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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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Obama vs. McCain -- 13 days to go. What's in it for me?

Vote 2008We are all focused on the Presidential contest involving Barack Obama and John McCain.  Often, people ask "What's in it for me?"

Beyond the major policy positions on taxes, healthcare, social security, national defense, and education, the outcomes starts to become fuzzy for most voters.  It is difficult to articulate how a victory for Barack Obama will translate into a specific benefit for an individual voter.  For those going to the polls, we have to look beyond the top of the ticket and focus on those elections that represent our local interests. The Senate and House of Representatives elections offer some insight into how we can translate a victory for Obama into the answer to "What's in it for me?"

Elections for the United States Senate will be held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. Thirty-three seats are regular elections.  Democrats need six seats to regain the majority and have five possible pickup opportunities -- Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Missouri, Montana and Ohio. They also have three races on the cusp of competitiveness -- Virginia, Tennessee and Arizona.  Republican prospects are actually looking up in both Maryland and Washington State while the open seat in Minnesota is a tough but winnable race.  If the Democrats pick up the six seats, they will have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and solid support for the Obama "Change Agenda."

In the House of Repressentatives all 435 seats are up for election. Democrats, who regained a majority in the 2006 elections hope to retain or expand their control of Congress. Although it is very unlikely at this point, the Republicans hope to regain the majority it lost in the 2006 elections or at least add to their numbers. Turnout likely will be increased due to the 2008 presidential election. The presidential election, 2008 Senate elections, and 2008 state gubernatorial elections, as well as many other state and local elections, will occur on the same date.

When we consider our local interests, we can send Representatives and Senators to Washington to support the mandate that may result from this election.  If you want to vote your self-interests, take a closer look at the local ballot initiatives and those candidates for House of Representatives and Senate in your State to get a firmer grip on the outcomes that will affect your life personally.

The bottom line is that there is a lot in this election for you -- for all of us who support Barack Obama.  Don't miss this unique historical opportunity to secure the majorities in Washington that can actually produce the change we hope for.

DON'T FAIL TO VOTE!!!