Hispanic Caucus Threatens to Vote Against Health Care Bill

We are in the final countdown to an up-or-down vote on healthcare reform in the House of Representatives. Lawmakers are beginning to realize that now is the time to make their voices heard on the issue.

The Hispanic Caucus is meeting with the White House today to discuss their concerns about certain immigration-related provisions in the health care bill. They threaten to vote against the bill if the Senate language that bars undocumented immigrants from buying insurance from the proposed exchanges with their own money isn't removed.

President Obama is pushing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "to go further than Obama has previously disclosed" to strip the special deals for individual senators from the final health care reform bill. These include Sen. Ben Nelson's (D-NE) 'Cornhusker Kickback' and a handful of other deals.

It is never good when your secret backroom deals go public and get a name, like 'Cornhusker Kickback', attached to 'em! I bet Sen. Nelson wishes he had just supported the bill in the first place ... without using his blackmail techniques to get special treatment.

This Week in Blackness: On the Word, 'Negro'

Elon James White continues the new year with the 2nd episode of 'This Week in Blackness'. This episode focuses on the the word NEGRO. First Harry Reid dropped the word in closed door conversations and then it appears on the 2010 census form. Is the word NEGRO back to its full glory?

Gunfighter had a strong take on his blog ... and Elon James White brings an equally strong take to the story in the following video.





The best line is the last one --- "Michael Steele makes my commonsense hurt!"

What did you enjoy most about this TWIB episode?

Barack Obama Accepts Harry Reid Apology for Racist Remarks

I'm never surprised when old white men display racist tendencies. As such, it didn't surprise me that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized for a racist statement that he made during the 2008 presidential election. [SOURCE]

He offered an apology following reports he privately described then presidential candidate Barack Obama as a Black candidate who could be successful, thanks in part to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one."

The comments were reported by journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann in their new book "Game Change."

“He (Reid) was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a Black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama - a ‘light-skinned’ African American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,’ as he said privately. Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination," they write.

Harry Reid made his stupid comments in 2008 campaign season. He apologized yesterday,

“I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans for my improper comments. I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama’s legislative agenda.”

I feel sorry for Sen. Reid. His comments were made over a year ago ... and he is taking heat for it now ... just as he is entering into a tough re-election campaign in Nevada.

In a statement released by the White House, the president accepted Reid's apology:

"Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today. I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."

I 'spose that Reid may lose his Senate seat. What say u?

Why Do We Keep Doubting Barack Obama?

I wonder when folks will stop doubting President Obama? His vision is more long-range than the rest of us. He doesn't float with the wind on important decisions.

He demonstrated his long-range vision when he ran for office in the United States Senate. We learned that he doesn't sweat the small stuff when he beat Hilary Clinton and others in the Democratic primary. Others focused on the rhetoric from his opponents while Obama focused on getting any delegates to be nominated as his party's candidate for president. We were concerned when Obama didn't lash out against McCain, Palin and Joe the Plumber during the general election. Obama didn't sweat the small stuff ... instead he ran a campaign that resulted in a landslide victory a year ago.

Many Obama supporters clamored for him to take a more visible role in the health insurance reform debate in the past weeks and months. Obama set the direction of the debate ... then quietly and confidently worked with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others to get a historic bill passed last night. Heck, we even saw our Republican buddy from New Orleans voting in favor of the bill.

I imagine that many villagers are going to begin to worry about whether or not Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be able to get the 60 votes he needs to bring a health insurance reform to the floor for a vote. I'm putting my confidence in the President and his team. How about you?

No Public Option; No Re-Election; No Kidding

I'm self-employed. I don't have health insurance. I haven't had health insurance since I started my company back in 2002. It is important to me that the Democratic Party take advantage of their recent election success by passing health insurance reform ... that includes a robust public option. I am hopeful that Harry Reid (D-NV) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) are tough enough to get this done.



Do you think that a robust public option will be in the final bill that goes to President Obama for his signature later this year?

Burris Appointment Proves America Ain't Post-Racial Yet

I never heard of Roland Burris before last week. Truth to tell, I didn't know how to spell Blagojevich until last month. Both of them worked hand-in-glove with Sen. Harry Reid to shove the concept of a post-racial America into the background.

Many villagers have told me that this entire issue had nothing to do with racial politics. I beg to differ. Just review the facts. Sen. Harry Reid was one of 50 Democratic senators who signed this letter in mid-December:

Dear Governor Blagojevich:

We write to insist that you step down as Governor of Illinois and under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat. In light of your arrest yesterday on alleged federal corruption charges related to that Senate seat, any appointment by you would raise serious questions.

It is within the authority of the Illinois legislature to remove your power to make this appointment by providing for a special election. But a decision by you to resign or to step aside under Article V of the Illinois Constitution would be the most expeditious way for a new Senator to be chosen and seated in a manner that would earn the confidence of the people of Illinois and all Americans. We consider it imperative that a new senator be seated as soon as possible so that Illinois is fully represented in the Senate as the important work of the 111th Congress moves forward.

Please understand that should you decide to ignore the request of the Senate Democratic Caucus and make an appointment we would be forced to exercise our Constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, to determine whether such a person should be seated.

We do not prejudge the outcome of the criminal charges against you or question your constitutional right to contest those charges. But for the good of the Senate and our nation, we implore you refrain from making an appointment to the Senate.

Fast forward three weeks ... Roland Burris arrives on the steps on the Senate. They send some flunkies to turn him away. Burris goes outside in the rain and pleads his case to the cameras. Burris never uses the race card. He simply states the truth. He is the duly-appointed junior senator from Illinois and he's sure that things will work out in the end.

Harry Reid and his crew hate the visuals. All-white Senate has a party inside the Capitol Building ... swearing ins .... voting on majority leader ... family gatherings ... photos ... smiles ... laughter. While outside, standing in the rain, is a 70-year old Black man who was denied entry.

The next day Sen. Reid trips all over himself talking about how race wasn't an issue. After all, Mr. Burris is a "nice man" with "two degrees". All that was missing was a mention of how 'clean' and 'articulate' Burris was when he came into the office.

If Roland Burris was a WHITE man ... this would be a non-issue. The US Senate would not seat him. They would abide by their December 10th letter. But, Roland Burris is a BLACK man. Sen. Harry Reid and his 49 white comrades don't like the idea of being the ones blocking the door for his legal entry into history.

Race still plays a powerful role in American life and politics. Villagers ... we are not in a post-racial world yet! That's my view. What say u?