"Rev. Al Sharpton"

The latest episode in the unfolding political soap opera saga that black “celebrity” leadership and orthodox civil rights leadership continue to engage centers around alleged attacks on Dr. Cornel   West  by, Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry, a professor at Tulane University and host of a MSNBC weekend show.  West characterized the attacks by his former colleague in The Nation and on cable TV as strictly personal.

West is responsible for bringing Dr. Perry to Princeton University in 2006, from the University of Chicago.  She held a joint appointment with the Center for African American Studies and the Department of Politics, and she arrived at Princeton with tenure.

West asserts that shortly after Perry arrived, she no longer wanted to teach at the Center for African American Studies and later turned on him and Professor Glaude, chairman of the department, calling them “hypocritical leftists.”

“I love the sister,” West said, “but she is a liar, and I hate lying.” West added that Dr. Perry later said on MSNBC’s The Ed Show, that West attacked Obama’s white mother, in the interview with Truthdig.com. “I don’t talk about people’s mothers.  She is reinforcing all of the vicious perceptions of me as a racist, and she knows better than that.”

According to West, Perry’s scathing critique has more to do with the fact that the Center for African American Studies unanimously voted against her when she came up for promotion from associate to full professor, adding that “her work was not scholarly enough.”

“There is not a lot of academic stuff with her, just a lot of twittering,” West said. And he added, “that her book Sister Citizen, released last year, was wild and out of control.” West continued, “She’s become the momentary darling of the liberals, but I pray for her because she’s in over her head.  She’s a fake and a fraud.  I was so surprised how treacherous the sister was.”

Dr. Boyce Watkins, a “public intellectual” out of Syracuse University, and a neo-celebrity political leader, characterizes Rev. Sharpton and Dr. Perry as two major “pit bulls” of the Obama administration that have been busy trying to silence Black criticism directed toward the White House.  As a reward for their work, Boyce Watkins says’ “they were both given shows on MSNBC.”  He added, “Sharpton in particular is too close than a civil rights leader probably should to a United States President.”

Watkins initially injected himself into the political rift among competing contingents of the popular unelected black leadership on the

"Dr. Boyce Watkins"

neutral side in support for the Sharpton position.  However, he has apparently migrated to advocate the position held by West and his (West’”) comrade in arms, Tavis Smiley.  Although Watkins claims to have serious political reservations relative to Smiley, because of Smiley’s connections to the Clinton’s, Watkins was not successful in negotiating a position on center stage with political gatekeeper Sharpton.  Hence, Watkins seems comfortable in the political orbit of West, notwithstanding the Tavis Smiley component.

The political fratricide between Rev. Sharpton and Professor West surfaced in early May of 2011 during a panel discussion on the MSNBC’s “The Ed Shultz Show.” An article about the spectacle was posited on BlackPoliticalTaskforce.org, “The ongoing black political saga was animated to greater heights as the 2012 election season opened with a controversy that was ignited on cable TV with the glib tongues and quick political wits of Professor Cornel West and Rev. Al Sharpton, on a recent MSNBC Show hosted by Ed Schultz.  The clash of these popular political Titans is the latest rendition and spectacle of the internal debate that has been percolating beneath the politically correct surface, since the election of President Barack Obama.”

Since the advent of the Barack Obama presidential campaign and his subsequent victory in election 2008, there has been a political crescendo emanating from the grassroots of the black community, pertinent to the political road ahead.  Following the stunning victory that ushered in the first black American as president of the United States, the black community in particular finds itself in a political paradox, going forward.

The victory of President Obama in election 2008, may be compared to the victory of the civil rights movement following the enactment of the civil rights and voting rights legislation of 1964 and 1965, respectively…  In the wake of the successes of the civil rights movement came the marginalization of the civil rights leadership by 1967.  And the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 was the decisive political blow that marked the end of the modern civil rights movement.

Subsequently, “responsible” civil rights leaders became in vogue, as the “responsible” Negro leadership and the black “militant” and “radical” political leadership, became mired in a fratricidal exercise.  At the end of the day, the legitimate political aspirations of both elements of the black American leadership was truncated by the sophisticated nature of the American political process, and covert operations that were targeted against certain elements in the black community such as: COINTELPRO…

"Prof. Cornell West"

During this initial post civil rights period the “responsible” Negro leadership and the “militant” and “radical” leadership resorted to pejorative name calling among other sophomoric interactions.  In the process, over the ensuing years, the number of black elected officials proliferated around the country, which is a legacy of the civil rights movement.   On the other hand, the political gains of the civil rights movement were either hollowed out, marginalized or unenforced.  Currently, black American elected officials are generally isolated from the black community at large and remain politically accountable to the special interests that underwrite their reelection campaigns.

The political dichotomy that characterizes the current crop of black American unelected leaders is comparable to the divisions of old, including the pejorative name calling and public vituperation.  Rev. Sharpton responded to Professor West’s verbal assault against his former colleague, Professor Melissa Harris-Perry, on behalf of Perry, and the public exchange of personal invectives continues to frame popular black politics.  In the wake of this political spectacle and entertainment value of the stereotypical black American comedy, the real-time progress associated with the first African American President of the United States is obscured.  Unfortunately, the popular black political leadership is stuck on politics 101.

Accordingly, a gaggle of black American “celebrity” political leaders, professors, educators, entertainers, and sport figures, has staked out competing sides representing their political positions with respect to presidential election 2012.  Apparently, the political and electoral discourse in the black community is thus engaged and is conducted over popular media and also over the heads of the grassroots black community at large.  Hence between the political “talented tenth,” and the popular media, black politics and the electoral discourse have been hijacked.

Interestingly enough, although there are many divergent political views among the “talented tenth” but there seems to be a general political consensus among them, relative to the “black agenda” going forward.  According to Dr. Boyce Watkins, the founder of YourBlackWorld.com, President Obama, and other seekers of elective office must address the black agenda, in the context of the “PERM.”  When describing the “PERM” agenda, Watkins referenced the hair “perm” that Sharpton is noted for, which “is the best perm I’ve ever seen.”

Watkins describes the PERM agenda as, “Poverty, Educational inequality, Racial inequality, and Mass incarceration.” Referencing

"Tavis Smiley"

Sharpton as a “salesman for the Obama administration”, Watkins speaking with his supporters and other representatives of the “talented tenth,” admonished political operatives (Sharpton) not to expect him to vote for a candidate that does not embrace the “black agenda” in the context of the PERM initiative.

The political dichotomy in the black leadership is generally positioned as Sharpton, et al. (civil rights orthodoxy), and his contingent of “celebrity” political leaders are vociferous supporters of President Obama. Juxtaposed to the Sharpton contingent is Professor Cornel West and other black celebrity political leaders who assert that Obama must be held accountable to an agenda targeted to the poor, in particular. Moreover, the strategy and tactical approach utilized by advocates for the poor have been taken directly from the civil rights chronicles.

Interestingly enough, President Obama did not engage the black civil rights orthodoxy during his campaign for his party’s presidential nomination and his ultimate victory in election 2008.  Therefore, Obama’s first term has not been colored, influenced, or politicized by the tactics of civil rights era political organizing techniques.  Consequently, the President is unlikely to be politically influenced during his reelection campaign by the conventional civil rights agenda, or the protestations from the neo celebrity black leadership, and the prevailing talented tenth.

President Obama demonstrated his unique political wisdom and skill when he tapped Rev. Sharpton to manage the “black political desk.” Sharpton has credentials as a civil rights leader, and is a consummate political gatekeeper able to successfully manage the aggressive political insurgent leadership of emerging black celebrities as well as “designated” political leaders.  Sharpton, some political analysts suggest, represents the last generation of community based civil right leaders and has a decided advantage over his varied political detractors because they are locked into the bygone civil rights organizing and political tactics.  And the current demographic in the black community has no linkage or affinity to the political rhetoric and sensibility that hallmarks the civil rights period.  The civil rights political paradigm is based on outdated racial and minority community juxtapositions.

The most recent political furor directed at Sharpton is that he defended his close relationship with the president by equating it with the relationship that Frederick Douglas had with President Lincoln, A. Phillip Randolph with President Roosevelt, and Dr. King with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.  Sharpton’s political detractors are publically irate with him for equating his connection with Obama with the aforementioned icons of black American political history.

In particular, Professor West, in conjunction with representatives of the talented tenth, and a contingent of black clergy are chagrined with the idea of Sharpton as the 21^st century MLK Jr.  According to West, Sharpton is not speaking truth to power, which is the principle of King’s relationship with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.  Likewise, West concluded, “I come out of a Black prophetic tradition that has a commitment to truth and justice.  The condition of truth is to allow suffering to speak.”

Just prior to the death of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he suggested the black political leadership suffered from the “paralysis of analysis.”  MLK’s observation may still hold true, and President Obama may be hip to that…

Gary James is an author, and analyst.  He was a professional organizer in the civil rights movement as a staff organizer in New York City for the National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO), under the leadership of the late Dr. George Wiley.

"Gov. John deJongh"

The latest revelations of political and financial corruption in the Government of the Virgin Islands may signal an endgame scenario for Governor John P. deJongh’s administration, as well as the prevailing majority in the territory’s legislature.  This stunning and unbelievable proposition concerning the immanent political dislocation of the executive and legislative branches of government is brought about by an investigative report published on February 1, 2012 in the Internet newspaper, www.dailycaller.com .

The comprehensive investigative report alleges that Governor deJongh, Attorney General Vincent Frazer, and several members of the 29^th legislature received more than 20 million dollars in bribes for services to be rendered.  Accordingly, the report indicates that there is currently a sealed federal indictment from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) that is in the process of being executed on all parties concerned.

The two year old DailyCaller website media company is a member of the White House Press Corp, and has gained a reputation of breaking controversial news, and maintaining integrity in its journalism.  Should the report prove to be factual, it will facilitate a coffin for the political demise of Governor deJongh, Attorney General Vincent Frazer, in addition to several members of the 29^th Virgin Islands legislature.

According to the DailyCaller report, “The alleged corruption ultimately reached the rarefied air of the Virgin Islands’ current governor, Democrat John dejongh.  The DC’s source alleges that collectively, dejongh, Attorney General Vincent Frazer, and assorted Virgin Islands legislators accepted more than $20 million in cash bribes to quash local concern about CFC’s financial irregularities.”

“That money” the source said, “was meant to insure against the possibility that concern about federal crimes at CFC would not spring from the Virgin Islands and spread to the nationwide public.  CFC needed dejongh to make sure that the PSC not only approved the sale, but would, God willing, allow enough cash flow to come through to help them support the [$525 million] valuation that they put on this loan.”

Revelations about the sealed indictment that names dejongh, Frazer and several members of the Virgin Islands legislature, comes on the heels of the end of refinery activities by Hess, Et Al, on the island of St. Croix, and the dismissal of more than two thousand plus employees to the unemployment rolls.  The transition of Hess from refinery activities to a storage facility coupled with the termination of 2000 government employee’s, effectively brings the growth of a middle class to an abrupt halt in the Virgin Islands.

The news relative to the end of refinery activities on the “big island” was viewed by many as the straw that broke the camels back, as it occurred in the wake of the legislative and Election Board fiasco concerning the eligibility of Senator Alicia Hansen to remain in the senate, the Inspector General audit report on the Legislature of the Virgin Islands highlighting 6.9 million dollars in unaccounted funds, eight percent cut from government employees, the dismissals and pending dismissal of thousands of government workers.

These developments among others confirmed the extent of political corruption in the legislature and executive branches, which became the impetus of a recall petition against six (6) members of the St. Croix Board of Election.  The recall petition process quickly expanded to include the recalling of five (5) Election Board members from St. Thomas, and a recall petition “movement” seems to be emerging further, as the governor and legislature members are also under consideration for the recall petition process.

Consequently, when the news broke on Wednesday February 1, on the popular radio talk show, “Norma in the morning” as Mr.

"AG Vincent Frazer"

“Recon” Olive read the story in the DailyCaller website based national newspaper the listening public was already positioned and prepared to react to the governor’s reckless, if not illegal behavior.  Many reflected back to the report delivered on the previous month by the same investigative reporter, “Recon.” It was on the morning of Monday January 9, when listeners to the same radio program heard “Recon” report that he processed seven (7) photos of the governor’s rendezvous with his thirty-five (35) year old paramour in a dark and secluded spot behind the gymnasium on the UVI campus, and remained there for more than an hour.

Together with the generally negative reaction by Virgin Islands residence to Governor deJongh’s “State of the Territory” address offered on January 30, 2012, this revelation concerning the reported federal indictment, there seems to be an increasing groundswell against the governor that may reach critical mass.

Gary James, a resident of St. Croix observed, “If the Governor, Attorney General and several members of the legislature are in fact served with federal indictments, they must immediately resign their respective offices or be removed…  The Federal Government in that instance will need to take the Virgin Islands government into some kind of receivership and facilitate the election of 2012.”

James continued, “I’m not particularly sanguine about the exigency of the feds in executing the indictments in view of the fact that member’s of the US Department of Justice team in this matter were reportedly bribed or compromised as well, casting a dubious shadow over the justice department of Attorney General Eric Holder, going forward.”

“However,” James concluded, “this unfolding scenario is a major criminal conspiracy with far reaching aspects, engaged in a sophisticated and complex sequence of events over time.  Therefore, the scope and organization of this reported criminal enterprise has violated the RICO federal statues which may cause the matter to be dispatched forthwith…”

Be that as it may, the bottom line will be determined by the extent to which the Virgin Islands community is appropriately organized at the grassroots level by the end of the day.  Hopefully, the recall petitioning process, and the community organizing for the purpose electing in November a new senatorial leadership process, will lead to establishing a community based voter education, and committees to elect, going forward.

The entire article published by the Daily Caller is here: “Bribery, compromised officials leave indicted financial-crime suspects free from prosecution under Holder’s DOJ,” 

GOP presidential nomination politics has always been virtually beyond black participation except for the occasional cameo way back in the day.  More recently however, no black political cameos are sought, and are categorically not desired by the Republican Party’s field of hopefuls, seeking the party nod.  As a political matter of fact, GOP hopefuls vying for the party’s presidential nomination would run the risk of putting a political albatross around his neck, should he reach-out to the black community at this stage of the political power game.  On the contrary, the candidates during this point in the nomination process must demonstrate indifference to the black American community at best as an initial litmus test…

Since the emergence of the social conservative movement’s domination of the national Republican Party nomination process and agenda, during the Reagan era, the presence of black Americans on the national stage was politically correct symbolism.  Currently, the social conservatives share control of GOP presidential politics and national agenda with the newly fledged Tea Party movement and Evangelical conservatives.  Consequently, the once vibrant contingent of black Republican’s following the Reagan era, were relegated to the sidelines as President H. W. Bush’s “Negro leadership” dropped the political ball, leading up to his stunning re-election defeat in 1992.  Hence, Black Republican participation in presidential nomination politics is essentially none existent.

These are the objective political facts on the ground, notwithstanding Republican Party presidential candidate anomalies such as Mr. Allan Keys and the incomparable Mr. Henry Cain.  The advent of these respective campaigns and candidates of political convenience, may or may not have served their intended objectives well; however, it was abundantly clear to astute political observers and analysts that in neither instance did the candidate have organic political legs at the grassroots or at any other level, prior to their qualifying as a legal candidate.  Because of those circumstances it was virtually a foregone conclusion that their respective campaigns could not be sustained beyond the first lap sorting out process.

Black Republican voters receive the obligatory political mention during the staging of the general election’s popularity contest, following the official launching of the respective conservative and liberal political dichotomies.   At that time the requisite juxtaposed talking points, issue parameters and the political universe of discourse already been advanced by political spinsters and operatives.  Than the political horse race begins entertaining and engaging the American multitudes, as the blow-by-blow and political hyperbole get underway, in earnest.  The politically constricted and tiny elite also known as the Republican Party right wing may have again managed to exercise its hegemony over national party politics and policy agenda, with the largess of some dubious sources.  Nevertheless, the behavior of the conservative controlling wing of the GOP by repeating their short comings in election 2012 that highlighted 2008 political spanking , have proven that they can hi-jack political control, but cannot sustain political growth or achieve a presidential victory.

An array of consequential domestic and foreign policy issues remain front and center, but the problems associated with addressing these issues are compounded by two eight-hundred pound gorillas in the room.  The perception of religious imperialism on one hand, and on the other, the perception of insensitivity on the part of the prevailing party leadership on policy matters that pertain to “race,” in particular may be plaguing the prospect of forward movement.  Moreover, there seems to be a growing element that may potentially constitute a silent majority, or perhaps a critical mass may be prepared to take the ultimate political option available which is to reject the party’s presidential nominee.  While it remains to be seen whether the ultimate nominee will be the candidate with the best chances to win in the general election, or if the Tea Party and Evangelical conservative contingents will impose their hegemonic superiority and prevail at the end of the day with their, anybody but Romney political imperative.

Black Republicans are not the only GOP constituents paying close attention to the political folly and gotcha policies that stymies movement of the peoples business, in favor of political shenanigans that serves no one… There is a diverse and eclectic mix of voters across the demographic spectrum including, workers, business people and professional in varying disciplines prepared to reclaim the radical legacy and brand that is the real-time history of the Grand Old Party. Who will get the nod at the end of this process is any bodies flavor at this point.  But the ultimate winner of the GOP nomination may be the political straw that breaks the camel’s back…

"Gary James"

The following link is a 2008 interview of Gary James a leader of the grassroots activist wing of the Republican Party headquartered in Harlem New York, www.nbgop.net . James is interviewed by Jacob Templin a student of the Columbia University School of Journalism in New York.  The interview was done in October of 2008 a couple weeks prior to the presidential election.  James was asked to respond to comments made by a local GOP district leader in Harlem, that candidate Obama is the reason why the “Harlem Republican Club” has recently closed it doors. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=59289114

Under the calming facade of leaning palm trees, private beaches, transparent turquoise blue waters surrounding the tropical islands of the Virgin Islands, a lurking political tsunami is now in motion. The United States Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas), in conjunction with the other islands of the Caribbean archipelago, boost the distinction of being among the most popular vacation destinations in the world.

The Virgin Islands paradise became a possession of the United States in 1917, following their purchase from Denmark for the sum of twenty-five million dollars. Previously known as the “Danish West Indies,” the three Caribbean islands nearest to the American mainland became the US Virgin Islands during a formal ceremony called Transfer Day. Transfer Day occurred on March 31, 1917, and is currently celebrated annually on that day, as a local holiday, in the Virgin Island as well as in Denmark.

The Virgin Islands are an unincorporated territory under the auspices of the United States Congress, and is administered by the US Department of Interior. The population is about one hundred and ten thousand, and is approximately eighty-five percent black, while the Government in terms of the executive, legislative and judicial branches is about ninety-five percent black. The chief executive officer of the territory is the governor, who is elected locally. And because of its status as a territory, its residents are citizens of the United States however they are prohibited from voting for the President of the United States.

Over the decades political tidal waves have occurred raising alarms concerning financial mismanagement and political corruption in respective quarters of the executive and legislative branches of government. Although smoking guns of mismanagement and corruption have been identified in the past, political apathy has been the rule among the citizenry, heretofore. However, since the gubernatorial election of 2010, a plethora of patterns of financial malfeasants, political cronyism and blatant corruption, coupled with government employee layoffs and salary cuts may have inspired a critical mass of residents to get engaged politically.

On the heels of the US Federal Government executing a sealed warrant on the Virgin Islands legislature and copying the hard drive of the senate’s central computer system last November, the VI Daily News published the Virgin Islands Legislatures Audit report, December 2, 2011. The much anticipate report concluded that 6.9 million dollars was missing, highlighting the fact that “Senators dipped freely into taxpayers’ money for personal use.” Consequently, the entire fifteen member legislature is under storm clouds as many residents are collaborating to make public the names of the Senators that are implicated by the audit.

Concomitantly, the executive branch, and the governor in particular is experiencing a crescendo of negative political fallout due to a series of events that have resulted in allegations against him for financial mismanagement and political corruption. Moreover, there are various audits, completed and still underway, that will likely confirm actionable legal issues against the Governor. Unfortunately, political apathy continues to be the rule of the Virgin Islands electorate, which has facilitated decades of economic and political exploitation of the community at large, by the ruling elite. However, the escalating scale of the financial and economic dysfunction of government may have crossed the political point of no return…

Accordingly, there is a groundswell of people emerging consisting of local community activist, citizen supporters, and potential senatorial candidates positioning themselves for the election in 2012. Interestingly enough, with the operative slogan saying, “even the blind can see the corruption” brother “Raffie” popularly referred to as “our logo” is positioned as a catalyst for the purpose of pulling together a political cadre of potential candidates and supporters, to change the electoral landscape come November 2012. “Raffie” himself is among the visually impaired but that hasn’t blinded him from the reality of egregious financial mismanagement and contemptible political corruption. “These politicians are a bunch of jokers, skylarking with the people’s money.”

A gentleman named Mr. Ritter asserted his commitment to political change in the 2012 election on a popular radio talk show, and touted the role of the “Vanguard Political Action Committee” (Vanguard PAC), going forward. According to Mr. Ritter, the Vanguard PAC will have a budget of $300,000 to defeat the senatorial incumbents, as well as technical assistance from local and remote sources. He also pointed out that political education is on the agenda of the political action committee that will inspire an ethical in addition to a political revolution.

Despite the broad based community outrage and uproar, some are suggesting that at the end of the day, nothing will change substantially. The elected officials and the executive branch of government will continue to stonewall the issues and sandbag the process. They have their people in place to run downfield political interference on any corrective actions underway. A recent transplant from the states, who currently resides on the “big island” and whose Cyberspace handle is “CadreUSA,” said “nothing positive has happened in the past because the VI people did not take the appropriate affirmative political action, in terms of the first person singular. They must be organized in formal and disciplined structures, and engage politically sustainable formulations and instruments that can require as well as exact political accountability.”

CadreUSA has joined the writing team known as St. Croix blogger, and they have launched www.stxblogger.com .The St. Croix blogger team is headed up by author and political analyst Gary James, who relocated from New York City and resides on St. Croix. James is researching his family ancestry on the island, as his father and grandparent were born on St. Croix. James said, “There are many residents in the states that are like yours truly and have family roots in the Virgin Islands, these people are concerned about their families now that the level of economic mismanagement and political corruption has reached the spectacle of national news in the United States.

We are receiving contacts from the states offering material support and technical assistance in the planning and execution of a comprehensive electoral plan and strategy for November 2012, and to achieve for long range objectives as well. Apart from the apparent need for structural change in the electoral process, going forward, positive steps must be initiated toward the development of a Virgin Islands Constitution, and an agricultural imperative to grow a national economy.

However, in order to achieve the long range objectives as stated, the emerging political grouping must consider establishing a Virgin Islands Transitional Government apparatus, in the context of a “shadow” government, in addition to supporting a slate of senatorial candidates. But as a practical political matter, there will be no follow up prosecutions of the wrong doers unless there is a citizens transitional government apparatus in place that can manage the arduous follow through legal scenarios.”

In the wake of diminishing political support in recent polls, Rick Perry’s presidential nomination campaign speaks of the 800 pound gorilla in the room.  While it has remained under the political radar until now, Mitt Romney’s faith has always represented an albatross around his neck in some conservative Christian political quarters.  However, the unspoken of, evangelical Christian political inertia, injected into the GOP nomination contest by the reactionary Perry campaign may put Romney’s Mormon faith on center stage.

As reported on the Internet daily news, “The Daily Beast show an operative with close ties to Perry’s campaign engaged in cheerleading against the faith of rival Mitt Romney—and stressing the political importance of” “juxtaposing traditional Christianity to the false god of Mormonism.”

Apart from the Perry campaigns political acts of desperation and frustration associated with his anyone but Romney campaign, some political analyst suggest that the surge in the polls of the Herman Cain campaign may have been the beneficiary of the dissatisfaction that conservative GOP primary voters have with Perry’s apparent political short comings…

On the other hand, these same conservative political activists that constituted the base of the Republican Party’s electorate will be hard pressed to give the final nomination nod to a black America.  Interestingly enough, the final decision associated with the GOP candidate in 2012, may boil down to the so-called “lesser of two evil,” by way of racial discrimination vs. religious discrimination.

Nevertheless, the following is what you may not know about Herman Cain, a seeker of the Republican Party’s nomination of President:

Mr. Herman Cain is not a career politician (in fact he has never held political office). He’s known as a pizza guy, but there’s a lot more to him. He’s also a computer guy, a banker guy, and a rocket scientist guy.

Here’s his bio:

·      Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.

·      Master’s degree in Computer Science.

·      Mathematician for the Navy, where he worked on missile ballistics (making him a rocket scientist).

·      Computer systems analyst for Coca-Cola.

·      VP of Corporate Data Systems and Services for Pillsbury (this is the top of the ladder in the computer world, being in charge of information systems for a major corporation).

All achieved before reaching the age of 35.  Since he reached the top of the information systems world, he changed careers!

·      Business Manager. Took charge of Pillsbury’s 400 Burger King Restaurants in the Philadelphia area, which were the company’s poorest performers in the country. Spent the first nine months learning the business from the ground up, cooking hamburger and yes, cleaning toilets. After three years he had turned them into the company’s best performers.

·      Godfather’s Pizza CEO. Was asked by Pillsbury to take charge of their Godfather’s Pizza chain (which was on the verge of bankruptcy). He made it profitable in 14 months.

·      In 1988 he led a buyout of the Godfather’s Pizza chain from Pillsbury. He was now the owner of a restaurant chain. Again he reached the top of the ladder of another industry.

·      He was also chairman of the National Restaurant Association during this time. This is a group that interacts with government on behalf of the restaurant industry, and it gave him political experience from the non-politician side.

Having reached the top of a second industry, he changed careers again!

·      Adviser to the Federal Reserve System. Herman Cain went to work for the Federal Reserve Banking System advising them on how monetary policy changes would affect American businesses.

·      Chairman of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank. He worked his way up to the chairmanship of a regional Federal Reserve Bank. This is only one step below the chairmanship of the entire Federal Reserve System (the top banking position in the country). This position allowed him to see how monetary policy is made from the inside, and understand the political forces that impact the monetary system.

After reaching the top of the banking industry, he changed careers for a fourth time!

·      Writer and public speaker. He then started to write and speak on leadership. His books include Speak as a Leader, CEO of Self, Leadership is Common Sense, and They Think You’re Stupid.

·      Radio Host. Around 2007—after a remarkable 40 year career—he started hosting a radio show on WSB in Atlanta (the largest talk radio station in the country).

He did all this starting from rock bottom (his father was a chauffeur and his mother was a maid). When you add up his accomplishments in his life—including reaching the top of three unrelated industries: information systems, business management, and banking— Herman Cain may have the most impressive resume of anyone that has run for the presidency in the last half century.

The escalating black American political controversy that is orbiting President Barack Obama’s leadership style is now raging, following the remarks by comedian Steve Harvey that Cornel West and Tavis Smiley are “Uncle Toms.”

Specifically, Harvey was critiquing the Poverty Tour organized by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, as well as their vociferous criticism of the president’s leadership, as it relates to the needs of the poor in particular.

Referencing Tavis’ suggestion that the president should sit down with him and West for two or three days to discuss poverty in America, Harvey said, “Who in the hell got two or three days to sit down with your ass?  I ain’t got time to sit down with your monkey behind for two are three days, let alone the President if the United States.  We got three wars going on the economy is crashing, and we going to sit with Tavis’ ass for three days?”  Harvey also alluded to a more sinister motive for the West, Smiley Poverty Tour asking, “Where are you getting the money for the buses?”

The black political rift began many months ago when Tavis Smiley and Al Sharpton traded political barbs on their respective radio shows, and it quickly escalated into a public confrontation on the radio airways.  The rift between the two men centered on a critique by Smiley that Sharpton was carry water for president Obama, and was letting him (the president) off the hook concerning advancing the “black agenda.”  Sharpton responded in kind to Smiley’s political critique, and the controversy quickly became politically airborne.

Enter Cornel West, a political confidant of Tavis Smiley, who is a controversial intellectual/political figure in his own right. TheSmiley versus Sharpton political rift was taken to another level when Professor West took issue with Sharpton’s relationship with Obama, during a panel discussion on a popular MSNBC television talk show that ultimately deteriorated into a public TV spectacle.

Professor Boyce Watkins, founder of YourBlackWorld.com, entered the political fray following the MSNBC political spectacle, and positioned himself as a moderating voice, but was clearly espousing the Sharpton narrative and criticized Smiley’s point of view.  Interestingly enough, Watkins simultaneously seemed to modulate his political attack relative to West.

More recently, in the context of Steve Harvey’s critical political analysis of the West, Smiley Poverty Tour, Prof. Watkins delivered a political broadside attack against Harvey, among others.  Watkins said, “He (Harvey) ended his rant by saying that he spotted an Uncle Tom driving a bus and then Harvey accused Cornel West and Tavis Smiley of being “poverty pimps.”

Watkins continued, “While listening to Harvey, I could not help but get the impression that he’s concluding that by speaking on behalf of the poor, and challenging political leadership to modify economic policies, you are pimping the poor rather than helping them.  I guess that would make me a poverty pimp too, so perhaps I’d better just remain silent.”

“Steve Harvey is doing a good job of campaigning for President Obama. Harvey was recently invited to President Obama’s birthday party, putting him squarely in the camp of Black public figures that have been recruited by the White House to help discredit anyone who speaks ill of the Obama Administration. Rather than asking whether or not Smiley and West’s issues are relevant, Harvey, Tom Joyner and others know that it’s easier to simply smear the credibility of the messengers.  In American politics, character assassinations are typically preferred rather than actually dealing with the issue itself, Watkins concluded.”

This sophomoric serial political saga would be laughable if it were not a pathetic treatise on the state of black political leadership going forward.  The advent of black celebrity political leadership has infused infotainment, comedy and political sensationalism into the realm of serious political discourse and it compromises the legitimate political aspirations of the masses of black folk.

These competing black political leadership neophytes are in the process of squandering the political capital and opportunities associated with ascension of the first black American to the presidency of the United States.  Apparently, the unelected neo black political leadership is attempting to engage president Obama into a political accountability scenario.  However, they had no meaningful role in the making of the first black American president, other than the popularity contest of the general election, and an Amen…

As this writer recalls, candidate Senator Barack Obama defied the conventional political wisdom of the black civil rights leadership orthodoxy, both elected and unelected, and ultimately prevailed in a very contentious party presidential primary process.  Having won his party’s nomination with only esoteric black political support, coupled with his personal political sensibilities, presidential candidate Obama gave the multitudes of black Americans the opportunity to vote for him in the general election popularity contest.

Now, some notable and well placed prominent black political leader aspirants are attempting to corral the president into an agenda for black Americans and the poor.  What and whose “black agenda” are they speaking of?  The black civil rights agenda, or are they talking about the black political power agenda?  Likewise, what agenda for the poor are they referencing (White, Black, Latino, Asian etc), and have they advanced any written policy recommendations?  Or is it simply political rhetoric?

The president as well as the congress, respond, react to, and are animated by, “political power relationship groups” or individuals that represent respective political power relationship groups.  Real-time hardball electoral politics is not personality driven!  This writer suspects that none of the above mentioned prominent black Americans represent a real-time political power relationship group.  It appears as though the individuals that are engaged in this politically superfluous controversy are prominent within their respective genre.  And in some cases they are informally organized in disparate black groupings competing against each other for the ear of the president, fifteen minutes of political fame and an illusion of power.

The last time that this writer checked, there was no definitive black civil rights agenda, nor is there a cohesive political power group organized and raising money for the purpose of advancing that specific political agenda.  Likewise, there is no definitive black political power agenda in place with organized advocates raising funds to move that agenda.  There are only ad hoc political formulations with short life spans.  Therefore, what black agenda are they espousing that the president can address?

On the other hand, what political interest group is raising money, organizing and lobbying on behalf of poor people?  Are any of these vociferous advocates for black and poor folk engaged in any activities on the Hill, advancing policy positions on behalf of their target group?  Are they engaged in voter education and registration activities during and between elections?  Or is it only an exercise in black rap?

Some in the black community advance an argument that ninety-five plus percent of the black community voted for Obama in the general election, therefore the president must address the needs of his principal constituency.  Accordingly, the president must address our political demands!  Well, making political demands, and speaking truth to power without, organization, strategy, tactics and a budget for achieving specific short and long-range objectives is political power 101.  When all the pieces to the political power puzzle are in place, very little needs to be said on radio and television talk shows, or other intelligence gathering forums.

Relevant links:

http://www.harlemweekly.com/?p=546

http://www.harlemweekly.com/?p=494

http://www.harlemweekly.com/?p=467

http://www.harlemweekly.com/?p=481

Steve Harvey Interview:

http://yourblackworld.com/2011/08/16/dr-boyce-speaks-in-nyc-about-pres-obama-smiley-and-west/

The ongoing black political saga in America was animated to greater heights in this 2012 election season by a controversy that was ignited on cable TV with the glib tongues and quick political wits of Professor Cornel West and Rev. Al Sharpton, on a recent MSNBC Show hosted by Ed Schultz.  The clash of these popular political Titans is the latest rendition and spectacle of the internal debate that has been percolating beneath the political correct surface, since the election of President Barack Obama.

Reference to a previous iteration of this contemporary black political saga is relevant to the West vs. Sharpton argument because the previous political attack on Sharpton was levied by TV host Tavis Smiley during a popular radio talk show.  A political nexus occurs, as Smiley and West are publically and programmatically the best of friends.  Moreover, both Smiley and West have respectively, challenged Sharpton’s apparently cozy relationship with President Obama, as inimical to holding the president accountable to the illusive “black agenda.”

The vociferous MSNBC debate on the “black agenda” by West and Sharpton is getting mixed reviews in the black community.  Some in the black community say that “those two heavy brothers shouldn’t argue in public like that because it portrays the black community as divided politically.” In another black political quarter they hold, “the political debate on the black agenda going forward is a healthy development and should be encouraged.”

The “black agenda” is a perennial political debate in the black community at all levels but unfortunately when it is discussed in the public by members of the celebrity leadership and anointed leaders in media forums the black agenda is ill defined, and synonymous with the civil rights agenda, and civil rights leadership.  There is a political dichotomy between the “black agenda” and the “civil rights agenda” that has roots in contemporary political history and has an application in 21^st century black American politics.  Unfortunately, the designated black American political leadership has not articulated the texture that is black internal politics and thereby, may be unwittingly promoting political disinformation along with MSNBC.

Dr. Boyce Watkins, a neo-African American public voice, is quoted on his blog post entitled “Cornel West, Al Sharpton Argue About President Obama.” Boyce said, “I knew the conversation would be volatile, and I was concerned about the imagery of two black men going to war on MSNBC.  Ed Schultz was the MSNBC host of “A Stronger America:  The Black Agenda, a show that allowed a few voices to air their perspective on what a black agenda should look like in the age of Obama.”

“As I expected,” Boyce continued, “the argument came to a predictable boiling point.  Consistent with the views of his close colleague, Tavis Smiley, Cornel West fought hard to short-circuit the partnership between President Obama and Rev. Al Sharpton.  Al Sharpton, a man not known to back down from anyone, defended his position well and also challenged those who sit in their ivory tower and talk without taking action.”

Dr. Boyce, a confidant of Rev. Sharpton continued, “I watched the entire exchange shaking my head, primarily because I knew that such a fight was simply inevitable.  As I wrote on the Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago, the Obama Presidency has created a divide among black public figures that I pray will not cripple our community.”

Unfortunately the episodic public political debate relative to the “black agenda” is seen in binary, black and white optics, while at the grassroots level the saga of the black agenda going forward is in living color and has an eclectic political diversity.  However, as the comments of Dr. Boyce highlights some blacks’ belief that varying political positions articulated in the public by black public figures is perceived as potentially crippling the black community.

Although the issue concerning the nature of the black agenda in the age ofObama is a relevant and significant subject in need of a broad based public political discourse, we consumers of popular TV media are only exposed to black celebrity political leadership with a myopic or circular political discourse…

Gary James, chairman of the National Black Grand Old Party (www.NBGOP.net ) said, “Mainstream media always rounds up the usual suspects to discuss the important issues relating to the black community, such as the black agenda in the age of President Obama.  Consequently, the substance of these engagements and exchanges tends to be politically sophomoric, parochial, generating much heat, but shedding little light and understanding going forward.”

Gary James

“Interestingly enough, none of the anointed black American leaders tapped by MSNBC to discuss, explore and define the “black agenda” offered a contemporary context wherein the notion of a black political agenda resides…   James continued, “The black agenda is separate and distinct from the civil rights agenda.  Accordingly, the black agenda and the civil rights agenda are not interchangeable as the spokespeople for Ed Schultz have represented.”

According to James, the black agenda was methodically eclipsed by the civil rights agenda during the 1960’s and 70’s in the context of a sophisticated political disinformation campaign to marginalize emerging black power politics and its “militant” community based advocates.  The era of Obama demonstrates that black America has entered the post civil rights period.  Hence, the dormant black political agenda of the civil rights period is emerging.

James concluded, “In the future I hope that mainstream media reaches out for black American political input beyond the usual designated leadership suspects.  Should they need some help going forward I was be happy to offer a list of potential participants.”

Reference the relevant links:

http://www.blackpt.org/?p=480

http://www.blackpt.org/?p=434

http://www.blackpt.org/?p=409

http://wp.me/pDSzo-1

By Wolde Amanuel

The unfolding political and social upheavals occurring in the “Middle East” and North Africa are classic examples of how fraught, dynamic and interdependent the state of the world is today.  The popular insurrections animating the Arab world began in Tunisia following the self-mutilation of a young man who was a street vendor that became fed up with being harassed and having his property confiscated by local police.  The “straw that broke the camel’s back” occurred when a female officer ticketed him for not having a permit. She then confiscated his property, as he protested.  Finally, the man left the scene after being slapped in the face by the female officer while he was still protesting.

Frustrated, the young man went to a filling station and bought some gas. He then proceeded to the police station where he doused himself with the gasoline, lit a match and set himself ablaze in front of the station house. When the news broke to the public, a critical mass of Tunisians reacted to the horror which ultimately turned against the oppressive government and monarchy. The government was toppled, shortly thereafter.

The Tunisian insurrection of the masses became malignant and the proverbial

dominoes began to fall in other Arab countries of the region.  Popular upheavals began to erupt and the people clamored for democratic reforms in, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, and Libya, among other countries.  Without question, there is a political revolution underway in the Arab world, the end of which is not yet in sight.  Concomitantly, the United States and “western” powers in particular began scrambling to get from behind the political curve.  Impacted countries are currently modulating their internal situation and readjusting political power relationships with the people.  However, the situation is fluid as global capital markets are responding to the unknown and western powers are pondering their immediate future, relative to the oil imperative.

There are indeed many factors that account for this unprecedented state of affairs in the Arab world, not the least of which is the history of western powers in the region in the context of political and economic dominance and the master narrative.  Apart from the colorful history of human events in the “Middle East” region, the emerging world events, some are touting unfolding events as having Biblical implications.  “These are the times foretold of in scripture as the Lords Day.”  However, where ever your school of thought may lean, it is fair to say that these days may be the most interesting of times, overshadowing the famous, “best of times” and “worst of times” literary metaphor.

While some point to unpredictable weather, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, floods, pestilence, and other global phenomenon as signs of the imminent doom of the world, still others point to the same profound conjunctions and posit a glorious beginning of a new world.  Nevertheless, since the demise of the former Soviet Union over two (2) decades ago, people’s revolutions in Europe, Africa and Asia, for example, have confounded the conventional political wisdom and has repositioned many countries and peoples to the present political status quo.  The proliferation of democratic revolution that is engulfing the Arab world, and the Middle East is but, the latest political surprise that will ultimately impact and disrupt the geo-political power relationships currently in place.  Where the lineal march of the people to secure their democratic and citizen rights will come to an end is obviously an open question.

These global political observations highlight the undercurrent of human events during the past four plus decades are being considered from the macro political level…  On the micro political level, the unfolding events of the past decades and the changing demographic in America, is having an interesting impact on the very nature of black American politics in particular, going forward.  Contemporary American political history records the intrepid, courageous, colorful and triumphant march of black Americans out of slavery and Jim Crow, to the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, in 1964 and 1965 respectively.  In its wake, the “third world” emerged from colonialism, to strongman rule, and now to fledgling democracies in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe. The seed of democracy has ignominiously taken root in the Arab world, vis-à-vis, Tunisia, and the tree of liberty appears to be blossoming in the Arab world, as they are beginning to embrace a sensibility of modernity.

While the respective “third world” peoples introduce themselves to the challenges, vicissitudes and contradictions associated with an emergingdemocracy 101, the political vanguard black American community is reviewing and evaluating the previous forty odd years, of politics in the black American community.   An anecdotal assessment and consensus among a diverse black American demographic suggests that a critical mass of black Americans are disillusioned and apathetic relative to the nature and application of politics by way the conventional civil rights leadership.

Accordingly, there may be a relevant political analogue emerging as black American politics is perhaps transitioning from civil rights 101, to black political power 2.0.  Specifically, twentieth century black American politics are not adequate for advancing the critical masses of black folk politically and economically in the new millennium.  Moreover, the success of President Obama in securing the Democratic Party nomination and ultimately winning the general election provides proof positive that the black American civil rights leadership is no longer consequential to the success of a black political candidate winning local or national elective office.

Apparently, President Barack Obama saw a wrinkle in the political armor of the civil rights leadership orthodoxy relative to the emerging black community and he exploited it, in a masterful way.  Some suggest that Obama’s unique approach to political leadership in terms of directly interfacing with the people represents a post civil rights black politic.  Although his campaign has been characterized as post partisan, or post racial, some astute black political analysts reference Obama’s political strategy and tactics as post civil rights.

Veteran community organizer in the civil rights as well as black power movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s, Gary James said, “Obama’s community politics reminds me of the political dichotomy between the civil rights leadership agenda and the black power leadership agenda, from back in the day.  The Obama political leadership paradigm advances black community politics beyond the civil rights strategies and tactics, which are based on race and “minority” juxtapositions.”  James continued, “Obama’s campaign demonstrated a twenty-first century black politics which is essentially race neutral.”

Until very recently, politics in the black community was defined and actuated in the framework of the civil rights movement and its corresponding agenda.  The proliferation of black American elected officials around the country is due for the most part, to the successes of the meritorious and illustrious civil rights movement and agenda.  One of the cornerstones of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s and 70’s was the election of black Americans to public office, which generated much success in the south as well as the north.  The impressive numbers of black and other minority Americans who have been elected to public office during the past 40 years was achieved by way of a racial and minority political narrative, which was vogue until the election of President Barack Obama in 2008.  Accordingly, this incalculable and unforeseen event, confirmed the suspicion of some that black Americans are in a post civil rights political era.

Although the full impact of a post civil rights black American politics will not be felt for a while, as a new political synthesis is in formulation, there are implications that the civil rights, race based political paradigm as a strategy and tactic is shifting.  In addition, the emerging black demographic in America represents an eclectic and diverse amalgam of black folk from South America, the Caribbean as well as continental Africa.  Hence the African American contingent represents the smallest component of the expanding black American community.  As a consequence of demographic growth patterns, the traditional civil rights political narratives, strategies and tactics are generating diminishing returns.

There are a range of relevant political nuances that mitigates the black civil rights leadership’s continued dominance of the political narrative and agenda in the black community.  Not the least of which is the fact that the civil rights leadership orthodoxy, has effectively marginalized the black community in favor of political correctness.  The politically correct sensibility has sacrificed the term black in favor of the term “minority” and/or the phrase “people of color.”  Both political terms seem to be interchangeable, but the bottom line is the marginalization of the word black.  In general, the black civil rights leadership has effectively refrained from referencing black people singularly, to include Latinos, Asians, women as well as the LGBT community.  Also, the basic objective of the civil rights agenda seems to now be “social justice.”  While to be objective of social justice for minorities, people of color, women and the LGBT community is laudable, it is too generalized for advancing the particular political, economic and social needs objectives of the masses of black folk in the twenty-first century.

Since the political demise of the black power movement in the early 1970’s, the civil rights movement and its agenda, in conjunction with the “powers that be” was able to eclipse the organic, community based black political agenda.   While advocates of a unique black political power agenda within the framework of the electoral system had to demure without recourse, the black political agenda was crushed, as a practical political matter.  Black power political advocates for the most part were branded and politically maligned as militants, radicals, revolutionaries, nationalists, socialists, etc.  Eventually many black power advocates were ostracized or trapped-off in covert political machination scenarios.  Only a small contingent of political guru’s who have survived and navigated their way beyond the tumultuous days of the black power neophyte movement remain.

According to one black political guru, “there is a political analogue between the unfolding developments in the Middle Eastern / North African countries and the ‘third world’ in general, with the emerging politics in black America.  The Arab and third world countries are experiencing their respective democratic revolutionary experience in the context of an entry level neophyte political experience.  This development is a preliminary democratic learning experience of the first order.  Their initial political experience is on par with the black American experience from emancipation to the modern civil rights and voting rights achievements of the 1960’s and 70’s. Now, forty years hence, the black American community is moving beyond the political neophyte phase embodied in the civil rights era, and is currently developing and applying a more sophisticated application of the electoral political process.  The unfolding political sophistication process is redefining black power politics to be race neutral and post partisan.”  The political guru concluded by saying, “Emerging democracies in the Arab and third world will experience their respective growing pains, and will hopefully mature and avoid the dread of the ultimate global conflagration. “

Who would have imagined that a black neo-political revolution would embody the election of a black American as the President of the United States of America?  Who could have predicted the sunset of the civil rights agenda, as the primary political vehicle to advance black American politics and herald a paradigm shift in America during the twenty-first century?  Who could have forecasted a resurgence of the political rivalry between the civil rights agenda and the black community agenda?

According to Gary James, the chairman of the National Black Grand Old Party WWW.NBGOP.NET, “The civil rights leadership and movement can no longer speak for the masses of black people.  In addition to negotiating their way out of political position, vis-à-vis, the advent of political correctness, they have suffered substantial leadership and follow-ship loses due to attrition and the growing lack of political relevance.  Rev. Al Sharpton may represent the last generation of the civil rights leadership orthodoxy.  Although the conventional civil rights organizations and politicians will continue to have a life of their own, aspirants for elective office, locally and nationally, need not genuflect to the civil rights leadership orthodoxy or seek a political high sign,” in the pursuit of their electoral ambition.”

James and the newly launched National Black Grand Old Party, WWW.NBGOP.NET, are among a growing critical mass of black Americans that are undertaking to redefine the conventional application race and minority political juxtapositions in electoral politics.  “The objective of the new political synthesis is to achieve political leverage in order to advance a particular issue as well as the black agenda.” James said, “Going forward, partisan politics won’t be about friends versus enemies.  The 21^st century political paradigm is about political consistency and the pursuit of permanent interest objectives.”

Some maintain that there is a political synergy between the politics of black America and the masses in the third world seeking democracy and civil rights.  In the wake of the political advances of the successful civil rights movement in the 1960’s the so-called “third” world countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, experienced their respective democratic political revolutions.  The forty-odd year process has now caught up with the Arab world in the Middle East and North Africa is currently being transformed politically by way of civil rights movement strategies and tactics, tailored to their respective organic political futures.  The end of politically monolithic and strongman rule is beginning to be eclipsed by the free flow of information, liberty, political education and activism.

While the Arab world is currently engaging the complexities and political sophistication associated with developing a democratic society 101, the decades old, black American politics is moving beyond politically sophomoric one-party monopoly, which characterizes traditional “plantation” politics. According to NBGOP members, the black community cannot achieve political leverage by way of a continued one-party political strategy.  Just as black folk infiltrated the Democratic Party to get rid of Jim Crow and segregation, a critical mass of black folk need to infiltrate the Grand Old Party in order to generate political leverage, and become more competitive in electoral politics.  Interestingly enough, the radical, eclectic and progressive legacy of the Grand Old Party, offers a compelling historical political narrative from which to engage a more sophisticated politic in the black community, going forward.

Relevant Links:

Black Power 2.0

http://www.votersanonymous.com/?p=465

Race Base Political Hustle

http://www.votersanonymous.com/?p=449

Debating Black Agenda

http://www.votersanonymous.com/?p=435

The Master Narrative

http://www.votersanonymous.com/?p=439

Race Conversation Unchained

http://www.votersanonymous.com/?p=262

Sharpton vs. Tavis Political Rift

http://www.votersanonymous.com/?p=428

The political storm that is being forecast by some in the media as well as in conventional African American political quarters concerning remarks made by Haley Barbour, the Governor of Mississippi, represents politics of the day.  The uproar stems from remarks the Governor made regarding the Confederate History Month proclamation that initially did not mention slavery as a cause of the Civil War.  Barbour said, “the whole thing doesn’t amount to diddly” and his words are being positioned as a political gaff that can potentially derail his bid for the presidency in 2012.

While the Governor’s state of Mississippi was home to infamous episodes of racial violence, including the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964, Barbour was a seventeen year old adolescent at the time of this egregious act.  Two years earlier in 1962, when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the fairground in Barbour’s town of Yazoo City Mississippi, the overflowing crowd was full of people both black and white, he (Barbour) said “I just don’t remember things as being all that bad” with respect to racial tensions.

Gov. Barbour acknowledges that the “Citizens Councils” were viewed in the north as another name for the KKK.  But, he asserts that “where I come from it was an organization of town leaders that insured that the schools were desegregated without violence.”  He continued, “in my home town of Yazoo City they passed a resolution that essentially said anybody who started a chapter of the Klan would get their ass run out of town.”  Albeit, more than a decade after Brown vs. Board of Education, Yazoo City officials realized that segregation was not a winning strategy going forward.

But why make a mountain out of a political molehill, in this, the second decade of the twenty-first century?  This question was posed by GOP activist Gary James, who added “Hopefully we all, or perhaps some of us, have moved beyond the race based political juxtapositions that characterized the social, economic and political dynamics that spawned the civil rights movement”.  The venerable civil rights movement recorded substantial statutory and legislative advancements in the 1950s and 60s.  Notwithstanding, some forty plus years hence, the politics of the day in some quarters continues to perpetuate the race based political paradigm as the prominent modus vivendi.   Accordingly, the apparent storm clouds and political winds that seem to threaten Gov. Barbour’s future electoral ambition, may just amount to a tempest in a teapot.

But James, a formidable leader of the grassroots activist wing of the Republican Party said.  “When I read the tea leaves, I am persuaded that Gov. Barbour’s apparent positioning for his party’s presidential nomination is enhanced by his oblique and elliptical political references to race may endear him to the ‘Tea Party’ contingent, within the GOP…  The Tea Party contingent is currently the dominant political voice in national Republican Party politics, and would-be GOP presidential aspirants among others are acting accordingly.  Although Tea Party adherents assert that their issues, policies and grassroots politics have no racial dimensions or anti minority political imperative, it seems obvious to many that race and ethnicity continues to be the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room.”

Read more…

The anticlimactic censure of veteran Congressman Charles Rangel by the U.S. House of Representatives is without question a game changing event in the politics of Harlem, going forward.  The end of the forty-year legislative career lived out by the Dean of New York’s Congressional delegation may be lurking in the coming Presidential election of 2012, however that possibility remains to be seen.  Nevertheless, it is a foregone conclusion that electoral politics in Harlem is entering a new dispensation.  The octogenarian congressman represents the last elected official personality representing Harlem’s, “old guard.”  That high point period in Harlem’s contemporary political past, was punctuated by the late Honorable Percy Sutton, affectionately known as the “chairman.”

In addition to Congressman Rangel and Chairman Percy Sutton, the twentieth century Harlem political legacy heralds other history making black American elected officials such as Honorable Basil Patterson and Honorable David Dinkins.  Affectionately called in gang of four (4), these iconic African American political figures stand on the shoulders of the late and great Rev. Dr. Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr.  These storied contemporary African American political leader stalwarts represented a legacy in America’s foremost African America community which was institutionalized by people like Honorable, J. Raymond Jones, a/k/a, the Harlem Fox, among others.  However, there are apparently, no political heirs to perpetuate Harlem, as the black leadership model in twenty first electoral politics.  Hence, we may be witnessing a new political dispensation emerging in Harlem.

While it remains to seen whether Congressman Rangel will run for reelection for the 20^th time in 2012, many speculate that next congressperson in the 15^th congressional district will not be a black American.  Some suggest that political maverick, State Senator William Perkins would be a strong candidate to succeed Congressman Rangel, but it is not likely that he (Perkins) would receive the blessing from Rangel should he chose not to run for reelection in 2012.  A few political analysts suggest that Rangel would be inclined to endorse former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields to succeed him when he ultimately chooses not to run for another term.  In any case, there will most likely be multiple seekers to Harlem’s coveted congressional thrown. 

Needless to say, Governor, David Patterson, the son of the Honorable Basil Patterson, and Democratic County leader of Manhattan, the Honorable Keith Wright, will likely not be included among the field of freshman congressional aspirants.  Additionally, Gov. Patterson and county leader Wright are not disposed to supporting Senator Perkins if he chooses to seek the congressional seat on his own, because of the political rupture between them.  In the 2010 election both Patterson and Wright supported the candidate running against Senator Perkins, and he was soundly thrashed by Perkins, as he(Perkins) racked up the most votes in comparison to all other winning candidates in Harlem.  Apart from the personal political animas  that characterizes the political none relationship between the three (3) parties mentioned, Perkins defied the New York political delegation during the 2008 presidential primary elections as he (Perkins), supported the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama in the party primary, while all other black elected officials in Harlem throw their support behind Senator Hillary Clinton.

Given the current political circumstances the 2012 presidential election portends unusually interesting and far reaching political scenarios.  But in terms of the political facts on the ground, the ball remains in the congressman’s court and it’s up to him how he plays it.  Whether Rangel will or won’t seek another term is an open question at this point and political speculation is high on either side of the question.  Whatever the congressman’s ultimate decision is, it will be politically consequential.

During the forty year reign of the veteran Democratic Party congressional leader, the honorable congressman was a tireless opponent of the Republican Party’s policy initiatives and he (Rangel) was well known for vociferously challenging his GOP congressional counter parts.   In this context Rangel earned the nick-name Republican Party basher.  The congressman relished is political nick-name in the company of his partisan rank and file, as he extolled the popular partisan, political friends and enemies paradigm.  But interestingly enough, behind the political scenes the congressman was engaged in sophisticated electoral politics with the New York County Republican Party leadership.

MORE… http://harlemweekly.com/CongRangelLinks.pdf