Just a few days before the highly coveted Iowa caucuses, all we keep hearing is talk of who is up in the polls, who is down, who made the latest gaffe and who the most conservative GOP candidate is of them all. But while we can sit and argue all day over whether Willard Mitt Romney will win in Iowa, or whether Newt Gingrich or latest favorite Rick Santorum will steal the most right-wing votes, the bottom line is, they're all saying absolutely nothing. As we're fascinated by the new flavor of the month, let's not forget that at the end of the day, none of these Republican contenders have a vision for the future that is in line with hard-working Americans. They may come in slightly different packaging, but when it boils down to it, they're all offering the same old Kool-Aid. And the country refuses to drink any more.
Vetting candidates and learning their position on issues is obviously a vital part of the election process. But while we assess and analyze every nuance, let's not lose sight of what this race is about: The fundamental direction of the nation. It's a basic fight over whether we want to be a country with a federal government that maintains so many of the civil liberties people literally sacrificed their lives for. It's a question of whether the United States wants to continue being united with fundamental guarantees of a free public education, and necessary safety nets like social security, unemployment benefits, welfare, Medicare, Medicaid and more. It is after all, those programs and many of the infrastructural processes that separate us from much of the world. Even at the most impoverished level, we can take some semblance of hope in knowing that there will be food stamps to feed our kids and a bit of unemployment insurance to try and clothe our loved ones. If these GOP candidates could have their way, much of this would be eliminated forever.
Because of things like social security benefits, Americans know that they will not have to work forever. They are aware that programs they paid in to for years will be there when it's their time to take a breather. When I said this election is "not about Obama, it's about your mama" -- that's because it is. It's about your mama, your grandmamma, your grandpa, your father, your children and your own future. We're at a pivotal point in our history and it is not a time for complacency.
President Obama was able to pass the most sweeping heath care reform we have seen. But right before many of these provisions will take place, Republicans would like nothing more than to reverse this reform and leave health insurance only for the privileged ones. If you listen to any of these GOP contenders, their entire mantra is repealing "'Obamacare" at a time when many have already been aided tremendously by the change. It is just another example of how this 2012 race is about basic, central choice; the choice of progress vs. regression.
Politics can be exciting, it can be interesting and it can be engaging to watch. We all entertain ourselves with the back-and-forth and we enjoy discussing developments -- I myself have a cable TV show where we touch on issues of the day at length. But even as we debate the candidates and make our arguments, we cannot stray away from the larger picture of where we would like to see ourselves tomorrow.
I've been an activist all my life, and was lucky to have studied the ways of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others. I watched us gain many wins in the fight for justice, and I've seen barriers broken down all the way to the White House. I was always taught to "keep my eye on the prize," and today, we must do the same. The prize is not which candidate or flavor of the month we go with, the prize is the direction of the United States. Keep your eye on the prize and occupy November.
Follow Rev. Al Sharpton on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheRevAl
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 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
100% precincts reporting
| Candidate | Votes | Pct. | Del. |
|---|---|---|---|
 Santorum |
29,839 | 24.6% | 13 |
 Romney |
29,805 | 24.5% | 12 |
 Paul |
26,036 | 21.4% | |
 Gingrich |
16,163 | 13.3% | |
 Perry |
12,557 | 10.3% | |
 Bachmann |
6,046 | 5.0% | |
 Huntsman |
739 | 0.6% | |
 Others |
254 | 0.2% | |
 Cain |
45 | 0.1% | |
 Roemer |
17 | 0.1% |
Delegate counts are estimates and might be adjusted later.
"Nowadays, a [Republican] candidate must believe not just some but all of the following things: that abortion should be illegal in all cases; that gay marriage must be banned even in states that want it; that the 12m illegal immigrants, even those who have lived in America for decades, must all be sent home; that the 46m people who lack health insurance have only themselves to blame; that global warming is a conspiracy; that any form of gun control is unconstitutional; that any form of tax increase must be vetoed, even if the increase is only the cancelling of an expensive and market-distorting perk; that Israel can do no wrong and the “so-called Palestinians”, to use Mr Gingrich’s term, can do no right; that the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education and others whose names you do not have to remember should be abolished."
http://exposingthetruth.info/million-man-march-occupy-congress-january-17th-2012/
Please spread the word about Occupy Congress on Jan 17th and let's show them that the people are the power and the middle class is going to fight for it's existence. Please come and add your voice to this vitally important debate we are having in America.
Keep your eye on the prize, Occupy November!
Those who set themselves up as champions of freedom, seem unable to discuss or explain their ideas and feelings to others, merely impose them, as if self-righteousness will provide vindicate of absolutism. Such an approach leaves freedom without a chance.
s
Freedom can not exist without liberty, yet for the tree of liberty to grow and flourish it must be watered with tolerance, respect for others, and intellectual content. Sadly, champion
s on the right seem remarkably unable to provide it. Their sophism and rhetorical hand-waving are useless in protecting and nurturing freedom. Perhaps too much fried food, high in calories, fats and cholesterol have clogged cerebral arteries cause one to produce little more than canned, nearly automated one line vignettes of hate and fear as a response to the challenges of our times. Regardless the cause, these provide no visions of how we get freedom, no solutions as to how we can keep them, nor anything, really but petty smallness of a child's temper tantrum.
Keep your eye on the prize, work to Occupy November 2012. Help organize the poor. Only then, can we assure freedom.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/liberty-positive-negative/
His platform is laid out by issue on his website. Please take a look: http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/
In the Senate, we urgently need at least two changes: First, the threat of filibuster needs to be greatly reduced. It is becoming merely a way of bringing all business to a halt. We need, at a minimum, to require that a filibuster require 24 hour a day occupation of the podium. Perhaps if Senators actually have to stand there and read the phone book, the number of filibuster threats would be reduced. But filibusters need to be restored as intended: To be used sparingly.
The other change in the Senate that needs to be changed is a requirement that once a nominee is put forward, with a complete package, the Senate has 120 days to act. Unless it formally votes the nominee down in that time, the nominee is considered approved 120 days later. We are getting to the point where no President is getting their nominees through in a timely manner.
Pr Chris
Tawana Brawley