'Let's Make a Deal' host Monty Hall dead at 96

Story by CNN
Written by Steve Almasy and Tony Marco

Monty Hall, best known as the cheerful and friendly host of the game show 'Let's Make a Deal,' died Saturday morning in Los Angeles, his daughter Sharon Hall said.

He was 96 years old and had been ill after suffering a heart attack shortly after his wife of almost 70 years died in June.

"He was the greatest father on the planet ... he was the dad who called every single night to see how your day was and never tired of hearing the details. He lived for his family," Sharon Hall said.

Monty Hall co-created and hosted the first version of the popular game show, on which contestants dressed in costumes -- some zany -- and often won prizes behind one of three doors. The show premiered in 1963 and Hall hosted day-time and prime-time iterations of the show until 1986 (and for a brief time in 1991). Hall reportedly appeared in more than 4,500 episodes.

A version of the show starring Wayne Brady is still on the air.

Hall once told the Archive of American Television that when "Let's Make a Deal" started people showed up in suits and dresses. On the second episode a woman brought a sign with the message: "Roses are red, violets are blue, I came here to deal with you."

"The next week, everybody had a sign," Hall said in the 2002 interview. "Then somebody else had a funny hat, then came costumes. ..."

Hall insisted the show never picked anyone for their costume.

Hall said he wanted to be remembered as someone who cared for his family and others.

His family said he help to raise close to $1 billion for charity during his life.

"His philanthropy work was more important to him than his TV work. He saw TV as a means to help him raise money for charities. He was always paying it forward," son-in-law Todd Kessler told CNN.

Sharon Hall said her father was always working for charities because of an experience that happened to him as a young man that changed his life.

"He took a job scrubbing steps to try to pay for his college and a man took pity on him and told him he would pay for his college if he did three things: retain an A average, keep the man's name anonymous, and promise to pay it forward," she said.

Monty Hall retained a friendship with the man whose name he never revealed.

"He was always going to telethons to raise money. He was even honored with the Royal Order of Canada. The highest honor for a Canadian," his daughter said.

Monty Hall was a dual citizen of the United States. and Canada. "He became a US citizen so he could vote for Bill Clinton (in 1992)," Sharon Hall said.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mayor Brian Bowman sent his condolences by Twitter.

"Winnipeg's ambassador in Hollywood, @umanitoba alumni & host of 'Let's Make a Deal' has left our stage. RIP Monty."

Hall was born in Winnipeg on August 25, 1921, as Maurice Halperin, according to the Internet Movie Database.

He is survived by three children who are all involved in entertainment. Sharon Hall is a producer; Joanna Gleason is an actress; Richard Hall is a writer and director.

San Juan mayor: 'Dammit, this is not a good news story'

Story by CNN
Written by Daniella Diaz
Video Link: http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/29/politics/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-san-juan-mayor-trump-response/index.html

Washington (CNN)San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz reacted with shock and anger to acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke on Friday, saying Puerto Rico's recovery is "not a good news story."

"This is a 'people are dying' story," she said in disbelief.

Cruz was referencing Duke's comments from Thursday, when the Trump administration official said she was satisfied with the government's response to help Puerto Rico's recover from Hurricane Maria.

"I know it is really a good news story in terms of our ability to reach people and the limited number of deaths that have taken place in such a devastating hurricane," Duke said.

"Well maybe from where she's standing it's a good news story," Yulín Cruz told CNN's Alisyn Camerota after she was played the clip on "New Day." "When you're drinking from a creek, it's not a good news story. When you don't have food for a baby, it's not a good news story. When you have to pull people down from buildings -- I'm sorry, that really upsets me and frustrates me."

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/trump-puerto-rican-crisis-island-164503473.html

In storm-ravaged Puerto Rico, drinking water in short supply

Story by Reuters
Written by Dave Graham and Robin Respaut
Video Link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/storm-ravaged-puerto-rico-drinking-water-short-supply-112241925.html

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - A week after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, most of its 3.4 million residents are scrambling to find clean water, with experts concerned about a looming public health crisis posed by the island's damaged water system.

On Tuesday, hundreds of people crowded around a government water tanker in the northeastern municipality of Canovanas with containers of every size and shape after a wait that for many had lasted days.

"This is the first tank they have brought here," said Juan Cruz, a local carpenter, who was helping to fill the vessels while a solitary green-jacketed official stood by. "That is why the people are creating such a commotion, so they can survive."

The U.S. territory's water woes are tied to the collapse of its power grid; electricity is needed to pump, treat and filter water that shows up in household taps.

With the grid incapacitated, diesel-powered generators are needed to clean and move water where it needs to go. But the island does not have nearly enough generators to perform this work, utility officials say, while fuel to run them is scarce.

Only about 40 percent to 45 percent of the customers of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) had potable water as of Tuesday, company authorities said. Island-wide water service may not resume until electricity is restored across Puerto Rico, which could take months.

In the meantime, officials are racing to deliver bottled water and send tanker trunks across the island, where desperation is growing.

At the water line in Canovanas, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of the capital San Juan, people dunked bottles into larger containers still filling with water to make the most of their turn at the tanker. Others quenched their thirst straight away, draining their bottles, then refilling them. One woman carried four empty buckets that held about five gallons each.

A few residents said they been without running water since about last Wednesday, when Maria knocked out electricity, phones and commerce around the island. Fallen trees and power lines have blocked roads. Many shops and supermarkets have remained closed, leaving residents with few places to buy water.

Water service was spotty in San Juan, the island's biggest city, while in places such as Toa Baja, about 25 miles west, people brought buckets and plastic trash cans to fill up at a water distribution station.

Carlos Cotto, a government driver, 43, said he has been taking five-liter containers every day to work from his home in Caguas to replenish them in San Juan, about 20 miles north, to help relatives whose water is now running low.

"Just to keep the supply stable ... so we have enough to survive on," he said outside a large convention center that has been used to house people needing shelter from the storm.

CONTAMINATION SEEPS IN

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency said it has provided more than 4 million meals and 6 million liters of water to Puerto Rico and the hurricane-hit U.S. Virgin Islands, with an additional 7 million meals and 4 million liters of water en route by barge to the islands.

"The vast majority of people on Puerto Rico do not have access to safe drinking water systems," said Sven Rodenbeck, chief science officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hurricane response. He said the CDC is advising people in Puerto Rico to use bottled water as much as possible.

"Whenever a water system, whether it is Puerto Rico or anywhere, loses pressure there is concern that bacterial contamination can be drawn into the drinking water system. That is why when you lose pressure you issue ‘boil water’ notices," he said in a telephone interview.

Even before the hurricane, Puerto Rico had a troubled water system.

Virtually the entire population of Puerto Rico drew tap water in 2015 that violated federal rules set under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said in a study released earlier this year.

"Puerto Rico stood out for having the worst record of any territory or state in the U.S. in terms of drinking water contamination problems," said Erik Olson, director of the Health Program at the Washington, D.C.-based NRDC.

The situation has only become worse with Maria, which has crippled sewage treatment plants and made the island's already leaky pipes even more prone to contamination. With nothing coming out of the taps, people have turned to wells and springs, which presents another public health risk, Olson said.

"That is shallow ground water that is incredibly susceptible to contamination from sewage and other sources," he said.

CLOSE TO DEFAULT

The water utility PRASA has also faced severe financial and regulatory problems.

Last year, it entered into an agreement to plead guilty to an indictment charging 15 felony counts of violating the federal Clean Water Act through the illegal discharge of pollutants from nine sanitary wastewater treatment plants and five drinking water treatment plants, U.S. authorities said in December.

PRASA last March said it had suspended ongoing projects and is considering other alternatives to pay off its contractors.

A few days after the storm, ratings agency Fitch said storm-related expenditures could compromise PRASA's already-strained liquidity, driving it closer to default

"With the systems that you have in Puerto Rico, you can make a lot of people sick very quickly," the NRDC's Olson said.

But with no water in the taps and bottled water hard to come by, many Puerto Ricans don't have the luxury of worrying about germs or illness.

In a neighborhood near San Juan, rainwater that Angel Negroni and his wife collect in buckets for use in their garden has become the couple's main source of water for drinking and cooking.

Negroni, 72, said he figures they will not have water service or electricity restored for weeks. Until then, he said he plans to cook with a small gas burner set up under a covered porch.

“I can make coffee,” Negroni said. “But pretty soon, I’ll need more bottled water.”

March for Black Women this Saturday, September 30th in Washington DC

4 Days Till M4BW.
Where Will You Be?

We hope you've been getting our invitations to join us at the historic MARCH FOR BLACK WOMEN
https://www.mamablack.org/march-for-black-women/?utm_source=Washington+Bureau+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=56661b0dab-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_09_27&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a16ef7fd1b-56661b0dab-211747993
in Washington DC, Saturday, September, 30, 2017 with Marissa Alexander, Opal Tometi, Teresa Younger, Gina Belafonte, Elle Heans, Ruby Sales, Michaela Angela Davis and our revolutionary co-chairs--Farah Tanis, Bre Ann Campbell, Charlene Carruthers, Monica Raye Simpson and hundreds of artists, activists and youth.

Twenty years after the Million Woman March, the March for Black Women will send a powerful message that justice for Black women and girls is racial justice. We're marching for our lives, demanding an end to State-sponsored violence, including the mass incarceration of Black women and girls, the on-going threats to our health care, and roll backs of Title IX which will hurt sexual assault survivors. We are expecting thousands of Black women, comrades, and allies unafraid to stand up and speak out, believe Black women, trust Black women and radically love Black women. We need you with us in on this historic day.

Let us know if you will be at the March for Black Women. Join Black Women's Blueprint, Trans Sistas of Color Project, Sister Song and Black Youth Project 100 at the Rally Point at Seward Square SE. The kick-off starts at 9:00 AM.

* INFORMATION PACKET
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* REGISTER FOR THE MARCH
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________________________________________
VISIT www.MarchForBlackWomen.org
Email BlackWomen@blueprintny.org
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TWITTER @March4BW and @BlackWomensBP
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Congressman John Conyers (Mi.) Says Congress Must Move on Criminal Justice Reform and Police Accountability Legislation; League Owners Must Protect NFL Players Who Speak Out

Stay informed and connected: Democrats-Judiciary.House.Gov/ @HouseJudDems

For Immediate Release
September 27, 2017
Contact: Shadawn Reddick-Smith (202) 225-6906

FOLLOWING TRUMP’S NFL RANT, CONYERS URGES FOCUS ON REAL ISSUE OF RACIAL INEQUALITY

Conyers Says Congress Must Move on Criminal Justice Reform and Police Accountability Legislation; League Owners Must Protect NFL Players Who Speak Out


Washington D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s continued inflammatory rhetoric urging the National Football League (NFL) to fire players for protesting racial injustice:

“President Donald Trump’s demands that the NFL team owners fire athletes who kneel or otherwise protest during the playing of the national anthem at football games is blatantly inconsistent with our Nation’s most fundamental constitutional and democratic values. The President of the United States, using the power of his bully pulpit and Twitter feed, to rail against private citizens’ political expression can constitute a violation of the First Amendment’s free speech guarantee.

“While it is important to confront Trump’s divisive words, we should not fall into his rhetorical trap and lose sight of the original purpose of the players’ protest. The players are calling attention to the fact that there are glaring disparities in how African-Americans are dealt with under our criminal justice system and their treatment by law enforcement officers, which often have deadly consequences.

“If President Trump and his Administration really cared about racial divisions in our country, they would work with us to pass comprehensive criminal justice reform and meaningful police accountability legislation – both of which have remained bipartisan issues in Congress. Instead, the Trump Administration and Attorney General Sessions have been undoing the very real progress made by the Obama Administration to address these issues. Republicans in Congress must stand up to the Trump Administration’s roll backs of critical policing, criminal justice reform and community accountability policies.

“No one should ever make the mistake that the fight for justice in America is anything less than an act of patriotism. As a veteran, I believe the players’ protest is far from ‘un-American.’ To the contrary, their nonviolent protest is in keeping with the traditions and values established by generations of civil rights leaders who have advocated for racial equality.

“I respect the NFL owners standing up for the players last weekend. However, the true test of their willingness to protect players’ pursuit of justice will be if they ensure that no NFL player loses a job because he has the courage to speak out, as Colin Kaepernick did last year. ”

Background: According to former Yale Law School Dean Robert Post, President Trump threatening or using the powers or imprimatur of his office to coerce a private entity like the NFL to take action against a citizen in retaliation for that citizen’s expression, could constitute a violation of the First Amendment’s free speech guarantee.

In July 2016, House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers announced the establishment of a working group to examine police accountability, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues. Watch Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers discuss the issue here.

###


Shadawn Reddick-Smith| Communications Director
House Judiciary Committee – Democratic Staff
202-225-6906 / @HouseJudDems

Congressman Al Green’s Statement on Impeachment

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Kamau Marshall (Communications Director) Cell Phone: 202-809-5602 Email: kamau.marshall@mail.house.gov

Rep. Al Green’s Statement on Impeachment
Washington, DC -- On Tuesday, September 26, 2017, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) released a statement on impeachment:
Between the hours of 10:00am and 11:00am EST, Congressman Al Green will make an impeachment statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
# # #

Supreme Court removes travel ban case from calendar pending new review - Travel Ban begins October 18th. -

The new order is based on a Department of Homeland Security review of immigration screening procedures. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

Story by USA Today
Written by Richard Wolf

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday removed President Trump's travel ban from its October calendar, an indication that it may have just gotten harder to challenge. But that won't stop opponents from trying.

By adding and subtracting affected countries after a 90-day review, the ban against certain travelers from eight countries in three continents could strike federal judges as less discriminatory than Trump's first two versions, legal experts said.

But by making the prohibitions indefinite rather than temporary and continuing to target mostly Muslim nations, the ban still provides plenty of fodder for the states, led by Hawaii, and immigration rights groups challenging it in court.

What seems clear to both sides in the wake of Trump's unveiling of Travel Ban 3.0 Sunday is that the current Supreme Court case has been altered, perhaps fatally. What's left is for the justices to get new briefs from both sides by Oct. 5 before deciding its ultimate fate.

"The parties are directed to file letter briefs addressing whether, or to what extent, the proclamation issued on September 24, 2017, may render cases No. 16-1436 and 16-1540 moot," the court said in its order.

"I think the court should and will dismiss the case as moot." said Stephen Legomsky, professor emeritus at Washington University School of Law and a former top immigration lawyer at the Department of Homeland Security. "The new proclamation changes both the factual and the legal issues."

Trump's first travel ban, issued in January, targeted seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. His second, issued in March, eliminated Iraq and allowed exceptions for legal permanent residents and those who already had visas. That didn't impress two federal appeals courts, but the Supreme Court in June allowed much of the ban to go into effect.

The new version subtracts Sudan and adds Chad, North Korea and Venezuela. Chad is 53% Muslim. North Korea sent fewer than a dozen immigrants to the United States last year, challengers said. The ban on Venezuela affects only some government officials and their families.

"Adding North Korea and Venezuela provides some cover. It makes it look less like it was just aimed at Muslims," Douglas Laycock, a law professor specializing in religion at the University of Virginia Law School, said. But because of the small numbers affected, he said, "the cover is looking very thin."

Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, which has one of the two cases pending at the Supreme Court, said "President Trump's original sin of targeting Muslims cannot be cured by throwing other countries onto his enemies list.”

The key to the legal process may hinge on what procedure the administration used to devise the new list of countries and the particular restrictions placed on each. Federal law gives the president authority to exclude travelers if the basis is not discriminatory.

"No one ever contested that the government has the power to restrict immigration for legitimate national security reasons," said Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law specializing in national security issues. "The question all along has been whether the reasons are legitimate, and that terrain, obviously, has now shifted a bit."

Challengers to the first two bans insist they still have a potent case. "This has not changed anything about the road to the Supreme Court," said Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' San Francisco office. "For us, this was a Muslim ban, and it remains a Muslim ban."

Much of the constitutional argument that the ban violates the First Amendment's freedom of religion has hinged on Trump's comments during the presidential campaign and his many tweets since taking office. Most recently, the president said the ban "should be far larger, tougher and more specific" — presumably referencing the new version he unveiled just days later.

Justin Cox, a staff attorney with the National Immigration Law Center, one of the principal challengers to the ban, said the case remains potent because the administration has yet to demonstrate that existing vetting procedures are inadequate.

"We're not going anywhere," he said in reference to the legal battle.

NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. voices support for peaceful protests in America and the NFL

The popular NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. opposes the views of several NASCAR figures and cited Americans' rights to protest

Story by CBS Sports
Written by Pete Blackburn

Over the weekend, several NASCAR team owners made it clear that they didn't want any displays of protest during the national anthem. While many NFL players and other figures across the league found various ways to protest President Trump's comments about firing players who kneel or sit during the anthem, numerous figures across NASCAR supported the President's statement.

Team owners Richard Childress and Richard Petty were both quite outspoken regarding the possibility of protests, even going as far as to threaten termination for any employees who protested during the anthem.

"Anybody that don't stand up for the anthem oughta be out of the country. Period," Petty said, via the Associated Press. "What got 'em where they're at? The United States."

Petty went on to say that any protestors would be fired from Richard Petty Motorsports, and Childress echoed that statement to his team.

"It'll get you a ride on a Greyhound bus," Childress said.

On Monday morning, the President tweeted his support for NASCAR.

Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump: "So proud of NASCAR and its supporters and fans. They won't put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag - they said it loud and clear!"

But at least one key NASCAR figure isn't on board with Trump's comments or the threats from team owners. Shortly after Trump's tweet Monday, iconic driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. sent out a message supporting the rights of Americans to a peaceful protest. He drove home his message with a quote from President John F. Kennedy.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. ✔ @DaleJr: "All Americans R granted rights 2 peaceful protests
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable-JFK"

It's not the first time that Earnhardt has disagreed with policies and views of the President, but it will be interesting to see how his stance is received by the NASCAR community, much of which seems to be in agreement with Trump. No protests were made before Sunday's race in Loudon, New Hampshire.

Will any owners, drivers or fans be willing to change their stance on the peaceful protests after Junior -- one of the sport's most popular figures -- came out with a strong message of support? Maybe not, but now it's clear that the owners' view of the protests is certainly not unanimous across NASCAR.
_________________________________________________
Read more: http://wjla.com/news/entertainment/nascar-star-dale-earnhardt-jr-shows-support-for-nfl-protests-opposing-national-anthem

How the player who wasn't there won the day

Colin Kaepernick first started protesting last season by sitting down during the national anthem before a preseason game, and then kneeling during the anthem in Week 1 and throughout the season. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Story by ESPN
Written by Ian O'Connor
NY Times Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/sports/national-anthems-nfl.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

The visuals all across the NFL, from Lambeau Field to London, declared an unemployed quarterback named Colin Kaepernick as the biggest winner of the day. He started this movement by sitting next to some Gatorade buckets 13 months ago during a preseason playing of the national anthem, and it is possible he paid for that protest with the rest of his NFL career.

But this was Kaepernick's defining moment Sunday, far more significant than his two playoff conquests of Aaron Rodgers and his NFC Championship Game victory over Atlanta in 2013. Dozens of NFL players took a knee during the anthem -- Kaepernick's revised form of protesting police brutality and racial inequities in society -- and at night, around the bend from the White House, a whole procession of Raiders took a seat before playing Washington. The Steelers, Titans and Seahawks declined to take the field for the anthem. Scores of players, coaches and owners stood on two continents with arms locked in a show of unity after President Donald Trump profanely called for the firings of men who had peacefully exercised their First Amendment rights.

Professional football players weren't alone in expressing their dissent over the weekend. Bruce Maxwell, Oakland A's catcher, became the first MLB player to drop to a knee during "The Star-Spangled Banner." The entire Garfield High football team took a knee in Seattle. Stevie Wonder, legendary singer, took two knees at a New York music festival. Rico LaVelle, national anthem singer at the Falcons-Lions game in Detroit, took a knee at the close of the song and then raised his right fist in the air.

"If we don't protest, how are we going to get our voices heard?" Marlin Briscoe, the first African-American to start a pro football game at quarterback, told ESPN.com by phone. "I've supported everything Kaepernick and those who followed have done."


Story of Marlin Briscoe by Sports 1 Marketing

Nicknamed "The Magician," Briscoe was busy in his Long Beach, California, home on Sunday watching Deshaun Watson, Houston's rookie quarterback, take on Tom Brady in New England. Briscoe thinks Watson plays his style of football, but the rules of engagement have dramatically changed for black quarterbacks over the past five decades. In 1968, after the Denver Broncos of the old American Football League drafted him as a defensive back, Briscoe had to insist on a three-day tryout at quarterback, his position at Omaha University.

Briscoe aced the tryout, ultimately set a Broncos rookie record with 14 touchdown passes in only five starts (Joe Namath threw 15 that year in 14 starts) and then wasn't even allowed to compete for the starting job the next year. A quarterback since his Pop Warner days, Briscoe was forced to leave Denver and switch to wide receiver, a position he'd never played, because of the color of his skin. He became a star receiver for the Buffalo Bills and a two-time champion with the Miami Dolphins.

"Athletes were always supposed to be barefoot and pregnant in my time," Briscoe said. "We weren't supposed to express our views outside of going on the field and playing football. When I was coming up, you couldn't have a black quarterback, center or middle linebacker -- all the thinking positions. When you were in school and a teacher asked what you wanted to be when you grew up, a white kid would say, 'I want to be president of the United States.' You would never hear a black kid say that, including myself.

"Racism has softened over time, but it hasn't been eradicated. And to have some of the same concerns and experiences for African-Americans in 2017 that we had in 1968 is amazing. For African-Americans who can't throw or catch a football, or shoot baskets, or get their music out, there's a helplessness that they feel as a people."

A retired director of a Boys & Girls Club in Long Beach and a former financial broker, Briscoe said he has been sober 25 years after battling a drug addiction that left him, at times, homeless and in jail. He said his white offensive linemen in Denver, most from the South, all rallied around him and told each other, "Don't let them touch The Magician." As proud as he is of Watson, Cam Newton and other black quarterbacks who followed his lead, Briscoe is encouraged by the support offered to today's protesters by their white teammates and co-workers. "It's not just African-Americans speaking out; it's society as a whole," he said. "Back in the day we were alone in our protests and in our pain."

Not this Sunday. This show of solidarity was a blowout victory for Kaepernick, absent in body but so present in spirit. Trump's attack was countered by criticism from an unlikely group, NFL owners ("They're friends of mine," the president said), including one of the seven who contributed $1 million to his inauguration committee (and the only one to gift him a Super Bowl ring), New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. At a political rally Friday night in Hunstville, Alabama, Trump didn't just call your average peaceful protestor a "son of a bitch" who deserved to be terminated; he claimed highly compensated NFL players had forfeited the right to "disrespect" the flag.

People don't disrespect the flag when giving a public voice to the voiceless they believe have been oppressed. They are actually respecting what that flag is supposed to represent.

"Nonviolent protest is as American as it gets," the Ravens' Terrell Suggs said after Jacksonville's 44-7 victory in London, where he took a knee for the anthem. "We knelt with them today and let them know we are a unified front. There is no dividing us."

Put aside your personal feelings about what you witnessed Sunday, pro or con, and review this fundamental concept of American democracy: Freedom of expression is a constitutional right. Many men and women have died protecting it.

Protesting players have not broken any league or team rules. They have done nothing to disrupt the games they're paid handsomely to play, or to prevent teammates from standing and honoring the anthem as they see fit.

And frankly, they've really done this country a big favor. Millions of people who go about their daily lives rarely thinking about systemic imbalances were likely inspired by the NFL protests to at least think and talk about them. In the end, thought and dialogue can bridge even the most stubborn divides.

Not that everyone inside an NFL stadium Sunday was supportive of the cause. Some fans in Indianapolis and New England were among those heard booing players who didn't stand for the anthem. Denver's Derek Wolfe sent a statement to ESPN's Josina Anderson saying, in part, he feels a protest during the anthem is "disrespectful to the ones who sacrificed their lives and it's the wrong platform." And that's perfectly fine. Wolfe and the booing fans are only exercising their rights, too.

But the sights and sounds that will endure above all were those that projected unity between white and black, employer and employee. They started on social media, where Brady and Rodgers posted hashtagged messages of love and brotherhood and photos of Brady about to embrace a black teammate, and Rodgers kneeling with white and black Packers. They continued on the field, where fans could see the Lions' 92-year-old owner, Martha Ford, locking arms with 62-year-old head coach Jim Caldwell.

This isn't what the president wanted to see. A political group supporting Trump has started an ad campaign designed to persuade fans to stage a protest of their own. "Turn off the NFL," was the headline in the first posted ad, next to the hashtag TakeAStandNotAKnee and a photo of Trump with his hand over his heart.

It's too bad Trump never bothered to invite some protesting players to the White House for an open and honest discussion on the issues, assuming they would agree to meet him. It's too bad Trump never spent 10 minutes listening to the Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins, who raises his fist during the anthem. You couldn't have a more thoughtful representative of your company -- and your country, for that matter -- than Malcolm Jenkins.

But it's too late for any of that. The president assailed the basic rights of unionized NFL workers, and he ended up unifying the very sport he's trying to tear down. In the end, he made a big winner out of his least favorite athlete, Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback who didn't need to be on the field to have his day in the sun.

Read more: NY Times Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/sports/national-anthems-nfl.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Puerto Rico faces floods, misery after Hurricane Maria 'Obliteration'

Story by AFP
Written by Hector Retamal and Edgardo Rodriguez

San Juan, Puerto Rico - Flash floods brought fresh misery to Puerto Rico on Thursday after its infrastructure was shattered by Hurricane Maria as President Donald Trump declared the US territory a disaster zone.

The hurricane, which Trump said had "absolutely obliterated" the island, left its 3.4 million people totally without power and officials said it may be months before it is fully restored.

The storm was blamed for 10 deaths in the Caribbean, including a man in northern Puerto Rico's Bayamon district who was struck by a board he had used to cover his windows.

"Puerto Rico is absolutely obliterated," Trump told reporters after declaring the island a disaster area in a move that will free up emergency relief funding.

"Puerto Rico is in a very, very, very tough shape," he said.

Though the storm had moved back out to sea, authorities declared a flash flood warning for all of Puerto Rico as "torrential" rains continued to lash the island.

"If possible, move to higher ground NOW!" the National Weather Service station in San Juan said in a tweet, calling the flooding "catastrophic."

Puerto Rico was expected to receive 20 to 30 inches (51 to 76 centimeters) of rain through Saturday, with some isolated areas receiving 35 inches, the National Hurricane Center said.

The rain had turned some roads in the US territory into muddy brown rivers, impassable to all but the largest of vehicles.

Toppled trees, street signs and power cables were strewn across roads that were also littered with debris.

Although Maria has now passed over Puerto Rico and lost some of its power, it is still packing winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers per hour) and moving northwards towards the Turks and Caicos Islands after brushing the Dominican Republic.



- 'Totally destroyed' -

Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo Rossello, who called Maria "the most devastating storm in a century" said the island was having to contend with mass flooding and a total breakdown of its power and telecommunications infrastructure.

Ricardo Ramos, who heads the island's electricity board, said it could take months before power is fully restored.

"We recognize that the system, you know, has been totally destroyed," he said of the electricity network.

While the island had suffered major blackouts from previous hurricanes, Ramos said the impact would be felt much more keenly this time.

"Everybody uses, of course, their social media, and the kids play on their electronic games and video games, and now really the customer has changed," he told CNN.

"I guess it's a good time for dads to buy a glove and ball and change the way you entertain your children and the way you are going to go to school and the way you are going to cook for gas stoves other than electric."



- Under curfew -

In San Juan, where tens of thousands rode out the storm in shelters or else hunkered down in their homes, residents told of their terrifying ordeal.

"This was absolutely the worst experience we've had with a hurricane," Kim Neis, an American who has lived on the island for 30 years, told AFP.

"None of the others were anything like as intense as this."

Rossello imposed a 6:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew until Saturday and warned of flooding and mudslides.

"I urge the people of Puerto Rico to commit to peace, understanding, and good judgment during these difficult times for our island," he said.

There were reports of looting and authorities said 10 people had been arrested.

- Dominica devastation -

Maria has already torn through several Caribbean islands, leaving at least seven people dead on Dominica.

In the French territory of Guadeloupe, one person was killed by a falling tree as Maria hit, while another died on the seafront.

At least two are missing after their boat sank off the French territory, while 40 percent of households were without power.

Strong winds were recorded in the Dominican Republic on Thursday due to Maria but there were no immediate reports of casualties or serious damage.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and CBC Members Kick off Star-Studded 47th Annual Annual Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2017

Contact:

*CJ Epps
202.538.5457

*Marc Banks
media@cbcfinc.org

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and CBC Members Kick off Star-Studded Annual Conference

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 11 a.m., the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. and Congressional Black Caucus members will officially start the 47th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC). Press conference participants will make special announcements and highlight key events and activities.

This year's Annual Legislative Conference theme, “And Still I Rise”, will feature the highly-anticipated National Town Hall, focusing on, ‘Fighting the Systemic Destruction of our Civil Rights”; the Prayer Breakfast, headlined by Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Pastor Shirley Caesar and feature keynote speaker Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr.; the Phoenix Awards dinner; and a host of forums and sessions with topics including civic engagement, civil rights, foreign affairs and national security, and CBCF core pillars: education, health and wellness, economic empowerment and the environment.

WHO: Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee, Board Chair, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

* A. Shuanise Washington, President and CEO, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.
* Congressman Cedric Richmond, Chairman, Congressional Black Caucus
* Rep. Marc Veasey, Honorary Co-Chair, 2017 Annual Legislative Conference
* Rep. Robin Kelly, Honorary Co-Chair, 2017 Annual Legislative Conference

WHERE: L Street Bridge
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

WHEN: Media pre-set (10:30 a.m.)
Start time (11:00 a.m.)
Please RSVP HERE to confirm your attendance at the 47th Annual Legislative Conference kick-off press conference.

###
*ABOUT ALC
The ALC is the leading policy conference on issues impacting African Americans and the global black community. The conference features nearly 100 public policy forums on health, education, economic empowerment, the environment, and more. Signature events and features include the National Town Hall, Celebration of Leadership in Fine Arts, Community Breakfast and Health Fair, Gospel Extravaganza, Black Party, Prayer Breakfast, Exhibit Showcase, and the culminating event, the Phoenix Awards Dinner.

This year’s theme, “And Still I RISE” reflects a legacy of resilience that emphasizes the collective strength of the black community to rise above continued racial inequalities. Sign up to receive the e-newsletter and follow the CBCF on social media using hashtag, #CBCFALC17 for updates.

Sign up to receive the e-newsletter and follow the CBCF on social media using hashtag, #CBCFALC17 for updates.
Twitter: twitter.com/CBCFInc
Facebook: facebook.com/CBCFInc
Instagram: instagram.com/CBCFInc
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/congressional-black-caucus-foundation
Google: google.com/+CBCFInc
YouTube: youtube.com/user/CBCFInc

*ABOUT THE CBCF
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF), established in 1976, is a non-partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research and educational institute, committed to advancing the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public.
_______________________________________________________
PRISCILLA CLARKE
President
Clarke & Associates, LLC
Publicizing and Entertaining "Your World"
Offices in Washington, D.C. & Los Angeles, CA.

2020 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 271
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel. 202-723-2200, Fax. 888-307-5162, Cell. 240-476-9643
Website; www.clarkePR.com Email. priscilla@clarkepr.com, Twitter; @pclarkepr

Getting Kaepernick Back In The NFL May Be A Lost Cause

Story by Huffington Post
Commentary by Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson

What the NFL owners can’t stomach is a guy who puts politics above the game and is consistent in doing so.

Eight NFL quarterbacks were reported as injured after week 2 in the NFL season. The list of ailing quarterbacks included starters and backups.

The day before the injured list of QBs was reported, a bunch of unnamed players on the offensively hapless Cincinnati Bengals supposedly demanded that the team sign Colin Kaepernick post haste to stop any further hemorrhaging of the offense before things got hopelessly out of hand. Then there was NFL icon Tom Brady, who backpedaled from an earlier “see no evil, hear no evil” stance on Kap and lustily cheer led him getting another shot in the NFL.

This is all part of the now almost ritual pattern from the moment Kap last laced up shoulder pads. The ritual goes like this. One NFL team owner or another will drop a hint that they might be interested in Kap. A pack of football analysts who back Kap’s NFL return will write yet another column or make a public quip that he should be in the NFL somewhere. There will be endless talk and speculation that given the beating NFL QBs take and the never-ending need to get some bodies in there to fill in for the slew of downed QBs, it’s inevitable that one of those bodies will be Kap. Then, finally, one NFL star player such as Brady or another will declare that Kap should be back in the NFL. To punctuate all the pro-Kap cheering, there’s an activist protest at some NFL game or another.

This is all great. The problem is Kap is still unemployed. And the bigger question, which it may be time to face, is the even more dreaded word with him: unemployable.
The start ― and really end ― point to make sense out of why a guy who’s got relatively good stats, played on a championship team, and by all counts is a quiet, unassuming, consummate team player is not just unemployed but seemingly unemployable in the NFL is Kaepernick. It’s not just that he took a knee during the national anthem to protest police abuse and racial injustice. Other NFL players have spoken candidly about racial discrimination and even police abuse. After Kap staged his protest, other NFL players knelt, sat on the bench, raised clinched fists, locked arms together and weren’t afraid to say just why they were staging their protests.

There has been absolutely no action taken against them. The NFL owners who have opened their mouth on the Kap situation have all been careful to say that they support his right and that of anyone else within and without the NFL to exercise their free speech right.

Kap, however, is different from any of them. He’s not just an athlete who’s making a political statement with his protest. He is a political athlete. There’s a huge difference. He put politics first, second and beyond, before football. He acted to back up his politics. This included donations to social and political causes, asserting his racial connect with African nations, and quickly tweeting strong words of support for Seattle Seahawks Michael Bennet’s charge of racially motivated police harassment and praise of ESPN sports host Jemelle Hill for lambasting Trump.

NFL owners can easily weather players and former players occasional blowing off steam about racial problems, the ever-present problem of concussions, and even the NFL’s greed in dealing with its hires, namely the players. However, what the NFL owners can’t stomach is a guy who puts politics above the game and is consistent in doing so. This is a threat that must be nipped in the bud. This is why Philadelphia Eagles owner, Jeffrey Lurie, recently bloviated that he was a big backer of those who fight for social causes, just not one who has made that fight a part of their life and expect to play in the NFL at the same time.

The NFL is not, and never has been, a democracy. It’s a quasi-militaristic, top-down organization.

While Lurie may be a Democrat, he’s a rarity among the owners. They are mostly conservative Republicans, some very outspoken Republicans. In a real sense, Kap is being held captive not to the racism or petty whims of NFL owners, but to the NFL’s rigid, unbending and unyielding arrogance of power, insular structure and mindset that is virtually immune from any outside influence.

While the NFL doesn’t have the anti-trust exemption that MLB has, it hasn’t needed it to beat back the challenges. It has something even better. It has the deepest of deep pockets, the political shield of its GOP bent, and a massive fan base that’s second to none.

Kap took a stand for justice. Whether he knew the dire consequences of that stand can be fiercely debated. But it’s done. With the NFL season underway and the stack of QBs banged up with more to come, and no prospect of Kap replacing any of them, the NFL owners can’t make it any plainer they are done with him.
________________________________________________________________
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is an associate editor of New America Media. His forthcoming book, The Trump Challenge to Black America (Middle Passage Press) will be released in August. He is a weekly co-host of the Al Sharpton Show on Radio One. He is the host of the weekly Hutchinson Report on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Pacifica Network.

Congressional Black Caucus Convention 2017 at the Washington Convention Center - 12:30 p.m. Wednesday 09/20/2017 Seminar: "Increasing Opportunities for Minority and Women-Owned Asset Management Firms" with U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Rev. Al Sharpton

National Action Network will host a panel on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 in Room 201 of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. In addition, Thursday, September 21, 2017 will host our Action & Authority Reception at Comcast/NBCUniversal located at 300 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001 during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference. Information about our panel and reception is detailed below. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us at both events. #NANCBCALC



“Increasing Opportunities for Minority
and Women-Owned Asset Management Firms”

Wednesday, September 20th, 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Room 201

12:30pm– 12:50pm: Opening Remarks
12:50pm– 1:45pm: Moderated Panel Discussion (with Q and A)
1:45pm– 2:15pm: Fireside Chat
2:15pm– 2:30pm: Closing Remarks

Rev. Al Sharpton (Opening Remarks)
Hon. Cory Booker, US Senate (D - NJ) (Opening Remarks)
Hon. Gregory Meeks (D-NY, 5th District) (Opening Remarks)

Panelists Include:
Robert Azeke, Founder, Farol Asset Management
Troy Dixon, Founder, Hollis Park Asset Management
Nili Gilbert, Co-Founder, Matarin Capital Management
Robert Greene, CEO National Association of Investment Companies
Brian Mathis, Founder, Pine Street Asset Management
Mark Johnson, Founder, Astra Capital
Melody Rollins, Partner, Brightwood Capital
Howard Saunders, Founder, Auldebrass Partners

DICK GREGORY SERVICE UPDATE

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

**DICK GREGORY SERVICE UPDATE**

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: The family of Mr. Dick Gregory and special guests will include: Stevie Wonder, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Minister Louis Farrakhan, C.T. Vivian, Martin Luther King III, Ilyasah Shabazz (daughter of Malcolm X), Cathy Hughes, Rain Pryor (daughter of Richard Pryor), Rev. William Barber, Joe Morton, Nick Cannon, India Arie, Killer Mike and many more to be announced, who will pay tribute to Mr. Gregory at the service on Saturday.

WHAT: "Celebration of Life" service for Civil Rights Leader, Icon, Legend and Humanitarian, Mr. Gregory, Richard Claxton "Dick" (Born, October 12, 1932, St. Louis, Mo.)

WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, September 16th (Service in MD) & Sunday, September 17th (Parade in DC)
________

Schedule
________

* Friday, September 15, 2017
Private Family Viewing 4-8pm (NOT OPEN TO THE PRESS)
Louis Stokes Library

* Saturday, September 16, 2017
Time: 4:00pm (Doors open at 3:00pm)
Location: City of Praise Family Ministries
8501 Jericho City Drive
Landover, MD 20785

Link to live stream: https://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2017/09/dick-gregory-memorial-streamed-live-on.html?m=1

*Admission; Open To The Public (No Tickets needed, First Come First Serve General Admission Seating up to Venue Capacity), Press Coverage Access: upon approval

* Sunday, September 17, 2017
Dick Gregory Tribute Parade in Washington, D.C.
Time: 10:00am-11:30am
10:00-10:30 program
10:30am -Parade from Howard Theatre (620 T Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001) To Ben's Chili Bowl
(1213 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009)
Open to the Public, No Ticket Required
Parade is Open to the Media For Coverage

For Media Access Availability, coverage and approval, send requests to: media@dickgregorytribute.com
_______________________________________

FLOWERS /DONATIONS:
The Gregory family thanks everyone for the outpouring of love and support. The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, please consider purchasing copies of Dick Gregory's newest book "Defining Moments in Black History" for your family or friends to keep the words and passions of Dick Gregory front and center, or, please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Dick Gregory Foundation and Dick Gregory Society.

For additional information or updates, please visit: www.DickGregoryTribute.com

PRISCILLA CLARKE
Official Spokesperson for The Dick Gregory Family

President
Clarke & Associates, LLC
Publicizing, Entertaining & Impacting "Your World"
Offices in Washington, D.C. & Los Angeles, CA.

2020 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 271
Washington, D.C. 20006

Tel. 202-723-2200,, Cell. 240-476-9643
Website: www.clarkePR.com Email. priscilla@clarkepr.com, Twitter; @pclarkepr

Dick Gregory Memorial streamed live on TVOne.tv Saturday at 3:00pm Eastern (Noon Pacific)

The Homegoing Services for Dick Gregory will be held Saturday, September 16. If you are unable to attend, but would still like to see the services, you can watch the streamed services live on TVOne.tv starting at 3pm eastern/2pm central.

Links:
https://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2017/09/dick-gregory-service-update.html?m=1

https://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2015/02/dr-martin-luther-king-sign-your-own.html?m=1https://tvone.tv/

https://tvone.tv/61069/celebration-of-life-dick-gregory-homegoing-service-streaming-live-this-saturday/

http://dickgregorytribute.com/

Get Back To Where You Once Belonged: Sir Paul McCartney set to regain rights to Beatles back catalogue

Story by Daily Mail 8/15/2013
Written by Emily Sheridan

Links:
https://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2014/04/estate-of-michael-jacksons-publishing.html

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/paul-mccartney-beatles-publishing-rights/2016/03/22/id/720259/

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7263857/paul-mccartney-beatles-songs-publishing

https://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2010/11/sony-and-michael-jackson-estate-own.html

Sir Paul McCartney is set to win back the rights to The Beatles songs.

The veteran rocker, 71, lost ownership of the publishing rights to the songs he co-wrote with late bandmate John Lennon.

Sir Paul was furious when his former friend Michael Jackson outbid him to buy the Associated Television Corporation (ATV)'s back catalogue, which includes The Beatles' tracks, in 1985.

Getting back what's rightfully his: Sir Paul McCartney, pictured in San Francisco on August 9, is set to win back The Beatles back catalogue

The King Of Pop paid a reported $47.5million for between 160 and 260 Beatles classics, including Yesterday and Let It Be.

However, the 1976 US Copyright Act means Sir Paul will now be able the claim back the titles once more in five years, according to The Sun.

A source told the paper: 'Paul's been fuming for decades. It's as much personal as business. Now he'll get back what's rightfully his.'

The Act means songs written prior to 1978 turn into the property of the songwriter after 56 years.

Sir Paul and Michael, who recorded several songs together in the '80s, including The Girl Is Mine, famously fell out over the purchase.

No doubt Sir Paul, who has a reported £680 million fortune already, will be looking forward to receiving royalties and licensing money for tracks he wrote in the '60s and 1970.

Years ago, he complained at having to pay Michael royalties every time he wanted to perform a Beatles song: 'The annoying thing is I have to pay to play some of my own songs. Each time I want to sing Hey Jude I have to pay.'

While it is unknown how much the back catalogue would be worth nowadays, in 2005, Sony paid Michael $95million for 50 per cent of the rights.

When Jackson died in 2009, Sir Paul denied reports he was 'devastated' not to have been left the rights by the tragic singer in his will.

He said at the time: 'The report is that I am devastated to find that he didn't leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report [about the will] was true, and therefore the report that I'm devastated is also totally false.'

In an interview after Michael's death, Sir Paul admitted his resentment against the singer had faded somewhat: 'I got off that years ago. It was something for a while I was very keen on and you can see why, naturally... [but these] sort of things can eat you up.

'I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.'

Tennis Champion Serena Williams and her new born Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

Instagram Photo of Tennis Champion Serena Williams and new born Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

U.S. Open Winner Sloane Stephens’ Reaction To Prize Money Is On Point

Story by Yahoo Sports
Written by Judith Ohikuare

Last weekend, Sloane Stephens beat Madison Keys, 6-3, 6-0, to win the 2017 U.S. Open. The win is a big one for unseeded Stephens, 24, who was making a comeback after undergoing foot surgery for a stress fracture in January — especially under the increasingly bright spotlight that has been placed over her.

Now, after having recovered and claimed her first Grand Slam title, Stephens can also enjoy that top-prize money, something the world has loved seeing her do over the past few days.

First, there was the eyebrow raise and mouth drop seen across the world after she received her $3.7 million check from an official post-match. The look was hilarious but relatable because who wouldn't be thinking some combination of, This is amazing! And it's mine? Okay, this could really work... at a moment like that.

After the match, Stephens made a room full of reporters laugh when she joked about one of her motivations to keep playing the sport.

"I know this is kind of fresh, but having done this once, does it give you a hunger to win another Slam, to do this again, feel this feeling again?" a reporter asked.

"Of course, girl — did you see that check that that lady handed me?" Stephens responded. "Man, if that doesn't make you want to play tennis, I don't know what will."

After another reporter asked Stephens if she "felt a little bit bad for Madison [Keys]," the 24-year-old winner again responded with a bold joke.


Sloane Stephens Holds up the US Open Trophy.

"Bad for her? She was in the Finals, too, what do you mean?" Stephens asked. "Did you see the check she's about to get? I'm sure she'll be be just fine."

She's not wrong: MarketWatch's breakdown of the tournament's prize money shows that the singles runner-up wins $1,825,000, and the semifinalist leaves with nearly $1 million, too.

At the same time, given that Stephens and Keys have been friends for years, Stephen's joke is savvy and generous. She manages to avoid down playing her own win while pointing out that Keys — herself an excellent player — has plenty to be proud of as well. It's a lesson in competition, winning, and friendship that's definitely worth a million bucks.


Sloane Stephens photo op with 2017 US Open Championship Trophy (Adam Hunger/Associated Press)

Here we look at the prize money from the final Slam of the year:

2017 U.S. Open Prize Money

Winner—$3,700,000

Runner-up—$1,825,000

Semi-finalist—$920,000

Quarter-finalist—$470,000

Round of 16—$253,625

Round of 32—$144,000

Round of 64—$86,000

As Hurricane Irma pounded Cuba, United States President Donald J.Trump renewed trading ban

Story by Caribbean News Now

WASHINGTON, USA — In a late Friday news dump, US President Donald Trump announced the extension of the trade embargo against Cuba for another year just as Hurricane Irma was pounding the island’s north coast.

In a move some US media described as “spiteful”, the White House issued the presidential memorandum on Friday, under the Trading with the Enemy Act on Cuba, extending it until September 14, 2018.

However, since taking office, Trump has not been slow to impose, renew or extend sanctions against any country but one – Russia – and in that case his hand had to be forced by Congress by means of a veto-proof majority resolution into signing new sanctions on the Kremlin – and even then he did it reluctantly.

As regional commentator Melanius Alphonse notes, given that Russia has been systematically rebuilding relationships with Cuba since 2008, perhaps Cuban President Raul Castro should reach out to his friends in Moscow to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to intercede with his best friend Trump.

“Although Russia’s goal is to re-establish geopolitical and economic ties with the US neighbour rather than encourage a better relationship between the US and Cuba, Castro should nevertheless try to take advantage of Putin’s objective of repairing the strained relationship with Cuba,” Alphonse said.

He noted that the partnership between Cuba and the Soviet Union kept Cuba afloat throughout most of the second half of the 20th century. However, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the Kremlin stopped providing economic support for the island. This led Cuba into the well known “special period”, which left it without access to imports, capital, or even basic necessities.

Since then, in 2009, Cuba signed a deal that allowed Russia to engage in oil exploration across the Gulf of Mexico. Russia also agreed to loan Cuba $150 million to buy construction and agriculture equipment to help rebuild struggling sectors. More recently, in 2014, Russia wrote off the majority of Cuba’s $32 billion debt to Russia. On the eve of President Obama’s visit to Cuba last year, Russia agreed to lend Cuba another $1.4 billion to help them upgrade two massive power plants.

In addition, later this year a €1.8 billion (US$2.1 billion) Russian-supported project is expected to be signed that will create an efficient, higher speed rail system that will become a central element in Cuba’s national transport infrastructure.

Baltimore Delegation Statement on Federal Freddie Gray Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 12, 2017

Contact: Fabion Seaton (Cummings) 202-225-4741
Sue Walitsky (Cardin) 202-224-4524
Bridgett Frey (Van Hollen) 202-228-0672
Tara Oursler (Ruppersberger) 202-225-3061
Daniel Jacobs (Sarbanes) 202-225-4016

Baltimore Delegation Statement on Federal Freddie Gray Case

Washington, D.C. (September 12, 2017) — Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings joined U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen John Sarbanes and Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-MD) in issuing the following statement on reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will not bring federal charges against the Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray:

“We are disappointed by reports that DOJ will not seek justice for Freddie Gray, but we are not surprised. We must now focus on ensuring that BPD has the resources it needs to implement the court-ordered consent decree and repair the sacred trust between police officers and the people they are sworn to protect.

“In order to improve BPD and reduce the violence in our city, Baltimore will need the support of the Trump Administration and DOJ. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has repeatedly stood in the way of our City’s progress by attempting to impede the implementation of the consent decree and holding hostage federal resources to reduce violent crime.

“In light of this reported decision, we are once again calling on DOJ to actively support—not undermine—the consent decree and to provide Baltimore with all federal resources available to improve our police force. Doing anything less would be unconscionable.”

Apple unveils iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and $999 iPhone X

iPhone X.

Story by Yahoo Finance
Written by Daniel Roberts
Video Link of Keynote Address: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2017/

At its September 2017 keynote event on Tuesday, Apple revealed the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus and, separately, the much-anticipated iPhone X (ten).

The prices are $699 for the 8, $799 for the Plus, and $999 for the X. The 8 and 8 Plus ship on Sept. 22, and the X ships on Nov. 3.

What’s new with iPhone X?
Video Link: https://www.apple.com/iphone-x/


Apple Unveils iPhone X at Product Event (Bloomberg)

Arguably the most exciting new feature of all three new phones is the “wireless charging” now available when the phone sits on a charging pad, called AirPower. (The pad must be plugged into an outlet, but the phone charges wirelessly.) The new Apple Watch Series 3, and the AirPod case, can also charge on the wireless charging pad—all at once.

“You’re going to want to use this by your bedside… in your car,” said Apple VP Phil Schiller as he rattled off the use cases.

The iPhone X has edge-to-edge display a la Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy Note; an OLED screen (more vibrant colors than LCD); full HD video support; and a feature called “Animoji” that lets you record a message and choose an emoji to speak your message.

The iPhone X has no tactile home button. You unlock the phone simply by looking at it and swiping up. Apple calls the feature FaceID.

Apple CEO Tim Cook called iPhone X (called “ten” not because it’s the tenth iPhone but to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone), “the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone.”

And what about the iPhone 8?

iPhone 8.

The 8 has edge-to-edge glass on front and back; comes in three colors: silver, “space gray,” and gold; and the encasement is “microscopically sealed for water resistance.” Video Link: https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/apple-apos-iphone-8-8-180000747.html

The phone also has a new chip inside, called the A11 Bionic, that is 25% faster than the previous A10 chip.

And iPhone 8 has a far better camera: it boasts the “highest-quality video capture ever in a smartphone,” Apple VP Phil Schiller said on stage; and, as many expected, it has augmented-reality capability using Apple’s ARKit. Apple used a game demonstration to show off the AR possibilities in mobile gaming.

The 8 and 8 Plus do not have FaceID.

The new iPhones are the first new iPhones since September 2016, when Apple debuted the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The 7th generation iPhones, in addition to being sans-jack, came with: a better camera; better speakers; retina HD display; and a smoother, stronger enclosure.

“No other device in our lifetimes has had the impact on the world that the iPhone has,” CEO Tim Cook said on stage.

At the keynote event, Apple also rolled out a new Apple Watch Series 3 and new 4K Apple TV.

Singer Bruno Mars Donates $1 Million To Help The Residents Of Flint

Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Story by WLIB New York

Singer Bruno Mars revealed during his mid-August concert in Auburn Hills, Michigan that he has donated $1 million to help those affected by the ongoing water crisis happening in Flint, Michigan. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mars announced to the crowd that he and the show's promoter, Live Nation, were using some of the money from the concert's proceeds to support the Flint Water Crisis.

Flint has been dealing with the water crisis since 2014, when the city switched water suppliers. The supplier was switched from the Detroit River to the Flint River in order to save money, but residents soon realized the water was discolored. The water later tested positive for E. Coli, and elevated levels of lead, causing President Obama to declare a federal state of emergency in the city. Even though lead levels seem to be dropping in Flint water, residents are still being encouraged to use bottled water for their needs.

In June, five state officials were charged with involuntary manslaughter, due to the amount of Flint residents that had died because of the toxic water.

Mars and Live Nation said the funds from Bruno Mars' concert will be going to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, a public charity for the city. Mars also released a statement following the announcement. “I'm very thankful to the Michigan audience for joining me in supporting this cause,” he said. “Ongoing challenges remain years later for Flint residents, and it's important that we don't forget our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster. As people, especially as Americans, we need to stand together to make sure something like this never happens in any community ever again.”

Sloane Stephens Beats Madison Keys to Claim U.S. Open Title

Sloane Stephens won the U.S. Open on Saturday in a remarkably fast comeback from foot surgery. Credit Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

It was springtime in the United States, and the women’s tennis tour was in full swing, with the clay-court season underway. Kamau Murray received a call in April from his injured protégé Sloane Stephens, who explained that she was ready to start practicing.

Murray, surprised at how soon the call had come after Stephens’s foot surgery in late January, said he told her, “O.K., call me when you can walk.’”

Nonetheless, they were soon on a court at U.C.L.A. in early May, with Stephens sitting on a wooden table with a racket in her right hand as Murray tossed her balls. He said he then had her sit on a backless office chair with wheels, so she could roll around and hit some more.

Stephens was not able to stand and hit until May 16. Even then, she was not yet allowed to run.

Neither of them could have imagined then that she was actually on the verge of winning her first Grand Slam singles title.

“Impossible, I would say,” Stephens said as she stood in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday with a United States Open trophy in her hands.

Even tennis, a sport where comebacks are the coin of the realm, has rarely seen a revival quite like this. Stephens, a 24-year-old with an incandescent grin and a potent blend of offensive and defensive skills, was ranked 957th early last month after having returned to the tour in July.

But on Saturday, she beat the No. 15-seeded Madison Keys, her American contemporary, 6-3, 6-0, in just 61 minutes in the U.S. Open final.
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Read More: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/sports/tennis/us-open-womens-final-madison-keys-sloane-stephens.html?mcubz=3&_r=0

Kid Rock sounds off on Confederate flag, anthem controversies: 'Pay no attention to the garbage'

Story by Fox News
Written by Sasha Savitsky

Kid Rock says his critics are "Wasting Time."

The rocker shared a lengthy response to recent criticism about his upcoming concerts in Detroit saying the backlash to his use of the Confederate flag at concerts is politically motivated.

"Pay NO attention to the garbage the extreme left is trying to create! (and by the way, f--k the extreme left and the extreme right!)," the singer wrote on Facebook Monday. "They are trying to use the old confederate flag BS, etc. to stir the pot, when we all know none of this would be going on if I were not thinking of running for office."

The Detroit-area native, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, was responding to a planned protest by the National Action Network's Detroit chapter of his six upcoming Detroit concerts. The first is scheduled for Tuesday.

"Pretty funny how scared I have them all and their only agenda is to try and label people / me racist who do not agree or cower to them," he continued. "My track record in Detroit and Michigan speaks for itself, and I would dare anyone talking trash to put theirs up against mine. I am also a homeowner and taxpayer in the city of Detroit, so suck on that too!"

The civil rights group last week called for their cancellation because of Kid Rock's past display of the Confederate flag during performances and his recent criticism of black former NFL player Colin Kaepernick for refusing to stand during the national anthem last year.

"To be clear - F--k ANYONE who takes a knee or sits during our national anthem! Pretty sure if Russell Wilson or Tom Brady were doing it they would have no problem finding a job playing for any team they wanted in the NFL! So cut the bulls**t," the "All Summer Long" singer shared.

The 46-year-old ended his rant saying he "thankful" for the "positive things" happening in Detroit and to "not let these handful of jerks sway that in any way."

"I know I should probably not even have posted anything about these bottom feeders but I will always stand up for myself, my family, my friends, my fans, my city, my state, my country and the good in human nature," Rock wrote before adding, "P.P.P.P.P.S. I LOVE BLACK PEOPLE!!"

Tempers flare as Florida Keys evacuees wait to go home after Irma

Story by Reuters
By Andy Sullivan

FLORIDA CITY, Fla. - Dozens of residents who fled the Florida Keys in anticipation of Hurricane Irma's wrath grew impatient on Monday, as they waited at a police checkpoint eager to get back to their island homes to assess the damage.

Tensions flared as authorities insisted it was not safe to return. Some evacuees warned they would be less willing to leave next time if they were not allowed through soon.

"I've been in the Keys for 40 years," Shelby Bentley told reporters at a non-operational gas station in Florida City. "It's the first time I've evacuated from a hurricane. It'll be my last time."

Irma barreled into the Florida Keys on Sunday, bringing sustained winds of up to 130 mph (209 kph) and submerging the highway that connects the archipelago off the tip of southern Florida with the mainland.

Ahead of the storm, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic, officials said they were pleasantly surprised to see tens of thousands of residents accustomed to the area's laidback lifestyle take evacuation orders to heart.

By late Monday morning, the cooperative spirit started to unravel.

With only emergency vehicles allowed into the Keys, residents stuck at the checkpoint in Florida City, a Miami suburb, shouted at police and swore at media.

Many said they regretted their inland retreat. Some accused police of accepting bribes to let other residents in, and they refused to drive to a racetrack a few miles away to register before returning to their homes.

"People have been waiting here since 5 a.m.," said photographer Marc Serota, 52. "They'll say anything they can to make us go away."

Serota said he had the required residential sticker that allowed him to return to island and that he and other evacuees were prepared to deal with the lack of power and water.

"Everybody here has carloads of water and jugs of gas," he said. "I've got a chainsaw ready to go."

Not so fast, said state and county officials.

"The Keys are not open for business," read a statement from Monroe County, which includes the string of tropical islands.

The islands are a popular tourist destination, drawing millions of visitors each year for fishing, diving and boating. American author Ernest Hemingway called Key West home for more than a decade, and his former house remains an attraction.

But on Monday, most of the Keys had no fuel, no electricity, no running water and no cell service, local officials said.

Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Joe Sanchez said residents would not be allowed back into the Keys until authorities had inspected the bridges to make sure they are safe. Trees, seaweed and watercraft were blocking roads, he added.

Officials did not give a time frame on when people would be allowed back.

"If you have a property down in the Keys, you'll have to wait," he said.

Some took the delay in stride. Drinking a can of beer as he lounged at the back of his pickup truck, Armando Boan, 55, said he might camp out in the Everglades for a few days.

"It's all about your frame of mind," he said. "This is out of my hands."

New Hampshire Police Refuse to Release Information in Case of 8-Year-Old Biracial Boy Who Was Nearly Lynched

Neck of Lyrik Martin

Story by The Root
Written by Angela Helm

Welcome to Donald Trump’s America. Say what you want, but when the U.S. president defends avowed white supremacists, one can’t be surprised when bullying takes on a decidedly racist tone, as it did with an 8-year-old biracial boy who was hanged from a tree in the year 2017. The climate has been set.

Yes, there are nooses hanging all over America, and some little cretins decided to use one, unfortunately.

NH1 reports that a Claremont, N.H., boy had to be flown to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center after one or more teens decided to hang him from a tree with a rope.

The boy’s mother, Cassandra Merlin, posted the horrific photo of her baby’s neck on Facebook and even then gave those responsible the benefit of the doubt.

The caption reads in part, “So my son is being flown to Dartmouth after a 14 year old kid decided to hang him from a tree. I don’t care if this was a so called accident or not. My son almost died because of some little sh** teenage kids.”

The town of Claremeont, N.H., has 13,000 residents and is 96 percent white, 0.6 percent African American and 1.8 percent biracial, according to the 2010 census.

The boy’s uncle, Lyrik Martin, who also posted photos of his injuries on social media, wrote in a post that he wasn’t sure the attack was racially motivated, but the boy’s grandmother went on record saying that the teens taunted the boy for being half-black.

Lorrie Slattery told the Valley News that the incident was, in fact, racially motivated and “intentional.”

Slattery said that she was able to recount what happened from her grandson’s 11-year-old sister and other children present (there were no adults): Her grandson and some teens were playing in a yard on Aug. 28 when the teens started calling the little boy “racial epithets” and throwing sticks and rocks at his legs.

Some or all of the teens allegedly stepped up on a picnic table and grabbed a nearby rope that had been part of a tire swing, Slattery said.

“The [teenagers] said, ‘Look at this,’ supposedly putting the rope around their necks,” Slattery said. “One boy said to [her grandson], ‘Let’s do this,’ and then pushed him off the picnic table and hung him.”

The boy swung back and forth by his neck three times before he was able to remove the rope; Slattery said none of the teens came to his aid.

As late as Friday, Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase would not comment on the specifics of the case, saying only that they were still investigating and that those involved are juveniles, prohibiting him from specifically making any comment. Chase also said that the kids being investigated (who knows if they’re charged?) should be “protected.”

“Mistakes they make as a young child should not have to follow them for the rest of their life,” Chase said.

Notice how he called these predators “young children,” infantilizing the white teens. Conversely, teens like Trayvon Martin are made out to be hulking, menacing adults. Chase seems to be centering the perpetrators’ feelings and futures, all but forgetting about the trauma of a little boy who had his so-called friends hang him from a tree to the point where he had to be medevaced to a hospital.

“I am upset and saddened and angered about how the police and city officials have chosen to play this,” said Kendra Colburn of the Upper Valley chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice. “[They] all seem like they do not want media attention on this story, and I am concerned about that. I am really concerned that we can’t change what we don’t know about or refuse to look at.”

Chief Chase confirmed that no other information would be released about the case, including whether it was racially motivated.

Hurricane Irma Current Storm Status 11:00am EDT 09-10-17

Current Storm Status (https://weather.com/)
Cuba-Caribbean damage: https://twitter.com/CNN_Oppmann http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/09/americas/cuba-caribbean-hurricane-irma/index.html
The highest cloud tops, corresponding to the most vigorous convection, are shown in the brightest red colors. Clustering, deep convection around the center is a sign of a healthy tropical cyclone.


Projected Path (https://weather.com/)
Cuba-Caribbean damage: https://twitter.com/CNN_Oppmann http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/09/americas/cuba-caribbean-hurricane-irma/index.html
The red-shaded area denotes the potential path of the center of the tropical cyclone. Note that impacts (particularly heavy rain, high surf, coastal flooding) with any tropical cyclone may spread beyond its forecast path.

Source: The Weather Channel
Update Link: https://weather.com/

Cuba-Caribbean damage:
https://twitter.com/CNN_Oppmann
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/09/americas/cuba-caribbean-hurricane-irma/index.html

Did Bernie Sanders Damage Hillary Clinton's White House Bid? Two Views

View #1. The Brutal Truth is that Sanders Did Damage Clinton
Written by Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Link: http://thehutchinsonreportnews.com/profiles/blogs/did-bernie-damage-hillary-s-white-house-bid-two-views

Hillary Clinton has finally taken the gloves off and spoke her mind about her Democratic presidential rival, Bernie Sanders. She flatly charged that Sanders hurt her White House bid. She got very specific and claimed that the “lasting damage” he did to her campaign did much to put Trump in the Oval Office. She took the big broad side at Sanders in her new book, What Went Wrong. Now that she has made that charge against Sanders, the question is, “Is she right?

The brutal truth is there is more truth than vindictive hyperbole in her blame game assault on Sanders. It’s true that Sanders personally voted for Clinton, campaigned for Clinton, and urged his supporters to back Clinton. But, 3 recent surveys showed that in the 3 states that put Trump in the Oval Office, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, a number of voters who voted for Sanders in the Democratic primary in those states crossed over and voted for Trump in the general election.

They were registered Democrats. They did not simply stay home, cast a vote for a third-party candidate, Jill Stein, or write Sanders name in. They actually voted for Trump, the candidate who seemingly represented almost everything that Sanders’ abhorred. To take that step, a lot of these voters had to really, really, loathe Clinton to the point where they would do anything to keep her out of the White House. This included supping with the political Devil, in this case Trump.

So, how much should Sanders, even though he firmly backed Clinton, be blamed for his most rabid backers breaking ranks and crossing the political Rubicon to vote for Trump? Clinton says he poisoned the political well with his drumbeat attacks on her as a war mongering, handmaiden for corporate interests, hard line beltway Democrat. This did give Trump some ammunition to con voters into thinking that he’d somehow be different from her and any other establishment politician, and really do something for the beleaguered, forgotten, hard pressed workers who watched as their jobs and livelihood and future fled to distant shores.

No matter how much Sanders talked about the threat of Trump, and urged Democratic Party unity, thousands of Bernie backers didn’t hear any of that. The loud echo in their ears was that Clinton was just no good, and putting her in the White House would just be Trump by another name. This slammed the door hard on the lock down, requisite party unity needed to beat back the Trump onslaught.

There’s the counter intuitive argument that says why pick on Sanders’ backers for the Clinton defeat, didn’t a lot of African-American voters stay home on Election day? And more disgracefully, almost 10 percent of Blacks voted for Trump. Isn’t this the voter demographic that Democrats absolutely must have come out in huge numbers to offset the GOP’s bread and butter conservative, blue collar, rural, white male voters? A big Black vote turnout certainly made the difference for Obama in 2008 and 2012.

Yes, many Blacks did stay home, and many made their dissatisfaction, even bitterness, with and toward both Hillary and Bill plain on such things as Bill’s shove through of the draconian crime bill, this packed the jails and prisons with Black men, the gut of welfare, and the scrap of financial industry checks. But the Trump Black voters were in the heavily minority cities and counties that went for Clinton overwhelmingly anyway so their vote was no factor in Trump’s win. The same could be said for the Black vote drop-off in 2016. The numbers were still high enough, though, not to be the causative factor in Clinton’s loss.

The finger still points back to the legion of Sanders’ backers in the swing states whose bellyache over Clinton was severe enough to cause them to punch the fateful vote card for Trump. Clinton says she wanted to say that at the time and warn of this danger, but she was told by Obama and others in the party to keep her mouth shut about that. And instead of hitting back harder against Sanders in their debates and on the campaign trail as she wanted, she had to stay mute.
Obama and other key Democrats said that this would further piss off Sanders supporters against her. As it turned out, she could have raged at Sanders during the campaign for sowing enough division to insure her defeat but it wouldn’t have likely changed anything. Many of those that turn-coated from Sanders to Trump would still have cast their vote for him.

Is that Bernie’s fault as Clinton complains? No, if one believes that Sanders had no sway over his backers. Yes, if one accepts the reality that his attacks on Clinton were so fervent that they hit home hard with his most die-hard supporters. The problem for Clinton was that there were
just enough of them to tip the presidential scales to Trump, and that’s the brutal truth about Sanders.
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Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is an associate editor of New America Media. His forthcoming book, The Trump Challenge to Black America (Middle Passage Press) will be released in August. He is a weekly co-host of the Al Sharpton Show on Radio One. He is the host of the weekly Hutchinson Report on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Pacifica Network.

View #2 Blame Hillary Not Bernie for her Failure
Written by Kirk Tanter
Link: http://thehutchinsonreportnews.com/profiles/blogs/did-bernie-damage-hillary-s-white-house-bid-two-views

I cannot disagree with Hillary Clinton more about Bernie Sanders - nor anyone else - damaging Hillary’s candidacy for President. It was the Clintons that adopted the defunct Lee Atwater strategy of bashing the opponent to win an election.

Hillary did not have a strong clearly stated platform on what she do for the American people. Many Black folks this 2016 Presidential race voted for Trump, or did not vote at all. The deciding Blue and Swing States that Trump won had low Black voter turnout. Blaming opponents and obstacles in her new book is irrelevant and have nothing to do with her defeat to Donald J. Trump. It is as if opponents should have fell in line with her Presidential aspirations.

The Clintons are self-proclaimed ‘Half-Republicans’ aka ‘Blue Dogs’ or the 90’s term of ‘Tri-Angulaters’. Repealing the Crime Bill – important to Black Folks - was not of staunch interest to Hillary. Hillary never said that she would fight to repeal the bill, and further, if repealed, remove all of the people from prison receiving minimum maximum lengthy prison terms. And despite Black Lives Matter protesting at her speeches on the Crime Bill issue, all she could aggravatingly say to them, is that they should have ‘set up a meeting with her’. Colin Kaepernick nor the Black Lives Matter protestors are seemingly il-allowed to peacefully protest in America, like other Americans have the right to do.

The historic “Tough on Black Folks” bills from Bill Clinton you mentioned in the article were all harmful to African-Americans. Why didn’t Hillary campaign in a tough manner to reverse these bills you referenced?

Other bills and inactions were not forgotten. Bill Clinton did nothing to prevent, nor stop, the Rwandan ethnic-cleansing where an average of 10-thousand people a day for three consecutive months were slaughtered in Rwanda, Africa. Hillary Clinton was there as first lady - it was on the national news - and she could have cleared the air by verbally disagreeing publically with the former President. She could have denounced Bill’s lack of a response during her 2016 Presidential campaign.

The Minority Tax-Certificate in Broadcasting was repealed by Congress in our radio broadcast field Dr. Hutchinson during the Clinton Presidency, coupled with Bill’s signing of the Telecommunication Bill of 1996 forcing Black Broadcast owners to sell or else be ostracized advertisement-wise by new owners of multiple stations. There were 146 Black-Owned broadcast companies in 1995 compared to just sixty-eight Black Station owners in 2013. Hillary could have campaigned demanding a resurgence of more minority voices on the airwaves, fighting to level the playing field.

I guess it was Bernie’s fault that near 10 percent of Black Folk supported Donald J. Trump for President, while the Clinton campaign advertising dollars were low to nil with the aforementioned 68 or so, to date, Black-Owned Broadcast Companies, taking our vote for granted again. Combining the near ten percent Blacks that voted for Trump with the surprising high non-voting African-Americans, reader polls can state that this “Disinterested in Hillary” voting block is the reason for Hillary’s Presidential demise. Is this because of Bernie Sanders, Russia, Comey, WikiLeaks, etc…?

Conscience African-American voters from the Bill Clinton era and today’s next generation of even bolder conscience Blacks are having none of this Clinton-like ‘blue dog’ ‘take our vote for granted’ game playing anymore. The Sixties conscious Black folks are revoltingly proud of this new serious conscience generation.

The demand was for Hillary to reverse those dangerous ‘Bill bills’ you mentioned Earl. The demand was also for new legislation that would benefit us directly, in exchange for vote of confidence. We did not hear this clearly stated enough with conviction by Hillary R. Clinton. Not even a ‘Hillary would fight’ this Republican Congress to make and attempt to get things done. Bernie Sanders seemingly impossible platform tasks were at least planned out meticulously, and you got the sense that ‘with our help’ he would fight for us ferociously.

We are tired of choosing the lesser of two evils. Hillary wanted to run un-opposed as Obama did in 2012, but Bernie ran and had a greater-than-expected successful campaign. The DNC brass devised strategies to attack Bernie, his religion etc… via emails, while promoting positively for their chosen one Hillary Clinton. We thought the DNC represented Democrats.

Secondly, like Obama, Donald Trump drew more people at his campaign appearances. Trump drew Hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) more people in total. It was a simple S.T.P. (see the people) sales success. Trump campaigned personally those last few weeks of the Presidential campaign to the Swing and closely contested mid-western Blue States barely tilting voters his way to win the election.

In a nutshell, Hillary Clinton promised absolutely nothing concrete, but did very well bash-campaigning against both Bernie and the Donald, receiving some bashing back, which is par for the course. Sanders and Trump though laid “their plans” out with strong base-platforms. Bernie consistently campaigned on making College more affordable (even Free), Free Health for All, and fighting the Corporate/Wealthy Powers-that-be. Trump campaigned on his Economic and Anti-Immigration platform, establishing himself as being a non-beltway ‘drain-the-swamp’ candidate, and yes, his popular Crooked Hillary bashing.

Hillary LOST to Trump because Trump out campaigned her. And Mrs. Bill Clinton would have also lost to Bernie Sanders if he got into the race a year earlier. Bernie’s message and gritty fight was much more appealing to the Democratic and Independent voter. Hillary did win against Bernie Sanders, however later than expected in the Democratic Primary.

Hillary Clinton failed at communicating a convincing platform appealing to the Democratic and Independent voters; over 50 percent of women voted for Donald Trump for President; and we hope that the Democratic Party does not ever again take voting blocks for granted nor crown a Democratic nominee for President just for showing up.
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Kirk Tanter is a broadcast veteran, currently Director of Operations for the Reach Media News-Talk Network, a Member of the National Action Network, and blogs at kirktanter.blogspot.com.

Read more: http://thehutchinsonreportnews.com/profiles/blogs/did-bernie-damage-hillary-s-white-house-bid-two-views