The Weekly Dream: Check Your Sources

“And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.”-2 Samuel 16:23

“Where there is no good advice, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety”-Proverbs 11:14

Growing up, the old folks used to say “opinions are like butt holes, everybody has one.” In the corporate world, they say that free advice is sometimes the most costly. Or to paraphrase, free advice is free because it is not worth very much. Now I would not go that far. Some advice is invaluable. However, I am constantly surprised at how often people take advice without checking their sources. And then these same people wonder why they keep running in place.

Fox News sets debates with Congressional Black Caucus Institute???

In a follow up to Garlin’s post on this issue, Fox News has announced that it cut a deal with the Congressional Black Caucus Institute to sponsor not one, but two debates. According to Fox, “the first of the two debates will be among Democratic candidates and will be held on September 23rd at the Fox Theater in Detroit. The second debate will be among Republican candidates and will take place in the fall of 2007 at a location to be determined.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson endorses Senator Obama

So Rev. Jesse Jackson has endorsed Senator Obama for President. Given the close friendship between Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and the Senator along with hometown loyalty, it is smart politics for Rev. Jesse to endorse Senator Obama. It might take a bit longer for Sharpton to come around and that is fine. And while Rev. Jackson has lost some of his former luster, he is a symbol of Black American leadership and in politics, symbolism matters.

Hearing from God: Part I

 

So today, while I was reading the Bible (I am on a mission to read it from Genesis to Revelation) I was reading the account of God using Moses and Aaron to convince the Egyptian Pharaoh to release their Israelites from captivity. Even though this story is familiar, it struck a new chord today that I want to share with you. The entire count of I am referencing is found in Exodus 1 through Exodus 13.

The National Priorities Project

This morning on the radio I heard about a group called the National Priorities Project. This group gives people an easy way to visualize how the government spends money. This is an important thing to know.

Education Reform: Kill the rhetoric

This week, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced plans to establish more charter and private schools in the city. This is a turning point for Detroit and no matter where you live, the vitality of the inner-cities across America will hinge upon how we address the lack of quality education.

Black Women and Presidential Politics

 

“Men might be the head of the household, but women are the neck that determines what the head does.” I am really butchering that quote but I think you get the gist; women truly run the world. 

Should States Apologize for Slavery?

TIME Magazine asks this question. What do you think?

{democracy:2}

Understanding Shia and Sunni Muslims

With the swirling debate concerning Iraq, there is often mention of the Shia and Sunni Muslims. Of course, it is easy for the media to portray these groups are monolothic groups but it is much more nuanced than that. I received an email from IslamiCity that gives a brief history of Shia and Sunni Muslims and how they have alot more in common than most are led to believe. Hopefully, this will help nuance our understanding of what is happening in the region.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

Dreaming of Detroit

 

What’s good fam, I have the honor of writing my first post on the new site. I want to send a special thanks and appreciation to Garlin for doing all the behind the scenes work to make the new site possible. Please send us feedback and let us know what you think. Great work Garlin! So, in the spirit of the new site, I am inspired to share one of my dreams. As you know, I am a native Detroiter and one thing that has always fascinated me is the mass transit systems in cities like Chicago, D.C., and New York.

The Weekly Dream: Unselfish Selfishness

“How can two walk together unless they be agreed?”

On my open thread two weeks back, Garlin asked me to write about what to do when what is best for you is not necessarily what is best for the relationship. Now, this is a very interesting and sensitive subject that can be approached from different angles.

The Movement for Our Times

I saw this cartoon in a Christian Science Monitor article and I wanted to know what issue you think our generation should tackle. Have we seen an issue (or set of issues) whose reach is long enough to be a call for our generation? I would hate to have been one of those people who just sat around during the Civil Rights Movement because I was too selfish or otherwise not engaged. But is it possible we are doing that right now?

To be sure, we should take stock to make sure that history will not look back on us and have our silence be recorded in the face of mass injustice. What is your vision and barriers do you think exist to communicating this vision?

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Vision
Movement

Obama: Logic and Excitement

And we loved him cause, in him we, saw some of us
He walked like ussss, talked like ussss – Jay Z

From the song, Meet the Parents

I think the excerpt above epitomizes the appeal of one, Senator and Presidential candidate, Barack Obama. It simultaneously, explains the vigor by which individuals will defend and support Senator Obama whenever he is attacked by mainstream media or leading political figures. So are people too sensitive when it comes to Obama that they can’t at the same time hold him accountable?

In some of my conversations with other Black folk, I have often heard that we must take care to be just as objective in our analysis of Obama as we are towards other candidates. And I agree with this logic up to a point. I think that it is unwise to bottle the excitement that the Obama campaign is generating. The only way that the Democrats will take the White House is if new voters are mobilized, young people, and so-called independents and right of center Republicans switch sides. But even if Obama does not win the nomination, who else do you think is capable of mobilizing these crucial groups?

Having said that, I know it seems like many people have drank the Obama Kool-Aid without knowing the flavor as it were. But that is OK. And here’s why. If we, (as activists who try to achieve positive change with as many people as possible) are really honest, we don’ think there are enough “conscious” folks who are willing to do the grassroots work that will inspire real change. In my opinion, we should think about Obama’s campaign as a way to pull people into the movement that would otherwise not be engaged.

So my fear is that in our quest to make sure that we hold Obama accountable, we miss out on tapping the groundswell of excitement that can be used for things that have nothing to do with politics. In so many ways, Presidential elections have very little to do with the actual candidate. While I agree that we should Obama accountable, we should first ask if we are holding each other accountable. When that happens, we can achieve greatness regardless of who holds the White House.

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Senator Obama

Iran seizes British Navy soldiers

Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says. The men were seized when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was smuggling cars.

Fortunately, The Royal Navy said the men, who were on a routine patrol in Iraqi waters, were understood to be unharmed.

In the continuing stand off between the West and the Iranian nuclear program, it will be situations like the one just described that will be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.

I predict that the Iran government will return the soldiers home unharmed in part to show the world that they are much more humane and reasonable than their Western counterparts would have you believe.

And God forbid these soldiers were American, there would be major saber-rattling on the part of the Bush Administration. Moreover, America’s lack of diplomatic relations would not allow Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice to do what British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett did by being able to summon the Iranian ambassador in London to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in an attempt to negotiate the men’s release.

Chances are, it was just an honest misunderstanding but when negotiating is cut off, you simultaneously cut off options for reasonable compromises.

God, I pray for peace in this world.

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Iran
International Affairs

Flashback: The SuperSpade in March of 2006

For people who may have just recently joined our site, we present an opportunity to get a taste of things we’ve talked about in the past. We’re going to start doing this once per month.

Here are some categorized highlights of The SuperSpade circa March 2006:

The State of Black Men
A Poverty of the Mind (1 comment)
Is the Black Man in America Doomed? (5 comments)

The Weekly Dream
Carpe Diem – The Purpose Driven Now
Life’s Lessons (6 comments)
The Hunger for More (4 comments)
General Indifference (5 comments)

Family-related
Is your family more important than God? (10 comments)
The Black Family Movement Part II (1 comment)
The Right to be a Deadbeat (4 comments)

Relationships
Are you late or late late? (6 comments)
Indifference, Insecurity, and Assumption Transference (4 comments)
A good Black man? (12 comments)

Politics
Why we went to war, Bush responds (2 comments)
Bush’s State of Iraq unveiled (2 comments)
In defense of Dubai (and Bush) (1 comment)
Bush warned of levees breaching in New Orleans (1 comment)
Supporting and listening to the troops

One Love. One II.

Categories
SuperSpade
Flashback

Why Didn’t I Learn About Vietnam?

Did you learn about the Vietnam war in history class in middle or high school? Did you learn about the Watergate Scandal? Maybe if we did, our generation would care more about the goings on in today’s government and better understand the importance of participation.

There have been many comparisons drawn between the situation in Iraq and the situation in Vietnam a generation ago. These comparisons speak to the similarities in the shady nature in which the conflicts were handled by the US government, the way that those that did not blindly support the war were ridiculed and negatively typecasted as weak pacifists, how so many principled politicians sat by idly as thousands of soldiers were killed in another country’s civil war, and the idea of the domino theory that once “applied” to communism now “applies” to terrorism.

One thing that characterized the US during the Vietnam War was the effectiveness of protests. There have been protests to the conflict in Iraq since before it began, and the momentum that they are building is reminiscent of those that took place in the 1960s and 70s against Vietnam. These public citizen actions were a catalyst for the Congressional action that ultimately ended the war. Prayerfully, the same will be said about Iraq protests in the very near future.

So why don’t curriculum designers teach students about their country’s activist past? Why don’t standardized tests include reading comprehension sections comprised of pieces describing Vietnam, a war that was taking place only 3 decades ago? It’s hard to believe that this is not on purpose.

What’s the solution?

Contemporary study should cover contemporary events. If you are a parent, why not lobby your school board/district to have unit(s) on Vietnam added? At least ask the question. If it can be done over the useless Intelligent Design debate, it surely can be done over a subject in which a student’s knowledge can allow them to immediately take action in the world today. If you are a student, write a compare-contrast paper on America during Vietnam and America during today’s Iraq conflict. Doing so will educate yourself, your peers, and your instructors. If you are just a concerned citizen, read up on Vietnam.

It’s important to answer questions, especially ones that are never asked.

One Love. One II.

Categories
Education
History
Politics
Foreign Policy
Iraq
So-called “War on Terror”

What Congress is Doing

Here are a couple examples of alarming things that were happening during the Bush Administration that we did not know or would never have found out about until we had Congressional Oversight:

FBI Abuses of Spying – This should send chilling reminders of COINTELPRO
Attorney General firing judges who pursued corruption investigations against Republicans

Here are a few things that could possibly have been prevented if there had been Congressional Oversight before this year:

Patriot Act
Warrantless wiretapping
Secret monitoring of Bank Accounts

The Democrats are now the Majority Party in the Senate and the House of Representatives, due to the result of the elections this past November. Now that they have been in for a couple of months (they were elected in November 2006 but not officially sworn in until 4 Jan 2007), you are beginning to see some differences in how things are working.

The act of exposing and acting as a check and balance within the government is called oversight (when done by Congress, it is Congressional Oversight). That is something we haven’t seen since 2000. What this means is that there is now one branch that can look over the shoulder of the other two. There is someone there to hit the brakes on crazy or dangerous governmental intentions. There is a way now for people to be able to see what is happening in our government and not be stonewalled in the name of national security or not needing to know.

A concept key to how our government works is called Checks and Balances. This basically means that each branch of government (in the U.S., the branches are: Executive (President), Legislative (Senate & House), Judicial (Supreme Court)) has a way to keep the other branches in check and keep power evenly balanced between the branches. If all three branches of government are operating checking and balancing one another, no one branch should dominate the other two. When this is not case, it can lead to terrible things.

Since 2000 when G. W. Bush took office, we have been experiencing governance without checks and balances. The Republican-led Congress laid down for whatever the Republican President said or demanded. The conservative-leaning Supreme Court, which installed Bush, also sat by idly. That changed with the 2006 election, and now we have a situation where there is a Republican President and a conservative Supreme Court, but there is a Democratic House and Senate, meaning that we are no longer effectively a one-party system.

This is important to understand because understanding how and why things happen the way they do is key to understanding how to make things happen in ways that we want. I believe that we are only scratching the surface when it comes to all of the shady stuff we may find out about that has been going on over the past 6 years. I am also afraid that it will take longer for the Democrats to undo what it only took the Republicans 6 years to do. Thank God they have started down this long road.

So the next time that you or someone asks, “What’s this Congress doing?” You can say, “Their Job.”

One Love. One II.

Categories
Politics
Democrats
Republicans
Congress

Sharpton and Obama Make Up

Apparently they talked this weekend, and they are supposed to be all good now. This was inevitable, as I pointed out on Air America on Friday. The question is, is this for real?

Also, Sharpton said he is not jealous of Obama. I doubt it, but if he says so, so be it.

One Love. One II.

Categories
Politics
Black Issues
Barack Obama

The SuperSpade’s Air America Radio Interview with The Young Turks

Thank you everyone that listened live to my interview (11 min 12 sec, 10.2 MB, mp3 file) this morning.

I had the opportunity to share my thoughts on the Obama-Sharpton squabble, Obama’s dealings with “traditional” Black political leadership, and briefly the Congressional Black Caucus Institute considering partnering with Fox News to air their upcoming Presidential debates.

For those that missed it, you can listen the interview here. A big Thank You from The SuperSpade to Ben & Cenk of The Young Turks and and Air America Radio.

One Love. One II.

Categories
Speech
Politics
Barack Obama
Voting
Black Issues

Chinks In The Armor

Question of the Week: What are you insecure about?

Every birthday, I take some time to myself to reflect on the past year. I think about what I have learned and what I need to learn in order to make the best use of my time on earth. This year, it was kind of difficult to gain clarity in my thoughts because it seemed like I was fighting one battle after another, adjusting from one change to the next.

Indeed, this year is one of tremendous change and change tends to cause anxiety. And anxiety allows your insecurities to come to the surface. Pretty soon, you are paralyzed and ineffective. Once I realized this, I understood my task: to examine and conquer the areas I am insecure about.

Channeling Your Swag

Last week, the movie 300 came out. It is a dramatization of the Battle of Thermoplyae between the Persians and the Spartans. The Spartans were fantastically outnumbered, outclassed, and ill-equipped, but they confidently strode into battle and fought to the last man. What struck me was the resoluteness and pride the Spartans accepted their fate. They did not worry about losing their lives or how they were inferior to the Persians, they just decided to leave it out on the battlefield. And that is what life demands of us.

We all have insecurities. However, no one is born with them, insecurity is learned behavior. Insecurity occurs when there is a lack of confidence around an area in our lives or personality. Perhaps you were teased as a child or it was something you were born with. The reason for this lack of confidence can stem from any number of reasons.

Most commonly, we are insecure when we enter situations we have no control over. And like roaches, where there one insecurity, there are a number that will follow. And what results is an infuriating powerlessness.

Excess Baggage

Have you ever sat back and evaluated all the things you are insecure about? I suggest you think about everything you are not confident about or at peace with and put it on paper. You would be surprised at the sheer number of things have you wound up. And it is okay. The challenge is examining those things that are holding you back and waging war against them because it hurts your focus.

If there is one thing I have learned, it is this: The hardest part of maturing is learning to accept and love yourself, with all your perfect imperfections. It is a never ending battle. But we must constantly perform that gut check and dare to embrace ourselves-even when we think the world won’t.

I would be lying to you if I said my swagger is always on “ten”, but I thank God I have learned to press on in spite of how I feel. And you know what? I have found that everything works out in the end.

Therefore, be encouraged. You may feel ill-equipped for the battles of life, but the fact that you are still willing to fight is what true bravery is.

Truth and Peace,
Steven M DeVougas

Categories:
The Weekly Dream

The SuperSpade with The Young Turks on Air America Radio

I will be a guest on The Young Turks on Air America Radio on Friday, 16 Mar 2007, at 7 AM Eastern. Here are the ways you can listen:

• Satellite Radio: XM Channel 167
• Your Local Air America Radio Affiliate
• Live streaming at Air America’s website
• The Young Turks Website

This will be a conversation concerning Al Sharpton questioning Barack Obama, as well as Fox New’s attacks on Black people.

As always, I will try and get audio from the interview up here on the site as soon as I can. Listen and Enjoy!

One Love. One II.

Categories
Speeches
Interview

Fox News Talking Heads Attack Black People

Many are calling for the Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) to not partner with Fox News Channel when hosting it’s own set of Presidential debates (See my comment on the story).

Video of Fox News’ Attacks on Black people in general and Barack Obama specifically.

If you watch the above video, you will find it hard not to get sick of the hateful words used towards Black people numerous times on this network. My question is, why the CBCI thought this was a good idea in the first place? I am assuming the people who made the decision actually have watched television before.

Maybe the CBCI was desparate for viewers? I don’t think that any of the cable news networks (MSNBC, CNN, etc.) would turn down airtime with Presidential candidates, so that can’t be the excuse.

Maybe the CBCI felt that partnering with Fox News gives them the opportunity to address some of these statements that have been made on the air? This can be done without partnering with them so that can’t be the excuse either.

What’s really messed up about things like this video is that non-white, non-male political hopefuls have to deal with ignorance like this all day every day for the entirety of their public political lives. A white male candidate normally has to only deal with people challenging his political views and ideology, while occasionally dealing with questions concerning is spirituality or sexual orientation. Compared to questions about your gender, race, intelligence, etc., these questions are easy.

Lastly, some commenters on the story at the top think that not partnering with Fox News is equivalent to censoring? That is beyond ridiculous. Censoring would be saying that Fox News could not spew hatred. Refusing to partner, which is what is being requested here, is saying “you can say what you want, we just won’t work with you.”

If you agree, you can sign an online petition to CBCI that has been produced by Color of Change.

One Love. One II.

Categories
Politics
Black Issues

Congress can do more to stop US involvment in Iraq

Congress can do more to stop US involvement in Iraq than people think.

To give background without getting into a lot of details, our government is set up in a way that each branch has a way to guard itself from being overpowered by the other two branches. The Congress does this in many cases by what is called the “Power of the Purse,” or the ability to control how the government spends money.

With regard to Iraq, [the Democratic] Congress has a lots of options when it comes to finding a way to end the current occupation. The one that is talked about the most is using its “Power of the Purse” to not allow the money to be spent on sending more troops to Iraq. This has been falsely criticized as “not supporting the troops” by spin doctors, but the reasons why that view is misguided are will not be addressed in this article.

If Congress looks beyond the “Power of the Purse,” it is likely to find alternative strategies that are not only possible, but safer politically and less vulnerable to being deemed unpatriotic.

One option is to keep the spending the same while limiting:

1. The scope of the mission
   Example: Congress can say that it’s alright to train Iraqi troops but not alright to take non-defensive action
2. The number of troops sent
   Example: Congress can cap the size of the troop escalation, setting it ideally to ZERO.
3. The specific places troops are sent
   Example: Congress can direct where troops can/cannot go (yes to Afghanistan, no to Iraq, no to Iran).

I don’t see how this could be framed as an unpatriotic. I have no military experience, but being specific and deliberate about where soldiers go and what they do sounds like supporting them to me. From the NY Times article:

…The Supreme Court has long recognized Congress’s authority to set limits on the president’s military power, as in 1799 when it accepted Congress’s power to authorize the seizure of ships going to, but not coming from, French ports…[Former Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court] Mr. Rehnquist cited numerous historical examples including a 1940 law prohibiting the deployment of drafted soldiers outside the Western Hemisphere. More recently, under President Clinton, we in the office of legal counsel repeatedly recognized the authority of Congress to limit the scope, nature and duration of military engagements.

What this tells me that all of this is precedented and has been done before successfully. Why can’t it be done again now? This is the type of plan that I would like to see proposed and passed through legislature at the same time that measures to withdraw troops as soon as possible are being debated.

One Love. One II.

Categories
Politics
Iraq
Iran
So-called “War on Terror”

Loneliness Black Men and Friendships Part VI

The Difference between your boys and your friends. We have too many boys.

After a hiatus, the Black male friendship series is back! For those that are new to the friendship series, it is my take on the current state of Black male friendships and how I think they should be improved. Today we are going to delve into the difference between your friends and your boys.

I can’t tell you how many times I have been in situations where I learned that a friend of mine knew a guy that I knew and I would follow up by saying, “Oh that’s my boy.” It doesn’t matter if I only played basketball with him a couple times or he is my ace boon coon.

One of the major premises I have for creating this series is that Black men have too many boys and not enough friends. As a result, we end up fooling ourselves by calling dudes our boys when most of the time they are just associates.

So here is where I need your help fellas.

1) What is it about some of our boys that we don’t make them friends?
2) Do you feel you have too many boys? If so, have you ever cut them out of your life because they were not adding value to your life?
3) What is the main difference between your boys and your friends?
4) For your close friends, what is the process by which you went from associates to friends?

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Black Men
Friendships

Black on Black Politics: Sharpton and Obama

Al Sharpton has issues with Barack Obama. I don’t think that this will be the last time Sharpton takes a shot at Obama.

I like Al Sharpton, and I agree with him on many issues. While I think that Sharpton is being a bit extreme and is jealous of the attention that Obama is receiving, I do think he has a point. He raises an interesting question with regards to Black people and how we think about politics, especially when Black people are on the ballot with non-Black people:

Why shouldn’t the black community ask questions?

A lot of times when a candidate that is Black is a candidate, I find myself often wanting to give that person the benefit of the doubt on a lot of issues. I don’t think that I’m alone.

The question is why?
Do I want to see a Black Mayor/Council Person/President that badly?
Do I think that having a Black person “in power” will benefit me directly?
Am I making the assumption that because they are Black that I will always agree with them?

I think that it is not only irresponsible for me to vote for the Black candidate solely because they are Black, but I also think that it is disrespectful to the candidate. I see it as basically saying to that person, “I will let you use being Black as an excuse for me to not give your positions any sort of thought.”

Wouldn’t we be mad if someone outright said that? Sadly, if you don’t give thought to all of the reasons you vote for a person, that is exactly what you’re saying. If we don’t respect our people’s positions enough to give thought to them, who will?

One Love. One II.

Categories
Politics
Voting
Black Issues
Barack Obama

I almost cried…

I am reading a book entitled, In Search of the Proverbs 31 Man: The One God Approves and a Woman Wants, by Michelle McKinney Hammond. For those that are unaware, Proverbs 31 is a famous passage in the Bible that elegantly lays out the qualities of an ideal wife. When women ask me what type of woman I am looking for, I often say the woman of Proverbs 31.

Nevertheless, what Michelle does in her book is ask, “What kind of man can truly appreciate a Proverbs 31 woman and what qualities should he have?” I have wondered this for years and I am so grateful that this book was written.

I write this post today because I almost cried when I came across this passage in the book. Michelle states, (emphasis mine)

“One of the most beautiful things I ever heard a wife say about her husband was: It feels like God is loving me through my husband. He is so sensitive to my needs. It’s almost as if he anticipates them and meets them before I even say a word.” Only a man who prays and hears from God can do such a thing for his wife” (p 17)

If you were not moved by that quote, I suggest you keep reading it until you do. And for me, and I think many other men, we want to be good husbands and fathers, which is fine. But for you to be in a place where your wife feels like God is loving her through you is I can only imagine like living a miracle everyday of your marriage. The spiritual clarity it would require to be at that place requires daily discipline and I have purposed in my heart to lead a life where my wife will that her husband is a true Man of God.

For anyone that is married and reading this post, man or woman, purpose in your heart to take the necessary steps to situate your marriage where you can clearly see the power of God manifesting itself in the life of your partner.

And if you are single, use this principle to find a partner that will sustain you with an agape love. Being single should be a time to hone your relationship with God so that once you do get married, you will be able to provide spiritual fortitude that will do nothing but make your marriage purposeful, enjoyable and fulfilling.

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Spirituality
Marriage
Relationships

Education reform: Social Security meets Higher Ed

I recently returned from a working trip in DC and on the way back, I had a very intriguing conversation with an accountant who I will call Joe. The bulk of our conversation was me trying to explain to Joe the serious need and benefits of making college more affordable and accessible. While making college more affordable is good, Joe played a very good devil’s advocate by making me point out that in the end, I really think higher education should be free. He agreed with me but the problem came up with having to pay for it. Joe had an idea that I think should be fleshed out.

Simply put, Joe’s idea involves reforming social security and using the savings to fully fund higher education. But we should first put this issue in context. Social Security was created in 1935 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The bulk of what we usually think of as social security does in fact go to provide retirement benefits to elderly people who are in retirement, but there are earmarks for the widowed, disabled, and unemployed.

Throughout a worker’s career, the Social Security Administration keeps track of his or her earnings. The amount of the monthly benefit to which the worker is entitled depends upon that earnings record and upon the age at which the retiree chooses to begin receiving benefits. For the entire history of Social Security, benefits have been paid almost entirely by using revenue from payroll taxes. It is essentially a pay-as-you-go system.

Unfortunately, by about 2018, years or so, payroll taxes will not be enough to cover the Social Security benefits and the system will begin to withdraw money from the Social Security Trust Fund. The Trust Fund is estimated to be depleted by 2042 or 2052.

It should be noted that Social Security, along with Medicare and Medicaid, are entitlement programs, which means they are generally free from political interference. Potential beneficiaries of entitlement programs have a legal right, (whenever they meet eligibility conditions) that are specified by the standing law that authorizes the program. And because it is difficult to know in advance who will meet entitlement requirements from year to year, it makes it that more difficult for the government to plan for the total costs of the program when appropriations bills are marked up.

And with baby boomers coming into retirement age, there is considerable strain being put on the Social Security System. This is because now there are 3.3 workers per beneficiary and as baby boomers draw down these benefits, there will be fewer workers to support them. This, combined with the fact that the Social Security Trust Fund will have to be tapped in the near future is causing many, including President Bush, to make calls for social security reform.

This brings me back to my conversation with Joe. He told me that the death of social security will come when a means test is implemented. Right now, if you pay into social security, you get benefits regardless of your income or assets. A means test (there are various ways this could be implemented) would essentially set a threshold, probably sliding, by which the more money a person made, they would either be ineligible to receive benefits or otherwise be able to collect decreasing amounts of benefits. Conversely, the less money a retiree made the more benefits they would be able to collect. If enacted, this could conceivably preserve the financial integrity of the program while making sure that those who need it the most actually receive the benefits. On face value, it sounds good to me. If you are sitting on 4 million from your income and assets, your social security income isn’t exactly going to make or break you.

But here is the problem, according to Joe and a report by the American Academy of Actuaries, means testing would compromise two important principles that have sustained the political support for social security, universality and earned right. Universality means that regardless of how much money you make, social security will be there for you. Therefore, any perceived threat to social security would affect all current and future beneficiaries. The earned right principle would be jeopardized because if more wealthy workers are paying into a system that they won’t be able to collect on (or collect a disproportionately smaller share) their contributions, it essentially becomes a tax, and we all know taxes are every politician’s death kiss.

But if we could find a means test that was politically feasible, Joe said that we could use these savings to fully fund higher education. Now I don’t know how much it would cost to fully fund higher education but I do know that Social Security alone cost taxpayers in FY 2006, $544 billion. And I am sure that our ability to fund higher education is a whole lot less than half a trillion dollars. Joe mentioned that these savings could be transferred to the public in the form of a tax credit. I am not sure how this would work, or what method would be best, but the principle I think is sound. If people with higher education end up making more money over the course of their lifetimes, they will probably be able to make good use of their money such that they won’t need to rely on social security by the time they are ready to retire. Sounds like a win win to me.

What do you think?

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Education Reform
Social Security
Retirement
Higher Education

The Weekly Dream: You Tell Me…Power to the People

I know normally I come every week with a topic of some sort, but this week, I thought I might switch things up. I am giving the Weekly Dream to the people. This week is a blank space to share what is on your mind. You can tell stories, rant, give suggestions as to what you want to see written about or simply leave some words of encouragement for others this week.

Now please, do not be shy. We are not expecting Shakespeare. But we at the Superspade want you to know that we are listening. So hopefully, you will open up to us and let us in .

Truth and Peace,
Steven M DeVougas

Education reform: Revisiting Intelligence

So today, I came across an article in NPR today that talked about a study featured in the journal, Child Development, showing that “if you teach students that their intelligence can grow and increase, they do better in school.” And while this may not seem groundbreaking to you, I suggest you click on Read More.

The article is put in context by research psychologist Carol Dweck from Stanford University, who said that “all children develop a belief about their own intelligence.”

Dweck then used the following paradigm to understand these beliefs; fixed and growth mindsets of intelligence. As you can imagine, the fixed mindset cause students to think of their intelligence that is set in stone while students who follow the growth mindset think of their intelligence as something that can grow and evolve over time.

Dweck wanted to find out if there was a correlation between a student’s academic beliefs and their grades.

So, first, she looked at several hundred students going into seventh grade, and assessed which students believed their intelligence was unchangeable, and which children believed their intelligence could grow. Then she looked at their math grades over the next two years.

“We saw among those with the growth mindset steadily increasing math grades over the two years,” she says. But that wasn’t the case for those with the so-called “fixed mindset.” They showed a decrease in their math grades.

I didn’t exactly fall out of my chair when I read that but I do think it is worth noting that many parents are not aware of of their child’s intelligence belief. Forget kids, what about you? What factors do you think were most influential in framing your intelligence belief? And if your mindset has changed over time, has it changed from the growth mindset to the fixed mindset or vice versa? Why?

The aforementioned results, caused Dweck and her colleague Lisa Blackwell to see if there was a correlation between a student’s belief about their intelligence and their grades.

So, first, she looked at several hundred students going into seventh grade, and assessed which students believed their intelligence was unchangeable, and which children believed their intelligence could grow. Then she looked at their math grades over the next two years.

“We saw among those with the growth mindset steadily increasing math grades over the two years,” she says. But that wasn’t the case for those with the so-called “fixed mindset.” They showed a decrease in their math grades.
This seems straight-forward enough but Dweck and Blackwell wondered if you could teach a child to have a growth mindset, could you then improve their grades?

So, about 100 seventh graders, all doing poorly in math, were randomly assigned to workshops on good study skills. One workshop gave lessons on how to study well. The other taught about the expanding nature of intelligence and the brain.
The students in the latter group “learned that the brain actually forms new connections every time you learn something new, and that over time, this makes you smarter.”

Basically, the students were given a mini-neuroscience course on how the brain works. By the end of the semester, the group of kids who had been taught that the brain can grow smarter, had significantly better math grades than the other group.

I think this article was inspiring not because I was surprised at the results but because of the potential hope it holds out for teachers. Now I am not a teacher, but I know that one of the most frustrating teaching experiences is dealing with a student that has it made up in his/her mind that they can not master a given lesson. And if there is any way we can convince students that by not giving up when they are frustrated, their brain cells are working to make them smarter, then I am all for it. This fixed mindset is pervasive and is infecting students at younger and younger ages, thereby encouraging more students to mentally check out from school. And I know that we need to completely revamp the way do administer education, but in the meantime, our students need every leg up possible.

For those interested, Dweck’s latest book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, gives parents and teachers specific ways to teach the growth mindset of intelligence to children.

Stay up fam,

Categories:
Education reform
intelligence

What if someone called Barack Obama the N-word?

There was a lot of news today around conservative pundit Ann Coulter calling 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards a f–got.

Edwards released a statement in response, and was on the radio today talking about it.

This got me thinking:
What if someone called Barack Obama a n–ger?
Would more people be upset over the “N-word” more than the “F-word?”
Why would the reactions be different?

Sadly, I think the reaction would be larger over the n–ger (think Kramer reaction times 1000).

I say sadly because it always amazes me how much selective bigotry exists among people. Why is it alright to disrespect one group, but not alright to disrespect another? Why is it alright for me say something and alright for me to get mad about you saying it? Why do people who battle against discrimination discriminate?

For example, why were so many Black people actually happy to see Middle Eastern people discriminated against and racially profiled after 9/11? If anything, we should have been the most compassionate to them.

I’m not preaching; I used to have the same problem, and I’m dealing with that. We all need to deal with this within ourselves.

One Love. One II.

Categories
Politics
Racism

Changes at National Urban League & NAACP Signal Changes in Civil Rights Movement

What’s happening in the national Civil Rights Movement?

Bruce Gordon, the head of the NAACP, announced his resignation today. He is at odds with the NAACP’s board because he wants to focus more on social services, while the board wants to maintain the group’s more traditional role as an advocacy organization.

I believe that Bruce Gordon is dead-on in wanting to connect advocacy to tangible social services on the ground. An example of a two-pronged approach to this would be lobbying against police brutality (advocating) while at the same time training Black men on how to deal with the police (social service through training). I pray that Gordon’s departure does not mean that such a program would not be possible from the NAACP.

The Chicago Urban League last week announced that it is rolling out a new agenda focusing less on social services and more on economic empowerment. The National Urban League has over the years been transitioning from its roots as a economically-focused organization to one that has taken on more social services, but this represents a change in tactics and a return towards its initial goals at its founding.

I believe that the Urban League was heading down a great path by combining their economic and social agendas. An example of a two-pronged approach to this that I worked with last year was an after-school program for high school students (social service) that trained them on how to be entrepreneurs (economic empowerment). I pray that Chicago and other Urban Leagues around the coutry’s shift in focus does not mean that such a program would not be possible from them in the future.

What does this mean? I think it signals that a split in the movement that has existed since its beginnings still exists today. The question is, why are social services and economic empowerment treated as two ideals that cannot be strived for simultaneously?

One Love. One II.

Categories:
Black Issues
Civil Rights

The Weekly Dream: May The Best Man Win

Question of the Week: What does it take to be competitive? Where are you most competitive?

I love March. Other than the third month being my birthday month, it is home to March Madness, arguably the most competitive event in all of sports. I cannot get enough of the upsets and the excitement. But more importantly, competition shows your character. I am always interested to see who is going to step up under pressure and who is going to fold. March Madness is a microcosm for life.

What Makes the World Go Round

Lately, I have a heightened sensitivity to where competition manifests itself in the world. It is so common that we tend to overlook its importance. Our economy, our school systems, our legal systems, and our national history are all deeply rooted in an adversarial mindset. Indeed, we are trained through sports and school for the sole purpose of being able to compete in the local and global market.

Now when I was growing up, I learned that although competition is a way of life, it is not fair. There were many times in my childhood where I felt that the cards were unfairly stacked against me. But I soon realized that life cares nothing about your struggles. You have to play the hand you are dealt to the best of your abilities. Why you may have been dealt a bad hand is something to ask God at the Pearly Gates, but until then, the challenge is to try your hardest to surmount every obstacle/challenge placed in front of you.

How Can We Compete?

In light of this realization, I have noted a few points that have helped me when the chips were down.

First, you have to put the outcome out of your head. It does not matter whether you win or lose. If you are focused on the outcome, you are not focused on performance/execution. Also, the fear of failure begins to creep in when you take your eyes off of what is in front of you.

Second, you need to foster a mental toughness and swagger about your ability to meet the challenge.

Third, and probably most important, you need to prepare yourself for the task at hand. Professionals spend a lot of time practicing, and very little time performing. For amateurs, it is the other way around. Take a professional view towards life. Do not practice until you get it right, practice until you cannot get it wrong.

Braveheart

I know there are some things that you can never prepare for, and life sometimes throws punches below the belt. But if you foster the attitude and toughness, you will always find a way back to your feet.

Truth and Peace,
Steven M DeVougas

Categories:
The Weekly Dream

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What’s the Point of Black History Month?

I was passed an article late this week called, “Why I Loathe Black History Month.” The author of the article’s main argument is that Black folks themselves have made Black History Month meaningless. That got me thinking…

How do you feel about Black History Month? Do we even need it?

To be clear, I like Black History Month. I think that it’s a good idea to dedicate time to honoring specific things like Black History. I even spoke at a Black History Month Program earlier this week. Going further, I think Valentine’s Day is a good idea (when not commercially exploited). I think Mother’s Day is a great idea. I like birthdays as well.

With all that said, I think that she is partly right and partly wrong. She is right in saying that the way that Black History Month is often talked about and celebrated is wrong. In my opinion, we should focus less on recycling the same trivia questions (who really invented this or that) and more on how people today fit into our illustrious history in ways that they may not have been aware of. For example, I would love to see more Black History Month celebrations in which people today could talk about their accomplishments, using themselves as present-day examples of history for their audiences. These people could serve as the models for the “specific agendas” to address modern-day racial issues that the author calls for, and could have more impact with certain audiences than an elder talking about seemingly distant events from yesteryear.

The author is wrong, however, in condemning the Month due to the what she sees as it’s careless execution in recent history. Why doesn’t she take ownership of what she sees as a bastardization of what should be “more or less a combined State of the Union address and battle plan…”? This attitude of giving up on something powerful is exactly the attitude that the authors and forebears she mentions did not have when facing the challenges of their day. By taking this stance, she is taking “the easy way out” the same way that the people she criticizes are. I hate when people take the position that people should abandon something that they claim to believe has value.

We absolutely need Black History Month as a way to infuse Black consciousness into today’s discourse. We need it to serve as a springboard for ways to make it part of the permanent discussion year round. Finally, we need less people complaining about that not happening and more people working to make that happen.

One Love. One II.

Categories:
Black History Month
Black Issues

The SuperSpade Black History Month Presentation

This past Tuesday, 28 February 2007, I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at Seattle’s Central Youth & Family Services Black History Month Program.

Here is a link to my short address (WAV Format, 9 min 6 seconds, 8.33 MB). I talked about the importance of finding mentors and connecting with people that have experiences in areas that you care about and are interested in.

The entire program was a lot of fun, and there was food, trivia, and good times all around. I got to stay and connect with many of the people in CYFS’s programs and talk with staff members too.

One Love. One II.

Categories
SuperSpade
Speech
Black History Month