Murphy in today's election.

A copy of the court order was filed in the Erie County Clerk's Office at 11:01 a.m. today. Hochul is Erie County clerk.


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Sources: Buffalo News, CNN, MSNBC, TPM, Google Maps

Chris Christie Ordered To Increase Education Funding For Poor Students

Today The New Jersey Supreme Court Ordered Former Potential 2012 Presidential Candidate Gov. Chris Christie To Increase Educational Funding For Schools In Lower Income Communities.

In Other Words He Can NO Longer Steal Money From Poor Students To Educate Wealthier White Students Living In The Suburbs.

Can You Say Discrimination Disguised As "Budget Cuts"??

All I Can Say On This One Is Thank You Lord Jesus!







Court Orders New Jersey to Increase Aid to Schools

The New Jersey Supreme Court ordered the Christie administration on Tuesday to increase state education aid by $500 million in the coming school year, saying it had failed to meet its constitutional obligation to provide adequate educational resources for poor and minority children.

In a 3-to-2 ruling, the court directed that the additional aid be distributed among 31 school districts in historically poor cities like Camden, Newark and Paterson — the so-called Abbott districts at the heart of a school financing case, Abbott v. Burke, that has roiled state officials and courts for three decades.

While the amount of additional aid the Supreme Court ordered was less than the $1.7 billion requested by some advocates, the decision was still seen as a blow to Gov. Chris Christie, whose efforts to rein in school spending and teachers’ salaries have won broad voter support across the state and helped establish him as a leader in national conservative circles.

Mr. Christie, a Republican who had previously suggested that he might defy a court order to spend more on schools, said Tuesday, “I intend to comply with the Supreme Court’s order.” But at a news conference at the State House, he said he would leave it to the Legislature, controlled by Democrats, to determine how to come up with the money.

“The constitutional ball is now in the Legislature’s court,” the governor said.

Several lawmakers noted that state revenue was running above projections by about the same amount as the court mandate. But it is not clear whether Mr. Christie will agree to spend that additional sum on schools, increasing the overall state budget, rather than finding cuts elsewhere. Lawmakers are facing an estimated $10 billion deficit for the coming fiscal year as they try to hammer out a budget.

Barbara Keshishian, president of the New Jersey Education Association, said in a statement that the ruling “begins the process of restoring our schools to fiscal health.” But she also expressed disappointment that state aid would not be restored beyond the 31 Abbott districts, and called on Mr. Christie and lawmakers to honor “the spirit of the ruling” and fully finance a school aid formula for all students in all districts.

“We also urge them to fund the education of students in all districts moving forward so that the state does not waste any more time or money defending the indefensible,” Ms. Keshishian said. “Our children’s education is too important to be left to the whims of politics.”

The ruling capped months of testimony and debate by state officials, educators and advocates for poor children over whether state education cuts had disproportionately harmed poor and minority children who depend most heavily on public resources.

Last year, Mr. Christie, in his first year in office, cut direct aid to individual districts by up to 5 percent of their budgets to help close an $11 billion state deficit. The governor and his aides have argued that the reduction was unavoidable after a $1 billion infusion of federal stimulus money for schools ran out.

But this year, as state revenues have rebounded, Mr. Christie increased school aid by $250 million for 2011-12, effectively restoring one percentage point of the 5 percent reduction to districts. Many districts, not expecting any increase, had already planned their budgets and were able to use the money as a cushion against further layoffs and program cuts and even to restore some previous cuts.

The Abbott lawsuit was filed in 1981 by advocates seeking to ensure that New Jersey’s poorest children receive a constitutionally guaranteed “thorough and efficient education” in a state whose public schools are deeply stratified along socioeconomic and racial lines. Despite years of intervention, the worst-performing schools continue to be in struggling urban centers with large concentrations of black and Hispanic students, like Camden and Newark, while the top-performing schools are in wealthy suburbs like Millburn and Ridgewood.

In 2008, Gov. Jon S. Corzine and the Legislature put in place a new school financing formula, in response to criticism that too much aid had been concentrated in the Abbott districts, while many of the state’s neediest children lived outside those districts. The new formula steered increased aid to 205 of the state’s 591 districts, many of them in the suburbs, rather than just 31 urban districts.

In a previous ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the new formula, in part on the specific condition that it be fully financed by the state for the 31 Abbott districts. On Tuesday, the court found that the state’s decision to provide less aid to districts than the formula required “amounts to nothing less than a reneging on the representations it made.”

Democrats said the governor had only himself to blame for the court ruling, because he had violated the 2008 compromise.

“The governor’s reckless decision to ignore the law is the reason that the court has returned us to the very system he has railed against,” said State Senator Barbara Buono, who is seen as a potential candidate for governor.

Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate president, said that Mr. Christie “was well aware that his draconian cuts to education were illegal,” and noted that during his 2009 campaign, the governor vowed not to cut school aid.

The Supreme Court ruling was complicated as well as narrow. One justice, in a separate opinion, wrote that he would have required the state to provide additional financing to all 205 districts that serve poor children.

But in a dissenting opinion, two justices challenged the order for additional state aid, saying that such an action required a minimum of four approving votes from the seven-member court, and should not be granted on the basis of a 3-to-2 decision.

Five justices were left to decide the case after two justices recused themselves: Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, who worked in the Corzine administration when the new school aid formula was developed, and Associate Justice Virginia Long.


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Sources: NY Times, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Jane Corwin Blocks Winners In NY-26 Race: Super Dirty Politics!

I Can Hear GOP Leaders On Capitol Hill Biting Their Nails Over This Race As We Speak.

This Afternoon Republican Candidate For The NY-26 Special Election Jane Corwin, Obtained A Court Order Barring Any Certified Winner In Today's Election Results.

A Clear Case Of Fear & Super Dirty Politics Wouldn't You Agree?

How Can A Candidate Block A Certified Winner Before The Actual Votes Are Counted?

I Really Hope Corwin's Democrat Opponent Kathleen C. Hochul Pulls This One Off Because New Blood Is Most Definitely Needed In This Stuffy Congressional District Of NY.

Stay Tuned.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthe economy

Corwin granted court order barring certification of winner

Jane L. Corwin this afternoon obtained a court order from State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia barring a certification of a winner in the special 26th Congressional District race pending a show-cause hearing before him later this week.

The Buffalo News obtained a copy of the show-cause order Buscaglia signed this morning based on a petition the Republican candidate filed Monday.

Under the judge's 11-page order, attorneys for Corwin have until Wednesday to serve copies of the court order on the election boards of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties, their sheriff's offices, the state Board of Elections and her three opponents.

Pending court proceedings before Buscaglia on Thursday at the earliest, the judge also impounded all voting equipment and enjoined the canvass of paper ballots "except as directed by this court" and "temporarily enjoined and restrained from certifying" the winner pending that court hearing.

Chris Grant, a spokesman for the Corwin campaign, said the court action "is very typical" in such close elections.

"We recognize the closeness of the race and we want to make sure that every legal vote is counted fairly and accurately," Grant said.

Paul B. Wojtaszek, Buscaglia's law clerk, said such prospective court actions are permissible under the state's Election Law when a close vote is borne out by pre-voting polling.

Buscaglia has scheduled a hearing in the election case for 10:30 a.m. Thursday in his second-floor courtroom at 25 Delaware Ave. But the entire matter could be "moot" if the winning margin is sufficient to eliminate any need for court action, Wojtaszek said.

Corwin is battling Democrat Kathleen C. Hochul, Tea Party candidate Jack Davis and Green Party candidate Ian Murphy in today's election.

A copy of the court order was filed in the Erie County Clerk's Office at 11:01 a.m. today. Hochul is Erie County clerk.


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Sources: Buffalo News, MSNBC, TPM, Google Maps