In My Orbit...
CareerCampSFV and Social Media and Your Career were huge successes! But after planning two events back-to-back, along with my Yoga classes, writing and stirring all the other pots I have my fingers in, the Girl is, well... tired.
So I've been sorta taking the week off. More of a mental vacation than physical, as I still need to teach the Yoga. But I've probably taken more naps this week than I have in my entire life! I've turned 45 and become a napper--who would have thunk?!
Of course, my life would be remiss if I didn't get back on the political junkie bandwagon. WARNING: This post will go long, but it will be well worth it!
This started with a Facebook post by my brother-in-law, who I have the utmost respect for in most areas, except his political leanings. I'm the black sheep of the family on a number of fronts, so why should politics be any different?
So he posted this chart (above), allegedly from the United States Department of the Treasury, about who really increased the deficit. Of course, it was the usual "blame Republican Presidents, Democrat Presidents are perfect" stuff.
I have no idea whether this actually came from the U.S. Treasury. Even if it did, we have a Secretary of the Treasury who is a known tax evader, and the height of the propaganda machine that exists in the Obama administration is legend--Can you say Attack Watch.com boys and girls?
I'm more inclined to believe the Heritage Foundation's numbers. Yes, they are a conservative think-tank, but their work is respected across party lines, and generally reality-based.
Heritage Foundation: The Truth about Obama's Budget Deficit's, in Pictures.
So I chimed in on my BOL's post with these comments. First, that "he's a disaster", then, with clarification on whom I considered the disaster and the reasons why I feel this is the case:
"President Obama. Unemployment was less than 6 percent at the end of both those Republican President's (Reagan/Bush) terms. Businesses were able to grow and hire people. Obama has not been in office for one term and unemployment is 9.2 percent, and 16.9 among African-Americans. He has no interest in creating jobs and he has no interest in helping his people--he only wants to save himself and get re-elected."
Of course it was met with disagreement by a number of people, and then the discussion went down the rabbit hole of how opposed the President is, and how he is not given a fair chance, "because he's black!"
SMH.
After another clarifying and challenging comment, I gave up, because I liked my mental vacation better than a fruitless debate.
A nice young man, who happened to see my posts, private-messaged me. He thanked me for my courage in stating my views, and agreed with me that this President is no friend of anyone but himself, and anyone who can keep him in office.
I messaged him back, thanking him for his feedback, and added:
"It makes me very sad that my people are only interested in supporting a 'Black President' without looking at his accomplishments or his character, or holding him accountable for all he is not doing for the American people or Black people."
Sixteen-point-nine percent unemployment among Blacks. Almost double the national average. I don't even count myself among that number, because I do my own work, and I refuse to be another Black statistic.
And then there was that pathetic speech Obama gave before the Congressional Black Caucus last week. Don't get me started on how useless this bunch is--that's a topic for another post. President Obama put on his best black preacher dialect and pulled from folk tales to set his story, then ended it with a most curious charge:
“Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying.”
Take note my AA peeps: This is the thanks you get for turning out in droves in 2008. He'd rather pander to other interest groups, but tell his own people to "stop crying" and "complaining." Yet, you are still defending him and harping on the old canard of racism instead of calling a spade a spade (Yes, I said it!).
If our President was any other color than what he is, there would be immediate calls for him to step down and let someone of competence run in 2012. Instead, racism is used as an excuse for a piss-poor leader, and your own poor choices.
Still SMH.
Now Janeane Garofalo, great font of political wisdom she is, decided to play the race card concerning Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain--who actually has a real black preacher dialect. Methinks being an actual preacher helps in that regard. From Janeane's mouth to our ears:
"Herman Cain is probably well liked by some of the Republicans because it hides the racist elements of the Republican party. Conservative movement and tea party movement, one in the same.
"People like Karl Rove liked to keep the racism very covert. And so Herman Cain provides this great opportunity say you can say 'Look, this is not a racist, anti-immigrant, anti-female, anti-gay movement. Look we have a black man.'"
Racists Republicans Support Cain.
So, Cain is a puppet prop, but all that propping up and fawning over Obama by the Dems because he is black doesn't count? She calls into account the political side she doesn't agree with, while ignoring it in her own party.
She doesn't even deserve a head shake.
Finally, Morgan Freeman, a truly supreme actor who just needs to keep doing that, commented on the nefarious Tea Party and their motivations, and says racism has gotten worse under Obama. Morgan Freeman: Tea Party Racist.
I thought now that we had a Black President that racism as we knew it would no longer exist. So, whose fault is that?
Continually SMH.