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Benghazi-IRS-Leaks-- What about jobs?

Prime Politics 05-21-2013 Hits:68  - avatar

Benghazi-IRS-Leaks-- What about jobs?

By Bob Weiner & Nakia GladdenThe nation's media are transfixed with obsessive coverage of Hillary Clinton's role (there was none) in the talking points on the Benghazi deaths, IRS investigation of Tea Party groups' tax deductions (the same way they earlier asked the same of the NAACP), the Justice Department's demand for AP's phone records concerning leaks on Yemeni terrorists (after Congress had demanded the investigation of the leaks); and the press properly wants to know what to do about Syria, and how to end sex abuse in the U.S. military.Meanwhile, WHAT ABOUT JOBS? That's the real problem that will define our future success as a country for the rest of this century, and it is a question Rep. John Conyers is asking. The silence has been deafening. At the President's news conferences, which we attended this week and last week, there was not a single question from the media about jobs.Despite the Dow reaching all-time highs, the number of jobs available has seen no such luck. "Are we in the midst of a jobless recovery?" asked MSNBC's Chuck Todd last week on "Andrea Mitchell Reports." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment is at 7.5%. Though that is the lowest it has been in the last four years, the U.S.post-World War II norm is about 5% unemployment and has often been at 4% or under. . Michigan's unemployment rate is a staggering 8.5%. Michigan tops the list for African Americans who are unemployed at 18.7%.What are the major factors contributing to the slow recovery of jobs in the US? Outsourcing is at the top of the list. Shipping jobs overseas for cheaper labor hinders the opportunity for job growth. Moreover, based on recent tragic events in Bangladesh's and China's factories, lives would be saved because companies would be regulated...

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Va. GOP Candidate: Planned Parenthood Worse Than KKK, Civil Rights Leaders …

Prime Politics 05-21-2013 Hits:47 NewsOne Staff - avatar NewsOne Staff

Va. GOP Candidate: Planned Parenthood Worse Than KKK, Civil Rights Leaders Guilty Of Genocide

  Virginia Republican E.W. Jackson secured the nomination to run for Lt. Governor on Saturday, and, today RawStory.com unearthed a YouTube video in which he says that Planned Parenthood is more “lethal” to the Black community than the KKK, civil rights leaders are guilty of genocide and Christians must decide if they want to follow Jesus or be in the Democratic Party. Read more from Raw Story: E.W. Jackson, a pastor and Harvard graduate who previous sought Virginia’s senate seat, is the party’s first African-American candidate for statewide office since the 1980s. He’s also part of a trio of fringe conservatives leading the Virginia Republican Party’s statewide ticket, joined by state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli running for governor and state Sen. Mark Obenshain running for attorney general. “The Democrat Party has created an unholy alliance between certain so-called civil rights leaders and Planned Parenthood, which has killed unborn black babies by the tens of millions,” he said in a video published to his official YouTube page. “Planned Parenthood has been far more lethal to black lives than the KKK ever was. “They can keep their homosexuality private,” he said. “You and I cannot hide being black. I need not recount to you the painful history of slavery, Jim Crow, lynchings and sterilizations, all because of skin color. Anyone who dares equate the so-called gay rights movement to the history of black Americans is exploiting the black community.” Click here to see video

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2 Mile Wide Tornado Hits: Death Toll Rising; 30 Children Feared Dead In Ele…

News Briefs 05-21-2013 Hits:62 Skyyhook, Contributing Editor/Urban Daily - avatar Skyyhook, Contributing Editor/Urban Daily

2 Mile Wide Tornado Hits: Death Toll Rising; 30 Children Feared Dead In Elementary School

  According to The New York Times, A tornado described by the National Weather Service as “large and deadly” touched down south of Oklahoma City Monday afternoon in the suburb of Moore, causing widespread destruction officials said.President Obama has been in touch with Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and alerted her that he’s directed the government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide any assistance she needs. FEMA has sent a special team to Oklahoma’s emergency operations center to help out and dispatch resources.Obama also let Fallin know that she was to contact him directly if the federal government can provide additional help. The White House says Obama’s homeland security team is keeping him updated on the situation.Two elementary schools were badly damaged, Plaza Towers Elementary School and Briarwood Elementary School, according to reports from KFOR-TV. (Who is streaming live coverage online from Moore.) Lance West, a reporter and anchor for KFOR-TV, was tasked with giving the gut wrenching news to the audience that the search at Plaza Towers Elementary School, had changed from a “Search And Rescue” to a “Recovery Search” as word officially came down that they believed they had located the 24 children Kindergarden through 3rd graders, and that they feared all had perished. Lance West was understandably overcome with the news and had a hard time trying to deliver it live on air.Helicopter pilots from KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City flew over and filmed the horrific destruction. MSNBC is reporting that the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner is now saying there are 24 confirmed deaths thus far, but they are expecting that number to rise drastically as the severity of the storm simply made it impossible for some to survive. MSNBC is also calling this the worst Tornado in United States history. Meteorologist in Oklahoma City, knew that most people in the...

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Detroit Children's Choir and Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensem…

Community 05-21-2013 Hits:141  - avatar

Detroit Children's Choir and Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles Partner to offer landmark program for metro Detroit children

        The Detroit Children's Choir (DCC), in  partnership with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles (CYE), is excited to announce the creation of the Detroit Children's Choir's Concert Chorale, a groundbreaking choral program for metro Detroit children. The Concert Chorale will be a unique education and performance experience led by DCC artistic director Lauri Hogle. The program's opening season will begin in the fall of 2013. "We are thrilled to be joining with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles to offer this incredible new experience to the children of southeast Michigan," said Hogle. "The kids involved with this program will be surrounded by excellence, rigorous training, and focused, positive development of musical skill and musicianship. Choral music has the power to shape a life, develop a leader, and instill confidence with successful creation of something beautiful, positive, and uplifting." Concert Chorale members will receive music literacy and sight-reading training as well as learn healthy vocal technique. Repertoire will vary across musical genres including pieces from American culture heritage, classical choral repertoire, and texts in foreign languages. In partnership with CYE, chorale members will be immersed in a number of extraordinary performance opportunities with access to the state of the art facilities of the Max M. Fisher Music Center - including historic Orchestra Hall. "As a community supported orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is committed to partnering with wonderful organizations such as the Detroit Children's Choir," said Charles Burke, CYE Artistic Director. "The Concert Chorale will allow children from all across metro Detroit to come together and create a community of choral singing that will transform the lives of all involved.  The DSO's Civic Youth Ensembles is happy to be committed partners in this valuable and important effort." The Concert Chorale is open to all children ages 8-14 who have unchanged treble voices and are...

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Southfield Civic Center Pool Opening and Free Swim Lesson Day June 15

Community 05-20-2013 Hits:91  - avatar

Southfield Civic Center Pool Opening and Free Swim Lesson Day June 15

    The Southfield Parks & Recreation Department invites residents to celebrate the beginning of summer with the opening of the Southfield Sports Arena Pool and Free Swim Lesson Day on Saturday, June 15.   The Pool Opening Celebration will take place from 1-8 p.m. at the Southfield Sports Arena located within the Southfield Municipal Complex at 26000 Evergreen Road. The event will feature free admission and entertainment throughout the day.   Free swim lessons will also be offered for children ages 2-12 who are interested in taking lessons through the summer. Lessons will be available for Parent/Tot (ages 2-4, parent works with child in water) and Preschool (ages 3-5) from 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Children ages 6-12 can try either the Level 1 Sea Horses class or Level 2 Minnows class from 12-12:30 p.m. to see what level is appropriate for them. Pre-registration is required by calling (248) 796-4640. Each class is limited to the first 15 to register.   For more information, call the Southfield Sports Arena at (248) 796-4640.

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Michigan Vets Foundation and 313 Project are Two of 10 Aprons in Action Fin…

Community 05-20-2013 Hits:162  - avatar

Michigan Vets Foundation and 313 Project are Two of 10 Aprons in Action Finalists

    The Michigan Vets Foundation and the 313 Project, each a monthly winner in The Home Depot Foundation’s year-long Facebook voting program called Aprons in Action, are competing this month against eight other finalists for the $250,000 grand prize. Voting begins May 1 and runs through May 31 at www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation. The organization with the most votes at the end of the month will win the top prize of $250,000. Organizations with the second and third most votes will receive $150,000 and $100,000 from The Home Depot Foundation, respectively. Each month since the Aprons in Actions contest began in June 2012, The Home Depot Foundation’s Facebook fans helped one of the 11 finalists win $25,000 to better the communities they serve. This month, the Michigan Vets Foundation and the 313 Project are competing against the following nonprofit organizations from across the country: ·        June 2012 Winner: Volunteers of America Greater Ohio (Columbus, OH) ·        July 2012 Winner: Stiggy’s Dogs (Howell, MI) ·        September 2012 Winner: AMVETS Post 44 (Struthers, OH) ·        November 2012 Winner: Low Income Housing Institute (Seattle, WA) ·        December 2012 Winner: VFW Post 2777 (Burton, MI) ·        February 2013 Winner: Grand Rapids Home for Veterans (Grand Rapids, MI) ·        March 2013 Winner: Active Heroes (Louisville, KY) ·        April 2013 Winner: Saratoga County RPC-VETHELP (Ballston Spa, NY) “We are excited about this final round of competition to win $250,000,” said Tyrone Chatman, executive director of the Michigan Veterans Foundation. “We need all boots on the ground to win the grand prize to help us strengthen our service for veterans. So we encourage everyone to go on Facebook and vote for us!” Since receiving the $25,000 grant from winning the October competition, the Michigan Veterans Foundation revamped its resident...

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Real Change, Requires Real Change

tom watkinsI genuinely like and respect both Mayor Bing and Governor Snyder.

It is down right painful to watch two good, decent men, that want what
is best for our city and state, to be tangled up in "us vs them"
issues that have the potential, if it has not already, to spill over
into a "City vs. State or worse yet, a racial divide with no easy way
out.

I am pleased to see Governor Snyder schedule community town hall
meetings in Detroit to show he does not have "a hidden agenda to
subvert democracy." A few days of listening will be time well spent.

Harvey Hollilins lll, the Governor's director of urban and metro
initiatives, said he will work with the NAACP and other community
groups to organize the meetings.

Words have consequences. Mayor Bing calling Gov. Snyder less than
honest and "disingenuous" and the Gov's retort being Detroit has a
"cultural" problem accepting help, are not advancing solutions to the
financial Armageddon facing the city.

It is good, Gov. Snyder is off to Italy and German in search of jobs
and investments for Michigan--- the time gone can be used as a
"cooling off period."

Mayor Bing, with all due respect, you have moved too slowly in
addressing a fiscal mess and structural mismanagement that you
inherited and has been decades in the making. As you so painfully
know, the fiscal gimmicks, one time only funding sources, paying your
Visa card with your Master card borrowing options have run out. The
City of Detroit is heading towards bankruptcy if drastic action is not
taken-- now!

The city, needs the state  on its side to solve the fiscal crisis that
has amassed for decades.

The choices range from serious injury - to death:
* Consent Agreement
* Emergency Manager
* Bankruptcy

Gov. Snyder is taking the heat for over a half decade of a whole bunch
of politicians, Republicans and Democrats, sitting in Lansing and
Detroit, that have kicked the Detroit problems down the road.

Today, we have reached the point that there is no more can or road.

If you have a hole in your roof, pretending to fix it- does not keep
the rain out. It is time to stop the pretending and spending and fix
both the short-term and long term structural fiscal holes in Detroit
government.

No Fairy Tale

The changes needed are painful because they have been neglected for
too long. Once upon a time, a band-aid or aspirin may have sufficed.
Today, major surgery and amputation is require to save the city. This
is the reality that needs to be faced.

Pointing fingers will not get the job done.

Be clear, the only human that likes change-- is an infant. The changes
required are difficult and will hurt.

When you deny and neglect problems as long as City and State leaders
have, the pain is only magnified.

Governor Snyder repeatedly has said he is open to compromise on the
Consent Agreement, as long as it truly addresses the fiscal and
management problems and holds everyone accountable.

Niccolo Machiavelli, centuries ago in his famous book, “The Prince,”
offered  his analysis to the political theater we are witnessing
today, as Governor Snyder attempts to address long standing and
neglected problems in Detroit, when he said:

"It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry
out, nor more doubtful of success, or more dangerous to handle, than
to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all
those who profit by the old order and only lukewarm defenders in all
those who would profit by the new order."

We need a "new order." Stop the games, fix the problem.

Tom Watkins a regular contributor to these pages was a Charter
Commissioner serving Detroit on the Wayne County Charter Commission in
the 80's, and is the 2011 Detroit Chamber's Leadership Detroit
recipient. He is a US/China consultant and can be reached at:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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