Cornell McCleary, Former 610 - WTVN Radio Bad Boy

Third World now a challenge to U.S.

Bush policies and GOP controlled Congress pushing the world towards the edge.

When you hear the term "Third World" not too many people really know what it means or really gives a damn.  This wrong-headed way of thinking is costing America its prosperity, prestige and global political clout.  When most people think of World War III, they think of a military conflict between the U.S. and China, Russia or Korea.  It would never dawn on the average person's mind that conflict between the U.S. and a Third World movement has been mounting since the end of WW II.

For a historical perspective, the term "Third World" was intended to describe and identify nations that were not aligned with either the United States or the former Soviet Union.  These two superpowers represented both the 1st and 2nd worlds respectively.  Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union the United States remains the world's sole superpower.  In other words, the world stage is now a contest between the 1st world and the Third World.  Most people know this contest as George Bush's so-called war on terrorism.

I strongly encourage my readers to view what I am about to say with an open mind.  This situation is very complicated and dangerous to say the least.  Because of western nation's history of racism and bigotry the world itself is now in mortal danger.  As I stated before the Nonaligned Movement started after WW II and this 118 -- member nations Movement has been meeting and organizing since the creation of the movement shortly after the end of WW II.  Many today are led to believe that the term "Third World" is about poor nations and their respective problems.  A deadly fact, member nations, Third World Nations, collectively, control the majority of the world's oil supply and, represent 55 percent of the world's population.  Another deadly fact, Non-Aligned Movement member nations represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nation's membership.

Regarding the issue of racism, the media is treating the heads of state of Cuban, Iran and Venezuela as wayward characters and impotent.  A deadly fact, these three nations have a super power base in the Non-Aligned Movement.  These nations can in fact put a large deadly military ground force on U.S. soil and, if they did it quickly enough, the U.S. would be denied the use of it's most deadly weapons because of the potential long-term damage to both U.S. assets and the American population.  Economically, through their collective influence over the world's oil supply, they could devastate the U.S. economy.  Further, if Iran forms an alliance with the new government of Iraq, which it is going to, the United Arab Emirates, member nations, would be compelled, to ensure their own survival, to go along with the anti-American agenda of Cuba, Iran and Venezuela.

The founders of our nation strongly believed in a responsible free press.  They believed that if the people are made aware of the truth our way of life would be preserved.  In regards to this matter, many in the press have not been responsible.  Because George Bush is the President of the United States, neither he nor Congress have been held accountable for flat out lies and inconsistencies in regards to national security issues and this so-called war on terrorism.

Minimum wage ballot issue is death blow to Blackwell's bid for governor

Ken Blackwell's office tells Ohioans for a Fair Minimum Wage campaign that they have collected enough names to qualify for the November ballot.

Ken Blackwell came through the Primary looking like a gladiator and a giant.  His opponent, Ted Strickland, with little statewide name recognition, no substantive message and little gumption for a head-to-head, toe-to-toe fight just watched as his opponent first, get stronger then, on his (Blackwell) own, start kicking his own butt.  Now comes the minimum wage issue, a problem for most Republicans and a nightmare specifically for Ken Blackwell.

No matter how bad things looked for the Republicans in November they still could not be written off because of their historical powerful political ground machine and awesome money raising abilities.  The Democrats to date have not put fourth a powerful message that would compel their Party's faithful to get off of their butts and go to the polls and vote.  The minimum wage issue is going to cross race and party lines, it is a moral issue that few will find reasons to not support it.  So far, both Blackwell and Strickland have avoided the poverty issue but now Strickland a Democrat won't have to but, Blackwell, if he touch this hot issue or if he does not, is in deep do do.

Ohioans for a Fair Minimum Wage, the coalition of labor unions and community groups that are driving this issue on moral grounds has laid down a political ambush for the so-called "Values Voters", strong supporters of Blackwell and also publicly claiming to be concerned about poverty issues and justice, issues that Blackwell as a candidate has ignored.  If Blackwell embraces these issues it will be impossible for the fact that Blackwell is an African-American to be ignored.  If Blackwell does not support the ballot issue or attempts to ignore it, because Blackwell is an African-American, the Democrats will destroy him with this issue especially in black communities.  Ted Strickland has no choice but to voice his support for the issue then, all he has to do is let the coalition advocating the ballot issue do their thing to maximize both his political and tactical gains as a result of the issue being on the ballot.

Statewide, county-wide and local, in harms way are all GOP candidates facing stiff competition and who have any significant size urban population in their respective districts or areas.  Historically, in close races, the urban voter are the swing voters.  To make matters worse for GOP candidates, Blackwell is at the top of the ticket and the GOP is already, for the most part, on record not supporting the minimum wage ballot issue.  When the missiles start to fly over this moral issue the GOP and Republicans in general are going to be made to look like insensitive jackasses and I don't mean Democrats.

I have been watching the governor's race objectively and tactically.  From my observations, Strickland just stayed in the ring out of Blackwell's way.  Blackwell, punch drunk from a formidable primary fight did not re-tool or reorganize his campaign to fight a non-fighter.  The Blackwell campaign is attempting (the Republican tradition) to throw mud at a candidate that they can't muddy.  The tax and spend liberal tag being launched at Strickland is not going to either stick or work considering the very publicly known tax and spend records of Ohio's last two Republican governors.  From my observations, other than being an unknown, Strickland's primary flaw is that he really does not have much interesting to say.  However, Blackwell's continued political and tactical mistakes makes it easy for Strickland to not have to say anything interesting.

After all is said and done, if the election was held today, Blackwell and many other Republicans would be facing defeat.  There is just enough time left in the election for some Republicans to walk away from the GOP's tradition of mud, blood and gore, to run as individuals who happen to be Republican, and give themselves a chance.  As for Blackwell, when he walked away from TEL he choose the Party over the people and the Party is not going to let him turn back or be any other way even if it means his defeat.

Time to call President Bush and the GOP's war on terrorism and national defense efforts what they are - BS

Republicans controlling Congress in a brief pre-election session intend on maximizing on what they think the public has yet come to understand.

One of the most outrageous things that the Republican controlled Congress is going to attempt to do is legalize President Bush's illegal and unconstitutional National Security Agency's warrant-less wiretaps of everybody and anybody that they wanted to, terrorist suspect or not.

At this point in time, the only hope that the American public has in regards to this matter is that the Democrats have the guts to stop them.  This, I'm afraid, is not much to hang one's hat on.  Hopefully, there are enough Americans paying attention to this issue that opinion polls will reflect that any Republican or Democrat siding with George Bush on this issue will be assured that come November, their respective political careers are over especially Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio.

There was a recent quote attributed to U.S. House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester (Associated Press story by Andrew Taylor, 09/04/06) "That's why Republicans are working to keep America safe through policies based on strength and purpose, rather than confusion and defeat."  That is some really good sounding BS if you are in to political sound bites.  As a matter of fact, even if you are not.

The truth, since 911, President Bush and the Republican controlled congress has all but destroyed the American way of life as we have known it, made world terrorist more dangerous than they have ever been, proved to the world that the United States is unprepared for a major terrorist attack or national disaster, driven fuel and energy cost through the roof, scapegoated immigrants for failed poor global economic policies and, made kissing babies a thing of the past.  You now just need to know who's ring to kiss.

Unfortunately for Americans, the Republicans with all their failings are still better for America than the Democrats.  No matter how bad things look, the Democrats still don't look good.  More taxes, more spending and bigger government is not the answer.  Leadership, a rare thing found among Democrats is.  However, the Republican's political and public policy failures and betrayals must not go unpunished or they will never get back on a true conservative path and once again be the great leaders that is their historical legacy.

Change is a process.  Some key Republicans figures need to lose for Americans to win again.  Within the Republican Party are some potentially great political leaders but, for susch individuals to get the opportunity to lead, the current powers that be must be removed.

Republican Congress finding its way back to the people

Congressman Pat Tiberi's condemnation of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld a ray of hope for America and the world

For years now as a former key player in both the state and Franklin County GOP, I have been increasingly losing my faith in the leadership of the Republican Party and most of it's elected officials, many of whom I have personal relationships with.

A story published in the Columbus Dispatch September 1, 2006, written by Dispatch reporters Catherine Candisky and Jonathan Riskind "Tiberi latest Republican to break step with Bush" made my day.

Tiberi and I have had many heated private debates regarding the war in Iraq and President Bush.  If someone overheard our conversations they would not know how close friends we are.  We both love this country and are passionate in our beliefs however, I truly believe that Tiberi will be President of the United States one day and I felt that it important as his friend to compel him to rise above Party loyalty and Party Perspective.  Based upon comments both Tiberi and U.S. Representative Deborah Pryce, another personal friend, have made to the Dispatch's editorial board and now published statements, Tiberi and Pryce have both returned to their roots.

Tiberi and Pryce are some of the most talented and progressive public officials in America.  Long before it was popular, Tiberi and Pryce were forging inroads into urban America and establishing personal relationships with African-American and other minority community leaders.  When I was the Ohio GOP's Statewide Minority Outreach Coordinator (Campaign America), it was Tiberi and Pryce who were the wind beneath my wings.  Although it has never been publicly stated until now, in this commentary, Campaign America's success in outreach to blacks in Ohio played a key role in Bush winning Ohio.

This commentary is for those people who don't know or have not had the opportunity to know Tiberi and Pryce personally.  Their moving away from Bush is not a political tactic it is real.  Standing with the people is their roots.  Their rise to political greatness was not based upon who they knew, it was compelled by the things that they respectively did which could only be described as acts of leadership and community commitments.