Presidential Election, Obama, Romney, Black Vote

We Need to Vote Now!

By:  Mildred Robertson

As we enter the final weeks of the 2012 Presidential elections, it is more important than ever that African Americans across the nation encourage friends and relatives to exercise their right to vote. Our nation faces treacherous times, and it is important that someone with a steady hand be at the helm. It is not just important that the hand be steady, but that a good moral compass directs the path of the man who captains our ship.

Over the next 4 years, decisions will be made about what kind of society America is going to be. We will decide whether success is measured in dollars and cents, or whether we choose to measure success by the quality of life of our citizens. We need to decide whether we want to be a worldwide police force, or rather choose to build friendships abroad and jobs at home. We have to determine whether we are committed to equality for women and minorities or whether certain portions of our society will be relegated to second-class citizenship. We have to determine whether health care is a right or a privilege. We must decide if only the nations wealthiest deserve the American Dream, o r whether it is a vision to which we can all aspire.  

The choice is clear.

It is not only your right, but also your responsibility to make your voice heard in this important election. You have until November 3, 2012 to take part in early voting. Contact the Board of Elections in your county to confirm your registration and determine where the early vote sites are located in your community. If you cannot early vote, make sure that you take a few minutes on November 6 to cast your vote.

The North Carolina NAACP is circulating a powerful video that recounts the battles our forefathers endured so that you and I would have the right to vote. The video eloquently states, “If ever we needed to vote, we NEED to vote NOW.” There have been no truer words said this election cycle. We need to vote now!

Tags: June Atkinson, John Tedesco, North Carolina, Public Instruction, Schools

NORTH CAROLINA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS DESERVE BETTER

By:  Mildred Robertson

On the way to work, I noticed a sign for John Tedesco that stated:

"John Tedesco
Our children deserve better"

I thought it was ironic that his sign would be worded in such a way, because our children truly do deserve better than John Tedesco. It would be unfortunate if the partisan politics that upended the public school system in Wake County were to suffer the same fate state wide under the leadership of someone like Tedesco. I hope that the citizens of North Carolina recognize that Tedesco's dangerous ideology is no substitute for qualified leadership. While there is room for improvement, our schools enjoy a positive national profile, a profile that was damaged when the "Tea Party" took over the board and brought havoc to the school assignment process. The disruption ended in chaos, and negatively affected business recruitment in our County, because people were reluctant to move their families to a county where so much uncertainty surrounded school assignment. The state of North Carolina deserves qualified, experienced leadership for its public school system. It is clear who holds those credentials.

Read more here: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/john-tedesco-and-june-atkinson-argue-over-neighborhood-schools-in-race-for-state-schools-supe#comment-275504#storylink=cpy

PROTECTING WOMENS' RIGHTS: Federal Court Stands in the Breach

By Mildred Robertson

The 7^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stood between the women of Indiana and a legislature that attempted to eradicate Planned Parenthood by blocking Medicaid funds. The Circuit Court upheld a lower court decision that found the 2011 law denied patients the right to choose their own health care provider. The Court acted as the Founders intended, serving as a neutral mediator and an effective counterbalance to the Indiana Legislature’s implementation of a law found to be unconstitutional.

The7th Circuit Court stated, "The defunding law excludes Planned Parenthood from Medicaid for a reason unrelated to its fitness to provide medical services, violating its patients' statutory right to obtain medical care from the qualified provider of their choice."

While this decision is of utmost importance to the women of Indiana, it has even greater ramifications for women across this nation. This Court made its decision based on fact and law rather than the highly partisan posturing that has clouded the facts of this case.

This  case does not represent our first experience in recent years where the Court rose above partisan politics and lived up to its calling to be a counterbalance for the executive and legislative branches of government. This was evidenced by John Roberts’ controversial stand on President Obama’s health care legislation. His actions surprised people on both the right and left of the issue.  At the end of the day, Justice Roberts was faithful to the Constitution, basing his ruling upon law rather than a partisan agenda. 

As the nation stands at the precipice of the 2012 election, the actions of the 7^th District Court and those of Justice Roberts should serve as a somber reminder of what is at stake on November 6. As we go to the polls this election year we must balance who will have the weighty responsibility of fashioning the Supreme Court for the next decade and beyond.

With four Supreme Court Justices in their seventies, it is a good bet that whoever wins in November will have a chance to fill at least one Supreme Court seat. That appointment could dramatically change the direction of a court that currently is closely divided between liberals and conservatives. That appointment could change how millions get health care, whether civil rights for women, African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and other minorities are rolled back, or whether personal morality will be codified into law regarding issues such as abortion or gay rights.  

This Court will make decisions that will intimately affect the lives of countless citizens across the nation.  So will the decision you make when you go into the voting booth this election year. Choose carefully.

#Presidential Debate, #Obama, Romney, Joe Wilson, Statesman, Corporate Raider

The Statesman and the Corporate Raider

By Mildred Robertson

As I watched last night’s debate between President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, I felt a chill at the simple thought of Romney raising his hand in January to take the Oath of Office. I simply could not imagine this boorish man speaking on my behalf to leaders of foreign nations. I could not imagine entrusting my future safety and security to a man that lacks the tact, craft, sensitivity and skill to understand and honor political rules of engagement, the artfulness necessary for public political dialogue and the courtesy to respect the highest office in the land.

As an American, I was offended. Romney continued the practice by Right Wing Conservatives of ignoring the office that President Obama holds and treating him with dishonor and disrespect. It began during the President’s first State of the Union Address when Republican Rep. Joe Wilson blurted out “You Lie,” disrespecting the President, himself and the American people, and continued as he was painted as “other than American” by the birthers.

In 2008, the majority of Americans choose Barack Obama to be leader of the free world. There is dignity in holding that position that supersedes the person who holds it. It is a position that all true Americans hold in highest esteem. The respect afforded the Office of the President of the United States of America is a key component of any foreign negotiation. The erosion of that respect in the halls of Congress and on the floor of a presidential debate erodes that respect worldwide.

Obviously, this was a debate. It was not expected that Mitt Romney agree with the President, but it should be expected that he voice his disagreement with discretion, delicacy and tactfulness that showed some respect for the office the man holds, if not the man. The debate format does not give license to incivility or disrespect.

Last night’s performance provided the American people with a stark contrast between a statesman and a corporate raider. The President displayed sensitivity to the plight of the American people, discussed the journey from the brink of disaster to a point of fragile recovery, and the hope for a strong rebound. Romney showed that truth, tact and diplomacy are not part of his political arsenal. He attempted to bully his way through this debate.

That tactic may work in a corporate boardroom. It will not play well in the halls of Congress. It certainly would be a disaster on the international stage.

Key Words: Early Vote, Enthusiams Gap, Presidential Election

ENTHUSIAM FACTOR MAY
DETERMINE NEXT PRESIDENT

 By Mildred Robertson

As Americans prepare to head for the polls on November 6, or before if we early or absentee vote, we are flooded with opinions, polls and talking heads that tell us what the outcome will be.  It is almost as though we are on the outside looking in--as though our opinion or actions have no impact on the outcome.

That could not be further from the truth.

The election comes down to you and me. Our individual decision will determine who raises his hand in January to take the oath of office. Our action or inaction will help determine the direction our country will take for the next four years.

Issues that face this nation are daunting. We must determine how to reign in the exploding national debt, while providing for those who are most vunerable in our society. We must balance the needs of the elderly, the sick, the poor and the young with our commitment to free enterprise and personal responsibility. We have to seek an end to international conflicts while safeguarding our shores and promoting our values.  It is imperative that we stabilize and re-energize our economy and put Americans back to work.

These are all imperatives upon which most of can agree. The problem is, how best to address these problems.

So it is not whether we believe Mitt Romney is a social and political snob, or whether President Obama is a Muslim. It is not even whether we believe in gay marriage or the right to choose. While these are issues that spark deep personal emotions, and deserve a place in the national dialogue, the question that we must address on November 6 is which man best understands the critical issues that face America and which one has a plausible plan of action to address them.

As you watch the 3-ring circus on the nightly news, you may wonder what impact you could possibly have on the outcome. It appears that the election is being decided over the airwaves, and political pundits are telling us what we think and how we will act on November 6.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the war of words, and the onslaught of 30-second sound bites that seem to define this race. The media, in general, will provide you with a biased assessment of who the candidates are, and what they stand for, focusing upon a misspoken word, or an ill-delivered speech.

One idea the media has seized upon is, I believe, relevant. It is the enthusiasm factor.  That means how excited voters are about their respective candidate.

It appears that the election may decided, not by what the majority of Americans believe, but rather about whether they feel strongly enough about their candidate to vote those beliefs.

Somehow, each of us must wade through the overwhelming mess that is our current political process and identify the basic issues that are of personal importance to us.  Then we must decide which man is up to the task and vote our beliefs.

The political process doesn’t work if we don’t participate. The simple fact is—it is not over until it is over; and that is when the last vote is counted.

Make sure your vote is among them. Vote on November 6!

To find early voting sites in North Carolina, go to: https://batchgeo.com/map/NCEarlyVoteSites