LT. GOV. MICHAEL STEELE PRESSES FOR SUDAN DIVESTITURE

from Pension and Investments Online…

Maryland State Retirement and Pension System, Baltimore, was urged by Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele to divest itself of roughly $1.8 billion in investments connected to Sudan, confirmed Bryon Johnston, Mr. Steele’s spokesman.

The $34 billion system has more than $16 billion in five commingled funds and $9 million in 14 separately managed accounts that may include securities invested in companies engaged in business with the Sudanese government, according to a news release from the lieutenant governor’s office. Mr. Steele urged the system to support a bill sponsored by state Delegate Salima Siler Marriott that would require that the system’s investment managers not invest in companies with ties to Sudan. The bill was introduced last year and will be the subject of a hearing on Wednesday.

System spokeswoman Anne Budowski said its investment board is considering the issue and may address divestiture at its next meeting April 14, after the General Assembly has adjourned and action on the bill has been resolved.

How can anyone do business with these murdering pigs in good conscience? If you know the answer, tell me!

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”

Mark Twain

JOSH BOLTEN: BIOGRAPHY

Joshua Bolten-born August 16, 1955 to Seymour and Analouise of Washington DC, is one of the most powerful men in Washington. Nicknamed “Yosh” by President Bush, loves to bowl and is known to have a great sense of humor.

Bolten is a graduate of St. Albans Prep School, Princeton University and Stanford Law School. He was a former London-based Investment Banker before becoming Deputy White House Chief of Staff and is presently Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Considered to be very competent with his job, Nicolas Calio, former Senior Aide to Both Presidents Bush, says, “he’s one of the most capable people in government but he likes to throw bowling parties. He is famous inside [the White House] for holding the Bolten Pin Tournament.”

Before joining the current Bush administration, he served three years as General Counsel to the US Trade Representative and one year as White House lobbyist for the elder Bush.

Between 1994 to 1999, Bolten was employed as Executive Director, Legal & Government Affairs for Goldman Sachs International in London. A true public servant, Bolten left this very lucrative position to lead Bush’s policy team for the 2000 campaign. He accepted this opportunity because he likes to wrestle with the difficult policy questions and with his extremely organized manner is able to tackle big enterprises. There is no bigger endeavor than the US Government.

He’s well liked by his co-workers at the White House. Andrew Card, the outgoing Chief of Staff, says, “He’s really smart, He’s very humble and he has a great sense of humor. Karl Rove adds, “he’s soft-spoken but very clear thinking.” He’s a wonderful person. He’s professionally and personally one of the best people I’ve ever worked with.”

After serving two years as Policy Director of George W. Bush’s campaign before joining the administration, Bolten has become Bush’s go to guy on some of the White House’s toughest roles. As Deputy Chief of Staff, he was the referee between cabinet officers and officials on policy issues. As OMB Director, he’s had the thankless job of enforcing the President’s tough fiscal decisions. Rove said, “that is the most thankless job in the world.” And yet, most who deal with Bolten feel genuine heard, even though often unsatisfied.

A self-professed workaholic, Bolten works long hours from 7:30am to 10:30pm and rarely gets dispirited. “I almost never have that feeling that I don’t want to come back anytime soon,” he says. And what is his source of enthusiasm? His has a true affection for President Bush. He considers the President to be a “terrific leader” and a great man.

During the 9/11 tumult at the White House, he chaired the Ad Hoc Domestic Consequences Principals Group. This group was originally convened to take non-essential duties from Dr. Condolezza Rice who was overwhelmed by Anti-terrorism duties. The group consisted of the Secretary of Treasury, Transportation, Health and Energy – and other senior officials. Meeting daily under Bolten’s direction, it reviewed the USA Patriot Act, which strengthened the government’s law enforcement powers. The Ad Hoc group also looked for ways to further insure the protection of Americans in this country. This entity is now known as the Department of Homeland Security.

Bolten may be a true gentleman, but he isn’t strait-laced. He is a big music fan, plays the guitar, recites poetry and has a wall collection of Bush’s hands. The pictures highlight Bush’s hands during key moments of his Presidency. You may say that Bolten brings an eclectic mix of intellect and humor to his latest endeavor, Chief of Staff. “There is great satisfaction any time you do a job well,” he said, “but if you do a job well for the public, the satisfaction is magnified geometrically.”

And a little good humor brought into the White House won’t be bad either.

Related:

Yahoo/AP: Bolten to Replace Card As Chief of Staff
Official White House Bio
George Stephanopoulos: White House Shakeup?

“MARRIAGE IS FOR WHITE PEOPLE”

from Joy Jones of the Washington Post…

I grew up in a time when two-parent families were still the norm, in both black and white America. Then, as an adult, I saw divorce become more commonplace, then almost a rite of passage. Today it would appear that many — particularly in the black community — have dispensed with marriage altogether.

But as a black woman, I have witnessed the outrage of girlfriends when the ex failed to show up for his weekend with the kids, and I’ve seen the disappointment of children who missed having a dad around. Having enjoyed a close relationship with my own father, I made a conscious decision that I wanted a husband, not a live-in boyfriend and not a “baby’s daddy,” when it came my time to mate and marry.

My time never came.

For years, I wondered why not. And then some 12-year-olds enlightened me.

“Marriage is for white people.”

That’s what one of my students told me some years back when I taught a career exploration class for sixth-graders at an elementary school in Southeast Washington. I was pleasantly surprised when the boys in the class stated that being a good father was a very important goal to them, more meaningful than making money or having a fancy title.

“That’s wonderful!” I told my class. “I think I’ll invite some couples in to talk about being married and rearing children.”

“Oh, no,” objected one student. “We’re not interested in the part about marriage. Only about how to be good fathers.”

And that’s when the other boy chimed in, speaking as if the words left a nasty taste in his mouth: “Marriage is for white people.”

He’s right. At least statistically. The marriage rate for African Americans has been dropping since the 1960s, and today, we have the lowest marriage rate of any racial group in the United States. In 2001, according to the U.S. Census, 43.3 percent of black men and 41.9 percent of black women in America had never been married, in contrast to 27.4 percent and 20.7 percent respectively for whites. African American women are the least likely in our society to marry. In the period between 1970 and 2001, the overall marriage rate in the United States declined by 17 percent; but for blacks, it fell by 34 percent. Such statistics have caused Howard University relationship therapist Audrey Chapman to point out that African Americans are the most uncoupled people in the country.

How have we gotten here? What has shifted in African American customs, in our community, in our consciousness, that has made marriage seem unnecessary or unattainable?

Marriage is just a business alliance? What kind of women believe this kind of stuff? yuck!

the whole article…

Around the blogosphere:

Catholic News Geek: Interesting -if sad- take on marriage within the black community
M. Brown of The Life and Times chimes in
fightredfemis: Black Women Winning the Victim Sweepstakes

SOME MARINES DECLINING EXTRA BODY ARMOR

from ANTONIO CASTANEDA of AP

Extra body armor — the lack of which caused a political storm in the United States — has flooded in to Iraq, but many Marines here promptly stuck it in lockers or under bunks. Too heavy and cumbersome, many say.

Marines already carry loads as heavy as 70 pounds when they patrol the dangerous streets in towns and villages in restive Anbar province. The new armor plates, while only about five pounds per set, are not worth carrying for the additional safety they are said to provide, some say.

“We have to climb over walls and go through windows,” said Sgt. Justin Shank of Greencastle, Pa. “I understand the more armor, the safer you are. But it makes you slower. People don’t understand that this is combat and people are going to die.”

Staff Sgt. Thomas Bain of Buffalo, N.Y., shared concerns about the extra pounds.

“Before you know it, they’re going to get us injured because we’re hauling too much weight and don’t have enough mobility to maneuver in a fight from house to house,” said Bain, who is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “I think we’re starting to go overboard on the armor.”

Once again our all-knowing politicians get in the way of our solidiers pursuit of victory. Anybody remember Vietnam?

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE SUNDAY MORNING TALK SHOWS

from Redstate…

Condoleezza Rice is brilliant. Whoever thought to book her on the Sundays shows this morning is brilliant. She probably did not reach the more conceptually-challenged folks in the DC press corps, and she most certainly didn’t enter the cavernous skulls of the dolts in the lefty blogosphere, but here points are ones which ought to be shouted from the palisades and the towers.

Secretary Rice told Tim Russert on NBC’s Meet the Press that the removal of Saddam is giving us a “new Middle East” in place of the old one, the one which brought us the attacks of September 11, 2001. On FNS, she said that our disagreement with Russia concerning Iran and nukes is not over the goal – a nuclear-free Iran – but the means to achieve it. On LE, she told Blitzer that the stability he attributes to an authoritarian regime, such as that in Saddam’s Iraq, is a “false stability,” the kind which fosters terrorism.

What a country!

BLACKWELL HOLDS COMMANDING LEAD OVER PETRO

from the Blackwell for Governor Campaign…

Survey Confirms All Previous Polls

COLUMBUS – A poll released today by the Columbus Dispatch gives Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell a commanding lead in the race for the GOP nomination. The independent Dispatch poll found Blackwell with an 11 point lead over rival Jim Petro. The survey matches the findings of recent polls taken by three national Republican polling firms. The survey also reinforces the results of an Ohio GOP poll released on January 28.

“Ohio’s Republican voters trust Ken Blackwell,” said campaign chair Lara Mastin. “His steadfast values and rock solid belief system inspire hope in Ohioans. His agenda to rein-in out of control government spending and ignite our economy will carry the GOP to victory in November. “

Blackwell is so well positioned to win the GOP nomination that the Dispatch surmised Petro “must win two out of every three of those uncommitted voters just to draw even as the candidates fire up their TV ad war over the final five weeks of the campaign.”

“A key to Blackwell’s edge is his 12-point lead in the Cleveland area, Petro’s former turf that is home to more than a third of the registered Republicans in the state,” reported the Dispatch.

The Dispatch survey results combined with those of other recent polls provide undisputable evidence that Ken Blackwell is the clear favorite in the GOP gubernatorial primary. Following are the comparative polling results:

Columbus Dispatch Poll: Blackwell leads Petro by 11 points

Tarrance Group Poll (for Betty Montgomery): Blackwell leads Petro by 17 points

Public Opinion Strategies Poll (for Greg Hartmann): Blackwell leads Petro by 10 points

Market Strategies Poll (for Ken Blackwell): Blackwell leads Petro by 10 points

McLaughlin & Associates Poll (for Ohio GOP): Blackwell leads Petro by 10 points

“Ken Blackwell has led Jim Petro in all publicly released polls since December 2004,” added Mastin. “We had hoped to focus our attention and campaign funds on the Democrats. Unfortunately, we will continue to campaign against a fellow Republican who has needlessly distracted our party and wasted our resources.”

Ken Blackwell seeks the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio.

THE ECONOMY: THE GOOD NEWS KEEPS GETTING WORSE

from Larry Elder, the Sage from South Central…

In February, our economy created 243,000 new jobs.

Yet one of our major newspapers tells us almost half of Americans consider the economy in a recession. American Research Group’s latest monthly survey found 59 percent of Americans rate the economy as bad, very bad, or terrible. Why are Americans so negative?

Compare the first few paragraphs of this particular story by Investors Business Daily to the way the New York Times reported the story.

Investors Business Daily, paragraph 1: “U.S. companies in nearly every sector increased hiring last month, lifting job growth to better than forecast levels and enticing more people into the labor market.”

New York Times, paragraph 1: “American employers added 243,000 jobs in February and workers posted their highest salary gains in more than four years, the government reported yesterday, igniting concerns among many Wall Street economists that higher wages could fuel inflation and increase expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates further.” [Emphasis added.]

Note the New York Times felt compelled to add a “but” or a “cautionary note” to the economic expansion. Someone made a decision to add a cautionary note, not that the proviso is wrong, or necessarily inappropriate, but it absolutely changes the tone of the story. But couldn’t one also accuse Investors Business Daily of failing to provide balance by omitting this cautionary note?

No, for America’s economy, by virtually any standard, remains an incredible economic powerhouse. From 2003 to now, the economy created 5 million jobs. Payrolls expanded for 30 straight months. Following Bush’s 2003 tax cuts, federal tax revenues grew from $1.9 trillion in 2004 to $2.1 trillion in 2005. The monthly inflation rate for February 2006 stood at .20 percent. And 68.6 percent of Americans own their homes, a historical high.

Why does the Drive-by Media feel compelled to negatively color what should be reported as great news? The economy is GREAT for the country on the whole.

Is it simply that most of the Media have unspoken agendas to aid and abet their political wing of the MSM for reasons that even they are not aware? I not sure but I wonder.

I think almost everyone would agree that the current generation of journalists come out of the school of social activism. You know…that school of thought which says you are to use your special reporting talents to further the cause of humanity. And I don’t doubt their desire one bit, but when I look at this slanted reporting where almost very Democrat gets a free pass and nearly every Republican is presumed to harbor some antipathy towards the average joe, it makes me go hmmmm.

That said, what do you think would happen, if the MSM were to tell their readers they were not just reporting the facts but interpreting the facts from their worldview for the good of the public?

Anyway, the American Public is wising up! Media venues that are honest with the public when they are espousing opinion verses when they are just reporting the straight facts are thriving. Well…unless of course your worldview is liberalized! Now why do you suppose that is the case?

The Bible said it best….

Above all else, guard your heart(subconscious mind, perhaps?), for it is the wellspring of life.

If you asked me, people are just tired of being lied to. And with good cause, have you ever heard of garbage in, garbage out? The American public is desirous of honesty. Honesty in reporting and of intent.

I guess you could say, I just can’t stand liars!

You see my older brother gave me some great advice that I took to heart. It has served me well. …”If someone will lie to you, they will steal from you. And if someone will steal from you, they will kill you!”

When you get right down to it …you might say that the average citizen is exercising the highest form of self-worth by protecting themselves from liars in the media. This makes it easier for them to guard against the Liberal thieves in Congress and their social engineering experiments, like the Great Society failure.

The economy is great! If you are not benefiting from it, maybe an honest look at your worldview …and those that your rely on for your news, is in order..

Other Posts:
HOW NOT TO BE POOR
STILL VOTING ON THE DEMOCRATS? YOU’RE STUCK ON STUPID!
MRM’S ANTI-POVERTY SOLUTION FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY

GOOD VERSUS EVIL IS THE ONLY STRATEGY

Gary Gagliardi: “In a recent article, former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, claims that “Good versus evil isn’t a strategy.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The core of all strategic positions is a philosophy. All wars are battles over philosophy. To be successful, a group has to believe that they are fighting for what is right and good.”

IRAQ WAR VETERAN QUITS NC RACE FOR CONGRESS

from Ron Gunzburger…

NORTH CAROLINA. Democats lost one of their highly-touted Congressional challengers on Tuesday. Iraq War veteran Tim Dunn (D) — an attorney and USMC Reserve Lieutenant Colonel — ended his campaign against Congressman Robin Hayes (R). Dunn said family obligations were the reason for the withdrawal, although his fundraising had lagged far behind the incumbent. Hayes was viewed as vulnerable because of his vote in support of CAFTA, the free trade deal highly unpopular in the textile mill-laden district. With Dunn out of the race, we’re moving it from “GOP Favored” to “Safe GOP.”

Another one bites the dust.