Why Should we care about our country?

Why should you care what happens in this country? The death of George Floyd, with countless others throughout the seventies, up through today. The election of a president who lacks the moral leadership of an average American. A consistent thirty to thirty-five percent following that can see no, I repeat, no flaws by this president as a representative of our country. A need to change the culture of police forces around this country from sometimes acting as an occupational force rather than to protect, serve all citizens. A partisan divide that is threatening to tear apart this country. Again, one might ask, why should we care what happens in our country? Because neglecting to pay attention to what is going on from our local political electors to the white house is how we got to our current situation.

Once there was a question, do our young folks care…? well, do you hear, see them now on your daily news outlet. With the absence of governmental leadership apparent during this COVID19 pandemic, we long for signs of any consistent leaders to step up, show themselves.  Meanwhile, we, as individuals, should do our part for our country. The long or short answer to why we should care is because it is your country. This is our house. Depending upon your ethnicity, some may say it does not belong to you, or you don’t belong in it. Other ethnicities try to take claim of the United States even though their forefathers arrived after others were already here.

During the civil rights era, marchers often heard the anti-demonstrators shout, “go back to Africa; we don’t want you here.” There is so much wrong with that phrase; I don’t have time to go through the thought process. Let me say, the blood, sweat, tears, and bones of my ancestors buried in grounds of America.  

However, you see some young, middle-aged, or older folks doing things that make light of the coronavirus warning. It’s as though they have some magic shield that prevents them from contacting COVID19. For the young, the thought may be that nothing could harm me at this age. For others, it’s just stupidity of the subject.   

So, they go on about their daily business, some not knowing if they already have the virus spreading it around like a “get sick” card. Others believing, they never get sick, so it doesn’t apply to them. It’s like that old Mad Comic Book character, Alfred E Neuman…” What me worry?”

The demonstrations against the shelter-in-place Governor orders in Michigan some weeks ago looked sick to me. They show up with rifles, pistols, a couple of confederate flags, signs that let you know they support Trump. What a joke. Those who are paying attention know this virus has no specific targets. Everybody encountering it is vulnerable. Asthmatics suffer more than others, but everybody can catch COVID19.   

Or we could look at it another way. Yes, this is my country. I was born here; I have put down my roots. And the utmost, in my opinion, my ancestors grew up, raised generations of children, helped build this country from the wilderness, desert. No one has more claim to this country than my people or me.

My fellow countrymen, generations that followed, let’s be honest with ourselves. We’ve seen developments, incidents, whatever you want to call them that we thought we would never see in our lifetime. Some thought our Baby Boomer generation went too far. Others felt we hit the right notes, pushed the correct agenda for societal change. We wonder why it didn’t last.

Music guided our thought process. Some of the most important, thoughtful, meaningful songs were written in the sixties, seventies decade. A talented artist from all genres of music was in bands or solo artists that added to the diaspora of the day. Groups marched to effect change by certain songs. They formed opinions, calculated life strategies that contributed to real changes in our society. Again, why didn’t the forced changes last?  

The hippy generation brought about the loved one and all attitude. Everybody was a valuable person. They felt that all had something to contribute to society. We all thought we counted for something. We became proud of our country as change for the better was seen, felt, practiced in our daily lives. By now, you may be asking the same question, why didn’t the attitude changes last up through today?

We saw the election of an African American President. President Obama had more patience with the right-wing Republican Party than he should have, then again, that’s just my opinion. We hoped in vain that we had turned a racial corner in this country. Only to be shocked back to reality before Mr. Obama served a day. Mitch McConnel, with the aid of other Republicans, felt that it was his job to see that President Obama didn’t have a second term. That did not work, so they did everything else under the sun to block his powers. Republican Lawmakers in charge of both houses of Congress controlled the agenda. Laws expired, were never addressed, politics became a partisan rule.

That is why the sixties implemented laws did not last up through today. The rise of the Tea Party, hidden racism, a lot of nervous people who saw their majority slide into a minority. That produced a changing attitude, once again pushed by the Republican Party.    

In the past, we saw wars, conflicts that began because some guy somewhere believes he is the chosen one. So, his fellow countrymen should be indebted to him. Now we see the same type of politician in our county of the United States of America. He thinks we should do what he says, do not fret the big decisions. He is all-knowing about all subjects. He alone will address issues. Yet we see different problems left unsolved, mismanaged, or not managed (COVID19) at all.     

The political parties drifted into partisan groups because the Americas stood by, did nothing. We watched as Washington DC politicians on the right seem to care less about all Americans, only catering to a very few.

The attitude now is ‘I’ve got or is going to get mine no matter who I have to step on to get it.’ The bottom line, this is not the America we once knew. Just because a third of the people follow this president, it does not make his policies right for all Americans. Sometimes people are not sure what is best for them if they do not have all the facts.

According to a political science Stony Brook professor Helmut Norpoth, who has correctly predicted five out of six elections since 1996, Trump will win in November. He  told Mediaite on Tuesday., “The Primary Model gives Trump a 91 percent chance of winning in November.” Let that resonate in your brain for a moment. Can this country stand another four years of Trump or his Republican Party?

The answer to stopping this weird merry go round is to vote during this presential election. As citizens, we are responsible for the direction taken by our country. Too many have died for the rights we currently have for us to check out or say to hell with America. Please vote for the restoration of our country’s core values. Let us take hold of our future, vote for representatives, folks running for the Senate, and a president that has Americans’ best interest at heart. Once installed in their job, you will see the beauty of being free and an American.   

Peace & Blessing, stay healthy, vigilant for our American rights. Make it a day in which Jesus Christ would be proud of you,

Codis Hampton II                                                                                          

 Follow Hamp at https://twitter.com/#!/HampTwo   

Join us for the live broadcast of our bi-monthly BTR Shows at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hampscornerofamerica

We present the republication of the Authors’ tour of South Korea as a 17-year-old GI with Unchon-ni. Check out the details at https://outskirtspress.com/Unchonni

We are in a continuing effort to publicize, Gracie Hall-Hampton, the Arkansas Years 1917-1953. Based on the life of the Authors Grandmother. The Novel examines an era of Jim Crow that many in our society may have forgotten occurred against people of color. Meanwhile, we celebrate the publication of his fifth book, Misguided Intentions. A book where family relationships questioned to the core. Read MI’s review at https://redheadedbooklover.com/gracie-hall-hampton-codis-hampton-ii/  Click on the publisher-Authors page at https://outskirtspress.com/MisguidedIntentions   

Get any of his books by visiting my Amazon.com Authors page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B017TYFKBI?ref_=pe_1724030_132998070

Look for new books, updates of current titles, and submission of short articles to significant magazines upcoming in 2020. We love to pass on our written word. – Hamp

Our Parent Company and sponsor is CHIIA Group, online at http://hcoa.net/. Our Retail Site is https://frostyltd.com/frosty-ltd-com

Copyright 2011 Codis Hampton II, all rights reserved. A bi-weekly blog for your enjoyment

This Country Has Elected A Trump Type Before

The candidates are rounding the half mile heading for the finish line. Who will win? The race is still up in the air. On the one hand, we had a clear favorite as much as a week ago. That is until the Republican-leaning FBI Director broke protocol and injected himself into the race. You all know what happened there as well as the differing opinions as to why he did it. It’s all crystal clear as for why he chose to in my mind. I will leave you to your opinions.

But, I want to bring up another election from another time. It is the 2000 election I am referring to when Republican George W. Bush received 271 Electoral votes to Democrat Al Gore, Jr’s 266. Let’s just say we let our country and Al Gore down during a very important election.  No need to bring up the recount issues in Florida and the ultimate party line Supreme Court decision that gave G Dubya the presidency.

Instead, I want to remind everyone of the aftermath of that historic election and Supreme Court decision. The US became involved in an ‘all war all the time’ in some remote region of the world. Terrorists attacked us. We bonded as a nation only to find our country in a senseless war by G Dubya and the Chaney administration. They had some people cowering in their homes listening for various levels (see picture) Homeland Security Warnings. Maybe we should use these kinds of warnings when we have candidates who are unqualified to hold any political office much less president of the United States. But then I’m getting ahead of myself.

By the time President Obama took office the surplus left by outgoing President Bill Clinton was now a large deficit. The best way I can point out how it was at the time? You have to google the media political cartoons that were printing which framed the new president’s task.  All warned in some form or fashion the need to fix the Economy, Iraq War, and Global Warning, War on Terror, Bin Laden still alive, Energy, Afghanistan, Russia, and Inflation.  And let’s not forget the Mortgage Housing crises which threaten to lower the United States credit level around the world. Some in the Republican Party were yelling let the US default on its debts.

Over the last eight years, President Obama has slowly pulled ourselves and the country from the brink of failed financial policies. Policies I might add that the current Republican Candidate wants to recreate and adapt. Jesus Christ…please protect this country from itself.  It was a job in which he’s had to work around Republican obstructionist.

And now, history seems to be repeating itself by providing Americans with a choice between a well-known faulty individual.  A woman who’ve been investigated almost as much as President Obama. Are we poised to elect the next George W Bush like president again?

The difference I see is that G Dubya is not so outward impulsive, innately vengeful, or deviously calculating or tied so closely to improving his personal fortune as the Donald. I think G Dubya cared for this country and there lies the big difference in my mind. The Donald cares for the Donald and only the Donald. He has proven that time and time again during this campaign. There are scores of Americans who have bought into this farce of a man. The question on everybody else’s mind is why?

Let’s get past his legitimization of right wing extremist, i.e. Klu Klux Klan, Alt-Right and every Tom, Dick, and Harriet on the fringe of a white revolution in this country. We will group them in the…oh, I don’t know, let’s call them Deplorable.  Why don’t we also skip the anti-Hillary Rodham Clinton voters along with the hate any and everything Clinton group?  Who’s left?  Not that many people in my mind.

Because in reality, the only people that are left are those who genuinely think Mrs. Clinton will make a horrible president. My question to those folks is will she screw up America’s standing in the world, undermine our democracy, feed her personal coffers while not giving a hoot about this country as much as the Donald? I don’t think so.

Now you know where I am going with this article. You think G Dubya screwed up our country. This country, in fact, the world will not be the same during a Donald Trump’s presidency.  The Republicans don’t care as long as they get ideologues on the Supreme Court. As long as they get re-elected, they think the Donald will be manageable in the White House. Based upon what, I have no idea.

All those people who will vote for him think they are going to be better off. Once again, better off than whom? Of course, the real extremists think they are going to have a free hand to push their agenda against people of color. I got news for you. That is not going to work. People are not going back in some hole to hide from people of authority. People of Color are not going back to the 1950’s.  We still deal with racists on a daily basis. You think we have forgotten the struggles of the Civil Rights era.

The Donald has not proposed a program that will improve any industry or governmental entity in the United States. Why? Because he doesn’t have a plan or program that will ‘Make America Great Again.’ How is he going to bring jobs to this economy? His entire policy is Washington DC, and Hillary is crooked, elect me to fix it. Based on what we’ve seen from him during this campaign, he is not qualified to be in charge of my life or America lives in general. Based on what we know about his business practices; qualifications for our president? I don’t think so. Is he morally and spiritually qualified to be the United States of America’s president?  No, would be the summary answer.

We have already seen eight years of what would be a mild administration compared to a Trump presidency.  All one has to do is remember or google the highlights of the G Dubya and Chaney administration. Remember, our world allies are watching to see how this plays out. So is Russia.

Peace, make it a day in which Jesus Christ would be proud of you,

 

Codis Hampton II

Follow Hamp at https://twitter.com/#!/HampTwo   

Subscribe to this blog at http://wp.me/p65rCa-f0

 

Join us for the live broadcast of our bimonthly BTR Shows at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hampscornerofamerica

“In my latest book, Remember Moz, Gracie & John Hampton’s First-Born, I wanted to tell the world about a unique individual. Not because he happened to be my father but to explain who he was, where he came from, and how he evolved into the man he became up until his death. In doing so, I wrote of his ancestor’s roots back to and through the Civil War. The inclusion of his birth and upbringing in the heart of Arkansas, or Jim Crow country, add southern reluctance to learn why our country involved itself in a bloodthirsty four-year exercise in the first place? Then you begin to understand why our parents behaved the way that they did. See if I captured the essence of this paragraph.” Get the book via the Authors Page at http://outskirtspress.com/webPage/isbn/9781478766056

Or visit my Amazon.com Authors page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B017TYFKBI?ref_=pe_1724030_132998070

 

Our Parent Company and sponsor is CHIIA Group, online at http://hcoa.net/ and http://www.chiia.com/home.html .

 

 

Copyright 2011 Codis Hampton II, all rights reserved. A bi-weekly blog for your enjoyment.

 

Mrs. Clinton is the ideal Candidate

The former first lady, state senator, presidential candidate, secretary of state has a wealth of political knowledge on building a consensus with opposing forces.  Now she is a candidate for President of the United States for the second time. The Democratic Candidate reign on Super Tuesday, March 15. She won 5 states over her rival Senator Bernie Sanders. No doubt she is tying her coattails to President Barack Obama where ever she can do so.

Bernie, as do the Republicans, says she is a flawed candidate. With her resume and former actions, she was bound to have pissed some people off with her votes as a senator and actions as a human being. Remember the first heath care plan she tried to champion as then President Clintons first lady? The question for Democrats and others who might consider her candidacy is can she win against the eventual Republican nominee?  Followed by can she wade through what has become Republican obstructionism, govern and be an effective president? Or should we vote for and nominate an idealistic Bernie Sanders?

We have to pick an individual that withstand an array of attacks time and time again during the election process by the Super Pac’s. They, who do not have to identify themselves, thanks to a vote of the conservative-leaning members of the Supreme Court.  Super Pac’s with unlimited dollars to place attack ads against our nominee’s record, friends, associates, pets, habits and idiosyncrasies. That person has to give as much as they take in a classy fashion and stay on message. It takes someone who has been through a few political wars, so to speak to be tough enough to withstand the barrage of attack ad aimed at the next Democratic nominee.   If I were betting money, I would bet that Hillary Clinton has the experience and confidence to withstand anything the Republicans throw at her during the national election for president.

In November of 2008, U.S. voters elected an idealistic, fresh outsider and community organizer to run our country. We all were proud of our country, and our neighbors for helping us make a very qualified black man president of the United States. During the last, almost eight years we have sat stunned by various attacks on a sitting president by Republicans for varying reasons. They didn’t like his policies, his wife, children, mother-in-law or dog. Never mind he almost singling handed worked to save this country from going over a financial cliff beginning as soon as he got elected President of the United States. If you recalled, G Dubya, the president at the time had mentally checked out of the White House. So it was up to the newly elected President, Barack Obama.

At the time, a political cartoonist drew a picture of G Dubya riding off into the sunset as his horse had left behind piles of manure. Different labels were written on each pile such as Iraq War, Consumer Confidence, Mortgage Crises, Consumer Debt, US Debt, etc. The picture also depicted the new president dressed as a trash man with a broom and bucket picking up the Bush Administration’s droppings of horse manure. President Obama should have framed that one as a keepsake.

You may also remember, there was a meeting of the top Republicans in the Senate and House a few days after Mr. Obama’s election.  Congressional elected men who got together and agreed to become obstructionist to any and everything the newly elected president proposes. Mitch McConnell, the minority speaker at the time stood before national television cameras and stated the Republicans in the House and Senates number one job was to see that President Obama’s failed in carrying out his duties as POTUS.

Frankly, as an Army Veteran, I thought it was a treasonous statement followed by actions or inactions of elected Republicans to slow the American Economy. But then as a black man, I know there are…let’s say…different strokes for different folks. It would have been a treasons statement under any other circumstances.  Despite their tricks, rhetoric and Fox News, President Obama will go down as a man who brought back civility to the office, champion and sponsored legislation that passed and continued to make a difference in today’s highly political environment.

I would be the first to agree that Senator Bernie Sanders is frank and tells his audiences what they want to hear from a candidate.  He might act in a way we long for in our elected officials.  But it is all a dream. Senator Sanders is the ideological opposite of Donald Trump. Neither will get elected in November.

Sanders, a liberal extremist, a socialist, a man that’s so far left of President Barack Obama, it should be a crime. Those are some of the kind words you can expect from the political ads.  No one, and I mean no one has brought up stances that he took in his thirties, forty’s, or fifties. I listened to his speech from Madison, Wisconsin after someone told him he won the Alaska and Washington State Democratic Caucus. I see why people are attracted to him. He spoke from an item to item list of problems that a lot of people are going through and like all politicians, promised he would change things. By the way, some of the issues were addressed by law or executive order by President Barack Obama, who ran into vigorous opposition from a Republican House and Senate.  Sanders’ ideas are not that different than his opponent, Hillary Clinton. He tells his college students he is for a free college education with no tuition. Who thinks that law will be passed even in a Democratic House and Senate? He thinks that all his free programs can be funded by a tax on Wall Street. And if by the slim chance in hell that law would get passed by Congress, get ready for the cost to be passed on to you and me, the consumer.

I can almost see the Super Pac’s Ads along with Tea Party Members, and Republican office holders and commentators day after day, hour after hour. They would tell whoever is listening to radio and TV of what a scary thought it would be to elect Barney Sanders. There is no place for naïve thoughts and promises in this election. We need someone who can get results.

As for the Donald, his mouth, policies, and tactics would not pass the scrutiny of the United States voting population to get him elected President. His party realizes that fact.

Democrats have got to nominate, elect and send an experienced individual to hold the highest office in the land.  We should elect a candidate who has crafted good policies for this country. Someone who can get things done by using their experience to navigate Republican obstruction.  It should be an individual who is willing to listen and work for all the people including the common folk. Most of all, a battle harden political veteran who can get elected despite the mined road to the White House. Mrs. Clinton is the ideal candidate at this time. Unlike any Republican running or otherwise and certainly not Barney Sanders.

Peace, make it a day in which Jesus Christ would be proud of you,

 

Codis Hampton II

Follow Hamp at https://twitter.com/#!/HampTwo   

Subscribe to this blog at  http://wp.me/p65rCa-8d

Join us at the live broadcast of our bimonthly BTR Shows at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hampscornerofamerica

“In my latest book, Remember Moz, Gracie & John Hampton’s First-Born, I wanted to tell the world about a unique individual. Not because he happened to be my father but to explain who he was, where he came from, and how he evolved into the man he became up until his death. In doing so, I wrote of his ancestor’s roots back to and through the Civil War. The inclusion of his birth and upbringing in the heart of Arkansas, or Jim Crow country, add southern reluctance to learn why our country involved itself in a bloodthirsty four-year exercise in the first place? Then you begin to understand why, our parents behaved the way that they did. See if I captured the essence of this paragraph.” Get the book via the Authors Page at http://outskirtspress.com/webPage/isbn/9781478766056

Or visit my Amazon.com Authors page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B017TYFKBI?ref_=pe_1724030_132998070

 

Our Parent Company and sponsor is CHIIA Group, online at https://hcofa.net/

 

 

 

Copyright 2011 Codis Hampton II, all rights reserved. A bi-weekly blog for your enjoyment