The New York Times worried that blacks aren't visiting our national parks. Rev. Jesse Jackson worried that CNN did not have enough black anchors. the U.S. Department of Commerce worried that blacks did not have access to the Internet. The conservative commentator looks into the problems affecting black communities, and asks whether they have anything at all to do with race and identity. No embeddable video, but you can watch it here.
Discuss "Race-Based Statistics Not All Black & White" post here.
11/30 VIDEO OF THE DAY: Joe Hicks: "Race-Based Statistics Not All Black & White"
Report: Number Of 'Dropout Factories' Declines
From The Washington Post: "The number of U.S. 'dropout factory' high schools declined from 2002 through 2008, a new report says, but close to 40 percent of minority students continue to fail to graduate with their class. According to the report, called 'Building a Grad Nation' and being released today, the pace of improvement is too slow to meet a national goal of a 90 percent graduation rate by 2020. The number of dropout factory high schools fell by 261, from a high of 2,007 in 2002 to 1,746 in 2008, a decline of 13 percent, the report said, and the actual number of students in these schools dropped by 15 percent."
The article continues: "'Dropout factories,' first identified by Johns Hopkins University researchers early in this decade, are defined as schools at which less than 60 percent of students who started as freshmen are still enrolled four years later. Half of the nation’s dropouts are believed to come from these schools. There was no single approach that resulted in the decline in dropout factories, according to Johns Hopkins researcher Robert Balfanz, one of the report’s authors. Different school districts tried varying approaches that combined academic efforts along with out-of-school support for children."
More: "According to the Education Department, the national graduation rate increased from 72 percent to 75 percent between 2001 and 2008. In 1970, it was 78 percent. It should be noted, however, that the data are not exact because states do not use a uniform method of calculating dropouts. Some progress is being made on that score; in 2005, all 50 governors agreed to a common calculation of high school graduation rates, and by the end of this year, 33 states will be using this calculation, making it easier to compare across state lines."
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WikiLeaks: International Bookerista Perspectives
Interpol has issued an arrest warrant for Julian Assange, the Australian leftist founder of WikiLeaks. In addition to a love for leaking America's classified documents, Assange is suspected of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion of two women during his visit to Sweden in August (Assange denies the charges). Much drama. Anyway, bookeristas from around the world discuss yesterday's document dump:
USA: Michael Bowen: "Why Assange Is Wrong"
The moderate-conservative Republican blogger in California writes about Julian Assange: "Julian Assange is probably the world's biggest ass, an anarchist of the first order who is convinced that everyone and everything is corrupt but him and his supporters. He aggregates nothing but publicity and takes responsibility for nothing but kicks in the teeth of authority. He can only be right one way; in theory."
More: "Assange has fallen for the idea that 'information wants to be free'. He has run afoul of what I call information thermodynamics. He thinks that transparency is good enough, but it is not. Free information, even if consistent and understandable requires the context of organization. If you took Bibles and distributed them around the planet for free, you wouldn't be building a church. If you put public libraries with books that explain the stock market in poor neighborhoods, you wouldn't be building an investment house."
Britain: Walaa Idris: "Simply Irresponsible!"
The Conservative Party activist in London writes: "The person who stole the information and his accomplice who published them have said they did it because the public had the right to know, know! Know what!? That Obama though[t] [British Prime Minister David] Cameron was a lightweight, and Prince Andrew has bad table manners or Saudi Arabia wants rid of Iran – how is any of these [things] going to improve anyone’s life, ease poverty, eradicate disease or end wars? Or how is knowing diplomats say one thing to your face and another behind your back going to help the world or matters of diplomacy? What the diplomatic circuit thinks about a host’s leadership, dignitary and there [sic] attitudes towards different matters are at the heart of diplomatic work. The information gathered by a nation about its allies is as vital as that they gather about their enemy."
She continues: "This latest [set of] leaks did not fill Joe Public with confidence that his human rights and freedom of information are being protected and respected nor did it serve any national or international endeavour. On the contrary it made most of us feel venerable [sic] and exposed. It also raised questions about the US and the manner in which it handles sensitive information and the world’s trust in those it puts at the top. It also increased doubts about its ability in managing its security and the security of those that work with them!"
France: Neoafricain: "Non A WikiLeaks!"
The conservative blogger in France writes (original post in French): "Unlike others, I decided not to read the "revelations" of Wikileaks, not wishing to participate in what may be either a big joke, is the greatest act of piracy in history. I don't understand Mr. Julian Assange and not because he doesn't inspire confidence and is accused of rape by the Swedish court. I don't share his need to reveal all the secrets to the world. The principle of ultra-transparency does not please me, because it may switch to a form of totalitarianism that eventually everyone will start judging everything and everyone in real time. I regret that so-called serious newspapers immediately relayed 'information' to the public square. To me this is not journalism, but rather a kind of 'concealment of information'."
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ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS COMMENTARY: A Step In The Right Direction
The conservative Republican pundit in D.C. likes U.S. President Barack Obama's two-year pay freeze for civilian federal employees, with the stated purpose of helping to reduce the budget deficit: "So credit this president for actually backing some words with action. I'm referring specifically to the president's announcement yesterday that he is freezing all pay hikes for federal workers for the next two years. While many pundits quickly claimed the gesture would only net about $28 billion over the next five years, I stand up and proudly say, 'It's about time! Let's keep taking those steps toward austerity.'"
Mr. Williams continues his commentary about the federal pay freeze: "Frankly, everyone concerned about the runaway train this country is on should applaud the president's actions. We need to look at every measure of austerity as we do with tax relief in any form — every little bit helps. And for every dollar that is, in this case, not spent, that's one less dollar we'll need to borrow or burden on our children in the future. After all, Obama is responsible for growing the federal government, and now he's stepping up and saying we need to freeze how much we spend on public workers. Heck, even the Castros in Cuba have made similar moves in months past."
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Dennis Sanders on Building A Centrist Movement
The moderate Republican blogger in Minnesota opines: "Centrist Republican groups have started and up and disappeared making the pitch that the party needs moderates. Why is that? Why hasn’t a strong centrist movement actually got off the ground in America? Malcolm Gladwell’s essay on social media and social change, offers some clues."
He continues: "The whole crux of this essay is the fact that social media is not as good in promoting social activism as face to face contact. Gladwell notes that websites like Twitter and Facebook are developed around weak-ties as opposed to the strong ties of social movements. I think this is interesting because much of the centrist movement is organized around the web with groups like the ill-fated Unity ’08, the Modern Whig Party and the new group No Labels as prime examples. Gladwell notes that these weak ties groups make for a weak social movement:"
More commentary from Mr. Sanders, about building a centrist movement: "How truly committed are we to building a real movement? Social media can help maintain the ties people have, but it won’t lead a movement for change. Yes, I can sign up on Facebook to say I support No Labels, but I can also sign up to support bacon as well. If nothing much is asked of people, we can’t expect that much will be given. My guess is that most centrists are not really that serious about wanting change. If they did, they would be more active in trying to make change happen. It’s one thing to create a website and get some important people supporting it, it’s another thing to work for moderate candidates and get the average joes motivated."
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Tax Cuts: Bookerista Perspectives
Herman Cain: "Liberals Hate Tax Facts"
Asserts the conservative Republican businessman in Georgia, who is the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza. He zeroes in on the debate over whether or not to extend the Bush administration's tax cuts, which expire in January: "Congress is not voting on tax cuts, but rather, whether or not they should allow tax increases to take effect January 1, 2011. The Democrats have tried to convince the American people that the Republicans want to pass 'tax cuts for the rich.' But, in reality, conservatives want to provide a bit of economic certainty by maintaining the current tax rates for all."
He continues his commentary: "The Democrats in Congress resist the facts and the truth. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) wants to introduce two different pieces of legislation – one that would include maintaining the current tax rates for the middle class and another for the highest-income filers, many of whom include small business owners. He and his liberal colleagues are insistent upon making this class warfare legislation instead of economic growth legislation. Most people can see through this. We see that letting the current tax rates expire would simply cause taxes to skyrocket for everybody, especially the small businesses responsible for most of the new jobs created. And that’s no stimulus!"
BOOKERISTA OF THE YEAR: Thomas Sowell: "Can Republicans Talk?"
The conservative economist in California discusses the tax debate: "What makes predicting the outcome of this battle very iffy is that Republicans won a big majority in the House of Representatives in the recent election, but the tax cuts are scheduled to expire before the new members of Congress are sworn in -- and the Democrats have a big majority in both Houses of Congress in the lame duck session, where this issue will be decided. Theoretically, the Democrats could win, hands down, since they have the votes. But Congressional Democrats are well aware of how they lost big in the recent election, and some Democrats don't want to gamble their own jobs in the next election by going the class warfare route."
Dr. Sowell argues that this debate goes back 80 years: "What does that record say? It says, loud and clear, that cuts in tax rates do not mean cuts in tax revenues. In all four of these administrations [Presidents Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush], of both parties, so-called 'tax cuts for the rich' led to increased tax revenues -- with people earning high incomes paying not only a larger sum total of tax revenues, but even a higher proportion of all tax revenues. Most important of all, these tax rate reductions spurred economic activity, which we definitely need today. These are the facts. But facts do not 'speak for themselves.' In terms of facts, the Republicans have the stronger case. But that doesn't matter, unless they make the case, which they show little sign of doing."
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Kanye Creatively Stuck In A Rut
J.B. White, a moderate-conservative Republican blogger in Florida, ain't impressed by rapper Kanye West's full-length music video for "Runaway": "Charitably speaking, okay, Kanye, okay. People are phony, unaccepting, sheep-like slaves to manipulation and conformity and host to all manner of other ills, and on top of all that they are sinful as hell (yourself included, Kanye??? Or are you an alien and different enough to except yourself from the norms of humanity? Like a phoenix? No, I think one point he was trying to make is he's screwed up but so are all of us -- okay, Kanye, okay). Yep, ladies and gentlemen, go run and shout it from the hilltops. This world is doomed (freedom = free doom) . . . so, escape if you can. And, oh yeah, America is a bastard. At least that part of America that isn't with the conscience crowd and isn't still apologizing for African slavery (as opposed to Arab enslavement of Africans, or, one wonders, as opposed to world slavery in general?), blasé, blasé, blasé, yada, yada, yada."
He continues his commentary: "Now it's time for me to be what some will surely describe as uncharitable: Kanye, this is what you are pushing as revolutionary and thought provoking? This is how you exhibit your creativity? Gil Scott-Heron and Comment #1 ??? Really? In 2010? With an African American as President? With black folks winning seats in Congress from districts that are primarily white in the South? And Republican? With Jay-Z as something of a music mogul, owning his music and more? With black athletes earning millions in multiple professional sports and some of them breaking into ownership of professional franchises? With black businesses open and productive all over the nation and African Americans indisputably the richest community of African descent anywhere on the planet? Apparently so."
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Korea: Bookerista Perspectives
Mychal Massie: "Obama's Korea Response Isn't Leadership"
Asserts the conservative Republican commentator: "During the 2008 presidential primaries, a Hillary Clinton campaign ad asked, 'It's 3 a.m. and your children are asleep. But there's a phone in the White House, and it's ringing. Something's happening in the world. Your vote will decide who answers that call, whether it's someone who already knows the world's leaders, knows the military – someone tested and ready to lead in a dangerous world. It's 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. Who do you want answering the phone?' It may have been an ad designed to frighten people into voting for Hillary, but in November 2010, the phone call wasn't at 3 a.m., it came at 4 a.m. – and it came with the notification that a certifiable bad guy had just launched an artillery barrage on South Korea."
More: "I see it as a front-burner issue for the safety and security of the United States. The jackals of the world are watching, and his blaming Bush (as is customarily his first course of action) isn't an action plan for this situation. As I have said, I don't care for the man or his policies, but he is the leader of my country, and as such, I want him to be successful in handling this threat, not only for the sake of South Korea, but for the sake of my country. Obama needs to take decisive action, and he cannot find the courage to do that by throwing temper tantrums and playing basketball."
Neoafricain: "Coree Du Nord: Changer De Regime?"
The conservative blogger in France wonders about North Korea (original post in French): "Two years after the 2008 [U.S.] presidential election, I remain convinced that John McCain would have made a better president than Obama. Especially on matters of international relations and defense."
He continues his commentary about the situation in Asia: "Faced with new events on the Korean peninsula, Sen. John McCain was right to ask for a clear regime change in Pyongyang, while until then the world is happy to appease this rogue state with substantial economic aid whenever the Kim dynasty threatens its southern neighbor or passes a missile over Japanese territory. This strategy doesn't work. And we see that its larger neighbor and ally, China is unwilling to engage positively in this matter. This Stalinist monarchy would be laughable if it didn't possess nuclear technology, iconspicuous by its ruthless repression against its own people by the millions of his subjects who die and are still dying of hunger because of a disastrous economic policies, and shining with the apparent weakness of its leaders.
Condoleezza Rice: "The Six-Party Talks Can Still Be Effective With North Korea"
From Yomhap News Agency (South Korea), about the moderate-conservative Republican: "Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of state, said she supports the current U.S. administration's stern policy with North Korea but added that the six-party talks 'continue to be valuable.' 'I can only support, support strongly what our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama have been trying to do about this situation. It's obviously a situation which there are dangers and which one wants to be very concerned,' Rice said during an international forum on women's leadership in Seoul."
More: "The multilateral forum, participated in by the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, was established in 2003 by the George Bush administration in which Rice served as secretary of state. The forum was suspended in late 2008 due to the dispute on how to implement accords on disabling the North's nuclear facilities. Tensions have sharply risen in the region after the North Korean shelling killed two marines and two marines on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island last week. In a show of force against the North, South Korea and the U.S. are holding four-day-long joint military drills in the Yellow Sea employing the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington. North Korea criticizes the drills as an attempt to invade it, and China also opposes any military activity in waters close to its soil."
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Calendar Of Events
Tuesday, November 30: John Hope Bryant Does Book Signing In New York City, USA
The centrist founder of Operation HOPE, a financial literacy group, will be signing copies of his best-selling book Love Leadership: The New Way To Lead In A Fear-Based World at Hueman Bookstore & Cafe in Harlem. 6:00pm local time. The bookstore is located at 2319 Frederick Douglass Boulevard (between 124th and 125th Streets) in Harlem.
Tuesday, November 30 and Wednesday, December 1: Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones Discusses Entrepreneurship In London, UK
The founder of The Black Farmer products and Conservative Party member will be telling his inspirational entrepreneurship story at this year’s Business StartUp Exhibition at Earls Court in London. The Daily Mirror writes: "This year’s exhibition, which is sponsored by Lloyds TSB, has more than 200 exhibitors and 150 seminars. There are workshops run by website builder Mr Site, marketing specialists Yell, and Sage, which will look at business planning. Other events include Speed Networking sessions, matching visitors with other business minds from across the country, and one-to-one sessions with expert advisers."
Wednesday, December 1: Afronerd Radio Interviews Soledad O'Brien
If you've ever wanted to interact with Soledad O'Brien, this is your chance. Afronerd Radio, a black moderate-conservative radio show, will interview the liberal CNN journalist about her new book, The Next Big Story: My Journey Through The Land Of Possibilities. I'm sure that whole "Jesse Jackson thinks you ain't black" brouhaha will be in the mix. 5:00pm ET/4:00pm CT. You can call into the show at: 646/915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo.com. You can listen to the show here.
Wednesday, December 1: Kevin Ross Appears On WVON To Discuss His New TV Show
The moderate Republican will appear on WVON's "Launching Chicago With Lenny McAllister" to discuss his new syndicated television show, "America's Court With Kevin Ross". He appears at 6:00am-7:00am ET/5:00am-6:00am CT. You can listen live here.
Friday, December 3: IREN Sponsors China-Africa Forum In Nairobi, Kenya
The Inter Region Economic Network (IREN), a libertarian group based in Kenya, is collaborating with China Institutes of Contemporary Relations on a Sino-Africa brainstorming session on "Sustainable Development". 2:00pm-4:30pm local time. Limited seats are available. Please email James Shikwati at james@irenkenya.org and include a brief bio for an invitation..
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Andrew Mwenda on Democratization In Rwanda
The Ugandan libertarian journalist discusses why authoritarian Rwandan President Paul Kagame's focus on growing Rwanda's economy is putting it on an enduring democratization path: "By suffocating the growth of a landed-owning class in agriculture and then promoting the use of ICT [information and communications technology] as the basis of the country’s economy, Kagame has set the economic structure – and therefore the politics of Rwanda – on the road to democracy. With massive investment in education from primary, secondary to university, underpinned by private sector growth, Kagame is fostering the growth of an educated middle class in Rwanda, an important structural foundation for democracy."
Mr. Mwenda continues his commentary about Rwanda: "As I write this article, Rwanda is involved in one of the most thoroughgoing democratisation projects not yet seen in Africa – the spread and usage of computer and internet technology. Today, Rwanda has the highest density of fibre optic cables network of any country in the Third World – including China. With government’s one-laptop-per-child programme, Rwanda is spreading computer and internet usage to the far reaches of the country. Given that the computer and the mobile phone are converging into one information platform, the technological foundations of free speech are being laid."
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Blacks Divided Over Possible Menthol Ban
Some groups argue the flavor of cigarette lures young American blacks to smoke; others say prohibition would backfire, From the Los Angeles Times: "According to the NAACP, the FDA discriminated against African-American children by banning the sale of clove and fruit-flavored cigarettes last year while exempting menthol-flavored cigarettes. The FDA formed a committee that recently heard testimony on menthol safety and its impact on blacks. A report is expected next spring."
The article continues about the debate: "Community activists charge that cigarette companies continue to target young smokers with advertising designed to make smoking seem cool. The strategy, they charge, is to attract smokers before they turn 18, turning them into lifelong customers. Lorillard Tobacco Co., manufacturer of Newport, the best-selling menthol cigarette, said the company markets its products in a responsible way, targeting all segments of the adult population. The company also said it supports efforts to deter young people from ever smoking. But banning menthol cigarettes, the company said, would force 30 percent of the cigarette market to go underground and deal a blow to state and federal governments, which would lose $40 billion in excise taxes and settlement fees collected each year from the sale of cigarettes. 'A ban of menthol would not have the consequence of improving public health,' said Lorillard spokesman Gregg Perry. 'In fact....a ban on menthol cigarettes would fuel an underground criminal enterprise and lead to the illegal sale of more dangerous cigarettes than those now being sold by regulated companies.' For the most part, it is the same argument offered by the Congress of Racial Equality, the Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Black Chamber of Commerces, which have urged the FDA not to impose a ban."
More about menthol cigarettes: "Surveys show that 80 percent of African-American smokers favor menthols, compared with 22 percent of whites and 30 percent of Hispanics. Congress of Racial Equality spokesman Niger Innis said banning them would unfairly target African-American smokers. 'We abhor the federal government acting as big daddy to individuals exercising a legal choice, which is what using menthol cigarettes is,' Innis said."
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France: Rama Yade Refuses To Be The Mistress Of A Sports Star To Boost Her Popularity
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| "I got a man": Rama Yade and her husband Joseph Zimet |
More: "'Charasse sometimes has some incredible ideas,' said an amused Rama Yade. 'I'm married! And as we were at dinner, I went directly to dessert!', she added."
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11/29 Quote Of The Day
"More people don't have a bank account today in America, the richest country in the world (approximately 40 million, or about 12% of population), than didn't have the right to vote in 1962. If not having the right to vote in the age of democracy triggered a civil rights movement, then not having a bank account and not understanding the 'language of money' in a global economic era should trigger a silver rights movement today." — John Hope Bryant, centrist founder of financial literacy group Operation HOPE
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Clifton Bazar: "Obama's Pay Freeze For Federal Government Employees Is Just More Smoke And Mirrors"
The conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey ain't impressed with the liberal Democratic president's two-year pay freeze for civilian federal employees, with the stated purpose of helping to reduce the budget deficit: "This all sounds so lovely on paper, but there are a few problems that are going unnoticed. First of all, we are at a record number of federal employees. As of February 2010 the Federal employee workforce was an astounding 2.15 million people, the highest ever. Second, we also have a record number of Federal employees making over $150,000.00."
He continues his commentary: "What we have here is your typical game of political smoke and mirrors. For the casual follower of politics and government, a pay freeze sounds like a responsible move. However, when you realize the facts above, you understand that all Obama is doing is locking in big and expensive government for the next two years. What is truly needed is for the Federal workforce to take some serious PAY CUTS and undergo some serious DOWNSIZING. Pay for Federal employees must be taken out [like] the private sector and the high number of employees making record salaries is a drag on the economy we can no longer afford. Sorry Obama, but you will have to do better than that."
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Hassan Nurullah on WikiLeaks
The conservative Republican blogger in Michigan writes: "I could never have fathomed something like this year’s WikiLeaks disclosures. You would think the U.S. State [D]epartment could have put the kibosh on this sort of thing back in March when the first group of truly damaging leaks was released. Hillary Clinton, Obama’s greatest rival for the Democratic nomination in 2008, is now running the State Department. Beginning with the Russian reset button debacle Mrs. Clinton has proven to be incompetent far beyond my expectations. If you remember - diplomacy was supposed to be Hillary’s strong suit, at least that was what she said."
He continues his commentary: "Der Spiegel, the Guardian UK, and our home grown fifth column rag, The New York Times are all indicative of leftist ideology run amuck [sic]. The WikiLeaks disclosures would never have seen the light of day in a more patriotic era - at least not without someone swinging in the aftermath! By my reckoning, The Times' actions constitute nothing less than treason. As a nation America has had nationalism driven out of us -- there are too many people now raised in with no sense of pride in what America has been to the world and what it means to be an American. The left now controls our children’s education and the modern media have reduced America’s role in world history to that of a recalcitrant bully. There are more people now calling themselves Americans that have utter disdain for their own nation, than at any point in our history, this did not happen by accident."
More commentary from Mr. Nurullah, about WikiLeaks: "With the advent of the WikiLeaks disclosures the administration proved powerless to prevent despite hollow threats from our State Department, Pakistan is now more reticent. Germany, Kenya, Italy, Turkey, Saudi Arabia all offended. Hillary Clinton is revealed to have ordered all manner of spying on even some of our staunches[t] allies, not a bad thing in and of itself, but the world is now reading our diplomatic memos so now they know that we know that they know."
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Swiss Vote To Expel Foreign Criminals
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| Switzerland's location in Europe |
More: "The Deportation Initiative requires local judges to automatically deport persons of foreign origin whether or not they were born in Switzerland – and deportations apply to major crimes as well as lesser crimes, such as drug trafficking or fraudulent acceptance of unemployment benefits. Such terms appear to violate some of Switzerland’s treaty accords, including deporting persons to states that practice torture or abuse, as Amnesty International noted in a broadside against the measure. The Swiss far-right, however, appealed to a public feeling of insecurity, the loss of traditional Swiss culture, and the payout of generous welfare benefits to immigrants. Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said late Sunday that the 'majority of the voters have sent a clear signal that they consider foreign criminality to be a serious problem.'"
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Obama Aides Condemn WikiLeaks; Obama Orders Review
From USA Today, about today's document dump of classified U.S. cables: "Among the revelations:
-- Arab leaders have urged the United States to take military action against Iran over its nuclear program.
-- The U.S. has offered Obama visits and other enticements to other governments if they took detainees from the terrorist prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (which remains open).
-- The U.S. has tried -- unsuccessfully -- to remove enriched uranium from Pakistan, lest it fall into the hands of terrorists seeking nuclear weapons.
-- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and her predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, have asked aides to do low-level spying on delegates to the United Nations."
The Obama administration is weighing criminal action against WikiLeaks principals. Meanwhile, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) argues that WikiLeaks should be classified as a terrorist organization.
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MOOOOO....For Jesus
Alveda King, the conservative niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, writes about her pro-life activism: "Today on Facebook an individual left a comment on my status referring to me as a cash cow that the pro-life movement was using because of my name to push their agenda. As he sarcastically says, 'I take it back: the pro-life fundraisers are not milking Ms. King’s family name like a cow’s *—-* to fund & buttress their perpetual advocacy interests as I implied.' I do have a recognizable name, and it is the name of a great man, my uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and my work with the pro-life movement does benefit them. But does that necessarily mean that I am being milked like a cash cow? I think not."
More commentary from Ms. King: "I am an independent woman guided only by the Divine Will of my Lord and Saviour. Nobody is making me do anything that I don’t want to do. If God calls me to a vocation in the pro-life movement and I choose to obey Him, it has nothing to do with the fact that I am also the niece of a great Civil Rights Leader. But, if that makes people pay more attention and it helps bring awareness to the evils of abortion, then I’m all for letting people know who I am related to. Some people are blessed by God with the opportunity to fight for a cause that they are passionate about, like I am about the pro-life movement. Others, like Oprah, are fighting for education or still others, like Sally Struthers, for starving children. God has allowed us to use our name recognition to help bring awareness and an end to this or that evil. I’m humbled that the Lord is using me to fight the greatest evil of our times, ABORTION!"
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2 Is Now Greater Than 42
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| Congressmen-Elect Allen West & Tim Scott |
He continues his criticism of the Democrats: "The fact is they are making moves to lessen the 42 Black congresspersons representing the Democratic Party. On the other hand, the Republican National Committee is touting their two newly elected Black congressmen. The Dems are pushing their Black congresspersons into a subservient role as the Repubs are bringing their two new victors to the front of the line and saying 'go for it!' How they treated House Majority Whip James Clyburn is just totally indignant and insulting to a human being of great character. Massa Pelosi (Nancy Pelosi) came in and fired him as Whip and replaced him with White Steny Hoyer as if the big loss they experienced at the polls was Congressman Clyburn’s fault. In a fair world, Ms. Pelosi would be stepping down from her leadership role as she 'sunk' the ship she was guiding. You don’t blame it on others. A true leader would have fallen on his/her sword and passed the gauntlet on to the next in line. But, no they blamed it on the Black man and to everyone’s disappointment he, the Black man, took it with a smile."
12 Coups Avant Minuit (12 Strokes Before Midnight)...
Neoafricain, a conservative blogger in France, writes about U.S. President Barack Obama's surgery requiring 12 stitches in his upper lip after being elbowed in a basketball game (original post in French): "My first reaction was to hope that this was not a conservative who had inadvertently hurt the leftist icon. Otherwise we would've been entitled to a senseless media outcry. We have delved into his life, scrutinized his words, his writings, in short, tried everything that would have planned this little sports nudge. But hopefully, this was done by a Democrat, a Hispanic [friend of the president]. With no hint of racism or political differences, the media didn't really dwell on the subject."
His commentary continues: "After this original reaction passed, I got the sense that we can finally analyze the incident. How couldn't you see a symbol of the electoral thrashing that Obama and his administration suffered on November 2? It was a decisive month in terms of disappointment for the Democratic president's supporters who saw in him one who would deal with international crises, one who would rule over the political parties for the common good, and finally...THE sportsman. The recent election defeat demonstrates that Americans have gone too far left, North Korea bombarding South Korea shows that [Obama's] outstretched hand with totalitarian regimes can't lead. And finally, the lip injury shows us that he isn't the 'Sportsman of the Year 2008' like the largest sports magazine outrageously told us."
Final thoughts: "In sports, I wish him well for a speedy and full recovery. It is on the political terrain that we love to see him get a beating. No way!"
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Sarah Palin: Bookerista Perspectives
Dennis Sanders: "Sarah Palin's Enablers"
The moderate Republican blogger in Minnesota opines: "In some ways, the smart guys have failed - miserably. And this is not just in politics, but in the media and the economy as well. Palin’s rise is more about a lack of trust in, well anything except Sarah Palin. And that’s the problem. Those of us that look down on Palin as not being smart don’t get that being smart is percieved [sic] as part of the problem. Palin’s homespun wisdom seems a lot more reliable than placing our trust in smart leaders who then procede [sic] to lead the economy down the drain. This is a message that the media and liberals must pay attention to, but so-called establishment conservatives (or those who don’t like Ms. Palin) have to be aware of as well. The way to challenge Sarah Palin is NOT to talk about how stupid she is; instead it is about re-establishing trust between the average American and the big institutions that are a part of our daily lives."
Clarence Page: "Dancing All Over With The Palins"
The moderate-liberal columnist in Illinois opines: "While some people use politics as a springboard to show business, Palin happily leverages both into a successful national brand. Her mere name and occasional presence, cheering from the sidelines for her 'baby grizzly,' on 'Dancing With the Stars' helped bring record viewer ratings, along with outraged allegations of ballot stuffing by zealous Palinites. Elsewhere, her TLC reality-style show 'Sarah Palin's Alaska' premiered with 5 million viewers, a ratings record for a debut on the cable network. Even its 40 percent drop in its second week to 3 million amounts to a cable-TV version of a landslide. And her second best-seller, 'America By Heart,' debuted with tender slices of red meat for Obamaphobes: The president and the Democratic Party think 'something is wrong with our country and what we value,' she writes. 'So they are hell-bent on changing it.' Right. Not that Palin and Company sound perfectly delighted with everything, either."
Tyrone: "Barbara Bush And Karl Rove Are The Ones Who Need To 'Stay Home', Not Palin"
The conservative Republican blogger in Maryland slams establishment Republicans' views of Ms. Palin: "There are many people who thought that George W Bush wasn't suitable to be president, yet, he turned out to be a two term president. The difference with Bush as compared to Palin is that W was in the good graces of the GOP establishment. Obviously Sarah is playing by her own rules that doesn't sit well with the ruling class elites within the GOP, and she is ruffling the feathers of the political pundits who are use[d] to a 'traditional candidate' mold and that candidate following certain procedures for running for president."
He adds: "Palin has earned the right to run for the GOP nomination. She in essence saved the GOP from it[s] certain death as a national party. While she has been going after Obama, Pelosi, Reid and others on their failed polices, other potential 2012 GOP candidates have been silently standing by watching [and] trying to keep their powder dry. Frankly, I don't respect that. Why are they waiting for a certain time to speak out? Palin was doing it when it wasn't deemed popular to do so when Barry was first elected."
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New Jersey Man Preps To Launch Caribbean Television Station In The United States Of America
From NorthJersey.com: "Frederick Morton Jr. has decided that will be his next project. And it is a 'project' to the jovial creative thinker with a strong background in litigation. But that's how he operates. 'Look how I looked at marriage and children,' Morton, 42, said with a laugh, 'like a project.' It's the kind of mindset, he said, that has helped him get as far as preparing the biggest launch of his career in the United States – Tempo, a 24-hour pan-Caribbean television channel."
The article continues: "The Montclair resident and St. Croix native said he wants to bring the channel to mainland America and tap into the nation's Caribbean audience, along with the people who frequent the Islands. 'It's focusing on the Caribbean and the people,' Morton said. 'The culture is so extraordinary, from music to food.' Tempo, a channel that delves into all things Caribbean, has approximately three million viewers in 26 islands, from the Bahamas to Trinidad and every place in between, he said. And Morton is certain such a source of entertainment will be marketable on the mainland. The United States is the major source of tourism for the Caribbean, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, and the region is the most 'tourism-intensive' in the world. 'They love the place already. Talk about extending your vacation,' said the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Tempo Networks, which Morton created about five years ago when he was deputy general counsel of business and legal affairs at MTV Networks."
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Nana Akufo-Addo: "The Ghanaian Center-Right Believes In A Hand Up, Not Handouts"
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| Campaign slogan: "2012. Nana, our hope for victory" |
The article continues about Mr. Akufo-Addo's speech: "He said the party believes in the freedom of the individual: including freedom from fear (with the audience adding ‘panic’), freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and free enterprise. 'We believe in empowering the individual to use his or her entrepreneurial initiative to create legitimate wealth and to enjoy security of person and private property. We believe through freedom we can encourage upward mobility for everyone in society.' Nana Akufo-Addo argued that the NPP does not believe in the 'discredited state socialism, where the state dictates where you sleep, where you work and what you can call your own. We believe in the state empowering the people to take decisions that enhance their wellbeing.'"
Disparity Of Weight Perception, By Ethnicity
Jim Collier, a moderate blogger in metro Oakland, Calif. writes: "I was leaving Trader Joe’s the other morning at the same time as an obese White family. After loading the food in the back of the van, the woman removed what looked like a can of Pringle's potato chips, opened it, and handed the full container to the seated child. I have seen Black women do exactly the same thing. This scenario had me curious to the intersection of obesity and perception, and specifically that Blacks and Whites perceive fatness differently, even as they pursue it with the same behavior. If I was to venture a guess, the White woman surveyed about her weight would snarl ‘yes, I’m fat and it’s none of your freakin’ business’. A Black woman, alternately, might say that she is ‘big-boned’ and her weight is normal for her – and then say it is none of your freakin’ business. But, in a way, it is all of our business. More than seventy-percent of America is overweight and obesity is literally killing our health care system, and us along with it."
He adds: "I found a study (here) that measures the difference in weight perception across sex and race. The research proves perception differences are significant. Blacks and Latinos see fat differently than Whites, but the researchers do not postulate why. It would not be PC. So, I will take a SWAG (scientific wild-ass guess). Black Americans, with the lingering influence of their geographically challenged West African location of ethnic origin, continue to seek fat storage as a positive indicator of health and longevity against the historical threat of famine. Simply put, fat black women look and feel like better mates under this view, and the behavior of Black men backs this up (and vice versa). Of course, Black folks like sitting on their butts, in front of HDTV flat-screens, just as much as White folks, so perception is just one part of the influence."
More: "White men and women are less influenced by famine perspectives and seek slimness for the more empirically realized longevity and health benefits, resulting from stable agricultural societies (see Fertile Crescent). Hence, the obese White woman with the Pringles is more likely to defend herself and her behavior purely with attitude, and not argument."
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The TSA Approach Vs. The Israeli Approach To Airport Security: Bookerista Perspectives
Star Parker: "Our Leadership In Washington Is The Problem, Not Body Scanners"
The conservative Republican commentator in California opines: "The first rule of warfare is to know your enemy. The Israelis know their enemy. They know exactly what to look for and their priority is to identify and stop them. I wish I could say the same here. But I can't. And this is the problem. How can we possibly use technology to identify and root out terrorists when the leaders of our country cannot, or refuse to identify with clarity who these individuals are and what they are about?"
More commentary from Ms. Parker about airport security: "This latest round of humiliation that we citizens have to endure - electronic strip searches or intimate physical groping of our bodies - is the result of the so called 'underwear bomber' incident from last Christmas. Can we possibly forget that our Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the nation after that incident that 'the system worked?' Or can we allow ourselves to forget that when Napolitano began her new job she wanted to expunge the word 'terrorism' from our vocabulary and call these incidents 'man-caused disasters?' Or can we forget the exchange in congressional hearings between Congressman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Attorney General Eric Holder where Holder refused to acknowledge a link between terrorism and radical Islam?"
Dennis Sanders: "The TSA"
The moderate Republican blogger in Minnesota opines: "I don’t think the current procedures are the most efficient way to do prevent someone from getting explosives on a plane. I also think that we could use the Israeli system here in America, at least according to the way journalist Michael Totten describes the Israeli system."
Mr. Sanders continues his commentary: "As Americans, we can speak out about how far we can go in search passengers. We can talk about how to secure our civil liberties. But what we can’t do is simply whistle pass the graveyard and pretend that we can just board a plane and not have to think about security. Securing your individual rights and maintaining national secruity is important. Maintaining someone’s comfort? Not so much."
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What Washington Can Learn From Harry Potter
Lurita Doan, a conservative Republican commentator, opines that the new movie teaches the following values: (1) courage; (2) preparation; (3) perseverance; (4) skepticism; and (5) caution: "The new Harry Potter movie, in theatres across the country, represents more than just the culmination of a great, multi-billion dollar, adventure story. Both Democrats and Republicans can learn from the story of a bold, courageous youth facing a powerful foe, for in Harry Potter's tale there are some lessons that our leaders in Washington could use right now."
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Bristol Palin: Bookerista Perspectives
Stanley Crouch: "Bristol Palin's 'Dancing With The Stars Defeat Exposes The GOP Victim Complex"
Asserts the moderate-liberal columnist in New York City: "Ordinarily, I would hardly care if Bristol Palin had come in third last week at the 'Dancing With the Stars' competition. But I actually got a little hot. Once the younger mama grizzly announced that her success would be a middle finger to those who hate her mother and also hate the unwed young mother's soap opera experience, I realized that the Alaskan cub had become the star of a Tea Party reality series tale about the little people being trampled on by the 'elites.'"
Mr. Crouch continues his commentary: "As we should know by now, cults of victimization are like the air. They travel everywhere and are inhaled everywhere. That is how the Tea Party emerged - with, of course, the help of Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, which balances smidgens of fair with much unbalanced balderdash."
Adrienne Ross: "Congratulations, Bristol Palin. Mission Accomplished"
The conservative Republican blogger in New York writes that Ms. Palin's goal on "Dancing With The Stars" was to get out of her comfort zone and have fun: "Both men and women are applauding her growth as a person and the perseverence she personifies. Not everyone can come through what Bristol has come through with such class, grace, and influence. As a teenager, she became a mom. She faced her responsibility and brought her son into the world. She finished school, worked hard, and committed herself to putting Tripp first. This journey wasn't without mistakes, heartbreaks, or sacrifices, but she entered this season with faith, hope, and a steely spine -- not just the DWTS season either. I'm talking about this new season of her life. This is where people find inspiration in her."
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11/25 Thanksgiving Quote Of The Day
"When you arrived at the supermarket, your turkey was there. You didn't have to do anything but show up to buy it. If that isn't a miracle, what should we call it? Adam Smith called it 'the invisible hand' -- the mysterious power that leads innumerable people, each working for his own gain, to promote ends that benefit many. Out of the seeming chaos of millions of uncoordinated private transactions emerges the spontaneous order of the market. Free human beings freely interact, and the result is an array of goods and services more immense than the human mind can comprehend. No dictator, no bureaucracy, no supercomputer plans it in advance. Indeed, the more an economy *is* planned, the more it is plagued by shortages, dislocation, and failure. It is commonplace to speak of seeing God's signature in the intricacy of a spider's web or the animation of a beehive. But they pale in comparison to the kaleidoscopic energy and productivity of the free market. If it is a blessing from Heaven when seeds are transformed into grain, how much more of a blessing is it when our private, voluntary exchanges are transformed - without our ever intending it - into prosperity, innovation, and growth?" — Jeff Jacoby, conservative columnist
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Thanksgiving: Bookerista Perspectives
Booker Rising wishes a Happy Thanksgiving to my readers in America. Hopefully, you are enjoying the holiday. Bookeristas weigh in on today's celebration:
Clifton Bazar: "Happy Thanksgiving"
The conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey writes: "Please take time today to really contemplate all that you are thankful for. Some of the things I am truly thankful for today are;
- Another year I have been able to financially stay afloat.
- My family enjoying another year of good health.
- Still being able to optimistically look towards the future.
- So many fellow Americans who are waking up and speaking up.
- Each and every last one of you who have stopped by this blog over the years.
Armstrong Williams: "Thankful For A Bygone Era And A New Dawn" The conservative Republican commentator in D.C. writes: "This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the Soviet Union. I know this sounds strange and dated, but bear with me. I’m thankful for Soviet Union because without it, I would not have grown up appreciating this great country as much as I do. When I’ve talked to our younger generation, from children to college students, over the past 10 years, I heard very little pride for being an American. Growing up, the USSR was the Big Bad Enemy that was out to destroy America and Western Civilization. Because of this ominous and ever-present threat, we as Americans had to remain steadfast to the principles that made America great - Freedom, Truth, Hard Work, and Justice."
He continues his commentary: "This past year, America finally started to wake up to the problems that have crept in over the past 20 or so years [since the fall of the Soviet Union]. The Tea Party, for all its warts, served as a shot across the bow to all politicians that under no political party, would we allow this great country to slip quietly into the wayside of history. I honestly thought the liberal ideas that President Barack Obama and the far left had been espousing were where we were headed, especially in regards to health care and their attempts to cosign America to 'once great nation' status. I thought we had resigned ourselves to corrupt politician who gave lip service, at best, to our ideals. But the American people restored my faith in this country by remembering the lessons we held so dear when the Red Menace loomed. Today, I am thankful to see our countrymen awakening and charging full speed ahead to a new dawn and recommitting ourselves to the principle ideals of the nation. Freedom! Liberty! Justice!"
11/24 HERO OF THE DAY: 3-Year-Old's 911 Call Saves Mother's Life In North Carolina
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JOHN MCWHORTER OP-ED: Where Is Our Deliverance?
The moderate-conservative commentator in New York City argues that, contrary to many black liberal critics, U.S. President Barack Obama has done a lot to help Black America progress: "In general, people have had two mistaken expectations about Obama and black Americans. The first is that a President of any color could solve the long-standing problems of African Americans in just a couple of years. The second is that the kind of change that a black President would bring to black America would be revolutionary, like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In fact, Obama has offered more to black America than most people can see, because it isn't the kind of change they've been looking for."
He continues his commentary: "That it would have been political suicide for Obama to reign as a 'black President' is the usual political analysis, but the substantive one is that the problems poor blacks face today are more abstract and difficult to solve than the stark injustice of Jim Crow. One problem is outdated beliefs about advancement. Few black street myths are more disabling than the observation that a man without a college degree used to be able to support a family on a low-skill manufacturing job but that in today's economy, uneducated black men are unqualified for meaningful employment. This bleak vision of ghetto black men's prospects requires a certain blindness. It's vanishingly rare for the typical cable-TV installer, mechanic, sound technician or air-conditioning specialist to be a white guy with a degree from Duke."
More commentary from Professor McWhorter about President Obama's agenda: "Yet the sense persists that to not go to college, in the traditional sense of four years of liberal-arts study, is a glum disability. Many of us assume this because we've been taught to think of vocational training as a kind of consolation prize, a lower track. But not so long ago, one did not shudder at the notion of a person choosing a career working with his hands. Today, one pathway to a satisfying and even middle-class career is community college. In that light, Obama's determination to invest billions of dollars in America's community colleges is exactly the black agenda we should be pursuing. Maybe such programs aren't hot news like Obama's beer summit about alleged racial profiling, but they matter. How many people have heard about Promise Neighborhoods? Obama's Department of Education worked overtime to get funding for 21 poor neighborhoods across the U.S. so they could try to replicate the efforts of social activist Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone. Canada has been seeking to eliminate poverty in 97 blocks of Harlem with a program that may include a combination of intensive charter schooling (starting with preschool), parental workshops and health initiatives. During his campaign, Obama vowed to expand this model nationwide, and he has delivered; funding will be increased as much as sixfold next year (to $60 million). It takes only a bit of imagination to see that this is black-positive as legislation goes, even if unaccompanied by stirring speeches full of words like crisis and expressions like at last. The case only gets stronger if you consider health care reform (an issue of special importance to blacks) and the increase in funding for historically black colleges and universities."
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Lagos To Top Cairo As Africa's Largest City By 2015
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| traffic jam in Lagos |
The article continues: "Africa’s 10 fastest-growing cities, by proportion, are expanding at an average pace of 51 percent per year. The number of Africans living in urban areas has increased from around 15 percent in 1950, to 40 percent today and is estimated to reach 60 percent by 2050. In two decades Africa will no longer be predominantly rural."
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Rich Liberals: A Paradox Explained
Armstrong Williams, a conservative Republican commentator in D.C., writes: "Have you ever wondered why certain very rich people, like George Soros, the Kennedys and Hollywood moguls, become liberals and progressives? There are two principal reasons. The first is gilt guilt, especially for members of the generation of wealthy who did not make or earn their fortune. While this is plausible, gilt guilt is not subject to the rational analysis of homo economicus and is best left to the psychologists to explain. The second, less mysterious reason is that liberal policies of high taxes and excessive regulation protect the wealth and status of certain members of the economic elite. These liberal policies tend to do the most harm to the emerging entrepreneur class; not the established wealthy class."
More: "Perhaps the very wealthy liberals are not irrational when they support liberal policies of high taxes and excessive regulation — they are thwarting the up-and-coming entrepreneurs who are competing with them in the competitive market. In this way, the very rich protect their established businesses, wealth and power. Unfortunately in the process, they harm the vast majority of Americans by thwarting new businesses and delaying innovation that will result in more jobs, better and cheaper products and services, and ultimately a better standard of living."
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Allen West Goes Against The Grain
From The Washington Post (hat tip: Black & Right): "West is one of two black Republicans elected to the House this year. The other, Tim Scott, a longtime politician in South Carolina, was quickly drafted into the GOP leadership as a representative of the freshman class. West brings to the party a strong personality and, with repeat appearances on Fox News and a spot this past Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' a profile that many incoming members of Congress would covet. But he's also an unpredictable force, inclined to be an outsider - even within the GOP. In an interview, he said he doesn't admire anyone in Washington."
The article continues: "West, 49, sees himself stepping to the front lines of an ideological war in which he is fighting liberals who want 'a country that creates victims where we enslave the American spirit,' he said. Cris Kurtz, the leader of USA Patriots, a tea-party-affiliated group in Tulsa, likened West's influence in the movement to that of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who has sometimes bucked his party's leadership. Kurtz described West as 'awesome' after hearing him speak at a Kansas rally to support U.S. troops imprisoned for killing Iraqis in violation of U.S. policy. 'He speaks truth in boldness,' Kurtz said."
More: "Timothy Johnson, a leader of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, which brings together black Republicans, said West is independent thinker. 'You don't become a black Republican or get into going against the grain without being real strong about who you think you are and what you believe,' said Johnson, an associate of West's and a vice chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party. 'Despite the perceptions, the black community is not monolithic looking, thinking or voting. Allen is working on making sure people know that.'"
And Mr. West's plans to join the CBC?: "West told Fox News commentator Juan Williams recently that his late parents would be 'absolutely appalled' if he won a seat in Congress but refused to join the black caucus. The group said it would welcome both Republicans, though at least two members of the caucus campaigned against West. West seems unconcerned about any tension that might arise from his presence in the caucus. 'You want to talk about bipartisanship?' he said. 'Well, I'll bring it to the CBC [Congressional Black Caucus].'"
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Congressman-Elect Tim Scott: "Happy Thanksgiving"
Thanksgiving is tomorrow in USA. The conservative Republican who earlier this month became the first black Republican elected to Congress from South Carolina since 1894 - issues a statement: "I especially have a lot to be thankful for this year. With your support, we have been able to have a seat at the national table where our values, concerns and the future of our democracy will be discussed. None of this would have been possible without your tireless efforts, devotion, generosity and prayers."
More from Congressman-Elect Scott's statement: "Let us also give thanks for our men and women in uniform at home and abroad who sacrifice time with their own families to keep us safe so we can enjoy our American freedoms on Thanksgiving Day and everyday of the year. As we gather together this Thanksgiving with our families and friends, I hope you will join me in giving thanks for the blessings we have and remember to help those around us who may not have as much. The greatest joy is received from pouring into the lives of others."
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Deroy Murdock: "It's Time To Profile Terrorists At U.S. Airports"
Asserts the libertarian Republican commentator ain't impressed by the TSA's new aggressive pat-downs: "Pre-flight screening has moved from safety to comedy. Before it devolves into tragedy, airline employees and government officials should start profiling terrorists. America must focus its finite capabilities on those who crave the destruction of planes and the people who ride them. How would that profile look? Today's threat comes almost exclusively from militant-Islamic males between about ages 18 and 35 who hail from the Middle East and predominantly Muslim African and south-Asian nations. This profile was not drawn by anti-Muslim bigots, nervous Jews, or paranoid Southern Baptists. The terrorists themselves created this profile. Aviation has obsessed them for years."
Mr. Murdock continues his commentary: "Those who plot rather than prevent jet explosions usually meet this profile. The September 11 hijackers fit it perfectly. So did Ramzi bin al-Shibh, who was arrested while conspiring to crash airliners into London's Heathrow Airport. The airborne Christmas Day crotch bomber was a young Nigerian male, and the so-called Shoe Bomber was a young, male Muslim convert. Had security personnel at Newark, Dulles, or Boston Logan Airports profiled terrorists, they might have stopped the 9-11 hijackers. If so, al-Qaida's 2,980 victims would be feasting on [Thanksgiving] turkey."
More commentary from Mr. Murdock: "So, should anyone named Mustafa be waterboarded beside the first-class lounge? No. However, if he is between about 18 and 35 and from the Middle East or a predominantly Muslim country, it might be wise to ask him a few extra questions, carefully peruse his papers, and perhaps inspect him and his possessions. Terrorist profiling recalls police deployment of limited resources. If the NYPD sought a Mafia hit man who was about to whack somebody, it most likely would not hunt him in Harlem. If the LAPD wanted an especially brutal Crip, Malibu might not be the first place to track him."
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83% of Congressional Districts Trended Republican In 2010
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| the "whiplash vote", by Congressional district |
He continues his analysis: "To calculate what I call the Whiplash Vote, I measured Obama's margin of victory in 2008 against each Democratic candidate's margin in 2010. So, for example, if Obama beat John McCain by 15 points in Virginia's 11th district (57%-42%), and Gerry Connolly and Keith Fimian essentially tied two years later (49.3%-48.6%), the Whiplash Vote there is -15. Interestingly, Democrats outpreformed [sic] Obama in many districts in the South and West and still lost. Blue Dog Jim Marshall went down to defeat in Georgia's 8th by six points to Austin Scott (53%-47%), but Obama had lost by 13 points in the district -- therefore, the Whiplash was a positive +7."
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