The New People Online

Recently, I had lunch with a very powerful Republican elected official who is a good friend of mine.  We have extremely candid conversations, especially about race (he is white).  Out of nowhere he asked me what was the reason Blacks have a historical affinity for Cadillac automobiles (named after the French explorer who founded Detroit in 1701).

I responded by saying the same reason Blacks had a historical affinity for the Republican Party.  He looked very confused and said, “what does that have to do with my question?” I then said to him, “let me teach you a little history.”

I originally had absolutely no intention of writing about the recent flap surrounding TV personality Roland Martin, but because of the unfair treatment he has received; and his seeming inability to defend himself, I feel compelled to speak out.

Martin is a syndicated newspaper columnist, a political analyst for CNN, and host of his own TV show on TV One.  During last Sunday’s Super Bowl, he tweeted:  “Ain’t no real bruhs going to H&M to buy some damn David Beckham underwear!

Kenneth Wayne Ford, Jr.  was recently was released from federal prison on 8/4/2011 after serving 62 months and 20 days of a 72 month sentence.  He was ordered to and have already paid, in 2006, a $200.00 court assessment.  He has started serving 3 years of probation.  While in prison, his parents were his eyes, ears and legs in the outside world.  He is now 40 years old. 

US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote on a bipartisan deal to extend a payroll tax cut. House Republicans had refused to vote on the bill, passed by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate last Saturday. Its passage would end a bitter standoff between President Barack Obama and Republicans.

U.S. Representative Hank Johnson, colleagues disturbed by reports of high-level corruption in partner country

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Nineteen members of the U.S. Congress today wrote U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging that the United States insist on a full investigation of credible reports that senior Sierra Leonean officials offered permission to conduct illegal and destructive logging operations in exchange for bribes.

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. — Vice President Joe Biden said the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93 gave their lives for their country when they overcame four hijackers to crash the plane into a Pennsylvania field. He says that while nothing can fill the void left in the hearts of their family members and friends, their actions will always be recalled gratefully, for defining their country and sacrificing their lives so that others could live.

Calling it an "urgent time for our country," President Barack Obama asked Congress on Thursday night to "stop the political circus" and approve a nearly half-trillion-dollar plan to help the economy by cutting payroll taxes, raising taxes on the wealthy and rewarding companies that hire new workers.

"We continue to face an economic crisis that has left millions of our neighbors jobless and a political crisis that has made things worse," Obama said in an address to a joint session of Congress. 

 Hurricane Irene regained Category 2 strength with 100 mph winds as it headed toward the East Coast early on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said additional strengthening was expected and Irene could become a major hurricane in the next day or so. The hurricane was centered about 400 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas and was moving west-northwest near 9 mph.

KABUL, Afghanistan— Insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan, killing 30 Americans, most of them belonging to the same elite Navy SEALs unit that killed Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said. It was the deadliest single loss for American forces in the decade-old war.

Republican and Democratic leaders have agreed on a plan to raise the debt ceiling, President Obama announced Sunday night. The announcement arrives after months of intense closed-door negotiations, and just two days before the deadline set by the Treasury Department.