YearlyKos = A 21st Century - White Citizens Yearly Kouncil?

The White Citizens YearlyKouncil.

Yes, I said it. Come on folks, stop beating around the bush. Stop sugar coating it. Let's stop playing Games. Let's stop intellectualizing white blogger racism. Let's call it the way it is, The Democratic Presidential candidates just went before the Yearlykos a 21st century White Citizens YearlyKouncil. An exclusive club of middle aged whites guys, who sit around playing the "liberal card" with all but a few black and Latinos who attended the YearlyKos event.

I recently blogged about the YearlyKos event as a guess blogger on Rude Pundit. In my post I talked about how Hillary and Obama would be at the Lilly white, YearlyKos forum. Little did I know that the Washington Post would view the Yearly Kos Bloggers' Convention, a Sea of Middle-Aged White Males. But I go a little further. I see them like the members of the United States Senate, as a group of white men who could care less about issues impacting the poor, working class, and African American communities across America. The White Citizens YearlyKouncils agenda is the self preservation of you know what, white male bloggers.

STOP

OK, thats what I was thinking a moment ago, but let's be real. I could have blogged about that, but I didn't. Act like you didn't even read what I just wrote.

The reality is, The DalyKos, YearlyKos, WhiteKos, really didn’t outreach to the African American blogger community to get Black Bloggers to participate. The AfroSphere/AfroSpear group to my knowledge was not outreached to or contacted, Black bloggers were not really encouraged to attend, so therefore it is what it is. As it turned out to be, a white group talking to each other about issues important to them. White folks. White Citizens (with a few black folks for good measure).

But hey, that is a snap shot of my opinion today, my opinion could change tomorrow. Here are other opinions on the same topic.

Mirror on America, Jack and Jill Politics are blogging about the subject, as is Francis L. Holland , a blogger who blogs regularly about The Truth About Kos (DailyKos) in a recent post he notes, The Hot Air Blog calls YearlyKos, "whiter than an NHL game at the North Pole during a snowstorm." Hot Air points our attention to a Washington Post article of August 6, by Jose Antonio Vargas, that calls YearlyKos 2007 "a Sea of Middle-Aged White Males."

Maybe Francis L. Holand knows more than he is sharing when he writes about Markos Moulitsas and the annual meeting of the whitosphere sponsored by DailyKos.

What do you think? Am I wrong?

PS, It may not be a White Citizens Council, but it sure looks like one - Infact, it mirrored, guess what - The Republican Party. Think About It!

Republican Liars

Hat Tip: Fact Check.org

Sunday Morning Missteps

August 6, 2007

Another Republican debate, with more false claims

Summary

The Republican presidential candidates debated – and sounded some more false notes:

• Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney falsely claimed U.S. job growth had been nearly 17 times faster than Europe's. Actually, European Union employment grew faster than that of the U.S. last year. Romney's figures come from a source who told FactCheck.org that he would no longer use them.
• Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani accused Democratic candidates of "appeasement" toward Islamic terrorists. In fact, leading Democratic candidates have spoken out strongly against terrorism.
• Sen. John McCain claimed American families spend $140 billion of their income preparing federal income tax returns. We find no support for that figure, which the Internal Revenue Service puts at $19 billion.
• Rep. Tom Tancredo claimed illegal immigrants "are taking a large part of our health care dollars." But the independent Rand Corp. estimates that undocumented immigrants account for 1.5 percent of health care spending or less.

Analysis

Republican presidential candidates debated for 90 minutes on Sunday's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" in what ABC News billed as the Republicans' first network debate. (It was, of course, the candidates' fourth debate, having already aired their views on MSNBC, Fox News Channel and CNN, but never mind all that.)

We noted the following factual stumbles:

Romney's Economic Miracle

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney erred when he claimed U.S. job growth had been nearly 17 times faster than that of Europe:

Romney: We are the largest economy in the world. We’ve added – during the time Europe added 3 million jobs, we’ve added about 50 million jobs in this country.

That miraculous-sounding statistic is way off. It has taken since the end of 1978 for total employment in the U.S. to grow by 50 million jobs, according to official figures kept by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But total employment for the 15 core members of the European Union (those who joined before 2004) grew by well over 33 million between 1978 and 2005, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Europe has added even more jobs since. In fact, the 27 current EU nations added nearly 3 million new jobs last year alone, according to the EU statistics agency Eurostat. That's well over the 2.3 million jobs created last year in the United States.

Romney was misquoting an outdated and highly dubious figure whose author no longer stands behind it. Romney cited a 2005 article in The American Enterprise magazine, published by the pro-business American Enterprise Institute. In the article, titled "America Still Beckons," author Joel Kotkin wrote: "Since the 1970s America has created some 57 million new jobs, compared to just 4 million in Europe (with most of those in government)." Kotkin told FactCheck.org he wouldn’t use the figure today.

We concur. The 4 million figure is a somewhat garbled version of what another author, Karl Zinsmeister, had written in another American Enterprise article from 2002, “Old And In The Way (Decline and Fall of Europe).” Zinsmeister put the figure at 5 million – not 4 million or 3 million – and the time period as "since 1970," rather than Kotkin's "since the 1970s," which implies a somewhat more recent time. “I don't know how it got changed," Kotkin said. In any case Kotkin told us it was his sense that Zinsmeister's 5 million figure referred mainly to Germany and France, not to all 15 pre-2004 European Union members, let alone the 27 current EU members. In any case, it refers to statistics covering years prior to 2002. “This was an old number,” Kotkin said. His advice: “I would not use that.”

Accusing Democrats of Appeasing Terrorists

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani accused Democratic candidates of "appeasement" toward Islamic terrorists out of "political correctness."

Giuliani: [In] four Democratic debates, not a single Democratic candidate said the word “Islamic terrorism.” Now, that is taking political correctness to extremes.… The reality is that you do not achieve peace through weakness and appeasement. Weakness and appeasement should not be a policy of the American government.

Properly speaking, of course, “Islamic terrorism” is two words, though Giuliani is correct to say that in four debates the Democratic candidates have not uttered the words “Islamic terrorism” together. And it is true that Democratic candidates have generally avoided making critical comments about Muslims or the Islamic faith. Whether or not that constitutes "political correctness" and/or "appeasement" is a matter of opinion which we leave to others. But Giuliani is wrong to imply that the Democrats have failed to address terrorism. Here is a sampling of what leading Democratic candidates said in one debate:

read MORE HERE

Rude Pundit

The Rude Pundit Rocks!

The Rude Pundit's decision to invite African American bloggers over to Rude Space for a week of rude political blogging is awesome. More progressive bloggers need to create this type of cultural-political blogging exchange. I'm deeply appreciative of the Rude Pundit for providing me and other African American bloggers like Liza Sabater of Culture Kitchen, Shark-Fu of Angry Black Bitch, Angry Independent of Mirror on America, Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend, Pandagon, and, Terrance of Republic of T Angry the opportunity to reach a wider group of rude readers.

I will reciprocate by asking the Rude Pundit to join me in blogging on this blog during any 2 Democratic and/or Republican Presidential debates of the the Rude Pundit's choice.

To be continued -

Are blacks prepared to elect Obama?

AAPP says: This could be the question of the 21st Century. Here is a great article by Eugene Robinson. Do you know the answer to the question? Check it out.

Are blacks prepared to elect Obama?
By Eugene Robinson

Are white Americans really, truly prepared to elect an African-American president?

Seriously, is a nation with such a long and shameful history of brutal slavery, Jim Crow segregation and persistent racism actually going to put a black man in the White House?

One of Barack Obama's principal tasks in the coming months may be convincing African-American voters that this whole phenomenon -- a black candidate with a well-financed campaign, proven crossover appeal and a real chance to win -- isn't just another cruel illusion.

I hear from African-Americans who are excited about Obama's candidacy but who suspect that somehow, when push comes to shove, "they" won't let him win. It's unclear who "they" might be -- white voters, the "power structure," the alignment of the stars -- and it's unclear how "they" are going to thwart Obama's ambition. The point is that, somehow, he'll be denied. More HERE

Holocaust survivors worth $20 per month says Israeli Government

Damn, and I thought black folks get no respect!

Check out how the Israeli government treat's Holocaust survivors. I thought Israel would never forget. I guess the government is forgetting the survivors. Damn governments can suck. I guess American government and Israeli government's have something in common - disrespecting survivors of the Holocaust and American Slavery.

- AAPP

Holocaust Survivors Protest $20 Stipends

JERUSALEM - Holocaust Survivors in Israel demanded Sunday that the Jewish state raise what they consider a laughable new offer of $20 monthly stipends.

At least 500 elderly survivors and their supporters rallied outside the parliament building, carrying placards and wearing stickers reading "The Holocaust is still here" and "Forgive us for surviving." More HERE

Oliver Hill, Esq - In Memory of

He was the first black elected to Richmond, VA, City Council since Reconstruction.

Rest in Peace, Brother Oliver Hill
- AAPP



As reported in WaPo Civil Rights Attorney Oliver Hill is shown in this Jan. 15, 1999 file photo, in his office in Richmond, Va. Hill, who was at the front of the court fight that led the Supreme Court to end racially segregated schools, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007. He was 100. (AP Photo/The Roanoke Times, Eric Brady, File) (Eric Brady - AP)

In 1954, he was part of a series of lawsuits against racially segregated public schools that became the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which changed America's society by setting the foundation for integrated education.

"He was among the vanguard in seeking equal opportunity for all individuals, and he was steadfast in his commitment to effect change. He will be missed," said L. Douglas Wilder, who in 1989 became the nation's first elected black governor and was a confidant of Hill's. Wilder is now Richmond's mayor.

In 1940, Hill won his first civil rights case in Virginia, one that required equal pay for black and white teachers. Eight years later, he was the first black elected to Richmond's City Council since Reconstruction. More HERE

Police Pepper Spray Baby

When neither crime nor punishment pays

America needs to listen to Mayor Cory Booker, who talks common sense about Crime and Punishment issues America. I'm candidly surprised at the lack of conversation in the AfroSphere regarding crime issues in African American communities. Although many bloggers like Prometheus 6, Jack and Jill Politics, Field Negro, Mirror on America, Republic of T and others have hit the nail on the head regarding the challenges of black-on-black crime, many black bloggers seem to be scared to address the issue for fear of airing dirty laundry.

Guess what folks it's aired every day in the streets of America!

OK, so black bloggers should be able to blog about anything they want. Your Right! yet, one has to wonder if black bloggers could and should do more to educate others about issues impacting our own community. But, that is just my opinion, and guess what, I just could be right.

When neither crime nor punishment pays

Source: star ledger

Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark

By Cory booker

In barbershops and boardrooms, in newspaper headlines and presidential debates, Americans are questioning the billions of dol lars a month being spent on a failing war, and the current "surge" in Iraq.

But we, policy-makers at every level of government, should also be questioning the "domestic surge" at home in the so-called war on drugs and urban crime. There are more guns, more technology, more cameras scanning streets, and more money spent on jails, prisons and juvenile facilities every day. The cost to American taxpayers also rises every day.

he way we have chosen to deal with crime is leading our nation away from its highest ideals and producing results that stand in stinging contradiction to who we claim to be.

In the land of the free, we lock up a greater percentage of our population than any nation. The U.S. prison population has increased 91 percent in the past 15 years. More than 7 million Americans are under some form of state or federal cor rectional supervision, and this does not include the legions of Americans in county and city facilities.

Is this the America of which we dream?

Our societal resources pour into prisons and police budgets -- the numbers are staggering. Billions of dollars are spent annually around our state, with budget growth at a pace far beyond that of our economy. Newark spends over a quarter of its budget on police, courts and jails.

Is this the America of which we dream?

READ MORE

2007 Black Weblog Awards

This year, each category will have two winners. The voting public will submit websites for blogs via a nomination form from August 1-15.

The winners will be announced on September 5.

Click here to submit your nominations.

Al Sharpton

Hat tip to Solutions Blog and Black PR Wire

Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder and President of National Action Network (NAN), along with Tamika Mallory, Director of NAN’s Decency Initiative, has announced a national “Day of Outrage” against the continuous use in the music recording industry of the words “nigga,” “bitch” and “ho.” Reverend Sharpton, who has persistently challenged the entertainment industry on denigrating lyrics, will use August 7th to call for the withdrawal of public investments from companies that won’t clean up their act. In New York, one of the states where the event will take place, roughly $3 billion from the state pension fund is invested in the entertainment industry.

According to Reverend Sharpton, “The idea of divesting State taxpayers’ money from record companies that have a double standard when it comes to language is something that will be a priority.” In April, Reverend Sharpton led the drive to have Don Imus fired from his syndicated radio show for calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos.”

The event on August 7th which is being held by National Action Network’s Decency Initiative will take to the streets in 20 cities across the country at 12 (Noon) to mount public pressure on the music industry to adopt a universal standard of respect for all people. The cities are New York City, Newark, NJ, Los Angeles, CA, Detroit, MI, Atlanta, GA, Miami, FL, Washington, DC, Dallas, TX, Jacksonville, FL, Las Vegas, NV, Kansas City, MO, Phoenix, AZ, Stamford, CT, Philadelphia, PA, Columbia, SC, Houston, TX, Richmond, VA, Baltimore, MD, and Augusta,
GA. More HERE

Rapist Soldier

This is an undated photo released by the U.S. Army of Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman. A military jury began deliberating on Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, whether an Army soldier took part in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl. Pfc. Jesse Spielman, 22, of Chambersburg, Pa., is charged with rape and murder in the March 12, 2006, slaying of the girl and the killings of her family. The attack took place in Mahmoudiya, a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Associated Press © 2007

UPDATE:

Source: NPR

A soldier convicted of rape and murder in an attack on an Iraqi teenager and her family was sentenced Saturday to 110 years in prison.

The sentence was part of a plea agreement attorneys for Pfc. Jesse Spielman had made with prosecutors that set the number of years he could serve in prison, regardless of the jury's recommendation. More HERE

NPR's Black Bloggers Roundtable Debate at Mirror on America

There is a "hot" conversation over at Mirror on America regarding NPR and the program "Black Bloggers Roundtable." African American Blogger Angry Independent believes NPR's Black Bloggers Roundtable show has blown it again. Here is just a bit of what he had to say, along with a link to his full post and comments.

By The Angry Independent

I have been ill and really did not want to blog today at all.... but this silliness bugs me... mainly because I know there are more astute African American bloggers available for this show. Yet News and Notes brings on the same crew over and over again. This is the same crew (except for one) that trashed Michael Moore's film "Sicko" a few weeks ago.

First Farai Chideya refers to Jasmyne Cannick as a Political blogger.... yet she rarely offers any substantive political commentary on the show. Let's be truthful here.... Cannick is an entertainment & pop culture blogger....not a serious political blogger. In fact, she constantly expresses her disinterest in political issues, and instead focuses on the latest events in the entertainment world.... Black entertainment in particular.

But that's not what really annoyed me.... what annoyed me was the nonsense spouted by blogger Michael David Cobb Bowen. On the show he stated that Iraq was being turned around because of the surge. WHAT? I guess he missed the report of the 142 people killed yesterday and the new problems within the Iraqi Government. Bowen must be tapping into the Bush propaganda machine, which has created a completely different reality for those who want to avoid the facts about Iraq. More from the Angry Independent HERE

PS, I regularly blog with The Angry Independent and have been invited to be a guest bloggers with him recently on the Rude Pundit Blog. I have also been invited to participate in NPR's Black Bloggers Roundtable on Wednesday August 15th. I'm not sure if my invite is due to the Angry Independents' continued post regarding NPR's need to bring more African American "political" bloggers to the program, but I'm sure it did not hurt. I hope NPR scheduled the Angry Independent. He needs to be on the program, like so many African American Political Bloggers.

NPR has posted a link saying:

-- The blog, "Mirror on America," ripped our weekly Bloggers' Roundtable segment, saying, "I know there are more astute African American bloggers available for this show."

It's great that African American bloggers are stepping it up. It's also great that corporations and media are listening and responding.

John Edwards Populist or Posturing?

Contradictions, contradictions, contradictions. There is an interesting article in Mother Jones Mag regarding John Edwards and his new left leaning populist campaigning. The article highlights how primary voters who lean toward the left of the Democratic Party, the candidacy of John Edwards has presented a series of impossible contradictions— Check it out I think you will find the article informative. Clearly the John Edwards has a number of challenges. Check out the article, let me know what you think.

Hat Tip: Mother Jones Mag

Is John Edwards' Leftward Turn About Populism or Posturing?

Washington Dispatch: As his poll numbers sag, the presidential candidate has stepped up his populist rhetoric. He often speaks of "the two Americas"—the gap between rich and poor—but there are two sides to John Edwards as well.

For primary voters who lean toward the left of the Democratic Party, the candidacy of John Edwards has presented a series of impossible contradictions—the latest being the fact that the further down he dips in polls and in fundraising numbers, the more he starts saying the kinds of things they have been waiting to hear from a mainstream Democrat for twenty years or more. At a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Saturday, Edwards told an overflow crowd:

I think there are powerful interests in Washington DC…. The entire system is rigged, and it's rigged against you…. From insurance companies to drug companies to oil companies, those people run this country now…. And I think you got to take them on and beat them, I don't think you can sit at a table and negotiate with them. The idea that they are going to voluntarily give away their power... that will never happen…. They have billions of dollars invested in making sure there is no change, that the system continues exactly like it's continuing today.

At a stop in Iowa a few days earlier, Edwards took his populist rhetoric a step further, characterizing the attention to "silly frivolous nothing stuff" (presumably including his $400 haircuts and his former hedge fund salary) as a backlash—apparently, with the support of the mainstream media—by the rich and powerful, especially corporations, who are threatened by his campaign... More HERE

Iraq War Update

CBS/AP are reporting two large blasts rocked Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 67 people and wounding dozens more, and the U.S. military said another explosion had killed three American troops on Tuesday.

AAPP says: All of this after we made sure Saddam was hung.

In the deadliest blast, a fuel tanker at a gas station was blown up by a suspected suicide attacker in western Baghdad, killing at least 50 people and wounding about 60 more, police said. The blast occurred in Mansour, a primarily Sunni neighborhood on the western side of the Iraqi capital.

Two police officers, both speaking on condition of anonymity out of security concerns, said the explosion was the work of a suicide attacker.

About four hours earlier a parked car bomb killed 17 civilians and left a gaping crater in a busy square in central Baghdad, police said.

Another 32 people were wounded by the blast, a police officer said on condition of anonymity out of security concerns. More HERE Meanwhile, Sunni Group Exits Iraq Cabinet, A move WaPo reports, that deals major blow to Maliki's efforts to build cohesive government; Baghdad car bombs kill 75.

That's not all in Iraq and outside of Iraq, now we learn a Marine has been found Guilty of Conspiracy to Murder Iraqi Man. Hell, Why are we there? Why are we not impeaching these people?