Blast from the Past: Alabama has it's first elected African American Congresswoman #NetanyahuSpeech

Terri Sewell: "It's an historic election because it's about you, not about me"

Yeah right.  In light of the fact the elected Congress Critter from Alabama's 7th Congressional district, and the only African American Democrat who attended  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address before a joint session of Congress I thought it appropriate to re post this blast from the past.

It's no secret I am not a supporter of Terri Sewell, not because she isn't nice, accomplished young lady from a good family, but because I don't believe she has the experience or the political skills to represent the interest of the voters of the 7th district. I'm going to be frank, and say the out of state money and the wall street connections worry me. I fear this is another case of affluent white folks deciding who should represent poor black folks.

My worst fear has come to past. Republicans, enabled by the media (again) and the neo liberals (again) bought and paid for the only African American seat in congress (again). I'm sure they are patting themselves on the back and high fiving their "victory" this morning, but this is wrong on so many levels. For one thing it proves it's not about the people, it's about the money, the power and the influence. It's proof the residents of the 7th district didn't get to decide who represents them in congress (again).

So much for waiting, watching , and HOPING , Congresswoman Terri Sewell makes us all proud as the first Alabama African American Congresswoman.

#SkipTheSpeech

An apology to Left in Alabama, and a question for the Alabama Democratic Party

 New Alabama Congressional Map

When the Cats and other Critters were talking about gerrymandering and redistricting as far back as 2007 and 2009,  I was kind of  taken a back because I thought they were bashing racially gerrymandered districts to abolish long held minority voting blocks,  by questioning  why we still need minority voting districts.

Little did I know they may have been trying to warn us (democrats)  republicans were plotting to, as my Daddy says,  spank us with our own switch.

The question is...did we (democrats) mess around and let them (republicans) redistrict the 7th district, paving the way for a conservative who happens to be black to mis-represent Alabama's 7th congressional district?

I'm  just asking....

Playing the Black Card

When black folks raise a legitimate issue regarding racial inequalities/injustice, Righty's and the media say we are  playing the Race Card, in an attempt to marginalize and minimize the issue.   It's their way of saying STFU and STFD and wait on us to decide what is racist, or not.  RedEye Roll

So what do you call it when Righty's and the media play the Black Card?  What's the Black Card you ask?  Everyone knows the easiest and only  way for a black face to be a Talking TeeVee Pundit Head, or a rising star, is to be a black, conservative, republican.

Case in point, Artur Davis  (r. turncoat) was the only black face taking part of the Round Table discussion on  ABC's This Week.   As if he speaks for the majority of black folks.  As if he has any credibility.  But that's the point, he doesn't have any credibility, that's why he's on TeeVee.

The same can be said for former republican chair Michael Steele, and former Presidential candidate Herman Cain.

Righty's and the media aren't the only ones who play the Black Card, so called Progressive outlets do it to.

Left in Alabama played the Black Card big time during the recent Alabama Gubernatorial race, to the extent those who didn't go along to get along with them, like myself, were banned from the Blog.

I have to wonder if they are playing a new Black Card in a recent post praising Congresswoman Terri Sewell for being in the forefront of a Congressional Black Congress walkout over Attorney General Eric Holder being charged with Contempt of Congress.  As if that's a big deal.

In the interest of full disclosure, I supported Sewell's opponent Sheila Smoot in the Democratic Primary ( the last straw leading to my banishment) because I felt (and still do) the citizens of Congressional District 7 need and deserve a  an experienced, proven, representative after 8 years of Artur Davis (r. sellout).

Terri Sewell represents Alabama's 7th district, which includes Alabama's Black Belt region, home to some of the poorest counties in America.  Looking at Sewell's Website, I see her, dressed in designer suits, carrying a designer purse, in the forefront of photo ops, announcing grants/funding for USDA, and jobs for everywhere except the Black Belt Region.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Terri Sewell personally, and I don't begrudge her ability to purchase designer shoes/clothes/purses. She is a smart, accomplished, young lady from a good family who I'm sure are very proud of her.  But it's not about her, it's about the people in the 7th district.

I don't live, or work in the 7th district, but I have friends and family who are residents of the Black Belt region, and I can tell you they were hurting when Sewell was elected and they are still hurting now.  Especially since the TeaPublicans took over the Alabama Government.

I HOPE Left in Alabama isn't playing a new Black Card in an attempt to redeem themselves for playing the old Black Card, for the sake of the residents in the Black Belt region.

It's not about color of the skin, it's about the content of the agenda.

How many members of Congress does Huntsville need?

Congresswoman Terri Sewell is Huntsville's New BFF, Greene, Choctaw, Sumter, Marengo, Dallas, Wilcox, Perry and Hale, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Clarke, and Pickens counties, not so much.

After attending a fundraiser hosted for and by the democratic elite(aka deep pockets)Representative Sewell *ahem* toured Huntsville and promised support for defense contractors.

Mayor Battle says Congresswoman Terri Sewell is Huntsville's new best friend because of her commitment to keeping NASA and Huntsville in the forefront in Washington.

That's nice, but what is she doing to help the people in her district? You know, the people who don't have deep pockets and government contracts? To para quote Janet Jackson, what has she done for them lately? According to my sources, not much.

Is Sewell signaling she will vote with the republicans (Mo Brooks included) and against her fellow Harvard Law Alums' proposed defense cuts to reduce the deficit without hurting the middle class and the poor?

President Obama entered the debate about the national debt on Wednesday after months on the sidelines, offering a plan to trim borrowing by $4 trillion over the next 12 years by combining deep cuts in military and domestic spending with higher taxes on the wealthy.

In a stinging rebuke to Republican budget-cutters, Obama acknowledged that the debt must be tackled faster than he has previously proposed, but he rejected GOP calls to make fundamental changes to Medicare and Medicaid and to scale back his initiative to expand health-care coverage to the uninsured.

So, Alabama's top Democrat is all over the Huntsville media market and not one word about WienerGate, The Bingo Lynching, the recent passage of the mean spirited, racist illegal immigration law, or the assault on women's reproductive freedoms.

The power of the press.

"Alabama is still treating the average black citizens like chattel"

kayman and I don't agree on much, but on this we can agree.

I see Alabama is still treating the average black citizens like chattel (0.00 / 0)
To be shuffled around like between owners every few years.

I'm not surprised at all. The idea of blacks been in the same community as some is bad enough so they move away from us. But GASP, if they reside in the same congressional district as them then it means they will not allow a white person be elected as their congressional representative, so GET THEM AWAY, GET THEM AWAY! It's so pathetic how aversive bias is still at work in this state when it comes to blacks. Some politicos can't even stare an iota of though to attempt to appeal to black citizens because that'll mean they have to deal with them.

As I've said time and time again, some people wonder why educated blacks evacuate Alabama like rats from a sinking ship. It's obvious that nobody respects us here, so we vote with our feet and go to places where we are appreciated.

I've been following the discussion at Left in Alabama concerning the Reapportionment Hearings and Dr. Joe L. Reed's request the committee look at creating a second minority black district in Alabama.

At yesterday's meeting in Montgomery, Dr. Joe Reed asked the Committee to look at creating a second majority black district in Alabama. AL-07, which includes Selma, is 62.8% African-American, is currently the only majority-minority district in the state and the only district held by a Democrat, Rep. Terri Sewell.

IMHO Alabama needs a second minority-majority district because in it's present state white folks end up deciding who should represent black folks.

Winding from the downtown skyline of Birmingham, southward through Selma, and almost to Mobile, is Alabama's 7th Congressional District. This is a district of history, providing Alabama with its first black Congressman since Reconstruction, and again poised to make history this year by electing its first woman to Congress, other than the widow of an incumbent. In terms of this blog, it also occurred to me that if I want to say something about this district, I'd best be typing, as the general election vote in this 63.3% black district promises to be one of the great yawners of November. The action, as it has been from this district's birth in the 1992 cycle, is in the Democratic primary.

This is, of course, an open seat, vacated by Artur Davis in his Quixotic bid to become a triangulating black governor of Alabama. The runoff gives voters a choice between Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Smoot, and Birmingham lawyer Terri Sewell. Sewell led the primary with 36.8% of the vote, with Smoot getting 28.6%. State Representative Earl Hilliard, Jr., of Birmingham, son of the former Congressman from this district, narrowly missed the runoff with 26.8%, and Martha Bozeman, a former Davis staffer, trailed with 7.8%.

Smoot was considered the more progressive/liberal of the two candidates but Sewell had the financial support of white voters from Birmingham which fueled her victory.

This is an election for the people that ACTUALLY live in the district (4.00 / 1)
This is truly an election for the people that actually live in congressional district 7 and for people that can actually VOTE in the district. The problem is that way too many people and organizations are trying to influence it for the wrong reasons (I'm sure that many consider this subjective but it is really not). People that do not live in the district can give high level spin for candidates, write flashy blog posts, post misinformation about candidates, put up radio ads, act as tools of outside interest but in the end it is about the people that vote. It will be about the people who's everyday life is affected by their congressional representation.

Joey Kennedy at the Birmingham News posed the following:

Here are the facts: In Alabama, blacks make up 26.2 percent of the state's population. But only one of the state's congressional districts is majority black, the 7th District. That's just over 14 percent of the state's congressional districts.

One can understand why Joe Reed, the state Democratic Party's vice chairman for minority affairs is urging the Legislature's reapportionment committee to look at the possibility of creating a second majority-black district. Even Reed admits he's not certain another majority-black district could be created, but it is possible, he said, that a district that links Mobile and Montgomery could have a majority of black residents.

The majority of those polled said NO for reasons like this;

Mr. Kennedy, if one of our goals as a people and as a nation is to be color blind and treat all Americans equally regardless of their ethnicity, the simple answer to your question is NO.

If we are all equal it makes no sense to create districts based on race.

You, Joe Reed, and the US Department of Justice should just think about that for a while.

And this;

Congressional districts should be based only on population, NOT race, thats whats called racist.
If white people called for spliting districts to increase congressional representation, old Jessie would be protestin and marchin in the streets.

bluebearcat offers the best counter to their *ahem* rationale at LiA

We live in the real world... (3.00 / 2)
not a theoretical political universe. African-Americans in this state faced numerous documented, codified efforts to actively prevent them from participating in the political process. The VRA and its many provisions were an effort to find pratical ways to correct this historic injustice. We don't live in a fantasy world where ethnic minorities are evenly distributed in every community around the state; we live in a real world where those ethnic minorities are often concentrated in a few areas surrounded by other areas where white voters are concentrated. I don't think it's a cart leading the horse situation, either. I've never known a person - other than perhaps a politician or two - who made a decision on where they would live based on what CD it was in.

So what will the good white folks decide today? Will they pack all the black voters in one district? I say, hell yes they will, because if all the black voters are packed into one district they can win all the others and continue to choose who represents the interest of black voters. Or not.

Remember when Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders (D) said he was supporting Ron Sparks (D) for governor because he didn't want to return to the days of slavery and Jim Crow?

It's not about gerrymandering,

In the process of setting electoral districts, rather than using uniform geographic standards, Gerrymandering is a practice of political corruption that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected, and neutral districts. The resulting district is known as a gerrymander; however, that word can also refer to the process.

It's about the Voting Rights Act

The Act was sent to Congress by President Johnson on March 17, 1965. The bill passed the Senate on May 26, 1965 (after a successful cloture vote on March 23), by a vote of seventy-seven to nineteen. The House was slower to give its approval. After five weeks of debate, it was finally passed on July 9. After differences between the two bills were resolved in conference, the House passed the Conference Report on August 3, the Senate on August 4. On August 6, President Johnson signed the Act into law with Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other civil rights leaders in attendance.

Chattleland here we come. Look away. Look away.

RedEye on Alabama's Congress Critters

It's official. Congress Critter Mo Brooks joined the ranks of Make Alabama Ashamed in the halls of Congress this week. For some reason he thought it appropriate to call his Democratic Congress colleagues Socialist. Yes Mo. They are laughing at you, but they are really laughing at us for sending you to Washington D.C in the first place.

What Dragontide said

The floor in Washington is a long way from a right-wing talk show studio in the Tennessee Valley, isn't it? The floor in Washington is not a drunken Tea rally, is it?
The man sees Socialists in his sleep. He challenges overwhelming climate science. He beclowns himself even more than Sessions & Shelby. He just might be the most ignorant politician in the history of our state. I hope somebody on Saturday Night Live is working on an impersonation of him. It would be as big as Tina Fey portraying Sarah Palin.

What gets me is Mo had to be forced to withdraw the word Socialist from his remarks and said,

"For whatever reason I am permitted not to use one word."

I'm surprised someone from side of town that's supposed to have a higher IQ than those living on the other side of town doesn't understand why name calling doesn't have a place in civil discourse.

H/T Bessemer Opinions for the best report on CD 7 Congress Critter Terri Sewell.

Terri Sewell voted in favor of HR 910, the so called Energy Tax Prevention Act (which mentions "tax" zero times in the bill, by the way) which could have been called any number of things more accurately.

In lay mans terms this is what Sewell voted for;

Anyway, the bill's purpose is "To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change, and for other purposes.

The bill goes on to name water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and several other gases as "greenhouse gases."

In other words, the bill prohibits the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting the environment.

Check out the *ahem* double speak from Sewell office

I spoke with someone in Ms. Sewell's office at length about the bill. He told me they had spoken to people in the scientific community and the manufacturing community before deciding how to vote. I asked him to name the scientists, but as it turns out there weren't any, just the "science committee members." (Terri sits on the "Science, Space and Technology Committee, by the way). The committee, like all committees in the house, is chaired by and controlled by Republicans.

So what does little Miss Sewell do to redeem herself after all of this? She pledges to miss a couple of meals after voting for the budget compromise. Woo hoo!

Around America and around the world, many people are hungry because they have no food. Now others are choosing to be hungry to draw attention to the plight of those less fortunate. Fourteen Democratic Congresswomen are joining tens of thousands of Americans in fasting to protest attempts to balance the budget on the backs of those who are most in need and and have the least political power.

The majority of the voters in the 7th district fast every day because they have no JOBS. As a matter of fact, the voters in Perry County have to decide to starve or die. Again I have to ask, what did the voters in the 7th district do to deserve this?

I don't live, work, or most importantly vote in Alabama's 7th congressional district, but I know a lot of people who do. I know a lot of people who don't have indoor plumbing, don't have access to health care, send their students to under achieving public schools and have toxic coal ash waste dumped on them. The 7th congressional district is historically and culturally important to me because thanks to the work of Dr. Joe L. Reed, it is the only African American district in Congress.

Alabama's 7th congressional district is in the heart of the black belt and the cradle of the civil rights movement in Alabama. It was the only Alabama district President Obama won in 2008. For the past 8 years the 7th district has been represented by Artur Davis, who sold them out for his own blind ambition. They deserve competent, committed, effective, courageous, experienced leadership in congress. The stakes are just too high.

Buyers remorse? Naaah. That would be too much like right (pun intended).

RedEye on Congress Critter Terri Sewell

How much does first term Congress Critter Terri Sewell not give a damn?

Tomorrow 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: How much does Rep. Terri Sewell just not give a damn? Her fundraiser tomorrow is in the office of the insurance lobby. Not at a restaurant. Not at the Democratic Club. Not at Tortilla Coast. Not even at the Tune Inn. Come by for a "meet and greet" at AHIP's offices and bring a big check. [AHIP's office, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 500].

Although it's Ick to hold a fundraiser in the office of an insurance lobby it's OK because;

she also has similar events scheduled at other health-related events - AMA, bone marrow, etc.... well... I remember candidate Obama talking about health care reform during the campaign and promising to listen to all sides.....

It's also not worthy of front page discussion at the Cat Den because although it is tone deaf to hold anything at the AHIP office there is no there there.

The announcement for the event in DC calls it a "Meet and Greet." Lest the cynical among you say, "Oh, that's just a euphemism" for fundraiser, there was a fundraiser for Congresswoman Sewell in Birmingham last week. The invitation for that one said "For a Fundraising Reception" and included "Please make checks payable to ..." at the bottom. Nothing of that sort is on the invitation for this event.

It seems a bit tone deaf to hold anything at the AHIP office, but a member of Rep. Sewell's staff said it's in no way an endorsement of that group's political position, simply outreach. They expect to meet people from the AMA, the National Marrow Donor Program, AARP, etc. -- groups that are important to people from the 7th.

I may be cynical but I'm not stoopid. Everyone knows what a meet and greet IS. Especially one held in the offices of the Insurance Lobby. I don't care what President Obama say's about "listening to all sides." What is Terri Sewell doing for the people she was elected to represent? Remember them?

Today, Alabama's Black Belt includes some of the poorest counties in the United States. Along with high rates of poverty, the area is typified by declining populations, a primarily agricultural landscape with low-density settlement, high unemployment, poor access to education and medical care, substandard housing and high rates of crime.

And you say what gradyw said is misleading?;

you can call it a meet and greet, pow wow, chat hour, etc but the intent is to pick up checks from fat cat lobbyists

According to Sewell's website a Chinese owned Copper Tube Manufacturing Plant will create about 200 jobs in Thomasville,AL.

“I appreciate Congresswoman Sewell’s support and I am very happy to be here in Alabama,” said Li Changjie, Chairman of Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group, Inc.

“Congresswoman Sewell has been really great,” said Raymond Cheng, CEO of SoZo Group, Ltd, an investment advisory company which matches investors with businesses and causes. “Everyone I have worked with on this project is really committed to helping this community.”

The plant is expected to be built on a 40-acre site in a city industrial park south of Thomasville High School.

Golden Dragon is based in Xinxiang, a city of 5.5 million people in China's second-most populous province, Founded in 1987, the company indicates that it generates more than $2 billion a year in sales and makes more than 15 percent of all copper tube used in air conditioning and refrigeration worldwide.

Sewell held a meeting with Seniors to discuss Social Security, Medicare and ironically the Affordable Health Care Act.

A major subject of discussion was the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act, commonly known as health insurance reform, which was signed into law last year. Several provisions of the law that directly benefit seniors are already are in effect, with full implementation to come in stages over the next three years.

Under a provision of the law that went into effect Jan. 1, the more than 40 million seniors enrolled in Medicare receive free preventive care, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, as well as an annual wellness visit without copayments, coinsurance or deductibles.

Also beginning Jan. 1, seniors who fall into the Medicare prescription “donut hole” began receiving a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs. There are growing discounts in future years until the donut hole is completely eliminated in 2020.

And health insurance companies now are required to spend at least 80 percent to 85 percent of consumers’ premium dollars on medical care and quality improvement, instead of on profits and overhead.

More photo ops in designer suits and designer pumps,announcements of grants and the release of a Guide to Grants. If you want to know how she votes she walks you through the process instead of telling you what bills she's sponsored or co-sponsored or how she voted on bills in Congress.

The far left column labeled "Roll" will give you the number of the roll call vote. Moving to the column on the right, you see the date the vote was cast. The "Question" tells you if the vote was on final passage, on an amendment, or as otherwise noted. The "Result" is the outcome: P=passed, F=failed, and A=the amendment was agreed to. The next column tells you the title/description of the measure. All votes are posted in reverse chronological order (most recent at the top).

See what I mean?

What happened to; "It's an historic election because it's about you, not about me" Congresswoman Sewell?

Terri Sewell is working hard to make history as the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Alabama, but her constant theme in a packed town hall meeting at Birmingham's West End Library Thursday evening was that this election is about representing the people of Alabama's 7th district above all else.

She stressed the need for job creation and economic development in the district, touted her experience, leadership and good character and pledged to be an honest, effective voice on behalf of the 7th congressional district.

200 manufacturing jobs is a start but the residents of the 7th district need more than that. That's why the location of your *ahem* meet and greet is on the outrage meter of progressive/liberal democrats.

Redeye's Bah Humbug Week In Review

The first National Prom of the United States of America was held Tuesday night in the well of the Capitol. President Obama (D.) was crowned prom King and Rep. Michelle Bachman (r.) was crowned prom Queen, the media had an orgasm and we the peeps got the shaft. That is my reaction to the State of Union Address. President Obama had something for the republicans, big business, corporations, the military, even the media, but nothing, I repeat nothing, about jobs, foreclosures, gun control, poverty. Nothing for the people who voted him into office. Where are the JOBS?

Speaking of the State of the Union WTF was Congresswoman Terri Sewell? After sending out a press release saying she and 6 other freshmen Democrats were going to escort President Obama into the House Chamber we didn't see hide nor hair of Little Miss Sewell. First fan mooncat caught a glimpse of her. Why was HD Brantley chosen to represent the 7th district at the SOTU address? Never mind. We know. Psst Terri! It's not about you. Remember?

The Civil War within the Democratic Party is going to break out this weekend when the ADP selects a new Chair. Looks like the Artur Davis wing of the democratic party is posed to assume power. Oh well, it's fitting since the Alabama State Government turned blood red, the ADP might was well turn blood red too. I have it on good authority black democrats have had enough of the DEMS. I know one thing, this is the end of the road for me. From now on, I am a Bernie Sanders Independent. I'm going to vote for candidates and not the party. I didn't leave the Alabama Democratic Party. The Alabama Democratic Party left me.

There is a perception that the ADP caters to black voters but ignores white voters. A significant number of Democrats, some on the SDEC, have expressed concern to me that the ADP will "become like Mississippi" where, I gather, race is the significant difference between the two parties. If you want to run for office and you're white, you run as a Republican, if you're black you run as a Democrat. Now, I know that isn't strictly the case in Mississippi since they recently had a white Democrat run (unsuccessfully) for Senate, but this is a huge concern for people who care about the Democratic party in Alabama.

It's a fool's bargain that way. Give an oppressed minority a guaranteed amount of power, but make sure it isn't enough power for them to ever get out of the minority. And white Dems who live outside the minority districts get nothing so they start voting for the least objectionable Republican. The party continues to dwindle ... that's a very bad road.

See what I mean? If the ADP catered to black voters the Alabama Government wouldn't be blood red. If white democrats weren't fair weather liberals they wouldn't have to try and figure out how they were going to rise again. If democrats weren't so busy appeasing republicans we wouldn't be in this mess.

Redeye stomping away from the computer muttering bah humbug.

Redeye's Congress Critter Watch~Edit

It was a very good day for CD 7 Congresswoman Terri Sewell, she was elected the most popular new democrat in the freshman class. Yes, that was a snark. Seriously, Sewell was elected to serve as the President of the Democratic Freshman Class for the first session of the 112th Congress. She was also selected to serve as a Senior Whip by House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and elected by her colleagues to serve as Regional Whip for Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

That's nice, but more importantly, Sewell will serve on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science & Technology. I'm pleased she's on these committees for several reasons. Her service on the Agriculture Committee is important because of the Pickford Settlement for discrimination against black farmers.

The Obama administration announced a $1.25 billion settlement Thursday to resolve charges by thousands of black farmers who say that for decades the Agriculture Department discriminated against them in loan programs.

Cabinet officials exhorted Congress to approve the deal by setting aside money for the farmers, who have fought through three administrations to secure a measure of justice. In the starkest cases, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, farmers lost their property after local administrators slow-pedaled loan applications, leaving them unable to plant key crops.

Of course the GOP is calling the Pickford Settlement "reparations" but that's just what they do.

Sewell being a member of the Science and Technology Committee is good for North Alabama, having an African American democrat to counter an Obama/Pelosi hating, right-wing republican is good for an area who relies on government contracts.

Speaking of right-wing republican hypocrites from the great state of Alabama, how about this from the annals of oxyMorons....fresh from voting to repeal health care reform Congress Critters Mo Brooks and Robert Aderholt will speak at Huntsville Pastors' Pro-Life Rally. Uh, how can you be pro-life and anti health care?

RedEye Congress Critter Watch over and out....for now.

Update~ Alabama has it's first elected African American Congresswoman

File photo - Congresswoman Terri Sewell talks to supporters during a town hall meeting at the McDonald-Hughes Community Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday, July 12, 2013.

But what exactly does it mean? Specifically, what does it mean for the residents of Alabama's Black Belt?

Some of the most important events of the American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) occurred in the Black Belt, including Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat, which led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott; the Selma to Montgomery marches; and voter registration reform, focusing in Selma, Alabama, allowing African Americans to vote (see Voting Rights Act).

Today, Alabama's Black Belt includes some of the poorest counties in the United States. Along with high rates of poverty, the area is typified by declining populations, a primarily agricultural landscape with low-density settlement, high unemployment, poor access to education and medical care, substandard housing and high rates of crime.

Some Alabamians are celebrating the "historic" election of Terri Sewell as Alabama's first elected African American Congresswoman as if it magically erases Alabama's past and present, turbulent racial history. The Confederate Flag still flies on the grounds of the State Capital and there is an annual Civil War re enactment in Selma complete with cannons blasting for goodness sake. But I have to wonder if they would be celebrating if Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Smoot were Alabama's first elected African American Congresswoman?

Shelia has a natural passion to fight for under served communities and
individuals. She sees no issue as insurmountable. The 7th Congressional district of
Alabama can rest assured that sending Shelia to Washington will guarantee that their
voices and concerns will be heard, loud & clear! It is without a doubt that Shelia
will also make sure that necessary and long overdue resources are secured to move
the district forward!

Let's be clear, Alabama was poised to elect the first African American woman to Congress by virtue of the make up the 7th Congressional district. You see, it's one of them there gerrymandered districts mean, evil, Joe Reed and other mean, evil, Civil Rights leaders helped create.

Some judges and proponents of racially drawn congressional districts have interpreted Section 5 of the Act as requiring racial gerrymandering in order to ensure minority representation.[29][30] The United States Supreme Court in Miller v. Johnson, 515 U.S. 900 (1995), overturned a 1992 Congressional redistricting plan which had created minority majority districts in Georgia as unconstitutional gerrymander. In Bush v. Vera, the Supreme Court, in a plurality opinion, rejected Texas's contention that Section 5 required racially-gerrymandered districts.

It's no secret I was not a supporter of Terri Sewell, not because she isn't nice, accomplished young lady from a good family, but because I don't believe she has the experience or the political skills to represent the interest of the voters of the 7th district. I'm going to be frank, and say the out of state money and the wall street connections worry me. I fear this is another case of affluent white folks deciding who should represent poor black folks.

My worst fear has come to past. Republicans, enabled by the media (again) and the neo liberals (again) bought and paid for the only African American seat in congress (again). I'm sure they are patting themselves on the back and high fiving their "victory" this morning, but this is wrong on so many levels. For one thing it proves it's not about the people, it's about the money, the power and the influence. It's proof the residents of the 7th district didn't get to decide who represents them in congress (again).

I HOPE and pray my fears are unfounded and Terri Sewell isn't just a empty skirt. We have plenty of fluff but no substance. What committee is she on? What's her plan? Who has she hired other than an out of state Chief of Staff? How does she plan to represent to the interest of the people who live in the district? Is she willing to fight back against the conservatives in Congress or will she join them like her predecessor? As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus will she help them confront the harsh new climate on Capitol Hill?

For 40 years, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has used it's bully pulpit to advocate, persuade, stall, negotiate and, ultimately, to legislate. Through many highs, a few lows and more than a couple attacks, the CBC now finds itself in a unique position -- the defender of historic policies that have a positive impact on America in general, and black America, specifically.

African Americans took a punch in the gut in the last election when the gop infused, media enabled, Tea Party took control of the House of Representatives. Let's be clear the Tea Party would like nothing better than to dismantle the programs that have benefited the middle class and African Americans in particular. As AL. State Senator Hank Sanders said;

"Well, there's a certain mean spiritness that's out there, not only in Alabama but it's in America. And that makes this election extremely important."

Scott Horton reminds us If we had to pick one state in the nation where these evil tendencies are most obviously on display, then certainly it is Alabama, home to the nation’s highest profile and most abusive political prosecution.

Alabama is the state where the red, republican legislature's idea of ethics reform is to bust up the unions and outlaw public opinion polling. I'm not writing Sewell off before she even begins, but I am asking her to be accountable and visible to her constituents. I know she is capable of representing the residents of the 7th district, but will she?

I'm ready and able to judge Congresswoman Terri Sewell by the content of her character, not the color of her skin, her gender, her religion, or sexual orientation. I HOPE she will make ALL of us proud because God knows the residents of the Black Belt are depending on her. I HOPE and pray, she is not Artur Davis in designer pumps. I am encouraging the behavior I would like to see from the first Alabama African American Congresswoman, not condemning her before she disappoints me.

It matters not if Sewell is the first African American blah, blah, blab, blab. Michael Steele was the first African American head of the RNC. Condolezza Rice was the first African American National Security Advisor then Secretary of State. General Colin Powell was the first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dr. Ann Roy Moore was the first African American Superintendent of the Huntsville City Schools. Being the first black doesn't mean being a empty suit/skirt with no power or a token. It doesn't mean ignoring issues that affect people that are black like you. It doesn't mean pandering to the right at the expense of the people who elected you. Being elected the first black means the people gave you the POWER to help them.

I HOPE the election of Congresswoman Sewell as the first Alabama African American to serve in Congress means she will be just like the first African Female elected to
Congress, Rep. Shirley Chisholm

As a freshman, Chisholm was assigned to the House Agricultural Committee. Given her urban district, she felt the placement was irrelevant to her constituents[4] and shocked many by asking for reassignment. She was then placed on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.[4] Soon after, she voted for Hale Boggs as House Majority Leader over John Conyers. As a reward for her support, Boggs assigned her to the much-prized Education and Labor Committee,[10] which was her preferred committee.[4] She was the third highest-ranking member of this committee when she retired from Congress.

All those Chisholm hired for her office were women, half of them black.[4] Chisholm said that during her New York legislative career, she had faced much more discrimination because she was a woman than because she was black.[4]

Redeye, waiting, watching, and HOPING Congresswoman Terri Sewell makes us ALL proud as the first Alabama African American Congresswoman.

If the cries of Montgomery politicians under indictment don’t generate sympathy, certainly the lamentation of unemployed workers in the Black Belt does. One effect of the bribe-induced Riley-Canary war on bingo in Alabama is the closure of bingo operations in Greene, Macon and Houston Counties, that employed literally thousands of workers, and brought millions of dollars annually to local government treasuries. We all wish that overwhelmingly black Greene and Macon Counties had bulldozers clearing land for new automotive and electronics plants, or for high-powered biology labs or computer engineering firms, but that’s the progress of the next generation. Right now, those counties are absolutely dependent on the entertainment and gaming business for their economic survival, and Obama’s what-me-worry attitude about Canary has placed that survival in jeopardy. Even in the white-majority Wire grass, it’s probably safe to assume that Country Crossing employed a fair number of African-Americans in its service sector jobs.

So much for waiting,watching and HOPING Congresswoman Terri Sewell makes us all proud as the first Alabama African American Congresswoman.

Monday Shock, Shame and Awe

I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you! Soon to be former 7th district Congress Critter Artur Davis (DINO) has a pregnant idea for moderate (conservative) democrats....they should run as independents!!!

Southern voters "see the Democratic Party as a liberal institution that wants to spend their money recklessly, that doesn't honor their social values and that has a very different view of the world," said Alabama Rep. Artur Davis (D).

"It's hard for local Democratic candidates to break clear of that," Davis added. "Some [of those candidates] who are thinking about competing in the South may have to look at running as Independents."

Not true Artur. Southern voters see the Democratic Party as the party of them there minorities, baby killers, teachers and unions, and you're darn Skippy DEMOCRATS don't honor their *cough cough* social values. Sure don't. BTW, why are we hearing more from the out going 7th district Congress Congress Critter than the incoming 7th district Congress Critter? Where in the world is Terri Sewell? Anybody know? Anybody care?

Shameful and Awful! New Orleans gets table scrap in GO Zone lending feast.

As Louisiana wraps its Gulf Opportunity Zone lending program, only 3 percent of the $7.8 billion went to projects in New Orleans, a review of state records show.

Though the program was intended to generate recovery and jobs in the areas most affected by the storm, analysis of Louisiana lending shows that the prime beneficiaries are far from the primary disaster areas.

Hmmm..wonder how this is going to work out? Are we finally going to some Justice for all? Reported victim of Bush-Era DOJ to Head DOJ's Internal Watchdog Group

Last year, Obama promoted to U.S. Attorney a federal prosecutor whose had been discriminated against by Goodling because of his wife's Democratic ties and rehired Leslie Hagan, who had been dismissed by Goodling because she was rumored to be gay.

Ashton is taking over an office that has come under fire because of what critics say is weak punishment of attorneys who are found to have committed prosecutorial misconduct. Holder has defended the office and resisted calls to give the more independent Inspector General's office more power to investigate such allegations.

I wonder why Holder is resisting calls to give the Inspector Generals office more power to investigate such allegations? He can start right here in Sweet Home Alabama. I'm just saying...

Legalize, regulate and tax gambling....now where have we heard that before? Oh I know....we heard it from the man who should be the Governor of Alabama...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- State Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks fashioned a campaign platform for governor that calls for taxes on the gambling industry and the creation of a state lottery to provide tax cuts for Alabama families and college scholarships for their children.

Voices crying in the wilderness and candidates campaigning on the same old same old indeed....

Alabama Congress Critter Elect Watch

Well it's a good thing Orange Cry Baby Bohner doesn't hold a gudge, AL05 Congress Critter elect Mo Brooks was appointed to the House Armed Services, Science and Technolgy Committes, but will he be able to bring home the bacon in light of his no pork (earmarks) pledge? Oh wait, he unsigned the no earmarks pledge after he signed the no earmarks pledge. I wonder if Mo is going to refuse to accept his Obma Care while he's trying to repeal Obama care for the rest of us?

Psst Mo! Tell President Obama, Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi I said please don't hold it against the residents of the 5th district because you are the rep. We need our big government spending and contracts here in the Tennessee Valley.

From the nobody listens to me file

Has anyone noticed but me that republicans are bipartisan when it's benefits them? Bipartisianship to republifcans means you join us, we don't join you.

Mo, Dale, Teabaggers, how about joining with Democrats/liberals fighting for health care reform, or the Jobs bill, or bringing our troops home from Iraq? Bipartisanship is two way, not one way.

Words of caution and advice to my progressive/democratic friends. Make sure you identify yourselves as such so that you won't be lumped in with the Teabaggers. They are NOT your friend(s). Don't let yourself be used to enable the right wing/conservative agenda.

Meanwhile, AL07 Congress Critter Elect Terri Sewell is Just about Ready to move into her prime office space on The Hill.

I haven’t decided the locations of all the district offices,” she said. “We will keep the ones at the courthouse in Selma and in Livingston at the University of West Alabama, but in Birmingham, I haven’t decided on a location.”’

She fared well in the lottery among freshmen members of Congress for the vacated offices at the Capitol. “I got a good lottery number,” Sewell said, “No. 5 out of 85. It’s a great location, 1133 Longworth — on the first floor and the first office. That’s great accessibility.”

She also elected the Regional Whip

The day before, Sewell had been in Washington at a regional meeting of Democrats, where she was elected the regional whip for Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Being the whip for the region means she’ll check on votes and ensure the Democratic delegates from this particular region in the United States have the facts about the policy, legislation or track they are taking as a group, she said.

Wow, that ought to really help the residents of the 7th district with jobs and economic development.

Psst Terri! What Congresswoman Maxine Waters said;

“This should help her be an effective representative, and I expect her to work hard on behalf of the constituents who have shown much confidence in her,” Waters said. “I look forward to working with her within the House of Representatives as a whole and in the Congressional Black Caucus on issues of importance to all Americans, where they live in Alabama or California: job creation and economic development, education and training, quality health care and more.”

Redeye Watch over and out...for now.

My Big RedEye on Terri Sewell

Representative elect Sewell, my big REDEYE will be trained on you like a laser beam. Remember it's not about YOU, it's about the voters of the 7th district. I HOPE and PRAY you prove me wrong, not for MY sake, but for the sake of the the 7th district.

h/t gradyw

Alabama now has one Democratic member of Congress who's top paid adviser has no strong ties to the 7th Congressional District. Prior to her employment with Congresswoman Sutton she worked for the Homeland Security Committee.

That's right (pun intended) Terri Sewells top advisor has no strong ties to the 7th Congressional District, but as gradyw points out, she has strong ties to Emily's List. It also may explain why Emiliy's list wanted to buy an Alabama Congressional Seat so badly.

Who is Women Vote?
An organization by the name of Women Vote has been created to help funnel money into the Terri Sewell campaign. Today, they just made an independent expenditure for $8500
So who is Women Vote? Not an Alabama organization, but an organization with an address listed at

1120 Connecticut Ave NW
Ste 1100
Washington, DC 20036
The same address as Emily's List.

So our impression is that Emily's List changed the name on this PAC so that it did not look like it was dumping more money in this race.

Why is a pro-choice group expending so much of its resources into one race where you end up with the first African-American Congresswoman from Alabama? We are still trying to figure that one out, let us know if you have any ideas.

mooncat notes Reynolds other connections:

Reynolds was most recently chief of staff for Betty Sutton (D, OH-13), a Congresswoman with a pretty progressive record. Sutton came out against the catfood committee, is a member of the Populist Caucus, not the Blue Dogs and originated the Cash for Clunkers program. Given that as Ms. Reynolds' most recent assignment, I'm willing to overlook the fact that she was also a District Director (a position that definitely does not set policy) for former Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee.

I guess it depends on what the definition of a pretty progressive record and populist caucus IS. Her former employer didn't score too well on the political courage test.

Representative Betty Sutton refused to tell citizens where he/she stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

Per the course, the usual suspects defend the indefensible and bash, ban and smear those who don't share their point of view. But this one had me ROTLMAO;

Maybe . . . (4.00 / 1)
The uncertainty of the economy is a factor.

I have "no dog in this fight" at all but did live in the DC area for 16 years. Housing costs are high and taxes are high. One can do much better financially by staying in Alabama.

Ms. Reynolds probably already is living in the DC area and was available. She has experience with Congressional matters. Ms. Sewell being in a minority situation in more ways than one, she probably saw the need for someone with Washington experience.

But THIS is the most telling comment of all, emphasis mine;
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE!!! (4.00 / 1)

THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON FOR CHOICES THAT ARE MADE. I'M SURE MRS. REYNOLDS WAS CHOSEN FOR MANY GREAT REASONS. IF INDIVIDUALS WOULD SIT BACK SOME TIME AND LOOK AT THE WAY THINGS ARE HERE IN ALABAMA, IT SHOULD BE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR THAT MRS. SEWELL DECIDED TO BRING IN SOMEONE THAT WILL FOR SURE BRING FRESH IDEALS AND NOT DO THINGS IN THE PAST TENSE. ONE MUST UNDERSTAND JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY BE FROM THIS DISTRICT AND ETC. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE GOOD FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE DISTRICT. WE ALL SHOULD WANT TO BRIGHTEN OUR HORIZON TO BETTER OURSELVES. THIS MEANS ACCEPT CHALLENGES LIKE MRS. REYNOLDS HAS BY ACCEPTING THE OPPORTUNITY MRS. SEWELL HAS PRESENTED HER. MRS. REYNOLDS HAS ACHIEVED ON EVERY LEVEL NO MATTER WHERE SHE HAS BEEN. THE STATE DON'T NEED A PERSON IN THIS POSITION THAT JUST KNOW A AREA, WE NEED A PERSON LIKE MRS. REYNOLDS THAT KNOWS AREAS. MRS. SEWELL SHOULD BE PRAISED FOR MOVING AWAY FROM WHAT HAS BEEN.

Uh, it's Miss Sewell not Mrs. Sewell and she's not moving away from what has been, she's moving back to what WAS. And NO mooncat, we certainly aren't wishing Artur Davis had held on to his seat. The residents of the 7th district have been there and done that. It's not about me, it's about the people of the 7th district, remember?

"I just want to say I know who I am and whose I am. And if you send me to Congress, I will take those same values of faith, personal responsibility, hard work to Washington and roll up my sleeves and work on behalf of you each and every day. It's about remembering who elected you. It's about remembering why you're there: to represent the people....

If you honor me with your vote, I will serve you with honor. ... You won't be embarrassed by anything I say or do."

Again, talk is cheap. I hope you live up to the words and legacy of my Sorority Sister and not the legacy of your predecessor who voted against health care reform, the hate crimes bill, resigned from the house judiciary committee to run for Governor and was an apologist for some racist actions. Shirley Chisholm was a true, proud LIBERAL who spoke truth to power, unbossed and unafraid.

As a freshman, Chisholm was assigned to the House Agricultural Committee. Given her urban district, she felt the placement was irrelevant to her constituents[2] and shocked many by asking for reassignment. She was then placed on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.[2] Soon after, she voted for Hale Boggs as House Majority Leader over John Conyers. As a reward for her support, Boggs assigned her to the much-prized Education and Labor Committee,[7] which was her preferred committee.[2] She was the third highest-ranking member of this committee when she retired from Congress.
All those Chisholm hired for her office were women, half of them black. Chisholm said that during her New York legislative career, she had faced much more discrimination because she was a woman than because she was black.

This appointment is not living up to your promise and I HOPE and PRAY it's not a sign of things to come...not for my sake, but for the residents of the 7th district.

It's not wise to blog about Terri Sewell

Strike that, it's not wise for ME to blog about 7th District Congressperson elect Terri Sewell, nor is it wise for me to link to my damn own stuff at Left in Alabama.

Is it a coincidence that once again, almost a year to the date, I'm banned from logging on and linking to Left if Alabama after posting several posts critical of Terri Sewell?

Is it a coincidence that after an exchange with an anonymous poster accusing me of obsessing over Terri Sewell, not having an original thought just a lot of links to LiA and told to find my own voice, I'm banned from logging on and linking to Left in Alabama?

This isn't the first time someone(s) have tried to silence me and It probably won't be the last. It's a shame our sons and daughters are fighting, dying, and being maimed for life-fighting for Freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan, but some us are fighting for equal rights and civil rights right here in the U.S.A.

I swear to the Lord
I still can't see
Why Democracy means
Everybody but me.
"The Black Man Speaks," from Jim Crow's Last Stand (1943)

Langston Hughes

Let America Be America Again, from A New Song (1938)
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed —
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek —
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay —
Except the dream that's almost dead today.
O, let America be America again —
The land that never has been yet —
And yet must be — the land where every man is free.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose —
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath —
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain —
All, all the stretch of these great green states —
And make America again!

I will definately be watching Representative Terri Sewell~edited

Ardent supporter mooncat brags CD7 representative elect Terri Sewell is the only democrat to make the list of The St. Petersburg Times top 10 freshmen to watch. According to The St. Petersburg Times Sewell is on the list because;

A rare Democratic freshman in a Congress dominated by Republican newcomers, Sewell will become the first African-American woman to serve Alabama in Congress. Sewell, 45, comes from a family of barrier breakers. She's the first black valedictorian of Selma High School. Her mother was the first African-American woman elected to the Selma City Council. She graduated from Princeton University, Oxford University in England and Harvard Law School.

Hmm, a rare Democratic freshman in a Congress dominated by Republicans. Wonder what that means? Note the emphasis on her personal accomplishments but not her agenda? Which leads me to believe the only reason she's on the list is because of her race, and because she's the first black everything.

Yes, Sewell will be become the first African-American woman to serve Alabama in Congress, and yes, it's another in a long line of first for Sewell, but what does it mean for Alabama, specifically the voters in the 7th district? Sewell and her family's first have helped her/them personally, but I will be watching to see how that translates into help for her constituents. You know, the people who actually voted for her.

The current shape of the district was largely formed in 1992. It includes part of the Black Belt counties, as well as portions of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Birmingham. The highly irregular shape is because this is a majority-minority district, formed under provisions of the Voting Rights Act as amended in 1982 to include greater representation for minorities in Congress.[1]

This district contains heavily urban areas in both Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, including two of the state's largest colleges, the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Nine of the 12 counties in the 7th District are in Alabama's Black Belt, a rural expanse in Alabama and former home to the state's once-flourishing cotton plantations. Due to the minority representation in this district, a majority of the voters identify with the Democratic Party. John Kerry won 65% of the vote in this district in 2004 and Barack Obama won 72.36% of the vote in 2008.

Due to the fact the Alabama State government is now controlled by the gop it will be extremely important for the residents of the 7th district to have competent, effective, representation on the national level to compensate for the lack of representation on the state level.

So I will be watching to see if Terri Sewell is Artur Davis in designer pumps, adding another first black something to her resume, or, if she is going to remember it's not about her, it's about the people she was elected to represent.

"I just want to say I know who I am and whose I am. And if you send me to Congress, I will take those same values of faith, personal responsibility, hard work to Washington and roll up my sleeves and work on behalf of you each and every day. It's about remembering who elected you. It's about remembering why you're there: to represent the people....

If you honor me with your vote, I will serve you with honor. ... You won't be embarrassed by anything I say or do."

I will be watching to see if she lives up to the legacy of another first African American female Representative.

In 1964, Chisholm ran for and was elected to the New York State Legislature. In 1968, she ran as the Democratic candidate for New York's 12th District congressional seat and was elected to the House of Representatives. Defeating Republican candidate James Farmer, Chisholm became the first black woman elected to Congress. Chisholm joined the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969 as one of its founding members.

As a freshman, Chisholm was assigned to the House Agricultural Committee. Given her urban district, she felt the placement was irrelevant to her constituents and shocked many by asking for reassignment. She was then placed on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Soon after, she voted for Hale Boggs as House Majority Leader over John Conyers. As a reward for her support, Boggs assigned her to the much-prized Education and Labor Committee, which was her preferred committee. She was the third highest-ranking member of this committee when she retired from Congress.

All those Chisholm hired for her office were women, half of them black. Chisholm said that during her New York legislative career, she had faced much more discrimination because she was a woman than because she was black.

Looks like Sewell dodged the bullet regarding the House Minority Whip battle between Steney Hoyer and James Clyburn with the compromise crafted by Nancy Pelosi.

Representative elect Sewell, I know you promised not be a rubber stamp for President Obama but what about what the voters in the heavily Democratic 7th district want? Who will you represent in Congress? Remember the reason you are the first African American female representative from Alabama is because of them there gerrymandered districts. Please don't lose site of this fact like your predecessor and vote against the interest of the people for your personal, political gain.

Representative elect Sewell, my big REDEYE will be trained on you like a laser beam. Remember it's not about YOU, it's about the voters of the 7th district. I HOPE and PRAY you prove me wrong, not for MY sake, but for the sake of the the 7th district.

The voters in the heavily democratic 7th district want you to have President Obama's back, not stab him in the back. Been there. Done that.

Redeye over and out....for now

Who will CD7 Representative Terri Sewell support for Minority House Whip?

Full disclosure- I am not a resident of CD7, however I have friends and family who live and work in CD7, therefore I care about CD7. I was a strong supporter of Sewells' opponent Sheila Smoot in the democratic primary because I believed Smoot to be the most experienced, and I believed the voters in CD7 deserved real liberal (not to be confused with progressive) representation after 8 years of Artur Davis. My opposition to Rep. Sewell was always political, never personal. She is a very nice, accomplished young lady from a good family. I congratulate her on her win and wish her well.

The first test Rep. Terri Sewell will face is deciding who she will support for Democratic House Minority Whip....Rep. Steney Hoyer, who raised campaign cash for her, or, Rep. Jim Clyburn, who didn't raise campaign cash for her, and is an influential member of the Congressional Black Caucus, which I assume Rep. Sewell will become a member.

The elephant in the room is not ideology, but race. No one can deny that the Democrats have a problem with white voters. Making the face of the party more black is a concern for people who are worried about regaining the support of whites for the 2012 elections.

Therein lies Terri Sewells' dilemma. But it's not about Sewell, it's about the voters in CD 7.

I hope you live up to the words and legacy of my Sorority Sister and not the legacy of your predecessor who voted against health care reform, the hate crimes bill, resigned from the house judiciary committee to run for Governor and was an apologist for some racist actions. Shirley Chisholm was a true, proud LIBERAL who spoke truth to power, unbossed and unafraid.

I agree with Booman;

I think we need to confront the issue of race head-on. Race is not a reason to prefer Hoyer over Clyburn. When it comes to ideology, Clyburn isn't the most progressive progressive. He does represent South Carolina, after all. When it comes to issues like Social Security, I don't think there is a whole lot of difference between Clyburn and Hoyer. So, I think the ideological distinction is a bit overblown.

I also agree with rikyrah;

Clyburn is in your face without seeming to be the 'Angry Black Man.' In addition, he has consistently had this President's back.
Hoyer is a weasel, plain and simple, and wouldn't hesitate to stab the President on national tv. Give me Clyburn.

F$#K THE BLUE DOGS, and I mean that.

I know you promised not be a rubber stamp for President Obama but what about what the voters in the heavily Democratic 7th district want? Who will you represent in Congress? Remember the reason you are the first African American female representative from Alabama is because of them there gerrymandered districts. Please don't lose site of this fact like your predecessor and vote against the interest of the people for your personal, political gain.

Representative Sewell, my big REDEYE will be trained on you like a laser beam. Remember it's not about YOU, it's about the voters of the 7th district. I HOPE and PRAY you prove me wrong, not for MY sake, but for the sake of the the 7th district, ...

The voters in the heavily democratic 7th district want you to have President Obama's back, not stab him in the back. Been there. Done that.

I'm just saying...

Standing for Truth, Justice and the American Way

I would like to extend a warm welcome to readers from GrannyStandingforTruth and The Legal Schnauzer. I am humbled and honored to be a member of your blog roll. Let us march on until victory is won.

It's time to be Bold.

the reality is that Democrats lost not because they went too far but because they haven't gone far enough. A big part of why Democrats lost Tuesday is that they haven't accomplished enough to energize and motivate all of the new voters that came out in massive numbers for them in 2008 -- groups like African Americans, Latinos and young people. While many of these groups still strongly support Democrats when polled, it's clear that they did not vote or volunteer for Democratic campaigns in the same numbers or with the same enthusiasm seen in 2008.

Here we go. They are already hoping to get rid of them daggum gerrymandered minority (black folks) voting districts.

But I am in favor of redistricting in Alabama. I hope that the redistricting will abolish long held minority majority voting blocks. Most of you are wondering "What the HECK?!?!?!" Here is why:

Propping up minority majority voting blocks or districts are enabling the continued subjugation of one party or another, based soley on RACE, not political preference. While this practice may benefit the scale of minority representation by ensuring a black candidates electability, it also serves to de-value the voting blocks power of prescence. It is no big secret, those "safe Dem districts" do not recieve party wide attention or power, as they are not seen as a potential threat of losing them. In simple terms, "Why give concessions or put emphasis to district 7 funding if it is going to be a safe Dem vote no matter what?"

The continuation of minority majority voting blocks also acts to dumb down the political integrity of the voters contained within. If all they (we) know is to vote how we are told to vote, then the individual candidates qualifications and relation to voter means nothing. In simple terms, voters in minority majority blocks were told, "Vote for Sparks, not Davis". I do not believe voters in the minority majority districts even questioned "why?", but went along with it just because it is the way it has been done forever. And most certainly, the better candidate for Governor might not have seen his chance at becoming elected.

Minority Majority blocks are not only taken for granted, but they are used and abused as a tool for marginalization. If the powers to be say, "we support gambling", then it is certain that the minority majority blocks will support gambling, "just because".

On top of that, I do not think that successful and qualified black candidates will have any problem at all gaining nomination nowadays. The old arguement for minority majority districts was that they were needed to ensure black represenation of interest. For a long time, it was necessarily practiced and gave a positive result. However, with the softening of racial factors in society and the advancement of professional class of African Americans, the practice of developing minority majority voting blocks is no longer needed and only provides to hinder the integrity of the African American vote.

This is an honest opinion, and one I hold to be very true.

Well it may be an honest opinion, but the rhetoric is very untrue. Let's go back to
WHY there are minority voting districts in the first place. It certainly was not tell them black dummy's how to vote.

Prior to the Civil War, African Americans were almost totally disenfranchised throughout the states. Latino voters faced similar barriers to voting in Texas and other parts of the Southwest., as did Native American and Asian American voters in the West. Even after enactment of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, in 1870, which gave all men, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude the right to vote, many states continued to use various methods to prevent people of color from voting, including literacy tests, poll taxes, the disenfranchisement of former inmates, intimidation, threats, and even violence. Also, until 1965, federal laws did not challenge the authority of states and localities to establish and administer their own voting requirements.

The VRA
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was designed to address these issues. It prohibits discrimination based on race, and requires certain jurisdictions to provide bilingual assistance to language minority voters. Section 2 of the Act, which bars the use of voting practices or procedures that discriminate against minority voters, has been used successfully to attack discrimination in voting including restrictive voter registration requirements, districting plans that dilute minority voting strength, discriminatory annexations, and the location of polling places at sites inaccessible to minority voters.

Section 5 of the Act requires federal "preclearance" before covered jurisdictions (i.e., specified jurisdictions with a history of practices that restrict minority voting rights) may make changes in existing voting practices or procedures. The Act also provides the Department of Justice with the authority to appoint federal observers and examiners to monitor elections to ensure that they are conducted fairly. Initial enforcement efforts targeted, among other things, literacy tests, poll taxes, and discriminatory registration practices.

In 1975, the Voting Rights Act was amended to address the voting rights of language minority groups. Sections 4 and 203 of the Act apply in jurisdictions with significant numbers of voters with limited or no English proficiency and require such jurisdictions to provide voting materials and assistance in relevant languages in addition to English.

You said; On top of that, I do not think that successful and qualified black candidates will have any problem at all gaining nomination nowadays.

Translation; I do not think that a successful and qualifed black candidate will have any problem at all gaining nomination nowadays as long as he's acceptable to the white majority. White privilege and power on display.

It must be remembered that the white group of laborers, while they received a low wage, were compensated in part by a sort of public and psychological wage. They were given public deference and titles of courtesy because they were white. They were admitted freely with all classes of white people to public functions, public parks, and the best schools. The police were drawn from their ranks, and the courts, dependent on their votes, treated them with such leniency as to encourage lawlessness. Their vote selected public officials, and while this had small effect upon the economic situation, it had great effect upon their personal treatment and the deference shown them. White schoolhouses were the best in the community, and conspicuously placed, and they cost anywhere from twice to ten times as much per capita as the colored schools. The newspapers specialized on news that flattered the poor whites and almost utterly ignored the Negro except in crime and ridicule.

You know that gridlock thingy worked well for the gop, so let's pray for gridlock.

Let us pray (figuratively or literally) for gridlock, because all else is disaster. The best outcome that could result from Tuesday’s Democratic debacle is that the Republicans overreach and, in their white nationalist triumphalism, make it impossible for President Obama and congressional Democrats to reach an accommodation with rampaging reaction and racism.

The phony racial narrative of 2008 has been undone with the abrupt termination of the Age of Obama. After two short years, the illusion of a post-racial society has gone the way of all mirages – poof! – and we are forced to behold the United States as it actually exists.

Redeye tiptoeing away from the computer to go pray....