ELECTION (9)

Trust to Vote

When it comes to choosing those to represent us in government, I believe Trust is the most important characteristic of any candidate.  Beyond charisma, experience, knowledge, likability, or positions on issues, the people you send to Washington, the city council, the state legislature, or the school board, have to be people that you can trust. Trust trumps all other qualifications.

In order for a candidate to be considered trustworthy they must exhibit the following behaviors:

First, they have to do what they say they are going to do.  That means saying what they mean, and meaning what they say. 

Second, whatever it is that they say they are going to do, they have to do to the best of their ability.  There can be no half-steppin’.

Third, they must tell the truth.  They can’t accept lying as a means to an end.

Fourth, they must be honest.  They can’t blame others for their own mistakes, and they can’t take credit for something they did not do.

And finally, they must never purposely deceive or mislead.  If they do, then they are not worthy of your trust, nor your vote.

As you make your final decisions on who you will choose to represent you, it is both good and proper to look at a candidate’s knowledge or experience, but at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, “Can I trust this person?”  Be sure to Vote.

 

SoulVisionTV.com

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Forward is the Only Option

On November 6, 2012, citizens of the United States will get the distinct honor of choosing their government representatives.  Millions will participate in the democratic process that will determine the future of this country.

While some proclaim that this election is about going back, the nature of life, as created by the Master, only has one direction…Forward.  You don’t get a “do-over” for yesterday.  Once born, you can’t return to infancy.  The clock doesn’t move backwards.  The sun doesn’t move from the west to the east.  Everything moves forward.

So in reality, we only have one choice, and that is to move forward.  Gone are the days of legal segregation, bias, and discrimination.  Why would anyone want to go back to that?  This country has become a much stronger nation because of the inclusion all people, instead of the exclusion of some.  Why would we want to go back to a weaker state?

Life, by design, has only one direction, and that direction is Forward.  It is designed that way so that everyday becomes an opportunity for you to be more.  The Master wants your life to be abundant, and gives you a new day everyday to be all that you can be.

So on this Election Day, we must recognize that life only moves Forward.  That is the only option.

 

SoulVisionTV.com

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Obama Four Years Later: Are You In?

10744076490?profile=originalAre you in? It’s the current battle cry of the 2012 version of the Obama Campaign, and though on its surface, it almost feels like a casual question, it’s rife with much deeper meaning almost three-and-a-half years after the historic election of President Barack Obama.

On its face, and in basic terms, the question says will you volunteer for me again? Will you donate regularly and at the historic levels you did in 2008? But deep down, it forces those of us who worked so hard to support then Senator Obama to ask ourselves, do we still believe in the vision and the man? Can we see Barack Obama’s presidency in its totality and conclude that it has overall been a success, and that his policies and leadership have been better for the country? Despite the historic nature of the election, and the joy we felt as African Americans – has he delivered on the vision of America that he convinced so many of us was possible?

But mostly, the question is an acknowledgement that a lot has changed in four years. The average Obama supporter is no longer in wide-eyed wonderment over the prospects of electing our first black president – four years after history was made, many of us are still grappling with the socio-economic ravages of Bush Administration policies, and confounded over what seems to be President Obama’s commitment to adhering to some of the most unpopular of them – Guantanamo Bay is still open; we’ve expanded what has been a costly presence in Afghanistan under President Obama, and he’s failed up till now to end the Bush-era tax cuts given to the wealthiest Americans and corporations, despite the fact that the nation’s debt and budget deficit continue to skyrocket, and our social safety nets are on the verge of collapse. It’s just a fact – whatever their race, many of the President’s supporters find themselves disappointed in the wake of what have been characterized as broken promises made during the 2008 election, and there are those on the left that have been vocal about their belief that President Obama has given up too much in tough fights with Republicans these last few years.

Even a rabid Obama supporter like me can admit that there have been some disappointing moments in his presidency. I question the wisdom, for example of expending vast amounts of his political capital on waging a long and protracted healthcare reform fight, only to end up with legislation that as of this writing, is being challenged constitutionally before the Supreme Court, legislation that did not go nearly far enough to protect the nation’s citizens in a way that every other industrialized country in the world has been able to. I understood the rationale then, and I understand it now – tackle the sector of our economy that seems most intractable, and that is in the most danger of destroying our nation’s ability to sustain a healthy economy and more importantly, a healthy citizenry for the future – I get it.

The need for reform was even more important in light of the fact that Baby Boomers, who outnumber every other age group in the nation, are approaching retirement, and in danger of completely overwhelming the healthcare system as we know it now if we don’t get costs under control. Again, I get it, and you probably do to. But waging that fight at a time when the country was literally hemorrhaging jobs that have been too slow to come back, and the fact that it all may have been for naught if the Conservatives on the Supreme Court have their way, can’t help but make even the President’s biggest supporters wonder what he and his advisors were thinking.

So it’s 2012, and even I, the original Black Woman for Obama have to ask myself the question: are you in?

It’s not as easy a question for me to answer as it might seem. It’s not just about will I vote for President Obama – of course I will. The question for me and others like me is will I work myself into the ground again to ensure his re-election? As one of the pseudo leaders of the original volunteer corps, will I shut down a large part of my life once more to go out and make sure that as many people in the nation as possible work to get President Obama re-elected, give more blood, sweat, tears, time, and money? Has he earned it?

In my opinion? Yes. Actually, hell yes. And I’ll tell you why. Feel me on this one for a moment.

Several months ago, Melissa Harris-Perry, the brilliant college professor and MSNBC show host did a segment on the Rachel Maddow show called the Tale of Two Michelle’s, where she talked about the disparities inherent in the way the media (at the time) treated Michelle Obama versus how they treated Michelle Bachmann during her failed run for the Republican nomination. It so happens that I have my own two-tales story. I call it – “The Tale of Two Shovels”

The Tale of Two Shovels

So, imagine there’s a job – everyone wants it. And to do this job, you have to be good at doing two things – digging a hole, and filling it back up with dirt – that’s it. Dig the hole and then fill it back up with dirt. The thing is – you have to dig this hole in such a way that the one that comes after you, can always either a) start the digging where you left off or b) begin to fill the hole where you left off. Simple, right?

Now imagine that you get this job – from what you’ve heard, every one of your predecessors, from the beginning of time, has dug the hole, oh, maybe 5, six feet deep, and worked like crazy to fill it back in. You’re not nervous – you know you’re going to have to dig a little, or toss a little dirt in, and you’re up for the task. Well – imagine your surprise, when (upon reporting for duty your first day of work, shovel in hand), you find that the guy that had the job before you, has dug a hole 100 feet deep, and left it for you to fill. Oh – and you have no idea where the dirt is. You still only have 5 feet worth of dirt to fill the hole in with.

In essence – your predecessor has thrown his shovel down, flipped you the bird on the way out, and ran back to his ranch in Texas, I mean, back to wherever he came from, leaving you to deal with the bizarre results of his efforts. And now, not only are your co-workers pressuring you to fill in the hole, those folks who want the job after you are yelling for you to fill the hole. Everyone everywhere wants you to fill in the hole. Fill in the damned hole! Do it now! Yikes.

You try to reason with them – “my predecessor dug a MUCH bigger hole than he should have, a-and there’s no more dirt with which to fill it kind people!”, and they tell you to shut your trap – less yapping, more hole management! Enough about your predecessor, it’s YOUR hole now, and you have to find a way to fill it with dirt. And you better not complain.

Get the picture? President Obama took office at an historic time for America and the world; 700,000 plus jobs were exiting the economy each month; our auto industry was on the verge of collapse, and in danger of taking another one million jobs with it; the financial institutions in this country were disintegrating in the wake of too much greed and too little regulation and because of an expensive and unjust war in Iraq, our reputation around the world was in tatters – when President Obama took the oath of office, he had been left with a very deep hole to fill indeed.

And yet – here we are four years later, arguably through the worst of the last big recession, with an auto industry that’s back on top around the world, and with an economy that has added 200,000 new jobs each of the last three months. This is of course not to say that Americans are no longer feeling the pain of the recession, but it can definitely be argued that as a result of Obama’s leadership and his administration’s policies, a lot of the magical, disappearing dirt has made its way back into the hole. So yes – I’m in. And you should be too.

I believed back in 2008, and I believe now that President Obama is a leader for this time; even as we debate policies, and distill critical issues into 30-second sound bites, there are important realities that we face as a nation, realities that I believe have informed the President’s policies, and which are as important and impactful today as they were then. I call them “the three shuns”:

Globalization. The harsh truth that many don’t want to face is that our ability to conduct commerce across shores easily and seamlessly due to technology means that there are many, many jobs that have left this country that are never coming back. Period. Competing tax rates aside, there are just too many countries with cheap, plentiful labor who are willing and able to do the work Americans used to do, and who can now, thanks to the internet and other communications technologies that make doing business across thousands of miles feel like doing business across the hall.

Education. America is not educating its citizens adequately to compete in the recently mentioned Global Economy. According to a study done by the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment released in 2010, 15-year-old students in the U.S. perform about average in reading and science, and below average in math. Out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math. And even as unemployment continues to hover around 8.5 percent, many jobs that require high-tech skills are going unfilled and leaving companies no choice but to look outside our borders for workers they need.

Innovation. In every major recession since recessions have been recorded, it’s taken some major innovation to spur the country back into economic health. The commercialization of the Internet helped fuel economic recovery after the recession of the early 90’s, for example – innovation has facilitated the kind of economic expansion that results in periods of growth that are typically longer than the recession itself. But innovation takes a level of commitment that the nation has lost, and as a result, countries are cleaning our clocks when it comes to keeping up with our infrastructure, and investing in alternate forms of energy.

And I’m convinced that President Obama understands all of this, and that he has tried over the last three-and-a-half years (with debatable success), to manage the country to those realities always, with shovel in hand, trying to restore order to the hole.

And so as I look back on what’s been since my time as an Obama volunteer, and think about what’s to come, I can honestly say that no – this time, there will likely not be the tingles that ran up and down my and Chris Matthews’ legs during the last election; there may not be the adoring, impassioned crowds, the t-shirts and theme songs, or the plentiful celebrity spokespeople. And worst of all, there may not be the fired up, engaged volunteer corps that helped propel the President into office. So that’s where I come in. That’s where Black Women for Obama comes in. It’s our job this time to cut through the rhetoric, and the bias, and to spread the message of his real record – the record that includes passing the Lily Ledbetter Act to give woman equal pay for an equal days work;         a record that includes more financial reforms meant to protect average Americans than anytime in history, and an expansion of environmental policies that rivals any recent President. And a record that shows an ability to go after and defeat our enemies, in ways that actually make us safer as a nation, without all the lip service.

I’m in – I’m still a Black Woman for Obama. I believe in what the next four years will bring, and I believe in the President’s ability to bring it. So I hope you’ll come on in too – the political waters are fine.

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In the dictionary definition, democracy "is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system." In the phrase of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."Democracy is supposed to be set of ideas and principles about freedom. We have been told that is consists of a set of practices and procedures that have been set forth by our forefathers consisting of these four basic elements:1. A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections.2. The active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life.3. Protection of the human rights of all citizens.4. A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.Today we have the opportunity to exercise what we believe as a collective group of citizens.What will we do with this opportunity? We will get drunk and raise the roof, what are we celebrating? It will be time to roll up our proverbial sleeves and improve upon whatever we are doing to be individuals that model the behavior of new president. Let's be sensible and really make a difference.President-Elect Barack Obama has shown us what it takes to fight for what he believes in. He has shown us that he believes in the America we were destined to be. Not just a super-power globally, but a country that takes care of its citizens.Be proud, be happy, be mindful the now the work has just begun.Omitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect"
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November 4th is a day that seems to not be able to come fast enough. After months of screaming YES WE CAN…the day of reckoning is just around the corner. Now many of you think I’m speaking of the election….but instead I think it’s time for all of us as newly engaged citizens, on fire for a candidate, to use this day to confront our own needs for personal and spiritual housekeeping.We, more than most, get and connect with the fantastic voyage that is Barack Obama’s story. The question becomes, “will we allow Barack’s story to be just that, a story that happened in the midst of our daily complaints, fears, errands and etc.?” Will we get stuck in the land of amazement at our baby boy or girl’s love of Obama or will we figure out how to transition his faith walk and determination into lessons our babies can understand? Will we worry about the attacks coming from his opponents or will we make sure that we learn valuable lessons about moving forward through our own fear and threats of evil opposition? Will we make sure some young person understands that their opposition is not based on perceptions of their weaknesses but the fears of their undeniable strengths?As an early voter, I can say that I felt a surge when I was able to mark an x beside Barack Obama’s name. I was surprised at how choked up I felt when walking back to my car. I kept thinking, Lord Have Mercy…I just voted for Barack Obama, FOR PRESIDENT. I was proud for all of the reasons that we all are. But I admit that there were other things that I thought about that day and most days since.Maybe it’s just me, but when I look at Michelle Obama I see the many sisters coming out of the hair salon after a sweet blow out…when you can’t tell us a thing. When she infuses a certain look when making a point, I see my mom and my girlfriend Lavita. When I see her standing eye to eye with her husband, looking feminine and strong, it reminds me of my girls Nicole, Toni and Tina. When I see Sasha and Malia I see my very bright cousin Madison and the snaggle toothed smile of MaKenzi. When I see Barack’s cool “what’s up” swagger, I see men from my circle like Henry, CJ and Wade. When he’s blamed for being too much of an intellectual, I merely hear the same style of speech used by my friends Omar, Artis and Mike.So in the end, I guess that my greatest pride won’t be JUST that Barack may win but that people and images that are NEVER shown on TV, heck are rarely ever acknowledged, will be selected by MILLIONS for the role of the ultimate leader. And as many are patting themselves on the back for being so FORWARD thinking by selecting Barack, I will know that the things they admire are right in my circle; in my community; in my family.My only desire now is that our pride and recognition of similarities with the Obamas will transition beyond next week. Most of us won’t ever meet Barack Obama. He won’t come to our church and he may never kiss our babies, no matter how cute. Nevertheless, we’re not out of luck. On November 5th, every community has the ability to connect with its own Obama by meeting the NEW YOU. You won't be new because you’re gonna change but new because you’ll decide to share more of your gifts with the people around you. You will choose to vote NO to fear and self doubt. You will recognize that you're only limited by the questions you're scared to ask and the opportunities you're afraid of pursuing.On November 5th communities far and wide can learn that actually we have lots of great black fathers. We can choose to show that there are plenty of happy couples out there who actually like and support each other. Most importantly each of us can introduce our zip codes, our families, our jobs and our friends to a person who truly has FAITH not only in a candidate but in themselves. I’ll leave you with the words spoken by Mandela, but written by Marianne Williamson….“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”May we all be blessed and inspired during this GLORIOUS upcoming week. Enjoy your liberation. :-)Margarette PurvisFounder and CEOThe Purvis Consulting Groupwww.askpcg.com
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Today is November 4, 2008. In the United States we get to use our vote to usher in a new era for our Country.I am voting today because I am black, and many black men and women suffered and died so that I could have this opportunity today.I am voting today because I am a woman, and many women suffered long and hard, so that I could cast my voice into the pool of American voices.I am voting today because I am a United States Citizen, born and bred, and because I love my country.I am voting today because it is my right to make my vote count.I am voting today for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, because they represent a future for my family, especially my son, that I can believe in. Because I believe we as a Country are headed in a direction that cannot end well, and I want to change that course.So whatever reason you have today to vote, make sure you do. If you don't vote, you cannot have an opinion, good or bad, for what happens to the future of this Country, your Country.I may not agree with your choice of candidate, but those same people that died for me, died for you. So whoever you vote for today, make your voice count, make their tears meaningful, and their blood worthy of the dropping.I'll see you tomorrow, in a new America, no matter what the outcome . . . every election is a chance to change course.
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Felons Vote!

“Felons can vote this year.” I heard that statement on this Saturday. My questionable reaction was ‘What?!” and my feeling was dumbfounded. I speculated why I hadn’t heard of this and also I wondered what was so different this year than any other. My first planned course of action was to send out a world wide shout out to let everyone know of this; after some research of course.Monday morning on my way to the j-o-b, I phoned a family member who lives in CA and has been convicted of a felony in his past. Fortunately, he has not allowed that label hinder him. He is a profound business man and it making good for himself and his family. I asked, “Have you heard that felons could vote?” He chuckled and stated, “I have been voting all of my adult life.” I was so surprised. He stated that there was no question on the voter registration card that asked if you have even been convicted of a felony. Immediately, I began to wonder why everyone thought and believed this horrendous myth. I wonder why we just “went along with the flow” and didn’t research or ask questions.Now as I sit here informing everyone who was guided to this writing somehow, the statement, “Ignorance is bliss comes.” I say that because us not knowing this has hurt us so badly but it has blessed others, if you catch my drift. We have been walking around ignorant to the fact that as a people we have much more power than we allow ourselves to have. We have been the source of demise, just by carrying out the lie. I stand accused in this continued unawareness. As I speak I am internally forgiving myself for not knowing. I am forgiving myself for wondering why but not digging for the answers to my questions.I am now wiping my slate clean by informing the masses of people who are like me in this moment. I command you to do this research for yourself and alert everyone that you know to do the same. If you just do not have the tenacity to do so, at least spread the word that in some states, FELONS CAN VOTE, this year and every year after that! Let us not wonder why this genocidal fairy tale was carried out, we should all know the why. Let us work on the how. Let us focus on the what. Let us be the who. Together we can take a stand with the newfound knowledge that we have and we can make a difference. One person cannot change the world but together we can mold this puppy into what we want it to be. Let’s do this man!Depending on the state you live in, if you have had your voter right taken away due to a felony conviction or for any other reason, you can request to have your voter right restored. Certain states like Nevada have already restored felon’s right to vote. Go to your states government page and search for the election page or even more specific: voter right restoration. Don’t give up, look until you find the information you need and then pass the knowledge!Copy and paste the link below to register, if you have not done so already!https://ssl.congress.org/congressorg/e4/nvra/Love & Light, Literary Thought 2008http://www.literarythought.com
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My Voice, My Vote, My Reality!

All across the country, tension is filling the air as we approach "the day of reckoning" the day when each of us are to cast our vote for the candidate who we feel will represent our needs. Relationships are being strained in ways like never before because of the historic nature of this event. We have a Black man, running for President, and we have a White woman running for Vice President. Oh, what to do, what to do, what to do.But you know what the really sad part is? There are still so many Christians, saints, children of the Most High God who feel that politics is something left to other people. What's that old saying, politics and religion don't mix? Many will not even have an open debate about who's telling the truth or who's not telling the truth for fear of some other person disagreeing with them. Too many Christians want to act like God's gonna take care of it all. Yes God will, but that don't let you or I off the hook.The powers that be count on this type of ignorance.... naw... this ain't ignorance, because ignorance is not knowing any better, this is just plain stupid. If the truth be told, everything is about politics and politics is about power and control.Now your vote says, I need to choose the person who will represent my needs, advocate on my behalf, a person who understands my reality. Most of the time, it's not the politician who shows up at your church with your skinning and grinning Pastor for a photo opt, to be placed on the wall in the Pastor's office. These political mongels expect to receive endorsements of the entire congregation for a mere photo opportunity, what a shame! Because most of the time, they get it.Emotions is the key. We are stroked, and stroked some more, played like strings on a violin, that's because if the truth be told, the political spin doctors don't think we have the political savvy to comprehend all the nonsense, lies, garbage and trash feed to us on a regular. Racism is at it's all time high and I wonder are we paying attention? This election is not only about winning, it also about making sure that a Black Man don't get to sleep in the White House, it's about using all the tactics that they can muster up for fear of being led by a Black Man.Now you may not say it out loud, but God gave me a voice to be heard, so this is my take on the matter. So you may wonder, am I gonna vote for Barack Obama because he's a black man? Absolutely. Just because he's a Black man? No. Because he's a Black man who understands my voice, who understands my plight, who understands my reality, better than any other person in this race. I believe He will champion the cause of me and others who's voice has been silenced by the greed and power hunger politicans that has raped our country over the last 8 years.It's my voice, it's my vote, it's my reality.
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