Instead of Treated, We Get Tricked

Instead of Treated, We Get Tricked

This year Halloween fell on a weekend; so while you’re out with the kiddies trick or treating, getting yourself in costume for parties or just because you’re a big kid, a few folks that masquerade for a living are putting the full-court press in motion for a big day. Yes, politicians are out for more than candy as Election Day nears and the TV ads are tripled, lawns a littered with signs showing their support and your vote is courted.

The importance of each election since Barack Obama took office in 2008 has increased while the attention Black America pays has dropped like interest in a new Nelly album. Here in Jersey last year, we slept in on Election Day and as a result Chris Christie became governor and each day folks open the paper cringing as news of cuts in budgets and services are reported. The races this year have been pretty tame and not on the national radar as they are in other states such as New York, Delaware, California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Alaska of all places.

Republicans and Tea Party Republicans will tell you that America is losing its way. That liberal spending is tearing at the fabric at the country, that the bank bailout, auto industry bailout and healthcare overhaul are destroying the American dream. Seriously, they say these things and in the next breath say things like African-American males will rather turn to dealing drugs than find jobs. Yeah, that was Illinois Senate candidate Al Reynolds, a Tea Party candidate. That’s a major difference over the last two years, the emergence of the Tea Party and their public leader Sarah Palin. These extreme conservatives are looking to restore America at the expense of progress, diversity and the poverty line.

In Delaware, Tea Party candidate for Senate Christine O’Donnell has enjoyed a slice of the celebrity that thrust Sarah Palin into the mainstream two years ago and for many of the same reasons…being dumb as hell! I’m not talking about the clips making their rounds on the net with her talking about witchcraft or masturbation; I’m speaking about her inability to answer questions about Supreme Court decisions, thinking it’s all about her and not the issues and trying to use her beauty to endear her white male constituency. Dumb broads like this we need expelled from the country as they are unfit to read to five-year olds, let alone represent entire states. Yet, that’s the low we’ve stooped to in a country that has brought Sarah Palin to our attention and pretty soon to our television, while creating divisions within the GOP.

The biggest issue this year is the Democrats looking to keep control of the House as the Obama backlash has reached epic proportions and the GOP is gaining with the intentions of stalling the progress of 2008. An expected low turnout among young and Black voters is expected to hand the House of Representatives back Republicans, simply because folks think the work was done by voting for Obama, but we know that wasn’t the case at all. Maybe if a stimulus plan was in place for voting or it seemed like the thing to do or if Jay-Z made a song, your cousins will get out to vote.

In New York, Andrew Cuomo Jr. and Carl Palladino square off to lead the state, but it was Jimmy McMillan of The Rent is too Damn High Party that stole the show at a recent debate. While in Florida, Kendrick Meek has been answering more questions about supposed pressure to drop out of the election from former President Clinton in the last few weeks. On the verge of bankruptcy, California is finally voting to replace Schwarzeneggar, with a candidate that has spent nearly $80 million on her campaign, while Democrat Jerry Brown has simply said he’s looking to right the ship. Questions, no answers (are there ever?), but one thing’s for sure, two for certain, you need to get out to vote Tuesday!