The Lawn Jockey Awards: Holding the Congressional Black Caucus accountable

Cross-posted from Brave New Films Blog.

The CBC Monitor and Black Agenda Report are putting together an event called Lawn Jockey Awards on 26 September 2007 in Washington DC. More details here.

These events that hold the government publicly accountable are not only [sadly] entertaining, but they are fundamental to the success & survival of representative democracy. This political age is too familiar with politicians who thumb their noses at the people they represent, caring only about a small, influential rich subset of their constituency.

The Congressional Black Caucus is just as guilty of this as any other subset of the legislature. However, given the general lack of attention afforded to Black issues in media and government, this adversely the Black folks the caucus represents even further.

I'd like to see "awards" like this given out for every caucus within the Congress. It's time to start getting politicians to put their votes where their rhetoric is. Too often these two do not align.

One Love. One II.

P.S. Can I vote for Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick?

The Congressional Business Caucus

Jonathan Chait of The New Republic says that the Congressional Black Caucus is trying hard to get into bed with big business and lobbyists.

Why would they want to do that? Probably because instead of being better than the Republicans, some members would secretly rather be just like the Republicans, at least in the way they handle the political process. What these members fail to realize is that it’s pretty hard to find Washington Republicans that have Black folks’ best interests at heart, and even harder to find a major US Corporation that has Black folks’ best interests at heart.

Just as before, we ask that you contact members of the CBC and ask that they turn this trend around and get back to the vision and goals of the original members of the caucus:

to promote the public welfare through legislation designed to meet the needs of millions of neglected citizens

You thought we were done with the CBC, didn’t you?

One Love. One II.

Fox News is not perfect

They are really just off the cuff when it comes to people of color. In an all too-familiar case of universal Blackness, Fox News “mistakenly” ran video of Representative John Conyers while the segment is describing the legal indictments handed down against Representative Bill Jefferson. Fox knew what they were doing and we do too and for that, I am proud to stand in coalition with Color of Change in praising Conyers for calling Fox out on their relentless “disrespect of people of color.” Conyers was upset of course and had this to say,

Dennis the Menace & Why it’s Important to Watch Candidates Closely

Many people have never heard of Dennis Kucinich, a Democratic Congressman from Ohio. Kucinich is running for President in 2008, and is considered to be one of the most progressive candidates on the Democratic side. In my view is right on on most of today’s issues: Iraq, the media, health care, and others. I think he did very well in the debate this week. All in all, a guy I’d vote for.

The above reasons are why it troubles me so much that he is SO ABSOLUTELY WRONG about the CBCI/CBC-Fox New Debate Issue.

A Letter to the [next] President: Don’t participate in CBCI Debates

The SuperSpade has been very involved in the fight to get the Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) to end their partnership with Fox News for their debates, while at the same time helping to convince leading Democratic Presidential candidates not to participate.

Below is an open letter to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards, created by Color of Change, which The SuperSpade has signed officially (along with other Black bloggers). The letter is encouraging the three of them to stand their ground and not participate in the CBCI debates. If you are interested in signing it too, let us know so we can add you to the list.

One Love. One II.

Kilpatrick and CBC Institute Still Loves Fox News

If someone insults, consistently insults and hurts you, and does not repent/apologize/beg for forgiveness/something, you probably would not want to do busines with them.

Apparently the Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) doesn’t think this is how one conducts business. That is why they are still going ahead with these debates that they are airing with Fox News. What’s interesting is that the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) itself is split on the issue.

One by One: Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton decline Fox debate

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama join John Edwards in declining to participate in the debate sponsored by Fox News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. So with the top Democratic frontrunners backing out, this debate will have virtually no impact, if at all. Wouldn’t it be funny though if all the Republican Presidential candidates showed up?

Again, why is no one from the CBC not saying anything? Do they even want to sponsor a debate? Their silence is driving me crazy. 

Thanks again to Color of Change and all the other online communities that worked together to put pressure on the candidates to back down from participating in this debate.

 Stay up fam,

 Brandon Q.

Important updates on the Fox/CBC Institute debates

The unfolding drama of the Fox Presidential debates sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute is gaining more traction. Through it all, we at The SuperSpade will sift through the facts and get to the truth.

Action: Put pressure on the Congressional Black Caucus Institute

What’s up fam,

In lieu of the outrage caused by the agreement reached between the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and Fox News to host 2 Presidential debates, I want to direct your attention to a petition being collected by the good folks at Color of Change. The SuperSpade has signed on to the petition as we help to fulfill our mission to helping solve offline problems with online solutions.

The petition reads,

It is wrong for Black leaders to legitimize FOX — a network that calls Black churches a cult, implies that Senator Barack Obama is a terrorist, and uses the solemn occasion of Coretta Scott King’s funeral to call Black leaders “racist.”

The Congressional Black Caucus Institute must end their partnership with FOX, and presidential candidates should reject the FOX debate in favor of the CBC Institute’s CNN debate.

If you agree, click this link to make your voice heard.

Thank you,

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

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.”