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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Republicans say there is "something fishy" in Perry County because black folks showed up and voted on election day




Something smells fishy in Perry County all right.

My favorite right wing talk show host/blogger  is using a report by Montgomery based  reporter Dana Beryl, published in The Gadsden Times regarding voter turnout in Perry Couny as proof black voter fraud is alive and well, and justification for Voter Suppression Laws.

Sigh..

According to Beryl's headline and lead paragraph, the United States Justice Department should have sent Federal Election Monitors to Uniontown Alabama, which happens to be majority black, because they had more registered voters than people on election day, with an 55% turnout, representing 80.6% of the towns 2010 population.  Key words 2010 population.

The chairwoman o the  Perry County Board of registrars is quoted in the article saying 279 of the 2576 voters were "removable" because they were either dead or having been convicted of felonies.  So,  why didn't the board of registers "remove" them" prior to election?  Is there proof the dead and ex felons cast votes in the mayoral election? If so, produce it.

An unnamed election official is quoted in the article saying there were 650 absentee ballots cast (not to be confused with counted) in the Uniontown election. Beryl then  notes an absentee ballot is to given only to voters who say they will be out of town on election day.  Which naturally  leads republicans to conclude the high number of absentee ballots invite fraud.

Perry County Commissioner Albert Turner, Jr. said high voter turnout was the due to voters showing their appreciation to the Mayor and the City Council for the4.8 million dollar grant Uniontown received from the United States Department of Agriculture to repair and expand it's water treatment system, hopefully fixing decades of sewer problems.  

You think?

Black CNN camerawoman from Alabama "not surprised by" peanut pelting at the RNC


Patrica Carroll, the black CNN camerawoman who was the victim of a peanut attack and called an animal is from Sweet Home Alabama.  Maybe her rich southern heritage is why she is not surprised the incident happened in the first place.

I must say I was surprised by the blatant race baiting and racism at the RNC, and even more surprised the media didn't call it out.  What do you want to bet if black delegates to the DNC had verbally and physcially attacked a white CNN camerawoman it would have been all over the TeeVee, radio, blogs, and in print as proof the democratic party is the party of savages?

This kind of behavior is often spurred by a lack of diversity in the white male dominated media, who for some reason, believe they are the arbiter of when something someone did or said is racist or not.  We are supposed to ignore the fact Mitt Romney has ZERO, ZILCH, NADA percent of the African American vote, and that it would be easier to count the number of people of color attending the convention than empty seats in the convention hall.

The mainstream media fosters a "let's not talk about, or confront the racism and maybe it will go away mentality, unfortunately some of my fellow Americans feel the same way.

One more night and we'll be free from the fakery


One more night and the We hate Obama more than we love our country convention will be over.  I must say it's been fun watching the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads bending over backwards ignoring the real stories to make this election about two viable candidates for President.

Now more than ever I am convinced Mitt Romney and the GOP, enabled by the media, either have amnesia, or they think we are Suckers.

Have they forgotten the Bush and Dick Doctrine that sent our troops to a stupid war for stupid reasons?   Do they expect the American people to endorse borrowing and spending for all war all the time while exploding the deficit again?  I mean, do they really  believe they can lie their way into power, again ?

Stay tuned, tonight Mitt Romney will try and make the American people forget he is the 5th amendment President while the media drives the getaway car.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

If Artur Davis had listened to me maybe he would have won the Alabama democratic primary


But nooooo, he chose to listen to the Rocket Scientist instead of the Political Scientist.  Note, I said the Alabama Democratic PRIMARY, not  to be confused with the general election.   In order to win the Alabama democratic primary he would have run as a liberal democrat, and everyone knows white voters would rather run through hell with a pair of gasoline drawers on than vote for a liberal democrat (ask Ron Sparks) , much less a black liberal democrat in Alabama, (ask President Obama.)

One of the first things politicians learn is "know your base", not to be confused with "take your base for granted", which is what Artur Davis and his team did when they decided he should throw the voters who would vote for him under the bus, and pander to people who might vote for him.

The Davis team was so sure African American voters were going to fall for the Artur Davis is Barack Obama Okey Doke and vote for him out of  some kind of "racial pride", not realizing African Americans don't vote based on the race of the candidate, but the content of the candidates agenda, like  Dr. Joe Reed and Rev. Jesse Jackson tried unsuccessfully to tell them.

Artur Davis came to power in what is known as the Trojan Horse Offensive, backed by unlimited right wing dollars, enabled by a media  eager to frame African Americans as becoming "more conservative"

Artur Davis is proof that media driven narrative doesn't fit the facts.  

Republicans can have Artur Davis.  Strike that, republicans deserve Artur Davis.

Artur Davis has zero credibility among people of good will , much like the party he serves, and the Progressive, Informed, Involved Blog he infiltrated.

Monday, August 27, 2012

RedEye's Snark Attack

Artur Davis punk'd Left in Alabama big time remix.  You knew it was coming...I can't help but snicker like Mutely watching the Cats and other Critters over at Left in Alabama ,who kicked me out of the Liter Box because I tried to tell them Artur Davis was a Corporate Bull Frog and  Poo Pot Punk,  doing backflips in an attempt to renounce, reject and repudiate their ahem  Chief Dis appointee,  so I thought I would compose this Artur Davis, Then and Now at Left in Alabama big Snark.

Isn't it ironic the GOP aims to say "see we like black people" by having two African American sellouts from Alabama on the stage at during their We hate Obama more than we love ourselves and our country hate fest, I mean convention in Tampa?  Meanwhile, it looks like Mitt's got a Mutiny going on among the House Slaves, I mean Negro Republicans.

Speaking of the GOP convention, I see the governors of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and maybe Louisiana, are skipping the event because of Hurricane Issac.  All I'm going to say is if Issac blows through any of these states this week,  I better not see none them with their hand out asking for federal aid from President Barack Hussein Obama.

On the all politics is local front, this is what happens when the Huntsville City School Board and the competent white Superintendent, who replaced the inept black superintendent, panders to the right and the Huntsville Times berates those taxpayers who dare criticize/complain about their policies.  Is the children learning?  I think not, so, now that we know, what can/are we going to do about it? Start by reading this.

While I'm on the subject of education, I can't let the fact the State that can't shoot Straight, much to the delight of the anti-Alabama Education Association, Mayor William Bell, and Frank Matthews gang, decided they could do a better job of educating poor/black/brown students with a takeover of  the Birmingham City School System.  Mission Accomplished. Charter schools here we come.

Alabama State Senator Arthur Orr,(r. Decatur) sponsored a bill last week to remove discriminatory language regarding poll taxes and segregated schools from Alabama's 1901 constitution. Sounds goods on its face, right?

NOT.

Today's Must Read
Voter ID Laws:  The American Coup de tat

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Update~I love it when the Brass Knuckle Wing of the Democratic Party is Allowed on TeeVee

What do you want to bet Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's uppity donkey be seen on TeeVee ever again?


Oops, spoke too soon, the Mayor showed his uppity donkey to Chucky Todd too.  Back to the attic he goes.


Thank you for being brave enough to speak truth to power Mr. Mayor.  I hope you don't end up like the last black Mayor of a mayor U.S. City  that showed his uppity donkey......


I'm just saying....

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Alabama Burning

In light of Alabama's harsh immigration law, and elected officials saying they will do anything short of shooting illegals and referring to African American citizens as Aborigines, among other things, the Feds are coming to Alabama.  Yee Haw!

My favorite Righty's say America has a race problem but it is not what you think,  it's them their coloreds that are racist because 94%  of African Americans support Obama over Romney.   

Poor things, they believe 94% of African Americans support President Obama over Mitt Romney is because he's black like them.  I wonder what part of African Americans don't vote for candidates based on the color of their skin but the content of their agenda don't they understand?
The unit will be headed by Robert Posey, a longtime federal prosecutor who worked with Mr. Jones on the church-bombing cases. With a core group of five lawyers in Birmingham and Huntsville, it will handle cases from the northern half of the state.
The Obama administration sued the state to block the law clamping down on illegal immigration after Republican Gov. Robert Bentley signed it last year, and Mr. Posey said the unit already is involved in two cases involving allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers.
The department’s decision to place a civil rights unit in Alabama shows the state will has problems guaranteeing legal equality years after the civil rights era ended, said Shay Farley, legal director of Alabama Appleseed, a public interest legal office based in Montgomery.
“It highlights the fact that the war isn’t over,” she said.
Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama, the cradle of the Confederacy, the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, and political prosecutions of liberal Democrats.

Monday, August 20, 2012

See Mama Sally Jump Through Hoops to Vote in the United States of America

In response to my previous post, Why Mama Sally can't vote, my favorite Righty's  offered this ahem solution for my friends 100-year-old maternal grandmother;
Redeye, just read your blog where you talk about your friend’s maternal grandmother possibly not being able to vote in Mississippi. Have your friend, your friend’s mother, your friend’s grandmother, or do it yourself(as long as you get permission to do so) go to the following website: http://www.msvoterid.ms.gov/ , or they can call 1-855-868-3745 and they can help her get an ID free of charge, and it even looks like if she needs transportation, they will arrange it for her.
Also according to the State Department, if she does not have a birth certificate and the state can’t find one, the state must issue her a Letter of No Record. The Letter of No Record then can be sumbitted with other forms of evidence (census record, early school record, family bible record, baptismal certificate) to form proof of citizenship to stand in for primary evidence of U.S. Citizenship.
My question is, why does a 100-year-old woman, or anyone for that matter, who has been voting for years, have to jump through hoops to vote in the United States of America in 2012?

There is no evidence that black/brown/elderly/disabled/college students are showing up at the polls committing "voter fraud", yet Mama Sally's story is proof they are the ones who are adversely affected by the republicans Voter ID laws.

And they want us to sing God Bless America?
Today's Must Read
Voting Wars

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Why Mama Sally Can't Vote

This is a true voter suppression story, the names have been changed to protect the innocent~RedEye

God willing, one of my dearest friends maternal grandmother will turn 100 years old on October 23, 2012, which means she was born on October 23, 1912.  Keep these dates in mind as the story continues.

Mama Sally (not her real name) had to move to from Tennessee, the state of her birth and where she spent all of her life, to the state of Mississippi where she will spend the remainder of her time on earth with her loving grand daughter and her family.

Mama Sally has a social security number, receives medicare and owns property in Tennessee.  She stopped driving at age 60, so she hasn't had a drivers license in 40 years.  Still, as she says, in her right mind, she's voted in every election since the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965.

Mama Sally won't be allowed to vote in Mississippi because the state of Tennessee doesn't have a record of her birth, and voters are required to produce a certified copy of their birth certificate in order to obtain a Voter ID card.

Mama Sally's vote is being suppressed.  And for those who say instead of whining about Mama Sally's plight help her obtain an ID card, I ask how the heck are we supposed to help her get a birth certificate that doesn't exist?

Saturday, August 18, 2012

"Ain't gonna let nobody turn us around" Voting Rights Photo Blog


In a discussion with my favorite Righty's about the republican plan to steal the 2012 election I posed the following question:
 What do republicans think is going to happen on election day when voters show up at the polls to vote for President of the United States of America and are told they can't vote this time because they don't have a government issued Photo ID card?  Do they expect them to say Oh OK and turn around and go home like good little boys and girls?

I don't think so.

What will our government do on election day when all hell breaks lose because millions of Americans are told they won't be allowed to vote for the President of the United States of America because they don't have a government issued Photo ID card?

Call the police?

Yep, that will look real good on televisions sets around the world, the United States of America, that beacon of freedom and democracy beating, jailing and possibly killing it's own people for trying to vote for President of the United States of America.

That sounds like something an evil dictator would do. Snark



The RIGHT to vote is sacred to African Americans.  It is steeped in the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice of Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers, Viola Luizzio, Jimmie Lee Jackson, John Lewis, Denise McNair,CaroleRobertson,  and countless unsung Heroes and Sheroes.  

If the Grand Old Party thinks they are going to turn us around, and the struggle we went through to get those rights be in vain, as the young people say...... "They better ask somebody".  



We ain't going to let NOBODY turn around our RIGHT to vote around.  Note all the violence is being perpetrated by whites against blacks, not the other way around, so don't get it twisted and try and paint the the Civil Rights Movement or the "rhetoric" as violent.



Our troops fought died and were maimed for life so the Iraqi people could have fair and free elections, remember?  If the Iraqi people don't need a photo ID to vote why do we, the American people, who  sacrificed our blood and treasure for them need one?


I sure do miss the good old days when we had Fair and Free Elections in America too!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Herding Cats aka The Alabama Democratic Party


Alabama Democratic Party Cat Herding Update

The time to inform democratic voters the democratic nominee for the Supreme Court is a bigot is BEFORE the democratic primary not AFTER the fact.  It's kind of like trying to UN-RING a Bell.

There is a huge disconnect between the Big Cats and the Big Dogs within the ADP , which manifest itself in the Big Cats deciding who should represent the interest of Alabama's   poor/black/brown citizens

Instead of trying to un-ring a bell, why isn't the ADP organizing in support of former Governor Don Siegelman instead of offering prayers for him and his family?

Again- para quoting the late Civil Rights Activist Fannie Lou Hammer, you can pray until you are blue in the face but unless you get off your knees and do something, God isn't going to give you anything.

RedEye over and out....for now

Saturday, August 11, 2012

"The Next President of the United States of America, Paul Ryan"


I know I said I wasn't going to blog about House Representative Paul Ryan (r. Wisconsin) any more today, but I was  wondering....did Mitt make a Freudian slip when he introduced Ryan as "the next President of the United States of America", or, does he know something we don't know?

When you think about it, Rep. Ryan will be the next President of the United States of  America IF Mitt has to resign, or, is impeached and removed from office.  Or, God forbid, something happens to him before his term is over.

So let's recap, the next President of the United States is a Tea Party darling who wants to turn Medicare into a voucher system, privatize social security,  give the rich more tax cuts at the expense of the middle class, cut programs for the poor, keep poor women from choosing the have a safe, legal abortion, and having access to birth control, repeal the Affordable Health Care Act, start a war with anybody, send illegals back to Mexico (except the ones who work for republicans),  return to states rights, and is a a political coward who doesn't believe in government.

Can you say Deja Voodoo all over again?

Today's Must Read
The Flip-Flopper & the Film Flam Man

House Representative Paul Ryan, the gift that keeps on giving


This is my last post today about Willard's choice of  House Rep Paul Ryan (r. push granny off the cliff) as his running mate. 

I HOPE.

Mitt Romney proved once again he has no spine, and like the gop nominee before him,  gave in to the segment of voters who hate President Obama more than they love themselves, or their country.  


Surely the gop can do better than this.  But then again......

You won't see it on TeeVee this weekend but here is the Obama Campaign's response to Willard's CHOICE  for America.


Today's Must Reads

290 Pages of opposition research on Paul Ryan~ Fist Dap djchefron via Jack and Jill Politics

Who is Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's VP, Exactly? (Psst, his wife is a tax lawyer!)

Willard Romney Chooses Eddie Munster for Vice President!

O-M-G! On the deck of the USS Wisconsin, with The Help, I mean two black folks in the back ground, Willard Mitt Romney just introduced Eddie Munster, I mean Paul Ryan, as the next President of the United States of America.

 Ooops!

Paul Ryan?  Seriously?

The only thing missing is a Mission Accomplished banner.

Like Romney, Ryan is a son of privilege who has little real-world experience or understanding. He presents well on Sunday morning talk shows and in the rarified confines of Washington think tanks and dinners with his constituents—the Masters of the Universe on Wall Street-- but his record in Congress and the policies he now promotes are political albatrosses.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Huntspatch Sitty School Daze


Ten, count them, ten, Huntsville City School failed to meet AYP (Average Yearly Progress) last year, and once again the district isn't prepared to meet IEP's,  but that's OK, the inept  black Superintendent was replaced with a competent white one.

So what is the "competent" white superintendent doing to improve student achievement? Let me count ten ways.

1. Sign a $21.9 million dollar contract to convert the district from printed books to a digital textbook learning system.  

2. Transfer, fire or run off,  trained, certified, teachers and principals and replace them with Teach for America Teachers in the low achieving schools, and Principals from out of state.

3. Close down the Alternative School and send students to a private, residential, drug treatment program.

4.  Double the legal fees for the district.

5.  Balance the budget on the backs of special education students.

6.  Hire cronies as consults while laying off teachers and support personnel.

7.  Take credit for the inept black superintendent's achievements.

8.  Refuse to answer tax payers questions or address their concerns.

9.  Intimidate the public.

10.  Under estimate the cost of contracts, again.

And what did the competent white superintendent who replaced the inept black superintendent say when asked about the ten schools that failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress?

"Adequate doesn't sound very high to me."

Oh well, I guess it depends on what your definition of adequate and competent IS.

Sigh

What Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich said about Mitt's tax returns.

"I don't know how many years I will release, I will look at what the documents are, I want to release these things all at the same time"~ Mitt Romney

"The democrats want to attack me for being successful" ~ Mitt Romney

"I pay a lot of taxes, I've been very successful"~ Mitt Romney

"If he is going to stay in the race he ought to release his tax returns."~Newt Gingrich

"If there is anything in there that is going to cause us to lose the election we need to know before the nomination"~ Newt Gingrich

It's better to do it in in the primary season so the country understands what's going on and not be surprised in September" ~Newt Gingrich 



Why won't Romney release his tax returns, as long as he doesn't aren't we going to wonder what he's hiding?

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Why is mooncat defending Patricia Todd?

Image result for Picture of representative patricia todd
Alabama’s first out lawmaker speaks at a re-election campaign event


You know something is rotten in the cotton when right wing  blogger  Radio Boy  is in agreement with left leaning blogger mooncat on an issue involving the democratic party, dog whistles, and race.

Let's go inside the story and see what is going on between the Committee to Develop Birmingham and Rep. Patrica Todd (D). 

First some background,  The Committee to Develop Birmingham is majority black, Rep.Patrica Todd is white, the first openly gay Alabama State Legislator, representing a district that is majority black.

How did a white, openly gay woman end up representing a majority black district?  The answer depends on who you ask, and,  who answers.

Here is a link to the documents filed in the case.

In a dispute/disagreement over a proposed take over by Alabama State Department of Education of the Birmingham City School System, Todd who supports the take over, described those who disagreed as rogue delegation members."    Well how dare they get offended by being described as "rogues"!  Snark

This is what happens when you resort to name calling, personal attacks and insults  because someone has a different point of view, and why the current  tone of our political discourse is so toxic.  Rep. Todd apologized and said she didn't mean to offend anyone, but as a member of a minority class she should know better than anyone that words matter, and some words hurt.

mooncat asks; What is the committee's game here?  Trying to stir up trouble for Pat Todd maybe?  Create an opening for a challenger of their own?

Why does it have to a game, 
What if the committee does have a challenger of their own?

I don't live in Todd's district, but I have friends and family who do, and there is the perception   she cares more about issues affecting the LBGT community, and ignores issues affecting the African American community.

Let the people who actually live/work in the district decided who best represents them.  If Todd is faced with a challenger for her seat, and a  majority of the people vote for her in a fair and free election, she will be re-elected.  But please don't say  voters don't have the right (pun intended) to challenge her just because she's Patricia Todd (D) implying she is entitled the seat.

Today's Must Reads
Terri Sewell's Online Un-Job Fair (Be sure and read the comments)

Where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character 

Updated: Blatant show of White Privilege hiding behind the skirts of the JeffCo New South Coalition

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

RedEye's Roundup

Fist dap jobsanger!

To take the heat off Mitt Romney's tax returns, or the lack thereof, and his they just spend your money, race-baiting welfare ad,  Righty's,  enabled by the liberal media, of course,  fact-checked (RedEye roll)  an Obama Super PAC  ad.  Fine time to start fact-checking Super PAC ads. Is this another media-enabled weapon of mass distraction?

There are five adjectives that scream don't vote republican, remember, you are what/who you vote for.
Obstructionist
Vindictive
Delusional
Hypocritical
Inept
Must see PBS,  The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement will air on PBS on August 9, 2012.  Check local listings for times.  If the only way you can win is to keep people from voting that means you have no plans and your ideas don't work.


Fist Dap WriteChic Press
In our era where Voter ID Laws are not-so-stealthily stripping individuals of the right to vote, the story of Civil Rights Foot Soldier, James Armstrong, takes you back to the days when “voting was worth dying for.”

Today's Must Read
How the GOP Lost the African American Vote, and Their Civil Rights Reputation

What I'm Working On
Why is Left in Alabama Defending State Representative Patrica Todd?

Herding Cats

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

No "Absence of Malice" in Bama~Update

Absence of Malice is an American film starring Paul Newman, Sally Field and  Bob Balaban, directed by Sidney Pollack
Against my better judgement I tuned in to radio boy's talk show this morning because investigative journalist Andrew Kreig of the Justice Integrity Project  was scheduled to discuss the Don Siegelman case.

Initially I was going to give Dale credit for having the courage to have Andrew Krieg on his show, until I heard his diatribe, I mean promo of the segment, which begin with the typical right wing talking points- convicted felon, bribery, found guilty by a jury of his peers, Siegelman sold his house for double the worth, blah, blah, blab, blab, ending by calling one of Kreig's sources, Blogger Legal Schnauzer, a Sociopath (Dale's word) because he lost his job, cost his wife her job, lost his home, and posted a blog that said the Judge in the Siegelman case was behind 9/11 (Dale's words), and it went down hill from there.  Oh well, at least I know what advertiser's and sponsors to stay away from, but I digress.

After promising to give Andrew Kreig two minutes to make his case, Dale proceeds to in engage in interruptions and over talk,  running out the clock until it was time for one of his many lengthy commercial breaks.

Dale likes to say democrats and liberals are afraid to appear on his show, but it's not fear that keeps self respecting democrats away, it's the knowledge they are going to be treated with contempt and  malice.

Andrew Kreig must have assumed he would have an honest and open discussion/debate regarding the facts around the Siegelman prosecution, but he was wrong.   Psst Mr. Kreig! See what we're up against here in Sweet Home Alabama?  Do you see why attorneys and democrats are scared?.   Should we all be afraid?

When Krieg tried to tell Dale it wasn't about Don Siegelman the person, and our system of justice should investigate crimes not people, Dale cut him off.

When Krieg said the reason Nick Baily testified against Don Siegelman because he was afraid of being raped in prison, Dale mocked him.

When Krieg said republican Stan Pate paid for Nick Bailey's defense because he felt sorry for him, Dale whined  Stan Pate hates Bob Riley.

When Krieg attempted to bring up the statements of Dana Jill Simpson, Dale cut him off crying  she had no creditability  or proof about anything..

When Kreig pointed out Simpson testified before congress under oath and produced phone records as evidence of the phone calls,  Dale said that wasn't evidence.

When Kreig tried to talk about a possible conflict of interest in the case, ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff , and campaign contributions,  Dale said people contribute to causes they believe in all the time.  Oh ,really?  So it's not a bribe IYANAR (If You Are Not A Republican).

This is what I learned from listening to the show this morning, is it's OK for Dale, Judge Fuller and others to hate on Don Siegelman, and go after him for partisan, political gain, but it's not OK for Stan Pate to hate on Bob Riley, or for Attorney General Troy King to go after him (Dale).

Krieg ended the segment by saying the only way we are are going to find out what really happened in the Siegelman case, is to put all the parties involved under oath. Using the movee Absence of Malice as an example, para quoting actor Wilford Brimley, cast as Assistant United States Attorney James A. Wells, who threatens to make everybody honest by putting them under oath.

Sounds like a plan to me.

Today's Must Read

Does Don Siegelman deserve more time in prison?

Scott Bloch Investigation Also Concerns Siegelman Case