The Wisdom of Solomon

Posted by A.D. Odom on Jun 1, 2008 • 150 views • (0)

Personally, I was happy to see the DNC’s Rules & Bylaws Committee do the right thing this time. Their decision last year which, I might add, Harold Ickes voted for and accepted, was a horrible decision. To penalize a voting block of citizens by changing the rules, giving them nothing instead of 50%, was a dumb decision. I thought then their decision was a setup that would create just what happened, chaos. Don’t get me started on Republicans masquerading at Democrats.

Now, as a party in chaos that is also deeply divided by gender, racial, and class lines, the DNC was in a position to try to right the wrongs they created. What made matters worse is no one seemed to care these two states would lose their voting rights until Hillary Clinton found herself coming up short. At that point, Ickes and the rest of her backers found themselves in a precarious position, fighting for the rights of two states they cared nothing about until they needed them. Ain’t politics grand?

I also felt Obama, Edwards and others made an error in judgment when they removed their names from the ballot in Michigan. Whether you agreed with or disagreed with the ruling of the DNC’s R&B Committee, you should never deny people an opportunity to vote. You will never know about that 65-year-old cancer patient, who has been given months to live, will appear at the poll to cast his or her final vote. Let them have it.

I was also disappointed to hear that in Michigan, thousands of write-in votes were thrown away. Michigan decided to honor its own rules but did not want to honor the rules of the DNC? How nice of them. Rather selective don’t you think?

Additionally, unlike Florida, Michigan’s vote was moved ahead by the Democratic Party of Michigan, not the Republican Party. Michigan wanted to move ahead because they didn’t think New Hampshire and Iowa should represent the early deal breakers in the race. My question for them is this: should we have rules? If not, then why have a Rules & Bylaws Committee? Let’s just let everyone do what they want, when they want, and call it day.

Bottom line, to correct their ridiculous ruling last year, the DNC did the right thing by cutting the baby in half. Give everyone their delegates but give them all one-half vote.

Harold Ickes, a man with interesting ties to crooked unions while at the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein and the “Teamstergate” scandal while serving under Bill Clinton, has raised his ugly head again. During a heated discussion, Ickes said “Mrs. Clinton has asked me to reserve her rights to take this to the credentials committee.” This can only mean there will be an appeal before the Credentials Committee and a fight at the Democratic National Convention.

Personally, I do not care about their fight and they have a right to appeal, cry, curse, shout and stomp if they want. I would have done likewise if none of the delegates were seated. Though I support Barack Obama, fair is fair and I personally would have accepted Clinton’s winning – though I would not vote for her in the general election – than see folks disenfranchised by a party they’ve been loyal to (or not) for years. That was my primary concern.

Lie Down With Dogs, Get Up With Fleas

Speaking of Ickes and Teamstergate, I find it very interesting that the Clintons can be closely associated with crooks, back room dealers, folks like Ickes who have supported crooked unions and no one ties them, ala guilt by association, to these dirty dealers. It appears this society believes as long as you’re a member of “old school” politics you are somehow absolved of all dirt from those you associate with.

On the other hand, Barack Obama somehow does not escape such scrutiny. The words of a former minister have now dragged Obama into the muck. A priest and friend – and I still can’t get over what he was thinking – has now dragged Obama into the muck by preaching at the same church, finally, there is some dirty dealer in Chicago that may have some affiliation with Obama.

Let’s review. If these ministers and priests represent the whole of Barack Obama then, to balance the equation, the Clinton’s ties to crooks and dirty dealers should make them equally as dirty as those they associate with and I do mean close ties, closely associated with, deal with on a daily basis, Ickes included.

According to news reports today, Barack Obama, via letter to Trinity, has severed his ties to the church he joined some 20 years ago. Not to disparage Barack Obama in any way but, as a politician, I wonder how many times he actually went to the church. As a Chicagoan, I am well aware of politicians joining large churches – as they do here in California – to boost their political hopes. We only see these supposed members around the time of an election or during big events to say they were there.

I personally – and I emphasize me, I, my personal beliefs – I am not a member of any big, mega church. I do not wish to join a big, mega church. I will also add that I am not fond of churches spewing the kind of mess I’ve heard – and I don’t care when or how often its spewed – from the pulpit. I am not surprised by Rev. Dr. Michael L. Pfleger’s performance either. Though he has done great things in the community, he is also known for going overboard as he did the Sunday he appeared at Trinity. His words were uncalled for, insulting, demeaning, and I was over it when I heard him say “damn, where’d he come from.” Excuse me but he “D” word should never have been used in a church. Call me old fashioned.

Though it saddens me Obama felt the need to drop his ties with the church, I understand his decision. It equally saddens me he has been called on the carpet and criticized for his affiliations but the Clintons have not been called on their affiliations and let’s not forget the crooks they pardoned upon their hasty retreat from the White House.

This election has reinforced for me the words of my mother, particularly since everyone talked about their mothers today. My mother told me years ago, to be Black in this society you will have to be twice as fast, twice as strong, smarter, better, etc., in order to compete with those less qualified than you. I’ll add something else; you lie down with dogs you will get up with fleas.

Barack Obama would have to be crystal clean with gold trim in order to be fully accepted by the old school boys and girls. Those competing against him can get up draped in mud while scratching fleas and no one will see they are dirty and flea bitten. That is a sad commentary but unfortunately, true.

In Conclusion: Who Will Win?

Again, I am an Obama supporter and I will admit, like many of the candidates that have run this year, he too has flaws. I am sure Barack Obama received a lot of dirt on the Clintons from outside sources as might have been suggested by Karl Rove some months back.

In Rove’s open letter to Obama titled “Memo to Obama: win Iowa or lose the race”, Rove suggests Obama “stop acting like a vitamin deficient Adlai Stevenson” and “find a way to gently belittle her.” Rove ends his rant with “If she wins the nomination it will be because her rivals - namely you - were weak when you confronted her and could not look her in the eye when you did.” As far as I can tell, Obama has not taken Rove’s advice except perhaps the day when he referred to Clinton as “Annie Oakley.”

The Republicans adversely affected the Florida vote by moving the election and I would not be surprised to learn there has been some Republican interference during the primaries as well. So far the stench of divide and conquer, order out of chaos is everywhere in the Democratic Party. The Party is truly divided by race, gender and class, these tactics plus fear have been employed by the Rove/Bush/Cheney administration for years.

Whether the nominee is Hillary Clinton of Barack Obama, neither of them stands a snowball’s chance in hell of wining and that’s too bad. There are too many people now who believe, either way, they will either vote for McCain, sit it out, or vote for an independent candidate meaning, Ralph Nader may do it again this year.

Many women will not support Barack Obama, they will opt for McCain. Many Blacks will not support Hillary Clinton, they will opt for McCain. Many of our young, those who were out registering many to vote will sit out the election, vote for McCain, or will vote for an independent candidate if their candidate does not win. Many older Americans will vote McCain if Clinton does not win. Without a united party McCain wins.

Bottom line, unlike Michelle Obama, I still have not found much to be proud of in this country. We are still a racist, sexist, classist country that is hell bent on religious freedom as long as it’s the “chosen religion.” Ain’t nothing on that menu to be proud of and as can be seen from some of the crowd interviews from the videos below, I literally cringed when I saw and heard some of these folks speak. Their posture speaks volumes to the sad state of affairs that exists within this Divided States of America. I am truly ashamed and what’s worse, the people do not know they have been manipulated.