It is so nice to see the real America. Last week when the Republicans gathered, it was, as one paper noted, “A Sea of Whiteness.” This week in Charlotte, N.C., Democratic convention attendees are all colors, every age, gender and economic status. Present are faces that reflect every part of the globe that has populated this nation. And the Democrats are talking real issues as well. Opportunity has been a ke ...

The Republican National Convention began in Tampa this week along with all the pomp, pageantry and spin the Republican Party can muster. The campaign is looking for a last-minute energy boost and a chance to change the minds of the last few straggling voters who aren’t yet convinced that Mitt Romney would be a horrible choice for president. That is unless Hurricane Isaac steals completely the Republican con ...

By Perry Bacon, Jr. The controversy involving the Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri, Rep. Todd Akin, is so critical not just because of his inflammatory remarks, but because control of the Senate could be determined by the winner of his race against incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill. Democrats currently control 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats, with 51 Democrats and 2 independents who usually vote wi ...

As Detroiters, there are so many changes that merit our attention — the EAA and Financial Stability Agreement, to name a few — but one issue many may have overlooked is the transfer of Detroit’s Department of Workforce Development (DWDD) and the Department of Health and Wellness Promotion’s (DWHP) responsibilities and resources. In what may be one of the most underreported news stories, almost $100 million ...

This primary signals many changes for Detroit. The first being, the city effectively lost a congressional seat to Oakland County. The Congressional Black Caucus also lost a legislator when Gary Peters was elected to the new 14th district. The 14th district, one of the state’s largest Democratic districts, was represented by John Conyers since the 1960s. RoseMary Robinson and John Olumba beat back the corpor ...

By Virgie Rollins Across the nation, African Americans are losing their political power. Michigan, California, Maryland, New York and the District of Columbia are all poised for significant loss of Black legislators due to redistricting and corruption. The U.S. Constitution demands that all 435 House districts be redrawn every 10 years, a situation that has allowed Republicans to use redistricting as a tool ...

Of course voting is useful. But then again, I don’t put a big glow to it. Voting is about as essential as washing yourself. It’s something you’re supposed to do. Now, you can’t go around bragging, expecting to get props because you voted. That’s stupid. — Chuck D. Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by ...

If anyone had any doubts about what the financial stability agreement means for Detroit, self-determination or local leadership, watch how City Council was reminded of their insignificance during this week’s talks over employee cuts. Earlier this week, Mayor Dave Bing announced a 10 percent pay cut and numerous other health care and benefit reductions for city employees. The cuts, in an effort to restructur ...

Despite rosy predictions of Detroit’s rise and improved student achievement, we are doubtful and wary of state intervention. In 1999, Detroit Public Schools had more than a $1.5 billion budget and a functioning school board. Today, we have nearly half that in funding and state efforts to end what is remaining of the once largest district in Michigan. The state took over the schools in the late ‘90s with the ...

The Republican leadership in the state has launched a full frontal attack on Detroit, specifically, and Black communities around the state. As Rev. D. Alexander Bullock says, emergency management appears to be Gov. Rick Snyder’s urban agenda. Last week, the governor walked out of a meeting with pastors, refusing to answer the question: Are you going to put the question of Public Act 4 (PA4), the emergency m ...