One of the first rules you learn as a child is if  it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, It’s a DUCK.  So, are you really surprised at the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or the incompetence behind the clean-up?

Take heed as you read this article and look at the big picture.  This maybe one incident but it is the norm in Bureaucracies.  The bigger the Government grows, the less regulation we actually get.   The Elite of Big Government will always focus on what they want or need for their backers.  The small organizations and agencies propping up big government go unsupervised and therefore are prone to corruption because they hold tremendous power over a localized area or section of the economy.  

Since Obama became President, he has pushed his Agenda full force.  Like him or not, he will have his (SEIU, ACORN, you fill in the rest) will done.  With the Elite of the Federal Government focused on Healthcare, Cap N Trade,  and destroying the United States Financial Standing, are you surprised people at the Minerals Management Services were allowing BP to fill out their own evaluations?  Does it shock  you Elizabeth Birnbaum was fired, I mean “resigned”, even though she was an Obama pick for the position?    Are you wondering why the Federal Government had a plan of action in case an oil rig like Deep Water Horizon did explode, yet they didn’t have the actual materials to carry out that plan?

I’m going to give Obama a break on this one.  He is trying to take over an entire country, how in the world do you expect him to pay attention to an area so small?  He doesn’t have to worry about the workers getting sick off the dispersant’s BP is using to fool us about how much oil is actually under the surface, he’s assured those workers free Healthcare.  Why do I say it’s free?  Because they are now unemployed and their way of life is basically destroyed.  Oh, wait.  We’ve extended unemployment benefits, we’re taking care of them.

At the local level, you have Bobby Jindal.  An honest politician who acknowledges he doesn’t have the answers but knows doing nothing is not a proper course of action.   Governer Jindal wants to build land barriers to block the oil from reaching the shores of Louisiana.  Are you shocked the Federal Government actually OWNS the shoreline and the Bureaucrats in Washington are running test on what might happen instead of actually acting.   Are  you surprised politicians at the local level, with the exception of gems like Ray Nagin, have a far greater staked interest in prevention and clean-up? 

See, I’m not surprised.  I understand they are still trying to push a GREEN bill, even while we are currently facing the greatest Eco-disaster in our country.  In fact, I expect them to try to pass Cap N Trade with some money and resources allotted for the Gulf.  Come on, how could you vote against helping the clean up in the Gulf, even if it means raising energy cost to every single person in the country?  Never let a crisis go to waste.

It doesn’t shock me people at MMS were accepting bribes, sexual favors, and lump sums of cash.  They know they are expendable.  They know how their industries work.  They are going to get all they can, while they can and do you really blame them?  They can take the money, gifts, title and experience and move some where else in the country not affected by the mess they created.  The American Dream, right?!?!?!?

I’m actually glad America is getting to see what an actual executive looks like in Bobby Jindal.  I watch Jindal when he tries to speak on the National stage, nervous and reserved,  but let him talk about the state of Louisiana and you can understand why we need to restore the Republic.  Individuals elected at the local level should have the authority to handle local issues.  Not only should they have the authority, they should have the responsibility.  The Federal Government sticking it’s nose in thinking it knows what’s best, allows situations like Katrina and this spill to occur.  States now wait and some actually expect the Federal government to come in and save them.  What happened to States that legislate, defend, and protect their own boarders because that’s the role allotted to them by the Founders.

Before Obama signed the Healthcare bill we were shouting to the roof tops, do you want your Doctor’s Appointments to be run like the DMV, Social Services offices, or the Post Office.  Now I question, do you want your Healthcare run like this Oil Spill?  What about your energy?  What would happen if the Government controlled all our electricity, a bureaucrat was watching porn, and some how the lights went out.  Forty-Five days later they still can’t solve the problem but some lowly person you’ve never heard of has been fired. 

That is Big Government.  If it walks Like a Duck and Talks like a Duck, you better go and join a Tea Party.

This article is weeks in the making.  I’ve actually sat at the computer and started to write four time already, to no avail.  I really don’t want to write another race article, yet God has put it on my heart  so here we go.

What is Racism?  Dictionary Definition- a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.   WOW! 

This leads me to all sorts of questions.   Let’s start with America’s most known racist, the KKK.   The Ku Klux Klan was created by Democrats after the Civil War.   After the Confederates defeat, there were a lot of soldiers and land owners who wanted to maintain White Supremacy.   Why?  If they we’re really Racist, they would be unafraid of giving blacks their freedom.  In fact, they were cowards afraid to compete.

Just think about it.  These white men had been taught their whole lives that they were the cream of the crop.  They were the race that God put here to dominate America but in their heart of hearts, they knew better.  They had seen the Black Men in the fields and they knew they could not outwork them.   They knew the only thing standing in the way of Black People rising to take over the South was lack of education.    Now they were no longer in the position to deny them that right. 

Blacks outnumbered whites in the South, so if they found out they could vote, it was all over.  This is what sparked the KKK.  FEAR!   Fear they were not pre-destined to greatness.  Fear they were really equal to blacks, therefore we had to be put in our place.   Fear of their own inferiority.  So, were they racist or  elitist, thrown from their mis-placed high perch? 

Their mothers and fathers, not God, gave them the feeling of Superiority.  They were Elitist.  Dictionary Definition-  the socially superior part of society or a group of persons who by virtue of position or education exercise much power or influence.   As long as slavery existed, they could control the minds of the people and keep their social stature.  Elites are always scared to compete.  That’s why Kings, Queens, and Slave Owners ruled with absolute power.  Who are you to question me?

I’ve run this concept across a couple of people and I get the same reaction from those who disagree, just look at the Nazis’.  Ok but first we have to look at the Jews.  What is the primary argument used to justify hating the Jews?  Most say, “they crucified Jesus”.  Ok, they played their part in God’s will.  What else you got?

The real reason Jews are hated is because they are perceived as the pervayers of money and power.   They are the reason this group is poor or that group is unhappy.  They have  been used as a scapegoat all throughout History to redirect a nation’s hatred away from the “ELITES” that rape and plunder private property and personal funds.  Just blame the Jews.

Now, if you are Hitler and you already have the people, what’s next?  If you were really that secure in the dominance of the Blue-Eyed Blond-Haired race why not build a nation on that dominance?  Like, “German People stand up, strap up your bootstraps and let’s show the rest of the world how a perfect White Society looks”.  Instead, it became ”if we could only get rid of the Jews”.  Why?  Are Germans so inferior that you have to eliminate all other ethnicities to be successful? 

This is Cowardice, not Superiority.  Are Germans incapable of practicing frugality?  Are they to stupid to manage, stack, and re-invest the resources and capital within their society?  Why is their whole existence predicated on the extinction of another race?  Nazi’s were not racist, they were Elitist who believed they could forge a perfect society once they became the only strong group.  While all Jews were sought after, those who owned land, businesses, and personal wealth were the first to go. 

This is the part where I really piss some people off.  If the definition holds true, we are the most racist people on the planet and to make it worse, most of our racism is targeted back towards ourselves.   We were taught by our mothers and fathers, “A white man doesn’t want a black man to succeed”.  Does this actually affect a Black Person’s ability to succeed?  Only if that Black Person believes they are inferior.

And as a community, we have brought into this notion hook, line, and sinker.    “They” want Black Communities to fail and we stand and watch as they crumble.  “They” don’t represent us and our needs in Government, so we stand back and let them make the decisions for us.    “They” want to see our Black men in prison, so we sell drugs and shoot each other to make their job easier.  Here comes the million dollar question, WHO is THEY?

Are “They” white men in sheets or are “They” the black people that convinced our mothers and fathers we needed government?  I ask this question because I’ve been learning my history.  When those white men were running around afraid to show who they really were, Blacks were building towns, industry, and healthy, happy families.  While those white men hung us from trees and burnt down our churches, we were taking our rightful place in the food chain of America.  For all the hate and destruction perpetrated by the KKK, in actuality, they were a complete failure as a group.  We beat them by building, when all they could do was destroy.

While white racism towards blacks may still exist in America, is it the true force behind our ills?  Take a look back at the footage of the Civil Rights movement.  Most Blacks were in suits and dresses with their heads held high as they marched through White neighborhoods unafraid.  They didn’t care what White people thought, maybe because they had white people marching along side them, they marched because of their own strength and dignity.  They owned homes, businesses, and were productive members of society, whether a white man wanted them to be or not.

So how did we get to thinking we have to take everything from White People to be successful Black People?  When did our existence start to depend on the extermination or degradation of another racial group?  When did we become Cowards afraid to compete because of our own inferiority?  I don’t believe this is who we truly are.  I believe we are powerful beyond measure when we count on ourselves instead of focusing on tearing down someone else.

Where did our current lack of self-sufficiency begin?  In my opinion, it started in the 1920’s with W.E.B. DuBois.  While Progressives like Margaret Sanger were trying to develop means to destroy the black community, DuBois stepped in and said Wait.  All blacks are not inferior.  There are 10% of us who are equal to white people.  The other 90% can be controlled by us Black Elites.  What percentage of the black vote did Obama receive?

Then the Civil Rights movement began.  We wanted to prove we were equals and all we demanded was an equal playing field.   This movement wasn’t started by the Elite.  It was started by a single black woman, Rosa Parks, who had enough pride and dignity within herself to say enough is enough.  She became a national treasure because she showed the strength of a single American to start a Revolution.

And where were the Elites?  They were negotiating with President Kennedy.  It didn’t matter to them that Kennedy had both Martin Luther King Jr and Malcom X under government surveillance, it only mattered that they be the one’s that officially broker the deal of Civil Rights.  How upset the Talented Tenth, DuBois’ Elite 10%, must have been to have the 90% of inferior citizens move mountains.

After King’s Death, the Elite went right to work within the Democratic Party.  They missed their chance to win over the black community, who still voted Republican, and they were hell bent on proving their superiority.   They were now amongst the Elites from the KKK, the Elites from the Progressives, and the Elites of the Unions.   

If you are a White Democrat and you want to secure the black vote, you must now go through the Black Elite.  And this is where we have been for the last Forty Years.  It doesn’t matter if a Democrat has our best interest at heart, it only matters they are accepted by those who presume they are the Cream of the Black Crop.  The Jesse Jacksons’ throw out accusations of a Racist America, when they are Millionaires.  The Al Sharptons’ preach on “fairness” and “social justice”, without explaining what they mean is Socialism.    They make it seem like being Black in America is a plague, yet they are invited to all the parties, galas, and conventions with the other Elites.

And we are left to argue over Race.  We still talk in Black and White, while the Elites have moved on to giving favors to the Unions, Car Companies, Banks, and other Financial Institutions.  Slowly but surely, this generation of perceived Black Elites are learning a hard lesson.  Barack Obama didn’t come up through the traditional “Harlem” channels.  He didn’t seek out Al Sharpton, he had Andy Stern.  He didn’t seek out Jesse Jackson, he had “Chicago Politics”.  And now they are surprised there is no “Black Agenda”.

We must stop talking race and start talking Financial Freedom.  We must stop waiting for Government to be “FAIR” and “SAVE” us, we must begin building the life boats to save ourselves. We must declare our own equality copying those before us.  We must build.  We can no longer play the game of React and Destroy, remember you reap what you sow.  We can no longer accept someone else’s failure as our only access to success.  We’ve done it before, can we do it again?

If I were petty and racially-driven, I would be upset with my Virginia Governor Bob McDonell.  His decision to call April Confederate History Month has sparked anger with Black Democrats across the state.  Black Republicans within the state are now scrambling to answer calls of “Uncle Tom” and “Traitor”.    As the newly named President of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of Virginia, I am left looking at this as an opportunity.

Ironically, a couple weeks ago at the Frederick Douglass Foundation Leadership Summit, I got to ask Va Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli a question on this very topic.  I pointed out the rather large Robert E. Lee Statue is celebrated in Richmond as a part of Democratic History in Va.  I asked the Attorney General when will we start to celebrate Virginia’s Republican History?   I contrasted the Robert E. Lee Statue against the Maggie Walker House and the former Black Wall Street only a few blocks away.

He gave the best non-answer a person can give, he plainly stated he didn’t know about the History of which I spoke.   O.K.  I’m giving him to much credit.  He rambled on and on until it was plain to see he couldn’t answer my question because he didn’t know the History of which I spoke.  Yet, I held no ill will.  It would be like inviting me to a fancy dinner and asking me to point out the salad fork, not going to happen.

Most of the Black Residents of Virginia don’t know the Republican History in this State.  Since most of that History is centered around Blacks, maybe we can play a little game.  April is Confederate History Month, where we learn how Virginia Democrats seceded from the Union to keep their slaves and May can be Reconstruction History Month, where we learn what Black Republicans did during that time period to enhance Va culture, education, and financial freedom.

We all know the name Langston  Hughes but very few know the name, John Mercer Langston.   He was the famous poets Great Uncle and one of the first Black Republicans to obtain a United States Congressional Seat.  Since this happened after the Civil War, it won’t be celebrated by McDonnell’s little proclamation.   And there in lies the problem.  We give the preception of celebrating Southern History with Southern Pride,  yet we leave out Southerners of color who stayed to improve the conditions of the newly freed slaves. 

So, my question is “Why celebrate and give notice to the Democratic Legacy in Virginia, if you are a Republican Governor?”  Where is your Republican Southern Pride?  Now, I can understand why White Republicans don’t officially go after the Black Population.  I’ll give credit to McDonnell.  He had multiple Black Republicans working on and supporting his campaign but did he stop to think how this decision would affect them?

Before I follow the racial path and shout, “Don’t these White Republicans know what us Black Republicans have to go through just to represent our party,” I’ll instead offer a different point of view for the Republicans in power.  If you don’t know how to communicate with the black community, then how about reaching out to the young Conservatives on College Campuses?

Maybe you can point out how Hampton University started with classes under an Oak Tree by a single teacher, Mary Smith Peake.  Explain how, under Union protection as “Contraband”,  free blacks flocked to Republican Strongholds for Safety and Education.   Enlighten Virginians on how Rich and Affluent Republicans gave huge donations that turned that tree into an Emancipation Oak.  Then that Emancipation Oak into a little brown cottage.  Then that little brown cottage into  Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, and now it’s Hampton University, a proud HBCU.  Just for kicks, add the fact that Booker T. Washington, an abolitionist entrenched in the Republican Reconstruction graduated from Hampton University.

Since I brought up John Mercer Langston earlier, let’s see what we can say to college students at Virginia State University.  Let me bring up another name most Virginians, black or white, don’t know; Robert Russa Moton.

   The next morning I asked my father about the school for coloured people, which was being projected under the influence of General Mahone at Petersburg, now a State Normal School. He told me much about it. It was to open the following fall. The Hon. John M. Langston, he said, a coloured man who was as well educated as any white person that he knew of, was to be the president. He said I might go if I wished and that he would do what he could to help me. It being a state school, and he having certain strong friends in the Republican Party (General Mahone among them), Hon. B.S. Hooper, a member of Congress from the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia, would probably arrange for me to have a scholarship.”

When VSU was still Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, blacks seeked out Republicans to help them aquire an education.  No wonder J. W. Langston became the schools first President.  You know, the same man who broke Virginia’s racial lines to become an elected official.  Because of Republican efforts in education, Robert Russa Moton was able to follow in Booker T. Washington’s footsteps to become Principal of the Tuskegee Institute.

We can stop by Virginia Union University.  We can show how Religious Groups, along with the Republican Party, stood up to Virginia Democrats to teach released slaves about their heritage.  Slavery had ripped the titles Father, Mother, and Family from the black vernacular and VUU played an important role in returning the family unit.  Then we can go to St. Paul’s College and Norfolk State.  Same message for every school, the Republican Party has played a major role in establishing some of the most prominent colleges in Va.

So why is Confederate History Month so important?  Who is McDonnell really trying to impress with this edict of respect?  This is my only problem with Reaganomics.  It leads modern day conservatives to believe the Republican Party started with Ronald Reagan.  What about Carter Woodson, Sojournor Truth, and how many more that held the Republican label as a badge of Honor long before the Cold War.  Is there any importance in this History, while you are picking and choosing which History to celebrate?

This whole mess has presented me with the answer to a long held question.  Why is the Republican Party unable to connect with the Black Community?  I’m convinced I’ve come up with an answer.  Most Republicans don’t know the full extent of Republican History, as demonstrated by my Attonery Generals’ lack of an answer, and most Blacks don’t know the full realm of Black History, as evident by the majority of Black Citizens assuming Democrats have their best wishes at heart.  If both groups would brush up on their History, they would realize it’s one in the same.  You can’t celebrate the Republican Party without Blacks and you can’t celebrate Black History without Republicans.

With all that being said and as a precursor to insults and judgements sure to be hurled my way, I offer this bit of solace.  I am a Revolutionary, not a reactionary.  I won’t accept Foodstamps as a solution to poverty because Bob McDonnell wants to celebrate the Confederacy.  I won’t accept Obamacare because he didn’t mention slavery in his declaration.  I will not be led by the collar on the basis of race by either party.  Instead I will do what those great black Republicans did before me and make a way when elements on both sides are praying for my downfall.

WOW!  Scott Brown won in Massachusetts.  I wonder what Teddy Kennedy would say, God rest his soul.  I’m so excited, I want to make a cake.  Follow along.

So, I start off with a box of butter recipe yellow cake mix and a tub of chocolate frosting.  I follow the directions, as is, on the box and thirty minutes later there’s a cake.  Now, I have to be patient and let it cool.  Next, I spread chocolate frosting all over the cake.  We now have CAKE, yeah.  Everybody cheer.

My family drops by and I realize, I don’t have enough Cake.  “Oh, we’re here to help”,  “We’ll make better Cakes”,  “I make mine from scratch”,  “Well, I can make the frosting”; and the fun begins. 

“Oh, we’re here to help” turns into “Girl, you should really re-paint this kitchen, blue does nothing for these walls” or “Are these all the cakes pans you have?  You should go to the bakery store, I got a dude that could hook you up for free.”

“We’ll make better cakes” turns into “Why you want yellow cake?  Strawberry is better.  Where’s the Strawberry?” or “See, your problem is you bought Pillsbury, you should’ve bought Duncan Hines.  A cake tastes better with Duncan Hines.”

“I make mine from scratch” turns into “My grandma owned a shop and I used to watch her everyday.  Do you have one of those big mixing things?”  or “You don’t have everything I need but I can make it work.”

“I can make frosting” turns into “Here’s the frosting, now where’s the cake?”

In Massachusetts, Scott Brown was in his kitchen, alone, making a cake.  He followed his convictions, as is, and a couple months later he has a victory.  He’ll have to be patient and wrangle through the obstacles Democrats lay in his path.  But eventually, his voice will be heard in the halls of Congress.  Everybody cheer.

What happens when he gets there?  Will he fall into the trap of those trying to help, of a caucus that would love to have a new member, the group that thinks its better to start from scratch, or the group that wants to put chocolate frosting on the cake we already have?  The sad truth is, we don’t know.  Let’s have faith he stays with the original recipe.  Congrats Scott Brown.

There is a bigger picture in this analogy.  Our Constitution is the cake mix and we haven’t been follow the recipe, as is, for a very long time. 

We have politicians who say “We’re here to help”, when their real intentions are to control every aspect of American life.  They allot welfare, public housing, and food stamps.  In return, they control how much you make, where you live, and what you eat.  Is that really HELPING?

We have politicians who say “We can do it better”, when they have never run a business or made a payroll in their entire lives.  They’ve never lost it all in a bad venture and had to struggle back to the top; vowing along the way never to make those same mistakes again.   They look for short cuts and side streets to avoid their first inevitable failure.  Are these the people we want running our country?

We have politicians that say “Let’s start from scratch”.  What?  Republicans wanting to be more like Democrats.  Democrats wanting to be more like Socialist.  This isn’t a new recipe, this isn’t starting from scratch.  This is the reason our founders made the original recipe.  They were running from the burnt Souffles’ of Europe to a simple American Pie.

Do we have any politicians that say, “let’s just follow the recipe for the cake”?  We can make any frosting we choose and if it doesn’t taste good, we’ll just make another batch.  As long as we have the cake, the frosting doesn’t matter.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

And where are the American People in this analogy?  It’s our kitchen.  If we let them in, we can’t complain about cleaning up the mess.  We must roll up our selves and learn from our mistakes.

Here we go again.  I’m beginning to think the strength in the Republican party is reaction.  This coming from the party that wants to be proactive in every other arena.  But when it comes to the Obama Administration and its destruction of our country, Republicans wait until its politically sound to speak up.

Then to add insult to injury, they play the Liberal game.  Harry Reid has taken a racial statement from his own mouth and used it as a weapon against the GOP.   Instead of sticking up for the 1st amendment and an idiots right to get caught with his foot in his mouth, they want to label Republicans as victims.  What?

Isn’t that what we’re fighting against?  Political Correctness that hinders our ability to stop a terrorist from getting on a plane because we don’t want to point out his ethnicity.  I mean isn’t that what all this profiling talk is about?  Destroying political correctness?

You have the Leader of the Senate, Harry Reid,  caught telling his own self truth.  His mind still reverts to a time when we were called ”Negro” and I’m guessing he didn’t hang with many black English Professors during that period.  So let’s put two and two together.  During the time period when he fought for us lil ol’ Negros, he didn’t know any of us, or at least none that matched his standard of what was acceptable?

This is another example of how the Democratic Elite views minority communities!  WAKE UP!  Either you are light- skinned or you’re pookie.  Remember, house nigger and field nigger, same difference.  A white man in a position of power just divided our race into the acceptable and the unacceptable and the blacks around him defend it.  What group do you think they’re in and what do you think they label you?

Why isn’t that the focus of all the condemnation?  Harry Reid told the truth and the Democrats that surround him are assisting him in getting off the hook.  I’m not talking about losing his Leadership position, I’m talking about forcing Liberals to have a real conversation on Race and their true held beliefs.   Are they fighting for minorities because its the right thing to do?  Or do they hold the “Helter Skelter” mentality that one day we’ll destroy ourselves and beg for their wisdom?

Instead, we’re talking about Trent Lott and Strom Thurman and I have yet to hear anyone point out Thurman was in a segregationlist splinter cell of the Democratic Party.  They say Dixiecrat, like we don’t know what they’re talking about. 

(For those that don’t know; A Nutshell:  Strom Thurman, the man they vehemently oppose and are offended by, was a DEMOCRAT.  He broke from the main branch of the party to a splinter group, the Dixiecrats.  These are “White Power” Democrats who were mad at the party’s attempt to undo their champion, (DEMOCRAT) Woodrow Wilson’s federal segegregation laws.  They were fighting with other Democrats about how openly racist they should be.)

And that’s where we are, Democrats still fighting about what level of racism is allowed and by whom.  By becoming VICTIMS, Republicans miss the opportunity to point out truth.  We have a first amendment, Reid knew there would be no legel reprecussions for his comment. Why were these comments made in private?    Why did he call Rev. Al Sharpton to apologize?  I’ve got the answer to these questions, but you’ll have to tune in to WHWDRADIO  Wednesday at 6 p.m. eastern to hear it.

(to get all references watch New Jack City)

Seriously, do you remember Pookie?  “Prom Queen?  You ain’t nothing but a Prom Fiend.”   You know, New Jack City Pookie.

Is this the image in the mind of policy makers when they think about the minority community?  Are we all “Pookies” and “Prom Fiends” that need the federal government to provide us with hope?  For just a moment, I want to take a look back at the life of “Pookie”.

Pookie was an addict, a straight up funky, junkie.  The absolute example of buying what you want and begging for what you need.  Until one man reached out to him; watched him during the shakes, encouraged him during the weak moments, and refused to let him fail.  A single man lifted a weary and broken soul. 

 It took the government to destroy it.  Good intentions, yes.  Bad outcome, always.  After Pookie cleaned himself up and got his life on track, government gave him a job.  They sent him back to the very same streets that trapped him in the first place.

Was this in Pookie’s best interest?  No, even though in government eyes,  it was in the best interest of the community.  A man that decides to go back and help his community is one thing, forcing- by guilt or “moral obligation”- is completely different.  Pookie could’ve developed his own personal way of giving back, instead Government to the rescue.

Governments’ good intentions were wrong, Pookie self-destructed and died, and to top it off the bad guy got away.  That is, until a single man with bad intentions did what the Government could not.

Are you O.K. with being compared to “Pookie”?  I’m not the trivial type,  I use mass associations all the time but POOKIE.  I’d use Nino before I used POOKIE.  Pookie is what dealers call fiends when they are too unimportant to remember their names.  I can only see this one of two ways; either it’s an insult and the black elite think that Pookieitis is rampant amongst us or as middle class black Americans we are not on Governments radar.

I don’t buy into Pookieitis.  I believe most black Americans-poor, rich and in between- are really capitalist at heart.  Given the chance, they would prefer working to build wealth over government hand outs.  If Pookieitis were to exist the remedy would be capitalist training, the basic understanding if you want to be rich, you have to learn to live poor.  Sacrifice.

I believe its more about middle class minorities grouping themselves amongst those that need the most help.  Government doesn’t see it that way.  You are not an example they can hold up for the suffering in Urban Communities.  They can’t point to you as a prime motivation for why wealth redistribution is necessary.  You are not dependent on Government for your home, food, car, clothes, health insurance, or anything else.  You are privileged.   

From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.  It doesn’t matter how hard or how long you worked and sacrificed to maintain your lifestyle, the only thing that matters is you have it and somebody else doesn’t.  So when I say “Pookie” is an insult, I mean its insulting you would voluntarily demean your work ethic and urge to excel by cheering for policy meant to reduce you back to “Pookie”.

Hurry, we need to pass Healthcare.  Let’s blame big pharma. 

We can’t.  We made a deal with them.  They go along with healthcare, we won’t allow Canadian medicine into America.

O.K. Blame Canada. 

We don’t want to say anything bad about the healthcare system we’re trying to force on Americans, plus I think South Park already took that line.

Then Blame Doctors

The people don’t believe their doctor would cut off their foot for profit

Blame Insurance Companies

That could work. 

I question, Who’s next?

Hurry, we need to save the Planet.  Let’s blame Car Companies

We can’t.  We own car companies now.

Climate Change Opposition, blame them

That’s about 72% of all Americans, I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Why didn’t I think of this before?  Let’s blame Big Oil

Again?  How about if we add the coal industry this time, change it up a bit.

I question, Who’s next?

Hurry, we need jobs.  Blame Bush

That was easy.

We still need jobs.

Blame Bush.

Ahhhh….That’s not working anymore

Blame Wallstreet

We’re telling Wallstreet to stop paying people.  I don’t think that would work.

Do I have to do everything?  Blame Banks for not lending.

We’re telling the Bankers they participated in risky behavior that caused our Country to slip into a deep depression.  Now you want them to go back to that risky behavior with the American Taxpayer backing them up?

Just Blame the Bankers and Bush.  That should work

 I question, Who’s next?

We are getting the Government we deserve.  Yet, no one is placing the blame at our footsteps.  We want a Government that obeys the will of the people and that’s what we have.  A Government that blames someone else for the problems they create, just like many of us do in our personal lives.  When things go wrong  because of personal decisions, we can easily point at Republicans or Democrats and say they are the problem.  Why should we be surprised our Government reflects that?

So, let’s get to the question at hand.  Who’s next?   I mean, when everything hits the fan and the blame game is no longer fun, who will be left holding all the chips?  Government!  While we’re busy paying attention to Tiger Woods and White House party crashers, the Executive Branch is collecting and consolidating power.  What happens when America wakes up and Government has complete power to place blame?

American Citizens, we blame you for the exorbitant cost of healthcare.  You and your drinking alcohol, soda, and milk.  You think you have the right to free healthcare when you eat meat, don’t get enough exercise, and spend all day combing the Internet for new information on what we’re doing.  You got your free abortion, why are you complaining because Granny can’t get a hip replacement?  You will live by our rules because we know what’s good for you.

What happens when there is nothing you can do about it?  At least with insurance, you could go to government with a grievance. 

American Citizens, we blame you for the destruction of our planet.  You and your big screen t.v.’s, monster SUV’s, and big houses.  You think the planet will keep on spinning if you continue to have multiple child families, dogs and cats for pets, and keep multiplying the cattle population?  Do you know the carbon foot print of farting cows, crying babies, and animals you can’t eat?  You have experienced the privilege of Capitalism and you squandered it, now you will bow to the will of  Government.

American Citizens, we blame you for the lack of jobs.  Where is your ambition?  Where is your desire not to settle?  We gave you high minimum wage, the right to a union, and a Trillion dollar stimulus.   And what about unemployment benefits, we gave you two years and you still need a job.  Don’t worry, we’ll give you what you seek.   I’ve got an opening to dig and refill ditches.

Realize  none of these things are your fault, unless you believe the standard of living in America is too advanced compared to the rest of the world.  The rest of us shouldn’t be blamed for the price of healthcare, the destruction of our planet or lack of jobs.  That blame rightly falls on the politicians in Washington.  Our fault lies in continuing to send the same people back to represent us.

We send them back with no punishment for earmarks, violating the Constitution or refusing to hear the will of the people; then we wonder why all we ever see is blame instead of results.  If you’re a Republican, you blame the Democrats.  If you’re a Democrat, you blame the Republicans. 

To steal a phrase from Rev. Wright, “When will the American Domestic agenda chickens come home to roost?’  And how will we respond when the Democrats and the Republicans have the power to put the blame and consequence directly on our shoulders?

I wonder if during The Great Depression, the people carried the same sort of angst we hold now. Whether they believed they had destroyed America for the generations to follow or were they more worried about their current plight?

With the pre-election crash in the market, a continued fear of market investment, high unemployment, high taxes, and a government that leans to protectionism and massive spending; the scene is set for a Great Depression. Two major factors keep us on the brink of what we deserve and what we will allow; the individual American and the Government. This doesn’t bode well for us.

Government’s heavy handiness occurred during the Great Depression. The individual American had legitimate arguments. They hadn’t lived out-side of their means or risked it all in the stock market; their only sin was depositing money in an unsecured bank. As banks failed, they lost everything and the first “US” generation was born. “We, the people” was forgotten and selfishness and entitlement set in.

We are entitled to benefits when we get older! Why? We fixed the problem and now bank deposits are insured. Save for yourself to ensure it will be there when you need it, instead of when Government says you can have it.

We are entitled to jobs! Why? There were no jobs when the Pilgrims came. They opened stores, created industry, and started the building blocks of our modern economy. If you don’t have a job, go and create a job. We are entitled to a chance at wealth, not a chance at Just Over Broke.

We are entitled to a house! Why? A house is nothing more than wood and bolts; a home is truly what you seek. If you mature to a place where you can create a home, getting a house will be no problem. If you can’t pay your bills you won’t have a happy home and more than likely you don’t deserve a house.

You would think I’m talking about the current situation, but sadly this argument was waged and defeated during The Great Depression. Social Security still exists and is deemed ‘popular’ even though Congress has raided it’s lockbox. People still look to Government to create jobs and wonder why those jobs don’t create wealth for the lower class. And the introduction of the Federal Housing Administration has brought us Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the housing bubble. Government made it’s mark.

Did the individual American make a mark? Indeed. The car radio, the Laundromat, the supermarket, chocolate chip cookies, copy machines and Monopoly all got their start during the Great Depression. People with no job, or jobs that didn’t provide security, branched out and invented something new. They created wealth in companies that still exist today; Parker Brothers, Xerox, Tollhouse, and Schick razors.

Remember, this is the first generation of ‘US’. They set limits on what they would allow by utilizing the freedom found in America. Times were hard but in America anything was possible. They took advantage of the economic downturn by creating a demand even when consumer spending was dismal. They created REAL WEALTH, while the Government spent Millions and Millions of dollars and failed miserably at creating permanent JOBS.

In today’s crisis, we are dealing with generation ‘me’. Forget “we, the people”, forget ‘us’, and focus on ME. What are you going to do for me? More and more individual Americans are willing to give away their right to build wealth. That’s the most disturbing aspect looking towards the future of America and the individual American.

The government is still up to its same old tricks, showing its heavy hand at every turn; healthcare, cap and trade, and increasing regulation. How much will we allow? Will we look to government to create jobs that don’t last and don’t create a better situation for its workers? Or will we look to ourselves and create a demand even when consumer spending is at a stand still? How can we make the individual American understand the strength of this country comes from his or her sweat and determination and not the Government Pocketbook?

My sister came to visit me this week. She brought her friend. Not like that, he is just a friend. In fact, he’s been our friend for over a decade. That means I’ve seen him up, down, and every level in between.

O.K. We get into a conversation about politics. He isn’t a Barack Obama Fan nor did he vote for John McCain, he hates all politicians. But it doesn’t stop there. He also hates the military, the police, and all other government entities. He says, “I don’t believe any of them have my best interest at heart”.

Then he starts, “The government should pay for healthcare, jobs, food, house, and everything else because it’s not fair”. “I work two jobs and don’t have money to feed myself, that shit is fucked up”.

So I ask, “What kind of car do you drive?” He looks at me for a moment before he tried to rationalize his answer. See, he doesn’t have a place to live, his job cut back his hours, and he drives a 2005 BMW. A couple months ago, he was in a car accident. Guess what, no car insurance and no health insurance; so his check is being garnished to pay for the repair to the other person’s car.

None of this is mentioned in his original tirade about the state of our Government. Nothing about his own self-responsibility or lack there of. He made all the same mistakes I’ve made. He’s spent money on the here and now and not planning for the future. The only difference, I understand these were my mistakes and not that of the government. He, on the other hand, looks toward the government as a scapegoat.

Let me give you a little more back round before I make my point. His father was in the military. They traveled all around the world before they retired as a military family in Virginia. His father worked a blue collar job and his mother worked in Academia. They didn’t make alot of money, but they raised three kids in a nice neighborhood and they always had food and clothes.

His father doesn’t complain about his life, his father takes what comes like a soldier. They decided to sell their house and now my friend is mad, “My father worked his whole life, it ain’t right they have to sell the house”. Well, the father sold the house because he didn’t need the space or maybe it was to let the last chick in nest know it was time to branch out on his own. They still are home owners, it’s just now, they don’t have a mortgage because they own a smaller house.

While in the process of moving, the father fell from a ladder and hurt his back. He went to the hospital and when all was said and done, he owed a $7,000 bill. My friend was mad all over again, “My father served in the military for 20 years, he shouldn’t have to pay anything when he gets hurt”. His brother and sister, on the other hand, split the bill and paid it off for their father.

My Point

Throughout this post, I’ve referred to this person as my friend. The truth is, I’ve never really treated him like a friend. When it’s time for “grown folks” conversation, he always reverts back to someone else. I don’t have the tolerance for that. Example: We were in the deep country at my Aunts for a cook-out. He walks up to me and starts to talk. Normally, I’d blow him off and run as away as fast as I could, but this day I stayed and listened.

He told me he wanted something different for his life. He was tired of trying and trying but never getting anywhere. I knew he was full of it. I knew he was just talking to hear his own voice but I listened. When he finished, I felt bad because he was going through a lot of the same things I was going through. He was sad, unsure, and scared out of his mind at the idea of what the future held for him.

You ever experience a time when you’re not thinking of prayer, yet God enters your head? Well, I had one of those moments. I took the time to sit and talk with him. I told him, “we keep going through the same things because we keep doing the same things. We have to self-analyze and figure out what faults we have that are keeping us down.”

Now, I gave him every opportunity to admit a self-fault. Like, I had to apologize to him because during the course of our conversation, I started yelling at him. It is a fault I have but I own up to it. (Quite often, I’m ashamed to admit) But he stood in my face and said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He stood there like he did everything right and this is his reward.

Actually, he continued to do everything wrong and this is his punishment. He actually looks through the Bible and finds the verses that excuse his laziness or explains his inability to persevere. I quote the same passage to him every time. “To thine own self be true”

He told me upon leaving my house, no matter what the conversation, he always leaves with a different perspective on life. But this is what I don’t understand, I’ve been talking the same way since…….forever. How can I constantly keep changing your mind?

As flawed as I am, I still know one thing to be true. The only person I can really trust is myself. That means I have no choice but to look in the mirror and recognize my faults to make sure I’m trustworthy. Just as you would examine the acts of another to determine their level of trust. If in that self-analysis you refuse to look at self, then you’ve got a problem.

If in that self-analysis you refuse to look at self and turn your focus to government, then we’ve all got a problem. “By the people and for the people” used to be a good thing. Religion was front and center for majority of Americans. They believed in God’s word and that meant “reaping what you sow”. If you want food, you have to plant crops and hunt for meat. If you wanted to survive winter, you had to plan properly in spring, summer, and fall. If you wanted to be treated with respect, treat others with respect first.

Now we believe we must reap what our forefather’s have sown. They were slaves, so we should be treated better BY GOVERNMENT. They were persecuted, raped, and ripped from their families, so we should be taken care of BY GOVERNMENT. They were whipped, hung, and called every name but the child of God, so GOVERNMENT STAND UP AND DO WHAT”S RIGHT.

Did we forget to mention, Government made us slaves? How flawed are you personally, if you overlook all of this just to avoid looking at yourself in the mirror? You can blame Government for putting crack in the inner cities but are willing to let them take over your healthcare. You can blame Government for capitalist theft in inner cities, then let them become responsible for job creation and economic leadership. You can blame Government for failing to educate, then allow the entire Public Education system to be run by Unions that endorse more Government.

If you blame Government for all these mistakes and grievances, why would you want them to have more control over your life?

A. You are in the controlling body of Government and you understand the amount of power coming your way. Our founding father’s didn’t know what they were doing. You can’t trust the American people to make decisions for themselves, they refuse to even look in the mirror. We need centralized power to enrich people’s lives by telling them what to eat, what to drive, where to live, where to work, and how many kids to have. They will love us because we will structure their lives for them and if it doesn’t work, they won’t have any power to change it back. WIN WIN

B. You don’t care. Government will do what they want to do, why bother? I’ll do me and that’s all that matters. Plus, Barack Obama is black, he knows what’s up!

C. Slavery wasn’t all that bad. I mean, this time we wouldn’t actually have to wear chains. We’ll be more like the people in Cuba and Venezuela. We’ll already know who to vote for, so we don’t have to pay attention to politics. Who cares if we no longer have freedom of choice, that means we don’t have to think for ourselves. Who needs a mirror anyways?

D. I’ll keep blaming Government as long as it means I don’t have to self-analyze.

If the majority of Americans pick an answer to this question, we are getting government we deserve. Even worse than that, the Democrats would be right, not in their campaign pledges or well put together speeches, but in their overall focus. If we become a nation not willing to fight for our own freedoms or our own right to make mistakes, then I can’t blame them for usurping that power. It would be like a Nanny walking past a baby and not picking it up.

Give your power away and someone will take it. Don’t set firm morals and beliefs and someone can come along and change them. Forget we became the greatest nation in the world because of individual strength and the Government will collect and consume until there is no more value in the individual.

I have one conception that stays relevant in my mind, if I ever need to go home, Grandma has a roof for my head, food for my daughter, and uplifting words to get me back on my feet. Does this make her an ideal candidate for any medical service she needs? I mean, she is the rock and corner stone of our family, the reason we make sure to gather the grand kids together multiple times a year. Will Medical Boards consider this when deciding if she should get a new hip or medicine for her cataracts.

What about her contributions to the church, will they count? I mean, she is the first one to the church on Sunday morning and the last one to leave when the entire church is clean and ready for the next service. She never misses a revival or a special event at one of our sister churches, does this put her in the get help category? She tithes her full 10% every week, even if it means she can’t go on a specific trip or play bingo on a specific night.

I’m not finished yet. My grandfather passed 10 years ago, but I got to hear his story before he died. He grew up in Midlothian, Virginia, with confederate flags and good ole’ boys that made his life hell. So, he bought a house right in the middle of all their land and is still owned by my family today. Then he married a black woman whose family also owned land right in the heart of the racist. And they had five children, who weren’t afraid to go to the newly desegregated schools because they had Daddy right beside them with a gun. I can’t tell the story like my Grandmother can. Are her memories and ability to share those stories with my daughter when she is old enough to understand worth giving her medicine to ward of dementia?

Forget all that, she is my Grandmother. She gave me the love of reading and problem solving. She gave me compassion and a true sense of what God can do in your life. She gave me morals, values, and the discipline to follow both. She gave me the best Candied Yams and Sweet Potato Pie I ever tasted. Now, she reads to my daughter, corrects her behavior with an authoritative tone I have yet to master, and she still cooks for me just because I ask. She worked her whole life and in her old age she should not have to go to a Doctor and have a talk about how she wants to die.

You would think President Obama would understand that this is the source of most of the outrage in America. When he was on the campaign trail invoking memories of his Grandmother’s last days, he wasn’t talking about her lack of care. He wasn’t talking about how she was refused medicine or turned away for service. He wasn’t complaining about how her doctor told her that it would better for her to die than to spend a couple hours filling out health insurance forms.

This leads me to question, WHY? Why would Obamacare want to limit the number of elderly in America? Just look at what Grandma’s and Grandpa’s do for us. The number of Grandparents as head of house continue to increase in America, almost doubling in the last 15 years. These are primary caregivers for a lot minority children. If the grandparents weren’t there, these kids would become wards of the state. Would that make it easier to force mandatory volunteerism, I mean, they already have the downtrodden on the actual government role.

Or maybe it’s to correct the mistake of one of America’s most Liberal Presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt. It’s hard to push for more entitlements when Social Security is going broke. There are more baby boomers than there are people to pay into the system and some how the inadequate health care in America is keeping them alive longer. How do we fix this? Maybe we get rid of the baby boomers. You know, kill two birds with one stone. Gain total control over the government and be able to say “look we saved Social Security”, even if you’ll probably die before you can collect it.

I think the true intent is shown in the response to the opposition to healthcare overhaul.

Grandparents, especially minorities, remember what it’s like to live with no true freedom. They remember the true MOBS. They remember torches that burned down churches, noose’s that hung actual flesh, and words, that could not be excused by “sticks and stones”, because they were placed in the rule of law. Our grandparents remember signs that read “White only” and no matter what side they were on, they can remember the feeling of separation that caused.

So, maybe they don’t want anyone to connect the dots when the healthcare mandate is different for those close to power, when the list reads “Politically connected only” or “Because you Contributed”. They don’t want us to stand up and fight like our Grandparents did. They don’t want us to refuse to let the Government tell us what doctor we can see and which procedure we can’t have. They don’t want us to think we have a choice in the matter. So when Grandma says, “I remember when the government didn’t have access to your bank account”, we can reply, “she crazy, I’m glad we didn’t spend that extra money to get her prescription filled.”

The liberals have started going after our children through school textbooks, but all that can be washed away by a single summer spent with a Grandmother or Grandfather. Victimization could be wiped out with true stories of what it takes to get to the American Dream; hard work, determination, focus, and faith. See how none of that involves Government. That’s the problem. Government wants to get into every area of your life but first they have to take care of the people who choose to be independent because it’s all they know. They’ve spent their entire lives taking care of themselves and now the have to yield control over their lives to a board that doesn’t have a clue what they mean to their family, community, or to the youth that needs the influence of someone that’s been there and done that.

Or maybe it’s just cost effective to let Grandma die and save a 20 year old. Maybe, as Americans, we place too high a value on unconditional love for our family. Maybe we should take a poll. How many Americans would kill Grandma right now if it meant healthcare would pass?