Wednesday's Daily Brief: Obama, Romney Skirt Afghanistan War

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 Candidates Duck Future U.S. Role In Afghanistan War POLITICS Akin Won't Budge POLITICS Democrats Announce Prominent Women Convention Speakers GREEN Humpback Whales Off California Coast: Up Close And Personal [PHOTOS] WEIRD NEWS UFOs On Mars? WORLD Thai Mother Allegedly Kills, Cooks And Eats Sons BLOG POSTS Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Tilling the Ground for the Seeds of Terrorism After more than 10 years of war against al Qaeda and the accompanying global "war on terrorism," we have failed to learn that our actions create reactions. Nancy Keenan: Todd Akin Exposes the True Agenda of the Republican Party Make no mistake, the reprehensible views voiced by Rep. Todd Akin echo the true positions of the Romney-Ryan ticket. Trita Parsi: Obama Made the Right Call -- and Everyone Won Despite the abysmal relations between the U.S. and Iran, Washington has on numerous occasions sent aid as well as rescue teams to Iran to help with relief work. And the Iranian government has often -- but not always -- accepted the help. Lisa Belkin: Todd Akin: One More Male Politician Clueless About Female Biology Put aside for the moment the horrifying reality that Akin feels that some rapes are more "legitimate" than others. And let's focus on the fact that so many men in positions of power over women's health are so clueless about female biology. Gabrielle Union: Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Saves Lives -- at All Ages "Fear can literally kill you. It killed me." These were the words my close friend Kristen Martinez said to me two years ago, just days before she died of cancer.

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Black Man and Woman: Do you know your political history?

The True History of the Democratic Racist Party

Christian Underground Newsletter ^ | 11-17-05 | Larry Elder

Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 6:31:49 AM by Rhadaghast

 

So much for the Republican "outreach" to black voters, with only 2 percent of blacks "approving" of the president's performance.

If only blacks knew of the true history of the Democratic Party.

"Black History Month" has been observed for 29 years, yet many blacks know little to nothing about the parties' respective roles in advancing or hindering the civil rights of blacks. How many blacks know that following the Civil War, 23 blacks -- 13 of them ex-slaves -- were elected to Congress, all as Republicans? The first black Democrat was not elected to Congress until 1935, from the state of Illinois. The first black congressional Democrat from a Southern state was not elected until 1973.

Democrats, in 1854, passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This overturned the Missouri Compromise and allowed for the importation of slaves into the territories. Disgusted with the passage of this Act, free-soilers and anti-slavery members of the Whig and Democratic parties founded the Republican Party -- not just to stop the spread of slavery, but to eventually abolish it.

How many blacks know that blacks founded the Texas Republican Party? On July 4, 1867, in Houston, Texas, 150 blacks and 20 whites formed the party. No, not the Black Texas Republican Party, they founded the Texas Republican Party. Blacks across Southern states also founded the Republican parties in their states.

Fugitive slave laws? In 1850, Democrats passed the Fugitive Slave Law. If merely accused of being a slave, even if the person enjoyed freedom all of his or her life (as approximately 11 percent of blacks did just before the Civil War), the person lost the right to representation by an attorney, the right to trial by jury, and the right to habeas corpus.

Emancipation? Republican President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. In 1865, the 13th Amendment emancipating the slaves was passed with 100 percent of Republicans (88 of 88 in the House, 30 of 30 in the Senate) voting for it. Only 23 percent of Democrats (16 of 66 in the House, 3 of 8 in the Senate) voted for it.

Civil rights laws? In 1868, the 14th Amendment was passed giving the newly emancipated blacks full civil rights and federal guarantee of those rights, superseding any state laws. Every single voting Republican (128 of 134 -- with 6 not voting -- in the House, and 30 of 32 -- with 2 not voting -- in the Senate) voted for the 14th Amendment. Not a single Democrat (zero of 36 in the House, zero of 6 in the Senate) voted for it.

Right to vote? When Southern states balked at implementing the 14th Amendment, Congress came back and passed the 15th Amendment in 1870, guaranteeing blacks the right to vote. Every single Republican voted for it, with every Democrat voting against it.

Ku Klux Klan? In 1872 congressional investigations, Democrats admitted beginning the Klan as an effort to stop the spread of the Republican Party and to re-establish Democratic control in Southern states. As PBS' "American Experience" notes, "In outright defiance of the Republican-led federal government, Southern Democrats formed organizations that violently intimidated blacks and Republicans who tried to win political power. The most prominent of these, the Ku Klux Klan, was formed in Pulaski, Tenn., in 1865." Blacks, who were all Republican at that time, became the primary targets of violence.

Jim Crow laws? Between 1870 and 1875, the Republican Congress passed many pro-black civil rights laws. But in 1876, Democrats took control of the House, and no further race-based civil rights laws passed until 1957. In 1892, Democrats gained control of the House, the Senate and the White House, and repealed all the Republican-passed civil rights laws. That enabled the Southern Democrats to pass the Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, literacy tests, and so on, in their individual states.

Civil rights in the '60s? Only 64 percent of Democrats in Congress voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act (153 for, 91 against in the House; and 46 for, 21 against in the Senate). But 80 percent of Republicans (136 for, 35 against in the House; and 27 for, 6 against in the Senate) voted for the 1964 Act.

What about the reviled, allegedly anti-black, Republican "Southern strategy"? Pat Buchanan, writing for Richard Nixon (who became the Republican Party candidate two years later) coined the term "Southern strategy." They expected the "strategy" to ultimately result in the complete marginalization of racist Southern Democrats. "We would build our Republican Party on a foundation of states' rights, human rights, small government, and a strong national defense," said Buchanan, "and leave it to the 'party of [Democratic Georgia Gov. Lester] Maddox, [1966 Democratic challenger against Spiro Agnew for Maryland governor George] Mahoney, and [Democratic Alabama Gov. George] Wallace to squeeze the last ounces of political juice out of the rotting fruit of racial injustice.'" And President Richard Nixon, Republican, implemented the first federal affirmative action (race-based preference) laws with goals and timetables.

So next "Black History Month," pass some of this stuff along.

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Petition: Support Medicare today!

Dear Fellow Progressive,

When middle class seniors in Ohio go to their doctor to have their blood pressure checked, are rushed to the hospital for a life-saving procedure, or go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, they turn to Medicare to make it affordable.

More than 1.9 million Ohioans benefit from Medicare. They've earned those benefits through years of hard work.

Protecting Medicare is a middle class priority -- which means it's one of my priorities, as well. And if you believe Medicare should be preserved for our seniors, not destroyed, click here and add your voice today.

Earlier this month, Mitt Romney chose his Republican running mate: Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.

Paul Ryan, if you're not familiar with him, is the man who wrote the disastrous Republican budget plan not long ago that sought to end Medicare as we know it today by turning it into a voucher program that would leave future seniors' health care up to the profit-focused private insurance companies.

Under the Ryan plan, Ohio seniors would have to pay thousands more toward their out-of-pocket costs every year. Prescription drug costs could skyrocket.

Medicare is a cornerstone of middle-class security in America. And by picking Rep. Ryan for the ticket, the Republican party has clearly marked ending Medicare as we know it as its priority.

Well it's not my priority. Help me send a clear message to the other side -- protecting Medicare is our priority. Click here to add your voice today.

Thank you, once again, for helping to firm up our support for Medicare.



Sherrod

Paid for by Friends of Sherrod Brown

Akin remark puts abortion at center of campaign debate - CNN.com

Akin remark puts abortion at center of campaign debate - CNN.com:

Romney and Ryan change their stance on abortion now that their support system wants to talk about it...

Monday's Daily Brief: 'Legitimate Rape' Comments Spark Controversy

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Wednesday's Daily Brief: No One Likes Congress

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