Happy New Year: Breaking Down Break It Down!

It's time to Break It Down!

We have been meeting like this for sometime now; nearly 2½ years for those of you who are veterans out there in Blogland, engaged since the beginning. As you know, I try to scale it back around holidays. This is a two-fold in purpose. One, scaling back at this time is a function of the fact I recognize many readers are preoccupied with the more inviting real world matters of holiday observance and celebration. Two…it gives me an opportunity to chill a little as well.

It has been said time flies when you are having fun. I must admit, blogging is still fun for me. I hope Break It Down brings you something of substance, whether it is enlightenment, entertainment, excitement, escape, or just something to think about every now and then.

As I prepare and publish today’s blog, the last for 2009, I am reminded that we are entering what for many is a time of reflection and visioning. It is the norm to examine and review our work, our lives, and our plans. As we navigate the two days between New Year’s Eve Eve and New Years Day, we will, in a number instances, resolve in gritty and grainy details just what it is we plan to tackle and accomplish in Y2KX.

Before fully transitioning I decided to take a look back at the previous issues of Break It Down, not just in 2009, but since the inception. A couple of years ago around this time, when I had penned 27 blogs, I posted my top ten favorites of 2007. At that time I noted:

• A little over 4 months ago, I entered the world of blogdom. As we
close out yet another holiday, I am taking a pause to look back at the
summary of blogs I have written. Twenty-something posts later I believe I
have consistently delivered on my commitment and desire to engage,
entertain, and inform.

• As was the case with Thanksgiving and Christmas, I anticipate most readers
will embrace the tendency to extend their leisure-time activities, while
many others will concentrate on returning to the rigors of work. Based on
the reality associated with those choices, I have decided to borrow from
another tried-and-true, time-honored, formulaic response to Holiday
Scheduling. This week, I devised a Best Of/Top 10 List of the
items I posted in 2007.

More than a hundred blogs later, I still aim to engage, entertain, and inform. Feel free to let me know if I am hitting the mark. Now, as was the case then, there is nothing scientific or objective about the list I will share. In fact this is one instance when I will own my subjectivity in its fullness. The literal translation of that comment is, “My blog; my list!”

The phraseology and rationale I used in 2007 was, “Why do it this way? Because membership has its privileges and ownership (my blog) is the ultimate membership!”
;-)

Below are the 10 stories, I chose and the order I placed them, descending from number 10 to number 1. Feel free to go back and review any or all of the posts, including those not on this list. As always, I appreciate your interest and love to hear your thoughts about the stories, and/or my views.

Now, here’s the list:

10) Obama Plays the Experience Card – 8/20/07 (My first post)
9) The Other Obama – 4/9/08 (A look at the First Lady)
8) One Shining Moment – 4/8/09 (Tar Heels take the National
Title)
7) Three Tableaus: Three Purpose-Driven Lives – 6/10/09 (3 people I
admire)
6) Race…The Final Frontier – 7/29/09 (My take on a thorny subject)
5) Tar Heels Deliver for Obama – 5/7/08 (Obama takes NC
Primary)
4) Total Loss; Nothing Last Forever – 12/19/07 (My Porsche Story)
3) With Supreme Confidence… – 5/27/09 (Sotomayor Nomination)
2) All I Want for Christmas: Health Care… – 12/23/09 (Health Care Reform)
1) The People Have Spoken; Yes We Can! – 11/5/08 (President Obama)

The list is weighted toward this year. It includes two stories from 2007, three stories from 2008, and five stories from 2009. In pulling from 131 posts, getting down to a list of ten was difficult. Three stories in particular were hard to omit. They stand out because they drew the most, and the most intense post-blog discussion. Indeed a case could be made to form a Baker’s Dozen instead of limiting the list to ten. Just in case you are interested, here are the other three posts:

The Blame Game – 10/24/07 discusses Bill Cosby and his take on “responsibility.”

Independence Day; Free at Last – 7/9/08 underscores the irony of former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms’ death on July 4th.

Is the White House Ready for a Rogue examines former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s methodical effort to re-write history and re-invent her image as she travels the country on a tour to promote her controversially titled book.

Finally, just in case you would like to get a quick peek at the 2007 list, here it is:

10. Whatever Happened To…? (8/24/07)
9. Et Tu Marion: The Rise and Fall of a Track Star (10/17/07)
8. Will Michael Vick Ever Play Again in the NFL? (8/22/07)
7. Rising Like the Phoenix; But You Knew He Would! (11/28/07)
6. Obama Plays the Experience Card – (8/20/07)
5. Jena 6 Does Not Add Up – (8/29/07)
4. Countdown to Election ’08 – (12/1/07)
3. Is The Foundation Crumbling? (9/19/07)
2. Total Loss; Nothing Lasts Forever, R.I.P. (12/19/07)
1. The Blame Game (10/24/07)

I hope that you are having an extraordinary Holiday season, that you will have a fantastic New Year’s Day celebration/observance. Of course, I wish you a Best Year Ever in 2010.

That’s it for me; holla back at the Birthday Boy!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.

"All I Want For Christmas: Health Care Reform!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Psych! Well sort of, anyway. Health Care Reform is not the Number 1 item on my Christmas List. But given the depth and breadth of the ideological tug-of-war that has played out since the summer, I am confident that sentiment rings true for some, if not many. Day after tomorrow is Christmas, but tomorrow is sure to be marked by the 100 members of the Senate with a big red X.

Let’s take a moment to reset. Before moving to discuss the state of the Health Care Reform debate, I must take a pause for the cause to wish you a Merry Christmas. No matter how you receive this season, I hope you make an earnest and successful effort to celebrate, according to the traditions in which you believe.

Last year at Christmas, I pulled together a Twelve-Song Youtube Christmas Collection. The list includes some of my favorite Christmas music performed by some of my favorite artists. That collection appears at the end of the blog links, along with several links that explore Christmas and other holiday traditions. Enjoy.

Now, back to regular programming, otherwise known as Health Care Reform; a topic most of you are quite familiar with. Because it is a holiday week, I will keep it brief. However, the President of the United States has labeled this initiative his top domestic agenda item. That this historic piece of legislation appears to be headed for approval in the Senate this week strikes me as worth noting.

The battle lines separating the pro and con sides of this issue have long been drawn, and by most accounts, not in sand, but in stone, or steel; perhaps in titanium. Even though there is strong evidence to support the belief that Democrats will hold on to the 60 votes necessary to force Cloture, and prevent a Republican-led filibuster, the contentiousness within the Senate is fierce enough to cause President Obama to delay the start of his Christmas vacation until after the vote. I would not say he lacks confidence; rather it is clear he is cautious, and is taking nothing for granted. No premature victory lap here.

My commitment to full disclosure requires that I remind readers that the Senate’s vote will not end the debate. If the Senate approves its version of the bill, which it is expected to do, the Senate and House bills will be sent to a Conference Committee to work on crafting a compromise that will be sent, ultimately, to both the Senate and House for consideration. In order for the final legislation to be enacted, it must gain approval by both Houses of Congress. The time line anticipated for final action is sometime early in 2010.

While there are two bills, there are several key points included in both:

• Extend coverage to more than 30 million uninsured Americans
• Reduce the Federal Deficit (According to the Congressional Budget Office)

• Insurers are barred from charging higher premiums based on gender
• Insurers are barred from dropping customers based on pre-existing
conditions
• Expand Medicaid
• Higher premiums charged for older Americans
• All Americans required to purchase health insurance
• Medicare spending reductions

There are also several key differences in the bills:

• House Bill
o Tax surcharge on wealthy Americans
o Public Option

o Senate Bill
o 40% tax on insurance companies providing Cadillac Health Plans
o Additional taxes on families earning more than $250,000
o No Public Option

Both plans curb options to secure abortions, but use different tacks to accomplish that end.

It has been said, governing, and the procedural idiosyncrasies tied to creating laws are a lot like making sausage; even those who enjoy the end product do not relish the messy, behind-the-scenes details of how one gets to that point. To be sure we all enjoy the freedoms we are accorded as American citizens. Yet it was difficult to endure watching and listening to the posturing, judgmental haranguing, and intemperately scathing attack-dog techniques that were on full display, and apparently necessary to get us to this point in the process.

Viewed in that light, I have reconsidered. Indeed, “All I Want For Christmas: Health Care Reform!” Merry Christmas! I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. Don’t forget to listen to your concert by checking out the twelve youtube links.

A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Baucus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Schumer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Nelson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_McConnell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjay_Gupta

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/22/health.care.senate.vote/index.html

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/2009/12/22/senate-prepares-for-final-vote-on-healthcare-reform.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/21/real-life-effects-of-reform-getting-lost-in-the-noise/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJO_kdkrj1g (This Christmas - Donnie Hathaway)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga-qd5FYUjA&feature=related (Stevie Wonder – What Christmas Means To Me)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf6fTRTQrG4&feature=related (Natalie Cole – The First Noel)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tht9KD_pB0U (Nat King Cole – Silent Night)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jk34lUQoyQ (Kem - The Christmas Song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxv88-euQtE (Lauryn Hill – Little Drummer Boy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVvB0r5l7E (Brian McKnight & Christina Aguilera – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG8abNRsabk&feature=related (Dianne Reeves – Christmas Time Is Here)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_9JJc2zNhI (Boney James – Let It Snow)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWQzmb3xjn8 (Mariah Carey – Hark The Herald)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_n-gRS_wdI (John Coltrane – My Favorite Things)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzd6oCP3FKk Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

"Joe The Mercurial!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Chances are you do not know Samuel Wurzelbacher; at least not by that name. Mr. Wurzelbacher’s middle name is Joseph. Adding that information may have provided some political junkies the all-important clue needed to solve the puzzle. If you guessed, inferred, or otherwise concluded that this name should be a correspondent appellation to Joe the Plumber, give yourself a gold star.

Now that we have identified the more familiar moniker, it is likely you recall the Rise and Fall of Joe the Plumber during the 2008 Presidential Campaign. During October 2008, Mr. Wurzelbacher became more familiarly known as Joe the Plumber when he was recorded posing questions of then-Democratic Senator and Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, about his proposed small business tax policy. Mr. Obama was campaigning in Joe’s Ohio neighborhood three days before the final Presidential Debate, held at Hofstra University, October 15, 2008. The rest is history; the McCain-Palin Campaign immortalized Joe, effectively making him a symbol of their claim that Obama’s tax policies would penalize the middle class.

Fast-forward a month and another Joe was catapulted to the forefront. Previously, in 2006, Senator Joe Lieberman, Democrat, Connecticut, lost in the Democratic primary, but won re-election in the general election as a third party candidate. He characterized himself as an Independent Democrat; he attended the Democratic Caucus. However, he was an ardent supporter of the War in Iraq, and during the 2008 Presidential Campaign, Lieberman was an outspoken backer of John McCain.

After Senator Obama won the election, the newly elected President prevailed upon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada, to work with Senator Lieberman as he attempted to broker his return to the Democratic Caucus, and to retain Chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. Ultimately the President persuaded his fellow Party members to accept Senator Lieberman back into the fold.

Many Democrats, and especially their more liberal and progressive supporters found this decision disappointing. There was a strong belief within the Party that Senator Lieberman was not in sync or aligned with the general thrust of Democratic Party priorities. President Obama, however, fresh off an historic victory carried the day on this matter.

The President’s vision of Change incorporated precepts such as unity, bipartisanship, and reconciliation. In his big-picture world view, he believed “welcoming” Senator Lieberman back (in spite of the Senator’s speech at the Republican National Convention, filled with Anti-Obama rhetoric) into the Party was an act of reconciliation. In fact at the time, Senator Lieberman described the Democratic Party’s decisions to accept him and to permit him to retain his Chairmanship as acts of reconciliation.

The President is a pragmatist. He understands the virtue of the elusive 60 votes in the Senate. The Senate is steeped in ritual, and tradition. One particularly longstanding practice in the Upper Chamber is the Filibuster, which is basically the art of speech making to prevent an item from being voted upon; essentially, talking a measure to death.

During the last several weeks, President Obama and the Democratic leadership have been trying to craft and shepherd a Health Care Reform Bill through the legislative process. This is where the President’s pragmatism and vision of unity, bipartisanship, and reconciliation have run headfirst into the brutal force of politics as usual, courtesy of “Joe the Mercurial!”

Be careful what you ask for. After Democrats devised a proposal that included a Public Option, Senator Lieberman lined-up with a group of Senators that opposed such an option. In response to this not surprising development, Senator Reid led an initiative to eliminate the Public Option, and replace it with a provision for an early-buy-in to Medicare. It was at this point, to the surprise; make that exasperation, of many Democratic Senators, the Independent junior Senator from Connecticut opposed the inclusion of the Medicare buy-in provision, and threatened to join a Republican filibuster.

With his eyes always on the prize, President Obama once again emerged to urge Democratic Senators to coalesce, not implode, in the face of this hostile resistance from what took on all the characteristics of “the enemy within.” In the quest for Health Care Reform, it appears the shadowy fringe area where one vote determines the outcome is perpetual ground zero. In October, Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, Maine, cast the deciding vote to get the then Health Care proposal out of the Senate Finance Committee. President Obama was instrumental in securing Senator Snowe’s vote then.

The Senator from Maine made it quite clear at that time, her Committee vote was not an indication she would support the full bill. Republican Senators have given every indication their full complement will vote against the Democratic sponsored legislation.

That brings the matter full circle. President Obama asserted yesterday that despite remaining differences to be worked out, “Congress is on the precipice of passing a sweeping Health Care Reform bill." I am sure, if the bill passes; The President will praise the legislation, and offer thanks to “Joe the Mercurial.”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_the_Plumber

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/14/politics/main5977243.shtml

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/health-care-reform-in-peril.php

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091214-709441.html

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/58482

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/13/lieberman-nelson-oppose-medicare-buy-/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/04/lieberman-public-option_n_381005.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

http://washingtonindependent.com/19199/lieberman

http://bucknakedpolitics.typepad.com/buck_naked_politics/2008/11/lieberman-wat-1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_Snowe

http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=9be136e6-802a-23ad-4167-7a1305f4fff9&Region_id=&Issue_id=d694210e-a855-b510-43be-f20b134100cf

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/15/health.care.lieberman/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstra_University

"What America Needs Now!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Among the latest flaps in Washington is a tiff that began Monday when Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, Democrat, Nevada, stood within the hallowed halls of the United States Senate and likened Republican tactics to stall Healthcare reform to efforts to forestall enacting Civil Rights and Women’s Suffrage legislation. Republicans recoiled immediately. Party Chairman Michael Steele accused Senator Reid of “Cracking under the pressure” of the Healthcare debate, and said of the Senator’s remarks, “It was an ignorant moment for Harry Reid.” Painting with a broad stroke, Mr. Steele accused Democrats of resorting to “Playing the race card, the slavery card, and the civil rights card” when they get in trouble.

Mr. Jim Manley, Senator Reid’s spokesman countered by calling Mr. Steele’s statement “feigned outrage.”

In related developments, former GOP Presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, Republican, Arizona, said he was “Astonished and taken aback” by Senator Reid’s remarks. He went on to express the opinion the Senator Reid should come to the Senate and, if not apologize, clarify his comments.

And clarify he did. In a subsequent statement, Senator Reid signaled there would be no retraction. He noted:

• “At pivotal points in American history, the tactics of distortion and
delay have certainly been present.”
• “They’ve certainly been used to stop progress.”
• “That’s what we’re talking about here. That’s what’s happening here.
It’s very clear.”
• “That’s the point I made — no more, no less. Anyone who willingly
distorts my comments is only proving my point.”

Of course Senator Reid is not operating in a rhetoric-enriched vacuum. This kind of intensely volatile commentary used to describe “The other Party’s position” is par for the course. Just a day earlier, Senator John Cornyn, (R-Texas), Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), while on Fox News, invoked Stalin-era Soviet prison to portray Senator Reid’s reform plan. He argued:

• “It will limit people's choices to, in many cases, to a government-run
program like Medicaid which is essentially a health care gulag”
• “People will not have any choices but to take that poorly performing
government plan”

In fact, the GOP passed a resolution this past spring condemning President Obama and the Democrats for leading the United States toward socialism. As far back as the Presidential campaign, GOP candidate for Vice President, Sarah Palin, issued virulent denunciations of then Senator Obama, calling him a socialist. Presidential candidate, John McCain made frequent allusions to Mr. Obama’s associations with terrorists, even though he disavowed similar assertions by some members of the GOP.

So while there is a long and storied history of partisan sparring over a variety of issues, it is apparent the Healthcare debate is escalating inter-party rancor in a sort of juvenile, you are; no, you are, way. Each side appears predestined to default to a polar-positioned space, 180-degrees removed from the opponent. The unfortunate result of investing irrevocably in such an ideologically comfortable space is that we the people are ill-served.

Alas, for many, the process has been reduced to a spectator sport; one in which the masses file into the political “arena” to observe the action. It is time to get a grip. This is life; not recreation. Our continued national health and well-being depend on deriving a thoughtful and suitable outcome to this thorny challenge.

Ultimately, it will be neither sufficient, nor acceptable to simply be against everything. At some point, if we are to remain a prosperous society, and rekindle our collective mojo, our valiant members of congress must trade their adversarial armor for the banner of statesmanship. It’s “What America Needs Now!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Steele

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cornyn

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_r37b1Vzj0JN8ye8HroFJiZsGrwD9CF4CCO1

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/08/calls-mount-reid-apologize-slavery-remark/

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/dec/08/health-care-debate-heats-reid-slavery-remarks-and-/

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/12/08/gop-blasts-harry-reid-for-slavery-remark/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Senatorial_Committee

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/1209/Reid_compares_health_care_foes_to_slavery_supporters.html

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/21/gop-condemns-socialist-obama-democrats/

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/oct2008/mcca-o10.shtml

"Disrupt, Dismantle, & Defeat!"

It's time to Break It Down!

So…the Commander-in-Chief donned his Harvard power tie, jetted up to West Point, NY, and faced an audience that routinely does more before 9:00 AM than most of us do all day. Of course this was not a casual or disinterested group of early risers. West Point is the home of the U.S. Military Academy, and the audience was comprised largely of cadets; some, the men and women who will be part of the troop deployment the President was there to announce.

For several months and over 20 meetings of the President’s War Council, there has been a buzz surrounding when President Obama would reveal the latest evolution of his Afghanistan strategy. Many who actively oppose the President complained bitterly about the lapse in time. Former Vice President Cheney went as far as to accuse the President of dithering. Before last night’s speech by the President, Mr. Cheney upped the ante and rendered a scathing attack, accusing President Obama of “Giving aid and comfort” to a terrorist enemy. Of course, the phrase giving aid and comfort to the enemy is a euphemism for treason.

This chilly blast was issued even before the President had a chance to formally articulate his policy initiative. Given the propensity of a segment of the loyal opposition to engage in such intemperate invective, it is fairly easy to understand why the President and his advisers went to great length to thoroughly vet the strategy before presenting it to the public.

In making the case for deploying 30,000 additional troops in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama started at the beginning. He reminded those in attendance and a worldwide viewing audience that nearly 3,000 men and women were murdered in a series of terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania September 11, 2001. After those attacks, Congress acted almost unanimously, voting 98-0 in the Senate, and 420-1 in the House of Representatives, to pursue Al-Qaeda, and founder Osama bin Ladin.

Mr. Obama discussed how the decision to wage war in Iraq siphoned resources and focus from the mission in Afghanistan. Now, on the advice of General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of U.S. Forces, Afghanistan, and significant input from his War Council, and a plan heavily influenced by Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, the President spent yesterday, telling allies and members of Congress, and last night, telling cadets at West Point, “It is time to finish the job!” He reiterated the goals he stated March 27, 2009, when he laid out his initial Afghanistan strategy (From the White House Blog):

• “To “Disrupt, Dismantle and Defeat” Al Qaeda in Pakistan
and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in
the future. That's the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that
could not be more just.”

The President argued that in order to achieve his stated goal, we must pursue three objectives:

• Deny Al Qaeda a safe-haven
• Reverse the Taliban's momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow
the government
• Strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan's Security Forces and
government, so that they can take lead responsibility for
Afghanistan's future

Ultimately, the President stated, those objectives will be met in three ways:

1. First, we will pursue a military strategy that will break the
Taliban's
momentum and increase Afghanistan's capacity over the next 18
months.
2. Second, we will work with our partners, the UN, and the
Afghan people to pursue a more effective civilian strategy, so that
the government can take advantage of improved security.
3. Third, we will act with the full recognition that our success in
Afghanistan is inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan.

In laying out the sequencing for sending troops to Afghanistan, the President indicated the US would begin sending additional forces early next year. Partly in response to the “dithering” salvo, the President noted that never had there been an option presented to him to deploy before 2010. To that end, contrary to all the fuss, there has been no delay. Undoubtedly, that observation will be lost on many.

There will be a compelling transmutation of opinion on the issue of Mr. Obama’s decision. Many Party mavens and talking heads will play a game of political musical chairs based on this deployment. Democrats, including many that form Mr. Obama’s Democratic base will part company with him over this decision. In fact, CNN reported one of Mr. Obama’s long-time allies, Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky voiced her displeasure, saying, “He’s made up his mind that at this point there ought to be a troop increase, and I have to say I am very skeptical about that as a solution.”

Conversely, much of the support he is likely to get will come from Republicans who, as a group, often support more troops. For example, Ed Rollins, one noted Republican adviser, and frequent Obama critic, said of the President’s decision in his CNN Commentary, “I call it leadership.”

Interestingly, the President acknowledged the naysayers, and addressed three central concerns:

1. There are those who suggest that Afghanistan is another
Vietnam. Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad
coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our actions.
2. There are those who acknowledge that we cannot leave Afghanistan in
its current state, but suggest that we go forward with the troops that we
have. This would simply maintain a status quo in which we muddle through,
and permit a slow deterioration of conditions there.
3. Finally, there are those who oppose identifying a time frame for our
transition to Afghan responsibility. It must be clear that
Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security, and
that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in
Afghanistan.

In closing, President Obama exhorted Americans to draw on the strength of our values, noting that while "The challenges we face may have changed, what we believe must not." He added, Our message must be clear: “that our cause is just; our resolve unwavering.”

The irony of the likely “road to deployment” is that this most divisive of issues may be the most bi-partisan initiative to date, during the Obama Presidency. There are certain to be stalwarts among Democrats who stick by their President. Yet, many are subject to reject the notion of a surge authored by their Party’s Leader. Alternately, there will be members of the GOP who believe this is the first sensible action this President has taken.

Ultimately, this Afghanistan troop deployment may "Disrupt, Dismantle, and Defeat" Al Qaeda, Osama bin Ladin, and the Taliban, or...Barack Obama. The President could easily have chosen to navigate this one differently, deciding to the read the polls, and side with many in his Party. That would have been a clear example of political expediency, and playing/pandering to the base. Mr. Obama had an opportunity to be the change he lauded during his campaign. In spite of the fact this action flies in the face of Party orthodoxy, President Obama decided to take a stand, and lead…not follow. That’s a “Change I Can Believe In.”

The Congressional debate begins today; can't wait to see how that goes. I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/july-dec09/obamaspeech_12-01.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/01/obama.afghanistan/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_A._McChrystal

http://themoderatevoice.com/54824/cheney-blasts-obama-on-afghanistan-before-speech-accuses-obama-of-giving-aid-and-comfort-to-the-enemy/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30069.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/12/01/rollins.obama.decision.afghanistan/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/12/01/sot.obama.afghanistan.troop.numbers.cnn

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&source=hp&q=narrative+of+obama's+afghanistan+speech&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=N_sVS8LdAseXtgfBjMHuBA&sa=X&oi=news_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CA8QsQQwAA

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/27/a-new-strategy-for-afghanistan-and-pakistan/

"Thankful!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Tomorrow is the tenth and final Thanksgiving Day in the first decade of the 21st Century. It is rather difficult to fathom that the world pretty much kicked-off this decade…and century preoccupied with Y2K, and the quandary over whether & how we could avoid mass chaos. An entire cottage industry sprang up to help ensure that we could solve the inherent mysteries of VCR’s, watches, cameras, and especially computers; basically all things digital. Alas, we survived.

Now that we are officially entering the year-end Holiday Season, I am mindful that schedules morph frequently, unexpectedly, and of course, unpredictably. To that end, who knows whether you will even look at your personal e-mail box for days? Not to worry; I promise, not only to keep it brief, but to reprise one of my favorites from the archives. If you don’t mind my saying so, it is especially well-suited to the occasion.

Sure, as with any other week, there is a continuous cycle of breaking news that I could dissect. But the truth is, by the time I post this edition of the blog, many of you will have transitioned to travel or vacation/staycation mode already. With that reality in mind, I am going to revisit, and gently amend my 2007 list of the “Top 10 Things For Which I Am Thankful":

#10) Basketball - Pee Wee, high school, college, NBA; basketball is fantastic. I have played the game for more than 40 years. It is a source of enjoyment and relaxation, as well as a catalyst for spirited debate. In a nutshell, it is therapeutic. I am at peace.

#9) Talent, ability, and resourcefulness to earn a living - Each of us is endowed by our creator with an enormous array of skills, talents, abilities, and potential. Having the wherewithal and opportunity to employ one’s gifts in productive and useful pursuits is a blessing of the highest order. I am blessed.

#8) Knowledge that I am bigger than my doubters - In life we all encounter obstacles; it is incredibly important to refuse to be diminished or deterred by detractors, skeptics, and cynics. It is even better to use the negativism generated by these haters as fuel for personal growth. I am growing.

#7) Wisdom and examples of elders and Griots - It is often said we should learn from our mistakes. However, very often those who passed this way before, parents, and advisers, extend themselves by sharing the lessons of their challenges. As a rule of thumb it is better, as well as less costly and painful, to learn from others’ mistakes, rather than our own. I am open to learn for others.

#6) Intellectual curiosity - The world is hugely complex and growing more so, daily. Successful navigation requires a certain child-like inquisitive nature; a willingness to suspend belief in boundaries, limitations, and impediments, and instead surmise that every question has a complementary answer, every challenge, a gallant conqueror, and every potential failure, a Phoenix-like solution. I am rising.

#5) Teachers, professors, advisers, and counselors - The United Negro College Fund popularized the phrase, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” No individual or group of professionals is more undervalued in our society than those who embrace the essential work of taking young, eager, flexible minds and shaping them into vessels that will serve as personal on-board computers and navigation systems for the next 70 to 100 years. I am a still-evolving product of the labor of many dedicated, creative, and effective teachers.

#4) Friends and loved ones – We are challenged to transform our existence from merely making a living to enjoying a fully engaged, fruitful, and productive life. No single factor is more critical to maximizing life’s bountiful range of experiences than the players present in one’s inner circle. These persons see us as we are; faults and all…and love us anyway. I am inspired by my friends and loved ones.

#3) Life, health, strength, and vigor - It goes without saying; most of our fondest desires can be experienced, only if we have at least a modicum of life, health, strength, and vigor. As long as we have a reasonable portion of these commodities, we have endless possibilities to shape our own destiny. I am alive, healthy, strong, and vigorous.

#2) Parents; may mine rest in peace - Parenthood is a calling. Not everyone is cut out for it. It is a lifetime sentence, complete with a never-diminishing commitment. However, when done well, it is also the most rewarding experience known to humans. I am fortunate to have had parents who not only gave me great advice, but who also provided me phenomenal examples.

#1) Understanding God is good…all the time! - In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God advises: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” My parents, my life, my friends, my teachers, my intellect, my elders, my knowledge, my talent, and yes, even my affinity for basketball are all gifts…from God. I am the humble benefactor of His glorious goodness, grace, and tender mercy. Amen!


As you head off to enjoy time with friends and family, take this original Holiday Haiku, from me, made especially for you and this Thanksgiving Day.

“A Thanksgiving wish:
Eat, drink, and be quite merry,
Peace be unto you!”

That’s it for me.

Happy Thanksgiving; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult my original post, “It’s Thanksgiving, Right?” – November 21, 2007 - 12:55 AM.

"Is The White House Ready For A Rogue?"

It's time to Break It Down!

We live in interesting times. A year into the Obama Presidency and nearing the end of the Commander-in-Chief’s first visit to China, one of the most highly energized national media conversations is all about former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, half of the Republican’s McCain-Palin Ticket that challenged Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden.

Yesterday Mrs. Palin’s freshly minted Memoir was released, entitled Going Rogue – An American Life. The 413-page book retails for $28.99, has pre-sold over a million copies, and no doubt is available for you to purchase at a book store near your, or on-line. Mrs. Palin is off and running on a full scale book tour and interview schedule, which included a Rush Limbaugh interview and the airing of a taped segment of the Oprah Winfrey Show, both this week.

It is fair to say Mrs. Palin has decided to use the "take lemons and make lemonade" strategy to move her book. What exactly do I mean by that, you may ask?

Back during the 2008 Presidential Campaign, Team McCain and Team Palin clashed occasionally. During one particularly contentious period near the end of the campaign, a McCain aide was quoted as describing Mrs. Palin as “going rogue.”

Had Obama Team launched such a pointed missile, it would have been understandable...coming from the opposition. However, coming from a member of the "Home Team,” this smacked of “the enemy within;” was certainly was disconcerting at the time, and apparently still carries a sting.

It is at this point where the Palin brain trust has gambled that the insiders’ insult will garner currency, empathy, and more as she goes on tour and recites, among other things, the “herstory” (sic) of the McCain-Palin Campaign. To fully appreciate the essence of the McCain camp’s Palin “dis,” one likely needs to review the definition of rogue. Dictionary.com uses these words, among others, to describe the term:

• A dishonest, knavish person; scoundrel
• A tramp or vagabond
• An inferior organism
• To cheat
• To uproot or destroy
• Abnormally savage or unpredictable
• No longer obedient, belonging, or accepted
• Not controllable, or answerable; deviating, renegade
• Unprincipled, deceitful, unreliable, rascal
• Large, destructive, anomalous
• Operating outside desirable controls
• To defraud
• Synonyms: Villain, trickster, swindler, cheat, quack, knave

Now these are not terms I use to describe Mrs. Palin. Rather this is a sampling taken from the pool of available definitions of the word used to describe her by her erstwhile cohorts, at a time political campaigners might refer to as, “The heat of battle.”

That Mrs. Palin chose to take this unconventional route, and play up this apparent disconnect does two things. First, it underscores what “The Base” likes about her…that she is neither afraid of controversy, nor unaccustomed to dealing with it. Second, it creates a pathway to achieve a couple of her key objectives: out Team McCain for the transgressions she believed she was forced to endure during the campaign, and support and augment her interest in positioning herself as an option to lead the Republican Ticket in 2012.

There are many who believe this is impossible, and many others who think it is at best implausible. Recent poll numbers show 28 percent of Americans think Mrs. Palin is qualified to be President, while 7 out of 10 say she is not qualified. The good news, for her aspirations, is, 54 percent of Republicans believe she is qualified. That, however, is contrasted by the outlook of Independents, only 29 percent of whom felt she is qualified. Of Democrats, 10 percent believe she is qualified.

The same poll indicates Mrs. Palin does have a number of strengths:

• Americans believe she is not a typical politician
• Respondents say she cares about average Americans
• Poll results show she is honest and trustworthy

Still, it is likely the high poll numbers in this survey and others that show Americans do not believe Mrs. Palin is qualified to be President will prove be a huge impediment to her efforts make 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue her home.

“Is The White House Ready For A Rogue?” I don’t think so. I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rogue

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rogue

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/17/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5685965.shtml

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/11/17/2009-11-17_going_rogue_review_sarah_palin_is_complainer_in_chief_in_new_book.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704431804574537882681089404.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/books/15book.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/11/16/DI2009111603639.html

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1939830,00.html

http://www.amazon.com/Going-Rogue-American-Sarah-Palin/dp/0061939897

http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/16/the-reviews-are-in-for-palins-going-rogue/

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/25/palin.tension/index.html

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/16/cnn-poll-most-americans-say-palin-not-qualified-to-serve-as-president/

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ticket8-2009nov08,0,5692631.story

"The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month"

It's time to Break It Down!

Many of you know, or at least faintly recall that I frequently alter the blog format to integrate holiday traditions into the discussion. Often holidays are expanded by days away from work, long weekends, travel, and a host of leisure activities. In those cases, I prefer to scale back in recognition that aside from road map directions, GPS instructions, and the like, very little reading will be taking place.

As most Americans know, today is Veterans Day. At a time when the United States is engaged in twin wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and working fervently to ease tensions in a trio of other hot spots, including Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea, American service men and women are regularly front and center. The unfathomable horror visited upon soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas last week makes the value and vulnerability of one of our greatest resources resonate even more palpably. But what do we really know about this day that has been set aside to honor real American heroes and sheroes?

Well, first, Veterans Day is not Memorial Day, and vice-versa. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day is intended largely to honor Living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty. Memorial Day honors those veterans who died in the service of their country, particularly those killed in combat, or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

We also know that Veterans Day is a different kind of federal holiday. With the exception of Sundays, it falls on its actual date. In 1968, Congress approved the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This law, which took effect in 1971, amended the observance of certain federal holidays so that Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day would be observed on Mondays instead of fixed dates.

Congress passed the Act to increase the number of three-day holiday weekend for federal employees. After a loud and persistent outcry from veterans and veterans groups, who argued the historical significance of November 11th was compromised by the change, Veterans Day observance was returned to November 11th in 1978.

So how did this affinity for November 11th come about? As with many historical facts, it evolved. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day. The significance of Armistice Day is that it was the day of the signing of the Armistice that terminated World War I (WW I). In effect, WW I ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. That was when the Germans signed the document, ending hostilities that had begun in 1914. President Woodrow Wilson subsequently proclaimed the first Armistice Day, November 11, 1919.

WW I was deemed The Great War, and was thought by many, at the time, to be "The War That Ended All Wars.” It was, as the numeric designation suggests, the first World War. Of course, more wars would ensue. There was World War II (WW II), later the Korean Conflict, and then Vietnam.

In 1953, a store owner in Emporia, Kansas, Al King launched an idea to honor all veterans, not just those who served in WW I. The idea took root, sailed through Congress, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law May 26, 1954. Congress amended the Act November 8, 1954, changing Armistice to Veterans, and thus it has been ever since.

So today, especially around "The 11th Hour of This 11th Day of the 11th Month," to augment a popular bumper sticker, “If you can read this, thank a teacher…and a veteran!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mW7-IJnWbc

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=veterans+day&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=dD36Sq2oIM_gnAeEsKyJDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=7&ved=0CC8QsAQwBg

http://www.history.com/content/veteransday

http://www.history.army.mil/faq/vetsday/vetshist.htm

http://www.patriotism.org/veterans_day/

http://www.military.com/veterans-day/

http://www.nraila.org/legislation/read.aspx?id=5202

http://www.military.com/veteransday/History.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_armed_forces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniformed_services_of_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Public_Health_Service_Commissioned_Corps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration_Commissioned_Corps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Monday_Holiday_Act

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice

"One Year Later!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Today is the anniversary of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. It has been a difficult 12 months. As a nation we have endured the most ravaging recession since The Great Depression (TGD). To be clear, TGD lasted more than a decade, so what we are experiencing now is not expected to rival that event in scope or dimension. But it is generally accepted as the next worst thing.

Our current malaise includes being beset by a devastating recession, a meltdown of the housing market, major banks hemorrhaging cash and stock value, destruction of the American Automobile Industry as we knew it, a bear market on Wall Street, and spiraling unemployment that while slowing is still rising. Happy Anniversary to you, President Obama!

Candidate Obama framed a resonant message around the theme, "Change Americans Could Believe In." Twelve months removed from that historic day one year ago, several questions persist, including:

• What has changed (for the positive) in the last year?
• Are you better-off today than you were a year ago?
• Has America improved in any measurable way since November 4, 2008?

Of course, there are many other questions that could be posed. Those three are meant to be rhetorical, and to set a framework reflecting upon where we were, juxtaposed against where we are. If you want to revisit the litany of promises made by Candidate Obama, just tune into CNN virtually any weekday and watch analysts and researchers recap the promised kept, the promises abandoned, and the promises still in the queue.

Politicians and political campaigns are frequently the stuff of which books are based. Naturally, a campaign that may go down in history as one of the most uniquely stunning ever run, has spawned a book by a member of Mr. Obama’s innermost circle, David Plouffe (pronounced /plʌf/), Chief Campaign Manager. Entitled, The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory, the book is likely a must read by Obama enthusiasts and political junkies.

Arianna Huffington, syndicated columnist, and co-founder of The Huffington Post calls it “The most important political book of the year,” and adds, “The book is a powerful reminder of what the country voted for last year – and could serve as the trigger for Obama and his team to refocus and remember why the election mattered so much.” Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/obama-one-year-later-the_b_343209.html.

On of the hallmarks of American electoral politics is if it’s November, it must be election season. Well, it is November! In what amounts to an off off-year election (Neither a Presidential Election year, nor a Mid-term Election year), there were still several Elections of significance that drew national attention. Gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, Mayoral races in New York, Atlanta, and Houston, a congressional race in New York, a question on Gay Marriage in Maine, and one on Civil Unions in the State of Washington, all drew attention, for various reasons.

Three races in particular were trumpeted as being tied to President Obama’s leadership. Some even termed them referenda on his leadership. Two gubernatorial races campaigns, one in Virginia, and one in New Jersey were often highlighted in recent weeks. GOP candidates won both races.

Republican Bob McDonnell won handily in Virginia, beating Creigh Deeds. Mr. Deeds, once ambivalent about seeking assistance from President Obama, was eventually reduced to seeking the President’s help once the campaign was clearly already out of hand.

In New Jersey, beleaguered incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine lost his re-election bid to Republican Chris Christie. Mr. Corzine was associated with a number scandals and high taxes. President Obama made several campaign appearances in both Virginia and New Jersey as the campaigns wound down.

In Upstate New York’s 23rd Congressional District, Democrat Bill Owens beat Conservative Party candidate, Douglas Hoffman. This race was tinged with intrigue, as conservative Republicans from Sarah Palin, to Glenn Beck, to Rush Limbaugh launched full-scale attacks on the Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, in effect labeling her a Republican In Name Only, commonly called a RINO. Ms Scozzafava dropped out of the race this past weekend and endorsed the Democrat, Mr. Owens.

In a race no less interesting than the previous three, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg survived in an surprisingly close race against challenger William C. Thompson Jr., New York City Comptroller. Mr. Bloomberg reportedly spent $90 million of his own money to fund his campaign. After garnering 51% of the vote, it appears it was a necessary, if not good investment.

In 1973, voters in Atlanta elected Maynard Jackson Mayor. There has not been a non-African American elected since. That could change next month. Last night, Atlanta Councilwoman Mary Norwood captured 45% of the vote, while State Senator Kasim Reed garnered 38% to force a December 1st runoff. Atlanta has experienced a dynamic demographic shift over the past decade as whites, who steadily left the city during the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s have begun to return, while blacks have moved further from the center of the city during that same ten-year period.

As in Atlanta, Houstonians will also participate in a December runoff. The date is yet to be decided, but the top two vote getters, neither of whom tallied 50%, were City Controller Annise Parker and former City Atorney Gene Locke. Ms. Parker, if elected would become the first openly gay Mayor of Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city.

In two other closely watched votes, opponents of a Referendum to uphold a law allowing Gay Marriage are claiming victory in Maine, while in Washington State voters approved Same-Sex Civil Unions. Expect to see the issue appearing on more ballots across the country.

Finally, Tip O’Neill, in his 1987 autobiography, Man of the House, attributed to his father a phrase that he popularized, ”All politics is local.” To that end, congratulations to Charlotte’s new Mayor, Anthony Foxx. In a hotly contested race, Foxx became the first Democrat in 22 years, and the second African American to claim the City’s top elected position. Unofficial results indicate Foxx won 51% of the vote; his opponent, John Lassiter finished with 49%. Both Mr. Foxx and Mr. Lassiter are members of the Charlotte City Council.

"One Year Later," are the results of yesterday’s elections and various ballot initiatives a collective referendum on President Obama’s leadership? Obviously, there will be those who say yes. Yet ask those same people, was Mr. Obama’s election a mandate, proxy, or referendum? They would most likely answer a resounding no. Funny how that works, isn’t it? I do not believe yesterday’s results were a referendum on the President. I do believe those results provide valuable information that Mr. Obama and his team would be wise to study carefully, as they consider next steps.

Mr. Obama’s administration is challenged to use input gained over the course these first 365 days to formulate a more effective and efficient strategy and structure to execute policy. If he can make this leap, he and his team will have made the transition from innovative campaign machinery to a practical model for governance.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Plouffe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianna_Huffington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bloomberg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Thompson_(New_York)
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nj-va-ny-2009-elections-test-obama-sway/story?id=8977431
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Republican+wins+Jersey+governor+race/2180989/story.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/nyregion/04district.html?hp
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijRd6gh_FQ2pQU531ysucBuQ_SjgD9BOH7TO0
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/norwood-and-reed-in-185327.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maynard_Jackson
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5A312O20091104
http://www.shewired.com/Article.cfm?ID=23869
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/politics/story/1036333.html

The Rocky Mount 10

It's time to Break It Down!

Because I was born, and grew up in Eastern North Carolina, primarily, I am inclined to be interested in news from that area. In recent months I have read and heard about a story revolving around 10 missing women in Rocky Mount, NC, about 75 miles from Kinston, my birthplace.

The compelling aspect of this story for me is its relative obscurity. It is not a story that greets you each hour of the news cycle on all the cable channels. While it is not uncommon for major media outlets, cable channels, and even bloggers to take a story viral in a matter of days, sometimes hours, this is not one of those stories.

The story of Michael Jackson’s death, which occurred June 25th, is still resonating four months later, as “This Is It” premiered last night, and is scheduled to open nationwide today. Of course Michael is the Elvis of our time, so the fact that news of his untimely demise spouted legs, and has demonstrated staying power is not so surprising.

Of course one does not have to have lived a life of celebrity to gain notoriety in death, or unexplained absence. Chandra Levy and Laci Peterson were not household names, but their stories dominated the airways and news reports for weeks on end.

Make no mistake, this is no bitch and gripe about the coverage afforded either Ms. Levy or Ms. Peterson. Rather it is proverbial written throat-clearing admonishing not just the media, but all of us to slow down and take a closer look at some of the horrific atrocities that occur within our midst, or at least within our state, if you happen to be a North Carolinian.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, were in Chicago a few weeks ago to draw attention to the slaughter that is going on in the streets of Chicago, one of America’s great cities. But before their arrival, Chicago’s mean streets had been the backdrop for a record number of murders of school-age children. In fact many argued that Mr. Duncan, who was CEO of the Chicago Public School System before assuming the post as Secretary of Education, was at least partially at fault for the dismal school-age murder statistics.

After enough clamoring, the Chicago situation found a champion in President Obama, who dispatched highly placed emissaries to intervene in the matter. A couple of poignant questions of the day are:

• “What level of agitation will be necessary to rise to the point when
there has been enough clamoring in the Rocky Mount cases?”
• “When the threshold is reached, to whom will we turn to find a
champion?”

“The Rocky Mount 10" is not comprised of blue bloods or patrons of the arts; they were neither white nor wealthy. They were not highly educated; not well-known. They were human beings, they were Americans, they were a part of the Edgecombe-Nash County and Rocky Mount Community, cited by Forbes as on of the 10 Most Impoverished Communities in America, and they were themselves, poor. But poor does not mean worthless. They are entitled to due diligence in determining the causes of their death, as well as the culprit or culprits. And even though, their stories are not steeped in idyllic Fairy Tales, they do merit being told.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinston,_North_Carolina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mount,_North_Carolina

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6255724/

http://www.newsweek.com/id/218911

http://kaleidoscopelyfe.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/rocky-mount-murders-go-unsolved-and-unpublicized/

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/authorities-match-reward-in-missing-murdered-women-case-863866.html

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/suspect-charged-with-murder-of-one-of-five-local-women-807508.html

http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/09/05/931188

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112704643679417975004.00046fcba0914d40f3e85&ll=35.970227,-77.801743&spn=0.097251,0.180244&z=12&source=embed

http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/5675790/

http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/6172163/

http://www.witn.com/edgecombeandnashcounty/headlines/63054807.html

http://www.blackpower.com/lifestyle/possible-serial-killer-murdering-black-women-in-nc-gets-no-media-attention/

"Change We Can Believe In!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Don’t let the title fool you. If you are expecting (or desiring) a Barack Obama commercial, you may stop reading now! The elements of change I will touch upon must certainly be factored into the calculus of President Obama's success, but it goes well beyond any political campaign, even one with implications as historic as those in Mr. Obama's election.

By almost any reckoning, Maria de la Soledad Teresa O’Brien, and that does not include her husband’s last name (which, by the way, is Raymond), is the world’s most renowned Afro-Cuban-Irish-Australian. For the past two years Ms. O’Brien has spotlighted the conditions of Blacks in America during two 2-hour evening segments. Tonight and tomorrow, she turns up the Klieg lights on another part of her matriarchal heritage, Latin Americans.

In the event one has been disconnected from the dynamic evolution of American society, this may see like a story that, even when all three segments are combined, takes up just 12 hours of 6 days, out of 731 days, and 17,544 possible TV viewing hours, over the 2-year period of 2008-2009. While that is correct, technically, this is an instance in which the whole is significantly greater than the sum of its parts.

In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated, Latinos in America surpassed African Americans to become the nation’s largest ethnic minority group. As a side note, African Americans remain the largest racial minority; Latinos are comprised of both blacks and whites. A second point worth mentioning is that even after 2050, when minorities will make-up the ethnic majority of the country, whites will still account for the racial majority, because such a large number of Latinos and Hispancs are white.

The change to Latinos and Hispanics becoming the largest ethnic minority in America marked the first in a major trend line. More than 46 million Americans are Latino, making them the nation’s largest ethnic minority. When combined with the roughly 42 million African Americans, 13 million Asians, and over 2 million Native Americans, the 103 million minorities in the four principal groups in this country comprise more than one-third of the 308 million Americans estimated to be in this country today.

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that minorities will be the majority of Americans by the year 2042. Moreover, the agency projects more than half of the nation’s children will be minorities as early as the year 2023. By 2050, more than 54% of Americans will be minorities, as will 62% of the country’s children, according to Census predictions.

These developments amount to “Change We Can Believe In,” because, in large measure key aspects have already occurred, and the foundation for others is solidly in place. Latino Americans are not only the largest ethnic minority, the also have the highest birth rate among Americans. As a group, minorities have higher birth rates than whites. Finally, as the often contentious immigration debate underscores, there is a substantial influx of Latin Americans into the U.S. from the 20 countries in the region.

Persons of Spanish origin are also counted in calculations and projections of Latino and Hispanic population growth. It is largely for that reason the terms Latino and Hispanic are not interchangeable. Though Americans often use them as if they were, broadly speaking, Latino refers to persons native to the Latin American region, while Hispanic tends to be inclusive of all native Spanish speakers in both hemispheres, and emphasizes the common denominator of language in communities where there are few other mutual characteristics. Framed differently, a native of Spain residing in the United States is not a Latino, just as there is no “Hispanic influence” on Mexican culture.

One way to view the on-coming change in America is through the lens of a Prince Song. Given his heritage, perhaps there is a subtle irony in that fact. In the song, “Family Name,” Prince asserts:

• “When a minority realizes its similarities on a higher level - not just
"black," - but PEOPLE OF COLOR, and higher still, "INDIGENOUS," and even
higher still, "FROM THE TRIBE OF,” and yet higher - the "RAINBOW CHILDREN."
When this understanding comes, the so-called minority becomes a majority, in
the wink of an eye!”

It is not going to happen in the blink of an eye; but…it is going to happen. As the Generation Y set is fond of extolling, “You better recognize!” “Change We Can Believe In” is here; and it is here to stay.

I am done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/latino.in.america/

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/black.in.america/

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/black.in.america/

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/13/census.minorities/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans

http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2006/July/20060707160631jmnamdeirf0.2887079.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_American

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/prince/family-name.html

The Verdict Is In!

It's time to Break It Down!

Last Friday morning America and the world awoke to a startling announcement; President Barack Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A mere week earlier, the national pundits and especially critics had spent the weekend dissecting every aspect of the failure of the President’s impromptu visit to Copenhagen to salvage an ill-fated attempt by the City of Chicago to win the 2016 Olympics. They labored on about how it was his fault, or a sign of his waning influence, or an indication of his misplaced values, or simply a poor use of political capital.

What a difference a week makes. Well, perhaps not. Instead of viewing the President’s selection as a coup for this President, administration, and our nation, once again the media was abuzz. This time, as a result of the news from Oslo, story lines included assertions that the President has not produced any discernible accomplishments meritorious of consideration for the award, his selection was political, and bestowing the award on such an undeserving candidate cheapened the award, and reflected poorly on the process.

The howls of critics took over where the press left off. In a nod to Letterman’s Top 10 List, here are ten reactions from persons or groups who consistently oppose the President:

• Rush Limbaugh, radio personality, called the President “A world-
wide joke,” and noted further that he agreed with the Taliban and Iran, that
the President does not deserve the award.
• Michael Steele, Republican National Committee Chair,
lampooned the decision, and asked for contributions to combat
“Democrats and their international leftist allies who want
America made subservient to the agenda of global redistribution and
control. Truly patriotic Americans like you and our
Republican Party are the only thing standing in their way.”
• Bill Kristol, neoconservative analyst, compared
President Obama to Russia’s Mikhail Gorbachev.
Kristol argued the President will be ousted in 2012
, noting the Soviet Union collapsed the year after
Gorbachev won the Peace Prize.
• Glenn Beck, Fox News commentator, contends Obama
doesn’t deserve the prize; rather the Tea Party protesters do. He
credited them for creating an extraordinarily powerful progressive
network.
• Erick Erickson, RedState blogger, went straight to the heart of the
matter. He suggested President Obama won because the committee had
an affirmative action quota, and added the only responsible thing to do would
be to decline the prize.
• John Bolton, conservative member of several Republican
administrations, also suggested the President should turn the prize
down. Side note: Mr. Bolton failed to win Senate confirmation in his attempt
to transition from interim Ambassador to the United Nations
to Permanent US Representative.
• Andy McCarthy of the National Review simple contended the
award was damaged goods because Yasser Arafat once won it.
• Brian Kilmeade, Fox News Channel personality wondered
whether President Obama delayed a decision on sending
troops to Afghanistan in order to win the award.
• John Miller, the National Review,
opines, “Obama’s award is simply the projection of wishful
thinking.”
• The Taliban, in a statement said, “We have seen no change in his
strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghanistan.”

I openly admit to mixed opinions about this contrivance of a controversy. It is certainly selling newspapers, magazines, and air time at a time when all three of these media formats struggle to move the dial on subscription and ad revenue. But it is more than a bit paradoxical for the erstwhile Country First phalanx to, on one hand, openly cheer the United States' failure to win an Olympic bid one week, and then 7 days later, alternately attack the leader of the Free World for being awarded one of the most prestigious awards known to mankind.

The Democratic National Committee took aim at the President’s critics and offered a terse assessment: “The GOP sides with terrorists.” While that may be a gross oversimplification, the tone deafness of Mr. Limbaugh’s admission that he agrees with the Taliban (and that “we all do”), should give pause to anyone who would dare take that possibility lightly.

There certainly have been alternative views, expressing support for President Obama receiving the award. I will not list ten, but one comment seemed to echo the committee’s sentiment:

• James J. Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute,
noted, “One shouldn’t ignore the change he has already delivered – in how
we deal with the world and how the world sees us. The rage that greets every
Obama move isn’t rational.”

The point is elegant in its simplicity. Somewhere along the way, civility and reason have been excluded from the discourse. What is left is an increasingly unpleasant conversation on every turn; incivility for the sake of incivility.

The last word on this question belongs to the normally secretive Nobel jury. Four members of the five-person panel spoke out on the issue yesterday. Not surprisingly, their take reaffirmed their initial action. In doing so, they underscored several points:

1. The decision was unanimous
2. President Obama’s selection was merited
3. World leaders have reacted positively to Obama’s award in most cases
4. There are only two groups who vociferously opposed the award:
a. The media
b. The President’s political opponents
5. The jury awarded the prized based on what President has done,
including specifically, his efforts to:
a. Heal the divide between the West and Muslims
b. Scale down a Bush-era proposal for an anti-missile shield in Europe
c. Strengthen the U.S. role in combating climate change

Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland insisted the committee followed the guidelines set out by Alfred Nobel, the Swedish industrialist for whom the award is named. Nobel wrote in his will “The award should go to the person who has contributed most to peace in the previous year.”

So that’s it; “The Verdict Is In!” The Nobel jury, within whose province the decision fell, made an informed and unanimous decision to name President Barack Obama the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. It is not the first time the validity of the award recipient has been challenged, and it will undoubtedly not be the last. I embrace the jury’s decision and congratulate President Obama.

I’m done; holla back!

PS. Just in case you thought I forgot about last week’s exam…no way. Here are the answers:

1. Leader of the Branch Davidian movement; responsible for the 1993 Waco
Siege
2. The Oklahoma City Bombing
3. An Islamist group believed to be responsible for the 9-11 attacks
4. Sunni Islamist religious and political movement; currently an
alternative government in Afghanistan
5. Leader of Al-Qaeda
6. Leader of the Taliban
7. President of Iran
8. Iranian reformist political candidate for President in 2009; last
Premier of Iran
9. The Ayatollah/Supreme Leader (Highest Official) of Iran, since 1989;
President from 1981-89
10. Leader of the 1979 Iranian revolution; Ayatollah/Supreme Commander until
his death in 1989

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33291989/ns/politics-white_house/

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910090029

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/obama-nobel-prize-reactio_n_315690.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091013/ap_on_re_eu/eu_nobel_peace_obama

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/conservatives-critics-blast-obamas-nobel-peace-prize/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/obamas-nobel-prize-inspir_n_315167.html

http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/minor/2009/10/13/nobel-committee-defends-obamas-prize/

http://cbs4denver.com/national/nobel.jury.obama.2.1244916.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/13/world/main5381694.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYEdkmyuKrU

Pop Quiz: Terrorism 101

It's time to Break It Down!

So I was sitting in a meeting today, listening to a discussion on the environment, sustainability, and a host of other related buzz words. Suddenly, as the meeting was moving toward its latter stages, someone noted that police had discovered a suspicious device in the vicinity, cordoned off the area, and issued a directive that no one enter or leave the building, parking lot, or other locations nearby.

We live in interesting times. As I sat there, my mind wandered through a maze of historical milestones. I reflected, momentarily, how we as Americans instinctively point to September 11, 2001 as the day that changed everything. But did it really?

To reach such a conclusion may be convenient, but probably not inaccurate. Even though 9-11 is the most horrific day in the history of America, to view it through a lens that portrays that day as the foundation of our Country’s relationship with violence, terror, and mayhem, is at once deceptive, and self-serving.

To get at that singular bedrock, one must first look closely at two days tied together in history by their combined profound human devastation. The Waco Siege and the Oklahoma City Bombing took place April 19, 1993, and 1995, respectively. The latter was actually planned to coincide with the second anniversary of the former.

The devastation resulting from the Oklahoma City Bombing, while it pales in comparison to the 2001 attacks, made it by far the most chilling case of terrorism in this country until 9-11. The event was so stunningly unfathomable at the time authorities immediately attributed the event to foreign perpetrators. The death and destruction included:

• 168 deaths
• More than 680 injured
• 324 buildings destroyed or damaged in a 16-block radius
• 86 vehicles burned or destroyed
• 258 buildings with shattered windows
• An estimated $652 million in damage

So while Homeland Security initiatives skyrocketed after 9-11, the movement began in earnest after 4-19. My thoughts about my predicament (I am fine by the way; police eventually detonated the device and no one was injured), and about the interconnectivity of events, at least tangentially, that cause us to take precautions at the slightest provocation, let me to the novel idea of a quiz.

Anyone who watches or reads the news on a regular basis is buffeted by stories about the threats and concerns that demand the collective attention of America most, and most frequently. Between the wars we are involved in, terrorism, rumors of terrorism, nuclear expansionism, etc.; there is a lot to claim our rightfully divided attention. What follows is a short test; just 10 questions. I don’t need to know how many you answer correctly, and no, there is no prize for getting all of the answers right. Unless of course, you value cultural literacy; in which case, consider knowing the answers your personal reward!

Without further ado, here goes:

1. Who was David Koresh?
2. With what event were Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols connected?
3. What is Al-Qaeda?
4. Who are the Taliban?
5. Who is Osama bin Laden?
6. Who is Mullah Mohammed Omar?
7. Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
8. Who is Mir-Hossein Mousavi?
9. Who is Ali Khamenei?
10. Who was Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini?

I will provide a few hints, but no answers; at least not today. Some would be tempted to look ahead. Of course, you could still look them up, but that’s initiative, a good-old American value. I am cool with that!

• Of the 10 questions, 7 pertain to current events
• Of the 9 people named, 6 are alive today, or presumed to be
• Of the 9 people named, 4 are Iranians

Good luck!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/987950.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_movement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_Siege

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Koresh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Nichols

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Omar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khamenei

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir-Hossein_Mousavi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhollah_Khomeini

"You Make The Call!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Great Taste…Less Filling, voter apathy…indifference, breath mint; candy mint, Tar Heels…Blue Devils; OK, maybe not Tar Heels…Blue Devils. Over time we have sifted through a variety of conundrums, seeking everything from the preferred malt beverage to the quintessential motivation for would-be voters, to the compelling purpose of mints. During the past nine months; roughly the time span of the Obama Presidency, I have searched the literature, scrutinized news shows, and interrogated friends and acquaintances, in an effort to discern, aptly, whether the relentless wave of anti-Obama sentiment is a function of amped up racism, or of serial cases of outsized right wing dogma.

There are contemporary competing and compelling arguments emanating from former Presidents Carter and Clinton. In summary, President Carter’s assessment is that racism is a substantial component of the malicious vitriol that is so prevalent in our daily discourse. This view is countered by that of President Clinton who attributes much of the dissonance to a vast right wing conspiracy.

Of course, they both bring significant currency to the debate, if for no other reason than they occupied the lofty station President Obama finds himself in today; Commander-in-Chief. In that regard, it is fair to observe they view the subject slanted by the prisms of their individual experiences…then and now.

President Carter, who will observe his 85th birthday tomorrow, was the first American President born in a hospital. His paternal ancestors arrived in Colonial America in 1635, his family has lived in the State of Georgia for generations, and his great-grandfather, Private L.B. Walker Carter served in the Confederate States Army. In what Tom Joyner might call the “Little Known Black History Fact,” Jimmy Carter is related to Berry Gordy, Jr., Motown Founder. James Earl Carter, Jr., former Naval Officer, and gentleman farmer, came to Washington in 1977 as the 39th U.S. President, a Southerner, and the quintessential outsider, promising to throw the rascals out.

Unfortunately, what happened was less than awe inspiring. Carter’s term in office coincided with an extended period of global stagflation, which is high inflation and economic stagnation, simultaneously. In addition a number of national and international crises unfolded, including the takeover of the American Embassy in Iran, the hostage-taking by Iranian students, a failed hostage rescue attempt, and fuel shortages and fuel price escalation. Not surprisingly, President Carter failed to win reelection.

President Clinton, the 42nd President, a full generation younger than President Carter, observed his 63rd birthday last month. He is considered the first Baby Boomer President. In the Presidential Elections ensuing between Carter’s defeat in 1980 and Clinton’s election in 1992, Democrats fared miserably in the quadrennial contests. Clinton effectively reinvented the national face of the Party, running as a New Democrat, and popularizing a philosophy known as the Third Way of governance. His policies were considered centrist.

In contrast to President Carter’s years, President Clinton presided over the longest peace-time economic expansion in American history. In the mid-term Congressional elections of Clinton’s first term, Republicans won control of the House of Representatives for the first time in four decades. Still he went on to win a second term, the first Democrat to do so since Franklin Roosevelt. He would later be impeached for obstruction of justice, but was subsequently acquitted by the Senate. His rocky moments notwithstanding, President Clinton left office after his second term with a 66% approval rating, the highest mark for any President since World War II.

If President Clinton lives another 22 years, which would put him at President Carter’s current age, and he takes on as many projects and causes, as President Carter has in the last 22 years, he will significantly add to and continue shaping his legacy. Conversely, it is likely President Carter’s legacy is fundamentally complete. While I have no doubt both want the best for the current President, it is easy to see how and why their respective views might be dissimilar.

Putting that extensive preamble to the side, the Tag Line of today’s discussion is “You Make The Call!” That brings us to one of the most recent escapades to unfold; the now infamous FaceBook (FB) Poll. If you are not sufficiently schooled on the intricacies and etiquette of social networking, Google the topic for a primer. My guess is most of you not only know the FB story, but you have also heard about the poll. Over the past weekend, a FB third party application poll appeared on the site. The poll, with the lead in, Vote in the Obama poll inquired:

Should Obama be killed? The response options included:

• yes
• maybe
• if he cuts my health care
• no

According to various media reports, 731 responses were logged before the poll was pulled by FB. Authorities are investigating the matter to determine whether the device was an attempt to foster violence against the President, or a prank.

These are interesting times. I have long maintained, the President’s men (and women), his advisers as it were, crafted a series of consistently brilliant strategies and tactics, on the way to master-minding his election. Allow me to stipulate these wunderkinds did not suddenly become incompetent after November 8th. To the contrary, I suggest the opposition stepped up its game.

In that light, I do not expect President Obama, who consistently downplayed the importance of race during the campaign, to now set upon a course his detractors would surely characterize as playing the Race Card. The 44th President, Mr. Obama observed his 48th birthday last month. His message of "Change," combined with his call for post-partisan governance blended the best of Presidents Carter and Clinton's campaign foci. To wit, his wry comment to David Letterman that, “I was black before the election,” sets the perfect tone…for him. But what about you; what do you think? Do you believe all the garish cartoons, the offensive jokes, the rude remarks, and the racially tinged caricatures are simply indicative of trademark rough hewn business-as-usual behavior of a full-throated Right Wing? “You Make The Call!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/28/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5347004.shtml

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/secret-service-investigates-facebook-obama-assassination-poll/story?id=8696126

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/28/facebook.poll/index.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-talk-obama-facebook-threatsep29,0,584462.story

http://www.startribune.com/nation/62473207.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/28/obama-facebook-poll-asks_n_301860.html

http://www.switched.com/2009/09/29/facebook-poll-asking-whether-obama-should-be-killed-draws-fire/

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7016538349?Facebook%20Poll%20On%20Whether%20Obama%20

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10362725-71.html

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/feds_investigate_online_poll_asking_LVwMZlxvfW705DA9q4P5rM

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2009/09/23/opinion-carter-gets-it-right-racism-fuels-attacks-obama%E2%80%99s-governance

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/27/bill-clinton-barack-obama-rightwing

http://newsone.com/nation/lying-african-of-course-its-about-race/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_Gordy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama