Iron Horse Dems

For white Americans, the election of Obama does not mean the conversation on race Is over, that we are past race as an issue, and that we can now forget about affirmative action.

Carl Jeffers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-jeffers/

By Anthony Wright Executive Director of Health Access California As the various caucuses at the U.S. House of Representatives make their decisions, California is showing a lot of leadership, and is poised to show more leadership on health care California Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey maintains her position as co-chair of the...

As a professor of global affairs and an international security advisor to both the U.S. military and President of Afghanistan, I say if Obama wants to mend scars he should send her flowers.

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Seven nights of one great discovery after another continues tonight at 9P e/p only on National Geographic Channel. From the ancient pyramids to the ocean depths, from lost cities to outer space, travel with the latest generation of intrepid explorers as they make one great discovery after another. Expedition Week, only on National Geographic Channel.
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Patricia DeGennaro http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patricia-degennaro/

As it turns out, Obama's historic election as the first black leader of the free world has haters all over the planet in a bind.

Monroe Anderson http://www.huffingtonpost.com/monroe-anderson/

SAN FRANCISCO — California's highest court agreed Wednesday to hear several legal challenges to the state's new ban on same-sex marriage but refused to allow...

The Huffington Post News Team http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, isn’t the only one taking the chair of a black caucus. Her former chief of staff, Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, D-Oakland, will lead of the California Legislative Black Caucus, the first Northern California lawmaker to hold that pst in more than a decade. His chairmanship of the eight-member caucus — six Assembly members, two state Senators — for the 2009-2010 term takes effect Dec. 1.

“I am honored that my colleagues have entrusted me with this incredible responsibility,” he said in a statement issued yesterday. “We face enormous challenges in this state, and I look forward to addressing them with my colleagues in the coming months.”

Assemblyman Curren Price, D-Inglewood, will be the caucus’ vice-chair.

Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, D-Compton, California’s longest-serving African-American lawmaker, said he was “very pleased” with Swanson’s election. “With his leadership, I am sure that the Caucus will lead the way in crafting a proactive agenda that will benefit all citizens in our State.”

Swanson intends to hold a strategic planning session to set the caucus’ statewide agenda, which will include getting more African-Americans elected to the Legislature, setting legislative priorities, and addressing the coming term’s weighty economic issues — first and foremost, California’s $28 billion deficit in this and the next budget years.

“This is a crisis that affects the entire state,” Swanson said. “Yet, as difficult as this task is, it is an opportunity to recast our priorities to ensure that government plays a prominent role in mitigating the impact of this serious economic downturn on our working families. The Legislative Black Caucus will be actively engaged in setting those priorities and shaping the economic stimulus package that must come out of our budget negotiations.”

That package is still taking shape, but Swanson said education and job creation are the most important issues. He also wants to reign in California’s prison spending, as we’ll soon be spending more on prisons than on higher education; reducing this cost will involve lowering recidivism rates through better rehabilitation, he believes.

Swanson said he intends to work closely with the Latino and Asian Pacific Islander caucuses on these issues. “Given these economic conditions, it is now more important than ever that we develop a tri-caucus strategy to address the needs of communities most severely impacted by this economic downturn and budget deficit,” he said.

We’re going to need some federal help, Swanson said. “Right now, we send $50 billion more to Washington than we get back in federal programs and aid. I am optimistic that President-Elect Obama will be more responsive to our needs than the previous administration, and I look forward to working with the new administration and our leaders in Congress on an economic strategy that benefits the state.”

By Robert Cruickshank In the days after Proposition 8's passage, much was made of a CNN Exit Poll showing 70% of African Americans voted for Prop 8. That poll had a number of problems including a small sample size. But the damage had been done, and it soon became conventional...

A militant Taliban group warned on Thursday of reprisals in Pakistan if there was another US drone attack, as the government condemned the latest missile...

The Huffington Post News Team http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/

Obama fundamentally trusts markets, but believes that they make grievous errors (I'll say!), and that those errors must at times be aggressively corrected. Is that a new idea? If so, then no wonder we're screwed.

Joshuah Bearman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshuah-bearman/

The positive and uplifting spirit of the African American community and all others of goodwill will not be broken by the these latest random acts of madness -- the threats made against Obama.

Russell Simmons http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-simmons/

Unlike the Abominable Snowman, scientists say the Spine of the Democratic Party is more than a fairy tale. Incredible as it seems, the legend of Democratic Backbone is based on historical fact.

Michael Gene Sullivan http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-gene-sullivan/

The newest critique of the automobile industry came yesterday when members of Congress, weighing the idea of offering the Big Three a $25 billion loan,...

Presented By: Expedition Week Continues Tonight


Seven nights of one great discovery after another continues tonight at 9P e/p only on National Geographic Channel. From the ancient pyramids to the ocean depths, from lost cities to outer space, travel with the latest generation of intrepid explorers as they make one great discovery after another. Expedition Week, only on National Geographic Channel.
www.natgeotv.com/expedition
 
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The Huffington Post News Team http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/

WASHINGTON - In what could signal a major departure from the conciliatory tone of Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team Of Rivals", aides to President-Elect Obama today...

Jerry and Joe Long http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-sturdy-beggars/

Rep. Dingell, as the chair of the House energy and commerce committee, was nothing more than a shill for the auto industry, working overtime to suppress any attempts at controlling pollution or raising mileage limits.

Jacob Heilbrunn http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-heilbrunn/

By Paul Hogarth Yesterday, the California Supreme Court announced it would take up the legal challenges to Proposition 8. But while lawyers debate the future of marriage equality, activists are planning next steps regardless of the outcome. There’s a lot of grass-roots energy emanating from the recent protests, and...

National Security Network reports on the upshot of the tape in which No. 2 Al Qaeda Ayman al-Zawarhri calls Barack Obama a "house negro": Experts...

The Huffington Post News Team http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/

This week the Senate voted to remain an exclusive club of self-protection and entitlement by letting Bush enabler Joe Lieberman keep his gavel, but the House has voted for progress.

Jane Hamsher http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/

Though as a former senate majority leader Daschle seems like a conventional cabinet pick, his deep understanding of the role that states must play in health care sets him apart.

David Sirota http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/

Losing to Obama, Hillary Clinton is now trying to weasel her way in as Secretary of State. Does she hate New York thatmuch?

Howie Greene http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howie-greene/

First published at WashingtonTimes.com   For a $50 donation to Hillary Clinton, you could get that image, and many more of the "best moments from...

Christina Bellantoni http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christina-bellantoni/