Power, Politics & Money

Great Piece at American Thinker on Identity Politics

2009-09-12T22:35:55Z

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/09/why_i_am_no_longer_an_african.html

Mary Baker, an African-American woman, writes this astonishing piece on "Why I am no longer an African-American" over at the American Thinker. People who know this blog and my work with the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) probably understand where the article is going just based on that title, but her critique is a pretty simple critique of the divisiveness of identity-politics. Here's a clip:

It is these principles that make me proud to just be an American. So, I select for my identity the title of American. The radical ideologies of Blacks involved in the Civil Rights Movement gave birth to attitudes like those of Professor Henry Lewis Gates Jr., the Harvard professor who became livid when his identity was questioned by a white police officer. Those who embrace Professor Gate's sentiments and attitudes today are those who still believe that America owes something to the Black population for the horrors of slavery. They are the ones that continue to stoke the fires of racial hatred toward other races and promote the continued attitude of self pity within the Black community. They also hold to the teachings of Black Liberation Theology, a school of thought that I never knew existed until the presidential campaign of then Senator Barak Obama. The teachings of Black Liberation Theology run counter to the American way. They also are counterproductive to the love I hold for my country.

I began to think about how we all got to be categorized in the first place. I have not noticed on any forms that the category of American is an option to be selected. Is this division amongst us perpetrated by our very own government? It is obvious that the inspiration for the classification of African American has nothing to do with those born of African descent.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Academic research cited in United Nations paper in Kenya

2009-07-06T18:53:05Z

http://knowledge.uneca.org/Members/azength/azeng_expose_2008.pdf

I'm not a big fan of the U.N., but found it curious when a google alert came up pointing me to work citing my 1993 honors thesis on military expenditure. The power of the internet. That work has already been cited by the Atlas Foundation (in 2005 I believe) and several other groups, but I'm surprised at the reach & recognition my 1993 paper has received through my simple republication of it on my website.

The original paper was a statistical cross-sectional analysis and meta-analysis of data relating to how third world nations are impacted economically by military expenditure.

The original is in French, but here's the Google translation of the title.

Paper presented at the International Conference organized by ECA and the
CODESRIA sur le thème : CODESRIA on:
« INSTITUTIONS, CULTURE ET CORRUPTION EN AFRIQUE » "INSTITUTIONS, CULTURE AND CORRUPTION IN AFRICA"
Date : 13 - 15 Octobre 2008 Date: 13 - 15 October 2008
Lieu : Centre de Conférence des Nations Unies, Location: Conference Center of the United Nations,
Addis-Abeba, Ethiopie. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Sammies Citizen Activist Awards and Some Links

2009-04-20T21:56:39Z

http://thisiscommonsense.com/2008/02/11/mississippi-burning-fat/

Over at Facebook on my personal photos page, I've posted some photos from the 2nd Annual Sam Adams Sammies Awards. The awards reward solid citizen activism and journalism at the local and regional level, and are a worthy cause. Kudos should be given to the citizens honored though - they are fighters for truth and citizen empowerment. I was particularly fascinated by the story of William Carlin Walker of Liberty, Missouri for exposing misuse of credit card accounts by administrators in the local school district. That story is not unique - over OutsideLansing.com, I've reported on Macomb County's own Chippewa Valley school's misuse of credit cards, which has resulted in proposed legislation by Marty Knollenberg and others (HB 4666 is here). And we just learned of this debacle in Flint - for those who suggested our action might be "trivial," I say two things. 1) Do you see a pattern developing? 2) Even if only a small number of administrators do this, and I suspect that somewhat true, reform begins with little change and builds. Further, if the people set a precedent of allowing "minor" indiscretions, the symbolism encourages public employees into larger takings and indiscretions. When you get a speeding ticket, telling the judge that you were the only one caught of hundreds or it was just a few miles over the limit isn't a proper defense.

Paul Jacob, a supporter of Sam Adams, over at CommonSense has this fascinating analysis of Mississippi's fascist attempt to ban restaurants from serving fat people. What's sad is that a Republican embarrassingly co-sponsored this nanny-state bill.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Major National Victory in Oklahoma for Petitioner Rights - "Conspiracy Against the State" Charges Dropped Against Petitioners

2009-01-23T06:56:03Z

http://www.freepauljacob.com/

Paul Jacob and two others now known as the "Oklahoma Three" are now free from charges brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a Democrat, who sought to retaliate against the three for a failed 2005 anti-tax petition drive. The drive failed after a special master of the Oklahoma Supreme Court found too many signatures were collected by individuals he didn't believe "intended to reside permanently" in Oklahoma. Two years later, in 2007, Jacob and other organizers were indicted for a 10-year felony charge of "conspiring to defraud the state" - a vague catchall statute on the theory that they intentionally violated residency requirements and that intentional violation amounted to 1) a conspiracy and 2) defrauding the state (so literally, any group effort that violated complex Oklahoma rules could become a 10 year felony). While the state criminal case proceeded in early discovery phases, a federal Constitutional challenge to the residency requirement - on First Amendment grounds - was raised.

Jacob's case is important nationally as Oklahoma became a "dead zone" for petitioners - chilled by the prospect of 10 years in prison. No ballot initiatives qualified in 2008 through the process, and efforts such as Ward Connerly's Oklahoma Civil Rights Initiative was quelled because of the chilled environment and a number of other difficulties all coming to together. The 10th Circuit's refusal to rehear the case and Edmondson's decision not to appeal to the US Supreme Court, puts the 10th Circuit in among other circuits and regions with similar rulings. Here, in the Eastern District of Michigan, Leon Drolet's Michigan Taxpayer's Alliance successfully fought residency requirements in the Andy Dillon recall battle. While the Dillon effort paid off for Dillon by delaying the recall until the regular election, and thereby changing its dynamic, the impact of the residency ruling will be broader ranging for future petition rights, at least until another Circuit disagrees and a case somewhere reaches the US Supreme Court.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative (NbCRI) Wins Post Vote Legal Challenge

2009-01-22T20:19:21Z

In the current legal and political environment, one should never rule a frivolous suit being successful, particularly regarding the civil rights initiatives lead by Ward Connerly. Lawsuits are even repeated exactly verbatim in the same state even after opponents lose, as was the case recently in Missouri challenging MoCRI's attempt to requalify for 2010.

But in Nebraska where voters approved the initiative in 2008, the game clock appears to be winding down with a positive result. NbCRI appears to have won on both late "signature ethics" challenges (the usual meta-"word game" the left plays with "affirmative action" and "deception") and the so-called "single subject rule." In fact, the judge's ruling on that issue is very important, as it represents a common-sense rebuff to the left on an old strategy they played somewhat successfully with the Florida Supreme Court in 2000, and it has bearing on several future states CRI's might appear in.

Below the fold I'm including the raw text of the decision as well as NbCRI's press release. Enjoy.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Congratulations to President O'Bama - Mixed Messages of Inaugural Speech

2009-01-20T17:46:16Z

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/stories/012109dnmetinaugurationaddress.11842a59.html

Congratulations to President Barack O'Bama on his historic moment. His inaugral speech hit mixed notes in my mind, I'll point to two.

In my mind, this is the most interesting passage of the speech (which had no "zingers" like "fear itself" or "ask not"):

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

There's a definitely an element of the diversity and multi-cultural "speak" in this, but I'm drawn to the way it is not written. It is not written as an attack on America's past, but as a recognition of the past as perhaps a proof that the "other old hatreds" (Arab-Israeli conflict, the religious battle lines that dominate foreign affairs, and simpler, smaller hatreds that dot the world) can be overcome. His line "the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve" is certainly hopeful and could be construed in a conservative and individualistic light, but it is unclear where O'Bama would deviate the tribalist policies many in his party support or how he intends to get us there.

Here's the second:

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

The first sentence is interesting in that while it seems to be an attempt to change the paradigm debate on "big v. small government" to "effective government." But if the question is "whether it works" and the answer is "no" much more often than it is yes, will we truly see the programs end? Of course, the reason small-government conservatives are for small government is not just for the sake of liberty - it is because we believe, more often than not, bigger government doesn't work. He's set himself up for a test here - does government work? Will Barack O'Bama's version of government work? If it does not, then we must "hold to account" the leader. If he fails to "spend wisely", to "reform bad habits", or most importantly do business "in the light of day" - he must be held accountable. As a fervent believer in open records and meetings, I wish him the best of luck in increasing government transparency - if that is what he means. And if he "spends wisely" and does those things, he'll be hard to beat.

That is the test he should be held to in 2012!

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Visual Google - Barack O'Bama Won the internet and news cycle battles early and often

2009-01-20T16:47:34Z

http://www.google.com/trends?q=barack+obama%2C+john+mccain%2C+george+bush%2C+john+kerry&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

Check out this stunning google visual I've created comparing four trend lines using google trend statistics, using the last four presidential nonimees (Bush, Kerry, McCain, O'Bama). Barack O'Bama quickly became the darling of both the media (bottom) and the new internet media (top). It says much about the internet and how Democrats dominated the new media this year, but it also says something about how well the candidate integrated his campaign with the new media. Clearly, O'Bama benefited in media presence from the extended primary battle, but even after the conventions he maintained healthy command in search data statistics and more importantly in mainstream news searches. It was during the downstretch of the campaign that his name ID spiked, relative to both McCain and the previous 2004 George Bush-John Kerry contest.

To conservatives - heed this data.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Missouri Civil Rights Initiative (MoCRI) Continues, Faces IDENTICAL lawsuits that it had already won

2009-01-05T03:46:58Z

http://www.acri.org/blog/2009/01/02/mocri-language-faces-legal-challenge/

The ACRI blog documents this mastery of frivolous abuse of process in Missouri.

The Missouri Secretary of State Jean Carnahan is submitting the same ballot summary proposal language that a court rejected last year, following a renewed request by MoCRI organizers to qualify for the 2010 ballot. That's an abuse of power of the highest level (reminding us of Doyle O'Connor).

Simultaneously, the ACLU has already stepped up its frivolty by filing a lawsuit based on arguments it also lost in the last legal battles in Missouri.

If this doesn't prove that preference-based affirmative action supporters will willfully abuse the legal system for the illegal and immoral purpose of financially draining opponents, I don't know what does.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.