GBREY'S BADASSS BLOG

One brothas view of the world's news, sports and culture. Stay informed, stay involved, stay badasss!!!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Who's Right; Cosby or Sharpton?

A new poll of Black Americans reveals some interesting information. It states that, for the first time, more Blacks believe that Black people's lack of economic progress stems from lack of personal responsibility and not racial discrimination. It goes on to say that 61% of respondants believe that more differences stem from class then from race,and 57% of Blacks with less then a high school education believe that middle-class Blacks are more like middle-class whites than poor Blacks. That said, most Blacks still thought that discrimnation plays a part in hiring and housing decisions (the vast majority of whites did not), and fewer Black Americans see life getting better in the future.
The one that got me though was the statistic that 45% of Black children in middle-class families slip into lower economic brackets in adulthood, while only 16% of white middle-class children do the same. Are there that many more Black kids that won't take enough personal responsibility to stay afloat in the middle-class waters? Or are there more systemic, structural forces at work that keeps Black Americans from keeping the wealth that they may attain?

What'd'ya think???

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Thursday, November 08, 2007

Mukasey Confirmation: Democrats Spineless as Jelly Fish

Now for the latest way that Democrats intend to show their lack of muscle despite being in the majority of both houses of Congress. They have confirmed retired Federal Judge Michael B. Mukasey as the next U.S. Attorney General. Why is this a bad thing? Well, the heavily publicized reason is that Mukasey refused to call waterboarding torture, and therefore illegal during his confirmation hearing. He said that he would need to be briefed on the technique after being confirmed; despite the fact that waterboarding has been around since the Spanish inquisition, and despite the fact that the US prosecuted Japanese soldiers for using waterboarding on US troops during WWII.
The less promoted, and more dangerous, reason to stop Mukasey's confirmation is his seeming support for the concept of the Unitary Executive. This theory on the the extent of Presidential power, also called the Imperial Presidency theory, basically rips up the Constitution, at least as far as "Checks and Balances" and co-equal branches of government are concerned. Supporters of the Unitary Executive believe what Richard Nixon professed, "when the President does it, , that means that it is not illegal;" there is no law above the President, and the President cannot be restrained by the courts or the Congress, particularly in times of war (lucky for this President that he's at war with terrorism, a tactic that's been around for centuries instead of a country that can win or lose at some point. This presidents unlimited power gets to last for an unlimited time!).

Mukasey said that, by using Executive Privilege to shield officials within the administration from prosecution that, "The president is not putting somebody above the law; the president is putting somebody within the law." That statement, in and of itself, should have kept Mukasey from being anywhere near any position that enforces our laws. Statements like that makes it hard to believe that Mukasey has a clear grasp of the law, or at least of the importance of the rule of law. Due to political calculation, or fear of an even more horrendous recess appointment, or simply a lack of cojones Congress confirmed him anyway. America's "top lawyer" should know what torture is, and should know what "Seperation of Powers" means and why it is vital to our government. Thanks to the Senate, our newest Attorney General (like the last one) won't know these things. It makes you wonder what it would take for Congress to see that our country, built so pecariously on ideals, is slipping away from us...

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