Fast Food Workers Protest For Higher Wages!

The service industry is growing but the paychecks are shrinking. McDonald's, the world's largest fast food restaurant is facing criticism from its workers over living wages. 

The world's largest food and beverage company has pulled in $38 billion in sales and revenue. But some of our nation's service workers are fumed that the paychecks are low and they can't keep a living.

McDonald's has been in the news lately for it's healthier foods. The company is trying to shake off the negative perceptions of being the cause of obesity in America.

McDonald's have semi-retired it's mascot Ronald McDonald. The Happy Meals are now with milk, apple slices and vegetables. Along with its famous french fries, cheeseburgers and Chicken McNuggets, the Happy Meals are less on toys and more on outdoor activities.

McDonald's runs a good game when it comes to serving the food. But the workers of its American locations are getting really frustrated with the lack of pay for all the work done.

Yeah, it's the bottom of the barrel when you're in the food service industry. You make money based on survival. And believe me, some workers can't survive on the nation's minimum wage. Some barely can make enough to receive a portion of the safety net.

The safety net includes social security, disability, food stamps, farm aid, Medicare, Medicaid, and welfare.

The middle class, lower class and those who are too poor are the core of the safety net.

With the rising food and gas prices, people are turning to food stamps, food banks and government assistance to keep themselves from landing in the homeless shelter.

Time and time again, I've said this.

Without a safety net, these people will rob and kill those who have the luxuries of having food in the refrigerator or in the pantry. They would steal fuel, water, bread and meat to keep feeding their families. And yet, these Republicans and their conservative allies are thinking the poor are the reasons for the economic recession. Perhaps those who complain about the poor, should walk a day in that person's shoes!

The Republican Party and its allies in the conservative movement are heartless when it comes to the lower and middle class. In their warped minds, the lower class and those who are too poor are stealing from the taxpayers by accepting food stamps, welfare and necessaries.

Working at fast food isn't enough for these guys. They rather you work in places where there's oil. After all, you can make a lot of money drilling for oil on unsafe lands.

Who cares about the possible damage to natural environment or the dangers with working in the oil industry?

Yahoo! News and the Associated Press reports that last week's protest are the start of a growing movement.

It looks like Occupy Wall Street is getting revamped into Occupy Fast Food Joints.

Terrance Wise has two jobs in Kansas City — one at a burger joint, a second at a pizza restaurant — but he says his paychecks aren't enough to buy shoes for his three daughters and insure his 15-year-old car. So he decided to draw attention to his plight: He walked off work in protest.

Wise was among a few thousand fast-food workers in seven cities, including New York, Chicago and Detroit, who took to the streets last week, carrying "Strike" and "Supersize Our Wages" signs in front of McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King and other restaurants. They demanded better pay, the right to unionize and a more than doubling of the federal minimum hourly wage from $7.25 to $15.

Smiles and fast service are key to McDonald's job description.

"We work hard for companies that are making millions," the 34-year-old Wise says, adding that he lost his home last year, unable to make mortgage payments despite working about 50-hour weeks at Pizza Hut and Burger King. "We're not asking for the world. We want to make enough to make a decent living. We deserve better. If they respect us and pay us and treat us right, it'll lift up the whole economy."

These one-day protests, which also took place in St. Louis, Milwaukee and Flint, Mich., come amid calls from the White House, some members of Congress and economists to raise the federal minimum wage, which was last increased in 2009. Most of the proposals, though, seek a more modest rise than those urged by fast-food workers. President Barack Obama wants to boost the hourly wage to $9. And in July, more than 100 economists signed a petition supporting a bill sponsored by a Florida congressman that would hike it to $10.50 an hour.

The restaurant industry argues that a $15 hourly wage could lead to businesses closings and fewer jobs. It also notes the cost of living varies greatly around the country and many states have higher minimum wages than the federal rate. (Eighteen states and the District of Columbia, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.)

The Employment Policies Institute, which receives some funding from the industry, ran a full-page ad last week in USA Today, warning of another potential consequence: It showed the uniform of a fast-food worker with an iPad face, saying the wage increase could result in employees being replaced with automation, such as touch-screen ordering.

So at a time when the economy is growing steadily but slowly and about 11.5 million people are unemployed — nearly double the level before the Great Recession — how likely is it Congress will increase the minimum wage? And have these protests done any good?

The answers depend on whom you ask.

"They're very effective," says U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. "They've brought attention to appalling conditions with workers putting in very long hours ... and not making enough money to survive. This I think is scandal. .. We believe it's essential to be paid livable wages. We know the companies can afford it. These are highly profitable businesses. It would be good not just for the family budget but for the national budget."

Ellison's caucus launched a national "Raise Up America" campaign this summer that has partnered with fast-food workers and others in low-wage industries to highlight the call for better salaries. The congressman says he's not deterred by likely resistance in the GOP-dominated House.

"Remember, things that don't look possible become possible if people advocate for them," he says, adding that in 1955 someone was probably saying "they're never going to end segregation. ... Sometimes these things catch on. I think the thing to do is keep on pushing, keep on talking. ... That's how we win."

But others are more skeptical and think if there is a winner, it's unions. The Service Employees International Union is providing financial support and staff to help train organizers for this campaign.

I'm loving it. 

These protests show unions "still can appeal to and speak for workers who are on the fringes of the workforce — the less skilled, the part-timers and the immigrant workers," Gary Chaison, professor of industrial relations at Clark University in Massachusetts, wrote in an email.

These still are hard times, people are happy to be employed and the political climate in the House is not conducive for an increase, he adds. "The demonstrations are street theater and the rehabilitation of the image of American unions, but it's not going to drive new minimum wage policy," he wrote.

Scott DeFife, executive vice president of the National Restaurant Association, calls the protests a campaign "to disparage the industry," which he says operates on a tight profit margin. Doubling wages, he says, "would definitely have an impact on the creation of new jobs." He says it would be especially harmful for young people, for whom the jobless rate in some communities is already in the double digits.

Some fast food companies responded to the protests by saying they respect the rights of their workers.

And some who walked out used the media spotlight to talk openly about their financial struggles.

Kareem Starks, a 30-year-old father of two boys, 6 and 12, was laid off in 2011 from a $17.50-an-hour city job in New York. His unemployment benefits ran out and he turned to food pantries. Five months ago, he found work at McDonald's.

The service industry includes fast food. Most workers make less than $9.00 an hour working.

"I'm grateful they gave me an opportunity to feed my family and put food on the table, but it's not enough," he says. Starks supplements his income with a second job as a security guard, earning about $8 an hour. Together, he says, he brings home about $1,000-$1,100 every two weeks and needs food stamps to survive.

"It's horrible to know when I pick up my (McDonalds) check, it's going to be less than $200," he says. "You spend all your money in one store and go to sleep broke. It's not fair. ... Some people get their checks and don't come back to work."

The average hourly salary for fast-food workers was $9.00 in May 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average age for these workers is 29 years old; for women, it's 32, according to the bureau. The restaurant association says its own analysis of Census data found that slightly more than 25 percent of fast-food workers are heads of households.

Both sides in the fight over the minimum wage cite numerous studies to buttress their arguments about whether a raise would be harmful.

The petition signed by the economists says that for decades, research has "found that no significant effects on employment opportunities result when the minimum wage rises in reasonable increments." The economists also note that minimum-wage workers employed full time for the entire year earn $15,080, almost 20 percent below the poverty level for a family of three.

But Michael Saltsman, research director at the Employment Policies Institute, cites another study that he says found raising the minimum wage was counterproductive — with more people losing than gaining because hours were reduced and jobs were cut.

Tessie Harrell, one of the workers in the middle of this academic debate, walked off her job in protest last week.

As a Burger King manager in Milwaukee, Harrell, 34, has to stretch her $8.25 hourly salary to support five children (a sixth lives on her own). They live in a two-bedroom apartment. Her mother helped out financially and with child care, but she has since moved to a nursing home.

"It's not like we're teens working for a pair of shoes or a cell phone," Harrell says. "We're grown adults who can't find better jobs."

She would like to see something come from the protests, a wage improvement, even if it's not $15 an hour.

"I hope it works," she says. "We're just trying to survive and build a life for our children."

Steve King: Black And Brown, There's Criminals Around!

Since Tom Tancredo is gone, Steve King picks up his mantle.

Did you know that legislators Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Steve Stockman (R-Texas), and Steve King (R-Iowa) have never accomplish much while in Congress.

These legislators have the least amount of sponsored bills. They rush to the television to attack President Barack Obama. Yet they have nothing to show for it in the long haul.

Why is the conservative junk food media even giving them and senate members Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) even an ounce of their time?

Because if you're the loudest voice in the Republican Party, you'll get the most donations.

They always seem to be promoted the by the racial extremists in the conservative media.

Louie Gohmert and Steve Stockman are from Texas. They join Palin Da Ass, Mitch McConnell, Michele Bachmann, Rand Paul, Lindsay Graham, John McCain, Ted Cruz, and Steve King in the crowning of idiots within the Republican Party.

These Republicans get more exposure than House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

It's a shame that they get media coverage. Because these individuals are hurting the Republicans in general.

The state of Texas has a growing Hispanic population. In twenty years, the state will be the minority-majority by Hispanics. The Hispanic population in Texas is at 32% (Non-White Hispanic).

That's pretty high for one of the biggest states in the nation.

Texas has 36 members of the U.S. House and two senators. It gives the state a total of 38 electoral votes.

The state is heavily Republican but all could change if the impending demographics change and the Republicans stubbornness to immigration reform doom them in the long-term.

Enter Steve King, the Iowa Republican. He has no accomplishments as a legislator but yet he gets plenty of air time to vent off his hatred of Hispanics. He even got into it with a Latina who votes Republican.

Ava Narravo was on Obama News. GOP Sundays have program like Meet The Press. The program is declining in ratings and the network is hoping that David Gregory can muster enough ratings to keep his spot.

Narravo is a Republican strategist. She is trying to debunk the liberal agitators claim that the Republican Party is racist. She has a lot of work ahead of her. Just like those Black Republicans who continue to endorse the White extremists.

She was debating the panel over the president's accomplishments and failures. The president's immigration reform is on the ropes and Republican House members are hoping to kill off the Senate's bill.

The U.S. Senate passed immigration reform a few months back. The House Republicans are grumbling and they're hoping that stalling it would kill it off.

King was a feature on GOP Sundays. He made an offensive comment about the young woman and she got into him.

Ana Narravo takes on Republican congressman who is accused of saying racial slurs about Hispanics.

The Raw Story reports that Narravo took King to task over this.

David Gregory told King that his assertion that many immigrants had “calves the size of cantaloupes because they’ve been hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert” had been debunked.

“My numbers have not been debunked,” King insisted. “My characterization was exclusively to drug smugglers, and anybody that understands the language and the culture should be able to watch that tape and know that.”

“I think that Congressman King should go get himself some therapy for his melon fixation,” Navarro replied. “I think there might be medication for that. I think he’s a mediocre congressman with no legislative record and the only time he makes national press is when he comes out and says something offensive about the undocumented or Hispanics.”

“I spoke only of drug smugglers, and if Ana understands the language she should know that,” King shot back. “I didn’t insult her, I didn’t insult other Republicans and I didn’t violate the 11th Commandment, that Reagan gave to us.”

“I’m not undocumented, Congressman, I vote,” Navarro interrupted.

“We need to secure the border first, restore the rule of law, then we can have this discussion that you want to get to,” King remarked. “And not be insulting people in the process.”

“You’re going to talk to me about insulting people, Congressman?” Navarro asked.

This is who she wants to help win in elections. Ms. Ava Navarro, you're crazy if you still support this party.

Now you tell me if this isn't your modern Republican Party. Because the way their going, they'll eventually prepare themselves for defeat in the next presidential election.

Conservative Outrage Over Little Kid's Prayer To Obama!

Even a little cute kid is given vitriol by these White conservative extremists.

The conservative agitators and White extremists are livid over a little child praising President Barack Obama. Mediaite picks up on a story that's certainly going to have that gadfly buzzing around here again!

Now I remember that John Oliver from The Daily Show once put this into spotlight. He said that anything on the social networks can become some firebrand for political outrage.

It doesn't matter what it is. It's apparent that for every video that's out there, there is some asshole online there to complain, spit vitriol and hatred of it. That's probably why YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are declining.

People are tired of the racism. People are tired of having to explain to a bunch of anonymous losers who only goal in life is to piss you off with a few word vomits.

Social networks can't regulate everything. For every 10 or more hateful videos and fake profiles being removed, 500 more are up and running within minutes.

Even a innocent video of a kitten could turn into a "FUCK OBAMA" from some anonymous troll online.

For Pete's sake, has the conservatives gone stir crazy?

Apparently so, because this innocent YouTube video has went viral and peaked at best 250,000 views so far.

Racial extremists rated this video poor. Just like the Cheerios YouTube video.

It's a little Black boy saying a prayer for President Barack Obama. No harm in that right?

Not to the racial extremists in the conservative movement. They wasted no time trying to depict the boy as a "lil' Trayvon Martin" and the parents are "poverty" cases. They had the nerve to criticize the little boy's grammar skills.

How insane is that?

Mediaite reports that the video  has quickly become one of the most disliked on YouTube, thanks to a host of Christian conservative sites that have condemned it over the last several days. In the video, the boy clasps his hands and lowers his head before thanking the president for “all the stuff that you helped us with.”

And it would have been just another cute video uploaded to YouTube by a loving parent, had it not been posted Sunday a Loserville radio host and subsequently by nearly every conservative website on the internet. “What kind of a parent would allow their child to blaspheme God?” The Loserville radio host wrote in his post, setting the narrative that would reverberate throughout the rest of the right-wing web.

SugarCainTV’s Robert Laurie wrote, “If you thought that Barack Obama was just a mortal man elected to a temporary position in office, you thought wrong. According to this video, he’s much, much, more than that. He is a divine instrument, replete with God-given ‘special powers.’”

WorldNutDaily condemned the young boy for “praying TO Obama. Not for him. Not about him. TO him.” This is despite the fact that the first words out of the boy’s mouth are “A prayer for President Barack Obama.”

And Crazy Jones’ InfoWars took its criticism of the video to yet another level: “The controversial prayer video is just the latest example of the type of feverish leader worship historically only witnessed in communist and totalitarian regimes, such as North Korea, Mao’s China and Nazi Germany.”

Etiquette is a theme that is commonly ignored on social networks.

When you have a disagreement with a person, do you let it go or do you jump into the fray?

Ideological changes in our society has pitted Americans into a colorblind mentality! If it didn't happen to me, why should I care?

I can tell you that there's probably more hate themed pages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, and even on Blogger.

The freedom of speech allows these individuals to put up websites disparaging women, Blacks, Hispanics, those in LGBT community, those who practice in Christianity, Muslims or Jewish.

White extremists and political junkies alike have taken to the social networks to vent off inflammatory rhetoric!

Here we go again. The gadfly continues. So once again, I leave it up to you to read this pile of regurgitated crap from the "anonymous" commentator who can't seem to get it through his head that we're ignoring him.

I hope you have a magnifying glass for this word vomit.

Anonymous said...
First off, we both know you don't need a white sheet and cross to be racist. You don't have to be white, for that matter.

"why is it this individual focuses on the stories that deal with conservatives acting like racists?"

I don't know what you're talking about, you're the one who relentlessly brings up conservatives in reply to everything I say. And you specifically asked for a response on that Obama mask, read your post.

The most annoying post I've read from you-- and my first reply to you-- wasn't even about a conservative. It was about that Cleveland serial killer, and you preemptively accusing the city racism just because he was black. I still maintain that attitude perpetuates racism, and has nothing to do with conservatives.

The gadfly continues on and on again. It's kind of like a dog taking a dump in the neighbor's grass. If you leave the dog's crap in the neighbor's yard, the neighbor gets mad. He'll demand you'll pick it up.

So this is what I'm doing. I'm picking up the crap. I don't want this anonymous loser's word vomit on the pages of Journal de la Reyna. I am doing my job to remove it.

I'll keep on removing it until he'll find someone else to vent at or create a blog attacking me or others.

I'll make sure I'll keep removing this word vomit until the anonymous commentator goes away. Hopefully he'll give it up and move on.

But I'll expect another word vomit coming down in a few moments. Just you wait.

Again the Republican Party isn't racist. But there's whole lot of people associated with racism in the Republican Party. The Republican Party are the enablers of division and distraction. They pander to conservatism.

Conservatism is dosed in the bigotry of race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, political and economic standings.

They look at Black people as criminals. Latinos as illegal aliens. Muslims as terrorists.

Barack Obama being in the White House drives them nuts. They know that the tide is turning. They're trying to hold on to what little strength they have. The Tea Party Movement is the last remnants of the extremism.

The Tea Party will overplay their hand and the public will eventually turn on them. Hopefully the public will see this as an example of how this country is fucked up by these conservatives.

Clowning!

The Guy Who Throws Shit To The Wall links up the article about the rodeo clown who caused such an uproar at the Missouri State Fair. The rodeo clown was wearing a mask of President Barack Obama.

The announcer at the event was coaching the audience to have the clown be chased by a bull. Even some of the rodeo clowns went over to bobble the lips of the mask.

People from Show Me Progress posted this  video online and here comes the outpouring.

The outpouring of outrage and condemnation is equal. There were some who felt that the liberal outrage isn't merit for the all the offensive things said about previous presidents (i.e. Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush). They believe that the rodeo clown was an idiot, but it's not racist or offensive (according to them).

Liberals and civil rights leaders both see this different. Never in 50 years has the political discourse gotten so ugly says those liberals. The liberals believe that politics had no business at a family event that is non-partisan.

The controversy made it to the state house in Jefferson City. Governor Jay Nixon (D-Missouri) was not pleased with this. He ordered all rodeos to be canceled. The Missouri State Fair banned the announcer and rodeo clown. They're no longer participants at the state fair.

White House responds to the controversy. They weren't happy to say at least about the offensive show.

Also The Kansas City Star is covering the controversy. The controversy sparked a major discussion about how Americans view race. The Star had to disable comments after they've determined that a majority of the rhetoric were worse than the guy wearing the Obama mask.

The comments had to be highly offensive. Some of the word vomit issued towards the president, the Black community and those who disagreed with rodeo clown antics are pretty ignorant to say at least.

Mary Sanchez of the Kansas City Star wrote that if this is how America most often uses the vast resources of the Internet, we’re in trouble.

Yeah, we're in trouble indeed.

Remember that anonymous commentator who calls me "racist" every time a story that involves the Black community gets posted on Journal de la Reyna?

This person's insults are mild compared to the majority of those who vomit on the comment pages of most social networks and news agitating websites.

She even added that this is embarrassing. The initial event and the reaction. Politicizing a family fair event and winding up the crowd for a buffoonish depiction of the president about to be trampled by a bull are not funny.

In the video, the radio announcer and had made a comment about the president acting like a clown.

Even the White House responded to the controversy.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said earlier Wednesday the flap was "not one of the finer moments" for his home state of Missouri, although said he had not spoken about the incident with the president.



______________



Oh, I'm also hearing that story about three Black teens beating up a White teen in Florida. The conservatives are outraged over the fact that the president or Rev. Perm didn't discuss this controversy. After all in the conservatives mind, it's all Trayvon Martin and nothing else.

Well for two things, the individuals who caused this crime were arrested and are facing justice. Whereas in the case of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. The shooter of Trayvon Martin didn't get arrested for nearly six weeks. He basically walked after he just said that Trayvon Martin attack him and he had to shot him.

The police believe the shooter and the guy walked. Not one charge until an outpouring of protest against the Sanford Police and Zimmerman.

That's boneheaded congressman from Texas, Republican Steve Stockman wants to threw a parade for the rodeo clown.

Seriously, we're facing a morality deficit. The deficit continues with people like this clown, Congressman Stockman, and That Guy Who Throws Shit To The Wall. They give cadence to these radical extremists.

These individuals are the reasons to why I seriously believe that Republicans are racist.

Oh by the way, here's That Guy Who Helped Obama Win (aka That Scumbag On Loserville) talking to a Black Missouri delegate and that buzztop Black Republican Allen West.

Conservative Outrage Over Obama's Vacations And Golfing Outings!

The picture of President Barack Obama playing golf pisses off extremists.

The folks over at the conservative network Loserville obsessing over the president's vacations.

They believe the president shouldn't have no time to vacation while millions of Americans are out of work.

They believe that this NIGGER can't do anything regardless of the situation. That's probably why every time he's speaking about helping American find work, the conservative agitators are saying look he's taking a swing at the golf ball.

The Congress is unproductive and yet they're taking a six week vacation and then come back for another few days before they're off for a week. Not to mention Columbus Day in October. And then comes Thanksgiving break for at least three weeks and then their winter break for at least six weeks.

The president is taking an eight day vacation and he'll be back in Washington.

To the conservatives, one day off is too much. They're complaining about the dog, Bo being sent by Marine One.

Technically, the press pool is barred from the president while he's on vacation, say it's only his official photographer. The president was catching flack over transparency. So in order to settle the matter, he now he allows the media cover him at the golf course.

And yet, the very same agitators who complained about transparency are whining about the picture of the president with his leg up.

Just like another picture from earlier this year. The president shooting a rifle.

When he goes to Camp David, he told the writer of The New Republic he goes shooting all the time. That riled up conservatives and the National Rifle Association. They didn't believe it.

So in order to stop the noise, the White House released the picture. The picture drew conspiracy theories and more agitation from the likes of those who believe he faked the shot.

Still there's nothing better than watching Greta the Ambulance Chaser go into it.

After all she and That Guy Who Helped Obama Win (aka That Asshole On Loserville) are likely going to be bumped for Megyn the Ambulance Chaser.

So in order to please Chief Roger, Greta complains to some Republican or conservative agitator about it.

Talking Points Memo gets the clips and I'll be posting some it.

TPM reports that Greta the Ambulance Chaser complained about it.

"What was he thinking? You know photographers don't have an open door to take pictures of the president any time they want," Greta the Ambulance Chaser asked. "It's all staged and choreographed with secret service standing by. So this was not spontaneous."

White House pool reporters saw Obama miss the shot in the flesh and reported that he actually missed the next putt, too. CBS News also posted video of the president's less than stellar golf game.

"So why would the president do this for the cameras?" The Ambulance Chaser continued. "It's one thing to take a vacation, but is this pose shoving it down the throats of the American people? Many of them are out of work. They can't afford to spend the day working on their golf game in one of the most expenses places in America to vacation."

Here's an answer to that comment. He's the President of The United States. He can do what he wants. He's entitled to have the perks of being the world's most powerful leader. At least there's no hurricanes that were missed, no catastrophic attacks on home soil (like the one on September 11, 2001) and the economy is improving.

Loserville puffs smoke and there's no fire.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. Demands An Iron College He Can Survive In!

Jesse Jackson, Jr. and his wife Sandi are going to federal time out for misuse of campaign funds. Jackson is demanding that he goes to a lenient iron college. 

Former Democratic congressman from Illinois, Jesse Jackson, Jr. is heading to federal time out. The lawmaker accepted a guilty plea for using campaign funds for his lavish lifestyle. The former lawmaker and his wife will be getting time spent in the iron college.

Jackson is the son of Cut His Nuts Off Jackson (Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.)

Another embarrassing moment for the civil rights leader. You know conservatives hate him with a passion.

The conservative agitators are practically hoping that the civil rights leader joins his son in the iron college.

In June 10, 2012, Jackson took a medical leave of absence from the House, citing exhaustion.

On July 11, 2012, Jackson's office said he was being treated for a mood disorder at a residential treatment facility. His office denied speculation that he was being treated for alcoholism.

However, he also acknowledged that he was under two separate and distinct investigations, by the House Ethics Committee and by the FBI.

On August 13, 2012 it was confirmed by numerous news outlets that Jackson was in fact being treated for bipolar disorder.

Sixteen days after being re-elected to another term, Jackson resigned effective on November 21, 2012, citing his health problems and acknowledging the ethics investigations.

Jackson was named one of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress by the liberal Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington for his role in the scandal.

On September 21, 2010, Jackson said of his affair with Peruvian Giovana Huidobro: "is a private and personal matter between me and my wife ".

The Peruvian hostess was flown to Chicago twice by political fundraiser Raghuveer Nayak one month before the 2008 November election in a bid to see if Jackson would pony up $6 million in exchange for an Illinois senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama.

In September 2010, fundraiser Nayak was mentioned in the press as having been an alleged go between for Jackson and Blagojevich with the message that Jackson would help Blagojevich raise $6 million in exchange for the Senate appointment.

The allegations have become the subject of a Congressional ethics investigation.

Now as he heads off to federal time out, he demands a television and daily newspaper while he serves his time. He thinks that federal time out is going to be an "easy" ride.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the ex-Congressman is ordered to spend time behind bars, he would like to go to either the federal prison camp in Montgomery, Ala., or the low-security portion of the federal correctional institution in Butner, N.C., one of his lawyers said Monday.

The Butner Federal Correctional Complex already has at least two well-known inmates — former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge and former New York financier Bernard Madoff.

Jackson, 48, will be sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for misspending about $750,000 from his campaign treasury.

While the sentencing judge will have the option to suggest where Jackson should serve any prison term, it's up to the Bureau of Prisons to decide where felons are incarcerated.

Ed Ross, a spokesman for the bureau, said it considers a number of factors when placing inmates, including criminal history, medical needs and sentencing recommendations. Additionally, the bureau tries to place inmates within 500 miles of home.

In the request, which was filed with the court Monday, defense lawyer William Drake said the facility in Alabama — about 700 miles from Washington — is the closest federal prison camp to the nation's capital and would "allow Mr. Jackson to maintain contact with his wife and children during incarceration." The Jacksons have homes in Washington and Chicago.

In making the North Carolina facility Jackson's second choice, the lawyer said he "has significant ties to the area, which he believes will aid his rehabilitation during any term of incarceration."

Jackson graduated from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro. The prison in North Carolina is within 500 miles of Washington.

Both facilities are among the best in the prison system, said Alan Ellis, a defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing. Ellis ranks the Montgomery prison, a minimum-security facility located on Maxwell Air Force Base, among the top 10 in the nation.

"Staff is good there," he said. "You keep your mind occupied, you're working on the base."

Butner is "the crown jewel of the prison system" because it has a number of different facilities and a medical center that draws from the nearby Research Triangle area of Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill, Ellis said.

"It's like a college campus," Ellis said, adding that the buildings are "all named after (Atlantic Coast Conference) schools."

Butner is home to a low-security facility, two medium-security facilities and the medical center. Former Chicago cop Burge, convicted of lying about torturing confessions out of suspects, is in the prison's low-security area. Convicted financier Madoff is in Butner's medium-security facility, records show.

Jackson's lawyers have said he has severe depression and bipolar disorder and have argued that he could not get suitable care behind bars.

Of the two options presented by Jackson's lawyers, Ellis said Butner seemed like the best fit.

"Butner has these various levels, and it will probably be more appropriate to his mental health and medical needs," Ellis said.

Prosecutors want Jackson to serve four years in prison and his wife, former Chicago Ald. Sandi Jackson, to serve 18 months. Sandi, 49, will be sentenced the same day for failing to report about $600,000 in income. Both resigned from office before pleading guilty in February.

________________

BRIEFLY

The anonymous gadfly responds again. Guess what story he was riled up about?

Okay, why do we post this individual's comments?

This is an example of the nonsense you'll be seeing in your comment sections. People who are not capable of understanding the plight of others. People who only focus on vitriol whenever an issue about the Black community comes up.

S. Baldwin was right on two things. It doesn't matter whether they're conservative, liberal or libertarian: If they are White males, they're likely to have issues with race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, economic and political standings.

They can't stomach Blacks achieving. That's probably why for every controversy in Washington, DC, White men blame President Barack Obama overwhelmingly.

This person clearly knows we're not reading his nonsense. So in order to piss the anonymous user off again, we'll lower the font of the word vomit. Use a magnifying glass when you want read this crap.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
I'm going to try and be a little friendlier so maybe you will absorb my points rather than completely misinterpreting them and pidgeonholing me as something I'm not

I wouldn't get upset with a black dude in white face, any more than I'd get upset with a white dude in black face-- so long as the context was appropriate. If it's like this, some racist rodeo clown hyping up rednecks to "See obama get taken down by a bull," well that's clearly racist and not appropriate. If it's just some white guy who is a fan of Obama wearing an Obama mask at a support rally, I'm ok with it. Because he didn't have racist intent.

In my ongoing effort to point out YOUR racism, I would say tagging this post "White America" was racist of you. As if that clown somehow represents whites as a whole. Your tags are often extremely racist (especially that PA town hall killer) and I think you should really take a second to think about them.

12:14 PM

Here's another question for you!

Why is this individual still reading this blog if he claims I'm "racist"?

If I am a racist, where's my white sheet and burning cross?

Every American has a form of bigotry in them. There's no denying that. But seriously, why is it this individual focuses on the stories that deal with conservatives acting like racists?

The Republican Party isn't racist. But there's a lot of racists who vote for, support and endorse the Republican Party. Conservatism is a product of that. It's dosed in it.

Donnie McClurkin Booted Off MLK Event!

Gospel singer can't perform because of his controversial statements.

Gospel singer who was "cured" of his homosexuality got send his walking papers.

Donnie McClurkin was scheduled to perform at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington event in late August.

They believed that McClurkin's new found hatred of the LGBT community would pose a controversy to the event. So they had to boot him. And he's pissed about the decision.

McClurkin is a victim of sexual and substance abuse. He was raped by male family members and was a drug abuser. He claims that religion turned his life around. McClurkin went on to win three Grammy awards, ten Stellar awards, two BET awards, two Soul Train awards, one Dove award and one NAACP Image award for his work.

On Saturday, things changed. He posted a seven-minute video to Socialcam claiming he had been uninvited from the civil rights event because of "politics." He pinned the blame on the mayor, the Arts and Humanities Commission and "a few protestors."

“These are bully tactics simply because of stances that I took never, ever demeaning, never, ever derogatorily addressing any, any lifestyle," he said.

The Washington Post reported Monday that Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D)requested McClurkin not attend after activists challenged the singer's appearance. Gray said he didn't want any "potential controversy" to arise at an event focused on harmony and peace.

“The Arts and Humanities Commission and Donnie McClurkin’s management decided that it would be best for him to withdraw because the purpose of the event is to bring people together,” Doxie McCoy, a spokeswoman for Gray, told the Post. “Mayor Gray said the purpose of the event is to promote peace and harmony. That is what King was all about.”

At least one group has come out in defense of McClurkin. Ex-gay group Voice of the Voiceless is asking for people to sign a petition demanding Gray and the Arts Commission apologize for "discriminating" against McClurkin. The group blamed gay activists for "hijacking" the civil rights event.

McClurkin has made controversial statements in the past about being "delivered from the sin of homosexuality" by God. He has also claimed he was "turned" gay because of childhood molestation and reversed it when he turned to religion.

In 2007, the Grammy-winner made headlines when he was part of a gospel concert for the Obama campaign. At the time, he denied being a homophobe.

"Don't call me a bigot or anti-gay, when I have been touched by the same feelings," he said. "When I have suffered with the same feelings. Don't call me a homophobe, when I love everybody. ... Don't tell me that I stand up and I say vile words against the gay community because I don't. I don't speak against the homosexual. I tell you that God delivered me from homosexuality."

Again, the freedom of speech gives the person the right to be a condescending bigot. This individual is "straight" according to him. He can hide behind GOD and the Bible all he wants. But he can't deny that people think he's gay.

He can be gay, straight or bisexual. It's his right to be who he is.

But don't judge those who are LGBT. They're entitled to live their lives without fear. The LGBT community deserve the right to have marriage. They want to live their lives in happiness. They're not hurting anyone.

Donnie McClurkin appears on Verity Records, LLC/Sony Music Group.

NYPD Stop-And-Frisk Tactic Shot Down By Federal Court!

Black men are likely to be stopped and searched by police. New York Police Department was handed a defeat. The federal court struck down a tactic the police used in curbing crime. The court found it to be indirect racial profiling.

The New York City Police Department and Michael Bloomberg are fumed over the federal court decision to strike down a controversial procedure to curbing crime in the five boroughs.

The stop-and-frisk procedure was ruled unconstitutional by the federal courts after it was proven that people of color (usually Black and Latino/Hispanic men) are being pulled over more than other groups.

The stop and frisk tactics used by the NYPD attempts to break up criminal activity in high crime neighborhoods. But unfortunately, its also going after people who have nothing to do with crime.

U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin called it "indirect racial profiling" because it targeted racially defined groups, resulting in the disproportionate and discriminatory stopping of tens of thousands of blacks and Hispanics while the city's highest officials "turned a blind eye," she said.

"No one should live in fear of being stopped whenever he leaves his home to go about the activities of daily life," Scheindlin wrote in her opinion.

But Bloomberg stood his ground. "People also have a right to walk down the street without being killed or mugged," he said at a news conference, repeating his conviction that the program resulted in a drastic reduction in crime that made New York the "poster child" for safe U.S. cities.

Political pundits said the ruling would tarnish Bloomberg's legacy and may trip up NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly, who President Barack Obama has indicated may be a possible nominee for U.S. secretary of homeland security.

"It will be a heavy lift to designate someone who's been excoriated by a federal judge for civil rights violations," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former police officer and prosecutor who is a professor at New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

As part of her ruling, Scheindlin ordered the appointment of an independent monitor and other immediate changes to police policies. Her "remedies" address two lawsuits, one brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and the other by the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Several black and Hispanic men named as plaintiffs gathered at a CCR press conference, some choking back tears as they cheered the ruling for exposing racial profiling by U.S. authorities.

"When I got the call this morning the first thing I did was cry," said David Ourlicht, 25, who was stopped at St. John's University in Queens in 2008, ostensibly for walking in a suspicious way with a bulge under his winter clothing.

"It's a really good picture of what's going on in society," said Ourlicht, who is a mixed race man of black and white heritage.

Bloomberg told reporters his administration will appeal the ruling. That will take place as soon as the monitor makes any kind of request, at which time the city will seek an immediate stay pending the outcome of the appeal, said Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo.

Bloomberg has resisted interference in his police policies, especially that of stopping, questioning and frisking anyone for "reasonable suspicion" in high-crime areas. An added benefit, he said at the press conference, was "the possibility of being stopped acts as a vital deterrent."

The mayor has sought to preserve a legacy that includes a 30 percent reduction in violent crime since 2001, the year he was first elected. Bloomberg will leave office on January 1 after 12 years in office.

All four leading candidates in next month's Democratic mayoral primary have taken a stand against "stop and frisk," but none of them has said they would abolish the police practice.

The judge, who presided over the nine-week trial without a jury, ruled that the effectiveness of "stop and frisk" was irrelevant.

Defeated. New York mayor is upset over the federal court decision to knock out stop-and-frisk by NYPD.

"Many police practices may be useful for fighting crime -preventive detention or coerced confessions, for example - but because they are unconstitutional, they cannot be used, no matter how effective," the ruling said.

Scheindlin's ruling was not surprising. She has almost single-handedly overseen lawsuits against the NYPD's stop and frisk program after being randomly selected to preside over a lawsuit following the 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed black man, by the NYPD's now-disbanded Street Crime Unit. Police Commissioner Kelly has complained that Scheindlin favors civil liberties groups.

In her ruling, Scheindlin said police officers felt pressure to increase the number of stops after Bloomberg took office in January 2002 and brought in Kelly as police commissioner.

As a result, officers often frisked young minority men for weapons or searched their pockets for contraband before letting them go, in a violation of the Constitution's Fourth Amendment that protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, the judge said in her 195-page decision.

The judge selected as the monitor Peter Zimroth, 70, who once worked as the city's top lawyer from 1987 to 1989.

The judge also ordered the NYPD to adopt a written policy specifying circumstances where stops are authorized; adopt a trial program requiring the use of body-worn cameras in one precinct in each of the city's five boroughs; and to set up a community-based remedial process under a court-appointed facilitator.

This stop-and-frisk program was designed to have Blacks, Latinos and Muslims profiled. This was designed to have control over these groups.

NYPD and Bloomberg never seems to look at Wall Street as a threat to the safety of the residents of the country's largest city. After all they're the ones who allowed the country to head into a recession.

Michael Bloomberg is a business executive who owns a business magazine, television channel, and equity firm. He's a former Republican who became an independent. He endorsed President Barack Obama in 2012. He also wants to curb obesity and smoking in the city. The mayor fortune tops in $26.4 billion. He served three terms as the mayor of New York City.

Feds: Ohio City Better Get That Bus Out There Or Else!

Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority continues fight with suburb over bus stops.

I want to share with you an issue coming from my hometown. The liberal agitators are now zeroing in on the Dayton area. The city is in the spotlight over an issue in one of its suburbs.

A bit of good news for the public transit in Dayton. After 20 years, there will be buses that serve the Dayton International Airport. Residents have longed complained about the buses not going to the airport. Now that's one chapter closed in the ongoing battle for equal rights.

One chapter hasn't been closed and it's driving me to post another article about it.

The public bus service, the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) have a longstanding feud with the city of Beavercreek, Ohio. The suburb has tried to block every attempt to have the buses out by the Mall at Fairfield Commons, The Greene and the Soin Hospital. Areas that surround the Interstate 675 bypass.

Me and S. Baldwin have covered this controversy for the longest time. Now it's starting to get national attention.

Beavercreek is accused of violating the civil rights of riders. Many riders complained that in order to get to nearby business and the malls, you would have to travel at least 4 miles to the nearest point of interest.

This occurs in Beavercreek and nearby Fairborn as well. Both cities are located approximately 6 miles from Dayton and carry some of the city's major attractions.

The Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Justice Department warned the city of Beavercreek to get buses out there or face losing funds.

The Greene County Area Transit (Greene CATS) and the Dayton RTA have long complained about this.

They're not backing down. They have taken it to the federal court. The public transit companies are hoping that this issue will be settled before the end of the year.

The residents and city council are going to find even more ways to delay the buses. Risking even the potential of having lawsuits, Beavercreek isn't looking forward to having a bus service in their region.

The city is extremely conservative. And it's looks like it's going to be that way for a long time.


Ohio Republicans have the statehouse and governorship. John Kasich, the governor signed off this controversial redistricting plan in which it gave Republicans an advantage in elections. The Republicans have 12 members and the Democrats have 4 members.

Congressman Michael Turner (R-Ohio), represents the 10th District. His district absorbed the previous 7th District that was represented by Steve Austria. The Dayton area is strongly Democratic but the areas surrounding it are strongly Republican.

Turner served as Dayton, Ohio mayor for two terms before he was defeated by Ohio senate member Rhine McLin, a Democrat. He would later run for Congress and successfully won three terms as a legislator.

The 10th District covers Dayton, Beavercreek, Miamisburg, Centerville, Kettering, Xenia, Huber Heights, Washington Court House, Sabina, Jamestown, Clayton, Trotwood and the Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

It's ranked in the Cook Political Report as a +13. Meaning it's a "STRONGLY REPUBLICAN" district.

The only area that tilts for Democrats besides Dayton is the village of Yellow Springs.

The RTA have tried to expand its services into Greene, Miami, Warren and Clark County. Each area has tried to block each request to have it serve the needs of the people.

Really there is an issue here with the city of Beavercreek and RTA.

Dayton has been on the ground of death for the last 30 years. The city is caught between bigger cities like Cincinnati, Columbus and Indianapolis. Each city outside of Dayton has the attractions that many tourist visit.

Dayton, Ohio is the business of sex tourism and long forgotten legacies.

The population of the city is 137,000 and still declining.

The city has trolley buses. The smallest city in the United States to continue service with overhead wire trolleys. Five other cities with populations over 500,000 still maintain trolley service.

Dayton and Columbus wanted to have Amtrak to serve their areas respectively. That was squashed after Kasich signed off legislation to put transportation funds into GOP-friendly businesses.

The RTA can't even migrate into other counties. Besides the partial coverage of Greene County because of the Wright Patterson Air Force Base and Wright State University, the bus service only serves Dayton and the Montgomery County region.

You see that Southwestern Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Queen City Metro), Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Transit Authority Of Northern Kentucky (TANK) have routes that extend into other areas. Each public transit service has expanded or grown in the past 10 years.

Protesters demand bus service into Beavercreek, Ohio.

The Queen City Metro covers the Greater Cincinnati region. It has bus routes that serve Hamilton County, Warren County, Butler County, and Clermont County. The bus even goes to King's Island, one of the country's major amusement parks.

The buses cover the University of Cincinnati, the Horseshoe Casino, the Union Terminal, the Cincinnati Premium Outlet Mall, the township of West Chester, Great American Ballpark, Paul Brown Stadium and the Kenwood Mall.

The TANK have buses that link the city of Cincinnati with suburbs Covington and Newport in Kentucky.

The TANK covers Kenton County, Boone County, Campbell County in Kentucky and Hamilton County in Ohio. The TANK links with Queen City Metro in Cinncinnati. There are buses that serve the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport. The buses cover the Newport on The Leeve, Turfway Horsetrack, and the Florence Mall.

COTA has bus services that cover the metro Columbus area. Buses serve Franklin County, Delaware County, Delaware County, Union County, Licking County, and Fairfield County.

The public transit covers the Port Columbus International Airport, the Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay, Ohio State University, The Easton, Polaris Mall and the Hollywood Casino.

These public transit services are considering light rail transit to serve the needs of tourists and the community.

Dayton has not even thought of bringing light rail transit to the area.

Who would want to take a light rail train to a city of blight and despair?

Dayton has added truck stops to the area. Flying J's and Love's are planning on opening up shop in the city.

Hollywood Casino is going to build a horse track and casino in the area. It's going to be on the grounds of a former Delphi/GM plant.

Dayton wants to raze neighborhoods to built a town center near it's minor league baseball stadium.

The Dayton Dragons baseball team is probably the only thing left in the city besides the sex tourism.

Okay what's your take on the matter?

Do you think that Beavercreek discriminates against bus riders by denying service to the malls?



______________________________

GOP: Repeal Obamacare And Impeach Obama!

Congressman Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) is a lawmaker who is hoping for that day to impeach President Barack Obama.

The same old theme coming out of the Congress. This year alone, Congress has managed to do less work than the previous term. Republicans are steadfast on repealing, defunding and slowing down the healthcare law.

Over 43 times has the Republicans attempted at passing legislation to repeal the Affordable Health Care Law. They cry that the law is government overreach and too complicated. They claim that general population is on their side in having the whole law repealed.

They're are even some in the Republican Party calling for the Articles of Impeachment because of this.

Why?

Republicans think that Benghazi, the IRS scandal, the federal sequester, the president's executive order on firearms, the healthcare law, the NSA leaker eluding U.S. Authorities, the NSA spying on people's activities, the U.S. Embassy closures over in the Muslim world, the pictures of Osama bin Laden's dead body, the golf outings, the family dog being flown to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, the First Lady's healthy food initiatives, the birth certificate, the New Black Panthers, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, the president's reaction to the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman saga, the Cambridge Police/Henry Gates saga, and of course his race are reasons to impeach him and remove him from office.

Not one of these issues are sticking to the wall so the Republicans are hoping to churn out support through town hall gatherings stressing their indefinite NO votes to immigration reform and funding Obamacare.

The Republicans are already playing suicide once again with their chances. They've already are targeted for blame if they force a government shutdown. They already are losing out on the young voters and non-White voters over laws that may restrict access to the ballot box. Women are going to leave them if they continue to focus on these laws to defund Planned Parenthood and force abortion clinics out of business. They're pissing off the middle class workers by allowing loopholes for GOP-friendly businesses to screw the worker out of hours and benefits.

What more can these idiots do to screw the president?

Well one Texas congressman has words of the president. We have the votes to impeach you. We're ready when Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is ready to give the signal.

At the town hall in Congressman Blake Farenthold's district, the portly lawmaker throws out the birther claims.

 “I think, unfortunately, the horse is already out of the barn on this, on the whole birth certificate issue.” He lamented that the time has passed to effectively “do” something about what he believes is a cover-up surrounding the president’s misleading birth certificate: “The original Congress — when his eligibility came up — should’ve looked into it and they didn’t. I’m not sure how we fix it.”

If everyone’s so unhappy with the president’s done, why don’t you impeach him? I’ll give you a real frank answer about that. If we were to impeach the president tomorrow, you could probably get the votes in the House of Representatives to do it. But it would go to the Senate and he wouldn’t be convicted.”

Now this is the price we pay for allowing Republicans to win back the House of Representatives. We get a bunch of assholes and idiots to represent our congressional districts.

How many of these idiots get perks of being lawmakers while you work your ass off for that lousy check your company gave you?

Holder: We're Locking Up Too Many Minor Drug Offenders!

Attorney General Eric Holder weighs in on the Congress proposals to curb back some drug violation laws.

The Attorney General of the United States has declared that the U.S. drug laws are way too harsh and he's working on trying to motivate this 'do nothing Congress" to pass some legislation that may curb on the mandatory sentencing for possession of illegal narcotics.

The clear step to an eventual legalization of marijuana is decriminalize the punishments that are handed out.

Many Americans are locked in the iron college for having a small baggy of the good and the punishment could put them in for up to five years.

Many in law enforcement are hoping to find ways to curb the epidemic of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine in communities.

Attorney General Eric Holder hopes to bring an issue to the forefront.

CNN reports that the Justice Department will no longer pursue mandatory minimum sentences for certain low-level, nonviolent drug offenders, Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday, noting the nation is "coldly efficient in jailing criminals," but that it "cannot prosecute or incarcerate" its way to becoming safer.

"Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long, and for no truly good law enforcement reason," Holder told the American Bar Association's House of Delegates in San Francisco.

He questioned some assumptions about the criminal justice system's approach to the "war on drugs," saying that excessive incarceration has been an "ineffective and unsustainable" part of it.

Although he said the United States should not abandon being tough on crime, Holder embraced steps to address "shameful" racial disparities in sentencing, the budgetary strains of overpopulated prisons and policies for incarceration that punish and rehabilitate, "not merely to warehouse and forget."

Holder invoked President Barack Obama, saying the two had been talking about the issues and agreed to try to "strike a balance" that clears the way for a "pragmatic" and "commonsense" solutions to enhance public safety and the "public good."

The centerpiece of Holder's plan is to scale back prosecution for certain drug offenders -- those with no ties to large-scale organizations, gangs or cartels. He said they would no longer be charged with offenses that "impose draconian mandatory minimum sentences."

They now "will be charged with offenses for which the accompanying sentences are better suited to their individual conduct, rather than excessive prison terms more appropriate for violent criminals or drug kingpins."

The changes are effective immediately.

Lessening the use of mandatory minimums -- sentences that require a "one-size-fits-all" punishment for those convicted of federal and state crimes -- could mark the end of the tough-on-crime era that began with strict anti-drug laws in the 1970s and accelerated with mandatory minimum prison sentences and so-called three-strikes laws.

Opinion: Shame of mandatory minimums shows in Marissa Alexander case

The attorney general linked the effort to rethink mandatory minimum sentencing for drug crimes to key issues.

Racial disparities

Holder said "unwarranted disparities are far too common" in the criminal justice system, reminding his audience that Obama alluded to some of the issues in remarks he made after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin last month, giving voice to African-American concerns that "there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws -- everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws."

Holder said the nation "must confront the reality" that once "people of color" are in the criminal justice system, they "often face harsher punishments than their peers." He called it "unacceptable," "shameful" and "unworthy" of the U.S. legal tradition.

Prison overcrowding

Holder said the U.S. prison population has grown by almost 800% since 1980, and federal prisons are operating at nearly 40% above capacity.

"Even though this country comprises just 5% of the world's population, we incarcerate almost a quarter of the world's prisoners. More than 219,000 federal inmates are currently behind bars," he said, noting that almost half are serving time for drug-related crimes and have substance abuse problems.

Moreover, he said 9 million to 10 million more people cycle through America's local jails each year. And roughly 40% of former federal prisoners -- and more than 60% of former state prisoners -- are rearrested or have their supervision revoked within three years after their release.

It was not immediately clear Monday whether Holder's announcement would have any impact on people already in prison.

Economic, social burden

Holder said overcrowding at the federal, state and local levels is "both ineffective and unsustainable." He said it imposes a significant economic burden -- totaling $80 billion in 2010 alone -- and it comes with "human and moral costs that are impossible to calculate."

Legislation to lessen the use of mandatory minimums, Holder said, would ultimately save the United States billions.

Holder going after Texas voting law

Although Obama administration officials say the changes they are pursuing will not require congressional approval, some unlikely pairs of lawmakers have united to push for criminal justice changes.

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky have worked together to allow judges to depart from mandatory minimum sentences when circumstances merit.

Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah have undertaken similar efforts.

Holder blasts 'stand your ground'

In recent years, there has been a rise in support among conservatives for reforms to the criminal justice system. While more flexible approaches to crimes have long held support among liberal Democrats, the fear of being tarred as weak on crime by Republican opponents has long caused moderate Democrats, particularly those running for president, to avoid the issue.

In addition to changes to mandatory minimums, Holder called for expanding the use of "compassionate release" from jail for those who "pose no threat to the public."

He also said the Justice Department is taking steps to identify practices for enhancing the use of drug treatment and community service programs as alternatives to jail.

Holder also said he has asked federal prosecutors to develop new guidelines for determining when federal charges should be filed and when they should not.

"I've also issued guidance to ensure that every case we bring serves a substantial federal interest and complements the work of our law enforcement partners," he said.

Holder additionally directed prosecutors to create comprehensive anti-violence strategies for badly afflicted areas.

Holder not afraid to take on race debate

The American Civil Liberties Union praised Holder's approach Monday, calling it an important step toward ending federal prison overcrowding and creating a "fairer criminal justice system."

Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU's Washington legislative office, said in a news release, however, that although Holder's announcement "is an important first step," Congress also must act to change laws that "lock up hundreds of thousands of Americans unfairly and unnecessarily."

Michael Mukasey, a former judge and an attorney general under President George W. Bush, said he is not a fan of mandatory minimums, but he does not support what Holder is doing.

"I generally agree with the goal of getting rid of mandatory minimums," said Mukasey. "But the way to do that is to pass a law," he said in an interview on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper."

CNN's Carol Cratty and Jessica Yellin contributed to this report.

Rodeo Of Shame: Clown Acting Like Obama In Blackface!

Again, is it funny or racist?

You ask me!

For the anonymous commentators who continues to word vomit on the pages of Journal de la Reyna, I've got a question for you!

How far will you go before you get the message?

The freedom of speech is guaranteed when a person mocks or ridicule individuals with racially insensitive themes. It's pretty sad though, but this country assures these assholes a right to be condescending bigots.

The Huffington Post tells a tale of a rodeo clown who dressed up in a cowboy get up. He wore a Barack Obama face mask.

Officials from the Missouri State Fair apologized Sunday after a rodeo clown dressed as President Barack Obama sparked an uproar on Saturday evening.

A photo posted to the blog Show Me Progress showed the fair performer with an Obama mask on. According to fair attendee Perry Beam, the clown came out prior to the fair's bull riding event.

“The announcer wanted to know if anyone would like to see Obama run down by a bull," reads Beam's account. "The crowd went wild. He asked it again and again, louder each time, whipping the audience into a lather. One of the clowns ran up and started bobbling the lips on the mask and the people went crazy.”

The fair's organizers issued an apology on Sunday, calling the event "disrespectful."

"The performance by one of the rodeo clowns at Saturday’s event was inappropriate and disrespectful, and does not reflect the opinions or standards of the Missouri State Fair," reads the statement. "We strive to be a family friendly event and regret that Saturday’s rodeo badly missed that mark."

The fair also drew rebuke from Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who called the event "shameful" and "unacceptable."

"The State Fair is funded by taxpayer dollars, and is supposed to be a place where we can all bring our families and celebrate the state that we love," the senator wrote in a statement.

According to the News Tribune, the fair received about $420,000 from state coffers to fund this year's events.

Even the state's lieutenant governor, a Republican had spoke out against this ignorance.

Gov appoints the State Fair Comm'n RT @eyokley: Inquiries out to @mostatefair and @GovJayNixon on rodeo story. Nixon at #MOStateFair today.
— Peter Kinder (@PeterKinder) August 11, 2013

The @MoStateFair celebrates Missouri and our people. I condemn the actions disrespectful to POTUS the other night. We are better than this.
— Peter Kinder (@PeterKinder) August 11, 2013

I love the @MoStateFair and will attend this week. I implore @GovJayNixon to hold the people responsible for the other night accountable.
— Peter Kinder (@PeterKinder) August 11, 2013

To the anonymous commentator who continue to whine online.

If a Black person would dress up like a stereotype of a White person, would you get upset?

Oh, I bet you did!

You seen Marlon and Shawn Wayans' movie White Chicks.

Have you seen a blaxploitation movie of the 1970s?

You probably haven't. You're too busy acting like a fool on the comment section.

Anyway, the lieutenant governor of the state Peter Kinder will get with Democratic governor Jay Nixon to investigate how this type of theme got clearance.