Eye on Republican 2016 Politics

The Republican Party continues to use the “Southern Strategy” it’s embraced for more than 40 years.  This strategy has been somewhat successful for them, but convinces some voters to support their policies. Over the years, the party has reinvented racism, using a series of coded appeals which are inaudible at one level, but clearly heard and understood at another. President Ronald Reagan, called the Great Communicator by his loyal supporters, often remarked about “Cadillac driving welfare queens” and “strapping young bucks” buying T-bone steaks with food stamps. Similar rhetoric is found in the language used by former President Richard Nixon and former presidential candidate George Wallace. You’ll see this strategy repeated by many in the current field of GOP presidential candidates

Racial polarization among Republican voters appears to generate enthusiasm for political candidates who promise to crack down on crime, curb undocumented immigration, and wage war against Gays, Lesbians, and Muslims.  Short sighted politicians disregard the interest of minorities and the disadvantaged and embrace regressive policies that promised “trickle-down” benefits for whites. Current presidential candidates offer pie-in-the-sky optimism and misplaced certitude. It’s interesting that their primary appeal to the Republican base is that they have no past experience with most of the issues facing the country today. This coupled with the bitterness of the base against the failure of elected officials to deliver on past campaign promises makes interesting reality television, but offers America and the entire world little hope for the future.

The appeal of some Republican candidates seems contrary to our stated national values which support equality and oppose racism. The inaudible call for racial solidarity to combat “welfare cheats”, “illegal aliens”, and perceived racial victimization presents an enormous problem for the country and particularly for the struggling middle class. The liberal media seems to believe that the GOP appeals to a small shrinking “silver” population. In an increasingly diverse society, if you’re not careful, you might feel that racial polarization will be solved when this group literally dies out. However, among whites, race appears to be more important than gender, age, or geographical location. Race may well drive how individuals vote, resulting in white support for the Republican Party. A quick look at the data tells the story. In the 2012 election, 88% of voters for the GOP were white. State level GOP elected officials nationwide received 98% of the white vote. White men favored Romney by 62%, white women by 56% and white youth by 56%. Race is a central feature in American Democracy today.

 

The policies of the Republican Party favor the extremely wealthy and for decades governmental policies have created an unequal economy that has wrecked the middle class. They blame the 2008 financial crisis on homeowners who bought homes they could not afford.  They fail to support the Civil Rights Act of 1964, casting it as an “over reach” of government power. They focus on the “undeserving poor” who abuse government help, thereby robbing hard-working tax payers. They cast whites as victims of an activist government that passes out gifts to grasping minorities.  You’ve heard it said that African Americans, Hispanics and young people “want to get free stuff” from the government. Accordingly, the GOP offers plans to control voting among these groups as a way to counteract their support for democratic positions.

The second Republican presidential candidates’ debate tonight will spotlight their strategies.   See if there’s a lack of emphasis on support for upward mobility through good schooling and affordable higher education. Take note if there appears to be a lack of interest in rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure or controlling abuse in the market place through regulation. Watch for discussions on jobs, healthcare and the economy, marked by a lack of specificity. It may help you decide where your vote will do the most good in serving those issues that you care about.

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Glory, Repentance, and Honor: Michael Vick's Untold Story

Almost every football fan knows NFL Quarterback Michael Vick. He has previously played for the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Jets and currently for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bound for glory, Vick left Virginia Tech in his sophomore year. He was drafted first overall by the Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft, the first African-American quarterback ever taken in that position. He had made it t the big time and the future looked great.

Life changed drastically for Vick in July 2007 when  he and three others were charged by federal authorities on felony charges of operating an unlawful interstate dog fighting venture.  After his conviction, he spent 548 days in jail, mopping floors for 12 cents an hour at Leavenworth prison. He owed creditors $18 million but refused to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and have his debt forgiven. Instead, he chose Chapter 11 bankruptcy and has worked to pay back what he owed, including $6.5 million to the Falcons for a 2004 signing bonus.


Since returning to the NFL, Vick earned over $45 million over the past 5 years. He lives on a restrictive budget of $300,000 per year. 50% of his earnings have gone to pay down his $18 million debt which includes taxes and legal fees. Less than seven years after being released from prison, he has paid 85% of what he owes and is close to retiring all of the $18 million debt.

No matter what he does, there are some who will never forgive Michael Vick, but the most important thing is how a man feels about himself. He expressed his gratitude through ESPN for the support he has received and the opportunities he's been given. Judge for yourself, but Vick has paid for his lack of judgement and repented for his "sins". His financial decisions have proven his inner integrity and attempts to make amends. The bible cautions us..."let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Personally, I'll send up a prayer for his success in his future endeavors.

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Genius Among the Stars: Celebrity IQs

Celebrities often get a hard time for being a bit of a dumb bunch. Sure, they look nice when they're were prancing down the red carpet in a lovely frock and they've got smiles which just look positively exquisite on the front over of a tawdry gossip magazine. However, it's often assumed there's not a whole lot going on upstairs.

But, that's not always the case. There are some celebrities out there who are not only smart, but they are also within the IQ bracket to be considered geniuses.

The average IQ is 98-100, and obviously anything above this number suggests better than average intelligence, with the higher IQ numbers roughly breaking down into the following categories:

115-124 - Above average (e.g., university students)

125-134 - Gifted (e.g., post-graduate students)

135-144 - Highly gifted (e.g., intellectuals)

145-154 - Genius (e.g., professors)

155-164 - Genius (e.g., Nobel Prize winners)

165-179 - High genius

180-200 - Highest genius

>200 - "Unmeasurable genius"

An IQ of 134 is in the top 1 per cent. 50% of Americans score between 90-110. Albert Einstein's IQ was 160, the same as Bill Gates. Listed below are some of the heavy hitters in Hollywood.

James Wood 184

The veteran film and voice actor could perhaps be one of the smartest people in Hollywood. As a teenager, Wood's almost scored 100% on his SATs, getting the perfect 800 in the verbal section, and 779 in math. With this he won a scholarship to MIT and majored in political science. However, he never graduated, as he quit to pursue acting.

Natalie Portman 140

The Academy Award winning Natalie Portman is also one of the smartest actresses in Hollywood. She actually skipped the premier of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace to better prepare for her school exams, while she has a degree in psychology from Harvard and is pursuing a graduate course at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She's been published twice in scientific journals and is fluent in five languages.

Shakira 140

Shakira has an extremely good head on her shoulders. She can speak three languages fluently - Spanish, English and Portuguese, while she's also proficient in French, Italian, Catalan and Arabic. She's also a big fan of history and world culture, and is pursuing a course in The History of Western Civilization at UCLA Extensions. Oh yeah, she's also set up two schools.

Nolan Gould 150

Although the 16 year old Nolan Gould might play the rather intellectually challenged Luke Dunphy in Modern Family, in real life he is a member of Mensa - an organization reserved for the top 2% of the general population in terms of IQ.

At thirteen he graduated from high school and plans to take courses online. He can also play the banjo and the double bass.

Lisa Kudrow 154

 Lisa Kudrow is another sitcom star whose on screen persona isn't known for their intellectual prowess. However, in real life Kudrow holds a degree in biology and was a medical researcher for eight years before joining cast of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. In particular she conducted research into headaches.

Dolph Lundrgen  160

Although his onscreen persona often seems to prioritize brawn over brains, Dolph Lundgren actually has a lot of both. The Rocky III and The Expendables actor was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT in 1983 and holds degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering, while he also speaks six different languages.

Matt Damon 160

This one is slightly less surprising, since Matt Damon is quite well-known for throwing himself into various extra-curricular activities. However, despite having a high IQ, Damon actually never finished Harvard University. Instead he dropped out of college to pursue a career in acting.

However, it was while at Harvard that Damon developed the draft script for the Oscar winning Good Will Hunting. He was later awarded an honorary Harvard Arts Medal in 2013.

Conan O'Brien – 160

Despite making a career of acting like a fool on stage, Conan O'Brien in fact graduated magnum cum laude from Harvard University. This 72 page thesis, which was titled "The 'Old Child' in Faulkner and O’Connor," argued that "the New South’s emerging identity is manifested in the literature of William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor via the motif of children that age too quickly."

However, he was still the recognizable Conan. He was dubbed the "preeminent jokester" of the class of '85 and was president of the Harvard Lampoon - the college's humor magazine.

Brian May

The legendary Queen guitarist not only looks like Isaac Newton, he's got a brain like him too.

I was unable to find exact IQ figures for May, but what's certain is that it would be lingering around the genius level. Dr. Brian May - as he should really be called - has a PhD from the prestigious Imperial College London in astrophysics. From 1970 to 1974 he studied the reflected light from interplanetary dust and the velocity of dust in the plane of the solar system. He has also co-authored two papers on astrophysics, titled MgI Emission in the Night-Sky Spectrum (1972) and An Investigation of the Motion of zodiacal dust Particles (Part I).

He dropped out of his doctorate once Queen began to find international success, eventually returning and completing it in 2007 with the thesis, A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud.

Other Celebrity IQs that might interest you follow.

• Jayne Mansfield – 149 IQ. Best known for her massive breasts (measurements of 40-21-35) and fatal car wreck at the age of 34, Mansfield was also a classically trained pianist and violinist who spoke five languages
  .
• Jodie Foster – 132 IQ. Foster graduated as valedictorian from the French-speaking Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, after which she attended Yale and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in literature.
• Madonna - 140 IQ. It’s no surprise that Madonna has a high IQ. After all, she’s been able to remain relevant in the world of pop culture for three decades
  .
• Masi Oka – 180 IQ. Known as the likable Hiro on Heroes, he was featured on the cover of Time magazine when he was 12 years old. The caption? “Those Asian-American Whiz Kids.” Fluent in three languages, he has a degree in computer science and mathematics.
• Nicole Kidman – 132 IQ. While she didn’t have the good sense to avoid a marriage to crazy-ass Tom Cruise, the leggy Aussie does have a celebrity IQ in the gifted range
  .
• Brett Favre – 104 IQ. The quarterback for the Packers, Jets, and Vikings, Favre made appearances in Something About Mary and Reggie’s Prayer. Still, some said he’s was not smart enough to know when to retire.
• Quentin Tarantino – 160 IQ. A high school dropout, Tarantino worked in an L.A. video store while trying to make it as an actor. As it turned out, he would make his mark as a director and one of the most influential figures of the modern pop culture scene.
• Sharon Stone – 148 IQ. Even though she’s best known for uncrossing her legs, this blonde vixen claimed for years to be a member of MENSA. She later admitted this was not the truth, so you have to wonder about her IQ claim.
• Steve Martin – 142 IQ. The movie star and banjo-playing comic was once a philosophy major at Cal State. During those years, he considered becoming a professor.
• Danica McKellar – 154 IQ. Known as Winnie from The Wonder Years, McKellar has a degree in mathematics from UCLA and has written two best-selling books on the topic.

Sources:
moviepilot.com, Mark Newton, February 13, 2015

onlygoodmovies.com

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Congratulations, Serena Williams, Superstar

The 33-year-old Williams won her sixth Wimbledon on Saturday and 21st Grand Slam overall. With a victory at next month’s U.S. Open, she’d become the third woman in history to win the calendar Slam and also tie Steffi Graf for the most Grand Slam titles of all time.

Williams, who defeated Garbine Muguruza for her 6th Wimbledon finals match, attended the annual dinner at Guidlhall in London with fellow champion Novak Djokovic and his wife. Serena arrived at the lavish event in a hugging floor-length gown which showed off her enviable figure. This comes after Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling jumped to Serena's defense when a Twitter troll said Williams was "built like a man".

Though she may have looked like a princess on Sunday night, when it comes to tennis, Serena is no doubt the queen.

Congratulations and best wishes, Serena Williams, Superstar.

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Paula Deen Cries Foul on "I Love Lucy" Posting

Here's an update to my recent post-Paula Deen At It Again-Yawl Hear?
Paula Deen is trying to distance herself from the Tweet and photo that threatens her image rebuilding campaign.

The tweet was quickly removed and Deen immediately had the picture taken down as soon as she saw the post. She apologies to all who were offended.

The social media manager responsible for the tweet and picture was fired.

Paula has been in business and image building mode since getting a private investor in 2014 funding her efforts to the tune of between $75-$100 million. She's launched a website, the Paula Deen Network, and opened a restaurant with seating for 300 in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Tune in for the next episode in this ongoing saga.

Related Article:

Paula Deen At It Again-Yawl Hear?

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Safety Net For Seniors: Social Security Turns 80

 

This year is Social Security's 80th anniversary, an ideal time to reflect on what this essential program means to us all. Many important facts about this vital program are overlooked in the ongoing nation debate. The program keeps roughly 20 percent of all Americans age 65 and older above the Federally defined poverty level. We must never forget just how vital those benefits are to families all over America.

Social Security helps millions of people of all ages. These include 2.5 million children whose parents have died or retired, 4.1 million spouses of deceased workers, and almost 11 million disabled workers and their dependents. Benefits are modest. Overall, retirement benefits average less than $16,000 a year. About half the beneficiaries, mainly women, get less. These benefits are most or all of the income for more than 1 in 4 older women.

Social Security provides critical support for middle-class retirees. Without it many people who worked their entire lives would struggle to pay bills. People are living longer than ever and those added years cost money. Financial pressures facing boomers and Gen Xers explain why Social Security will continue to play an important through the coming years. Retirement savings are often meager and employer retirement pensions have become scarce. Without the guarantee of Social Security, the poverty rate for older Americans would skyrocket- from 9.5 percent to 42 percent.

The United States can afford to keep Social Security strong, and we must-not only for today's retirees but for young people and future generations. Let's seize on Social Security's 80th anniversary as a time to remember just how important those benefits are to families all over America. Make sure that maintaining Social Security is a part of the national discussion and find out where political candidates stand on this issue.

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Time's 100 Most Influential People: Meet The "Titans"

Last April/May, Time released its annual issue dedicated to persons chosen as the 100 Most Influential People. The Editor offers the magazine’s hope that the list will introduce influential people you might not have met before and encourage you to find out more about them.  In my case, I also found out many new things about people I thought I knew.  Although in many cases the names were familiar and expected, there were many surprises and a wealth of new information. Information excites me and compels me to share it with friends and family.

Let’s start with a clear definition of influence:
Influence: (noun) the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others;  (verb) to move or impel (a person) to some action; (verb) to exercise influence on; affect; sway.

Malala Yousafzai and Beji Caid Essebsi

When you review Time’s list, you’ll find that the youngest person on the list for the third straight year is seventeen year old Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.  Oldest at 88 is Tunisian President Beji  Caid  Essebsi, steward of the Arab world’s youngest democracy. The 100 people on Time’s list were born all over the globe, including Russian President  Vladimir Putin (St. Petersburg, Russia);  Pope Francis (Buenos Aires, Argentina); US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power (Castleknock, Ireland); and US President Barack Obama (Honolulu, HI).

In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the 18 people identified as “The Titans’ and later, we’ll focus on a few of the 21 persons labeled “The Icons”. In future posts, we’ll  meet  “The Pioneers”, “The Artists”, and “The Leaders”. If you’re anxious and can’t wait a minute longer, you can view the entire list of The 100 Most Influential People on line at Time.com.

Charles Koch-Tim Cook-Kanye West

You would expect a group called “The Titans” to include Apple CEO Tim Cook who runs “the most valuable company on earth” and  Disney CEO Bob Iger who spent $15 billion on Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel to transform the company into the world’s largest entertainment venue. Add  Charles and David Koch to the list based on their immense industrial wealth of $100 billion and impactful conservative activism. But, in my wildest dreams did I expect “pop culture juggernaut” and entrepreneur Kanye West and Reality Star Kim Kardashian West nestled among people in this category. 

Lorne Michaels-Chanda Kochhar-Kim Kardashian-Lee Daniels

I rushed to the dictionary and found that a ‘titan” is “a person or thing of enormous size, strength, power, influence, etc.:”, so I guess I’ll have to live with that. You have to read Entrepreneur Elon Musk write about Kanye West’s “long game” as the music superstar moves into the worlds of fashion, design, and philanthropy. Martha Stewart labels Kim Kardashian a media phenomenon with 29 million followers on Instagram and 31 million followers on Twitter. Her reality TV show Keeping Up With the Kardashians is a favorite with a large and diverse audience. For better or worse, you have to admit that some of the younger generation wants to look like Kim, dress like Kim, and imitate Kim in every way possible. I guess that’s influence. You can judge whether her influence is “enormous”.

Mellody Hobson-Janet Yellen-Susan Wojcicki-Elizabeth Holmes

Personally, I could better identify with other female “Titans”, i.e. FED Chair Janet Yellen (leader of the most important central bank in the world), Finance Whiz Mellody Hobson, Tech Visionary and Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, or You Tube CEO Susan Wojcicki.  ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, “a banker with a vision and reach” is the clear image I equate with a “Titan”. Co-Chief Executive Director of Deutsche Bank Anshu Jain says:

“You can’t miss Chanda Kochhar as she walks through the congress Centre at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, or into a meeting of the board of directors of the Institute of International Finance...Her calm, soft-spoken and understated demeanor belies her strength of conviction and clarity of thought...When Chandra speaks, people listen carefully.”

To me, that’s enormous.

Another of Time's “Titans” is Lorne Michaels, “King of Comedy”.  The seventy year old Canadian-American is a television producer, writer, comedian, and actor best known for creating Saturday Night Live, the Late Night series and The Tonight Show. Among his many awards, he’s been inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Lei Jun-Danny Meyer-Jorge Paulo Lemann-Satya Nadella

Others  labeled  “Titans” on the 2015 list of Time’s Most Influential People are AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes; Producer and Empire’s Creative Engine Lee Daniels; Silicon Valley’s Grand Master Investor Reid Hoffman; Restaurateur Danny Meyer;  Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, China’s Smartphone King; Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Investor Jorge Paulo Lemann.

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Denzel Washington -Takeaways to Dillard University Grads

Having won Two Academy Awards, five Academy Award nominations and a Tony Award,  Denzel Washington needs no introduction. Recently, he delivered the Keynote Address at Dillard University 2015 Commencement Ceremony. Washington is no stranger to Dillard University. He set up a scholarship program for students in the theater department, eight of whom were graduating, one of whom was the class Valedictorian. The program at Dillard is the oldest among the HBCU (historically black colleges and universities). He left the 218 Dillard Grads and the audience with four pillars as advice for living that you would not want to miss.

Denzel Spoke Words to live by:

1. Put God first: “Everything that I have is by the grace of God, understand that. It’s a gift. … I didn’t always stick with Him, but He stuck with me.”

2. Fail big: “Don’t be afraid to fail big, to dream big, but remember, dreams without goals, are just dreams. And they ultimately fuel disappointment. … I try to give myself a goal every day, sometimes it’s just not to curse somebody out.”

3. You’ll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse: “I don’t care how much money you make, you can’t take it with you. … It’s not how much you have, it’s what you do with it.”

4. While you’re on your knees in the morning, say thank you: “Say thank you in advance for what is already yours. … True desire in the heart for anything good is God’s proof to you sent beforehand that it’s already yours. … When you get it, reach back, pull someone else up. Each one, teach one. Don’t just aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.”

The University bestowed an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters upon Washington. After his remarks and receipt of the honorary degree, Washington rushed to Wiley College in Marshall, TX, another HBCU, to give the commencement address.

During the speech, Washington candidly admitted that he once had a 1.7 GPA in college.

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Paula Deen's At It Again- Yawl hear?

Some things never change and I guess Paula Deen's racial insensitivity is one of those things.

The Celebrity Chef found herself caught up in a nightmare when her use of the "N" word became public. in an interview last year, Paula Deen told Matt Lauer that she had "learned so much" from the backlash that ended her business relationship with the Food Network and many major market outlets, i.e. Wal-Mart and Target. During a year of apologizing for the racist remarks she made, a "contrite", tearful the disgraced Food Network star declared that she "had hurt people". If the truth be told, her remarks on the Today Show told the whole story. "I is what I is", she said. She blamed her southern heritage and the language and attitudes which she says were common. While some fell for this simple explanation, others listened in disdain.

It appears that Paula has learned very little and obviously hasn't changed her mindset at all. Recently she tweeted a photo that shows she is still racially insensitive and hasn't learned a thing. The photo shows her dressed in a red wig and polka dot dress circa 1950. At her side is son Bobby Deen...in brownface. Could it be Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz? The photo is from a 2011 episode of her now cancelled show.

Let's see how many tears she sheds over this one while some whistle 'Dixie" and wave the confederate flag.

Related Articles:

Paula Deen-She's Back!

Paul Deen and Me: A Love Affair Gone Wrong

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"The Sandwich Guy" Feels the Heat

I fell in love with Jared Fogle many years ago and I'm not ashamed. He became my hero and I wanted to walk down the same path that he had walked. We both wanted the same thing, success and happiness. But, things change as life goes on and now I'm watching closely to see if Jared and I should go our separate ways.

 In 1998, Jared was a 425 pound freshman at Indiana University. Now, his story is history since he lost 235 pounds eating Subway 6 inch turkey subs (hold the cheese and mayo please) and became the face of Subway's franchise in 2000. Now his net worth is $15 million. He used some of his rewards from his successful weight loss journey and started a charitable foundation which worked to prevent childhood obesity, encouraging children to develop healthy eating habits. In my book, Jared did all the right things. Now he's "tainted good"...some say Jared is "toast", while everyone is wondering if Subway will break with their pitchman.

Recently, State, Federal and Postal Service authorities raided Jared Fogle's Indiana home. Now he's fodder for speculation on the Internet, cable and regular T.V., newspapers and magazines, and even talk radio. The late night comedians will have a field day making Jared the butt of their jokes. So, whether he's actually guilty of anything or not, Jared is "Contaminated" and that matters.

Here's the story. A couple of months ago Russell Taylor (43), director of Jared's charitable foundation, was arrested and charged with 7 counts of production of child pornography and 1 count of possession. When Jared became aware of the situation, he said he was "shocked" over the allegations and dumped Taylor. The former director tried (and failed) to commit suicide at Marion County Jail and was evventually placed on life support. Subway is quietly awaiting any negative fallout and reviewing their options.

I'll always be grateful for Jared's weight loss journey and the benefits of his personal story. Now we'll wait and see what develops through law enforcement investigations and how the media handles "The Subway Guy".

Related Article:

Jared Fogel Turned Weight Loss Into Millions, Emerald Quill Blog, June 2013

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Millennials and Politics: Disengaged and Disillusioned

If you follow the Emerald Quill you know that this blogger is obsessed with trying to understand Millennials. You also know that I keep a keen eye on politics and continuously try to share information that I think is important. I often wonder do youngsters care anything about politics at all. Think about this: 72 million young adults were born after 1985; they make up 36% of the 2014 workforce and 46% by 2020. Since Millennials hold our future in their hands, let's take a look at their political mind-set and habits.

The Washington Post reports ‘that Millennials are disengaged and disillusioned with the U.S. political system”. In many ways, that’s true. Compared with Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980) and Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964), the generation of Americans who were born after 1980 and before 1997 identify less with political parties, are less interested in politics and vote at lower rates. Even young Americans who consider themselves politically active may not do much more than vote every few years, sign an online petition once a year, or passive-aggressively unfriend people who express different political views on Facebook.

Many people see these trends as a product of the general uprooting of American civic society. For a variety of complex reasons -- including changes in work, technology and gender roles -- Americans today know less about their neighbors, are less likely to take part in their communities, and be part of fewer formal institutions such as churches or political parties.

Millennials are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation (40% non-white and Hispanic). They rely on Facebook for their political news, while Baby Boomers turn to local TV. This generation is the most moderate of any generation (39% moderates, 31% liberal, and 26% conservative). They are more likely to identify themselves as self described independents (50%). Millennials opt for bigger government providing more services over smaller government providing fewer services (53%).

This generation is not isolationists. They support the military conducting nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sixty per cent believe that it is the right decision to use force in Afghanistan, fourteen points higher than the Silent Generation. Seven in 10 Millennials believe that immigrants strengthen our country.

A recent Pew study labels Millennials as liberal, churchless and single. Millennials haven't bought into the idea that they should go to church or get married early. Only 36 percent of the Millennials said the phrase "a religious person" described them very well, compared with 52 percent of the Gen Xers, 55 percent of the baby boomers and 61 percent of the Silent Generation. And they're significantly less religious than their immediately predecessors, the Gen Xers. When they were the same age, almost half of the Gen Xers — 47 percent — identified themselves as religious. The 64 percent of the millennials who say that they are not religious "is the highest for any age group we've ever measured," Taylor said.

 The Millennials were far less inclined toward marriage than the groups that preceded them. Only 26 percent of the millennial adults are married. When they were the same age, 36 percent of the Gen Xers, 48 percent of baby boomers and 65 percent of the Silent Generation were married.

History shows us that people change as life goes on. It will be interesting to see how much Millennials change as they get older and how those changes will impact their political views. I wonder how their political mind set and views will shape the world that they will make for themselves.

Related Articles of Interest:

Millenials Are Disillusioned with Politics, The Washington Post

When It Comes To Politics, Do Millenials Care About Anything?, The Atlantic

Polls Show Good News for Democrats With Young Voters, Huff Post Politics

Millenials Won't Be in Charge of Congress Until At Least 2035, Huff Post Politics

Improving Millenials' Civic Health and the Country's, Huff Post Politics
 

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Teetotalers: Celebrities That Don’t Drink

Kim Cattrall-Christina Ricci-Blake Lively

After the word come up in our conversation, I had to explain to my granddaughter that a “milk-toast” was an extremely mild, easily dominated person, someone you might call namby pamby or wishy washy. We went to the names of a few family members and friends trying to identify a living example of a milk-toast. When I dropped the word “teetotaler”, I advised her that this was a person who totally abstains from intoxicating drink. As a follow-up to that conversation, I identified a number of well-known celebrities who don’t drink, including actors , Kim Cattrall, Christina Ricci and Blake Lively.

Colin Farrell-Gerard Butler-Bradley Cooper

Many celebrities fell into serious trouble in their past and turned to abstinence to maintain a healthy life style and more secure future.  Bradley Cooper gave up alcohol at age 29 after a drunken incident where he being hospitalized after repeatedly banging his head on the floor. Actor Gerard Butler spent his youth, age 14 to 27 partying hard, but has been sober for more than 15 years. In 2012, he spent a stint at Betty Ford Center for pain management after a surfing injury. He wanted to avoid taking any pain pills. Actor Colin Farrell is often represented as a bad boy, ladies’ man partying hard. He confesses that for 15 years he hadn’t spoken to or made love with a woman while sober. He has been a teetotaler for 8 years.

Jennifer Hudson-Jada Pinkett Smith-Tyra Banks

Clean living supermodel and entertainment mogul Tyra Banks hasn’t had a drink since she was 12 years old. Jennifer Hudson saw lives ruined with the murder of her mother, brother, and nephew by her brother-in-law. He’s serving 3 life sentences plus 120 years in prison. Jennifer doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. In the past, Jada Pinkett Smith drank 2 bottles of win every night, but she’s given it up and remains totally sober. Sex in the City’s Kristin Davis quit drinking at age 22.

Retired soccer player David Beckham hasn’t touched a drink in years. His gorgeous body and amazing shape attest to his healthy life style. Joe Manganiello (True Blood/Magic Mike) had an addiction to alcohol for 4 years during his 20’s. He’s been sober for more than a decade. Country crooner Tim McGraw gave up drinking for his daughters and made a change for the better. Ben Affleck spent a stint in rehab and has been sober for 15 years.

About 12% of Americans have had an alcohol dependence problem at some point in their lives. Those who have been able to overcome this problem are noteworthy and serve as an example to others.

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Forbes List-Highest Paid Celebrities 2015 Goes Global

When Forbes listed the 100 Highest Paid Celebrities 2015, the list is not business as usual. The list still measures money earned in one year, before management fees and taxes are subtracted, but the 2015 list includes candidates from all corners of the globe. The variety on the 2015 list is interesting, from Beyonce (#29 at 54.5 million), Jackie Chan (#38 at $50 million), Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova (#88 at $29.5), to Canadian rapper Drake (#54 at 39.5 million). Thirty-two list members are from outside the U. S. and 15 are from the U.K., including Gordon Ramsey,”the chef who ate the world”, (#21 at $60 million) and singer-songwriter-musician Ed Sheeran (#27 at $57 million). Take a look at the top ten:

1.      Floyd Mayweather $300 million

2.      Manny Pacquiao     $160 million

3.      Katy Perry               $135 million

4.      One Direction          $130 million

5.      Howard Stern          $95 million

6.      Garth Brooks           $90 million

7.      James Patterson       $89 million

8.      Robert Downey Jr.   $80 million

9.      Taylor Swift             $80 million

10.  Cristiano Ronaldo     $79.5 million

 

Katy Perry is part of the burgeoning batch of stars cashing in on an increasingly global entertainment landscape. She used her Super Bowl Globe to showcase her talents to audiences abroad. As part of her Prismatic World Tour, she played 124 shows during our scoring period; 75 of them took place abroad, in 27 different countries. According to her managers, 60% of her income now pours in from foreign markets.

Believe it or not, the Gender Gap applies to both the celebrities on this list as it does to the wider society. Only 16 of the world’s highest paid celebrities are women, including Perry and Taylor Swift among the top 10 list members. Women on the list made a combined total of $809 million dollars, while men made $4.35 billion. The UN estimates it will take 70 years to close the gender gap at the current rate.

One Direction takes the No. 4 spot for similar reasons: The world’s biggest boy band played 74 dates over the past 12 months, averaging seven-figure grosses at every stop, hitting every continent besides Antarctica. Thanks to a strong touring drive—and profound changes in the concert business, spurred by the rise of the global middle class—the group earned more than twice as much as the Rolling Stones.

 

Hollywood is benefiting from this sort of trend as well. Avengers: Age of Ultron grossed $240 million in China, whose monthly box office surpassed the U.S. for the first time this past February. Robert Downey, Jr. (No. 8) earned double-digit millions for playing Iron Man in that film en route to a career-high $80 million payday, tying him with Taylor Swift, whose best-selling album 1989 moved 3.7 million units in 2014.

 

 

Taylor Swift won wide acclaim for slaying a giant. The singer wrote an open letter to Apple Music saying "please don't ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation". Apple bowed and Senior Vice President Eddy Cue tweeted "we hear you @taylorswift13", indicating that Apple Music would pay artists for streaming even during the customer's free trial period. How that for flexing your muscles.

 

Meanwhile, Vin Diesel (No. 43) banked $47 million thanks to a back-end cut on Furious 7, which brought in $1.5 billion worldwide. More than $1 billion of that sum came from abroad, including roughly $400 million in China, where it’s the highest-grossing film of all-time.

 The entertainment market is global and savvy entertainers are finding ways to tap into new sources of wealth.

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Intent vs. Impact: Recent Landmark Supreme Court Decisions

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest federal court of the United States. In the legal system of the United States, the Supreme Court is the final interpreter of federal constitutional law. This week the court issued three landmark decisions.

The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Barack Obama a major victory on Thursday by upholding tax subsidies crucial to his signature healthcare law, with Chief Justice John Roberts saying Congress clearly intended for them to be available in all 50 states.

In King v. Burwell (June 25, 2015), the court ruled on a 6-3 vote that the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), widely known as Obamacare, did not restrict the subsidies to states that establish their own online healthcare exchanges. It marked the second time in three years that the high court ruled against a major challenge to the law brought by conservatives seeking to gut it.

"Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them," Roberts wrote in the court's decision, adding that nationwide availability of the credits is required to "avoid the type of calamitous result that Congress plainly meant to avoid."

The Obama administration has hailed the law as a success, saying 16.4 million previously uninsured people have gained health insurance since it was enacted.

 

On the same day that the ACA ruling was issued, the court issued its decision in Texas Dep't of Housing, & Community Affairs v.Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. (June 25, 2015): Claims of housing discrimination based on disparate impact rather than a showing of discriminatory intent may be brought under the Fair Housing Act. To defeat a defense based on business justification or a public interest, a plaintiff must identify an available alternative that serves the defendant's needs and would have less disparate impact. Although this decision got much less airing in the media, it is a landmark decision. In effect the ruling says discrimination may not have been intended in the actions taken, but the effect is discriminatory as evidenced by its disparate impact. This ruling gives further weigh to impact as defense against discrimination under the Fair Housing Law. Oddly enough, the court upheld the ACA based on the intent of the law, while it decreed the intent is also weighed by disparate impact under Fair Housing Act.

SCOTUS issued its ruling on Same Sex Marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges (June 26, 2015): Under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, all states must license a marriage between two people of the same sex and recognize such a marriage if it was lawfully licensed and performed in another state.

All in all these decisions furthered the cause of equal treatment under the law for all American citizens.

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The Supreme Court-How it Works

The Supreme Court is the most powerful court in the United States. It was set up by the founding fathers of the United States in the third article of the Constitution.

 The court is made up of nine members, called justices. There is one chief justice and eight associate justices. They are appointed by the president and can serve on the Supreme Court their whole lives. A justice can only be dismissed if they do something wrong or illegal. Each justice must be approved by the Senate before they take office.

 The Supreme Court guards and defends the American constitution. It decides legal cases that arise between citizens, states and the federal government. In most cases the Supreme Court hears cases that have already been decided before a lower court. When someone who has lost a case thinks that the decision is wrong, he or she can appeal to higher courts. The highest court of appeal is the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, however, cannot deal with all the cases that are brought to it. Each year it hears about 250 cases, only choosing the ones that the justices think are most important.

 When the Supreme Court hears a case both parties have the chance to bring their arguments before the justices, who may then ask questions. Parties can also present written papers that show their opinion. There are no witnesses at such a hearing and there is no jury allowed.

 At the end of the hearing the justices vote on the case. They must reach a decision by majority vote. Then a justice is chosen to write down the opinion of what most justices think. In many cases not all justices have the same opinion on a topic.

When the Supreme Court decides something it is final. All the other courts in the country must decide an issue in the same way. A Supreme Court ruling can be turned around in two ways. Sometimes the members of Congress amend the constitution, or the Supreme Court itself may later on decide differently in a similar case.

 For example, in 1895 the Supreme Court ruled that the government was not allowed to collect taxes from its citizens. Two decades later Congress passed the 16th Amendment, which gave the government the right to collect money from the people.

In another issue the Supreme Court changed its view on what it thought about how blacks and whites should live together. In 1896 it decided that blacks and whites should have separate public places, like schools, bus stops etc... In 1954 the court ruled that sending blacks and whites to different schools was against the constitution.

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