Eric Holder and “No good deed.."

Eric Holder is the U.S. Attorney General appointed by Pres. Obama during his first administration.

When Mr. Holder was confirmed for his position, I thought he was going to investigate and prosecute members of the Bush Administration for waging an illegal war in Iraq.  And I do not think I was alone in thinking he would proceed to investigate and prosecute members of Wall Street for contributing to the economic crisis that brought our economy to its knees.

Nothing happened! The war mongers in the Bush Administration lying us into  the Iraqi war are as free as the wind blows and Wall Street Banksters  are stronger than ever.

In my opinion,the non-attention to these two issues has changed the moral fiber of our country for the worst and for decades to come.

Mr. Holder should be very confused at this point, if not downright baffled as to how Republicans continue to call for his resignation after he was so nice to them. I want to remind Mr. Holder of the old saying, “No good deed goes un-punished”.

As always,
BB

Forty Republicans call for resignation of Eric Holder, Obama's attorney general
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/194385-forty-republicans-call-for-resignation-of-obamas-attorney-general#ixzz2TI0fHolF
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook

And
Cornyn berates Holder in hearing, calls for his resignation
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/12/cornyn-berates-holder-in-hearing-calls-for-his-resignation/#ixzz2TI1MAJQR

And
Justice Department secretly obtained AP phone records
Read more at:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/13/justice-department-secretly-obtains-ap-phone-records/

Charles Ramsey and no Thank you’s

There must be a reason I have not heard a family member or friend say “Thank you” to Mr. Ramsey. There must be a reason no reporter has asked any family member or friend of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus what they think of the heroism of Mr. Ramsey. I can not understand why the three women have not openly stated they owe their freedom to Mr. Ramsey.

I do not understand why the three women in question have not been cleared of past relationships with the police for whatever reason. Such inquiries have been made of Mr. Ramsey, the man who rescued them.

Finally, I do not understand why many guest from the psychiatric community appearing on television do not reveal the facts that some women enjoy and actively seek out bondage situations. In many instances, it is hard for a man to keep one women in line but to keep three women against their will for ten years raises red flags very high up on the flag pole. In situation like this, my wife would always say, “There’s a fly in the milk somewhere”. 

Many of my concerns would be brought out at a criminal trial but to date I am hearing there may not be a trial.

In my opinion, this case is bizarre due to un-written codes of conduct practiced by the media.

As always,
BB

Charges Filed in Abduction of Ohio Women
The police report described a nightmare scenario in which Ms. Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were taken to Mr. Castro's home and chained in the basement. Although the chains were later removed and they moved upstairs, they were all forced to have sex with Mr. Castro, the women told police.
Read more at:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324059704578470750534634028.html

The U.S. Congress and Busy Work

1. Yesterday, I spent time watching Sen. Darrell Issa and his committee doing what is commonly called Busy Work.

What is Busy Work?
In the workplace, many employees find themselves working on busywork, especially in offices with very rigid hours. Some employees actually invent their own busy work so that they appear focused and occupied to their bosses, while some bosses will assign busywork or other fruitless tasks to employees because they don't know what else to do with them. This is common in an office with a fluctuating workload, where employees will sometimes have a lot to do, but are not really needed at other times.
Google "Busy Work". Read more at:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-busy-work.htm

2. Several  months ago, Sen. Issa and his committee did more busy work with the sole purpose of staining the reputation of Attorney General Eric Holder. Hearings were conducted under the auspice of finding smuggled weapons.

3. The news was announced a few days ago that for the 38th time, the U. S. Senate is going to spend its time making efforts to repeal ObamaCare.

 4. With the U.S. Congress during its busy work, it feeds into our media outlets responding in kind.  Both entities benefit  from doing nothing and doing it very well. In my Black environment, we call Busy Work "Bullshit-n!"

Congress Approval Remains in a Slump - Gallup.Com
Excerpt:
Congress' approval remained low at 15% in April, and is still at the low end of the historical trend. Americans' low approval likely contributes to their overwhelming support for members of Congress to voluntarily return part of their salary as a result of sequestration.
Read more at:http://www.gallup.com/poll/161771/congress-approval-remains-slump.aspx

As always,
BB
 P.S. I’m watching and enjoying more Judge Judy, 48 Hours, Property Brothers etc., than ever before.

Written out of history “…just because”.

*Frank Will was the security guard at Watergate. His alertness was responsible for bringing down the Reagan Administration. He has been written out of history because…..

**Charles Ramsey is the man who rescued three women and a six year old held in bondage in Cleveland, Ohio. News outlets are saying the women escaped with a six year old child and are being re-united with their families. Mr. Ramsey is being demonized with efforts to write him out of history because….

Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-SPAN and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

*Read  more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Wills_%28security_guard%29

**Charles Ramsey became an overnight sensation once the world learned of how he unhesitatingly broke through a door to help Amanda Berry, her daughter, Gina Dejesus and Michele Knight escape the Cleveland home where they had been held since they each went missing. To show his gratitude for Ramsey’s heroism, Robby Russell, of Portland, Ore., started a fundraising site that collected nearly $4,000 as of press time.
Read  more at:
:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/08/charles-ramsey-fundraiser_n_3238730.html?utm_hp_ref=impact

And
The Internet seems to lose sight of two very important distinctions sometimes. Charles Ramsey is a hero because he called the police and helped them save three women from reportedly being raped and impregnated in a basement for a decade. But he's a meme because he's black and on TV, and because so many choose to ignore the horrible realities of the crime. And, sure, pretty entertaining for a couple minutes, but we'd like to add our support to Klee's proposal: "Just this once let’s celebrate the man himself—without using .gifs or Photoshop," he writes. Even though we know that isn't happening.
Read  more at:
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/05/charles-ramsey-internet-hero-all-wrong-reasons/64969/

Gun background checks and Freedom of Information

Would I have voted for background checks?

It was several months ago when a local newspaper published the address of all gun owners living in a section of Virginia having permits to carry a cancelled weapon.

I don’t know how many times I have read that a government employee accidentally sent sensitive information to a newspaper.

With *gun background checks, it is not hard to envision reporters and organizations wanting to publish the applicants information under the Freedom of Information Act. It is not hard to envision a publication of people who successfully applied for or were denied a gun permit. It is not hard to envision publication of the name of a famous person or one of their family members applying for a gun permit.

To date, many of us have witnessed reckless reporting and pontification regarding two brothers and The Boston Massacre.

As always,
BB

*Small Majority Approved of Miranda Rights for Terror Suspects
By MICAH COHEN
Excerpt:
The failure of the Senate on Wednesday to pass a variety of gun control measures is yielding its share of second-guessing. How close was President Obama to seeing the bills meet the 60-vote super-majority required for approval? And was it a good use of his political capital to try?

And
I won’t attempt to provide definitive answers to these questions, but we can address some simpler ones. What factors predicted how the senators voted? Which were the most surprising yes votes — and which no votes does Mr. Obama have the most license to complain about?
Read more at:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

And
This is our chance to stand behind responsible gun ownership and work on innovative solutions to chip away at our culture of violence. More importantly, this is the time to invest in programs that heal people that are affected by gun violence and work to inspire young people to solve problems peacefully.
Read more at:
http://www.causes.com/putthegunsdown

And
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/map_of_the_week/2013/04/gun_control_voting_map_shows_which_senators_supported_which_amendments.html

Sen. Harry Reid becomes (gasp!) un-clothed (Update)

According to Rachel Maddow, five and possibly six Democratic Senators will not seek re-election in 2014. Good or bad I find the situation curious.

Long story short and in my opinion, Sen. Harry (I don’t have the votes!)  Reid is and has always been an ineffectual leader. I thought his job was to get the votes for his party by hook or crook. I thought his job was to know how to play the political game for the good of his party. I thought he was supposed to know what he was doing when his colleagues voted for him to be Senate Majority Leader.

I think Harry Reid is for Harry Reid and surely no great friend of the President.

I further think in 2014 when new Democratic Senators are voted into office, they will find themselves just as frustrated and un-productive as their predecessors due to the incompetence of their leader, Harry Reid. I find it hard to wish them well.

I was only able to remember four names from the list Rachel put up: Carl Levin, Jay Rockefeller, Frank Lautenberg and Tom Harkin.
As always,
BB

Democrats face rough Senate terrain
By Ken Thomas and Thomas Beaumont
Excerpt:
WASHINGTON — After a surprising string of victories last fall, Democrats now face a challenging terrain as they look to hold onto their Senate majority in 2014 and prevent Republicans from gaining full control of Congress during President Obama’s final two years.

And
Twenty months before the midterm elections, Republicans are laying the groundwork to try to capitalize on the defense-playing Democrats, working to recruit strong candidates in Arkansas, Alaska, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia — all states carried by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney last year.
Read more at:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2013/03/10/democrats-face-challenging-senate-landscape/vQyxrwiHihM9JKtDm1JtuI/story.html
     

Spelling “President” with a small “p”?

I do not remember the name of the professor teaching English 101 who told the class  when referring to the President of the United States of America, you must use a capital “P”. He said that is due to respect for the office and also separates him from the president of a club, company or other entities. I have never forgotten that lesson learned so many years ago and often wonder why other 101 English Teachers do not teach their students the same rule.
As always,
BB

 Obama, congressional leaders fail to reach deal on sequester
Excerpt:
The president and Congress created the sequester in 2011 to force themselves to find smarter ways to reduce the deficit.
Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-meets-congressional-leaders-on-sequester/2013/03/01/fa25a440-827b-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_story_1.html

Bob Woodward writes security guard at Watergate out of history

For the past few days it appears journalist Bob Woodward has come on stage to disparage Pres. Obama. *His soliloquy on how the President, by his lonesome, is responsible for the sequestration we are now facing is being booed from the orchestra seats, boxes and gallery. At the present time the stage has been cleared and Mr. Woodward is alone sputtering nonsense amidst debris thrown by the disparaged audience.

Many of us remember **Woodwards’  Washington Post articles that never mentioned the name of Frank Will, the Black security guard at Watergate who alerted police that the lock on the back door was being manipulated for easy access to the building.  Frank Will was fired from his job at Watergate and after being offered and accepting a security job at Howard University, the President of Howard University was told Congress would cut off funds to the university if Mr. Will remained working on campus. As I remember, there was much sorrow. Mr. Will was fired. What if Mr. Woodward had  given Mr. Will his rightful and eminent place in history?

Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-SPAN and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

*Bob Woodward, Obama Aide Spar, Causing Confusion Over Definition Of 'Regret'
By JasonLinkins
Excerpt:
Yes, we can only imagine that the "Obama aide" might raise his voice at Woodward once he'd heard Woodward's underlying claim about Obama "moving the goalposts," which was embarrassingly mis-premised and which Brian Beutler, among others, shredded into confetti. "They're all going to laugh at you!" we imagine this Obama aide might have yelled.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/woodward-obama-aide_n_2778007.html

**The Post investigates
"Five Held in Plot to Bug Democratic Offices Here," said the headline at the bottom of page one in the Washington Post on Sunday, June 18, 1972. The story reported that a team of burglars had been arrested inside the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate office complex in Washington.

So began the chain of events that would convulse Washington for two years, lead to the first resignation of a U.S. president and change American politics forever.
Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part1.html

And
I note Frank Will is also absent in the book A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present by Howard Zinn

Sequestration and the soaring stock market

This may sound like strange bedfellows but I do not think it is coincidental that the looming sequestration on March 1st and the current soaring of the stock market are not linked.

In my opinion the dire effects of sequestration, as outlined by the President yesterday, will open doors for new labor union contracts and innovative investors. It is no secret there are investors who can smell a dollar miles away. I do not know how they do it but I think now is such a time.

The GOP will get a big heaping of their constantly calling for a smaller government.  The government can then shake its fanny saying, "How do you like me now?" The GOP will surely have their wish come true with a  smaller government after the sequestration goes into effect and the money starts pouring in. We'll see.

As always,
BB

Stock market soars
By Ben Roberts
Excerpt:
The Dow stock market index closed above 14,000 Friday for the first time since before the financial crisis rocked the world economy. It hit that milestone for the first time since October 2007.
Read more at:
http://www.walb.com/story/20939934/stock-market-soars

GOP: “ A negro (Obama) has no rights a white man is bound to respect.”

The meeting has been widely reported and un-disputed that on the night of the first inauguration of Pres. Obama, Newt Gingrich and fellow Republicans made a vow that under no circumstances would they support or give credence to any legislation put forth by Barack Obama, the newly elected President of the United States of America.

The quoted headline of this post was written by U.S. Chief Justice Robert Taney in reference to the *Dred Scott Vs. Sanford decision written in 1857. And regarding the 7-2 decision, Taney wrote, amongst other things, that a negro slave has no rights in this country and especially no rights in suing for his freedom.

For the many years since 2008 and the first inauguration of President Obama, Newt Gingrich, his GOP and Democratic allies have carried the torch regarding the inabilities of the Negro to be taken seriously as a functional member of our society regardless of who or what he is. The on-going  commitment and consequences of their resolve have been dire.

In other words and according to Newt Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid and other foes of the President, President Obama can not provide leadership for the country, he can not forge plans for the country, he can not say or do anything to be taken seriously plus he is arrogant and un-cooperative. He does not have the right to do such things; he is a negro. He is a negro as defined in 1857 by Chief Justice Robert Brooke Taney.

Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-SPAN and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
*Chief Justice Taney on the negro
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F10A1EFB34591B728DDDA10994DB405B808DF1D3

Standard and Poor’s Clarion Call

Early in the year 2011 the rating agency Standard and Poor’s alerted the world that America was on shaky ground. The agency reduced our credit rating from AAA to AA+. They did not nitpick nor beat around the bush. Instead, they articulated with no shame that our government was showing strong signs of being incapable of governing itself.

In my opinion, one of the strongest testimony to the assertion made by Standard and Poor’s happened yesterday when the U.S. Senate, also with no shame and for the first time in U.S. history, filibustered a *Presidential nomination for a cabinet member.

 United States of America Long-Term Rating Lowered To 'AA+' Due To Political Risks, Rising Debt Burden; Outlook Negative
Publication date: 05-Aug-2011 20:13:14 EST
Excerpt:
More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011.
Read more at:
http://www.standardandpoors.com/ratings/articles/en/us/?assetID=1245316529563

As always,
BB

*The Republicans’ Ugly and Shameful Chuck Hagel Filibuster
by John Avlon Feb 15, 2013 4:45 AM EST
Read more at:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/15/the-republicans-ugly-and-shameful-chuck-hagel-filibuster.html

Sen. Harry Reid to the President: KMA!

I have never been a fan of Mr. Reid and I did not wish him well during his last election in 2010. At that time and up to the present time, I do not think Mr. Reid has the interest of the President nor his administration at heart.

Mr. Reids’ continuous excuses for not bringing certain bills to the floor has led  me to believe he is not  friend but foe of the President and his administration. The results of his latest antics regarding his long standing “…leave no stone un-turned” desire to modify the Senate Filibuster Rules is embarrassing and insulting to me as an Obama supporter.
In my opinion, Mr. Reid is also an embarrassment to both his colleagues and other members of the Democratic Party. He is making their jobs to be effective all but impossible as per the desires of Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell et al.

I personally feel Mr. Reid is too close to lobbyist and financial institution and feels it would not be in his financial interest to go along with many proposals set forth by the President. The word “appeasement” amongst other less subtle ones comes to mind.

I look forward to Democrats in the Senate seriously evaluating Mr. Reids’ effectiveness as Majority Leader and taking appropriate actions.  Duty calls! We constituents can write as many letters and make as many phone calls we desire to our Senators to no avail. The problem is and has always been with the ineffectual Sen. Harry Reid and I must admit he plays a good under the radar game. Damn good!

Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-SPAN and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
P.S. Last evening, The Rachel Maddow Show produced an impressive segment on the situation.

Tom Harkin: Filibuster Reform Failure Hamstrings Obama Agenda
By Michael McAuliff
Excerpt:
 Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) warned President Barack Obama that he "might as well take a four-year vacation" if the Senate fails to pass real filibuster reform -- and the plan being unveiled Thursday by Senate leaders doesn't qualify, the veteran lawmaker said.

And
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had threatened action to change the rules, but the deal coming out Thursday only ends filibusters at the start of debates and not on the bills themselves or other steps along the way.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/tom-harkin-filibuster-reform_n_2544153.html

“Pres. Obama has the courage to be kind.” Maya Angelou

The night before the second Presidential Inauguration, Piers Morgan aired an interview with Ms. Angelou asking her what she thought about the Presidents’ first four years in office.

I thought about that interview the entire day while watching the inauguration determined to not be conflicted with talks about the President not reaching out to Republicans and him worrying about his legacy and other such nonsense.

When facts are pointed out that the President has constantly reached out to Republicans, counter arguments are always what Reagan, FDR or Lincoln did so many years ago.

In my opinion, those delusional pundits and commentators want the President to do what he will never do. They want to see him groveling and as one pundit put it, shuckin’ and jiving’. That will not happen.

There may be many obstacles in the path of the President having the courage to be kind but one has to be realistic in knowing  there are things in life that can not and will not change for the good of all mankind.

Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-SPAN and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

Pay Your Bills aka Raise Debt Ceiling

It’s hard to imagine many people knew that the term “Raising the debt ceiling” was a misnomer until a few days ago.

During the Presidents’ last speech of his first administration he said, almost casually, (paraphrased) “……raising the debt ceiling only means Congress has given me permission to pay the bills they have incurred.” I almost fell out of my chair! Very few political pundits repeated what he said. Most of them kept talking about the debt ceiling. The term had become a lucrative  cottage industry.

In my opinion, Republicans also heard what the President  said and heard it well due to the fact within a day or two after the speech, they announced intentions of raising the debt ceiling for a time period of three month. Their announcement clearly said to me that the President had quietly called, “Check mate!”

I am mindful of a story I heard long ago about a dying rich man who, on his death bed surrounded by his servants and close relatives, with great efforts raised his head to utter his last words on earth, “Pay your bills”.

As always,
BB

P.S. Of late, I have been asking friends a question or two:
1. Would you vote for another Black President?
2. Would you let your child be placed into a classroom wherein the teacher has a cancelled gun?


Raising the Debt Ceiling, Inch by Inch
By DAVID FIRESTONE
Excerpt:
House Republicans bowed to the inevitable today and agreed to briefly back off their threat to plunge the government into default.
Read more at:
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/raising-the-debt-ceiling-inch-by-inch/

And   
Eric Cantor Makes Debt Ceiling Offer
Excerpt:
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- House Republicans will vote next week on a three-month extension of the debt limit, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Friday.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/eric-cantor-debt-ceiling_n_2505001.html

Infrastructures: UPS, FedEx and USPS

Infrastructure
Viewed functionally, infrastructure facilitates the production of goods and services, and also the distribution of finished products to markets...
Read more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructure

In my opinion, UPS (United Postal Service), FedEx (Federal Express) and USPS (United States Postal Service) by definition fall into the category of infrastructure.

 The definition further tells us “…..Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise,[1] or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function.”

My experience has taught me regarding these three delivery services, one is not like the others, namely FedEx.

This maybe due to the fact FedEx employs sub-contractors who do not appropriately vet their drivers as to their crucial  roll in Americas’ infrastructure. With the explosion of more and more people buying products online and having them delivered to their homes or place of work, FedEx has an obligation to establish and rigorously enforce the highest codes of conduct with their sub-contractors.

The insensitivity of FedEx drivers in my community in Prince George’s  County, Maryland has forced me to call on-line vendors asking them  if they ship UPS or FedEx. If they tell me they ship FedEx, I go to another on-line vendor selling the same product and repeat my question. At my age, I am doing all things possible to not incur stress levels I can avoid by simply making a phone call. I have found most vendors with Amazon.com ship via UPS.

As always,
BB
P.S. I am getting bogus emails from FedEx telling me they could not deliver a package and I have to come to the center to claim it. “Please download postal receipt” and bring it with you. I am curious who and why anybody would want to do this to FedEx. The operator told me they are investigating.

 Fed Ex: Beware of Bogus Email
The company, FedEx, is warning people to be aware of spam e-mails that contain a very real-looking FedEx logo.
The spammers e-mail people, saying they have packages to pick up, but it's all a fraud.
Read more at:
http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/Fed-Ex-Beware-of-Bogus-Email-183104661.html