Have you heard of the No Labels Movement?

We hear shouting from both the left and the right, and it seems the center does not have a voice. Now the center has a movement called No Labels. they say “Put the Labels Aside. Do What’s Best for America.”  They say “We are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America.”  Interesting concept. Will this work or become just another voice in the myriad of voices? Tell me what you think.

 

Bridalplasty…A Competition for Surgery or Just Plain Irresponsible?

You think you’ve heard it all and then you hear some more. Bridalplasty is a competition for potential brides to win surgeries that will enhance their appearance in time for their big day. Yes you read it right…they are competing for surgery. Is this going too far? Tell me what you think.

http://www.stylelist.com/2010/11/26/bridalplastys-shanna-moakler-and-dr-terry-dubrow-on-their-co/?a_dgi=aolshare_email

Joe Scarborough calls Sarah Palin out

Last week Sarah Palin made some disparaging remarks about fellow Republicans. She diminished the legacy of Ronald Reagan by saying he made movies like “Bedtime with Bonzo”. Whereas, this was factually correct this was way before he truly carved out his professional political resume. She also refered to the first President Bush and his family as “bluebloods.” This reference was made after Barbara Bush advised the former governor to stay in Alaska. Most Republicans are afraid of Palin and fear that any criticsm of her will alienate her base, but finally someone had the nerve to stand up  and called her out.  MSNBC Joe Scarborough wrote an excellent piece for Politico this morning. Tell me what you think. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45687.html

Have you ever heard of Erik Spoelstra?

Erik Spoelstra is the coach of the Miami Heat. He has an unenviable job. Why? He has to manage the so called Big Three. During the summer the Big Three (Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chrish Bosh)  preened in front of the cameras as they promised the fans that they would be bringing multiple championships to South Beach. Well, so far they have had difficulty putting together multiple wins, but its not their fault. They are the Big Three. So who is to blame? Erik Spoelstra the coach. Get rid of him and all their troubles will be over. A couple of nights ago LeBron James was leaving the court and bumped the coach intentially. Was he sending a message? Sure he was. The players are running the league and therein lies the problem. Being a coach is not what it used to be. If you want to coach superstars you need to know your place. They have to like you and too often that means just being a spectator. Coaches that try to give real direction run the risk of an insurrection. This new breed of superstar is not used to hearing the word no. They have been coddled and deferred to since the day they showed the world that they had an exploitable talent. They were raised by enablers whose sole job was to insure they became professional ball players. So the answer to the Miami Heat’s problem can not be the Big Three. They are superstars and they can do no wrong. So it looks like Erik is the real problem, and he will probably have to go.

Did John McCain compare Sarah Palin to Ronald Reagan?

I read a number of headlines that said John McCain had dared to compare Sarah Palin to President Ronald Reagan. I thought that’s quite a stretch. Reagan had an impact on this country. Whether you agreed with him or not you had to respect him as a change agent. So I listened to the clip and McCain’s answer was to a specific question. Candy Crowley asked McCain if he thought Palin was “divisive”. He then said some people felt Reagan was divisive. So this is not a direct comparision as headlines have suggested. Sometimes you simply need to hear the soundbite for yourself.

What is the Dream Act, and why does it matter?

They say as you get older you become more conservative. I used to doubt this statement but now I know there is some truth to it. Today as I read the Washington Post an article caught my eye, Undocumented Youths Chasing a Dream”. Well, I’m all for youth chasing their dreams, but after reading it I might have some trouble with this. The title of the act before Congress is Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. So what this will do is provide the legal papers for undocumented immigrants who were brought here by their parents when they were children. This bill would provide a pathway to legalization for immigrants who sign up for two years of college or miltary service. These same illegal immigrants will be eligible for financial aid. The same financial aid that is currently becoming more and more illusive. So tell me is this really something we as a country can afford to do? Does citizenship really have its privileges? My children are approaching college age. They will have to compete for scholarships and grants. Should our children have to compete against citizens and non-citizens? Tell me what you think.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/27/AR2010112700517.html?referrer=emailarticle

What Does a Terrorist Look Like?

This is the face of a terrorist. Mohamed Osman Mohamud wanted to inflict harm on Americans and he actively sought out a way to accomplish his sinister goal. “According to CNN, 19-year-old Mohamed Osman Mohamud told an undercover FBI agent he was looking for a “huge mass that will … be attacked in their own element with their families celebrating the holidays.” Officials said Mohamud also stated, “… it’s in Oregon; and Oregon like you know, nobody ever thinks about it.”  “Do you remember when 9/11 happened when those people were jumping from skyscrapers?” Mohamud asked agents, according to an affadavit  thought that was awesome.” This young man while in high school once did a report that detailed how to create a bomb.  Was this a warning sign? Did he express his feelings about America to his friends? Were his teachers aware of his anti-American sentiments? When should one alert the authorities? Fortunately this young man was communicating with the FBI who foiled his plot, but what should you do if you suspect someone is actually serious? Tell me what you think. 

Michael Vick gets a 2nd chance…why can’t Kelly Brown get one?

Michael Vick is having a great year, but a few years ago many people never believed he would play again or be playing at this level. Vick served 2 years in prison for his part in a dog fighting ring. He served his time and he was given a second chance to play with the Philadelphia Eagles. Where would we be without second chances? I find it ironic that Kelly Brown who also served 6 years of an 8 year sentence could not get the kind of grace given to Vick. Brown worked for the Hair Cuttery and she was asked to be a part of a series of articles that were published in the Washington Post. She had been very honest about her past with her supervisor and the district manager. She approached them about the article and she also asked if she could have photos taken with the clients. Her request was forwarded to the corporate office and she was fired. Hair Cuttery has a policy against hiring ex-offenders. So she can’t cut hair, but Vick can play ball in front of millions of Americans.  Don’t get me wrong I am thrilled for Vick, and I revel in the fact that he is doing so well, but I can not help but think how Kelly Brown is no longer deemed fit to do her job because of a mistake she made in her past. She deserved a second chance.

Thanksgiving 2010-In spite of Everything I’m Still Blessed

It is hard to believe it is Thanksgiving. My daughter said the other day this year has flown by. I told her that’s the kind of thing old folks like me say, but it is the truth. I lost my job in July of 2009 and I never would have thought that I would face another Thanksgiving still jobless, but I say in spite of that God has still been good to me. I have my health and my family and tomorrow I will feast on more food than I should eat but it’s holiday, I’ll deal with the consequences Friday. This evening while watching the evening news I heard a story of a 5 star restaurant providing meals to some needy families. They delivered a meal to family that did not have a table to put the food on. Can you imagine not having a table? Something that most people including myself take for granted. The next day that same restaurant had a table and four chairs delivered to that family. It reminded me of the story of the man who complained about his shoes until he saw the man with no feet. It might sound trite but there is real wisdom in the analogy. So tomorrow when you sit down to your table surrounded by family or friends or maybe it’s just you just take a little time to dwell on the good things and say what I will be saying tomorrow, in spite of the challenges I am still blessed. Thanks for reading the blog and tell your friends about it: www.ebonymompolitics.wordpress.com  I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Kanye Lashes out at Matt Lauer, Taylor Swift and President Bush Again

PLEASE NOTE PROFANITY IS USED ON THE CLIP. “Matt Lauer’s not a bad guy I’m sure … but if you are a child that’s being abused by your parent … or you are a girl being abused by your boyfriend … the greatest win that you could ever have is for that person to hit you in public. You SEE! YOU SEE! I TOLD YOU!” Kanye West

Kanye West is on his Justification Tour. In spite of what he did to Taylor Swift, what he said about President Bush or how he interacted with Matt Lauer it is not his fault. He is simply the misunderstood creative and that’s that. West might be a true musical talent, but he has to take responsibility for his own actions good or bad and this rant is definately not a step toward maturity. Tell me what you think.