Thursday, March 31, 10:30am ET, USA: Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll Speaks At Women's History Service In Jacksonville, Florida
The conservative Republican will be the guest speaker at the Naval Station Mayport Women’s History Observance. The event will take place at Ocean Breeze Conference Center at the Mayport Naval Base in Jacksonville. She is the first female and first black lieutenant governor in Florida. Before entering politics, she retired from the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant commander Aviation Maintenance Officer.
Thursday, March 31, 6:00pm CT, USA: Sophia A. Nelson Speaks At Women's History Month Event In Gary, Indiana
The moderate commentator will be the featured speaker for the Indiana University Northwest Office of Diversity Programming's event for Women's History Month. The event will be held in Hawthorn Hall (3400 Broadway), room 107 in Gary. Her new book, Black Woman Redefined, will be available for purchase. Free admission, plus light refreshments. For more information, contact the IU Northwest Office of Diversity Programming at 219/980-6596.
Thursday, March 31, 7:15pm ET, USA: Condoleezza Rice Speaks In Oxford, Ohio
The moderate-conservative Republican and former U.S. Secretary of State will be the featured speaker for the Anderson Distinguished Lecture Series presented by Miami University’s Farmer School of Business. The event will be held at Millett Hall (500 East Sycamore) in Oxford, Ohio. Free admission. For more information, e-mail coopermt@muohio.edu.
Thursday, March 31, 8:00pm ET, USA: Star Parker Speaks On Culture & School Choice In Crawfordsville, Indiana
The conservative Republican commentator's talk tonight at Wabash College is titled, "On Culture And School Choice In The Urban Setting." Her appearance is sponsored by the Wabash Conservative Union. The event will take place in Baxter Hall 101 on the Wabash College campus.
Thursday, March 31, 9:00pm ET, USA: Deneen Borelli Appears On "Hannity"
The conservative Republican will appear tonight on the Fox News Channel program, as part of the “Great American Panel.” The program will repeat at 12:00M ET.
Discuss "Upcoming Events" post here.
3/31 Events
VIDEO: "The State Of Black America" Report
Another year, another one of the Urban League's "State Of Black America" reports. And of course, another year of looking toward Big Government as the solution. However, bookerista blogger and author Ron Miller presented a conservative viewpoint today on MSNBC:
A group with a combined GDP that will surpass $1 trillion this year does not need to look to government for a solution! As I argue every year that the report comes out, a key reason why the black unemployment rate is always higher than the American national average is that only 5.2 percent of blacks are business owners (one-third to half the rate of other racial groups) and black-owned businesses are more likely to hire black workers. Yet the Urban League puts little to no responsibility on Black America to collectively make better life choices and/or launch private initiatives to improve our communities.
Until Black America uses our almost $1 trillion combined GDP -- a GDP that would make us the world's sixteenth largest economy on our own -- to build more businesses and have dollars within our communities, which currently turn over less than once before exiting our communities, we won't see significant change on the employment or wealth creation front. We must build upon our strengths (e.g., our combined GDP, our high philanthropy rate, the civic engagement rate cited in the NUL report) to address these challenges.
Discuss "The State Of Black America" Report" post here.
The Genius That's Masekela
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| Hugh Masekela |
He talks about a Songs of Migration show, which highlights blacks from the U.S. South, Jewish pogroms, Zambian mineworkers, black South African migrants and Lesotho cattle herders: "At the centre of the show is Masekela: energetic, mournful, playful, funny, sad, powerful, vulnerable - and supremely talented and blessed with a fabulous cast. Sadly, the show's run at the Market has ended. It should return, and South Africans should see it in droves. It is one of the best things I have seen here or anywhere else in the world. These are the things that make us happy. These are the things that remind me that Trevor Manuel is not a leader of the coloureds, or that Jeremy Cronin is not a leader of the whites, or that Nelson Mandela is not a leader of the blacks. They are leaders of all us, the people so ably rendered by our national treasure, Hugh Masekela."
Discuss "The Genius That's Masekela" post here.
Michelle Obama's Anti-Obesity Campaign: Bookerista Perspectives
I don't have a problem with Mrs. Obama fighting the anti-obesity fight. However, I do think that her campaign would be more credible if she shed 30-40 pounds before talking about other folks being overweight. Bookeristas weigh in:
Juan Williams: "Listen Up Conservatives - Michelle Obama Ought To Be Applauded For Her Efforts To Fight Obesity"
Asserts the moderate-liberal Fox News commentator: "Obese children develop a myriad of health issues later in life which have an adverse effect on the rest of society. The first lady has said, quite correctly, that this is a national security issue as obesity is one of the most common disqualifiers for military service applicants. Children who cannot get up off the coach today will be the soldiers who cannot charge up the hill tomorrow. Obesity-related health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease steadily raise health insurance premiums as more people have to pay for more treatment options even if they are not personally affected. Beyond the practical considerations, there is a moral imperative here to improve the well-being of our nation’s children. Not only do obese children face problems with their physical health but they must also grapple with emotional and self-esteem issues that result from their condition."
Clarence Page: "A Sanity Test For Michelle Obama's Anti-Obesity Campaign"
The moderate-liberal columnist writes: "It's not like Mrs. Obama's program is radically new. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has been around since the early days of Dwight Eisenhower's administration. Former first ladies Barbara Bush and Laura Bush campaigned against illiteracy. Nancy Reagan told teens to 'Just say no' to drugs. Why have we not heard the snide nanny state complaints from the Right until now? Need I ask?"
More: "For their sensible voices of reason against the tide of anti-Obama derangement disorder, [New Jersey Gov. Chris] Christie and [former Arkansas Gov. Mike] Huckabee deserve thanks from a grateful nation. Both men are often mentioned as presidential hopefuls, although Christie has taken himself out of the running for 2012. That's too bad. The 2012 presidential campaign needs candidates who have respect for good advice, regardless of which party it comes from."
Discuss "Michelle Obama's Anti-Obesity Campaign: Bookerista Perspectives" post here.
Obama's "Kinetic Military Action" In Libya: Bookerista Opinions
Apparently Americans are split regarding U.S. military intervention in Libya. Then there's Libya's foreign minister, a longtime Gaddafi loyalist who has now defected to Britain. Bookeristas ain't done talking about U.S. President Barack Obama's "kinetic military action" in Libya. Especially since in 2007, then-Senator Obama said, "The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation":
Larry Walker Jr.: "Obama's Unauthorized War In Libya"
Says the conservative blogger and Amerca's Independent Party supporter in Atlanta, Ga. He argues that President Obama should be delivered to the International Criminal Court, especially since he didn't get Congressional approval for his actions: "No matter what justification you may wish to apply to this action, taken solely by the order of Barack Obama, it is a blatant abuse of power for which he should pay the ultimate price. How dare you even mention the words, 'the American people'. Neither the American people, nor their representatives have authorized any such involvement in Libya. Obama has murdered thousands of Libyan soldiers on the ground, without authorization from the American people, thus setting us all up for retaliation, by God knows who, at some future date. When it's all over, and the number of Libyan casualties have been tallied, somebody needs to be held to account by the International Criminal Court (ICC)."
Constructive Feedback: "How Black Progressive-Fundamentalists Cope With Obama's War"
The conservative blogger in Atlanta metro sees inconsistently among many black liberal supporters of President Obama's actions in Libya: "'I was one of the many who believed that your opposition to war was rooted in your prioritization for other's right to live. This was more important than the projection of American military power into a corner of the world that 95% of other Americans will never set foot upon. With this core standard having been violated by 'your guy' you are forced to shift from moralization into PROCESS.
- An assembly of valid 'Coalition Partners' (all of them Western European) lend this action the credibility that the other guy did not have
- The fact that your guy went through the United Nations but, unlike the other guy - got an affirmative ruling - without having the Secretary of State to 'lie' on behalf of the war action.
- Even though evidence in both cases showed that the brutal dictator had been oppressing and killing his people - only 'your dictator' was sufficiently oppressing and killing his people in Libya to justify the war that you actively supported
Defunding Planned Parenthood: Conservative Perspectives
Gary Bauer & Alveda King: "Why Our Government Must Stop Funding Planned Parenthood"
The conservative president of American Values and the conservative niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pen a joint op-ed: "President Obama has made the concept of shared economic sacrifice a constant theme of his presidency. 'Shared sacrifice' should be the catch phrase, Mr. Obama told the National Governors Association in late February. 'If all the pain is shared by one group....that’s not good for anyone.' We agree. But there’s one group that isn’t making the economic sacrifices most other Americans are making. Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion business, receives $350 million annually from taxpayers in the form of government grants and contracts, even though it makes tens of millions of dollars in yearly profits. A current proposal to defund Planned Parenthood might seem like just another skirmish in the culture war. But it ought to be seen as something more fundamental: the most basic measure of whether our government is serious about resolving its debt problem."
They continue: ""By law, Planned Parenthood cannot allocate any federal funding for abortions. But its $350 million yearly taxpayer subsidy frees up other funds for abortions. With a $1.1 billion budget, and more than 700,000 donors, Planned Parenthood’s fiscal 2009 net profit was $21.7 million, according to its Internal Revenue Service Form 990 tax filing. But lavish public subsidies aren’t the only reason to defund the abortion giant. In recent years, Planned Parenthood centers across the country have been exposed for committing a variety of offenses — including refusing to comply with statutory rape reporting laws and parental consent laws, performing illegal late-term abortions and overcharging clients on birth control."
Shaun Bailey on Gun Crime In London
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| Lil' Thusa is fighting for her life in a hospital |
And some stats: "Never mind the bald facts: that firearm offences in London rose 89 per cent in the 2000s, while gun-related injuries and death jumped in number from 865 in 1998/9 to 1,760 a decade later. Police officers now routinely carry Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns, capable of firing 800 rounds a minute, and Glock semi-automatic pistols."
Discuss "Gun Crime In London" post here.
Singer Is Taylor-Made For Country Fans
| Chris Taylor: the next Darius Rucker? |
More: 'The guys joked that he'd need to keep his photo off the albums just like black country pioneer Charley Pride did in the mid-1960s. 'They're happy for me and love what I do, but I can remember them saying, 'Don't ever put your face on the CD, man! You've gotta do it like Charley Pride, or they still won't accept it!' Taylor said. But when he released his debut album, 'Down at the Honky Tonk,' 'I made sure to put my face right on the cover, because you have to be yourself and you stand up for your face and your name. I don't hide behind nothing!'"
The article continues about Mr. Taylor: "Although Taylor was born in Kentucky, he only gravitated to country music when he moved near the Canadian border in Potsdam. So when he started entering karaoke contests after moving to the Syracuse area, it made sense to sing boot-scootin' boogies from the Top 40 charts. Pretty soon, his smooth vocals and ability to tap into a crowd's energy led to national competitions (he placed fifth in the U.S. at one 2001 contest) and tryouts for the CMT reality show 'Nashville Star.'"
Discuss "Singer Is Taylor-Made For Country Fans" post here.
Herman Cain Talks Slick About President Obama: "A Real Black Man May Run Against Obama"
The conservative Republican businessman definitely knows how to stir up stuff, that's for sure. This video is from Mr. Cain's speech yesterday to Tea Party activists in Florida. During his speech, he addresses a question inquiring whether or not America is ready for back-to-back black presidents. He makes a dig at the fact that our president isn't even 51% black in ancestry and emerged out of a white woman's womb (hat tip: Mr. Ref):
Granted, President Obama doesn't share the quintessential black American's ancestral background. Herman better hope that a scion of 100% black African immigrant parents doesn't launch a presidential bid and one-ups him. If Mr. Cain shares the genetic ancestry of the quintessential black American, he'd be in trouble...
UPDATE: Cain's camp tries to say that what was said wasn't actually said. From Politico: "Cain spokeswoman Ellen Carmichael told POLITICO that Cain's race remarks had nothing to do with him challenging Obama's racial origin. 'He was referring to himself in the first person,' she said. 'He was saying that there could be a general election with two black men.'"
Discuss "A Real Black Man May Run Against Obama" post here.
Rejoice Ngwenya: "Legalize Political Euthanasia!"
The Zimbabwean libertarian activist opines about Zimbabwean politics: "The continued arrest of innocent citizens, battering of human rights defenders, banning of legitimate public gatherings and paranoid state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcast Corporation propaganda is now a call to action for those on [President Robert Mugabe's ruling party] ZANU-PF’s bedside to switch off its electoral life-support system. Zimbabweans can no longer wait for the bureaucratic wheels of legislation to legitimise euthanasia. 'Unlike physician-assisted suicide, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments with patient consent (voluntary) is almost unanimously considered, at least in the United States, to be legal' continues Wikipedia. The exercise of mercy and compassion is no longer that of saving a political dinosaur and postponing its inevitable extinction. I appreciate that no political party wants to die because life is God’s gift to mankind. However, at times men of courage have to take painful decisions that when sustained existence means the death of a nation, choices become limited."
More: "How many more citizens will have to be ‘kicked’ before those men and women of valour at ZANU-PF’s political death bed summon enough courage to unplug the party from the wall of unpopular existence? Can we continue paying with our lives, freedom, reputation and integrity just to sustain an ungrateful Jurassic entity whose time has passed? Euthanasia is illegal, but the people have been speaking since 2000. Democracy and tyranny like life and death; light and darkness are ultimately mutually exclusive. There is now only one choice: unplug the party’s electoral life support system for the benefit of us and future generations"
Discuss "Legalize Political Euthanasia!" post here.
Donald Trump Questions Obama's Birth Records: Bookerista Views
I wish President Obama would just go on and release his long-form birth certificate, and end this birther nonsense. And I'd have to check my long-form birth certificate, but I don't recall religious background being on there? Anyway, bookeristas weigh in:
Clifton Bazar: "Donald Trump Releases His Official Birth Certificate"
The conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey writes: "[On Monday] I told you that Trump may have deliberately released an unofficial copy of his birth certificate so that he could quickly turn around and release the original. The idea behind this is twofold. First, to weaken the argument that there is no difference between a certificate of live birth and a long form birth certificate. It will be harder to make that argument after everyone made a stink of what Trump released [on Monday]. Second, the stunt was designed to show how quick and easy it is to silence suspicions and criticism by just producing the document....Trump's little stunt is going to give him more ammo in his birth certificate battle. A battle I am sure is designed more to promote his own brand, rather than his presidential aspirations."
Samuel Gonzalez: "Donald Trump: 'Does Obama's Birth Certificate Say He's Muslim?'"
The conservative Republican blogger in New York writes: "The Donald just won’t go away to the consternation of the Obama regime. However, Trump poses a legitimate question. Why won’t the president just produce the long form birth certificate? I think Trump is on the money when he suspects there’s something on there the president doesn’t want made public and is willing to pay millions in keeping secret. The issue is not his status anymore. What is it that’s worth so much money to keep hidden?"
Clarence Page: "Birthers Have A Special Place In Democrats' Hearts"
Asserts the moderate-liberal columnist: "Donald Trump has joined the 'birthers,' the odd movement that questions President Barack Obama’s Hawaii birth certificate. That’s a good way for the celebrity billionaire to sound like he’s making a serious run for the Republican presidential nomination. It also makes him sound like a secret agent for the Democrats."
More: "Trump even added to the amusement of Democrats when he flamboyantly released his own birth certificate to the world and chided Obama to show his. Trouble is, as Politico reported, the document Trump released was a certificate issued by the hospital where he was born, not the legal birth certificate issued by the New York City Department of Health. Before Trump came up with the real deal Tuesday, Politico’s Ben Smith already was questioning Trump’s citizenship. After all, he noted, Trump’s mom was born in Scotland and he has a plane registered in the Bahamas. Whether Trump, who dropped similar [presidential run] hints in 1988 and 2000, is serious or putting us on, his birther ploy exposes how much the Republican Party’s nutty wing is driving their looming primary contest like a tail wagging a dog."
Discuss "Donald Trump Questions Obama's Birth Records: Bookerista Views" here.
3/30 VIDEO: Colin Powell on Military Intervention In Libya
The moderate Republican, who is a retired 4-star Army general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gives this thoughts on the issue:
Discuss "Colin Powell on Military Intervention In Libya" post here.
Black And Hispanic Leaders Blast President Obama's Opposition To D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program
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| "I want choice, like Malia & Sasha have!" |
More from their statement: "When it comes to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), the President’s views aren’t only wrong — his facts are faulty. The OSP yields a 91 percent student graduation rate for children who use their vouchers, which is 30 percentage points higher than graduation rates for students in D.C.’s public schools. Parental satisfaction with the OSP is overwhelming. More than 28 percent of public schools have reported innovating as a result of the program. And students are gaining several additional months of learning in reading. To top it off, the program educates children at less than half of the per-child cost of the D.C. Public Schools. By any metric, by any measure, and by any reasonable standard, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program should be a model for the nation. Instead, it is on life support — thanks in no small part to the actions and inactions of President Barack Obama — who has opted to ignore inconvenient realities instead of taking courageous stands."
Discuss 'D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program" post here.
CLIFTON BAZAR OP-ED: A Self-Inflicted Wound: Herman Cain And Muslim Appointees
The conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey writes: "Last week Herman Cain attended the Conservative Principles Conference in Iowa (see video of his speech here). After the event someone from the lefty site Think Progress asked Cain if he was comfortable appointing Muslims to his cabinet or the Supreme Court. Herman Cain gave a very straight up answer.
Needless to say, a mini firestorm erupted. Herman Cain then went on Neil Cavuto's show and again stood by his words."
He continues his commentary about Mr. Cain: "I understand where Cain is coming from. Because of Muslim extremists, a certain amount of caution must be used when dealing with Muslims. Failure to do so is both foolish and dangerous. However, given the way Cain has handled the question, it is all too easy for the left to twist his words into something else. It would have been far better to answer the question in the positive rather than the negative. For example: Yes, I would appoint a Muslim to my cabinet or the Supreme Court, but only after I was 100% sure they were not a closet extremist trying to push Sharia Law."
More: "As I have stated on this blog several times, distractions are going to highly sought after by Obama and the left in 2012. They have little choice but to look for distractions given Obama's abysmal performance on the economy, jobs and the debt. Any candidate who provides Obama with distractions, will find themselves struggling to stay on message when it comes to those three big issues. Gingrich has destroyed his 2012 chances by setting up several distracting topics for the left. Cain's Muslim answer fits this bill as well. Herman Cain also has another problem. He is relatively unknown outside conservative circles. Therefore it is crucial that he gets to define himself before the left defines him. Cain's blunt answers to this Muslim question makes it very easy for the left to define him as a bigot. For independents who are just casual followers of politics, the bigot charge can really stick. Fortunately for Cain it is still early enough to repair this self-inflicted wound. However, Cain must understand that he cannot afford to give the left another opening like that again. If he does, he will make himself a sure loser just like Gingrich did."
Discuss "A Self-Inflicted Wound" post here.
Obama At Lowest Approval & Re-Elect Scores Ever
Clifton Bazar, a conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey, discusses a new poll: "Obama has hit new lows in the Quinnipiac poll. Forty eight percent of voters disapprove of Obama's job performance and 50% say Obama does not deserve to be reelected."
He continues his commentary: "I would like to use this poll to point out something to some conservatives who fret over Obama not being beatable in 2012. Obama's approval numbers, like every president, are directly tied to events the nation faces. Depending on how he handles these events his approval will either climb or crash. In this case his handling of Libya is pulling him down. Thus, as we see polls today showing Obama beating possible Republican rivals, we have no idea how events in the future will affect Obama's poll numbers. Republican challengers do not face the same consequences because they only have to speak in the hypothetical about how may handle a given crisis. The even have the luxury of waiting until Obama acts first. So to those worry warts out there, calm down until 2012."
Discuss "Obama At Lowest Approval & Re-Elect Scores Ever" post here.
Controversial Black Pro-Life Billboard Campaign Comes To Chicago. This Time, President Obama's Image Is A Focal Point
As Booker Rising mentioned yesterday, the Life Always billboard says, “The next possible leader is aborted every 21 minutes” and features a picture of U.S. President Barack Obama. Apparently, things got heated at yesterday's press conference and billboard unveiling in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's South Side (which is not far from President Obama's neighborhood). Some 30 billboards will be put up in black neighborhoods across Chicago. From Fox Chicago: "Today, we're here to say there is an alternative to abortion. We don't have to murder our babies,' said Rev. Stephen Broden. 'The abortion mills will not continue in Cook County,' said Rev. Isaac Hayes" (see text of Rev. Hayes' speech yesterday here).
Here is a video of black pro-life conservative Rev. Isaac Hayes and a black pro-choice activist discussing the controversy on Chicago television:
Discuss "Controversial Black Pro-Life Billboard Campaign Comes To Chicago" here.
Jalen Rose & "Uncle Tom": Bookerista Perspectives
Given recent news, Perhaps Jalen Rose should've been paying attention to the road and his consumption level instead of worrying about "Uncle Tom" Duke University players from 20 years ago. Anyway, bookeristas weigh in on the infamous slur:
John McWhorter: "What 'Uncle Tom' Really Means"
The linguistics professor and moderate-conservative commentator writes: "There is more going on with comments like Rose's, then, than racism. The most acceptable way of phrasing it would seem to be 'slave mentality'; one is to say that people like Rose have internalized the evaluation of the oppressor. But we have to finesse that, because the oppressor isn't oppressing anything the way he used to. To imply that today's 'subtle' racism is enough to create this profound self-denigration (word chosen deliberately) is to imply that black people are weak. We will not do that. Rather, Rose's slave mentality comes from a kind of strength. Slavery and Jim Crow discouraged a strong black image, but eons ago. Yet that meant that even when things changed, black Americans didn't have a strong base for a new self-image -- upon which, we grasped at an alternate way of feeling good about ourselves: underdoggism. To be a noble victim is a way of feeling important, real. It is, in its weird way, a reflection of black strength, our reflection of the human quest to feel proper and strong, sought furiously as a mental survival strategy in the absence of much else."
More commentary from Dr. McWhorter about Jalen Rose: "Yet one of the things that this strength translates into is Rose's finding, in an unguarded moment, a black man with two parents suspicious, uncool, a prodigal of sorts. This is the underdog's version of self-regard, and it makes, in its sad way, perfect sense. Perfect but sad: sad because it means that for too many, black identity is focused to a grievous extent on our relationship to white people rather than on something coming from within ourselves. It means a racial identity that, no matter how fiercely asserted, cannot be truly prideful because it's about being in the down position. It also discourages curiosity about what lies beyond the locality of purportedly 'real' blackness -- which is, after all, most of this wide world. It is, in fact, a conservative position, looking backward rather than forward and unwittingly embracing a self-image foisted upon us by the enemy. This is, among many things, quite unsurprising, given black Americans' history over the past 400 years; and as sad as it is, we should all know what it's 'about.'"
Joe Hicks: "Uncle Tom's College Basketball: Racial Madness & Angry Victim Politics"
Jalen Rose recently questioned the blackness of college basketball players coming from two parent, middle class backgrounds. The conservative Pajamas TV host gives his thoughts on NCAA basketball and asks: does wealth or education make one an "Uncle Tom"? Does poverty and single parenthood define race? There is no embeddable video, but you can view Mr. Hicks' commentary here.
Discuss "Jalen Rose & 'Uncle Tom'" post here.
DEBATE: Obama's Libya Speech: Thumbs Up Or Down? Part II
Bookeristas ain't done talking about U.S. President Barack Obama's speech on Monday night:
THUMBS DOWN: Mychal Massie: "Pharaoh Tutan-Rah-Obama"
The conservative Republican commentator opines: "Article II of the Constitution only gives the president the power to make treaties with other countries and appoint ambassadors to other countries – both of which powers require the consent of the Senate. But according to Obama, there's a policy in place that specifically provides authority (at his own discretion) to launch massive air attacks on a foreign nation because he unilaterally decides the leader of that country must go – a leader (dictator notwithstanding) who has been in place for 41 years. Dropping bombs on another country (sovereign or otherwise) requires congressional input – the same input President George W. Bush sought and obtained from Congress – the same congressional approval Bush announced he had obtained in his address to the nation from Oval Office."
He continues his commentary: "He had a responsibility to go to Congress first, and then lay out the matter in detail to the American citizenry. Waiting until his objectives were accomplished or until he has no choice but to explain his actions to America simply means we could count on his lying. His administration has been one lie after another, and his brazen pontification after the fact was no different. Using the hastily thrown together excuse that Gadhafi had to go because he was killing his own people is a charade. Gadhafi is a dictator – here's a news flash: That's what dictators do. It's happening in Algeria, Angola, Sudan, Kenya and a host of other sewers around the world – aren't their people worth saving from genocide? Pharaoh's speech to his subjects [Monday] evening did nothing to satisfy this essayist. I argue he must go because his legitimacy and his ability to lead have been increasingly challenged since his assumption of office – and with continued good reason. What are the chances of NATO and the Arab League helping us?"
Artur Davis Bemoans Moderate Democrats' Future
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| Davis: still a wee salty about last year's whupping |
The article continues about Mr. Davis' concerns about moderate Democrats: "Davis said party primaries are now dominated by the bases, and as minority parties get smaller in Democratic and Republican states, the party 'becomes more insular, more out of touch. It’s harder for a centrist candidate to run.' Primary opponents criticized Davis last year for voting against the health care bill. He lost the primary but said Tuesday that voting for the bill would have made his general election campaign a non-starter. 'People often ask me what would’ve happened in my race if I had voted for the health care bill. A very simple two-word answer: Blanche Lincoln,' Davis said of the former Arkansas Democratic Senator who barely won her primary last year and then lost in the general by 21 points. 'The reality is the minute Blanche Lincoln aligned herself with the national Democratic agenda, conversation was closed in Arkansas,' he said."
Discuss "Artur Davis Bemoans Moderate Democrats' Future" post here.
The Dayton Affirmative Action Case: Bookerista Perspectives
As regular Booker Rising readers know, the U.S. Department of Justice has a problem with the city of Dayton, Ohio's police recruitment exam. About 1,100 people (231 of whom were black) took the exam. The original passing scores were 66% on Portion I and 72% on Portion II, Some 57 black applicants passed the exam. However, the Obama administration rejected the results because it argued that not enough blacks passed the exam. The lowered passing scores are now 58% on Portion I and 63% on Portion II (it's unknown how many blacks made it through the lowered cut). Bookeristas continue to weigh in on the case:
Walter E. Williams: "Department Of Injustice"
The libertarian economics professor writes: "Keith Lander, chairman of the Dayton chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Dayton NAACP president Derrick Foward condemned the DOJ actions. Mr. Lander said, "Lowering the test score is insulting to black people," adding, 'The DOJ is creating the perception that black people are dumb by lowering the score. It's not accomplishing anything.' Mr. Foward agreed and said, 'The NAACP does not support individuals failing a test and then having the opportunity to be gainfully employed,' adding, 'If you lower the score for any group of people, you're not getting the best qualified people for the job.' I am pleased by the positions taken by Messrs. Lander and Foward. It is truly insulting to suggest that black people cannot meet the same standards as white people and somehow justice requires lower standards. Black performance on Dayton's Civil Service exam is really a message about fraudulent high school diplomas that many black students receive."
He continues his commentary: "The most tragic consequence of the DOJ actions is that it brings into question legitimate black achievement and possibly sours race relations. Some Dayton white police officers might see their fellow black police officers as affirmative action hires and have less respect and possibly bear a grudge for assumed differences in treatment."
La Shawn Barber: "Black Applicant Protests Dayton's Lowered Standards"
The conservative blogger in California praises 21-year-old Zachary Williams: "'You can’t blame the city for the lack of diversity. This isn’t your normal 9 to 5 job and you have to want it. I don’t want to be in a department where I was hired because of my skin color. I want it because I earned it.' (Source) I wonder if young Mr. Williams will receive a batch of 'race traitor' e-mail for speaking the truth? He doesn’t want the taint of 'affirmative action' splashed across his career, and I hope he continues speaking out against the practice, at least where his career is concerned."
She disagrees with U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice, who argues that some job-competent folks test poorly: "Infinitely qualified they may be, but no self-respecting black person who also respects the law should support government-sanctioned, race-based lowered standards. They are the height of insult, and more black people ought to speak out against them. Chairman of the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Keith Lander said lowered standards are 'a slap in the face to black people....Black people are not dumb.'"
Discuss "The Dayton Affirmative Action Case: Bookerista Perspectives" post here.
Government Shutdown In America? Bookerista Perspectives
In a recent column, black conservative economist Thomas Sowell tells us: "President George W. Bush set a record by adding $3.2 trillion to the national debt over the course of his eight years in office. But Barack Obama has already beaten that record with $4.4 trillion in just his first three years in office." With federal government spending in America out of control as never before, House Republicans are turning to moderate Democrats to hammer out a budget deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next week.
I'd imagine that the only folks who'd really feel a federal government shutdown (which, contrary to popular belief, isn't a full shutdown) are folks whose livelihood is tied to the welfare state. The last shutdown in 1995 barely registered on my radar. Neither the Democrats or the Republicans are talking about the level of spending cuts that we need to get America in fiscal order. They're talking piddly billions per year, when they need to talking a trillion plus per year. Bookeristas weigh in on the possible government shutdown:
Rep. Tim Scott: "A Government Shutdown Will Happen At Some Point, Where Now Or In 2031"
Predicted the conservative South Carolina Republican, in an interview last month. From Fox News: "'I think nothing's off the table at this point,' Rep. Tim Scott of South Carolina said, warning that uncontrolled spending will inevitably lead to an impasse -- and ultimately a shutdown. 'Can the American government sustain the level of spending that we have today?' Scott asked. 'There's no question that a shutdown is coming, whether we do it today or whether we do it in 20 years.'"
Former Congressman Artur Davis: "A Government Shutdown Would Be President Obama's Fault"
From The Hill, about the moderate Democrat and former Congressman's view on the situation: "Former Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) said Tuesday, no matter how budget negotiations between the White House and Congressional Republicans play out, it's President Obama who will get the blame if the government shuts down. 'I think that voters always focus on the executive as the responsible officer,' Davis said. 'There is this belief in Democratic circles that because Republicans are so intransigent about spending cuts that they'll get the blame. But people expect the president to bring all sides together, especially when he's made that one of his selling points.'"
More: "Davis made the comments after a breakfast with reporters in Washington, D.C. that featured three former Democratic House members. Davis, who lost a bid for Alabama governor last year, was joined by former Reps. Glenn Nye (Va.) and Dan Maffei (N.Y.), both of whom were ousted in 2010's midterm elections."
Congressional Black Caucus Struggles With Race
From Roll Call: "How black should the Congressional Black Caucus be? That might seem like a strange question, but it’s one the CBC has grappled with throughout its 40-year history. White Members of Congress have occasionally tried to join, but the group has remained firm: The CBC is for blacks only."
The article continues: "But the organization is now considering reinstating a membership category, established in 1988 and ended a few years later, that would permit non-blacks to join. CBC Chairman Rep. Emanuel Cleaver says the caucus is split over the issue. 'Some of the members feel good about it, some don’t,' the Missouri Democrat says. 'We have not had a vote on it. It’s something that as the chair I want to deal with very cautiously and with great sensitivity.'"
Emerging Economies Promise Dividends To Africa
The African Executive, a Kenyan libertarian website, pens an op-ed: "The developed and emerging economies’ renewed interest in Africa is healthy. However, the continent will benefit little from the surge if it does not creatively engage the economies. This was observed by representatives of over fifty African research institutions and think tanks that gathered in Nairobi to discuss Towards a New China-Africa Partnership."
It continues: "Africans have no excuse to wallow in economic balkanization while they have several best examples across the globe to learn from. Japan, India and China for example, have reaped immensely from strategic alliances. They have appropriated technology, indigenized it and are producing differentiated products that not only uplift the quality of life of their citizens, but also enrich the global market. With tremendous physical and intellectual resource at its disposal, the continent ought to develop well defined continental core interests; embrace coordinated approaches; fund research on potential partners; develop a strategy for engaging developed and emerging economies; and set benchmarks for engagement that should be reviewed annually."
More: "Fifty years of independence is a long time for the continent to still be a parasite of cultures it had no hand in making; impotent in value addition and mere consumers of the products, whims and caprices of other nations. Now is the time to creatively engage development suitors."
Discuss "Emerging Economies Promise Dividends To Africa" post here.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, March 30, 7:00pm ET, USA: Afronerd Radio Broadcast
The moderate-conservative blogger will discuss the following topics: "Capt. Kirk and Dburt continue Sunday's fiery discourse on Libya (post President Obama's formal address on the matter), Dr. Cosby waxes 'upper tier' poetic against 'lower tier' minstrel celebs of color (inc. celebrity hip hop moguls); A new law in seeks to ban Ethnic Studies in Arizona public schools; predictions for tech, science and medicine circa 2100 and an Ivy League bound teenager pistol w[h]ips her mom over a car loan....WHOA!"
Drop a line "live" at 646/915-9620 (and via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo.com) or leave a comment in the chat room at afronerdradio.com.
Wednesday, March 30, 8:00pm ET, USA: Mayor Cory Booker Speaks In Buffalo, New York
The moderate-liberal Democratic mayor Cory Booker will present the keynote address for University of Buffalo's 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Event. The event will be held at the Center for the Arts, aon UB's North Campus in Buffalo, N.Y. Tickets are available through the UB Center for the Arts Ticket Office and TicketMaster. Click here for more information.
Thursday, March 31, 10:30am ET, USA: Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll Speaks At Women's History Service In Jacksonville, Florida
The conservative Republican will be the guest speaker at the Naval Station Mayport Women’s History Observance. The event will take place at Ocean Breeze Conference Center at the Mayport Naval Base in Jacksonville. She is the first female and first black lieutenant governor in Florida. Before entering politics, she retired from the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant commander Aviation Maintenance Officer.
Thursday, March 31, 6:00pm CT, USA: Sophia A. Nelson Speaks At Women's History Month Event In Gary, Indiana
The moderate commentator will be the featured speaker for the Indiana University Northwest Office of Diversity Programming's event for Women's History Month. The event will be held in Hawthorn Hall (3400 Broadway), room 107 in Gary. Her new book, Black Woman Redefined, will be available for purchase. Free admission, plus light refreshments. For more information, contact the IU Northwest Office of Diversity Programming at 219/980-6596.
Thursday, March 31, 7:15pm ET, USA: Condoleezza Rice Speaks In Oxford, Ohio
The moderate-conservative Republican and former U.S. Secretary of State will be the featured speaker for the Anderson Distinguished Lecture Series presented by Miami University’s Farmer School of Business. The event will be held at Millett Hall (500 East Sycamore) in Oxford, Ohio. Free admission. For more information, e-mail coopermt@muohio.edu.
Discuss "Upcoming Events" post here.
3/29 VIDEO OF THE DAY: Vanessa Jean-Louis Vs. Bill Ayers On Charter Schools
Regular Booker Rising readers should already be familiar with Ms. Jean-Louis. Well, the conservative Republican blogger recently attended an event featuring leftist professor and former terrorist Bill Ayers at Montclair State University in New Jersey:
Samuel Gonzalez, a conservative Republican blogger in New York City, praises Ms. Jean-Louis for arguing her position: "Go Vanessa! Here’s the skinny why the Left is against Charter Schools. It’s the same reason why some states that have been governed by Liberal Democrats are on the brink of bankruptcy-Teachers Public Sector Unions! Anything that interrupts the money flow from taxpayer, to union dues, to contributions to the Democrat[ic] Party, and payback to the Unions in big salaries and very generous benefits packages is the enemy. Charter Schools have not only been proven to offer inner city kids a better quality of education, they employ NON UNION teachers. Do you think these public sector teachers unions like this? Absolutely not! They want the statues quo of failing schools, big money and benefits, and the hell with the education of the Black and Latino kids the Democrat[ic] Party is supposed to represent."
Discuss "3/29 Video Of The Day" post here.
Congressman West Proposes Wasteful Defense Spending Cuts
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) has issued a press release: "Congressman Allen West (FL-22) will introduce today three separate pieces of legislation to cut wasteful defense spending. The legislation will be voted on by American citizens through the YouCut project. 'The Federal Government has a spending problem,” West said. “While the Democrats continue to propose to add trillions of dollars in new spending and new taxes, I am keeping my promise to my constituents to responsibly cut government spending in order to get the American Fiscal House back in order. As I have stated, all government programs must be thoroughly scrutinized, including the Department of Defense. After serving 22 years in the United States Army, I am aware of areas where saving money is very possible. These cuts are aimed at wasteful Defense Department spending and will not affect the overall mission of our men and women in uniform in protecting our national security.”
The conservative Republican's news release continues: "Congressman West will introduce the following three pieces of legislation to be voted on via the YouCut program:
• House Resolution to reduce the printing and reproduction budget by 10%. Would generate $35.7 million in savings in FY12, reaching nearly $180 million in savings through FY16.
• House Resolution to reduce funding for Defense studies, analysis and evaluations by 10%. Would generate a savings of $24 million in FY12, returning up to $120 million to the treasury through FY16.
• House Resolution to restrict payout of annual nationwide adjustment and locality pay for below satisfactory workers. Would generate approximately $21 million in savings while increasing productivity in the workforce. As employees become more satisfactory in future years, the savings would be approximately $80 million through FY16."
More: "American citizens have from today through April 5th to place their vote online for the piece of legislation they would like to see enacted. After the votes are tallied, Congressman West will offer the piece of legislation which received the most support from the American people on the floor of the House of Representatives for an up-or-down vote. Americans can cast their vote by clicking: Vote Here."
Discuss "Congressman West Proposes Wasteful Defense Spending Cuts" post here.
Neoafricain: "Front National: Immoral Et Inutile!"
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| National Front rally. Um, ain't ol' girl in black a woman of color?! |
He continues his commentary: "For my part, I will be unambiguous: I could never vote for the National Front. And I don't think that I'm alone in my political camp (which can be regarded as that of the uninhibited Christian Right, conservative and Atlanticist). The two main reasons are obvious for me. It would be a vote an immoral and unnecessary vote. Immoral because - despite the media frenzy of its new president - the National Front remains deeply marked by the extremism and hatred of its founders, which was perfectly embodied for decades by its historic president. The National Front is still the Pétainiste Right which chose to collaborate with the Nazis, while I admire that De Gaulle was fighting to restore France's full credit. In addition, the anti-Semitism that they've openly raised for years is still too present in its members. As a friend of Israel, I consider this to be a definitive barrier. How to join all those who proudly give the Nazi greeting? In general, the hatred and brutality that will transpire through each of the measures that they'll take if they come to power is simply incompatible with my values."
Libya: African Bookerista Perspectives
African bookeristas continue opining about the situation in Libya:
Rwanda: President Paul Kagame, "Rwandans Know Why Gaddafi Must Be Stopped"
Rwanda's free-market president pens an op-ed: "Given the overriding mandate of Operation Odyssey Dawn to protect Libyan civilians from state-sponsored attacks, Rwanda can only stand in support of it. Our responsibility to protect is unquestionable - this is the right thing to do, and this view is backed with the authority of having witnessed and suffered the terrible consequences of international inaction. My main concern however, is whether this necessary action will not be compromised by ambivalence and wavering arguments. Now that the UN Security Council has taken a strong stand and sent the message that our global community will be relentless in protecting civilians under threat, particularly from their own leaders, we cannot be seen to be indecisive about moving forward in completion of this aim."
South Africa: Sentletse Diakanyo: "The West's Duplicity In Libya"
The South African free-marketeer argues that the Libyan opposition should've stayed non-violent but says the West is also at fault: "Dictators should have no place in the modern world. But the problem we face is the existence of 'friendly' dictators and 'pariah' dictators. International law is swiftly and selectively applied to pariah while friendly hoodlums continue to enjoy protection of their handlers in the West. The support for removal of tyrants should be consistently provided regardless of who the people are rising against. The US does not have the balls to openly call for King Abdullah to step down as the ruler of Saudi Arabia but without hesitation it would demand that someone like Robert Mugabe step down. There can be no international peace and security in the midst of such blatant hypocrisy by Western powers, including the UN, the mouthpiece of the five permanent members of the UNSC."
ADRIENNE ROSS COMMENTARY: Governor Palin & The Politics Of Competition
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| Sarah Palin (#22) in her b-baller days |
More: "Success has been a reality for Governor Palin throughout her 20 years in public service. She knows how to get the job done, and it's no wonder she always steps up with an expectation of victory. After all, she possesses the two requirements that I taught my team. She has prepared herself, and she has a team around her who have prepared themselves. The Governor's experience offering herself in service to her children's public school, energizing business in her city, fighting corruption in her state, negotiating energy in the field of big oil, personifying common sense conservatism in her country, and conversing with dignitaries in foreign nations are preparation for success at whatever next step she decides to take. Her teammates are the family members loving her, her staff assisting her, and her supporters backing her. Each has prepared for whatever battle is ahead, thereby allowing the Governor to proceed with confidence."
Discuss "Governor Palin & The Politics Of Competition" post here.
DEBATE: Obama's Libya Speech: Thumbs Up Or Down?
U.S. President Barack Obama last night gave a televised speech to make the case for military intervention in Libya. Of course, bookeristas have opinions about the speech:
THUMBS UP: Michael Bowen: "Community Organizer Of The World"
The moderate-conservative Republican blogger in California opines: "It's something of a pity that he implies [in his speech] that he is moved by images rather than the slaughter itself, but that's what makes him a B+ on his best day rather than an A. Overall however, he is toeing a superbly crafted and deft political line. He had no overarching theme, but he hit every little point that he had to, and threw in a couple other goodies to boot. This is the speech that he needed to make, and I'm glad he did. He was right that over the past week all of the conversation was drawing false conclusion from dumb partisan arguments, and nobody looked quite as idiotic as Ron Paul."
Mr. Bowen continues his commentary: "Of course Obama isn't the crunchiest cracker in the geopolitical barrel. I worry that the President will be funding rebels ad infinitum like another pseudo-cowboy President we enjoyed in the 80s. There's no question that if you're not in it for regime change that little rebel groups in little countries can work gue[r]rilla wars for years. Kadafi will not be bled to death. Somebody is going to have to go commando and snatch that rascal out of his palace. Central America is our model. Nevertheless I am perfectly willing to give Obama exactly as much credit as Reagan for fighting the good fight in this, the new tone."
THUMBS DOWN: Amy Holmes: "Strange Passages In Obama's Libya Speech"
The conservative commentator says the president gave a contradictory speech: "To paraphrase: America cannot be the world’s police, but we have a unique moral obligation to prevent atrocities. It’s true there are many such atrocities around the world. But Libya is different. Why? Becuase [sic] the 'international community' made it convenient. America will live up its high ideals and national character when it is easy and popular."
She continues her commentary: "I also thought it was striking and unsettling when he said that, 'as President, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.' He refused to wait for the bad press? Very odd terminology that, as a former speechwriter, I would never have penned for my former boss. We are talking about real people, human beings. Not images, TV reports, or the front page of the New York Times."
THOMAS SOWELL OP-ED: Voting With Their Feet
The conservative economist in California argues that flight from liberal economic policies undergirds most of America's regional demographic shifts seen in the latest U.S. Census figures: "When you break it down by race and ethnicity, it is all too painfully clear what is happening. Both whites and blacks are leaving California, the poster state for the liberal, welfare-state and nanny-state philosophy. Whites are also fleeing the big northeastern liberal, welfare states like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as the same kinds of states in the midwest, such as Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. Although California has long been a prime destination of Asian immigrants and the homes of their descendants, the 2010 census shows a striking increase in the Asian American population of Nevada, more so than any other state. Nevada is adjacent to California but has no income tax nor the hostile climate for business that California maintains."
He zeroes in on black flight back to the South: "Among blacks who moved, the proportions who were in their prime -- from 20 to 40 years of age -- were greater than in the black population at large, and college degrees were more common among them than in the black population at large. In short, with blacks, as with other racial or ethnic groups, those with better prospects are leaving the states that are repelling their most productive citizens in general with liberal policies. Detroit is perhaps the most striking example of a once thriving city ruined by years of liberal social policies. Before the ghetto riot of 1967, Detroit's black population had the highest rate of home-ownership of any black urban population in the country, and their unemployment rate was just 3.4 percent. It was not despair that fueled the riot. It was the riot which marked the beginning of the decline of Detroit to its current state of despair. Detroit's population today is only half of what it once was, and its most productive people have been the ones who fled."
Discuss "Voting With Their Feet" post here.
Rev. Clenard Childress: "The Womb Is The Most Dangerous Place For An African-American To Be"
Asserts the conservative pastor in New Jersey, who is also the founder of the pro-life website Blackgenocide.org and president of Life Education And Resource Network. He takes aim at critics of the black pro-life billboard campaign across America, as the campaign continues in U.S. President Barack Obama's backyard here in Chicago. He argues that more African-Americans have died through abortion the procedure became legal in 1973 than all of America's wars combined: "Now look at this: no matter where or when these wars were waged, no place has proven to be more destructive, nor deadly, than the war being waged on the African-American womb in the 21st Century. The war being waged against people of color at their conception is decimating the African-American community at an alarming rate. 52% of all African-American pregnancies will be aborted representing 1,786 individuals each day far and away exceeding our nation's worst casualties per day representing over 20 million since America sanctioned the war by making abortion legal in 1973."
He continues his commentary: "Here is another way of looking at it: in a five day work week, 8,930 African-American babies die exceeding the Vietnam War African-American 20 year casualty count of 7,241 by a further 1,689 deaths. These are real people. These are real children. So when I say, War... Yes, war! Wars are calculated, planned, logistically, strategically, and tactically implemented and executed to root out and destroy an intended enemy. So, when the leading abortion provider in the United States [Planned Parenthood], invades predominately [sic] minority neighborhoods, receiving over 350 million taxpayer dollars to wage this war against African-Americans in the womb, you need to wake up, Black America, to what is going on. The truth is: we are at war and, 'no lie can live forever...."
Discuss "The Womb Is The Most Dangerous Place For An African-American To Be" here.
Herman Cain Under Fire For Anti-Muslim Remarks
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| Cain: "No Muslims allowed in my administration" |
Islamic Group: "Cain Is A Right-Wing Bigot"
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has come out against Mr. Cain's Constitution-violating remarks: "In criticizing Cain's comments, [CAIR spokesman Ibrahim] Hooper characterized them as going 'even beyond the almost routine Muslim-bashing we see coming from the right wing of the political spectrum.' Hooper was asked to specifically address Cain's assertion, echoed by other conservatives, that some Muslims are trying to invoke Sharia law into the United States. 'It's a manufactured controversy,' Hooper said. 'There is nothing to it. It would be laughable if it weren't having such a negative impact on the lives of Muslim Americans.' 'There are millions of American Muslims that are just as much 'Us,' as he [Cain] is.'"
Discuss "Herman Cain Under Fire For Anti-Muslim Remarks" post here.
