THE NEW CASH COMMENTARY FOR MARCH 13, 2025

                                                                     CASH MICHAELS

                                       DECORUM? WHAT DECORUM?

                                      by Cash Michaels

So I’m there on CNN’s website, scrolling through some of its news clips from after the most divisive presidential joint address to Congress in history, when I came across an interview with pollster Frank Luntz.

Frank is a halfway reasonable guy most of the time, so I decided to stop and listen to what morsels of wisdom he would impart to the rest of us in the aftermath of King Trump’s diatribe. But when Frank got through, I seriously had to wonder whether he was still living on the same planet I was.

Beyond everything else, Luntz had the gall to warn Democrats about maintaining “decorum” for Trump.

Are you kidding me, Frank?

Here we have a convicted felon 34 times over, pompously bragging to the nation in a room where half the crowd were unindicted co-conspirators, about how he plans to screw the rest of us over, in addition to allowing his unelected billionaire buddy to continue to raid various government agencies, fire thousands of dedicated federal workers, cancel important federal contracts, close vital agencies and programs, imperil the futures of Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, and Frank Luntz believes that Democrats should just sit there and take it with a pleasant smile and half-hearted hand clap?

Not in an Al Green minute, Frank!

I’ll admit that what Rep. Green, the honorable gentleman from the great state of Texas, did in standing up four minutes into Trump’s speech and shouting at him, was a step or two beyond what I would have done had I been a Black Democrat from a redder-than-red state listening to a criminal-in-chief boasting about how he was going to hurt my poor constituency back home.

But that doesn’t mean I fault Rep. Green one iota for standing up, no matter what the cost, and calling the devil out to his face for the world to see. In fact, I admire him for it!

However, if Democrats intend to return to power in Washington and elsewhere anytime soon, instead of criticizing Bro. Green for his actions, y’all need to come together and grow a pair, because Republicans have no intention of giving you anything, except a hard time while you’re out of power!

King Trump proved that as he provoked Democrats during that very speech. Now I get the idea of not allowing yourself to be easily ribbed, but there are also situations when you need to show a pulse, if for no other reason but to dramatize that something is happening that’s very wrong.

Yeah, Democrats lost the 2024 presidential election, but that doesn’t mean Democrats will lose the 2026 midterms, unless they’re already thinking and acting like losers.

They just have to stop outsmarting themselves like Democrats tend to do. That means first and foremost understand, that there are no rules!

Republicans threw out the rule book for how to be an honorable adversary a long time ago, so now its Democrats’ turn. Doesn’t mean that they should lie, cheat, steal and elect criminals like Republicans. But it DOES mean that they should fight relentlessly to the last tooth and nail.

And even when the rules have them at a disadvantage, Democrats should never act like it. If they can’t win outright, then they need to heap untold tons of pressure on Republicans so that if the GOP are going to win, it costs them something important.

This is where making better use of the bully pulpit comes in, something former President Joe Biden admittedly didn’t do very well.

Even today, Republicans lie their faces off about how “bad’ Biden’s economy was (it was the strongest in the world when he left office, as a matter of fact). They called him and his family “criminals,” (only son Hunter was ever formally charged and convicted of anything);“weak” on foreign policy (bet the Ukrainian people and most of Europe beg to differ), and “weak” on protecting the Southern border (on this one there’s some truth, but only because Pres. Biden wanted to provide sanctuary for those fleeing from tyranny).

Hey, at least under Biden, when you bought a plane ticket, you knew you would arrive at your destination in one piece.

Bottomline here is that the time for feeling sorry for yourselves is over, Democrats. Election 2024 is what it is.

Over!

You need to be doing your homework on what the fickle American voter wants, and figure out ways to make it happen in time for the 2026 midterm elections.

“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart said it best on his weekly podcast recently. “Democrats should be “outlining a coherent and very clear-eyed view of what is happening and strategies to get back to a more constitutional and free and fair world.”

And before my New York homeboy House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries writes something nasty to me in the comments section below (he wouldn’t be the first), I do very much believe in upholding the dignity and solemnity of official occasions in official places.

But that’s assuming the occasion in question is a dignified one to start. For instance, there was a time in this country when public hangings of Black people were considered to be “dignified” occasions.

What King Criminal did last week was NOT dignified, gleefully spouting off about policies to hurt Americans like destroying DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion); cutting Social Security; pointing fingers at Democrats and daring them to stop him; using certain victimized citizens as props to dramatize bogus policies, like that 13 year-old black young man who survived brain cancer Trump shamefully deputized as an “honorary” Secret Service agent, all the while cutting federal personnel and funding for cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (a federal judge has stepped in to block Trump’s order, but the issue isn’t over yet).

I don’t mind the fake badge, but how about doing something to make sure more children don’t suffer from that dreaded disease, almighty criminal king? Like increasing funding for pediatric cancer research, instead of cutting it? 

That would have been more impressive.

And honest.

Democrats, if you put your best minds on the job, you can unlock the mystery of regaining your rightful place in power. That’s why I respect House Minority Leader Jeffries’ position. He’s got some rough waters to navigate until the 2026 elections, so he’s trying to keep everybody in line until then.

All he needs is a handful of House seats. Hell, we could give him a few from North Carolina if we got our act together here.

But Dems need to flood the zone much more than they’re doing. And not in a nice way, but in a strong, determined and truthful way. I realize that may be tough for many of y’all, but make no mistake - King Trump is talking big yang about you to your sorry faces because he believes he’s put you out of business for good.

You’re the only ones, Democrats, who can prove him wrong!

Make his life as sorry as hell in the White House, or Mar-a-lago, or wherever the hell else he rests his wicked head.. Use what little power you do have and leverage it. Make him wish he never ran for president a third time. And send a powerful message to the rest of the morally depleted Republican Party that they chose to get in bed with this monster, and now they will suffer the consequences of trading in their loyalty to God and country, for him.

Show the American people that you’re here to serve, and here to make their lives better as they expect.

This is hard work we’re talking about here, with very little time to pull it off. But hopefully, out of the din, a new Democratic presidential candidate will emerge for 2028, and the party will feel, and act better about itself.

You don’t need decorum for that, Democrats. What you need are guts, vision and commitment. You’re not just fighting an opposition party. For the most part, you’re fighting evil, people led by a criminal monster who has only just begun to turn this country and the rule of law on its head to suit his own selfish desires.

You’ve got this, Democrats. But if you truly want it, you don’t have time fooling’ around with decorum. Unless, of course, you want to remain losers!

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THE CASH STUFF FOR MARCH 3, 2025

THE NEW CASH COMMENTARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 6TH, 2025

 

                                                                     CASH MICHAELS

     SALUTING TWO PRECIOUS CULTURAL ICONS WE’VE LOST

               by Cash Michaels

Last week was a difficult one for me, not just because I had to sit there and watch King Trump and “Chainsaw” Musk further exert their criminal dominance over the federal government and America, but because I, and many others of my generation, lost two precious cultural icons of our youth.

Ms Roberta Flack, and Mr. Gene Hackman.

I define “cultural icon” as an artist, literary or sports figure whose body of work exeeds all boundaries to reach the broadest possible audience with the highest standards imaginable. I love acknowledging these people, because there’s something about them and their cultural contributions we can all relate to that give us collective peace, and maybe even joy.

I do this from time to time, take a left turn at the intersection of politics and popular culture, because the two subjects fascinate me. In fact, if you’ve paid close attention over the years, they’ve fed off of one another frequently. But there are also times when the fruits of popular culture allow us to escape the brutal realities of unseemly politics.

This is one of those times.

I don’t find much solace in what passes for today’s music or movies/television. More times than not, when I want to relax, I listen to some of the classic songs of my youth - a little Motown, James Brown, Aretha - or find an old movie that I have fun rediscovering the things I missed when I first watched it many, many years ago.

So when two cultural icons of my youth pass on, and I learn about it during the same week, that has impact, because right away, I find myself being thankful for all that they’ve contributed to my life, and the cultural fabric of this country and world. Through the magic of either digital recording or film, their magnificent work will continue to contribute for generations to come.

MS. ROBERTA FLACK - Her ballads were haunting. Her voice soothing. And her artistry legendary.

I was a kid growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, NY when I first heard the soul-stirring music of Roberta Flack coming from my favorite radio station then, 1600 WWRL-AM. Amid the the funk of James Brown, the “wicked’ Wilson Pickett, Sly and the Family Stone, Aretha Franklin and more, came this slow, melodiously, beautiful female voice on piano singing “The First Time Ever I Saw His Face.”

Back in those days, Black radio in NY was primarily AM, so there was nothing “sweet” about the sounds you were hearing. The music, though great, was mostly loud. If you wanted to clearly hear and enjoy the various highs and lows of your favorite songs, you had to either listen to FM (assuming a station there was playing the same stuff), or go out and purchase the album. Us poor kids just went with our daily ration of loud and brash AM radio signals if we wanted to enjoy our favorite music.

And record companies like Motown deliberately mastered their music for AM radio, so that if you were down the block, and someone with an AM radio was playing Diana Ross and the Supremes in a park or on an apartment stoop up the block, you could tell what song was playing because the horn and string sections were always pulsating on those Motown songs.

But when Roberta Flack came along, the days of hard horn and loud string sections were over. 

As good as she sounded on AM, it was when “First Time Ever…” was played on FM, or someone played her album in their home, that you truly heard the gift GOD gave us in a young musical genius from a little town in North Carolina called Black Mountain.

The child of two parents who also loved music, Roberta Cleopatra Flack began playing the piano when she was 4, learning Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.

Later, when her family moved to Arlington, Va., Roberta continued her music studies in high school, earning a full scholarship to Howard University at the age of 15. She graduated Howard at 19, went back to North Carolina to teach music, then went back to the Washington, D.C. area to further teach music, and moonlight in area nightclubs, against school district policy.

It was 1968 when young Roberta Flack was discovered playing at a summer music concert by a popular jazz musician and later signed to Atlantic Records.

Shortly after, actor/director Clint Eastwood, who was big at the box office then, heard her music, and used “First Time Ever…” in his film “Play Misty for Me.”

In the years that followed, more  extraordinary music from Roberta Flack would come - “Killing Me Softly With His Song”; “Feel Like Making Love To You”;”You’ve Got a Friend”; “The Closer I Get to You”;”Back Together Again”, the last three recorded with the amazing Donny Hathaway before his tragic death in 1979.

Ms. Flack even had the honor of playing for South African President Nelson Mandela during her tour through the nation in 1999.

During the course of her long career, Ms. Flack would be awarded four Grammy Awards - plus one Lifetime Achievement honor. 

She suffered a stroke in 2016, then two years later collapsed on a concert stage. That episode forced her to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

In 2022, Ms. Flack was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, which took away her ability to sing.

Last week, Ms. Roberta Flack died at the age of 88, surrounded by her loving family.  

The legacy of Roberta Flack is one of true musicianship and artistry. She is a cultural icon because she was true and unique to her craft. And for that, my generation thanks her for her music, as will many generations to come.

MR. GENE HACKMAN -  Gene Hackman wasn’t just an actor, but an extraordinary and versatile artist who inhabited the many dynamic roles he portrayed onscreen in some of the most dramatic performances of the century. Probably why his mysterious death made headline news last week when his 95-year-old body was found in his New Mexico home, along with that of his 61-year-old wife. Authorities are still investigating.

But Mr. Hackman’s career portfolio is truly amazing, from New York City Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in “The French Connection” (his first Academy Award win); to Lex Luthor in “Superman”, to his second Oscar-winning turn as the villainous sheriff in “The Unforgiven” with Clint Eastwood.

One of my favorite Gene Hackman movies is “Crimson Tide” with another great cultural icon, the always amazing Denzel Washington. Another is his performance as a conservative US senator whose daughter is marrying the son of a gay night club owner in the crazy 1996 hit comedy “The Birdcage” with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.

Gene Hackman was the quintessential American actor who we never took our eyes off of because he was never plain or predictable in his performances.

Mr. Hackman later left Hollywood, left the celebrity he resisted, and sought solitude in New Mexico, becoming a prolific novelist.

We hadn’t really heard much from him, or about him, again, until last week when it was reported that he was found dead in his home with his wife and dog.

Published reports are that local authorities believe Gene Hackman’s last day alive was February 17th. At this writing, it's been reported that Mr. Hackman died of a heart disease.

One of a kind cultural icons like Stevie Wonder, Marlon Brando, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Johnny Cash, Muhammad Ali, Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Steven Spielberg, and yes, Roberta Flack and Gene Hackman, along with many others, help to define the cultural parameters of our society in ways that when they’re gone, we all feel it, and never forget. Indeed, they redefine the standards of their areas of expertise, and our memories of their work speak to the unique longevity of their accomplishments.

Celebrating the work and legacies of Gene Hackman and Roberta Flack is not just important in terms keeping at least the memories of their cultural contributions alive, but, quite frankly, for our collective mental health.

After witnessing that embarrassing debacle of King Trump and Court Jester J.D.’s shameful bumrush of President Zelenskyy of Ukraine in the Oval Office last Friday, something I’m convinced was a cheap show for Trump’s Russian buddy, Vladimir, and of course, Trump's ultra-divisive address to Congress Tuesday, I was so, so grateful I wasn’t writing about any of that this week, and had already started scribing this tribute to the two precious cultural icons we’d lost. Doing so allowed me to put that distasteful nonsense behind me in favor of more pleasant, and constructive memories.

That’s the power of great cultural icons and their work.

What Ms. Flack and Mr. Hackman represented was a goodness to escape to because they were so unique, honest and generous in their art and expression. What they did so well they did for all of us. They allowed us to become a part of their creativity, and to share it when we paid to see their performances in a theater, or watched them on TV. What they did lifted us all above the tedious and outrageous, and into a welcomed world where we could forget, even for a few moments, the blunt recklessness of politicians who could care less.

Ms. Flack and Mr. Hackman cared a great deal, I submit, which is why they would only allow excellence to be their calling card.

Both were recognized by their peers in life, and in death, for their unique contributions.

Both have made their special, one-of-a kind marks on our culture that will probably never be duplicated.

Both, in their roles as cultural icons, brought joy to a wide variety of admirers who drew emotional sustenance from their artistry, work and attention to detail.

Roberta Flack and Gene Hackman proved that the artist plays an essential  role in our society, and that their art helps us put life in its proper perspective.

And for that, I thank them both for what they’ve contributed to our lives, allowing us to once again, believe that there are those in the public square who are committed to what’s good about all of us, that we can all share.

America, remembering precious icons like Roberta Flack and Gene Hackman makes living through all the crap we’re dealing with now worthwhile, as long as we can escape, even for a brief moment.

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THE CASH STUFF FOR MARCH 6TH, 2025

 

                                                       REP. ALMA ADAMS (D-NC-12)

REP. ADAMS BLASTS 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S

‘END DEI’ PORTAL

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

Amid President Donald Trump’s promise to close the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12) has blasted the administration for essential installing a tip line, otherwise known as an “End DEI portal," “…where the public can make complaints about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in K-12 public schools as the Trump administration works to purge DEI from the government,” according to The Hill.

“The Trump Administration is once again using the federal government to attack teachers, students, and schools that dare to promote fairness and inclusion,” Congresswoman Adams, Senior Member of the House Agriculture Committee and founding Chairwoman of the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, said in a statement. “This so-called ‘tip line’ is a shameless attempt to silence educators and dismantle programs that ensure every child—no matter their race, gender, or background—has a fair shot at success. Instead of working to strengthen our public schools, Trump is weaponizing the Department of Education to push a political agenda.”

Rep. Adams continued, “I won’t stand by while they use the Department of Education as a tool for division and fear. Our public schools should be places where every child feels seen, valued, and supported. "This Administration should be more focused on ending the disparities in our education system. Where is the 'tip line' for that?"

The “End DEI” portal was announced Feb. 27th, just as K-12 public schools and universities were supposed to end their DEI policies and practices after a two-week deadline.

Meanwhile, Rep. Adams has praised the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture for reversing its earlier decision to suspend its 1890 National Scholars Program for Black students studying agriculture at 19 historically Black colleges and universities.

According to a February 21st story in the Economic Times,”… the 1890 National Scholars Program, [is] a significant initiative that provided scholarships to students attending HBCUs. This program aimed to support students from rural and underserved communities pursuing degrees in agriculture and related fields.” 

USDA has decided to extend its application deadline for the program until March 15th.

"I'm pleased the [USDA}Secretary has lifted the suspension of and reopened the application for the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program,” Rep. Adams said in a statement. “This program has been in place since 1992, and I hope we can work together to address the real challenges and real opportunities for our 1890s [students] and our HBCUs."

North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro is one of the 19 schools affected. Todd H. Simmons, spokesperson for NC A&T University, issued the following statement last week immediately after the USDA reversed its decision:

At North Carolina A&T, we have had 104 scholar participants in the 1890 National Honors Scholarship Program since its establishment. We have 20 current scholars, and have been assured their funding will remain intact. We are discussing this important program with the UNC System and our elected representatives and are hopeful that support for the program’s future will be fully restored.

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BLACK DEMOCRATIC STATE

LAWMAKERS OPPOSE NEW

ANTI-DEI BILL

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

Not only do Black state Democratic lawmakers oppose passage of a proposed Republican-sponsored anti-DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) measure introduced in the NC House recently, they fear it.

“[This bill could]…impeach me from office because I’m Black,” charged  state Sen. Kandie Smith (D - Greenville), chair of the NC Legislative Black Caucus, during a Feb. 27th press conference.

“If I’m teaching anybody about how I grew up, what I learned in life — as far as me and my ancestors — I can be impeached," Sen. Smith continued. 

House Bill 171, if ratified by the NC General Assembly, not only would outlaw all of state and local governments from implementing any DEI policies and practices, imposing criminal penalties if prohibition is violated, but also states that elected officials could be impeached for failure to comply with the law.

“A State officer or employee who violates this section  [of the law] is subject to removal from office or employment," HB 171 states under section 126-14.7

Because the measure is sponsored by House Majority Leader Brenden Jones (R- Tabor City), observers say it is expected to sail through committee quickly before being ratified by the full House, then sent to the state Senate.

House Speaker Destin Hall (R) says he also supports the measure. Meanwhile, House Democrats counter that Republicans overall are pushing anti-DEI bills to distract from the damage they’re doing to the government, both in Washington and in Raleigh.

The only leverage Democrats have legislatively is that Republicans in the House do not have a supermajority, meaning that they cannot override a veto from Gov. Josh Stein, unless they’re able to cajole at least one Democrat to join them. That means all House Democrats have to be present for ever House session, and stick together if a veto override vote is taken.

        Over in the state Senate on Monday, the top Republican has filed Senate Bill 227 titled  "Eliminating DEI in Public Education." Senate pro term Republican leader Phil Berger said in a press release, “We cannot teach our nation’s history without acknowledging our past. But we can teach history without forcing our educators and students to embrace and adopt ideologies inconsistent with equality.” 

        Also on Monday night, the full US Senate confirmed the nomination by Pres. Trump of  North Carolina native and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. founder Linda McMahon to become secretary of the US Dept. of Education.

        Ms. McMahon, 76, will be tasked with helping to close the federal agency down during her tenure.

Published reports indicate that North Carolina Republicans are considering duplicating the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) Washington, DC efforts pushed by billionaire Elon Musk to also purge state government of alleged waste, fraud and abuse.

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