Just Because It's Friday - Gang Starr

Today I'm feeling Gang Starr's 'Full Clip' from the CD 'Full Clip: Decade of Gang Starr'. Like Eric B. and Rakim, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Gang Starr was one of those legendary rap duos. Although it started out as a much larger group back in 1987, Gang Starr eventually evolved into duo consisting of Guru (R.I.P.) and DJ Premier. Guru died last year of either a heart attack or cancer depending on which source you check. There was some controversy about his death, but his rhymes and lyrical influence remain. 'Full Clip' is one of their best. Check it.

Herman, Obama and Steve

Republican and former Godfathers Pizza CEO Herman Cain

So much to talk about, so little time. Here are a few headlines that caught my attention. It must be me, but who gives a flaming f*ck if Sarah Palin runs for President. She can join the rest of that ragtag bunch of misfits and do nothings who are so far removed from reality that nothing they say is relevant, important or grounded in reality. The only good thing to come out of the Florida straw poll was that Rick Perry fell the f*ck off. I sincerely hope this trend continues and that people realize there is no there there.

We should be careful when the media starts anointing certain candidates as front-runners and people start to believe them. Seriously, the election is less than thirteen months away, the Republicans have plenty of time to shoot themselves in the foot, overplay their hand and have one $16 muffin too many. Last week, CNN had the nerve to post poll numbers of an imaginary Obama-Palin match up. Glad to hear she doesn't want to be "shackled" to something as insignificant as the highest office in the land, a job she is clearly unqualified for. I wish she would dish about Glen Rice and how she kept that little nugget of information quiet for so long. Props to Glen Rice for being a gentleman and not doggin' Palin out when he clearly had the opportunity to. She must not have been advocating abstinence back then.

I see Herman Cain is feeling himself and is going after the President. Like the rest of the Republicans and a great majority of politicians, pundits and the uninformed, he foolishly thinks that 'black people' are some monolithic group that thinks and acts in tandem, he sounds just as ridiculous when he says that 'black people' have been brainwashed by the Democrats. Like the typical black Republican, he thinks he has special standing as the 'magic negro' he is neither special or different. And those Obama comparisons have just got to stop. Oh Herman, if my grandpa were around, he'd send you out to the backyard to get a switch. Grandpa was a hard working, simple man, he paid cash for everything he owned, provided for his wife and children and was not the kind of person you could brainwash. He wouldn't know what to make of you.


I deliberately avoided talking about President Obama, he makes it way too easy to talk about him. Thus far, he has exhibited very little courage or mettle in dealing with the Republicans and the tanned and clueless John Boehner. They have kicked his ass up and down Pennsylvania Avenue, I'd like to buy him some courage and then a backbone. He has been very disappointing thus far and I don't really see him getting reelected unless Michele Bachmann wins the Republican nomination. Someone like Bachmann could actually win if Obama fails to deliver on his promise for jobs jobs jobs. The Republicans want to see him fail and become a one term president and they just might get their wish. The President has forgotten about the people who have elected him.

And lastly, just got to say it. Someone is going to give comedian and twice-divorced Steve Harvey a show about relationships? I didn't read his book, don't listen to his morning show and don't care to much about his brand of humor. The last thing he needs to do is offer women advice about relationships and dealing with men. I would throw him and Tyler Perry in the same mix, perpetuating the myth that 'black women will remain alone and single because it is their destiny' foolishness. If I were Steve Harvey, I'd just stick to telling jokes. If I were a single black woman, I'd stop listening to all of the dismal statistics that say you are less likely than white, Hispanic or asian women to marry. It is just not true. Marriage is for anyone who wants and is not exclusive to any particular racial group.

A Yo

'The Wire' was one of the best series on television ever. The last episode of the series aired on HBO March 9, 2008. One of the most interesting and complex characters on the show was a character named Omar. He was a Robin Hood of sorts, he made a living robbing Baltimore's drug dealers mostly by not using his shotgun. He was eloquently portrayed by actor Michael K. Williams.

Omar was a openly gay street thug who was anything but soft, the mere mention of his name caused fear in the projects and pandemonium on the streets of Baltimore. The show always had a complex story line and intriguing characters that drew you in. At times like this when there is absolutely nothing good to watch on television, I really miss watching 'The Wire'.

Eric B is President

Just because I am hip-hop fan from way back, I miss the days when hip-hop was all about braggadocio and swagger. This was way before Lil' Wayne, Wiz Khalifa and those horrid Ying-Yang twins (Where are they any way?). I stop listening to modern hip-hop back a years ago because I got bored with the thuggery, vulgarity and misogyny. It wasn't fresh and definitely wasn't original, I mean how many times can you bust a cap in someone's ass or call a woman a hoe or a b*tch?

I'm not sure what kind of rap is popular now but I would imagine it is still gangsta rap or some kind of variation of that foolishness. I have yet to understand the appeal Lil Wayne. First of all, I don't understand what he is saying, he sounds and looks like a gremlin desperately in need of a bath. Clearly I'm missing something because he has fathered multiple children with multiple women. Women want to have a baby with Lil Wayne!? Oh wait, he's rich, SORRY. These women obviously know something and see something I don't. I just can't get past the tattoos, sloppy clothes and the gold grill. He could be the second coming with a genius IQ but I surely wouldn't know it. I must be getting old.

Although I don't get Lil Wayne, I can easily bob my head to anything by Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock and CL Smooth or De La Soul, throw on some 'Electric Relaxation' or 'Me, Myself and I' and I am there. Their music was about something, it was lyrically clever, thoughtful and had multiple layers of beats and samples which to me was creativity at its best. I don't think there is much of that in hip-hop now, I mean how creative can you be with a song that has some verses from a rapper or a rap that has a hook sung by singer and all of it about various sex acts and murder?

One of the best rap groups of all time for me is Eric B. and Rakim. Here's why:



I loved them because Rakim just came out on the stage and did his thing (notice all he has is a microphone, no scantily clad dancers or two dozen hype men or homies on the set yelling and jumping around...he did not need it). Eric B. never said much, he was just there spinning, scratching and cuttin' it up. This is hip-hop at it's finest.

Sticks and Stones

Conservative pundit Ann Coulter

The level of political discourse in this country has definitely deteriorated over the past few years. Slurs, insults and cruelty have replaced civility, thoughtful dialogue and tolerance. Today's inspiration comes from right wing potty mouth Ann Coulter who has made a career out of hurling insults and making ridiculous claims like radiation is good for you, all presidential assassinations were committed by left wing loons and the earth is flat.

Today, Florida Congresswoman and Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was Coulter's target. Coulter called her "a hideous beast who has a voice like a hyena getting an abortion". Really!? Damn, just plain damn.  The audience booed when Wasserman Schultz was mentioned and cheered and clapped at the insult.  Coulter compared her to Florida's other Congressman Republican Allen West whom she described as "studly, articulate, elegant, a war hero and the Republican party." Hmmmmm, sounds okay if you like loud mouthed, self-loathing misogynists. Would Coulter use the same flowery adjectives to describe Mitt Romney, Rick Perry or even Newt Gingrich? Probably not. There are plenty of places I could take this but I don't need to say that Allen West is black and Debbie Wasserman Schultz is Jewish.


Coulter was clearly instigating the political feud between West and Wasserman Schultz. It's no surprise that this audience of conservative Christian types weren't offended by anything Coulter said, they were probably some of the same folks cheering when Rick Perry bragged about executions in Texas. I would bet that Allen West was somewhere in the audience clapping and cheering along too. Someone needs to wash Coulter's mouth out with soap. A hideous beast who has a voice like a hyena getting an abortion! Wow, really!? So, she doesn't agree with Wasserman Schultz's politics, that's okay but does Coulter realize how ridiculous she sounds?

The folks over at the Florida Conservative Political Action Conference got what they paid for and the attendees heard what they wanted to hear: backbiting, pettiness and name-calling. The sponsors and co-sponsors of this conference read like a who's who of ultra conservative organizations like The Heritage Foundation, Americans United for Life and surprise, surprise the Central Florida Tea Party Council. They have discovered the easiest way to show American exceptionalism is to attack and malign those whose ideas and politics they don't agree with.

Donny Hathaway - Someday We'll All Be Free

Someday We'll All Be Free
written by Donnie Hathaway and Edward Howard


Hang onto the world as it spins, around.
Just don't let the spin get you down.
Things are moving fast.
Hold on tight and you will last.

Keep your self-respect your very bright.
Get yourself in gear,
Keep your stride.
Never mind your fears.
Brighter days will soon be here.

Chorus

Take it from me someday we'll all be free (Yeah)

Verse

Keep on walking tall, hold you head up high.
Lay your dreams right up to the sky.
Sing your greatest song.
And you'll keep, going, going on.

Repeat Chorus

(Hey) Just wait and see someday we'll all be free. (Yeah)
Take it from me, Someday we'll all be free.
(It won't be long) Take it from me someday we'll all be free.
Take it from me, take it from me, take it from me. 

In Other Death Penalty News

James Byrd Jr. was murdered in 1998

Troy Davis' execution has been delayed for now and that is good news however, convicted murderer Lawrence Brewer was quietly executed in Texas today. Chalk up another execution for Texas charlatan Rick Perry who has the distinction of presiding over the most executions in U.S. history (235 and counting). He doesn't lose any sleep over innocent people being executed because justice must be served.

Brewer didn't murder an off-duty police officer but him and his accomplices tied James Byrd Jr. to the back of his pick-up truck and dragged his body for three miles. What was left of Byrd's body could only be identified with his fingerprints. Brewer and his accomplices were white supremacists and probably thought it would be funny if they tied a black man to the back of the pick-up truck. Well it wasn't and ranks as one of the most horrific, grisly crimes ever.

In spite of his crime, Brewer should have been spared execution and allowed to spend the rest of his life in prison. While he may not have apologized or expressed remorse for his crime, at some point, his conscious would have gotten the better of him if it hadn't already. For me, this would have been punishment enough.

Troy Davis Gets Mercy

In spite of world wide protests and pleas for clemency from just about everyone and their mother, the Georgia State Board of Paroles and Pardons denied a last minute appeal to save Troy Davis' life. Unless there is some kind of divine intervention, Troy Davis will be executed at 7:00 pm tonight.

Sadly, Davis' case has become a touchstone for many of us who are against the death penalty and are skeptical of death sentences meted out based on the flimsiest of evidence and a bunch of he said/she said which has since been retracted. Without a scrap of physical evidence or DNA and someone can get convicted based on "eyewitness" accounts. Damn, so much for justice.

Don't know how the Chatham County District Attorney, Larry Chisolm and the members of the Georgia State Board of Paroles and Pardons can think they are doing the right thing. They are probably tormented by the fact that if they did reverse the death sentence or grant Troy Davis clemency, they would catch hell for showing mercy to a convicted cop killer. None of them would want to be seen as compassionate, merciful or soft on crime, isn't that what this case is really about?

God bless Troy Davis.


**Update: Troy Davis' execution has been delayed by the state of Georgia while the Supreme Court decides whether to grant him a stay of execution.**

I Am Still Troy Davis

I am sad to hear that the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected Troy Davis' clemency petition. At this point, Davis faces execution on Wednesday, September 21st at 7:00 pm ET. Please join me in contacting Larry Chisolm of the Chatham County District Attorney's attorney office at: 912-652-7308 (fax 912-652-7328) and request that he withdraw the death warrant against Davis.

It still isn't too late to sign the petitions at Amnesty International and Color of Change or to call Larry Chisolm, the District Attorney in Chatham County in a last ditch effort to save Troy Davis' life. Visit here. Is it just wishful thinking to pray that the Governor of Georgia or maybe even President Obama would intervene to save Troy Davis' life? I guess we will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. 

I Am Troy Davis

If you haven't already done so, please sign the petition to save Troy Davis' life. According to Amnesty International, the Georgia Board of Paroles and Pardons has received more than a half a million signatures in support of granting Troy clemency. Another option is to sign the petition for Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm who has the power to withdraw the death warrant for Troy Davis.

Grant Troy Davis Clemency

Troy Davis faces execution by lethal injection in Georgia on September 21, 2011.

Thanks to one of my favorite bloggers, The Field Negro.  He wrote an excellent post about Troy Davis, who has been sentenced to die on September 21, 2011. Davis has exhausted all of his appeals and in spite of the fact that eyewitnesses have recanted their testimony and there is no DNA evidence or fingerprints to prove his guilt, Davis is still scheduled to be executed by the state of Georgia in less than ten days.

A few days ago, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles scheduled a clemency hearing for Davis on September 19, 2011 two days before his execution date. Please sign the petition at Amnesty International and join me in urging them to grant Troy Davis clemency.

While putting innocent people to death may not bother Texas governor Rick Perry or those who applauded his tough stance on the death penalty and executions, it bothers me because this is something that could easily happen to me or someone I know. Innocent people can be convicted of crimes they did not commit and it can happen to anyone.

The death penalty is expensive and has never been a deterrent to crime; it is barbaric and unusually cruel. Besides giving the guilty an easy way out, it denies rights to those wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit. In 2010, the United States was one of 23 countries in the world that still has the death penalty. I think life in prison without possibility of parole is a more humane and less costly option.

Too Good Not to Share

Spotted on Jobsanger.com

Gaddafi's Greatest Outfits

I just wanted to post some of my favorite outfits worn by the former Libyan leader, who at this moment, is hiding in some secret location somewhere in Africa. To me, there was always something "off" about Gaddafi's appearance, in his early years as dictator, he was boyishly handsome but over the years those looks have faded into something more sullen, weary and unseemly, but hey, being a dictator ain't easy.

Let's start first with the hair. Back in the day, Gaddafi had a head full of thick curly hair but he must have discovered texturizer, the jheri curl or s-curl in later years because  his hair always managed to look over processed and limp like Michael Jackson's hair in the 80s.  

For years, I have taken delight in Gaddafi's fashion sense because you never know what he might turn up wearing. He was bold, ostentatious and arrogant in an African kind of way. Before being overthrown, he was easily the continent's best-dressed dictator because he fashioned himself as a leader for all Africans, not just Libyans. 

Here are a few of my favorite outfits over the years:

This would just be your ordinary caftan (bou bou) ensemble made from expensive woven fabric were it not for the matching hat (kufi) that is cocked so gently to the side. It's all about the hat and his feelings of kinship with his West African brethren who typically wear this kind of outfit.

Nothing says more about a dictator than his threads, this ensemble demands attention. You can tell the fabric is very expensive but the devil is in the details, check out the map of Africa on his wrap that is strategically placed over his heart. He is no doubt touting his pan-Africanism and the fact that he managed to stay in power for over 30 years. Here, he's cooler than a fan.

More Gaddafi swag here. He looks like an emperor presiding over his subjects. This outfit would be ordinary were it not for the shades, they set this monochromatic look off by the mixing modern with the traditional. U2's Bono has nothing on Gaddafi, I'm sure these sunglasses cost thousands and were purchased in bulk at some fancy designer boutique in Europe. Ray-Bans would never do, they are so 1960s African dictator a la Mobutu Sesi Seko, only Cartier or Gucci will do.

With this look, it is all about the shades again. Gaddafi reportedly own hundreds of pairs, some never even taken out of their boxes. These darker lenses offer more protection from flashing lights, ultra-violet rays and piercing stares. This look says "You can take my picture, but don't ask me shit."

And lastly, any critique of Gaddafi's fashion game must include the requisite military uniform. He and Michael Jackson must have used the same tailor. The flashy gold braid, fringe and embellishments prove that you can make any uniform your own by adding medals, badges and scrap pieces of metal. I know these medals and pins mean something but probably only to Gaddahi himself.

When his compound was raided, many of his possessions were pilfered and plundered by the invading rebels and angry citizens. Since he was worth over $30 billion USD, it is likely that he has more caftans, sunglasses and Condi Rice scrapbooks elsewhere. He always travels with his tent and lately with some recording device to remind us all that he is still in mix whether he is a wanted man or not.

Link of the Day: Jobsanger

Jobsanger is one of those blogs that will either have you nod in agreement or simmer with anger. This post is particularly funny since Republican front-runner and 'man-o-god' Rick Perry claims that God speaks to him. Not everyone finds this amusing. I wish someone would tell me why God only speaks to Republicans.
I am not the only one who takes exception with this nonsense, it looks like some churches are snapping back at Perry. Read all about it here. 

Rick Perry's Shining Moment

At the Republican debate last night, reformed sucessionist Rick Perry wants you to know that he's tough on crime and doesn't have problem executing people. He is proud of the fact that Texas has executed more people than any other state over the past two years.

I believe the majority of Americans, like me, would prefer a sentence other than the death penalty for murder convictions but from the looks of this video clip, none of these people were at the debate last night.

While Perry has no problem sleeping at night if an innocent person is executed, we should scrutinize someone who claims to hear the voice of God but has no compassion for the poor, hungry or helpless. Though no one mentioned it, Perry's pray-a-thon drew 30,000 people while more than 100,000 people showed up at a back-to-school event for the needy a few miles away.  I guess I was expecting too much from a room full of mean-spirited Republicans and lazy journalists.

Below are some facts about the death penalty from a recent study by Death Penalty Information Center. I don't imagine Rick Perry or any of the other Republican candidates have ever read it:

• The death penalty is not a deterrent to crime
  I thought everyone knew this.
• Death penalty cases are more expensive than life sentences
• A death penalty case costs Texas an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at 
• the highest security level for 40 years.
   
• Race is the predominant factor in determining the death sentence 
  Reviews of race and death penalty in states where it is legal proved there was a pattern of discrimination based on the race of the victim and race of the defendant 96% of the time.

• Kill a white person, get the death penalty
  In murder cases where the victim was white, the death penalty was given more than 76% of the time versus a black victim (15%) or Hispanic victim (6%).
• Whites comprise the largest percentage of death row inmates and executions
  With rates of 44% and 56% respectively, whites are the largest group affected by the death penalty,  while blacks represent 42% of death row inmates and 35% of those executed. Hispanics make up 12% of death row inmates and 7% of executions.

He's Got To Have It , the Tiki Barber Edition

Tiki Barber and his current wife Ginny

Tiki Barber, the once great running back in the NFL, is going through some hard times. After being fired from his high-profile job on the 'Today Show', the financially strapped Barber tried to make a comeback in the NFL but after tryouts with several teams, not one of them signed him. He is reportedly devastated but I don't feel sorry for him, I just don't like him very much. Okay, I don't know him but ...

Barber's fall from grace started when he began an affair with a 23 year old blonde intern for the 'Today Show' which prompted him to leave his wife Ginny who was 8 months pregnant at the time. *blank stare* In most women's book, this is about as low as you can get without being a child molester. Barber is still with the blonde and announced that they plan to marry.

Any woman who has ever been cheated on can certainly sympathize with Ginny Barber. I know a few women who would have kicked Tiki's and the blonde's ass. Now Miss Blonde probably thinks she has won the lottery with Barber but she should recognize the time-proven adage: how you get them, is how you lose them.

At 25, the side piece probably thinks she is special since Barber left his wife for her but seriously, how much respect can you have for a man who leaves his pregnant wife? Moreover, how can you respect a woman who thinks this shit is okay?

Granted I do not know the details of the Barber marriage or his affair with the side piece, but I do know right from wrong. Tiki Barber fucked up big time. Whether his football career can be resurrected remains to be seen but I do not feel sorry for him or his current predicament. Isn't this called karma?

A New Reason to Drink Smartwater

Idris Elba and Smartwater 

Oh yummy! The very handsome, very sexy British actor Idris Elba is the new face of Smartwater. This man could sell me just about anything. Suddenly, bottled water is sexy.*sigh*

The Curse of Dark Skin

The terrified look on this man's face tells the story.

“People are afraid of the dark-skinned people, so they are all suspect” 

Black people around the world catch hell. With the National Transitional Council in charge of most of Libya and President Muammar Qaddafi in hiding, the Libyan people, at this moment, are free. Libyans have turned against dark skinned Africans, many of them are Libyans and others are migrant workers from nearby and sub-Saharan countries. Black men are being beaten, arrested and detained on suspicion of being mercenaries for Qaddafi. With no real justice system in place, they are relying more on skin color to mete out punishment to blacks.

Human Rights Watch, a human rights organization, is demanding that the National Transitional Council (aka rebels) stop the arbitrary arrest of black Africans. Aside from the lynchings that took place in Benghazi back in February, black men are being rounded up, interrogated and jailed while others are beaten, robbed and rounded up by locals just for being black. Some have lived in the country for years, others are migrant workers and there may actually be a few mercenaries in the mix, who really knows?

While they have no proof of who is a mercenary and who is not, having dark skin is all you need to be suspected. Although Qaddafi is in hiding, his influence on the country is very evident. Though he claimed black Africans were his brothers, he had no problem using them as mercenaries to kill his own people thus creating an atmosphere of distrust of black Africans.

In the rush to overthrow the tyrannical president, the rebels and people of Libya have enacted their own form of justice against those they don't feel belong in their country and for now, it's about skin color and not much of anything else. I haven't heard the U.S., France or any other NATO ally condemn Libya's mass detention of black men.

Job Creation, Mitt Style

Clip from ThinkProgress.com

“You created more jobs with your house than Barack Obama has in the last three and a half years. … I support you all the way.”

Just wondering if this guy was paid for this photo op a la Joe the Plumber or if he really believes this shit.  

Republican presidential candidate and multi-millionaire Mitt Romney is expanding his California mansion from a paltry 3,000 square feet to a much more habitable 11,062 square feet. And from the looks of it, he isn't the only one excited about it.

Teaching "Future Criminals"

A first grade teacher in Paterson, New Jersey was suspended for comments she made about some her students. Jennifer O'Brien took to her Facebook page to express her frustration with some of her students by posting "I'm not a teacher, I'm a warden for future criminals" and lamented why they didn't have a scared straight program for first graders. Ms. O'Brien teaches at a public school that is predominantly African American and Hispanic.


Ms. O'Brien needs a new job. Of course she didn't really mean what she said and claims she was misunderstood but a Facebook page isn't the place to express dislike for your job. Teachers should be held to a higher standard and if someone feels that strongly about their students, then they need to seek a new profession. If a teacher like this has such contempt for first graders, it is no surprise that these children disrespect her and disrupt her class.

Kids are sometimes the best judge of character and I would just bet her students didn't need to read her Facebook page to know she doesn't like them or her job. No child deserves to be written off in the first grade and no teacher who hates her job and her students should be allowed to teach.

Male Enhancement Drugs Come Up Short

Ever been up in the middle of night trying to find something to watch on television? As you flip through all those channels, you will inevitably run across those commercials for a certain male enhancement drug featuring former NFL football coach Jimmy Johnson. Johnson claims to use the product and proudly touts "its not about what you have, it about making what you have better" or something like that. As if this is a surprise to anyone, ExtenZe does not measure up to its claims to make you bigger, last longer, leap tall buildings in a single bound, etc. You can read all about it here. 

And for your entertainment, here's my favorite commercial featuring smiling Bob and his sleigh full of confidence. Sometimes I just have to shake my head.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Texas governor Rick Perry showing some Texas swag

Texas governor Rick Perry jumped into the Presidential race a few weeks ago and has already become the party's front runner. From crazy right wing Michele Bachmann to spineless Mitt Romney to the completely ignored Ron Paul, Perry appears larger than life in this pathetic field of Republican candidates. His popularity is dumbfounding and personally, I don't like my politics mixed with religion nor do I like politicians claiming to be prophets. 

With Perry now dominating the field of candidates, we should all be concerned. This is the same man who wanted Texas to secede from the United States as late as last year. He has suddenly become the Republican party's favorite candidate. I thought his threat was rather treasonist, but that's just me. I guess people have forgotten about that. How you can be a successionist and a tea party darling is beyond me.

I'm not buying anything Rick Perry says, he reminds me of a snake oil salesman with his phony 'man of God' persona. Overtly religious people, especially fundamentalist Christian types, scare me because I think they have something sinister to hide. A true Christian speaks and behaves in a way where you never have to question their faith but like most tea party types, he is mean-spirited and selfish. His pray-a-thon, "The Response: A Call to Prayer for A Nation in Crisis" in August drew about 30,000 people while a few miles away in Houston, more than 100,000 people showed up for a back-to-school event that offered free school supplies, uniforms and food to the needy. Texas ranks third in the number people living in poverty.

I doubt that Perry's seven hour prayer session included prayers for those suffering through one of the worst economic declines in history: the poor, homeless and unemployed. Poverty has it's own vicious circle. He was probably praying for God to strike President Obama dead or something like that. Under his reign, Texas has the largest number of minimum wage jobs in the country. I am certain he doesn't even know what the minimum wage is much less know that you can't support a family earning it. He does not care.Only 32% of Texans vote, the rest of the population is too busy trying to make ends meet on their minimum wage jobs.

Listed below are some other tidbits about Perry and Texas under his reign that are downright frightening, there are no Texas miracles here. Perry doesn't have much to brag about.

• Texas has the highest rate of families without health insurance
  that's about 6 million uninsured people in the state
• Graduated from Texas A&M in 1972 with a 2.2 GPA and a degree in Animal Science
  yet rejects scientific evidence for global warming 
• Chaired Al Gore's campaign in Texas in 1988
  Perry abruptly switched parties the next year and became a Republican
• Texas ranks first in executions
  Perry opposes abortion but supports the death penalty
• Texas ranks first in the number of teenage births
  Texas schools do not have sex education classes, they teach abstinence only

Perry likes to portray himself as some modern day prophet, but what is he prophet of? Corporations and the rich or something more sinister? What has happened under his reign in Texas is dismal enough, we really don't need this man in the White House.