Does it Pay to Vote?

I have heard some intelligent and not so intelligent people say they don't believe in voting. Basically the feel "Da Man" got the system rigged already so it doesn't matter if they vote.

OK so let me understand your genius. You are going to pay almost 50% of your income in your life time and not try to have some say in the process?

What kills me is in addition to a 20% income tax many people are paying monthly local property taxes of $700, $800, and $1000 dollars a month but don't bother to vote in local elections. The average person will make close to 1 million dollars of income in their life time.

So most people will at least pay $250,000 in taxes in their life time. And that's on the low end. But you don't want to bother to spend 1/2 hour to go vote huh? "Da Man" got every thing sewed up huh?

Well riddle me this if voting didn't matter why do elites and people with money buy big into campaigns and lobby to control the process? And you just don't bother to try to counter act what they are doing by voting?

Did you ever think people in power want to demoralize and discourage you from voting because it makes it easier to control society? Naw that never crossed your mind huh?

Just about everything in this country is taxed one way or another. Income tax, state tax, retail tax, restaurant tax, estate tax, surtaxes on internet and phone usage. You're taxed up the ying yang but don't bother to vote. SMH

Does it pay to vote.  Maybe not but it's gonna cost you.

Pardon my French but not voting is like the dumbest BS bleepy, bleep, freaking bleep I ever heard! Sorry about the rant. Back to my positive programming. SMH!

Why is there Wealth Inequality in the Black Community?

Recently there was yet another abysmal article about the terrible conditions Blacks still find themselves in this country.  You can read the article here.

There are a lot of positive things happening in the Black community too. We have to watch these academics who paint a horrible picture of us with skewed stats.

Here is an article I wrote with stats on Black accomplishments from reputable sources: http://kamausquips.blogspot.com/.../discover-7-amazing...

There is a lot of stagnation now in upward mobility noted by these authors because many decent paying jobs Blacks used to rely on have been outsourced to cheaper labor markets in other nations. Also the Black family income even for people with degrees averages $20,000 less a year, a 1.3 million short fall in a life time, and in aggregate at least 10 Trillion dollars collectively within a few decades at 6% compound interest due to racist financial inequities.

But what is most glaring is these stat quote professionals never or ever give solutions. Blacks only spend 7% of our income with each other. If we spent more like 25% we could hire every unemployed Black person in America. Now 1.9 million Black businesses hire over 1 million people. If we would increase out spending to like 25% we could hire millions more and help increase our real estate holdings with more business development in our communities.

Of course these stat quote experts would never offer supporting Black business as an option. It just isn't in their interest. What's in their interest is to demoralize us from being more proactive by filling us with despair.

Is the GOP Dying?

Donald Trump's Leading position for the GOP Nomination
Shows a Party Desperately Grasping at Straws for Direction

In a recent article written by Chris Topher, on the website Addicting Info, entitled "These Year-End Numbers Show A Republican Party That Can’t Possibly Survive," they graphically make the point I have felt for years now.  That the GOP is dying given changing demographics it this country turning browner and younger.

You may not have read the article mentioned above so this is the crux of their argument...

"Republicans have a serious problem — one that’s nothing new. In 2012, President Obama and the Democratic strategy team performed an electoral landslide that left Mitt Romney, Fox News and the entire Republican world stunned. They did it by exploiting the main weakness of the Republican party: It’s dying.

Republicans knew then that if they were going to make significant gains in a presidential cycle that they would have to increase the numbers of GOP voters in certain key demographics. As their base grows older and dies off, they need to replace them with younger voters. Their appeal, unfortunately, is to the low-information voter who loves ‘Murika and guns, and lives in constant fear of terrorism and home invasions. They were always going to vote Republican, those of them who are smart enough to actually go to the polls, anyway."

However, if you look at the coverage in the media of Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Ben Carson and

company vying for the GOP nomination the party is as portrayed as being strong as ever.  If the GOP was stronger than ever do you think a President with the name Barack Obama, could have repeated as President for two terms despite all their hatred and disdain directed against him by the party?

Just 20 years ago the election of a Black man with an African name would have been unthinkable if not impossible.

In fact, I would suggest the situation in which two non-politicians like Donald Trump and Ben Carson could have at various times been front runners of the GOP reveals a party grasping for straws. It shows a party that appears clueless given present political realities in this country.

If the GOP wins this election that would be because the Dems and Hillary Clinton, don't inspire a visit to the voting booth in large numbers by Latinos, young people, and Blacks the growing demographic in this country.  If the dems lose it will be because they demoralized a significant part of their voting base.

The fact of the matter is the GOP is dying.  Changing demographics challenge the survival of the GOP.  But progressive minded individuals should seize the moment and forge ahead with visionary programs to make America a more egalitarian society.

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Harriet Tubman Embodies Faith

As we wrap up the Kwanzaa season with the concept of Imani or faith nobody embodies it more than Harriet Tubman AKA "Black Moses." A women of barely 5 feet tall defied the most brutal form of slavery in existence probably in the history of the world.

What gave this disabled woman of small stature the courage over and over again to go into the south and free slaves? She was a Spiritual woman who believed in God. This should teach us a Spiritual person can challenge a ruthless system. Religion doesn't have to placate or make people capitulate to power it can help them fight injustice.

I believe our ancestor Harriet Tubman was a special instrument of God. She was one of the most courageous people in history.

She was hit in the head, with a metal object, thrown by a slave master when she was young. She possibly suffered brain damage and resulting inadvertent sleeping spells.

But she was able to become a great liberator during a very dangerous time for Black people. She was of diminutive size but is one of my greatest heroes.

With faith like a hero like Harriet Tubman - we can go far! Without faith we will pass away being only a shadow of what we can become with the help of God.

The Unity of Kwanzaa can ONLY be achieved with the Spirit of Faith

In the Spirit of Imani or Faith, the 7th and final principle of Kwanzaa, I am sharing this definition and thoughts about this concept. 

I would only add that we started the Kwanzaa season with Umoja or Unity and end it with Imani or Faith. How appropriate because without faith there can be no unity.

Why do I say that? I notice far to many Blacks, especially the so called "conscious ones", are always focused on critical conspiracies or negative analytical thinking on every proactive step an organization or person makes on behalf of Black people. It's ridiculous.

Nothing anybody does is legitimate in their minds and most people who have a difference of opinion to them is a n*gga, coon, or negropian. Almost any move Blacks take socially whether in business, protest, boycotting, or activism for many of these arm chair social activist is met with skepticism. This over-arching skepticism erodes unity.

In order to have unity you have to have faith you can achieve success. Without faith in our collective cause of liberation, empowerment, and equality we will not be able to reach out against all odds to achieve it.

Should Lebron James Boycott for Tamir Rice?

So persons like Boyce Watkins want Lebron James to sit out games of playing basketball in violation of his contract and put his livelihood at risk huh? OK...

Let all the people who want Lebron to boycott his job make the same pledge. All you folks who want Lebron to stop playing call your boss and tell him or her you aren't reporting to work until Tamir Rice's killers are brought to justice.

Let everybody sacrifice equally before you start attacking the man for putting his livelihood at risk. If you have a business tell your client's and customers you aren't going to handle your business affairs with them until there's justice for Tamir Rice. Then we'll all be on the same page.

But we know that's not going to happen is it? SMH

I don't agree. He is putting his livelihood at risk. He will lose a lot of money and create a lot of hostility with whites and endorsement deals where he makes a lot of money.

If people want him to take such a risk they should be able to take the risk themselves. Dr. Boyce has jobs and a business let him take on the same risk before asking someone else to do it.

It isn't right IMO to ask a person to sacrifice for a people who aren't willing to sacrifice themselves. Dr. Boyce is a media personality but I don't see a lot of people suggesting this out protesting or on picket lines taking time off from  their 9 to 5 or business affairs to be with Black Lives Matter activists or Tamir Rice's supporters.

The NBA is not out killing Black people. The NBA is giving a lot of Black men an unbelievable life style. If Blacks want things to be different they need to get out and vote and hold the fire to the feet of elected officials who control police departments on our dime.

Lebron makes a lot of social statements already as an athlete. A lot of Black people don't vote in local elections or don't vote at all. But they want Lebron to risk his career while they sit back in their comfort zones. Naw, I don't see the fairness in that.

I do understand Dr. Boyces logic. He may be correct about his status and him making an impact I just

don't see it as being fair or a responsibility he should take on. And I'll tell you why.

It is too messianic. It also seeks to ask a major celebrity to make a sacrifice that the majority of Black people aren't willing to do to change local politics.

In the Civil Rights Movements Black people were mobilized in sit ins, protests, boycotts to change their conditions in this country. Leadership arose or was appointed by the grassroots movements to lead them and people like Dr. King, Andrew Young, Ralph Abernathy, etc. rose to prominence.

Then celebrities like Sammy Davis Jr., Harry Belafonte, and Tony Bennet showed up. The movement started from the bottom up and later inspired celebrities to get involved. In the 70s the Black power movement was inspired by non-celebrities like H Rap Brown, Huey Newton, and Maulana Karenga.

On the other hand today we have a situation where about 20% of Black people vote in local elections which decide mayors, judges, and police chiefs. If I were Lebron I'd like to see a lot more participation in the affairs of local government and grassroots politics before I make a sacrifice that would put my livelihood and that of my family at risk.

We have people today from the comfort of their homes or offices making digital posts or videos trying to force the issue of a major celebrity putting his career in jeopardy while the overwhelming majority of them won't spend a couple of hours marching, protesting or even going to the voting booth.

The NBA would suffer financially but the 1st target of redress it seems to me should be local governments and the culture of police departments that see Black men as primarily thugs and criminals. As always I respect his and others opinion.  But we'll have to agree to somewhat disagree on this one.

I'd just like to see Blacks more proactively engaged in the streets (more so than just social media) before we ask Lebron to put himself in jeopardy. As you know if he does it the major media will eviscerate him personally and Faux News will turn livid and rabid against him.

Below Dr. Boyce Watkins weighs in on whether Lebron James should boycott NBA for the Tamir Rice tragedy.

Ending Guns Usage

The only way you could feel this way is if you feel the government is doing a good job in protecting citizens. I don't feel it is at all.

In short, I can't tell us how we create a utopia or Nirvana on earth. However, I can say if we do better background checks for people looking to buy guns and perhaps mandate they get anger management, gun safety, and violence DE-escalation courses before being issued a gun it may cut down on interpersonal violence between people who know each other.

There needs to be a reasonable and sensible approach to this. Especially given the fact law enforcement doesn't seem able to protect citizens, what I don't think should happen is because of the criminal and political terrorist in our country the 2nd Amendment Rights of law abiding citizens is marginalized.

If criminal and political terrorism is used as a pretense to end the 2nd Amendment rights of law abiding citizens then they will become even more targets of terrorism. They will be terrorized increasingly and in response rendered defenseless by the government. In effect we will be abused from both sides.