T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R P O L I T I C A L N E W S
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CONTENT
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010
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The President
The Editor of The Political Beat
The City of Prichard will continue to move ahead by providing essential municipal services and to operate for the betterment of you as citizens.
Ron Wallace
Mayor Davis
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15 8. PALIN WORNS GOP 10. NAPOLEON BRACY 12. DO ISSUES MATTER 18. HIT RESET
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ABOUT THE EDITOR
CEO/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ron Wallace is an inspiring Editor-In-Chief for The Political Beat A Political Publication published digitally every two months.
R o n Wa l l a c e i s a n i n s p i r i n g E d i t o r- I n - C h i e f f o r T h e P o litical Beat. A Political Pub lication published digitally e v e r y t w o m o n t h s . Wa l l a c e is a detective with the Mobile Police Department, where he is assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division. He is a native of Mobile and a graduate of John L e F l o r e H i g h S c h o o l . Wa l lace served on active duty with the U. S. Marine Corps for eight years.
o u t s t a n d i n g w o r k w i t h t h e Wa l l a c e i s t h e s o n o f t h e M o b i l e P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t . l a t e M r. & M r s . P e r r y Wa l H e ’s a c i v i c l e a d e r, m o t i v a - lace Jr. tional speaker and mentor to local youth. Wallace ran for Mobile City Council in 2009 but came in third in his race. After having a touch of the Political arena, Wallace had the idea of starting a Politi -
He has studied at the University of South Alabama and Bishop State University. H e ’s a l s o a c e r t i f i e d c o m puter network engineer, and a graduate of North Island Naval Base with a certificate as a computer systems administrator. I n a d d i t i o n , Wa l l a c e i s a g r a d u a t e o f Av i a t i o n M a i n tenance at Naval Base Meridian, Miss., with a cer tificate in aviation maintenance administration and aeronautical technical publication library management. He’s the previous owner and CEO of Netforce Computers and Allgravy Networks. Wallace has received several awards and citations for his 3 The Political Beat October/November 2010
cal Magazine. That is when the birth of The Political Beat came about. Through h i s m a g a z i n e , Wa l l a c e b e lieves that it will be a publication for getting political news to the people of this country.
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WHO WILL HAVE THE MAJORITY
YOU DECIDE VOTE ON NOVEMBER 2 The Political Beat
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2010
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THE PRESIDENT
A New Foundation by Political Beat Staff
The President arrived facing an unprecedented array of challenges, and is meeting them with a bold, comprehensive plan. He passed the most ambitious recovery package in history to address the economic crisis. He is reimagining government to be more open, transparent, and accountable. And he is restoring America's alliances abroad, as well as our American values here at home.
A New Foundation President Obama’s low popularity
on stimulating economic recovery and
Health Care Reform:
ratings and the notion that he has not
helping America emerge a stronger
The Patient Protection and Afford-
accomplished anything in his first two
and more prosperous nation. The cur-
able Care Act was meant to expand
years in office is incorrect. Yes the
rent economic crisis is the result of
access to health insurance to millions
unemployment figures could explain
many years of irresponsibility, both in
of Americans. The law mandates that
the President’s unpopalarity. Obama
government and in the private sector.
all Americans buy into an insurance
has pretty much completed his top-
As we look toward the future, we
pool, and prevents insurers from re-
items of his agenda.
must confront the many dimensions of jecting patients with pre-existing conthis crisis while laying the foundation
Guiding Principles
for a new era of responsibility and
President Obama’s central focus is
transparency.
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2010
ditions.
THE PRESIDENT Lore IpLore Ipsum mod mod
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act The stimulus package allocated $113.5 billion for the development of alternative energy sources, new forms of mass transit and the retrofitting of buildings to become more energy efficient. Perhaps more than any other aspect of the $789 billion package, the focus on modernization signaled an attempt at nudging the country to a new economic model. Iinvested heavily in education both as a way to provide jobs now and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity. The President signed Wall Street Reform The most sweeping reforms since the Great Depression, to hold Wall Street accountable, put an end to bailouts and "too big to fail," and enforce the strongest consumer protections in history. The President signed the Small Business Jobs Act Providing tax breaks and better access to credit for millions of small businesses.
These are just some of the things the Obama Administration has accomplished so far during Obama’s first term as President. Will Obama see a second term as President and if so will the Democrats have the majority of power?
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CONGRESS
Friend or Foe by The Political Beat Staff
Palin predicts GOP establishment will embrace Tea Party's ideals Their arrival could force the mainstream Republican Party to pay attention
Palin Warns GOP "I think the machine within the sage. If so, the GOP is through." GOP is going to understand and re- "As long as we apply time-tested alize that this 'We the People' mes- truths and we prove that they work sage is rising and is resonating - and that's what we have to do in the throughout with independents, with next two years: Send a new Conhard-core conservatives, with mod- gress to D.C. to apply those soluerates, because it's so full of com- tions that are based just on mon sense and time-tested truths free-market principles that really that could put the economy back on can't be argued then by the indethe right track," "Heaven forbid the pendents and by the moderates," she GOP machine strays from this mes- said. "Then they start embracing 8 The Political Beat October/November 2010
more of what the party's all about."
The Tea-Party Movement are they for real???
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STATE “Have you ever been to the circus and seen the elephants? They are trained to stay in place with just a small peg in the ground. They are just like the people in District 98. The elephants are the largest most magnificent of all the animals there. But they are trained to believe that they are weak. They are trained to believe they are captured and can’t have the best. The best schools, the best jobs and communities are what my people deserve in District 98. I am willing to fight for my people. I want my people to know that they are strong and powerful and most importantly that they are free.” –Napoleon Bracy
“ H a v e y o u e v e r b e e n t o t h e c i r c u s a n d We a s k o u r s e l v e s , W h o a m I t o b e b r i l seen the elephants? They
liant, gorgeous, talented, fabu-
are trained to stay in place
l o u s ? A c t u a l l y, w h o a r e y o u n o t
with just a small peg in the
t o b e ? Yo u a r e a c h i l d o f G o d .
ground. They are just like
Yo u r p l a y i n g s m a l l d o e s n o t s e r v e
the people in District 98.
the world. There is nothing en-
The
the
lightened about shrinking so that
largest most magnificent of
other people won't feel insecure
all the animals there. But
a r o u n d y o u . We a r e a l l m e a n t t o
they are trained to believe
s h i n e , a s c h i l d r e n d o . We w e r e
elephants
are
that they are weak. They are trained to be- born to make manifest the glory of God lieve they are captured and can’t have the that is within us. It's not just in some of best. The best schools, the best jobs and us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own communities are what my people deserve light shine, we unconsciously give other in District 98. I am willing to fight for my people permission to do the same. As we p e o p l e . I w a n t m y p e o p l e t o k n o w t h a t a r e l i b e r a t e d f r o m o u r o w n f e a r, o u r p r e s they are strong and powerful and most im- ence automatically liberates others.” portantly that they are free.” –Napoleon Bracy
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. 10
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STATE
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FROM PRICHARD AL MAYOR RON DAVIS
The City of Prichard will continue to move ahead by providing essential municipal services and to operate for the betterment of you as citizens.
incorporated limits that
munity has a lot of pride
r e c o g n i z e d P r i c h a r d ’s p o -
can be used for retail,
and I ask that you con-
tential to once again be-
tourism and more housing.
tinue to support your city
come a thriving City
We a r e l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o
a n d e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s . We
where people can live,
positioning ourselves for
have gone through many
w o r k a n d p l a y. T h e C i t y
growth by building houses
obstacles in the past and
of Prichard will continue
and refurbishing some for
we have proven before,
to move ahead by provid-
citizens to become new
t h a t t o g e t h e r, w e w i l l
ing essential municipal
homeowners. City leaders
make it through the
services and to operate
will also continue to look
toughest challenges.
for the betterment of you
for economic development
as citizens.
opportunities and ways to
Mayor Ron Davis
I look forward to our fi-
bring in more businesses
City of Prichard
nancial situation changing
and jobs. I look forward
when the economy im-
to making sure these and
proves. Prichard has a
other opportunities come
large land base in the
to the city for our enjoy-
Eight Mile area of its un-
ment. The Prichard com-
A s M a y o r, I h a v e a l w a y s
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COMENTARY
Do Issues Matter By Janeen Morris The power of the internet has enchanted ing Behavior “(2003), voters are “likely” to its September 2010, Washington, the electoral process. We are offered the choose the candidate whose party has chosen DC Rally. chance to learn about a candidate in the same to create a reputable platform for certain is-
Local politicians are spending
manner in which we receive up to minute sues important to the voter. This notion leaves campaign funding on maintaining news, apply for jobs and buy warehoused de- us to forget about other issues that we find of websites and social networking acsigner labels. The candidate is physically re- very little interest. Sometimes, allowing a counts to reach voters by being a moved from us; however, their platform is candidate to receive votes based on the best part of their daily lives. Certified boxed and condensed for us. In a society commercial ads, catchiest slogan, and even internet marketers are building a where attending a local debate, or calling the the “anti-“of the incumbent candidate. The in- niche by offering marketing servmorning talk show to question the candidate ternet has created an even larger advertising ices to the politicians seeking to has become obsolete, candidates are forced base for candidates. Dedicated party support- use cyberspace as a means to atto choose the “hot button issue” of their party ers regularly receive emails with volunteer tract voters. This provides an avto relate to voters. We no longer have to feel and giving opportunities. A candidate can enue for voters that candidates a sense of familiarity with the person repre- quickly add to their campaign coffers with may miss by using the traditional senting our values and beliefs. Yet, potential multiple mini- donations. The internet can be means of political campaigning. voters still get flooded with high glossy mail- seen as responsible for increasing President And, allows lower campaign ings, automated calls from candidates, and Obama’s voter base in the 2008 election, and spending for candidates. So, where propaganda filled television commercials. We the strengthening of the latest political party, does this leave the traditional expect this. However, the battle has moved to the Tea Party Movement. The Tea voter who seeks contact with their new ground: the internet. The thick traffic and Party
Movement
promotes
it’s issue, in front of the computer, en-
hectic information highway has left voters events on blogs, Twitter, and Face- gaged in discourse with their searching for the real men and women behind book, and has grown dramatically Facebook friends and reading rethe advertisements. According to the article, by “Agenda Setting in Congressional Elections:
reaching
a
generation
of Tweets from followers of another
voters who are technologically
The Impact of Issues and Campaigns on Vot- savvy as seen with the numbers of 12
The Political Beat October/November 2010
follower.
COMENTARY
Voting for a candidate then
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right information to make a
becomes a choice made on what
good choice, and holding can-
they read on a post or a catchy
didates more responsible for
quote. The consequences leave
seeking votes.
voters disgruntled with the dream they supported because they may have missed the views behind all of the technology. The issues matter and voters should not only seek the information given to them, but candidates must put their platforms out in multi-media formats and in person, making themselves available to the common person. The internet has opened the field for play, forcing voters, to seek out the The Political Beat October/November 2010
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COMENTARY
Hit Reset By Pete Riehm Mobile Free Press
The nation is gripped with fear. The economy is stagnant at best, business is paralyzed, and government is ineffective or incompetent (you pick). As the Great Depression hit its stride, President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first inaugural address admonished Americans that the “only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” He went on to say that fear was “nameless, unreasoning, and unjustified terror.” In other words, the folks were being irrational, so just lend your support to Washington and the government will fix it. President Obama echoes that call for blind allegiance, but he adds the only thing we have to fear are the Republicans. There is no doubt Americans are genuinely afraid and it’s the conventional fear of the unknown. Everything we ever believed about our country has been damaged and destabilized. What happened to the Constitution? When will government power stop growing? Who gave infinite authority? In every aspect of society and politics, uncertainty reigns supreme. A rudderless nation is adrift in a sea of relativism buffeted by waves of expedience. Working Americans are bailing to exhaustion, but sinking despair persists. While the administration claims we are on the right course and ostensibly brilliant economist, Paul Krugman, assures us debt matters not and we can spend ourselves into prosperity. The unknown is firmly established and fear well founded. American foreign policy lacks convictions about anything. We are combating terrorists, but we are no longer fighting a war on terror. We are leaving Iraq except for 50,000 troops. We support the Afghan government, but we are probably leaving. The federal government is spending billions of dollars to grow the economy, but a few months after every quarter the GDP growth numbers are revised down. Billions were spent, but we didn’t have the money. We borrowed it. No, we printed it. Or, maybe we have mortgaged the future to China. No one really knows how much we spent, where it came from, or where it went. We bailed out the banks and financial institutions, but the banks are still not lending money. They are sitting on trillions of cash while nursing their toxic assets. One minute we hear, the banks are paying back the stimulus and the next
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COMENTARY unaccounted billions went to foreign banks. Again, the only thing we know is that we do not know when business credit will be available. We are told the nation continues to lose jobs, but somehow unemployment is improving. The government says 9.6% and others declare unemployment is really about 17%. Who do we believe? The government insists it’s helping working Americans, but instead of jobs we see record numbers on food stamps. Is that the kind of help government intends - to make more Americans dependent? Everyone hopes for economic revival, but business has hunkered down and either continues to cut back or to postpone any expansions. This is understandable considering the administration has waged all out war on free enterprise for almost two years. None of us know what our tax liabilities are next year. It is anyone’s guess what government health care will cost? Despite the epic health care vote, is everyone going to get health care? Apparently not, a few dozen large companies have obtained waivers. Is that the nation we want? Those with the most lawyers and lobbyists get the best deal? FDR and President Obama are wrong. The comic strip character, Pogo, was much closer to the truth with “We have met the enemy and he is us.” The uncertainty pervading American life is very real and almost wholly a product of the government. Americans yearn for leadership firm in their convictions. We need direction and stability; the government can only help by eliminating the unknown. Make the Bush tax cuts permanent, repeal all the nonsensical legislation of this grossly misguided Congress, and either win our wars or bring our troops home! The last 2 years have wrought nothing but uncertainty that perpetuates the current economic malaise. Our government has become so complex, convoluted, and corrupt; no one could hope to sort it out. The best action is to hit the reset button. And that is exactly what is brewing for Election Day.
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