Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July everyone..yes I know Bruce is a big liberal but the man
speaks truth in his songs!





And for all you fans who know that I am a fan of Rod Sterlings "The Twilight Zone" the Sci Fi Channel is doing its series again..go hereNhttp://www.scifi.com/onair/E, THE(all times Eastern & Pacific) GHT ZONE, THE - THE MONSTERS ARE DUE ON MAPLE STREET

Yet Another Flip-Flop On Trade

Have we witnesses another Obama flip flop according to Pejman Yousefzadeh of RedState.com -The Obama campaign said today that it will not try to unilaterally re-open negotiations regarding NAFTA:

Of course on February of this year, Obama said something entirely different:

Now we have to wait for his Telecom Senate Bill a vote giving immunity to Telephones Companies the votes is Tuesday!

UPDATE it has hardly been a day an now look from Yahoo News Wire-Obama opens door to altering his Iraq policy

"Democrat Barack Obama opened the door Thursday to altering his plan to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq in 16 months based on what he hears from military commanders during his upcoming trip there"

Are Menthol Cigarettes Racist?

Hatip to the Daily Voice on this question Should menthol cigarettes be banned?

The Congressional Black Caucus is leading an effort to push the government toward greater regulation of menthol cigarettes, which are popular among African Americans and considered by some to be more dangerous than traditional cigarettes.

And a libertarian view over at Reason Magazine -Cigarette Flavoratism .....Is the tobacco bill racist?

People who want to ban flavored cigarettes, of course, believe that letting smokers have what they want is a hostile act. But if so, the fact that the bill allows tobacco companies to continue selling the non-mentholated cigarettes overwhelmingly preferred by whites suggests that it blatantly discriminates against European Americans.

So what do you think?

REJOICE NGWENYA COMMENTARY: Zimbabwe: No! To Government Of National Unity

Argues the Zimbabwean libertarian freelance writer and head of Coalition for Market & Liberal Solutions:

"Robert Mugabe is now in Cairo, having defied all criticism, almost to the point of spiteful arrogance, daring to present himself to the world as the 'new' president of a country that is desperate just to crawl even on its knees. Each and every sensible human order has condemned his one-man comedy. His own colleagues in SADC have disowned him. I predict there will be a few muffled protests from his continental colleagues, then a deafening silence. Back in the streets of Harare, citizens are engulfed with a strange feeling of disgust, shock, anxiety and a glimmer of hope. Hope that the super structures of world bureaucracy will finally unleash their own blend of venom on a monster which refuses to die, literary [sic], to save a nation cowed into submission and despair by a man whose confidence comes from AK 47s, fighter planes and a submissive police force. Zimbabweans are exposed, completely vulnerable now.

If the SADC, AU and the UN does not tighten the screws on Mugabe, it is impossible for the citizens of this Southern African nation to ever have confidence in world bureaucracy. But to even fathom a scenario where Mugabe presides over a transitional authority is hard to swallow, what with the phantoms of one hundred dead bodies handing over his party's, if they have any, conscience. Saints do not share the high table with criminals, at least in the world of justice. The people have suffered for too long and political compromises are not the best way of pacifying them. No! Neither is retribution, the art of survival that Mugabe has mastered.

Zimbabweans want a new start, a clean slate where men and women with pure hearts, citizens of unquestionable integrity, negotiate in good faith. Mugabe and his cronies are hiding blood-stained serviettes under neath the high table. They have disgraced themselves in the courtyard of public opinion. Their constituency is coercion, force, abduction, arson, greed, plunder, murder and rape. Our constituency is dignity, respect, honour, courage and resilience. There cannot be national unity with agents of disunity.

"The commentary continues: "What Zimbabweans need, urgently, are the extremes of world diplomacy, key operating words like exclusion, blockade, intervention, de-legitimisation, quarantine and transition. If SADC, AU and UN cannot offer that, we the people must trigger a domino phenomenon that once, in our history, can render the entire system of governance dysfunctional. The tortoise phenomenon. Retraction. Active silence."

Estelle - American Boy ft. Kanye West

He's talented, but he's such an egotistical, self-important jerk who thinks he's God's gift to music and that he should win EVERY award he's nominated for. Plus all his constant racial baiting is old. I can't look past his attitude to bother giving him any credit. I mean, his first hit was ripping off Chaka Khan, yet the press gives HIM credit? Please

I was surprised he even let Estelle get a credit on this song. I will not be surprised when he says that he's the reason this song is a hit.

On Racism

"Of course there is racism. The question is whether there is enough to matter. All evidence shows that there is not. No, the number of black men in prison is not counterevidence: black legislators were solidly behind the laws penalizing possession of crack more heavily than powder. In any case, to insist that we are hamstrung until every vestige of racism, bias, or inequity is gone indicates a grievous lack of confidence, which I hope any person of any history would reject. Anyone who intones that America remains permeated with racism is, in a word, lucky.

They have not had the misfortune of living in a society riven by true sociological conflict, such as between Sunnis and Shiites, Hutus and Tutsis — or whites and blacks before the sixties. It'd be interesting to open up a discussion with a Darfurian about 'microaggressions.' To state that racism is no longer a serious problem in our country is neither ignorant nor cynical. Warnings that such a statement invites a racist backlash are, in 2008, melodramatic.

They are based on no empirical evidence. Yet every time some stupid thing happens — some comedian says a word, some sniggering blockhead hangs a little noose, some study shows that white people tend to get slightly better car loans — we are taught that racism is still mother's milk in the U.S. of A. 'Always just beneath the surface.' Barack Obama's success is the most powerful argument against this way of thinking in the entire four decades since recreational underdoggism was mistaken as deep thought.

A black man clinching the Democratic presidential nomination — and rather easily at that — indicates that racism is a lot further 'beneath the surface' than it used to be. And if Mr. Obama ends up in the White House, then it might be time to admit that racism is less beneath the surface than all but fossilized." — John McWhorter, Manhataan Institute Scholar and moderate commentator

Quote Of The Day

"As [President Robert] Mugabe's gang runs roughshod over the people of Zimbabwe, South Africa's political leaders legitimize his regime with attempts to 'mediate' (as if this were a conflict among equals). In contrast the Congress of South African Trade Unions has taken the lead in confronting tyranny in their neighboring country...first, their members refused to unload weapons that were shipped across South Africa for Mugabe's thugs; now, they are calling for grass-roots international resistance to his regime.

The COSATUs internationalist (or Pan-African, at least) legitimacy is burnished by their condemnation of the recent xenophobic attacks on migrant workers, and efforts to provide aid to these refugees. It will be interesting to see whether labor unions can establish a spirit of solidarity among southern Africans, and whether international grass-roots pressure can undermine the tyrants of the region."

— Adam Ricketson, libertarian Democratic blogger at Freedom Democrats

CYNTHIA TUCKER OP-ED: Ignoring Transgressions Of A Black Tyrant

The liberal editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes fellow black Americans to task for ignoring the brutality of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's regime:

Dr. Deborah Honeycutt -New Ad

Dr. Honeycutt is a Republican running for congress in GA.

Is Fatherlessness Child Abuse?

HT-Bookering Blog-

Yes, asserts the Washington, D.C.-based conservative blogger Lashawn Barber: "Losing a father through death is awful, but it’s not the same as losing him through divorce or being born into a fatherless home. In whichever case, a child will feel abandoned, but losing a father through divorce and being deprived of one from birth are deliberate acts of abandonment, worse than death in a sense.

When a family loses a father through death, they keep his memory alive. His authority lingers. The children grow up knowing he loved them and their mother, made sacrifices for their well being, and did not walk out on them to pursue his own interests. Three out of four black babies are born in the United States to women who aren’t married to the fathers. Fatherlessness leads to a multitude of problems, the worst of which is the repeated cycle of fatherlessness.

You’ve read the studies. Even if you haven’t, you’ve seen firsthand the effects of fatherlessness on children, especially boys. Despite what selfish and shameless adults think, children want fathers. They need fathers. They need masculine men in their lives who love them and would do anything to protect them, men who live with them, raise them, and sacrifice for them. Millions of children grow up without being loved or care for by the men who sired them. It makes me angry, bitterly so."

She continues her commentary: "I reviewed a book called Raising Boys without Men: How Maverick Moms are Creating the Next Generation of Exceptional Men, about lesbians and 'single by choice' mothers raising boys. The author is a psychologist and married mother, and I don’t know what possessed her to write a book praising fatherless boys.

The book got my blood boiling so much, I wanted to fling it across the room. Read the review. Anyway, the point is this: No matter how much the author tried to tip-toe around it, the boys she wrote about wanted and needed masculine men in their lives. Fathers. Because the mothers weren’t with the men who impregnated them, they had to seek out inferior 'father figures' for their sons....As James [White] alludes later in his post, perversity will become the norm, and anyone speaking out against it is viewed as the problem. No one wants to be reminded of his sin, so he tries to shut out and shut down criticism. On an individual level, that’s no threat. But when people organize as groups and push their debasement into government policy, that’s a BIG problem.

That’s why I speak out against homosexual 'marriage' (and having babies out of wedlock) and will continue to do so, no matter what it costs me. It’s not just because it is a mockery of God’s intentions, it deprives children born into such unions the basic necessity of masculine and feminine love of a mother and a father. Freedom of speech will erode in this country, make no mistake about that."

~I agree with LaShawn concerning the distinctions between loosing a father to death and one to divorce. My father passed away not to long ago and during my parents relationship they separated but came back to each other. As a child I was devastated because it shattered my undertadning of stability. Children need stability and need to expect certain things. Waiting for a father to return from work or family summer trips are routines a healthy child needs. The utter damage a child faces when a father is ripped from there life is enormous. Lashawns argument for denying gay people the tools to empower there lives seems misguided.

She seem to think that by gay people getting married they devalue marriage and as consequence create a morally corrupt culture that only encourages more faithlessness and divorcee.This slippery slope argument is absurd. If any thing it should shame black folks to take marriage and fatherhood more serious.The fact that gay people are fighting for marriage while black folks ignore it is quite telling. I personally know many gay and lesbian people who are white who are raising black children and doing every good job.

Richard

Bob Marley & Lauryn Hill - Turn Your Lights Down Low

I have been trying to find this video for a long time, very hard to find. Anyway when is Lauryn Hill coming back to the scene?

HipHopRepublican.com-US News & World Report

Welcome readers of US News & Word Report.

by Richard

The other week US News and World Reporter contacted me asking to do an interview on African American Republicans. The interview was an inquiry into why this blog was supporting McCain while other black Republicans were changing there vote. The interviewee Nikki Schwab was very balanced and incredibly fair in her questions. We spoke for over an hour even though I was incredibly tired from helping a friend move. Here is the excerpt she placed in the article entitled -Some Black Republicans Torn About Voting for Obama or McCain

~Another "very likely" McCain vote, but a more moderate one, will come from Richard Ivory, founder of the blog HipHopRepublican. Ivory has a different view of the Republican Party, one that downplays the past and focuses on building the party up from a local level and bringing in urban African-American voters. "My blog was about starting a dialogue—basically get people to understand some Republican concepts from an urban perspective," Ivory says. And like Varner at Howard University, Ivory finds that some are miffed by his Republicanness and don't quite understand why he would support a "white old guy." But with the general election in full swing, he has found a good way to express his feelings: "I tell my friends, my heart is with Obama, and my brain is with McCain," Ivory says.

In honesty I am torn about the Democrats "the party of Andrew Jackson" potentially electing the first black president...I would prefer the party of Lincoln. The Democrats take credit for everything that has benefited black America despite there record of extreme racism. Very few people care or even know that the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed only because Republicans fought Democrats to pass it.

The Democrats would like the world to believe that the many Republicans who fought for civil rights some dying trying to register blacks was just some anomaly.

want you to think these individuals never existed and there stories are dead forever. In some way an Obama win will only further the myth of the gallant Democrat against the oppressive Republicans. The failure of the Republican Party to fight back and tell its history is a sad story also.

In so many circles the Party of Lincoln started with William Buckely but in truth this party was founded for one main reason the abolition of slavery. Today it is a mixture of all sorts of groups from tax reformers to anti abortion advocates yet I think the history of this great party gets clouded at times. We must remember we were the party of Douglas and Lincoln and Roosevelt not just the party of Regan.

Some may take issue with me saying my heart is with Obama but do not be fooled, my heart us with his ability to despite his race rise and seek a historical victory and few can be upset with that. But after that one must consider his polices and his policies especially internationally if enacted would bring great harm to this nation.

Leaving Iraq may sound good in a fundraiser but Obama needs to at least understand that setting a time table would lead to chaos. Obama's ignoring the threats of the religious goals of Iran will leave Israel open up to attack. If Obama thinks Iraq is a mess what will he do if Iran launces a nuke at Israel? Will he prevent Iran from having a nuke or will he just "hope" they never get one. These are just a few of my problems with Sen.Obama nothing personal just the issues.

Oh almost forgot to link to the entire article please visit this link

-Some Black Republicans Torn About Voting for Obama or McCain

Mugabe Is Sworn In After Discredited Vote

~When one candidate gets more than 90% of the vote, the election is fixed (of course). When one candidate gets only 90% of the vote with no opposition, that is some indication of how bad he is.Isn't it time for the Media to cease the "President" Mugabe references and start referring to him as the Dictator of Zimbabwe?

by Pejman Yousefzadeh

Update The results have been announced, and Mugabe has claimed victory with 90.2% of the "vote." The final tally was 2,150,269 to 233,000.When the first round of presidential voting took place in Zimbabwe, it took weeks for the government to come back with results and when it did, it made clear that it would steal the elections and give Robert Mugabe yet another chance to win in a second round of voting.

Now that the second round of voting has taken place, and now that the Mugabe regime has been able to scare off Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC from participating in the election, it is able to report its results ever so much faster:

Robert Mugabe looked poised to have himself re-appointed president of Zimbabwe on Sunday, following a roundly condemned election in which he was the lone candidate. Despite a low turnout in the poll, tents were being raised at a stadium

in Harare on Saturday, according to news agency reports and a senior Zimbabwean civil society figure, seemingly in preparation for a hasty coronation before the ageing autocrat heads to Egypt for a summit of African leaders.

A swift inauguration would see Friday's results rushed out in advance. In the absence of almost all election monitors and following a campaign of intimidation by security forces and militias loyal to Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, the outcome will be highly dubious at best, civil society groups and the opposition say.Every time one is led to believe that things could not possibly get any worse in Zimbabwe, the Mugabe regime demonstrates a shocking capacity to surprise. I shudder to think what we will see next in this sorry story

~Kristof: "If Only Mugabe Were White"

Nick Kristof asks the right questions about the lack of outrage against Robert Mugabe among the leaders of African states and discusses what may be the best solution to the...Opinio Juris - http://www.opiniojuris.org/ -

GA's Deborah Honeycutt: Fundraiser Supreme

Great News from the blog Pennsylvania for McCain

-Almost every Republican congressional candidate running against a powerful Democrat incumbent has trouble raising enough money to get his or her message across. Dr. Deborah Honeycutt has no such problem. In 2008, she may generate more contributions than any other GOP candidate for the House. It appears that she may have raised as much as $3 million -- and it's only June!

Do I agree with Dr. Honeycutt, a staunch social conservative, on every issue? Nope -- but then again I don't agree with my wife (a supporter of Sen. Clinton) on everything. But Deborah Honeycutt has a clear outstanding of what's currently wrong with our country -- and how to fix those problems. This graduate of Illinois University Medical School is a thoroughly impressive woman.

In 2006, when she ran against David Scott, a totally self-serving man who votes to raise taxes but often "forgets" to pay his own, Honeycutt amazed the world by raising more than $1.3 million. This year she could conceivably raise more than $4 million.

She lost the 2006 race to Scott (a man who doesn't even live in his district!). According to Michael Barone in The Almanac of American Politics, the main reason for Honeycutt's loss was "lack of name recognition." The hard fact is that if people don't know who you are they're not likely to vote for you. This year, however, name recognition is not going to be a problem for Dr. Deb.

If you go to Open Secrets.org, you'll find fundraising information through March 31. You'll note that Scott has raised a little over $500,000 -- 80% of it from PACs. You'll also note that Honeycutt had raised nearly $1.7 million -- NONE OF IT FROM PACS. If she win the election, she would be the least PAC-tarnished candidate to serve in the last 100 years. (No, not all PACs are corrupt, but most of them are.)

Trust me, if the Political Action Committees were making contributions for "good government," the ethically-challenged and robotically Democratic Scott would have received nothing.



(To examine the fund-raising by Honeycutt and Scott please use the following link: http://opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?cycle=2008&id=GA13 )

Aside from the huge amounts of money Honeycutt has received, you'll find similar situations in relation to PACs with Pennsylvania congressional Republicans -- Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, Tom Manion, Marina Kats, Bill Russell, Craig Williams, and Lou Barletta. The PACs now that these people are superior candidates, but hey, the PAC-men will say, "Business is business." The PACs are buying access (a votes), not character and judgment.

Most incumbents -- take a look at Hart's opponent, Jason Altmire, or Gilhooley's opponent, Tim Holden -- get the vast majority of their money from PACs, (Often, they also get a good chunk oftheir donations from individuals associated with companies linked to the PACs -- as happens with Murtha and Altmire in their vast donations from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.)

But how does Honeycutt raise huge sums of money?


She gets it from individuals who believe in her and the causes she represents. Refreshing, huh?

Honeycutt has raised most of her money through mailings to "values voters" -- social conservatives, the kind of people who strongly supported Mike Huckabee. There are roughly 15 million such voters in the country, and Honeycutt is using her own mailing list and the lists of third-party fundraisers. It's obviously working very well. She's appealing to people who have an inclination to donate and a history of doing so. (That's the same reason I receive a lot of mail requests for money from John McCain and [many] others.)

A lot of Republican challengers have a terrible time raising money. One reason is that they're asking the wrong people. For challengers, the "wrong people" include the vast majority of PACs. The "wrong people" also include individuals, including Republicans, who need political favors from incumbent Democrats.

Is there a flip side to Honeycutt's focus on mailings to values voters? Yes, because to raise big money requires the expenditure of significant sums. Third-parties who have "golden" mailing lists don't provide their services for nothing.

You'll see on OpenSecrets.org that Honeycutt had expenditures by April of $1.5 million. I dearly hope a good part of that spending went for ad buys (TV and radio), as well as billboards. (Her opponent, Scott, owns an ad company and is famous for billboard ads; I'll explain later today how Honeycutt can use billboards AGAINST the "billboard-man.") The Scott-Honeycutt material on OpenSecrets is very worth examining.

Luckily for Honeycutt (although not for the country), Scott has heeded Nancy Pelosi's admonition to vote against all forms of domestic oil production. My suggestion to Deborah is that she might use that fact on her own billboards on the highways in suburban Atlanta. In short, she has Scott dead-to-rights on high gasoline prices, which will be the biggest issue in this year's campaigns.

To my candidate friends in PA, as well as those in Illinois, California, and elsewhere, Honeycutt is woth not just knowing about, but also studying. She is very, very good at what she does. And as you'll read later, she is good at many things other than just raising tons of cash.
P.S. What's the downside to using third-parties to raise funds from groups. If you don't have a strong link to the groups -- as Honeycutt does with evangelicals, the "values voters" -- you probably won't generate a lot of cash. Also, you may have spend one dollar for every two you raise. However, in my modest town of Ambridge, PA, if you give somebody a five-dollar bill and he hands you back a ten-spot, we call that a great deal.

Honeycutt's Opponent Rep. David Scott: Scum-of-the-Earth

Those of you who've read the above about Dr. Honeycutt may be wondering, "Gee, Steve, don't you have anything to say about her opponent, David Scott, the 13th district Congressman from Georgia, who actually lives in Washington, DC?" No, I have nothing nice to say about Scott, who is a step or two below being the scum of the earth. He's a persistent tax-evader and a violator of House rules on campaign finance. Below is the report of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics and Washington, which lists Scott as one of the 22 most members of Congress.
Rep. David Scott (D-GA) is a third-term congressman, representing Georgia’s 13th district. Rep. Scott’s ethics issues stem from allegations of tax evasion and misuse of official resources for political campaign activity.

Tax Evasion

In 2003, Rep. Scott and his wife, Ms. Alfredia Scott, began missing federal income tax payments that now total nearly $154,000 and have failed to pay $23,200 in taxes on their Georgia home. In addition, their company Dayn-Mark Advertising, failed to pay over $4,600 in local and state taxes since 1998. At the same time the Scotts were failing to pay their taxes, they increased their stock holdings from $5,000 to about $67,000 and bought a $702,000 rowhouse in Washington D.C. More than 40 tax liens have been placed against Rep. Scott’s home and business.

Personal, Business and Campaign Finances

Since Rep. Scott’s first congressional bid in 2002, Rep. Scott’s wife, two daughters, his son-in-law and employees of Dayn-Mark have received disbursements from his campaign committee. From 2002 through the July 2007 FEC reporting period, Rep. Scott’s campaign committee paid a total of $124,795.98 to his wife, two daughters and son-in-law, and $491,382.00 to Dayn-Mark Advertising and its employees.

Rep. Scott has reimbursed himself $98,952.75 for travel, billboards, and fund-raising expenses. In total, since 2002, Rep. Scott’s committee has disbursed $715,330.17 to his family, business, and himself. The payments to his family and company became larger and more frequent in 2003, around the same time Rep. Scott was falling behind on his taxes.

Rep. Scott, by failing to pay taxes on his home and business and by failing to pay property taxes on his Georgia home may have violated federal and state tax laws.
Misuse of official resources

In July 2007, The Politico reported that a staff member alleged Rep. Scott has misused his federally funded congressional staff and resources to run his political campaigns. The staffer, Robert Merrill, alleged that Rep. Scott had designated certain congressional employees to do only campaign work, that congressional employees often did campaign work on taxpayer time and used government office equipment, that on taxpayer time congressional employees engaged in political work from Rep. Scott’s advertising firm, and that these employees’ absences compromised the productivity of the congressional office.

By using congressional staff to engage in campaign activity on official time and with the use of official resources, Rep. Scott may have violated the prohibition on soliciting political contributions from employees, the prohibition on using appropriated funds for campaign activity, House ethics rules and the regulations of the Committee on House Administration.


http://honeycuttforcongress.com/

My personal opinion is despite her funding advantage it's going to be very difficult without some help for her to win in this district. The district like so many in the nation was drawn to favor black Democratic, incumbents, many of the votes come from the South and Southwestern side of Atlanta. I personally believe some of these race based districts particularly the ones that keep Republicans from winning are illegal. Also shame on the RNC for not at least helping her she has raised the money the last they could do is help her get some name recognition. The RNC is such a joke I wonder if they even know she is running for heaven sakes....RNC to Planet Earth..Deborah who??

~Richard

The GOP & the Internet Divide?

by Richard Ivory & Patti Mur

The rise and power of the internet has taken this election cycle by storm both the Democrats and Barrack Obama have capitalized on its use to raise money and create a new pool of voters. Barrack Obama has used the Internet alongside groups such as MoveOn.org to get his message out and to define John McCain. In this online revolution there are many solders on the left. The Democrats to there credit have dominated the Republicans with online advertising and social networking.

Historically however Democrats have often done better than Republicans at appealing to younger voters as a result this may explain why Democrats have been more successful in using the Internet as an outreach tool to attract younger voters. Young people,who spend a lot of time online these days, can be easily influenced by flashy ads and with a few clicks of the mouse can easily be exposed to new political ideas. In this new online war sadly, the Republican National Committee with its millions appear like a deer in headlights.

The RNC like the DNC have historically raised millions using telemarketing tactics and mailers to get its funds. Because of these perceived successes in the past the mantra at RNC headquarters instead of change may be "why the hell should we" I happen to personally know this very well because in 2001 I worked in the fundraising department of the RNC.

Everyday we contacted and phoned hundred of RNC members. By far these people were either married older individuals who hated the fact they were being called around dinnertime to be hit up for cash. This is the mindset at RNC headquarters and to there credit has proven successful as far as money is concerned.

The problem however is that party leaders think money is the only way to build a party.The party should rethink this and start using the internet and social networking as a launching pad to reaching out to potentially new voters some who may have little money at all.

In the past contributors to the RNC have often felt a lack of power over the destination of there money because of this many contributors have started to give only to local campaigns

This local giving empowers the contributor to feel he or she has some control over there funds. The RNC has failed to use its own website as a tool for social networking and recruiting potentially new members. Ans if you are looking at the face young Republicans then not even the College Republican’s website would provide you much hope. The College Republican’s launched there website a few years back and so far is very boring with few if anything that would attract a young person. As far as social networking is concerned neither the RNC nor the College Republicans have have a forum to discuss issue important to the voters.

The College Republicans do have a small blog that they try to keep current however it is hardly the place to go to for the latest in Republican politics. The only social networking sites featured on the site seems to be Myspace and Facebook.

Ironically the use of Facebook may be a better application for Republicans given its popular forums and strong networking abilities. These two applications are a lot stronger than anything the RNC has put together. The RNC has on its site a section called "group and interest" the problem is it is hard to navigate. I tried signing up for the African American group and an error site come up.

In contrast, the DNC and Obama teams have thousands of members chatting and debating issues. They are planning rallies and sharing blogs. Over at the RNC site nothing at all the McCain site has nothing even close to what Obama has. The Obama team has a social networking group for every racial group known to men. For instance if you are Jewish, you go the site and start chatting and talking to hundreds of other Jewish supporters of Obama. From there they are organized into Jews for Obama group. From there blogs and fundraising parties are conducted.

The groups application on the RNC website is horrible most people cannot even use this format. The entire site is difficult to navigate and by the time you are done signing up you are so tried you just throw up your hands.

One of the reasons I created HipHopRepublican.com was to create a place online where black Republicans could meet and discuss ideas. All of this cost lest than 800 dollars and the RNC with major cash has hardly done anything to reach out. It fact on the RNC links section there is no link for an African American group...they even have an Irish GOP group but no African American group. These sort of silly gaffes make the media think the RNC is out to lunch and could careless about minority groups within the party.

While the Party leaders have failed us in this gernation there is a bold generation of young people led by such people as David All the founder of RepublicanTech.com, he is also the brainchild behind Slatecard, a conservative competitor to ActBlue. There are the guys at Keep That Faith.com, RedState.com, Pajama Media and The Next Right all who have watched with great anxiety as party leaders ignore the online opportunity. These are my heroes for daring to think out of the box.

A few days ago, C-Span hosted a panel conference with the internet directors of the McCain, Obama, Edwards, and Clinton campaigns discussing new media harnessing the power of the internet. Mark Soohoo was our guy he is a young, Asian, Republican who sounds sincere about creating a movement online. Mark serves as Senior Vice President of Campaign Solutions, a leading Republican online consulting firm. He is currently its Deputy eCampaign Director.

If the party continues in its failure to reach out too young people online it will lose its influence eon an entire generation. They generation is looking for answers and the they looking for them online as of now the RNC has failed miserably in trying to meet them half way. The arrogance and unwillingness of the party leaders to address these concerns will only further create a digital divide. In truth, maybe the only way to wake up the GOP is a huge loss in 2008. When they realize they have been left behind only then will they pick themselves of the floor and pay attention.



Richard Ivory: is the editor of HipHopRepublican.com and online forum for black moderate Republicans

Patti Mur: is a new addition to the team at HipHopRepublican.com she is our only Jewish contributor and will focus primarily on African American and Jewish relations. She will also do commentary on events affecting the 2008 campaign.

We at HipHopRepublican.com would like to welcome Patti Mur to our team!

Obama's Favorite Flip Flops

by Richard

Barack Obama claims to be the candidate of change but even before both parties have come together for there conventions he has flip flopped on so many important issues. Because the media is biased against John McCain is giving Obama a pass I have decided to expose a few Obama's major flip flops.

CNN has pretty much lost all journalist credibility with me they really did a number on Hillary Clinton and now there doing the same with McCain.

CNN is no longer the Clinton News Station it is the Obama Rama Station. They do not event try to be objective every hour and every day CNN and Yahoo News pushes out some bullshit cover story. Yahoo News is even worse daily they push as there leading story some stupid headlines such as "John McCain is he to old".. "Republicans on the Verge of Collapse" Democrats raising major cash..Bush low approval ratings...come on how biased can you be people. Also everyone should know that Jerry Yang the Yahoo! Inc Co-Founder is a big Democrat supporter who himself has been guilty of helping the Chinese goverment imprison people.

Obama's Gun Flip Flops-Obama says he's been "consistent" in opposing the D.C. handgun ban. But in the past he agreed that he supported the ban.

Obama's Oil Spill-Obama says he doesn't take money from oil companies. We say that's a little too slick.

Obama's Inflated Health "Savings"-He claims that a shift to electronic medical records will help save families up to $2,500 a year in his first term. Independent experts say that's wishful thinking.

Obama's Lame Claim About McCain's Money-Obama says McCain is "fueled" by money from lobbyists and PACs, but those sources account for less than 1.7 percent of McCain's money.

Obama's Real Record: Public Housing -Obama rich friends hurts communities proof that Obama's Hope and Change rhetoric is all symbolism and no substance?

Look no farther than this devastating Boston Globe investigation:

Obama's Top Ten Flip Flops

1. SPECIAL INTERESTS. In January, the Obama campaign described union contributions to the campaigns of Clinton and John Edwards as "special interest" money. Obama changed his tune as he began gathering his own union endorsements. He now refers respectfully to unions as the representatives of "working people" and says he is "thrilled" by their support.

2. THE CUBA EMBARGO. In January 2004, Obama said it was time "to end the embargo with Cuba" because it had "utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro." Speaking to a Cuban American audience in Miami in August 2007, he said he would not "take off the embargo" as president because it is "an important inducement for change."

3. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. In a March 2004 questionnaire, Obama was asked if the government should "crack down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants." He replied "Oppose." In a Jan. 31, 2008, televised debate, he said that "we do have to crack down on those employers that are taking advantage of the situation."

4. DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARAJUANA. While running for the U.S. Senate in January 2004, Obama told Illinois college students that he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use. In the Oct. 30, 2007, presidential debate, he joined other Democratic candidates in opposing the decriminalization of marijuana.

5. NAFTA. During the primary season, Obama hammered Hillary Clinton for her support of NAFTA as First Lady, calling the free trade agreement "devastating" and "a big mistake." Now, in an interview with Fortune to be featured in the magazine's upcoming issue, the presumptive Democratic nominee said that NAFTA has indeed been positive for the US in some ways, and that his earlier criticism - while trying to convince white blue collar voters in some states to vote for him - was 'overheated and amplified.'

6. THE DEATH PENALTY. 10 years ago, when Obama was running for statewide office in an ultra-liberal Chicago district, he opposed the death penalty. As Obama announced this week, he now supports the ultimate penalty.7. HANDGUN BAN. For 8 years—before becoming a US Senator—Obama sat on the board of a non-profit which contributed $2.7 million to efforts advocating for a complete ban on handguns. (Before that, Obama filled out a questionnaire in 1996 stating that he supported a ban on the manufacture, sale AND POSSESSION of handguns.) But starting with his primary campaign in the gun popular Midwest, Obama now opposes such legislation, and claims to support gun owner’s rights.

8. PROPOSED FISA LAW IMMUNITY FOR TELECOMS. In October, 2007, Obama pledged that if the FISA bill contained an immunity provision for telecoms, he would not only oppose the bill, he would help block it through a filibuster. This week, he voted for the bill, telecom immunity provisions and all.

9. PUBLIC FINANCING FOR OBAMA’S GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN. In November, 2007, Obama issued a written pledge to opt into the public campaign finance system for the general presidential election, if the Republican nominee also did so. John McCain immediately accepted the pledge, which acceptance Obama acknowledged in writing in November 2007. After he became the Republican nominee, McCain opted into the public finance system (as he pledged to do), but Obama broke his pledge and opted out.

10. THE WAR IN IRAQ. In 2004—when Obama was running for the United States Senate-- Barack Obama not only said that he was open to a U.S. troop increase in Iraq, but warned against a premature troop withdrawal as a "slap in the face to the troops fighting there" which could make Iraq "an extraordinary hotbed of terrorist activity." Fast forward to Obama’s presidential campaign premised in large part on an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

These 10 examples evince 180 degree changes by the Senator from Chicago on fundamental issues going to the core of Obama as a candidate, and provide important indications of whether the “change” candidate will do what he promises to do in the campaign to court our votes.

Legitimate questions are also raised as to whether Obama is accurately portraying himself during the election process, or is he simply feinting to the middle like the good basketball player he is?How many more Obama flip-flops can we expect before November, 2008, and to what extent can the “change” candidate continue to portray himself a different kind of politician who rejects “politics as usual”?

Also another note while he has flip flopped on many issues Barack Obama has had to backtrack on foreign policy issues just recently on Jerusalem. He tried to outdo John McCain at AIPAC by insisting that Jerusalem remain the undivided capital of Israel. The Palestinians erupted in anger at that statement, and by the end of the day they had Obama backpedaling..not sure if its a flip flop I guess its debatable!

How to Beat Obama in November?

The moderate-conservative blogger asks a question about an old-school rapper: is Rakim overrated?

"My initial reaction to this question would be to shoot the half-closed eye Wu-Tang look. It’s a legit question, though. If you go lyric for lyric, line for line, is Rakim THAT much better than Kane or Kool G Rap? I can’t say for sure. Not only can I not say that he’s far superior, I can’t even necessarily always say that he’s superior.

Not anymore, at least. I came into my awe of Rakim honestly. I wasn’t one of those people who had been all hyped up on the legend before I heard him. I don’t even remember hearing people talk about him before I heard My Melody. It was a song on a dubbed tape I had jacked from a friend. I didn’t know who was on it. Just songs dude liked. But I remember that I was crossing Roosevelt Boulevard the first time I heard, 'I’ll take seven MCs and put ‘em in a line…' That moment is frozen in time. It’s also a big part of the reason that I revere Rakim in a way that I never did with Kane. Rakim was somebody I listened to, not for the songs themselves, but strictly for the lyrics.

Songs like Chinese Arithmetic and the other instrumentals on Paid In Full actually made me not wanna listen to the tape. It was only the lyrics that got me. But even then, it wasn’t like I was walking around quoting Rakim. I was just in awe of his skill.

"He adds: "Kane, on the other hand, had lines that I just couldn’t help walking down the street quoting. Put a quarter in your ass cuz you played yourself? When I clear my throat, that’s AWWWLLLL she wrote?

Come on.

Where Rakim was that calm, laid-back, seemingly silent killer, while Kane was all bluster, swagger, and skill. And let me emphasize ’skill.’ Kane was that dude in a way that Rakim wasn’t. In a way, it’s kinda like Marvin Harrison versus Randy Moss. There’s Harrison’s quiet, efficient excellence and there’s Moss’s showy, braggadocios excellence.

I don’t know that it’s fair to say that one is better, it’s just a matter of preference."

Mandela on Mugabe

by Richard

I have been waiting for this and it has happened finally Nelson Mandela has come out against Mugabe and is now denouncing his thuggery.The butcher of Africa has no where to go his only freind is the coward of South Africa Thabo Mbeki who himself needs to grow some balls and do the same.

If Mbeki refuses to follow lead he should be severely denoucned by the international community for inabaling despot. Thabo's velvet glove diplomatic tactcis should be shown for what it is a
back door escape route for helping Mugabe
carry on his reign of terror.

Links with a few views on the matter

This site (click here) urges readers to send a message to the UN Security Council and its neighbors to pressure Mugabe et al to end the violence.

This site (click here) urges Zimbabweans to boycott Friday’s election in Zimbabwe.

This blogger (click here) asks Mugabe why he needs to hold onto power when he is already 84 years old.

This writer, (click here), hailing from the state of Indiana, provides a brief synopsis and commentary on the situation there.

A pretty extreme left writer on Zimbabwe, but who nevertheless knows more about Zimbabwe than most of us. Seems to support Mugabe against the imperialist West. Interesting for a counter-perspective. (click here)

And, just to prove that racist attitudes about Africa still exist, see this site (click here).

Below is an updated account of Mandela's views on Mugabe from the ONE campaign blog.

The One Campaign-

After years of silence on the crisis in Zimbabwe, last night former South African leader Nelson Mandela condemned the political violence that is gripping the country and criticized the government of Robert Mugabe.

Highlight of the Month - Shamed Dogan

HipHopRepublican.com would like to announce our young Republican of the month Shamed Dogan, 29, from Missouri. Shamed is is running for the Missouri state representative seat in the 88th District as a Republican. The campaign is off to a great start, with his first quarter of fundraising raking in about $12k.

In 2006, he served as Deputy Coalitions Director for the Missouri Republican Party, where he organized the Party’s statewide African-American, Hispanic and Small Business coalitions. Dogan was born and raised in North St. Louis County and graduated from Yale University in 2000. He has long been an advocate of conservative values and political causes. After college, he worked for Black America’s Political Action Committee, where he helped select conservative candidates to receive
PAC contributions.

From 2001-2002, he worked for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, conducting opposition research that helped Republicans take back the majority in the U.S. Senate. After that campaign, he was offered a position on Senator Talent’s staff, where he served for three years as a legislative assistant. He helped to write federal “Pass with Care” legislation and advised the Senator on transportation, immigration, energy and other issues.

In 2006, he served as Deputy Coalitions Director for the Missouri Republican Party, where he organized the Party’s statewide African-American, Hispanic and Small Business coalitions. Dogan currently serves as Higher Education Coordinator for the Regional Business Council, a consortium of Presidents and CEOs of 100 of the St. Louis region’s largest mid-cap companies.

He manages a mentoring program for more than 80 students at 13 regional universities. He lives in Ballwin with his wife, Sara, and is a member of the Young Republicans, the Urban League Young Professionals, and the West County Jaycees.


VIDEO: Dogan and Nadal Spar Over Race and a "Color-Blind" Society

Here is an interviwe he did with Young MO Politico

YMP: Why are you running for state representative?

SD: I am running for state representative because I want Missouri to continue to head in the positive direction provided by the leadership of Gov. Blunt. I will work to keep taxes and spending low, promote economic growth, improve education, and control illegal immigration to make life better for Missouri families.

YMP: What advantages does your youth provide for your campaign?

SD: For one, I have plenty of energy to spare and I've been working hard to meet voters and tell them about myself and my values. Also, I can help bring a fresh new face and a new voice to the Republican Party to appeal to young working people.

YMP: Disadvantages?

SD: Often, youth means inexperience and a lack of familiarity with the issues, but in my case that's far from the truth. I have years of legislative and campaign experience working for Senator Talent on behalf of Missouri. Also, West St. Louis County has a long history of electing young people to the legislature.


YMP: How have the Young Republicans in the area been helping your campaign?

SD: My wife Sara and I are very active YR members, and I was recently named the St. Louis Area Young Republicans' Man of the Year. My YR friends have been very reliable volunteers and contributors to the campaign, as have many of the College Republicans throughout the St. Louis area. It's very exciting to have the support of so many of our state's future leaders.

YMP: What will be your number one priority if you win election?

SD: Making sure that I act with integrity and work hard on behalf of my constituents.


We at HipHopRepublican.com wish him Shamed Dogan well in his race for this open seat. To contribute to his campaign hit the donate link to help finance this campaign-DONATE

How To Counter The Claims By Obama Cultists

Tyra Banks Nabs an Emmy

Wanna give a shout out to the Gossip Girls blog for alerting me to this.

Ever since she began her own talk show, something has set Tyra Banks apart from the rest of the pack. And now she has a Daytime Emmy Award to prove it.At yesterday’s 2008 Daytime Emmy Awards, held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, the supermodel-turned-talk show host was on cloud nine, garnering the first ever Daytime Emmy for Informative Talk Show.

And she gave credit where credit was due, telling the audience, “I want to thank Oprah Winfrey for her inspiration. She is the queen. She will always be the queen.” Banks also mentioned, “My mama is crying like a baby.”

Tyra’s model background definitely came out in her ensemble, consisting of a strapless beige floor-length gown with embroidered accents along with a blinging bracelet.

Enjoy the pictures of Tyra Banks at the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Mugabe Wins!... Opposition Quits Election Race

Hatip to Gateway Pundit-There's more than one way to win an election.

Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai announced today that he is pulling out of Friday's presidential run-off and essentially handing victory to tyrant Robert Mugabe, the BBC reported.Morgan Tsvangirai believed there would be no point in running in the latest election since it would be rigged anyway.

It's been a long hard year for Morgan Tsvangirai of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) who was beaten by Mugabe thugs back in March of 2007. Sokwanele has the full statement from Morgan Tsvangirai posted on its blog.Hat Tip Cindy

Dr. AdaFisher elected NC National Committeewoman

****Congratulations Dr.Fisher*****

We at HipHopRepublican.com would like to extend our congratulations to Dr. Ada Fisher for winning the North Carolina Republicans National Committeewoman seat.


Ada M. Fisher, MD, MPH is a business minded physician with more than twenty years of management experience having served in two major "Fortune 500" corporations as a Medical Director and Manager in Occupational Medicine, as well as public and private sector work in family medicine, community medicine and public health services. She is a candidate for NC House District 77. She is also North Carolina’s first African American National Committeewoman.

Chairman Daves said, "I am happy to congratulate Dr. Fisher on her wonderful achievement. This weekend, the party of Abraham Lincoln reaffirmed that we do not have a party divided by color or creed but united by a common code of conservative principles. Ada Fisher will be a strong voice for North Carolina Republicans at the RNC."

The Islamic Trans-Saharan Slave Trade

Hatip to http://baldilocks.typepad.com/




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