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Sharpton and Obama Are Not the Only Leadership Options for Black Folks
By A. Peter Bailey
Too many people, black and white, seemingly believe that the only leadership options open to black folks are the rhetorical sound bite leadership of Al Sharpton or the race transcending, universalfocused leadership of Barack Obama. That s simply a false assumption. I am willing to bet that throughout the land there are men and women who are ready, willing and able to provide the kind of institutionbuilding,
collective economic developmentfocused leadership that we need in 2008 and beyond to promote and protect our basic interests in this grouporiented country. A group of people who spend as much money annually as we do should not be in the weakened position that we are as a new year begins. There is an urgent need for leadership who will provide concrete guidance on how we can efficiently use our collective economic resources to advance our political, cultural, health, and employment interests.
Neither Sharpton nor Obama has the inclination, will, or skills to provide such leadership. To find out who does have these attributes, check out the columns of NNPA columnist, economist James Clingman.
Barack Obama and the Illusion of Transcending Race
After winning in Iowa, Barack Obama was quoted as saying,  If theres any African American voter out there who still thinks Whites wont vote for me, they just need to read the papers this morning and that should put that to rest. Earlier his wife Michelle Obama in speaking about skeptical Blacks, was quoted as saying that she understood that veil of impossibility that keeps us down and keeps our children downkeep us waiting and hoping for a turn that may never come. Its the bitter legacy of racism
and discrimination and oppression in this country, a legacy that hurts us all. The sentiments expressed by the Obamas may accurately reflect the position of some Black folks, but a significant number of us refuse to get excited about a political candidate who can speak about every issue under the sun, except white supremacy, the issue which basically defines this country. We find it difficult
to swoon over a candidate whom many White liberals and White conservatives are gushing over because he has transcended race. The Obama campaign takes me back to 1987 when Douglas Wilder was elected governor of Virginia and David Dinkins was elected mayor of New York City. My position at that time was that those elections would be a major blow to the development of a serious black political movement  not campaign in this country since they would give an illusion of our having made significant political gains. That is exactly what happened. A few friends of the two men may have benefited from their elections, but we as a group of people gained absolutely nothing.
Good oldfashioned common sense tells us that it is impossible to transcend race in a country in which white supremacy has been a prevailing ideology for its entire existence. Those same white liberals and white conservatives,
backed by their Negro allies, use words such as transcending race the same way they use the words political correctness that is as a weapon with which to attack those who refuse to downplay the role of white supremacy as an integral part of this countrys very core. To recognize this is not to succumb to despair, as implied by Michelle Obama, but to avoid the temptation of becoming the type of Black person who is ready to exult over any indication, no matter how small, that white supremacy is no longer a political, economic, and cultural reality.
Our position is not one of wallowing in despair but one of urging our people, especially the younger ones, to remember that while white supremacy is alive and well, there is no justification for succumbing to it. Instead we must create and execute effective measures to outthink, outplan and outmaneuver, those who practice it. White supremacists are
not supermen and superwomen. Anyone seriously committed to organizing our people should read Chapter Fifteen, The Shape of Thing to Come: A Master Plan , in Chancellor Williams book, The Destruction of Black Civilization: Great Issues of the Race 2500 BC to 2000AD. The plan that he provides in his book for organizing our people will do more to promote and protect our economic, political, and cultural interests than the election of anyone to any national political office that requires one to transcend race in a white supremacyoriented society.
Hillary vs. Obama A Reality Check
The question I would ask Senator Barack Obama, if given a chance, is what exactly is it that causes you to believe that people in this country, with its pervasive white supremacy, will elect you president By the way, my belief remains that if the Democrats nominate Senator Obama or Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as their candidate, they are conceding the 2008 election to the Republicans.
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Hillary vs. Obama Poll II
By Chris Langley
This is the second Hillary vs. Obama poll that we are running. We ran the first poll at the end of last year and you can find the results bellow. It is interesting to reflect back on the opinions of the BlackBallot before the Iowa Caucus. Ive spoken to many people at various functions about this topic, and some were surprised to hear the poll results. Many people were interested in the subject, but several of them did not participate in the poll. I encourage you to invite all of your friends and family members to participate and be heard. Continue to log onto the site, participate in the polls and look for the results as they are a reflection of your thoughts collectively. We all know that the mainstream media organizations will not accurately reflect our opinions or issues so it is up to us to spread the information amongst ourselves.
With the South Carolina and Super Tuesday Primaries just around the corner, it will be interesting to see who will actually capture the Democratic nomination. The new Hillary vs. Obama poll is based on what has happened on the campaign trail over the last month. Please express your opinions. It is important that we begin to let our collective voices be heard. Ask not what Black America has done for you, but ask what you are doing for Black America. It is nice to have Barack Obama as a presidential candidate, but things will only change when we begin to accept collective responsibility for ourselves as a collective group. Taking this poll is a small step in that direction. I encourage all to participate, be heard, and let your voice speak to power
I would also like to thank all of our readers for the positive feedback that you have given us over the past year. We will continue to keep the information flowing by providing an alternative voice to the mainstream. This will be the last Weekly Report as you have come to know it. We will be upgrading the site over the next month and doing several things behind the scenes to take this media organization to the next level. Please keep checking the site, 2008 will be a powerful year for Black America and BlackBallot.com.
For further information on research and polling solutions, please contact Vice President of Sales, Chris Langley, at chris blackballot.com.
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Hillary vs. Obama  Who Does a Sister Choose
By Danielle Young
I am sure that I speak for millions when I say, Yay for the 2008
elections Bushs reign of terror is about to end, and I know many people couldnt be happier. Its time to zero in on the candidates that
youd like to vote into office.
The two front runners in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination are Illinois senator and bestselling author Barack Obama, and New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton. Both candidates are an unconventional breath of fresh airone candidate a man of color and the other a woman. So who does a woman of color choose
Yes, as a woman of color, I would love to see a man of color in office just as much as I would like to see a woman. But I am oldfashioned, and I believe that such a decision should be based on issues.
Obama has the charm portion of the race under control, but how is his platform Obama has remained vague when it comes to the issues that he runs on. There are continuous speeches about moving forward, discarding ideology, and reaching a new common ground. All of these things sound great in theory, but can a smile and a well written speech pick up the slack for a lack of a platform
I have to admit, I definitely like what Obama stands for. Global warming is one of his main platforms, and, because of this, he proposes to raise taxes on oil companies and raise fuel efficiency standards. He also seems to be very peopleoriented, for lack of a better term, because he wants to not only raise minimum wage, but also expand the earned income tax credit; all working class people can appreciate that. He is a man with an education who is for education as he wants to spend billions on early education programs.
At this point, however, I have become more of a Hillary fan. With her candidacy, we are reminded of how successful her husband was in office, and we are also reminded of her success in politics. She is undeniably one of the strongest candidates for the Democratic Party. In fact, Hillary has so much going for her in this race. Hillary has brilliant plans when it comes to the budget. She wants to protect the next generation by paying off the U.S.s foreign debt, reduce taxes while having a balanced budget, and reduce outsourcing to bring more jobs back home.
This is what America needs: someone in office who cares about our countrys finances as well as our people. In a recent interview, Hillary expressed her thoughts on our society and had this to say. I prefer a were all in it together society. I believe that our government can once again work for all Americans. It can promote the great American tradition of opportunity for all and special privileges for none. Yet heres Hillary telling us that we should abandon individuality,
abandon selfreliance, and become more dependent on the government. Shes calling this shared prosperity, which means that shes going to take some of your prosperity and force you to share it with your neighbor, who maybe isnt even working to create his/her own prosperity. I just dont think this idea is her best. People have learned to live with the fact that there is no equal society.
In the end, she has a nice platform that promotes equality and balance in all forms. However, there is no such thing as perfection, and we all know that there is no such thing as equality, no matter how much our politicians promote it. There is a little something called affirmative action which gives special treatment to certain students or employees based on their skin color, gender, etc. So does Hillarys plan include obliterating affirmative action in order to fulfill her dream of no special privileges
There is no such thing as a perfect candidate, so what it all boils down to is picking the person whose positives outweigh their negatives. That being the case, make sure you make an informed decision when you vote. This woman of color will ultimately pick between the man of color and the woman. They both bring up issues that concern black people in America. I will not cast my vote because I want to see a black man or a woman in office. I will, however, cast my vote based on the issues and how the candidates address them in their campaigns.
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Hillary vs. Obama Between A Rock and A Hard Place
By Risa Dixon
As President Bush begins the journey into his lame duck season, Americans are left at somewhat of a standstill as the 2008 primaries are fast approaching. The Democratic primaries, in particular, have been at the center of attention because of their prominent candidates. Barack Obama would be the first black president if elected whereas Hillary Clinton would be the first woman president. As the elections draw near, the expectations of these two candidates continue to rise, especially with those in the AfricanAmerican community. So the question is: As a black woman, who gets your vote
There appears to be a split when it comes to who will get a large share of minority votes between these two candidates. Both are passionate about many of the same issues, and this makes the decision for black voters all the more difficult. In the end, it really comes down to how well these two candidates connect to the people whose votes they are trying to earn. Barack Obama is a young, enthusiastic politician, but some point to his lack of overall experience in U.S. politics. He is wellspoken and has the kind of charisma that would attract any listener near or far. Despite his inexperience, you can tell by listening to him speak that he has acquainted himself very well with the issues that affect the black community. He is not only out to make history, but he wants to make a change and put the focus back on those people who have been neglected over the eight years that Bush has been in office.
At first glance, Hillary has a sweet, almost motherly demeanor that radiates warmth and compassion; but to be fooled by her looks alone would be a downfall for the least of her opponents. This woman of petite stature has a fire burning inside of her for justice and equality that would make any black church member yell out < Amen! When she takes the mic, she blocks out all points of adversity and commands the attention of her audience. If you just closed your eyes and only listened, you would swear you were hearing a strong black woman who had been through the same struggles that you have and is declaring that through her presidency that enough is enough! What I love about Mrs. Clinton is that she does not only talk the talk, but she walks the walk. She goes into neighborhoods that you have not seen some of the other Republican or even some of the other Democratic candidates venture into.
She is not afraid to answer your questions and her answers are dead on. In short, there is no beating around the bush with this woman.
Senator Obama is a very appealing gentleman, but the more I follow the race, the more I feel as though it is his wife and not he who is running for president. She appears to be in more magazines and on more interviews promoting than he is himself. Not to say that a supportive wife is a bad thing, but it is almost as if she is overshadowing him in a way. I feel that because his major opponent is a woman, his wife is doing a lot of the talking to try to make her husband as appealing to women as Hillary is. Mrs. Clinton has not only had two terms as a senator, but she was also in the White House for eight years prior to her run for senate. Her experience and knowledge of the inner workings of the White House are impeccable and make her a strong nominee for the job of president.
When it comes to the issue of gender and race between these two candidates, I see no division. The same way these two are building their campaigns on the issues of justice and equality, along with many others, we too as voters should only pay attention to what comes out of them rather than the color of their skin or their gender. The same people who are asking for equality have placed these two candidates in a light that shines on nothing having to do with their qualifications. It is sad to watch the news and see that men, both black and white, will not vote for Hillary simply on the basis that she is a woman. That is part of the ignorance that is slowly destroying our people right now.
A recent debate made my vote for Mrs. Clinton even stronger because instead of addressing the issues at hand, the majority of the nominees, including Obama, were making attacks on Hillary. They made endless attempts to break down this strong woman, and when they were done, she was still addressing the issues. It saddened me to see that these men were so intimidated by this woman that their main goal for the night was to tear her down. I dont want someone like that running my country.
As you can see, my vote is for Hillary Clinton. As a young, educated black woman, the decision was hard at first. I wont lie; I was like many of my peers that were going to vote for Obama hands down just because he is Black. Then intelligence kicked in. I closed my eyes, opened my ears ,and let my mind and heart pick the candidate that was best for me. Others may disagree, but I firmly believe that true leaders follow the road less traveled, and they travel it with integrity and their back to all other adversity. I have made my decision. Its time for you to make yours.
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I Pray for Obama Because If It's Hillary, I'm Voting for Mike Huckabee
By C.B. Forde
Obama vs. Clinton. The choice is simple Obama. However, I must provide a caveat, I like Obama as a politician but not as a Black politician. Barack Obama is a brilliant man, and someone who I feel is in touch with his racial identity. One thing about being Black in America is that there is no way to escape from the harsh reality of it. Although he was raised by a family not of African descent, I feel he is in touch with his Blackness. I also think he is a brilliant politician. The strategy of introducing himself to the nation as an author was amazing. It did three key things: 1 established an intellectual credibility and legacy by allowing him to assert his positions in a non threatening way, 2 capitalized on his celebrity to cash in, and 3 created
a marketing bonanza generating a powerful buzz before the campaign and establishing the brand of Barack Obama.
Now saying that, Barack Obama plays it too safe for me he is not someone who will ever take a controversial stand. He is not someone who is going to take a compromising position on anything and seems to stay away from issues that directly impact Black America. I like Barack Obama, but I think as Black people, we would be better served if he stayed in the Senate. Black America needs to develop a new grass roots political movement to counteract the mass gentrification movements going on nationwide in cities like New York, New Orleans, and San Francisco. Black America is at a critical juncture in its history. The mortgage crisis will force a huge number of Black Americans to lose their homes. Furthermore, the Federal, State, and Municipal governments are cutting back on social services, which a majority of Black America has unfortunately become dependent upon. Social services such as public housing, health care, job training, and
Affirmative Action programs are vital to a large segment of Black America. I dont think Barack Obama will ever be someone to tackle these issues.
Black America needs to have a new political grassroots movement that will separate us from the control of the Democratic Party. After seeing the local democratic machine sell Harlem out to Columbia University, I saw for the first time how political corruption works. Black America will need to utilize its collective power of protest, civil disobedience, and, most importantly, ballots the power of the Black ballot at a local level can be the only way to save our communities.
However, if Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, I am going to vote for Mike Huckabee or whomever the Republicans nominate. In fact, the only person I detest in the race more than Hillary is Rudolph Giuliani. I must digress and say I have enjoyed watching his dirty laundry start to come out and derail his candidacy. I will vote for any Democratic candidate except for Hillary Clinton and here are my reasons
1 Rwanda I remember watching a documentary on PBS about the genocide. It showed some Hutu seeking sanctuary at the Dutch Embassy. They begged the Dutch to take them when the Netherlands sent its military to evacuate its citizens. They showed them loading the plane with their dogs. They then showed the Hutu massacred a day later. I cried. I will never forget the image of the white people loading their dogs.  shout out to Mike Vick white people care more about dogs than Black people They took their dogs with them and left those people to die. There were no more than 100 people at the embassy. The documentary then went to point out that the Clinton administration refused to declare the situation a
genocide because if they had done so the US government would have been forced to act. This brought my memory back to the Haitian Refuge embargo when Bill Clinton back peddled and did nothing after making a promise to resolve the situation
during his initial Presidential campaign. After seeing this documentary, my stomach always turns when hearing references to Clinton being the first Black President. The Rwanda situation is an ugly scar on the first Clinton Administration.
2 Bill Clinton threw more Black people in jail than any previous President in U.S. history. Bill Clinton was more Republican than the Republicans. Regan conceived of the War on drugs, but Bill Clinton implemented it. The U.S. Prison population doubled to just over two million people under Bill Clinton. That means one million people that went to jail during Bubbas tenure. Just click here to go to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Prison Statistics and see for yourself. We need to stop being fooled by charm and look at the substantive issues when dealing with people.
3 The Black people that the Clintons are close to are a corrupt bunch that needs to retire and have their assets scrutinized. Aside from Andrew Youngs ridiculous statement that Bill Clinton had more Black women than Barack Obama, there is corruption from the congressional level, to the Borough President, all the way to the City Council. The local government totally blindsided the Harlem community it is supposed to represent when it sold out the community to Columbia University in the gentrification that began when Bill Clinton allegedly moved to Harlem.
Being from Harlem and seeing what Hillary Clintons friends and supporters have done to the spiritual capital of the Black world, I will vote Republican if Hillary Clinton wins the democratic nomination, I like Mike Huckabees tax plan and I suggest that all my people do the same. If Barack Obama wins, hopefully he will bring about necessary change. I am not keeping my hopes up too high, but I wont hate on the brother yet.
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Election Day on the Black Hand Side
By Afrika Brown
November 6, 2007 was Election Day. Each night on the local and national news we are bombarded with talk of the upcoming Presidential primaries and election. Barack Obama even made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live to bolster his popularity and appear hip no doubt. It is evident that with the election process, Blacks have once again been grouped into one category. After all shouldnt we be fine with being classified as one group We are grouped in to one category on census polls and job applications. But I ask, What is the black vote
When I was a child, learning about politics through my parents, there was no such thing as the Black vote as it was assumed that the Blacks automatically voted for the candidate that represented the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is the party of John and Bobby Kennedy. It was the party that was open to the issues that the civil rights movement addressed. Affirmative action was signed into law under the administration of a democratic president, but when one assumes they make an ass out of themselves. Although the Democratic Party is symbolized with a jackass, it should not be so presumptuous to believe that our vote is sewn up.
A 2004 study reported that 13.7 of blacks in this country consider themselves to be conservative. Seven percent of Blacks identify themselves as republican, and 19 consider themselves to be part of the religious right. Are these blacks considered part of the black vote Surely they cannot be because the purpose behind the concept of the black vote is to marginalize blacks into a singular group that thinks the same therefore votes the same.
To lump blacks into a singular voting group is a disservice to Blacks as a people. I have never heard of the white vote and doubt I ever will. We are a people that are as diverse in our political beliefs as we are in skin color. Oprah Winfreys concerns are not the same as mine simply because of her economic status. A family of four living in the FEMA trailers in New Orleans will not have the same concerns as I do because I am a single woman with no children living in a home that is not made of toxic materials. Just as with whites are political beliefs may be swayed by our economic status, religion, sex, and age.
The one positive to the idea of black vote is actually the same as the negative. What if we were marginalized into one group where economic status, age, sex, and religion didnt matter We would be transported back to the days of the civil rights movement. Being one voice speaking out on issues that concerned our community served to our advantage. Regardless of whether you were partial to the speeches of Malcolm or Martin, the message was the same. Political sentiments were even expressed in our music. No one will ever forget the boost of pride that James Browns Say It Loud, Im Black and Im Proud provided to black people as we demanded
to be treated as equals in this country, a demand that has never really fully come to fruition. If we didnt stand as one united group then, we would have never achieved the gains that we profit from and take for granted today. If we could take the issues that are most pressing in our community and rally behind one voice, we could once again pick up the baton that was dropped when the Civil Rights Movement dwindled into the dust during the late seventies.
We could see the true dream of Dr. Martin Luther King come to fruition. Black men and women would receive the same education and rate of pay as whites. Hate crimes would be taken seriously and no one would dare hang a noose from a schoolyard tree or a professors door. We could, dare I say, finally receive reparations for the TransAtlantic Slave trade. If blacks could embrace the N word and use it as a term of endearment, then why not take the idea of the black vote and use it to galvanize ourselves and finally finish what was started in the sixties. Believe it or not, just because blacks are exposed to more wealth opportunities, a
black woman finally won the Best Actress Oscar, and we are no longer the designated to servant jobs in the movies or real life does not mean we have finally overcome.
Two things have changed since the Civil Rights Movement that would affect turning the idea of the black vote from a concept riddled with negative connotations into a political rallying call: the right to vote and the youths apathetic attitude in exercising that right. History has proven that Blacks did not truly receive the right to vote until President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Before this all kinds of methods were used to intimidate and prevent blacks from voting. When it is election time, and I am tired from dealing with traffic and would want nothing more than to settle down for the evening, I get out and cast my ballot.
Even if I do not fully believe in the platforms the candidates are running on, which I rarely do, I always say that my ancestors and elders died to give me the right to vote. To shirk my responsibility would be to disgrace their memory. But the youth of today can barely remember what happened last year much less forty years ago.
The most obvious example was the failure of the VOTE OR DIE campaign. Maybe the youth registered to vote because they thought they might get a glimpse of their favorite celebrity in a VOTE OR DIE tshirt. An article written in the Washington Post after the presidential election of 2004 profiled a young 18yearold that claimed he didnt have the time to vote. An excuse like that is just sad whether the individual saying it is black or white. The youth treated the VOTE OR DIE campaign as the in thing to do for the moment, and then they were on to the next thing to rave about for fifteen minutes.
Like the fast food these kids grew up on, the VOTE OR DIE campaign was served hot and fast and became cold just as quickly. The hard thing to swallow was that election was supposed to be the election of the youth but the results of their participation were disappointing. If the youth didnt rally behind the celebrities that they worship and emulate, it is impossible to think that they will rally behind the cause of our people. The youth of today dont remember the fights busing caused or the hell a black child went through being the first family of color to live on the block. One would think with the outbreak of nooses appearing across the
country they would realize that we havent come as far as we had hoped. But lets face it; we cant get them to understand the seriousness of using the N word, so how can we get them to understand the seriousness of exercising their right as a citizen to vote.
After pondering the notion of the black vote, I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing. It is political mumbo jumbo. There is no such thing as the Black, white, Hispanic, rich, poor, male, female, or popular vote. We can have our current President to thank for dispelling that myth. As long as you have enough money and the electoral votes in the bag, whatever the people say, regardless of ethnicity, does not matter.
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Death of Harlem
American South
CBC
