Can We Think American For A Minute?

Sometimes, some people get so lost in the political bickering between parties, I think we forget–we are Americans and therefore should be concerned about the plight of Americans as a whole. So, now would be a good time to think about what and who we support.

As an American, who is a registered Democrat, I support the right of a woman to choose–since God gives us freedom to choose–no one else should interfere with that choice.

As an American, I believe we all have a right to defend our homes, but I do not believe anyone needs to own military style weapons that are designed to kill multiple people at a time.

As an American, I believe affordable healthcare should be available to all since none of us knows when a health calamity could show up in our lives.

As an American, I believe hatred should never be condoned or promoted of any group of people simply because they look different or speak differently.

As an American, I believe justice should be rendered equitably and fairly for all people and no one should be above the law.

As an American, I believe all others have the right to live where they want to live and love who they want to love. I am not God and will have no say so in judging anyone at the end of our time, so I simply must love all as I am instructed to do.

As an American, I believe every child is entitled to a quality education no matter where they live or what their parents’ financial situation is.

As an American, I believe this is the only planet we will ever inhabit so we need to take care of it, not destroy it. We need clean air and water and to find energy sources that do not negatively impact the land or destroy wildlife habitats.

As an American, I believe I have the right to express myself without destroying property which is a violation of someone else’s right to their property.

As an American, I believe I have a right and responsibility to call out injustice and inequities when I see them and work to resolve them.

As an American, I believe I have the right to exercise and practice my faith—whatever that might be and not try to force my beliefs on others.

As an American, I have a responsibility to make wise decisions in choosing competent, responsible leadership in every election–leadership that represents and governs for all the people, not just a segment of the people.

As an American, I know truth is always better than lies, even if it hurts.

In reflecting upon all the above statements, there is only one presidential candidate who aligns with my beliefs about being an American, I hope all who read this, come to the same conclusion.  

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Politically Engaged

Looking back at the year 2019, I must admit, I was more engaged in the political arena than I ever thought possible. Though I was politically inspired to run for president in 2020 (reaction to trump in 2017) and motivated to support candidates in 2018, I never thought I’d actually run for an office. Although I didn’t win the seat for City Council, I gained so much more—friends, experience, and respect from the residents of Eastpointe (at least that’s the way they make me feel). And of course—support from family is always appreciated.

First of all, I attended my first swearing-in-ceremony for our Governor in January of 2019 and later that night, attended her inaugural ball. What a blast—from freezing outside in the morning to enjoying the glitz of the evening.

Later, in the same month, I was inspired to run for a seat on our City Council during a meeting with our State Representative, Kevin Hertel. I knew there were two seats open and knew one would be retained by the incumbent, and thought I had a shot at the other.

Thanks to the help of Robert Roscoe (who became my campaign treasurer), we were able to obtain the number of signatures needed to get on the ballot and from that point on—my life was a bit of a whirlwind. I was also serving as the secretary for our 9th Congressional District, secretary for the South Central Macomb Democratic Club, secretary of the Official Democratic Black Caucus of Macomb County and on the executive board of the Macomb County Democratic Committee. I also learned how to get endorsements by other groups

I began attending City Council meetings in 2017 and was even appointed to our Zoning Board of Appeals in 2018. Attended a class to enhance my understanding of what the role entailed and met Cliff Wilson (a really great guy), who was also in the class.

Did I mention that I also started working for the Eastpointe Community Schools District? Well, I did and met the most awesome women anyone could ever hope to meet—Karen Beltz, Michelle Dyrval, Helen Lee and Laurie Jeffries. Not that the others at the school weren’t awesome as well, but these were the women with whom I worked,  on a daily basis. During my short tenure at that school—we had a blast and I am so thankful for meeting them and still enjoying their company when possible.  They did not hesitate to support my political ambitions and I’ll be forever grateful to them.

The run for City Council entailed so much more than I’d thought about, but I was up for the challenge. Filed paperwork, opened bank account and ACTBlue Account, and planned a fundraiser, as well as attended others. I attended school board meetings, council meetings, city events, marched in parades, and trekked about the city wearing out two pair of gym shoes starting on a third pair. I participated in candidate forums, completed questionnaires, and was interviewed by local newspaper and television reporters, as well as an independent filmmaker (released later this year in 2020). I had meetings with residents on a regular basis, ramped up my social media accessibility for all and marveled at all the people I met—online.

There were people online (especially Facebook) who didn’t appreciate my campaigning on community group pages, but then there were awesome defenders of my campaign—Lauren Tossey immediately comes to mind, along with Laura Pagels and Jeanne Trice. And after that, a number of residents—Frank Accavitti, Phil DiMarialet, and others, let me know they supported my efforts.

During this time, I also became a block captain involved with our Eastpointe Neighborhood Watch Program—that’s how I met Laura and Jeanne and other residents on our three block area. I have the best neighbors in the world! And those in the NWG are the best. For “First Responders Day,” we provided our fire department with a meal and with a plea to assist, many of the block captains participated in providing a “Thanksgiving Meal” to our police and fire department.

Additionally, I met many people on the NextDoor community site. Tom Klawender will be a lifetime friend along with others, Gayle, Victoria, Danielle Gaston, Devi, Carol, Rhonda—and so many more, I can’t even remember everyone’s name at the present moment. And then there are is my Twitter Family (numbering over 9K) that were encouraging and supportive of my efforts in my political run. My social media family makes me realize how blessed I truly am.

As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t win the seat, but my determination to keep my promise, being a voice for the community, has put me on a different path—one I know I’ll enjoy and with the help of the residents, I know we’ll make a difference in this city. Here are the thoughts of one resident, posted on her page on Facebook and had me in tears:

I could be here the rest of the year ( ) writing about all the people that made 2019 better.

I’m going to keep it to one aspect and two people.

When I was in college, I had a professor in my ‘State and Local Government’ class who exhorted us to pay more attention to our local leaders, as what they did would have more of an impact on our daily lives than anything done on a federal level. He was right. Most of us can’t even name their Mayor or State Representative, but can tell you everything they like, or don’t like, about the President.

Keeping this in mind, both Ril Brozowski and Mary Hall-Rayford have reminded me of Professor Jarvis’ words from almost 40 years ago.

Ril for making Dania and I aware of the ‘players’ on our City Council, and for giving us some great advice PRN during our local elections this year.

Mary was a candidate for City Council this year. Unfortunately she did not win, but that has not slowed her down. Mary has some great insight into character and she has continued to be involved in the community. She makes herself available to all.

These two are the people the Prof spoke of and they have inspired me to heed his words….even if it has taken me years to do so!   Comment by Sue Fancett

So, this is how the year ended—with me in tears reading what a resident thought of me.

Now, I’m more determined than ever to make sure Eastpointe Residents have a voice in our local government—someone who will stand up for and with them as we move forward in becoming the Family Town—that embraces all.

Educating Voters

Status-quo politics won’t change until those voting change–educating themselves about the candidates! The sooner we all realize that nothing in politics is going to change until we change, the better off we’ll be–with people in elected offices who will get things done.

Far too often, the voting electorate is stymied by the multitude of candidates for any elected office and instead of educating themselves about the candidates and the issues they promote, they simply rely upon “name recognition” or who can schmooze them the most. Let’s face it–with most of the issues, all candidates from either side of the spectrum say the same thing with a few minor differences. On the national level, everyone is talking about healthcare, jobs, education, climate change and infrastructure. On the local levels, the issues are pretty much the same with every candidate declaring how much they love where they live. But are they doing the work to demonstrate how much they love where they live?

Everyone wants a job with a living wage–one in which they only need to work one job, not two or three to survive. Everyone needs quality, affordable healthcare since none of us knows when we might fall ill or have some devastating event occur in our lives. No one wants to ride on roads that are crumbling or see railroads in need of repair or bridges deteriorating. And most sane people–want access to a quality education for their children and grandchildren–along with the hope of leaving a planet behind that will sustain life for hundreds of years to come. Those are the issues. And for us older folks–we want the government to leave our Social Security and Medicare alone!

What’s stopping us from electing the person who will work to solve all the issues? Identity politics–whether it is about party affiliation or name recognition– it is the basis for how many people vote. Some vote against everyone by writing in ridiculous names or by not voting at all. For those who practice–write-in-buffoonery or not voting–it is a vote–and probably for the person least wanted. We see the best example of that–right now.

How do we get the right people in office? We research, listen, ask questions, and evaluate what we discover–educating ourselves as to how the candidates have performed in the past (if they have previous experience), look at what they’re doing right now, and talking to them one-on-one in town halls or coffee hours on the campaign trail. A responsible electorate will not allow a person’s status to intimidate them and keep them from questioning any potential candidate. A responsible, worthwhile candidate will make themselves available to respond directly to the electorate, as often as possible.

So, to get who we want in office who’s going to work for the people, we must do our homework and do it early. We must listen to what candidates are saying to determine their message–regardless to whom they’re speaking–is consistent. We must not become–one issue voters–for when we allow the one issue to influence our decisions, we ultimately allow the wrong person to be elected. We must remember–elections have consequences--and that we will seldom agree with everything any one candidate about everything.

Many people have developed their own formula for determining how they’ll vote. Mine is simple–will I regret voting for the individual at a later date? If I can see where a candidate falls in line with at least 3/5 issues that matter to me, that’s the person I’ll choose. I can always fight for the other two at a later date. If there’s only one or two issues I agree with, I won’t vote for them–that’s too much of a risk to regret.

Since I am a political activist promoting the Democrat’s agenda, I suggest that the DNC and all of its affiliates spend some quality time educating voters about why we should put them in office and not just about voting against trump. Provide the facts, not speculation–with data easily understood. Provide a clear unified message and acknowledge room for improvement in a position on any issue. Include everyone–without a purity test–since none–no, not one–is a perfect human being. We don’t need perfect human beings–we need compassionate, empathetic, people with integrity in office–those who will govern for all the people and not just some.

As the campaign season progresses, I will continue to write about what we should be looking for in a candidate who will serve the country well and help to regain our standing on the global stage. Look for it–it will be coming on a regular basis.

Election 2019

Once upon a time, I thought I wanted to run for president and when I found out how much that would cost, I decided to run for an open seat on our city council. Now, I’ve never been overly fond of politics or politicians, but I thought I’d give it try any way. What I learned is–I was right to distrust the political machinery, even in a local election. Corruption has a stench that reaches into the hearts of small towns as well as big cities.

I followed the procedures I was given to get on the ballot–getting the required number of signatures, filing all the paperwork and having it done before deadline. On Memorial Day–2019,  I was told I had a target on my back. I heard what was said, but really didn’t give it much thought. “What can they do to me?” I thought. I knew there was nothing negative anyone would be able to find on me and if anything were publicized, it would have to be because someone made it up. Well, they did, but that didn’t stop me.

So, about a month or two before the election on November 5, 2019, I found out the plot–an 83 year-old white man who had been the former mayor and councilmember was running for the council seat because he didn’t want another African American on the council (we had one who got there by manipulation). Then things got really juicy. I was provided the man’s historical stance in trying to keep Black people out of the city–from blocking the sale of a building to a Black Church, to manipulating the Council into buying the building–only to discover once the city couldn’t afford the upkeep and had to close the building, the building ended up in the hands of a Black Church, anyway.

The name of the city was changed because it included the word, “Detroit” because some people didn’t want the association with the bigger city. About 20 years ago, the Black population was insignificant to most, but since then (around 2008), the numbers have been growing and now, it is believed that 40% of population is Black.

In 2017, the city was sued by the Department of Justice for allegedly violating civil rights voting laws. In November of 2017, a Black person was elected (primarily because of split votes between five Black candidates). In June of 2019, the city and DOJ reached a settlement–the city would use Ranked Choice Voting to establish a pathway for minority candidates to be elected. I ran, but was not successful in my bid for the seat because (viola) the plot to keep me off the council worked (name recognition).

How did it work? The “former mayor” of over 20 years ago, put out campaign signs for himself, another council candidate and a mayoral candidate. Whether others were involved remains to be discovered, but I’m guessing, someone will talk and someone else will hear about it. With the three signs put together in various locations, it gave the impression the three candidates were running as a team or slate (and since the three candidates were white, it made the DOJ lawsuit very relevant). And apparently, that’s how a number of people saw it–manipulation at work.

On election day, November 5, 2019, before the polls closed, the spouse of one of the candidates for council (the incumbent) happened to hold a conversation with a poll worker that he didn’t know, was there for me (correction–he did know). He laid out the entire plan (that was misunderstood by source). “My wife and Henry (pseudonym)  will win, and Mary will get a 1000 votes, then we’ll offer her an opportunity to apply for an appointment” (contextually, this was not reported with full knowledge and understanding of what was being said. The 1000 vote reference was about past experiences for candidates to win).

I got 1061 votes and the next day when we were given the results of the election, I was asked to consider applying for the appointment of a vacated seat. (This blog post ignited conversations–perhaps needed conversations in order to clear the air of any all misunderstandings. However, looking at the “entire” situation, without parsing–the optics were not good and possibly led to the misunderstandings, but I am yet analyzing to understand the motivation that prompted this entire discussion).

While I was considering applying, I got the word not to take it because it had been pre-planned and was possibly in violation of the Open Meetings Act. The way it was explained to me, by someone who had first-hand knowledge of the manipulative way the council worked. Some time ago, a seat was vacated and a number of people applied for the appointment. After the interviews, some were told they were sure to get it, but they didn’t. One of the interviewees found out later that a member of the council was friends with the wife of one of the interviewees and had been promised the positioned. The other person felt this was a waste of his time and since that “policy” was apparently the status quo, he didn’t want me involved with shenanigans. I’m grateful for the info.

Here’s what was offered: I would get the vote for the appointment as long as another person didn’t apply for it. I have documentation of what was said, just in case one or more of parties involved happens to read this. I love paper trails. And for those reading, before jumping to conclusions, try to understand how I perceived what I did. Being a minority, brings a certain mistrust to a number of situations and when a person “watches” what happens (not just hears), I tend to look a little closer look at everything, not just one thing. I’ve been told before that perhaps, I’m too analytical and that may be true, but being analytical means I examine all sides of an issue before drawing definitive conclusions. Note: DOJ has since responded to an inquiry by me and confirmed what I already knew–name recognition used as a means to choose candidates–will not change using Ranked Choice Voting. Basically, nothing much will ever change unless a person changes their name and that still may not work.

So, my proposal to fill the vacant seat is to appoint the person who was already voted for by the residents, rather than have 4-member council (likely divided) to try to make the decision. Based upon the “vacancy” section in the city charter, the council appoints the person to fill the vacancy–“before the DOJ settlement decree” and since the rules for voting changed, there should also be a change  in filling a vacancy since the Election Results record shows, how the next person ranked on the ballots with the residents’ input. The one thing the “plotters” overlooked is who would win the mayor’s seat, but that’s for another article. In that article, I’ll explain how “manipulation” won the day over egos. After all, the same manipulation that worked the first time around–when five Black candidates were in the race, won again–vote splitting–a winning strategy.

Too bad manipulation won’t hold seat. Tick-tock–the 6 month clock is running! Being escorted out a bar for being drunk (and I can imagine disorderly) right before an election–is not a good look and certainly not a “good representation” of self or city.

More next time! Keep watching as the “world turns and manipulation rules” in Eastpointe, MI! At the behest of the residents, I’m going to apply for the appointment and we’ll see how that works, in 2019. If it wasn’t for the residents, I’d call it a day and move on with my life–still helping where I can–but without the weight of corrupt politicism as a burden.

Author’s note: While some folks were trying to block me from winning an election out of pure racial bias, they forgot to keep watch of the mayoral candidate–who just happened to be Black–and won. Talk about Irony!

 

 

Are We Convinced Racism Still Exists in America?

This has been a truly revealing week — and yet for many of us — it’s been a confirmation of what we already knew. A racist bigot occupies the White House and with every tweet, he proves it.

But it’s not just trump — the occupant in the White House— it’s the GOP in Congress who refuse to call him out on his racist behavior and comments or the treasonous rhetoric and his love for dictators. While we know trump is a racist, we may have tried to not conclude those in Congress were also just as racist as he is. Oh, we about some of them — the ones who are hard to miss or ignore like: Steve King Chuck Grassley, Tom Cotton, Matt Gaetz, Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell and others. So, when we think about all the elected officials who are racist bigots, we have to look at those who elected them and knew what they were.

Though their numbers (the racist GOP in Congress) may be few, look at the number of people they represent from their respective states who put them there! Look at the people who chanted, “send her back” when trump attacked, without evidence — Ilhan Omar — lying about what she has said (he forgets she’s apologized for some statements). They were clearly supportive of his racist stance in wanting to deport a woman of color who just happens to be Muslim. And then, the next day, he claims he didn’t like the chant and he didn’t say it. Really? Didn’t he say in a tweet that the women of color in Congress (Rashida, Ilhan, Ayanna, and AOC) who disagreed with him, and wouldn’t say “nice things” about him should go back where they came from? Lindsey Graham confirmed that had Ilhan Omar been wearing a red cap and embraced trump, he never would have said anything about her. And that’s a problem — trump only wants people in this country who will praise him and kiss his behind and go along with whatever he wants.

But I digress. He doesn’t understand democracy, any of America’s history regarding the tropes he uses that are racist and pervasive and he doesn’t care. He understands how to project fear into the hearts of those who feel they have somehow been victimized by people of color — without evidence — and it gives them the right to hate. His only goal is to win — by any means necessary — and we know he’ll use Russia’s help again to deliberately spread disinformation and misinformation to build the fear. What’s truly sad to watch is all the gullible people who praise him, thinking he cares about them. He doesn’t. They are simply a means to an end — his staying in the White House to avoid prosecution for all the crimes he’s committed.

So, here’s my message to the sane and rational people who have not yet succumbed to drinking the orange Kool Aid — recognize racism exists, how it keeps a stronghold on people, and then do everything you can to wipe it out of existence. A tall order I know, but we have to begin somewhere and it might as well be now.

Call out racism — wherever you see it, by whoever is guilty of it, even if it’s a friend or family member.

Never accept anyone’s justification for being a racist unless they can provide unequivocal evidence that proves whatever they’re saying is true.

Learn to love all humanity and treat everyone with respect especially those with whom we disagree. We can disagree agreeably without igniting fear that could lead to violence.

In our corner of the world in America, we must learn to take a stand and speak up wherever we find injustice (racism, despotism, etc.). Where there are those who are afraid to speak up, we must become the voice of reason and speak for them. And we must vote — in every election — knowing who it is we are voting for who will represent all the people, not just some of the people.

I’ve encountered blatant racism while campaigning for our governor last year, but it didn’t deter me, it ignited a desire in me to run for office — on the local level — and do my part to combat racism by demonstrating that people of color are capable of leading the masses no matter who the masses are. When we learn to see “a human being” in front of us, not just a person of a certain race, we start to unravel the misconceptions that have led to racism still existing in America. I love my city and I know because of the people I know — racism doesn’t exist in their hearts, but I can’t ignore the fact that in the hearts of some — it still exists.

The people with whom I have a relationship with — friends, family social media followers — know I don’t care about a person’s ethnicity — I care about them and how I’m treated and I always try to encourage others and tell them I love them — even those I haven’t met. It’s just that simple. We can bring racism to an end if we really want to do so, by minimizing the impact we allow the haters to have on what we do (unless challenged or threatened with bodily harm). It’s our choice. We can feed their egos and animosity or we can focus on bringing communities together and let the world see who we really are —American Patriots who care about all.

On another note — running for any office takes money — even the local races — and I want to make sure I’m in position to represent my community well and to be “a voice for them.” We’re short $1K in meeting our budget goal by August 1, 2019. Will you help with a $5 donation to help me with this election so I can stay focused on shredding racism in my little corner of America? Thank you! Real change begins, locally and spreads outward. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/committee-2-elect-mary-hall-rayford-1

If you want to know more about me and the issues and concerns I’m addressing, please check me out on facebook.com/EPCityCouncilCandidate.

Russia, Russia, Russia!

Now, do people believe that Donald J. Trump is a Russian asset? Those of us who had already figured it out, feel vindicated in our stance trying to warn others that Russia was running our government. Of course, I don’t expect Trumplicans or MAGAts to believe anything that doesn’t flow from trump’s mouth or the liars on Fox News, but hey, at some point, probably when they need to start speaking Russian, they’ll figure it out. But that’s their problem. They can all go exile to Russia and be happy. But the rest of us–who are more than the 38% of those who support the Russian, know who’s who in America and we know–trump is not a loyal American, but a Russian plant.

In order to keep people unfocused, trump has pushed for and allowed the government shutdown–is it to make sure Putin has time to worm his way in and supplant American workers so they’ll have control over our resources and assets and infrastructure? Well, is it? I’m sure the FBI knows, but every American–true Patriots–should feel the hair rising on the backs of the necks because trump truly is a national emergency and we need to remove him for the safety and security of our nation.

Will our impotent GOP Congress finally do something for America instead of for trump? We may never know. DOJ has to do its job and file charges of treason against trump and any of the GOP who have been complicit in their attempts to dismantle our government by interfering with the election process–across the nation–with attempts to suppress voters’ rights or infringe upon their ability to vote. We are America! We are Americans! And America is governed by Democracy–not Democrats or Republicans, but Patriots who respect our Constitution and understand the importance of maintaining our Sovereign Republic for all Americans.

I challenge every trump supporter to ask him, point-blank–why he chose Russia over us. I wonder if they really understand that the Russian Asset has sold them out, too. They don’t matter to trump as we can see from his stance about a wall that won’t deter anyone from trying to get into this country. The gullible, hateful,  and fearful bigots are so easily led down a merry path of treason and they’re too foolish to even know, they’re being led to slaughter by their low IQ leader.

If a person hasn’t taken the time to speak up before now–to acknowledge America is in a Constitutional Crisis and we must find resolution and the answer is not Pence or any other Republican–ever again, since we know, they cannot be trusted to safeguard American interests, they may never get the chance to express their thoughts about the matter. White Evangelicals are also responsible for this mess since they lied to their congregations about “God putting trump in the White House.” God is not concerned about who is in the White House, but He is concerned about those He loves–regardless of political affiliation because those of us who believe God, know He operates out of love, not hate.  I am so sick of “so-called Christians” adding to the fearmongering we get from the White House. I know they’re not true Christians because they don’t function out of love, but hatred and fear, especially since they’re supposed to believe that, “perfect love casts out fear.” There is no “fearmongering employed by Jesus” in the Bible.

Where do we go from here? I suggest we all pay attention to all the information we have access to and not just Fox News who never tells the truth about trump on any level and know what our options are. We do have options. We can descend up Washington, DC like the locusts during the plague or we can sit back and twiddle our thumbs while democracy crumbles. It’s up to us. Don’t believe me? Let me refresh your memory–

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Who is the people? Those of us who are Americans, citizens of the United States, have an absolute right to hold those we elect accountable to abiding by the Constitution of the United States. If we don’t hold them accountable, we become complicit in American’s demise and eventual subjugation to other countries–especially our adversaries–like Russia.

In spite of all the hogwash being perpetuated by some, regarding the fact Democrats “were” the party of slaveholders–which is true, but it is also true that the Republican party’s ideologies are more in line with the Democratic party of old. It is the Republican party who wants to control others while the Democratic party wants to liberate the spirit in every citizen, freeing them to achieve all they can achieve, shoring up equality for all and making sure that access to education, healthcare, and earned benefits (for veterans and senior citizens) are available to and for all–without discriminating practices hindering anyone from becoming all they can.

We have a reached a time–since the trump candidacy and time in the White House in which we must sure we are on the right side of history. For all that has been done and all that will be done will surely be written in the history books and when our grandchildren and great grandchildren ask us what we did to keep democracy working in America, what will we say? I’ve worked diligently to support all Democratic efforts to elect those who care about all and am now, still exploring the possibility of a Presidential Run, even the field is expanding with potential candidates. No matter what I end up doing, I know for a fact that I’ve been on the right side of history–warning people about the danger of electing trump even when people didn’t believe me, and I’ve maintained a stance to keep people aware of what’s going on in our country–continually–even though some have accused me falsely of perpetuating a lie. I’m not a liar, but there is a pathological liar currently residing in the White House and he’s not there because I voted for him. Can you say the same?

If in fact, our planet still exists in the next 50 years–the historians will prove who was right and who was wrong. Since I’m already beyond the halfway mark of a century, I’m sure I won’t be around to see it, but my grandchildren and their descendants will be. I’m acting on behalf of those I love because I want them to breathe clean air, drink clean water and not have their food supply contaminated by toxins in chemicals used in our soil.

Russia is here–in the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania, Washington, DC! Will we continue to allow Russia to govern this great country or will we stand up and fight back to maintain and sustain our Democracy? We are Americans, so let’s act like the Americans who fought in revolutions who at every turn, refused to back down from the liberty we sought and we will not do so, now!

 

Let’s Get Started!

We’ve moved into the new year and I hope many of you have aspired to do great things for the greater good of all people. It’s time to get started!

We cannot hold onto all the things that didn’t work in 2018, but we must use the power of reflection and analysis to make sure we can plan better for 2019 and beyond. The problem with most of us–is human nature–the lack of ability to see or think beyond the moment and therefore, our plans often don’t succeed because we must always look beyond where we are and where we want to go, but where we can see ourselves at least two years beyond the moment. If we have to make adjustments to get there, we make the adjustments by having a contingency plan, included in our plan of action.

Okay, 2018 mid terms are over. Local elections are coming up in probably most states in 2019 and we must get ready now and in the process, determine how what we do with our local elections in 2019 can shape what can happen in 2020–the next presidential election. I’m super glad that Democrats won big in a number of states that changed the “faces” literally in The House and since most of the Senate seats are up next, we can do the same thing there–if we plan and start working towards the goal–right now.

Local elections are important because many of those persons who win, move onto the state and national election venues. We must know who it is we elect to any position of governance at the basic level. We need to know who our school board members are–their character and nature, the county commissioners, the city council members (whatever they are know as–assemblies, etc.). Before we work to elect them to State offices, what have they done on the local level that warrants our trust at another level? Are watching what they do? Do they have the interests of all people at the heart of their votes or is it just about personal agendas and they don’t care about the people? We must think about these things before committing our time and finances to anyone. We, the people who elect those who are supposed to represent us–must pay attention to everyone running for office. Electing people who have been in public service is a must–no matter what level that public service has been–it proves they have a heart for people.

Primaries are important! We must educate, inform everyone where we live on the importance of the primary elections in every state. Who ends up on the ballot for all general elections is decided by who wins the primaries. We must get people out to vote in all primaries at all times. If we don’t–we may not end up with the best choices for the general elections.

Character matters–we cannot afford to promote or elect people of questionable character and that has nothing to do with their sexual orientation, gender or religious beliefs. Are they trustworthy? Are they corrupt? Would we trust them with our children–our most precious resources? These and other questions like these are the types of questions we must be willing to ask. If we can’t get coherent responses or only get apathetic ones, we need to look for other candidates who can enthusiastically embrace and demonstrate our core beliefs–caring for humanity and in protecting our democracy.

With all of that being said, I’d like to encourage all who can–to help promote Democratic parties across the nation. I know many cannot afford to contribute financially to all (I can’t), but if everyone with a social media presence, promotes Democratic Candidates across the nation, no matter where they are, we can help make a difference. Right now, I’m thinking specifically about Kentucky, South Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee. We can locate Democratic parties through Facebook in every state and encourage them by our support in helping them to find candidates who can win against every Republican who has stood in lock-step with trump–voting against the interests of the people.

If we get started now–we can help make a positive difference in every state across the nation, but we must get started now. Are you with me? Let’s get started! And make sure our promotion and support is about the issues–not trump. No matter what we say about trump, his supporters won’t be dissuaded so we must concentrate on the 68% of the population who will work to get the job done. Remember–Democrats have already demonstrated, we care about all the people and we must ensure that all the people have access to healthcare, veterans are taken care of, working citizens have livable wages, and a quality education is available for all. If you tend to forget, keep this blog handy and refer to it often–Democrats Care About All The People!

My Review of 2018

This entire year has been memorable for a number of reasons as indicated in the bulleted list.

• Contacted Gretchen Whitmer to volunteer for her campaign
• Collected signatures on petitions for her campaign
• Attended Petition Submission
• Attended events for her campaign across the State
• Canvassed for the Democrats throughout my community
• Joined the local Dem club
• Attended first Democrat Conventions
• Worked the polls during primary and general election
• Joined the Black Caucus Dem Club
• Attended County Democrats Convention
• Elected to Executive Board of County Democrats
• Attended many meet and greets for candidates
• Promoted a boatload of Democrat candidates on social media
• Created live videos promoting the importance of voting, immigration, etc.
• Created videos to just to vent against the idiot-in-chief
• Created videos to promote my potential candidacy for president in 2020
• Watched the biggest sham of a presidency reveal more stupid and treasonous activities on a daily basis.
• Participated in several Marches in the cold, in the rain, in the heat: March For Our Lives, Families Belong Together, Cinco De Mayo Parade, Labor Day Parade,
• Lost 16 pounds knocking on doors
• Saw Bill Cosby go to jail for sexual assaults
• Saw many celebrities accused of sexual misconduct
• Saw the stain of corruption spread to the Supreme Court with the Kavanaugh confirmation
• Determined Russia has infiltrated American democracy with the intent to demolish it with the help of Koch Brothers, the Mercers, the Adelsons, the Murdochs and corrupt, treasonous Republicans (most now trumplicans)
• Vowed to fight against tyranny and a “life-time president”
• Learned the journey to the White House–is costly–emotionally, physically, as well as financially
• Trained to become more politically active in all elections

It has been a very busy year, one that has opened my eyes and hopefully the eyes of others in understanding we cannot be apathetic bystanders, we must get involved at every stage of local government to ensure our democracy is sustained and all participate in the process.

I won’t bore people with redundancies, since I’ve actually written about much of what has occurred this year, but I wanted to put in one place, a summary of my political involvement on my journey to the White House. A look back at what we’ve done is a good place to start planning where we go next and how best to make it work for all involved.

Hope you’ve all had a merry Christmas and look forward to a happy New Year (without the anger or lies of you-know-who).

 

Who Has The Real Power?

I’ve been listening to the news and scrolling Twitter and Facebook and I’m always surprised at the level of hate some use to target others. While thinking about this, I realized that people who hate others–have given the “others” immense power. Think about it! When people hate others enough to obsess over everything they do, that’s power because they don’t have time or the inclination to do anything, but hate!

Listening to an “interview” with a voter in MS–they (a White male) said, they’d rather do without healthcare because–“my grandpa didn’t have have healthcare, my paw didn’t have healthcare and I don’t need healthcare (the man said with a toothless grin). I’ll vote for a Republican just because they’re Republican over a Black person any day.”

So, rather than have access to healthcare, education, and a living wage (the agenda Democrats are promoting), this person and I can only conclude, many like him–hate Black people so much, they’ve given them power over their lives. Really? Hate is more important than having a life worth living? That’s powerful stuff!

I can only imagine how the Black people in MS feel knowing how much people hate them. Some may be intimidated by the hatred, but others (hopefully) will use it to their advantage and really give the haters something to hate. They should unite in their efforts to establish and maintain an educational arena where their children thrive, where healthcare is readily available to the residents in the poorest, communities of Black folks, and they learn to create their own employment opportunities that leaves the haters out in the cold.

Now, before you start thinking that idea is racist, think about what I said and why. For decades, Black people have been forced to do things for themselves when they were denied access to a dentist office, a doctor’s office, a quality education and even the use of public bathrooms and water fountains. If you didn’t think that was racist, don’t you dare think what I said was racist. If poor white people cared about their standard of living, they’d wake up, bury the hate and really see what it is that Democrats want to accomplish for all the people, not just some. But if their hatred is so strong they would rather hold onto it rather than progress in life–that’s their decision. And trust me–Black people have been marginalized for most of their lives; they’re used to it and know how to accomplish in spite of it–without whining about it. Is it fair? Absolutely not, but it is the reality in a region where poor white people have blamed Black people for their lots in life, not having what they want or at least what they think they want.

The reality is–White people have always had the advantage–the access to books, banks, education, healthcare and businesses. That was part of their privilege of being White. Black folks had to earn every thing they accomplished in life and they had no privilege to give them advantage. The weird thing about watching what’s going on in the southern Red States with all of their racism and hatred is the fact that the poor White people, keep electing other White people who are rich and always vote against any possibility of anyone getting ahead in their states–other than those who already have.

Look at Kentucky, with Mitch McConnell leading the Senate and now he’s worth millions, but his constituents are poor, have lousy access to healthcare, one of the worst educational systems in the country and their water is killing them. And yet, Mitch voted in favor of rolling back the consumer protections established to protect people in order to gain favor and money from the corporations who are polluting the water. It would appear that Mitch McConnell could care less about his constituents as long as he can line his pockets.

But Mitch is not the only trumplican who hates their constituents. Look at Florida and Rick Scott’s governance with the Red Tide–killing off sea life, endangering the lives of the people and the economy because of the tourism needed to keep things afloat. They voted against their own interests because of hate. Doesn’t seem like such a smart thing to do, but they did it.

What most “christian” Republicans haven’t realized is that it is Democrats who actually do what the Bible says for us to do. We are commanded to take care of the poor and the needy, to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty and to love all unconditionally. That’s what Democrats do because the bottom line is–love is more powerful than hate because love accomplishes, while hate destroys. And when the haters openly voice their hatred, they empower the target of their hatred to do even more great things.

The White Supremacists have targeted Black folks in a number of states, killed innocent people because of their hate and then end up spending the rest of their lives behind bars, and becoming targets by those who are determined to teach the haters a lesson. So, now–who has the real power?

I’m sure I haven’t said anything new–nothing that hasn’t been said before, but I wanted to emphasize the fact that hatred–gives power to the targets of the hate and does nothing for those who hate. It’s time folks realize that together we all win, but divided–few win and all suffer. Take the time to think about everything I’ve said and really understand who has the most to lose when hate is the driver force in a person’s life.

Success Begins With A Step

No matter how badly we may want to accomplish anything worthwhile, until we make the first step to get it done, we’ll never know how successful we could be. This applies to every area of our adult life.

Too many times, far too many people are inhibited from seeking success because someone told them they couldn’t or wouldn’t be able to do what they wanted to do. I’ve heard those same comments, but I want to make sure everyone knows–you never know what you can do until you try. Success stories seldom occur because life just drops success in someone’s life. People have to try and some have to try harder than others. There is one exception to this quaint notion–and that’s for those who were born into luxury and had everything they ever wanted–handed to them, while they made no effort at all to accomplish anything. Whatever is accomplished by the rich and famous without effort is not success–it’s privilege and often not very fulfilling. That’s one of the reasons the “rich and famous” do more stupid than the average person.

But let me get back to the discussion at hand. The best way I can offer insight as to what I’m suggesting is to provide examples from my own life.  Since I’ve shared portions of my life story countless times in my blogs I won’t bore the reader with redundancy. So, let’s start with my move to Houston–where I knew no one, didn’t have a job, and no money to speak of. Some said I was crazy to try, but then–I’ve always loved a challenge. I moved, found employment and stayed four years. The only reason I left was to support my mother while living in the same state (I had been supporting her financially for two years and it was becoming burdensome).

For me, coming back was the biggest challenge–with a potential job no longer available to me, I had to wonder how I would make it, but I did. I’m about as tenacious as a pit bull–refusing to let go. At any rate, I managed to do what was needed and found a job I loved. That ended with a car accident that prevented me from doing the job–mostly driving. At any rate, sitting at home for three years waiting for lawsuits to be settled, I decided to go back to school and finish that BA I’d started many years earlier. Funny thing about going back to school in your 40s, you feel out of place in a classroom with much younger students, but I decided not to let that bother me. I ended my last semester on the Dean’s list with a 3.6 GPA. Imagine that!

From there, I decided I loved learning and continued my education–completed a MA, obtained my teaching credentials passing all the required testing–the first time. Then I decided, what the heck, might as well keep going, so I applied to a graduate program, was accepted and completed all the coursework towards a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (teaching teachers). A significant change for the worse in the teaching field caused me to pause and rethink the direction I was taking. I no longer had a heart to encourage people to enter a field that was not a viable career. When I retired, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but the 2016 election–propelled me in the direction of political activism and that is where I am right now, seeking support for a presidential run in 2020.

I’m not just seeking support, I’m actively involved in the process as some readers may know. I’m happy to report that all the top slots for Michigan government that I supported and promoted were successful. I spent hours knocking on doors, distributing literature, and making some phone calls. I spent even more time promoting the candidates online and talking to people wherever I went. My first time on an election ballot resulted in a loss, but it didn’t deter me. I was on the ballot for a precinct delegate and the person who won–by 18 votes– has never put in an appearance to do the job–I did. As a result, post-midterm election, I am now on the Executive Committee of my county’s democratic party, and a current nominee for secretary for the local Democrat club. My involvement with my online promotions for candidates got me more attention that I thought. On a personal note–just so some understand–there was no pay involved in anything I did–all volunteer–all to make sure Democrats won in Michigan. And I’ll do it again, as often as needed. The upside to all of this is–I met all the candidates and had chance to talk to them. People are beginning to recognize me and it’s all because of a step I took.

There are some who think I won’t make it to the White House. They may be right, but their attitude won’t stop me from trying. I’ve already taken the steps needed towards success, but not everything we try is successful as others measure success. What I’ve been successful at doing is getting my name out there in the atmosphere, stratosphere, cybersphere or however one wants to call it. I’ve had people threaten me because of my political stances and distaste of trump. I’ve had people applaud me because of my political stances and distaste of trump. So, success is all about the angle or perspective from which one is looking. I’m headed in the right direction to achieve my goals and right now, I’m confident I’m going to get there. We’ll know in 2020. But while we’re waiting, you can check me out and see where I stand at facebook.com/YesIAm2020!

Come on, take the first step and decide to join me in my quest and we travel the road to success together.