Monday, May 29, 2017

THE CASH JOURNAL FOR 6-1-17

CASH IN THE APPLE FOR 06-01-17
By Cash Michaels

            TRUE BELIEVERS? – Here it is, five-and-a-half months into the Trump presidency, and believe it or not, at least 40% of the country still believes he’s the cat’s meow. As a recent segment on CNN proves, despite all of the incredibly outrageous BS that Trump has pulled thus far, there are folks out there, apparently some of the same supporters who put him in office in the first place, who are proud of the blinders they wear which keeps them from realizing that the man is a total disaster.
            When questioned, many of them say they wanted someone “real” in the office. Well, they are getting their wish, because there is no question that Trump is “real” alright….real CROOKED! Trump supporters hate government so much, they have no problem supporting someone who pays no attention to protocol, or the law. They just want what they want….someone who will look out for THEIR interests first, because after all, if they’re happy, then the country’s happy.
            And if the rest of the country is unhappy, then that’s too bad, because Trump supporters will still be happy.
            But wait a minute…even though they’re still “happy,” tat doesn’t mean they’re pleased with everything that they’re seeing and hearing from the blonde blowhard!
            For one, they’re tired of his tweets. Trump supporters see them as evidence of a lack of control, a lack of discipline. There’s a powerful line in “The Godfather’” where Don Vito Corleone tells his oldest son Santino ,“Don’t ever tell anyone outside of the family what you’re thinking.”
            Traditionally, the president of the United States only tells what the world what he’s thinking only after he and his advisors have figured it out, because what he says and does represents the government, not just himself.
            So when Trump lies and accuses his predecessor Pres. Obama of “tapping” Trump’s phone, or reporters of “fake news” about his campaign/administration’s honeymoon with the Russian government, even many of his supporters have  hard time swallowing it.
            And yet they still trust him.
            Better to do that, than to admit that they are wrong, and that they basically support a fool who will easily get us all in trouble.
            But these folks, who I will readily admit are both selfish and ignorant, seriously believe that they are in the driver’s seat now, and things are going to be done their way.
            Never mind that many of the major promises they believed made by Trump to them are NOT going to happen.
            They are NOT going to get quality, lower-cost health care from Trump.
            Trump supporters are going to get screwed!
            They are NOT going to get a wall, paid for by Mexico, at the US border to stop illegal immigrants.
            They are going to get screwed!
            They are already not getting their Muslim travel ban because federal court after federal court sees it for what it is – ethnic and religious discrimination.
            Trump supporters are already screwed!
            Unquestioned loyalty is a laudable American trait. But unbridled stupidity is not. Trump supporters elected someone totally unprepared to govern. They assumed that governing is a simple matter of making deals and running your mouth. Only now are they realizing why American government is so messy – because there is no real central authority.
            And that’s why it can’t be run like a business. The ultimate purpose of government is to serve.
             The ultimate purpose of government is to make money.
            Pres. Trump doesn’t believe in service. He believes in money.
            And that’s why he’s screwing all of his supporters…..and all of us!
            Gee, thanks Trump supporters.
                                                            -30-


REV. BARBER SAYS HE’LL ANNOUNCE HIS
CHOICE FOR NEXT NCNAACP HEAD SOON
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer

            Thus far, several NC NAACP officials have announced who they are supporting to become the conference leader, but the current president says he’ll wait until he’s actually set to step down.
            Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, outgoing president of the NCNAACP, says even though he’s already announced his intentions to step down after 12 years to join a national movement surrounding the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 Poor People’s Campaign, he hasn’t done so yet. In a phone interview last week, Rev. Barber said when he does decide what his last day on the job will be, he will also announce who he’d like to see become the next conference president during state conference elections in October.
            Barber’s announcement is expected to occur by the middle of June. First Vice President Carolyn Coleman said last week that candidates for state president are expected to formally file by June 15th.
            Thus far, only Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, NCNAACP Third Vice President for the past six years, and president of the NC Council of Churches, has been the only one to formally file to run for the post.
            My 53 years of membership in the NAACP, and twelve years of leadership experience in the N.C. NAACP prepare me to become the next President of this great civil rights organization,” Rev. Spearman, who also pastor’s a church in Greensboro, said in a statement sent to NCNAACP membership last weekend.
Ms. Coleman has said she hasn’t decided yet, and former NCNAACP Pres. Melvin “Skip” Alston has indicated that he’s definitely not a candidate, but will  support Ms. Coleman if she runs.
            Rev. Spearman, however, seems to be attracting a good deal of support thus far.
            Rev. Cardes Brown, president of Greensboro Branch of the NAACP, and state chapter Religious Affairs Committee chairman, has formally endorsed Spearman, as has Bishop George Battle, presiding prelate of the Piedmont Episcopal District.
            "Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman is prepared to carry on Dr. Barber's vision, spirit, and intellectual brilliance as Barber moves to another lane…”wrote atty. Al McSurely, chair of the NCNAACP Communications Committee.
            Leslie Malachi, national director of the 2,200-member African-American Ministers’ Leadership Council, agrees, writing that if Rev. Spearman is elected the next NCNAACP president, “This is the assignment for one who will not only speak truth to power but speak truth with power."
            Meanwhile, which one of the four current NCNAACP vice presidents will serve out the rest of Rev. Barber’s term after he formally steps down? According to the NAACP Constitution, the first vice president automatically assumes that role when the current president leaves before the term is up, unless the first vp decides not to take it.
            In this case, First Vice President Carolyn Coleman has said she hadn’t made up her mind on succeeding Rev. Barber, and he would not confirm whether what she decided during a meeting last Monday. There was speculation that both Ms. Coleman and Second Vice President Carolyn McDougal would step aside, allowing Third Vice President Spearman to assume the post, but as of press time, there was no confirmation of that.
                                                                        -30-
           
NC HIGH COURT TOLD TO REVIEW
REDISTRICTING MAPS THIRD TIME
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer

            For a third time since 2011, the state Supreme Court will have to review North Carolina’s legislative and congressional redistricting maps, and this time, North Carolina justices will have to heed the US High Court’s finding that the state’s redistricting process is unconstitutionally flawed because of racial gerrymandering.
            The US Supreme Court Tuesday sent a 2011 redistricting lawsuit, Dickson v. Rucho, back to the North Carolina justices again after the federal High Court ruled last week that the state’s Republican-led General Assembly “stacked-and-packed” black Democrats into the First and Twelfth Congressional Districts so that they would have less influence in other congressional districts.
            In 2015, the GOP-led NC Supreme Court ignored federal direction that the 2011 maps were racially skewed, ruling instead that the overuse of race in the voting maps was entirely proper.
 That ruling is not likely to return now that the NC Supreme Court is 5-4 Democratic majority.
            “The N.C. Supreme Court is given another opportunity to correct its ill-analyzed decision which it entered in Dickson v. Rucho, “said atty. Irving Joyner, chair of the NCNAACP Redress Committee, and law professor at Nc Central University School of Law. “The [2015] N.C. Supreme Court opinion was vacated by the [US Supreme] Court, which mandates that it was wrongly decided. This is yet another victory for democracy and the litigation advocacy of the NC NAACP.”
            Eric Ellison, chairman of the Forsyth County Democratic Party, agreed.
Same old story – the NC Republican -led legislature has drawn race-based district lines which once again, have been found to be unconstitutional,” Ellison, who is also an attorney, said.
“The people of Forsyth County are confident that the current North Carolina Supreme Court will finally put this issue to rest and declare the currently drawn lines are unconstitutional and violate our 14th Amendment. Better yet, the North Carolina Legislature should see the writing on the wall and immediately re-draw the lines in a non-racial, non-partisan fashion, and declare new elections this year so that the people of North Carolina can have immediate relief from illegal and unconstitutional representation. 
Most observers note that that is not likely to happen, especially with the 2018 midterm elections right around the corner.
“What I find most significant is that the Legislature made the same legal mistake and used race the same way in drawing the state’s House and Senate districts,” Anita Earls, Executive Director of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, said after last week’s US High Court ruling striking down the 2011 congressional districts. “This opinion…must mean those districts are also unconstitutional.”
The US Supreme Court is expected to rule directly on the 2011 state House and Senate legislative districts shortly. Meanwhile, supporters of the Supreme Court decisions thus far feel that despite rumblings from the Republican leadership about trying again with both redistricting, and voter ID, which was also struck down, the legal handwriting is on the wall.
“With [Tuesday’s] Supreme Court ruling, we can agree that gerrymandered district lines are a settled issue,” said Forsyth County Democratic Party Chairman Eric Ellison.  “The faster that the North Carolina Legislature can comply with our highest court’s decisions, the better it will be for all North Carolinians.”
                                                -30-


STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 06-01-17

NCNAACP’S BARBER, OTHERS ARRESTED AT LEGISLATIVE PROTEST
            [RALEIGH] For the first time this year, protesters associated with the Moral Monday movement allowed themselves to be arrested by state Capitol police after loudly demonstrating in the Legislative Building, pressuring state lawmakers to expand Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of poor North Carolinians. Outgoing NCNAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber, led protesters through the halls of the NC General Assembly, and in front of House Speaker Tim Moore’s office. By midday, 32 demonstrators, including Barber, had been arrested and taken away.

PROPOSED ELECTION CHANGES AFTER HURRICANE MATTHEW, GUBERNATORAL CHALLENGE
            [RALEIGH] The state Board of Elections is proposing important emergency changes to election procedures in the aftermath of last fall’s Hurricane Matthew devastation, and the problems caused after then Gov. Pat McCrory challenged Democratic opponent Roy Cooper when he lost re-election. Election officials want the emergency power to change election schedules in the aftermath of a disaster, natural or military. Officials will also require those protesting an election result to certify under threat of perjury that their facts are “true and accurate,” or be punished if not. Comments about the propose changes are being accepted by the NCBOE now through July 31st by emailing rules@ncsbe.gov or mailing them to N.C. State Board of Elections, Attn: Katelyn Love, Deputy General Counsel, 441 N. Harrington Street, Raleigh, NC 27603.

GOV. COOPER SUES LAWMAKERS OVER APPOINTMENT POWERS AGAIN
            [RALEIGH] Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper isn’t taking any encroachment of his appointment powers by the state legislature lying down. Last Friday, Cooper filed a third lawsuit against Republican leaders, accusing them of unconstitutionally reducing the size of the NC Court of Appeals. Lawmakers reduced the size of court from 15 to 12, suggesting that the workload had gone down. Cooper vetoed the law, but Republicans overrode his veto.
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