"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."This nation is in a perpetual loop, in a perpetual tail-chasing posture, a living, concrete example of Einstein's definition of "insanity," as quoted above.
We enter trade agreements that benefit the one percent, or disproportionately benefit those nations with whom we have agreements.
We continue to risk our future to one energy source, fossil fuels, the latest incarnation of that risk, Canadian tar sands, despite grave climate-change concerns, and "earthquakes, in diver places".
I could go on and on, citing one example after the other of this nation's acquiescence to special interest, and its willingness to stay the course--the ship of state veering only when it serves the needs of expediency, or to brandish our bogus American exceptionalism: a self-congratulatory indulgence that could, potentially, list the ship dangerously, inviting the disastrous outcome of this cruise ship.
If you believe the ship of state is listing now, give it another decade or two. What's that old saying, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
It's not that I harbor pessimism, it's that I see things the way they are, not the way I wish them to be. That's my relative position, not my absolute one. From my absolute position, there's nothing we need do, there's nothing we need say, but focus on what we're being--for it's what we're being that we end up creating.
Regrettably, the sands of time aren't as plentiful as the Canadian tar sands, somber grains gathering ominously along the bottom of our national hourglass, as time runs out on our steadying the ship of state, as it lists starboard, lurching precariously to the Right.
After seeing the video below, I wanted to bring it to your attention, even if you've seen it before, so that we may discuss its proposals on how this nation may avoid walking the plank on one key component of our continued national prosperity--the education of our children, resulting in a well-educated adult population
As part of his 30 Million Jobs Tour, Dylan Ratigan identifies areas of concern--factors that need to be addressed to keep the ship of state from foundering over time, proposing a national initiative, rather than state-sponsored ones, deviating substantially from right-wing solutions that call for the abolition of the Department of Education, and a shift of power to states.
Without a national initiative, Dylan sees a permanent underclass emerging, made up mostly of blacks, Mexican Americans, and other poverty-laden groups, adrift in lifeboats, without land in sight, or rescue-ships on the horizon.
I recommend watching the video. It's not very long, but you may have to endure a short commercial at the beginning. I've appended a transcript of the video, but it won't show the visuals, diagrams that connect the dots, clarifying how we got to this state, and what factors continue to roil the seas upon which this nation must sail, as it struggles to stay on course, and keep the ship's listing to a minimum.
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We're back at chegg. a go-to place for students to develop an efficient way to learn and a cheaper and rational way to use it using it cannology and innovation to bring down the costs students face after they pay tuition. first, the students need to make it through elementary and high school 37 we spend more on education than any other nation. but for all that money, there's little to show for it. worldwide rankings, we're 25th in math. 17th in science. so we're taking a page out of our book "greedy bastards" and connecting the dots to trace the money trail in our schools.the money trail begins in your own backyard. funding for american schools is based on your property taxes. which means schools in low-income areas get the smallest share of resources. so while there's massive resources allocated to the wealthiest, the poor get the least when it comes to education. i call this reverse hot spotting. because those who need it most aren't getting the resources we need, the poorest are neglected in a way to permanently damage their brain development. we know that a child's brain forms 700 synapses per second. that's 700 times a second to process senses, use language, and develop vocabulary and relational and reasonable skills. if that opportunity is missed, that child will be playing catch up literally for the the rest of their adult lives. the same model is true all the way through high school graduation.
if you're lucky enough to afford it, college would be next. but our universities value prestige over learning and mastery. it's a classic "greedy bastards" behavior. they put prestige and profits over skill mastery. and talk about student loan debt. $830 billion collectively across our nation. the bankers are offering easy credit that traps graduates for decades. it's a debt for diploma system. there are proven solutions to all of this. but the "greedy bastards" are so hell bent on paying off, that they refuse to let anything threaten it. it becomes a vicious and destructive cycle for our country. poverty, which creates low property taxes to fund schools, which means little money for poor schools, leads to limited problem solving skills, limited adapt blt, higher levels of unemployment, which lands those folks back in poverty.
but there's a way to fix it. we must end the reverse hot spotting and overallocate to those most desperately in need of help and start funding schools through a national tax structure. if we use it correctly to overallocate to our problems, we can direct assets to those most in need. as suzie buffett explains, it's been proven to work, but politicians refuse to take notice.
it doesn't work in an election cycle. it's going to take 15 years to show it works. it's not very interesting to the politicians.
another fix, we need to force our universities to stop valuing prestige over learning. it won't be easy. you know how university pride runs deep. we have to stop rewarding test taking abilities and encourage a culture of experimentation which will come with mistakes and failures. but those are exactly what we need to ultimately achieve the skills and mastery needed to learn in the fastest-changing world in the history of human civilization. the khan academy has proven this classroom flip is successful right through the university level. finally, we must call out the universities, which means adopting the first letter of. we must refuse schools. two students on the internet before they apply or pay tuition. this is how vici values can restore values while receiving the modern tools of the digital age.
if you want to take another look at this and connect the dots on your own time, go to "greedy bastards".com. they are explained inside the book itself. we show you how to get results and change things as well. and as martin mentioned last hour, "greedy bastards" is going today bu at number nine on the new york best sellers list. we have you to thank for that. thank you so much for enlisting with us in this mission to change the conversation to issues-based problem solving. next up here, we've talked to people who do it right. there's a prime example of a great idea that may be using the opposite of hot spotting as the quest to bring high speed rail to california jumped the tracks.
13 comments:
BD,
Another thought provoking post. Here are the comments I’d like to offer:
Our educational system is bifurcated in its outcomes; one group receives very little education while another group has an opportunity for higher education, but winds up increasingly indebted to get it. Both outcomes support an economic outlay that extracts profits from each.
As African-Americans, it’s very important that we understand that how the failing educational systems in our community positions us to drive the economics of those who benefit from these conditions. Also, I think it’s important that we understand the economic theory that drive the privatization business models popularized by Milton Friedman of the University of Chicago. Boiled down to its essence, the theory basically says that free markets can solve every ill know to man and they’ve extended that idea to the ills of the African-American community. Effectively, what this means is that profits are derived from “fixing” the problems. I use the term “fix” advisedly here, as the only problem being addressed is the need to fill someone’s bank account from the misery that exists in the African-American community. Let me also hasten to add that much of this has just merely started in our community, but will extend soon enough to other communities as social conditions deteriorate thereby creating more problems to “fix”. I think once we understand the relationship of our problems (as well as the problems of others) to the economic overlay that sits astride them, then it’s not too much of a leap to believe that there’s a desire to see certain conditions continue in support of the business models that benefit from them. I would go further to suggest that there may be active support of the conditions to ensure they not only continue, but get worst.
When one considers the demographics of the “product” that would drive the private prison business, ill educated people cut off from economic opportunity would be a primary driver. If you throw in dysfunctional family units, general conditions of social and economic chaos in certain communities, birthrates and etc., those running private prisons can statistically predict with some accuracy the numbers of those who will go through the criminal justice system which, in turn, determines the rate of expansion for prison construction, beds to make available and etc. Add the demographics to some targeted lobbying for laws like “three strikes and out” or penalties for drug offenses and it’s clear how growth can be ramped up even further to accommodate the business model.
These very same demographics drive the entire school privatization business model as well. Schools will fail given the conditions, however the vultures swoop in with another “fix” claiming to address a problem, but it’s really about being at the public trough to get paid while fixing absolutely nothing. If anything, they want to have a move problems and the same lobbying that goes on to tweak growth rates driving the prison model goes on here as well. It seems to me that the bulk of the school privatization initiatives are within the African-American community.
Of course, Ratigan is correct in asserting that the manner in which education is financed ensures disparate funding outcomes in urban versus suburban school districts, however, I feel the money isn’t the sole problem and I think if one combines money with the lack of capacity (i.e. uninvolved dysfunctional families, crime, unemployment and etc.) nothing will get solved. The key for the African-American community is to build capacity and that will mean that WE come together and address some issue forthrightly so that the conditions are created where funding can be effective. It may very well be that the funding that’s already available may be more effectively used without the extra “overhead” burden of some of the other issues in our community. The key is to create the conditions whereby education, economic development and a host of other things can take place.
Of course, setting up those sorts of conditions is going to run directly counter to the conditions that are driving the business models in the sense that what we’re really talking about a wealth transfer back to us and away from those who benefit from the current conditions. I don’t think one can underestimate the resistance that will be encountered by those who really want to address the problems. Much of that resistance would come from those who are purportedly our leaders. Many of them are representatives to us rather than for us-- but I’m digressing.
Again, it’s my belief that this will spread beyond the African-American community. The conditions referenced in the video exist for a reason and Dylan has it right, they’re greedy bastards.
Those who go to college also encounter an economic overlay that derives a benefit from selling many of them a bill of goods and that’s becoming more apparent as kids graduate college with no job opportunities in sight. I see many similarities between higher education and the housing bubble. Housing prices were driven up by a large supply of credit and at some point, anyone who could fog up a mirror could get a mortgage. While that’s no longer the case with housing, it continues with higher education and government guarantees on student debt.
I’ve posted on this a few times, but student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt, but unlike credit card debt, it cannot be discharged in a bankruptcy action save for the most extreme circumstances. So this means that if a student chooses the wrong career, they’re saddled with a huge obligation that they might not be able to service given today’s job climate. Basically, many of these kids are becoming debt slaves.
The amount of credit sloshing around to finance higher education has attracted the attention of Wall Street and this has spawned a number of for profit colleges that compete for students and their money. (Wall Street is also driving the privatization of elementary and secondary schools as well). And just as the Wall Street overlay caused wild appreciation in housing prices leaving many homeowners with a trail of broken dreams, it’s doing the same to many young people. The main reason that college tuition is so high is directly related to the money chasing it---just as in the case of housing. And both for profit and traditional colleges are participants in this madness.
If most had to finance college without debt, tuition prices would drop like a rock—just house prices did when the banks curtailed mortgage lending. But with slick marketing, they’ve got parents and kids in a mad rush to shoehorn the kid into the “best school” which generally happens to be the most expensive school and whether it can be easily afforded is beside the point.
This is just madness and again, the greedy bastards can only get away with this if we cooperate. I’m a big believer in education just as I believe in having a roof over my head, but I don’t believe in doing any of this at my financial peril to feed someone else’s coffers. Many of us need to wake up on this one.
Bottom line is that there are many things that the people themselves can control based on what we accept or reject. But being able to do that requires knowledge and to obtain that, we increasingly have to turn to other sources of information as the traditional ones don’t proffer true actionable information, instead their purpose is to sell ideas and concepts inimical to our true economic and political interests.
A.
@Greg L: "Both outcomes support an economic outlay that extracts profits from each."
Essentially, then, the "extraction" is more important than the stated goals of each, which is to educate our populace. How many other aspects of capitalism are so focused (on the extraction, that is, rather than on the mission)? Our health care, and banking systems readily come to mind.
"Boiled down to its essence, the theory basically says that free markets can solve every ill know to man and they've extended that idea to the ills of the African-American community. Effectively, what this means is that profits are derived from “fixing” the problems."
You're saying, then: As long as a "fix-it model" exists, extracting money from the system, very little incentive will exit to actually "fix" the problem, as that would result in a loss of profits, as the source of that profit dries up.
A free markets economy has never had the capacity to do what many expect from it, including Republicans, and that's to create jobs for the masses. Were it not for governments stepping up to fill (fix) this void, we would have seen its deficiencies sooner, and wouldn't have deified it as the Great Solvent that we've attributed to it. A summary of our Gross National Product gives a sober view of where our national income is derived, and belies the common notion that it's mostly the result of free markets.
"I think once we understand the relationship of our problems (as well as the problems of others) to the economic overlay that sits astride them, then it’s not too much of a leap to believe that there’s a desire to see certain conditions continue in support of the business models that benefit from them."
So true. I'm thinking about Arizona, Alabama, and Florida's laws to criminalize unauthorized aliens. For Arizona state, this would mean a boon for its prison complex.
"I would go further to suggest that there may be active support of the conditions to ensure they not only continue, but get worst."
Money supports money--the making of it, and the extraction of it. It made Mitt Romney a millionaire many times over.
"When one considers the demographics of the “product” that would drive the private prison business, ill educated people cut off from economic opportunity would be a primary driver for the business."
Again on target, and this condition fulfills yet another objective: it reduces the number of minorities in the population (the labor pool) to compete with whites for the diminishing jobs in the economy, as well as shift power to this group, who, themselves, are quickly vanishing.
B.
"Add the demographics to some targeting lobbying for laws like 'three strikes and out' or penalties for drug offenses and it’s clear how growth can be tweaked up a bit to accommodate the business model."
Another reason to "Get Money Out" of politics and our political process, as it preys on the poor as much as Bain Capital preyed on struggling businesses.
This is our capitalism at work, predatory, and focused on "investment capitalism," rather than "product capitalism."
"Schools will fail given the conditions, however the vultures swoop in with another “fix” claiming to address a problem, but it’s really about being at the public trough to get paid while fixing absolutely nothing."
And we're seeing this same trend when it comes to "fixing" cities, the "crisis management" solution to ailing municipalities, with strong showings in Michigan, using draconian measures that fix nothing, but generate wealth for a few, while depriving a large number of the electorate (many of which are black) from exercising control over their own city governments.
"I feel the money isn’t the sole problem and I think if one combines money which the lack of capacity (i.e. uninvolved dysfunctional families, crime, unemployment and etc.) nothing will get solved."
The problem is multifaceted, and may require a multigenerational solution. If, as they say, education is the Great Panacea, then improving access to the best education possible would go a long way towards combating those forces that contribute to "uninvolved dysfunctional families, crime, unemployment and etc."
I agree, however, that more is needed than just values around education, but "values" around life itself, starting as early as is practical in a child's life.
"The key is to create the conditions whereby education, economic development and a host of other things can take place."
So many lives are lost during the formative years of our youth, a stage where nutrition is key as well as the inculcation of certain lifelong values, having a lifetime impact. I know of five young people in my extended family alone who died before the age of 25. Our ghettoes are deathtraps for our youth.
C.
Those conditions you mention are essential to our development as a people. Perhaps we should construct salutary and salubrious enclaves of such conditions in black communities to shield black children from negative external factors--competing influences for their hearts, souls, and minds.
"I don’t think one can underestimate the resistance that will be encountered by those who really want to address the problems. Much of that resistance would come from those who are purportedly our leaders. Many of them are representatives to us rather than for us...."
Ratigan giving voice to the issues this nation faces, often leaves me concerned about his own well being. He's intrepid in his articulation of both the problems and potential solutions, some of which run counter to the status quo, and must surely anger those who run commercials on MSNBC, or reside in the executive suite of various corporations.
He doesn't speak of such threats, whether they exist or not, but, given this nation's focus on money, and the kleptocracy that is our government, it wouldn't come as a surprise.
"While that’s no longer the case with housing, it continues with higher education and government guarantees on student debt."
We're selling (and have sold) the American Dream (a house for all, and an education for all ) on credit. And to make matters worse, we're doing it by selling an empty box--homes that many can't afford, and an education that can't be matched to existing jobs. This is a volatile recipe for disaster, driving the OWS protest movement, and flirting with general civil unrest, as no one takes kindly to being a slave: "many of these kids are becoming debt slaves."
"The main reason that college tuition is so high is directly related to the money chasing it---just as in the case of housing. And both for profit and traditional colleges are participants in this madness."
With the emphasis it places on money in the form of profits, this nation has already lost its moral and ethical footing. Those raking in profits in the housing and education sectors, know the hardships they're imposing on working families when they're sold houses they can't afford, and on young adults who are sold on an education that carries huge financial burdens, and who--in this sluggish economy--may struggle for years to turn their education into something more tangible than sheepskin.
"Bottom line is that there are many things that the people themselves can control based on what we accept or reject."
True, but they'll have to turn away from the daily deluge of commercials, ads, and other enticements designed to part them from their money, preying on their desire to be attractive, desirable, accepted, popular, hip, and modish.
>>>Those conditions you mention are essential to our development as a people. Perhaps we should construct salutary and salubrious enclaves of such conditions in black communities to shield black children from negative external factors--competing influences for their hearts, souls, and minds.<<<
I think this is precisely what needs to occur. It's a sort of sensory deprivation/re-eduction effort in a positive sense. There have been many other groups who've had to do the same thing and the Chinese come immediately to mind as they did this to overcome the effects of the opium wars that arose from western powers forcing opium into China during the 1800's (That's how Hong Kong became a British possession Two wars were actually fought to force opium into China and wrest control of certain trading ports of which Hong Kong was one). My point in mentioning this is as a reference to devastation that was wrought on them being similar to what we're dealing with. Re-educating folks in a positive sense is a must and no one is going to do that unless it's us. Doing it effectively is going to require some isolation from the bad stuff.
>>>Ratigan giving voice to the issues this nation faces, often leaves me concerned about his own well being. He's intrepid in his articulation of both the problems and potential solutions, some of which run counter to the status quo, and must surely anger those who run commercials on MSNBC, or reside in the executive suite of various corporations.<<<
When I referred to folks being representatives to us, I had certain people in mind who are actually selling school choice. I know of one particular African-American organization that's been funded to sell this idea and there's a spokesman running around claiming to be concerned about education for African American kids when he's in fact a shill for the Wall Street interests who funded his organization to sell the idea of school choice in African-American communities. As you know, it's my contention that we frequently don't control the issues because we don't have the sort of independence to do so and this is yet another example. Quite naturally, this guy has some appeal to parents and it's easy to see why. If given a choice between a safe clean environment versus the hell holes that characterize certain public schools, what parent would not want school choice? However, the fact of the matter is the choice funded by these business interests aren't the only choices available and, for some reason, they're only pushing this in urban districts.
The attacks on teacher's unions is another facet of this as well as it's implied that the teacher's aren't doing the job but the fact of the matter is that the conditions aren't conducive to teaching in many of these communities because of the social and economic conditions that often border on chaos. It's those conditions that must be addressed before learning, economic development or many other positive things can occur. Actually, this is one of the reasons why the academic results of school choice show very little difference from the results generated from the public school system as detailed recently by the NY Times. Those results don't support the primary justification of the whole privatization model which claims it can do a better job.
IMO, because no there's competing independent African American leadership within that's actually executing on a plan, someone else's solution is finding us once again and it's these people who will resist any indigenous effort to address the problem independently as that might dry up profits. Basically, a current day Malcolm X would be a huge threat to the business model and I suspect things remain in place to preempt the rise of one.
@Greg L: "Re-educating folks in a positive sense is a must and no one is going to do that unless it's us. Doing it effectively is going to require some isolation from the bad stuff."
As you've pointed out, this won't come easily, as corporate America is fat with the money that's generated in the ghetto, and black communities, as a result of our demand for the things they offer--some of it legal, and some of it illegal.
We will see "Opium Wars," 21st century style, with a ghetto twist, and mock agreements in the form of capitulations to a better-funded, infinitely-stronger, and better-equipped opposition.
"Those results don't support the primary justification of the whole privatization model which claims it can do a better job."
It does do a better job of extracting tax dollars from our black communities, dollars that profit investors living outside our communities, many of which could care less about the quality of education that's dispensed.
The only barriers to this national privatization takeover are unions, whether it's teachers' unions, or unions representing guards and staff working inside penal institutions, or what have you.
Fed up with anti-union actions, some pro-union Republicans are fighting back against Republican-sponsored union-busting measures. They call themselves "Lunchpail Republicans," actually threatening to do at the state level what the Tea Party did at the federal level, replace incumbents with their own pro-union man or woman, if Republican state legislators support union-stripping legislation.
It's getting ugly in the Republican party.
"[S]omeone else's solution is finding us once again and it's these people who will resist any indigenous effort to address the problem independently as that might dry up profits."
Precisely, which is why they go to great lengths to keep us divided, either by saying we are, are using black Republicans/conservatives to push conservative/republican solutions, or to attack black Democrats with talk of "liberal plantations," and "slave mentalities."
Jesse Lee Peterson, whose face has shown up on Fox News more frequently than Obama's, tells white America, and black America, that blacks have no work ethic, and the quickest way to instill such an ethic is to send lazy blacks to work the fields on some white plantation.
Newt Ginrich echoes this sentiment with his make-poor-kids-janitors solutions to the lack of examples of working parents in poor (read ghetto) areas of the country.
And this drew loud, uproarious ovations from a mostly white audience. Again, a white man forcing his solutions on black America, with the approval of other whites, promoting the stereotype that work as janitors is all we're suited for.
"Basically, a current day Malcolm X would be a huge threat to the business model and I suspect things remain in place to preempt the rise of one."
If they hate Obama, who's not a threat, can you imagine what they'd do to a Malcolm X preaching black economic and social autonomy, where whites would have to negotiate in earnest, if they wish to have our business, or to do business with us.
>>>Fed up with anti-union actions, some pro-union Republicans are fighting back against Republican-sponsored union-busting measures. They call themselves "Lunchpail Republicans," actually threatening to do at the state level what the Tea Party did at the federal level, replace incumbents with their own pro-union man or woman, if Republican state legislators support union-stripping legislation.
It's getting ugly in the Republican party.<<<
Now that is quite interesting. I think there's two things driving this. First, the Scott Walker recall is forcing some of the less rabid types to jump ship so they don't get tainted. The second thing is the nature of the republican party in places like Indiana. (I'm originally from Indiana). Indiana has always been a moderate republican state which for years had two democratic senators, even though it was a red state (but went blue in 2008). The republicans there tend not to be the crazy tea party types, but more like Rockefeller republicans so a lot of the craziness they won't subscribe to. In my adopted states of NJ and PA, the republicans are very much the same. Notwithstanding that, I suspect that folks being pissed in Wisconsin is probably the biggest factor.
>>>Precisely, which is why they go to great lengths to keep us divided, either by saying we are, are using black Republicans/conservatives to push conservative/republican solutions, or to attack black Democrats with talk of "liberal plantations," and "slave mentalities."
Jesse Lee Peterson, whose face has shown up on Fox News more frequently than Obama's, tells white America, and black America, that blacks have no work ethic, and the quickest way to instill such an ethic is to send lazy blacks to work the fields on some white plantation.<<<<
It's really my feeling that the liberal/conservative debate in the African-American community is a microcosm of the debate occurring generally and shares similarities with it in that its largely financed for our consumption. It's also designed to create of lot of anger, but unfortunately, there's not a lot of problem solving arising from it--and this is what's urgently needed.
I don't watch TV, so I don't get to see folks like Peterson often. I consider myself fortunate in that regard!
To be sure, Gingrich's comments are untrue and are more about vote pandering than anything while using Black folks as a prop to do so. It's the southern strategy redux.
@Greg L: "The republicans there tend not to be the crazy tea party types.
Which is why, I believe, Mitch Daniels was designated to rebut President Obama's State of the Union Address.
With Indiana hosting this year's Super Bowl, Daniel's union-stripping efforts (pushing a right-to-work law) are drawing strong criticism from the NFL Players Union, the members of which are standing in solidarity with increasingly under-fire unions in the state.
This rebuttal gives Daniel the opportunity to appear gubernatorial, as a rational and reasonable leader with nothing but the best interest of Indianans at heart, notwithstanding his recent disaffection with the NFL Players Association, union supporters lobbying vehemently against legislation that would essentially weaken, if not outright destroy, unions in his state.
"To be sure, Gingrich's comments are untrue and are more about vote pandering than anything while using Black folks as a prop to do so. It's the southern strategy redux."
Yet, it's a strategy that many black conservatives are embracing, giving Gingrich's critique validity and support by saying substantially that he's right in his assessment of blacks.
Here's my issue: If a white Democrat had made such a statement, I wouldn't have rushed to his defense, as black Republicans have defended Gingrich, but would've expressed outrage.
Where I seek unity among the disparate segments of the black community, some black conservatives--some of which are in leadership positions--seem more intent on sowing seeds of division, hence the "plantation" analogies, and the "slave mentality" meme to which we're all too often treated, and which serve white interest more than the interest of blacks.
If we truly care about the progress of black communities, we must all--liberals and conservatives--work to put politics aside, and address those impediments to black collective progress, not within a political framework, but outside of one, with members of the community determining what's broke, and how best to fix it.
It appears that the president has heard one of your concerns, and addressed it in his State of the Union Address:
"I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans."
>>If we truly care about the progress of black communities, we must all--liberals and conservatives--work to put politics aside, and address those impediments to black collective progress, not within a political framework, but outside of one, with members of the community determining what's broke, and how best to fix it<<
Amen on this. Unfortunately, this is where the room gets cleared out as that requires real work, and more often than not, the only work that many are prepared to do is gum flapping. I believe mostly what I see and unless someone can show me by actual execution the superiority of their ideology then I dismiss it for what it is--talk.
Needless to say, that means I'm dismissing a whole lot of talk that's occurring on both sides of the ideological divide.
I tend to repeat myself so I apologize if I've said this before, but I tend to perceive the ideological divide between black folks as contrived--much like the one occurring in the country at large. I believe it occurs on a stage that's been bought and paid for and staffed with actors that have been similarly bought and paid for. Those who financed this are not from within the community, so the debate is really not one that would occur naturally, but is one that has been imposed IMO. In the meantime, the debate that needs to occur and the execution that needs to occur to fix the vexing problems within doesn't happen. In this sense, I believe it's very much like the debate in the larger community where the stuff being argued and fought over is not relevant to the real issues at hand and just as in the African-American community, the real issues can't even be discussed let alone developing approaches to solve them.
>>"I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans."<<
I'll have to take a wait and see attitude on this as this is a bit tardy and what likely going to happen is that a few low level mortgage brokers will be trotted off to jail while the robo signing scandal, which has been known about for over a year, remains unaddressed. Not only does this fraudulent activity involve abuse of homeowners, but every mortgage backed security that's related is likewise suspect. These securities (which may be now worthless or severely impaired) were passed around the globe and really affect everyone as many pension plans and insurance companies bought these assuming they were "safe" and that means all of us are bag holders, even if we don't consider ourselves investors, while the criminals ran off with real money.
I hate to be skeptical, but I am because I suspect this is electioneering taking a populist stance which would be entirely unnecessary had the criminals been pursued from jump. Of course, pursuing the high level criminals means taking down many of the big boys on Wall Street. I don't know if Obama or anyone else in the political class has the backbone to do that.
Hey Diaspora:
I had to put my blog on moderate again and this time I'm leaving it like that permanently. I'm tired of those rightwing trolls. Anyway, I dropped by for a minute. When I get a chance I'm going to send you an email.
Great informative post. Will be ordering the book very soon. Thanks.
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