The Obama Report

Available at http://change.gov/page/-/hem5zet3nalm2/2008%2012%2023%20PTT%20Contacts%20Memo.pdf

Even more interesting is that Obamas chief of staff "took a long planned trip to Africa."

Third World America

I wonder if Noam Chomsky was also thinking America would have the debt of a third world country when he asserted that America was becoming a third world country because of the greater stratification between the rich and poor?

Don't Play Me

Powell as secretary of Defense?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27266223/

Thoughts on the Financial Crisis

The economy is a national security issue.

Giving financial institutions hundreds of billions while they fire tens of thousands of workers exceeds moral hazard.

2009 can still be a year of hope, betterment and change. We must not to create a self-fulfilling prophecy of decline.

Today the market closed forty-seven percent off it's all-time high reached a little over a year ago. How long will it take to reach it again?

Black Precedent

Reasonably, with demographic trends predicting an America population over fifty percent nonwhite by 2050, a Black President was never a pipe dream far into the future. It's a great achievement and President - Elect Barack Obama has empowered the present for black men in a way only a few have before him.

The Death of Black Nationalism

The manufactured controversy surrounding Barack Obama was predicted by his own staff. The now famous pastor Wright was , according to media reports, not allowed to be present when he announced his candidacy.
It is reasonable to assume that someone long ago noticed that Barack Hussein Obama was black and that would substantially impact his race for the American presidency. Knowing that, it is logical to assume that he would be attacked by association which is standard political practice. The majority of white Americans have a ... unrealistic understanding of their black fellow citizens so the senator is particularly vulnerable to having the race card played against him. His enemies, wily and cunning, know that attacking him directly for his race would never work so they turn to the target rich black community. Black men are boogey men to many and an out of context soundbite is a well worn political weapon.
In the end it is not pastor Wright that is personally important because any black boogey man will do.
What I find most interesting, and indicative of democratic party infighting / election year politics, is that when Dr. Kambon made his now forgotten speech only the right wing media carried the story. With Wright the entire establishment has jumped into the fray.
Obama gave a great speech in response.

First Black President

My gut tells me that Toni Morrison regrets her famous qoute about Bill Clinton.

intensely competitive

The above is how one of Obama's aides characterized a "possible" McCain/Obama general election. It was in response to remarks by talk show host Bill Cunningham showcasing Obama's middle name and liberal leanings.
I think it's an understatement.

Black President

The contrarian view might be that Obama is being manipulated into running for president.
A much more realistic view is that, somehow, if you are black the only reason you are voting for Obama is because he is black.
Would Obama be the first black president? Was Bill Clinton?
No on both counts.
To answer the question we must define "black" politically.
A Black president must have a black base of support, an infrastructure. More importantly a "Black President" would have a black political agenda (what that agenda might be we will leave to further/previous posts.)
Obama ,apparently, has neither.
It is ironic that the primary reason for not voting for him is that he might.

Obama and Clinton

Please correct me if I am in error, but the black economist's understanding of history is that black men gained the vote before white women.