Comments on: Hope vs. Cynicism http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/02/hope-vs-cynicism/ On Publishing, Poetry, Politics and Pop Culture Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:52:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: loudpoet http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/02/hope-vs-cynicism/#comment-1634 loudpoet Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:03:51 +0000 http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/hope-vs-cynicism/#comment-1634 UPDATE: Via Think on the These Things, a pretty <a href="http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/jesse-jackson-needs-to-blame-media-not-barack-obama-for-neglecting-issues-facing-blacks/" rel="nofollow">solid list</a> of things Obama has "done for black people." Hope that helps. PS: Do the damn dishes now and then! UPDATE: Via Think on the These Things, a pretty solid list of things Obama has “done for black people.”

Hope that helps.

PS: Do the damn dishes now and then!

]]> By: loudpoet http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/02/hope-vs-cynicism/#comment-1632 loudpoet Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:52:35 +0000 http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/hope-vs-cynicism/#comment-1632 The first thing I'd ask your old lady is exactly what it is she thinks Hillary Clinton's done for black people and to show you her record, so you're at least comparing apples to apples and ensuring that she's not simply reading Clinton talking points and swallowing them whole. Next, I'd point out things like, prior to his political career, he was actively involved in civil rights issues, including working with ACORN on a lawsuit against the state of Illinois in 1995 for failing to implement a federal law designed to make it easier for the poor and others to register as voters. A federal court ordered the state to implement the law. He also worked on a lawsuit that forced Chicago to redraw ward boundaries that the City Council drew up after the 1990 census which violated the federal Voting Rights Act. (<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/20/america/NA-POL-US-Obama-Attorney-at-Law.php" rel="nofollow">International Herald Tribune, 2/19/2007</a>) While in the Illinois legislature, he sponsored a law enhancing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for child care. He also led the passage of legislation mandating videotaping of homicide interrogations, and a law to monitor racial profiling by requiring police to record the race of drivers they stopped. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#State_legislature" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a>) Finally, I'd point out that one of the biggest differences between Obama and Clinton is that he approaches public policy from a holistic perspective as opposed to her following the Democratic standard of targeting individual constituencies and pandering to them. The first thing I’d ask your old lady is exactly what it is she thinks Hillary Clinton’s done for black people and to show you her record, so you’re at least comparing apples to apples and ensuring that she’s not simply reading Clinton talking points and swallowing them whole.

Next, I’d point out things like, prior to his political career, he was actively involved in civil rights issues, including working with ACORN on a lawsuit against the state of Illinois in 1995 for failing to implement a federal law designed to make it easier for the poor and others to register as voters. A federal court ordered the state to implement the law. He also worked on a lawsuit that forced Chicago to redraw ward boundaries that the City Council drew up after the 1990 census which violated the federal Voting Rights Act. (International Herald Tribune, 2/19/2007)

While in the Illinois legislature, he sponsored a law enhancing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for child care. He also led the passage of legislation mandating videotaping of homicide interrogations, and a law to monitor racial profiling by requiring police to record the race of drivers they stopped. (Wikipedia)

Finally, I’d point out that one of the biggest differences between Obama and Clinton is that he approaches public policy from a holistic perspective as opposed to her following the Democratic standard of targeting individual constituencies and pandering to them.

]]> By: Scott Woods http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/02/hope-vs-cynicism/#comment-1631 Scott Woods Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:36:48 +0000 http://loudpoet.com/2008/02/hope-vs-cynicism/#comment-1631 Guy, maybe you can help me. My old lady is on the fence with Obama. I think she's prone to vote for Hillary; she certainly wouldn't vote for anyone else still running. She won't take my word for him because, you know, I'm the asshole who doesn't do the dishes when she wants. Anyhow, I need a compelling source of Obama's record to show her. She specifically said, "What's he done for black people?" Help! Guy, maybe you can help me.
My old lady is on the fence with Obama. I think she’s prone to vote for Hillary; she certainly wouldn’t vote for anyone else still running. She won’t take my word for him because, you know, I’m the asshole who doesn’t do the dishes when she wants.

Anyhow, I need a compelling source of Obama’s record to show her. She specifically said, “What’s he done for black people?”

Help!

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