New Quinnipiac, NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls show Obama leading Romney in key swing states

With election just under 5 months away, voters are settling behind their candidates.

President Barack Obama 

The president topped his rival by a 50 percent to 42 percent margin in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Team Obama woke up to some good news on Wednesday, with two new polls showing President Barack Obama leading Republican rival Mitt Romney in key battleground states.

A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday showed Obama beating Romney in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The poll showed the president with the narrowest margin — just four points — in Florida. He leads by a wider six-point margin in Pennsylvania and by nine points in Ohio.

 According to the poll, Romney’s favorability rating has dropped to 30 percent in the 12 swing states from 36 percent a month ago, while his unfavorable rating rose to 41 percent from 36 percent.

Democrats Take Control Of The Wisconsin State Senate

Earlier this month Gov. Scott Walker wasn’t the only one being recalled, several sitting Republican State Senators was being recalled as well. The Democrats took control of the State Senate after former State Senator John W. Lehman regained his seat by defeating the incumbent Van Wanggaard who served briefly and didn’t finish a four year term in the senate. Lehman (D), received 36,255 votes, 51% and incumbent Senator Van Wanggaard (R), got 35,476 votes, 49% of 100% precincts reporting in Senate District 21.

With Lehman’s victory, the senate control now shifts to the Democrats by 17-16 seats, which will make it difficult for Republicans and Governor Scott Walker (R) to continue with their agenda without bipartisan support.

Democrats in the past recall elections have gained three seats by successfully electing Jen Shilling, Jessica King, including Lehman to reclaim the State Senate.

Defeated Sen.Wangaarrd requested a recount after canvassed results showed him losing by 834 votes. If Lehman is declared the winner, Democrats will take control of the state Senate.

Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller said: 

“ Wisconsinites across the 21st Senate District elected a new State Senator. By electing a Democratic Senate, the people of Wisconsin have opened the door to responsible dialogue and if needed provide a bulwark against continued political extremism, and restored checks and balances to the Wisconsin Legislature. I look forward to working again with Senator-elect Lehman in the State Senate in the coming months."

Justice Department won't prosecute Attorney General Holder

The Justice Department declared Friday that Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to withhold information about a bungled gun-tracking operation from Congress does not constitute a crime and he won't be prosecuted for contempt of Congress.

The House voted Thursday afternoon to find Holder in criminal and civil contempt for refusing to turn over the documents. President Barack Obama invoked his executive privilege authority and ordered Holder not to turn over materials about executive branch deliberations and internal recommendations.

In a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, the department said that it will not bring the congressional contempt citation against Holder to a federal grand jury and that it will take no other action to prosecute the attorney general. Dated Thursday, the letter was released Friday.

More than 100 Democrats walked out of the House chamber to boycott the first of two contempt votes, saying Republicans were more interested in shameful election-year politics than documents.

Two Republicans Say ‘No’ to Contempt charges for AG Eric Holder

Republicans of the do nothing congress wasted no time in voting to hold the U.S. Attorney General in contempt of Congress.

Republican Congressmen Scott Rigell and Steve LaTourette were the only two members of the GOP to vote against holding Attorney General Eric Holder in criminal contempt of Congress.

On Thursday, 255 members of the House, including 17 Democrats, in favor of the contempt charges against Holder for refusing to give up documents related to the Fast and Furious gun walking scandal. The no votes totaled 67.

 “In the wisdom of our Founding Fathers, there is built-in tension among the three branches of our federal government. This tension was reflected in two votes that came to the House floor this afternoon. “I believe in progressive discipline. Accordingly, and after a careful review of the facts, I voted against a bill to hold the Attorney General in criminal contempt of Congress,” Rigell wrote.

Supreme Court upholds Healthcare law on 5-4 vote

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the controversial health care law championed by President Barack Obama in a landmark decision that will impact the November election and the lives of every American.

In a 5-4 ruling, the high court decided the individual mandate requiring people to have health insurance is valid as a tax, even though it is impermissible under the Constitution's commerce clause.

"In this case, however, it is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go without health insurance," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. "Such legislation is within Congress's power to tax."

That means popular provisions that prohibit insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions and allow parents to keep their children on family policies to the age of 26 will continue.

Roberts joined the high court's liberal wing -- Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan -- in upholding the law. Four conservative justices -- Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas -- dissented.

On the individual mandate, the opinion said that "the Affordable Care Act's requirement that certain individual's pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably be characterized as a tax."

"Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness," Roberts wrote.

Twenty-six states, led by Florida, went to court to say individuals cannot be forced to have insurance, a "product" they may neither want nor need. And they argued that if that provision is unconstitutional, the entire law must go.

Powerful republican congressman under federal investigation for campaign finance violations

Congressman Vern Buchanan

The Political Beacon has learned that Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, a self-made Florida millionaire, is only in his third term in Congress, but he already is in charge of fundraising for the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, and he sits on the powerful House Ways and Means committee.

But all that could be jeopardized. Federal investigations underway could result in Buchanan serving his next term behind bars.

The Political Beacon has confirmed there are no fewer than four congressional and federal investigations into Buchanan's business practices, his campaign finances and his alleged attempt to try to stop a witness from talking.

Romney looking for help in the Midwest states

Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney is pushing to win a band of Midwestern states that voted for President Barack Obama four years ago and that generally have a long history of backing Democrats in White House elections.

Romney faces hurdles and advantages in each state but his approach will leave Obama no choice but to spend time and money defending states he carried in 2008.

Wisconsin, which has not backed a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan in 1984, presents a new opportunity for Romney, almost exclusively due to Gov. Scott Walker's triumph two weeks ago in a contentious recall election. Walker's win, after an 18-month fight over public employee union rights, gives Republicans hope. It also gives Romney a corps of well-trained organizers and reams of voter data to put to use.

But he still has his work cut out for him. Voters said in exit polls after the June 5 election that they trust Obama more to address the nation's economic struggles — the chief argument for Romney, a former businessman — and the interests of the middle class.

Obama also continues to have the advantage in urban areas, especially among minority voters, which each state except Iowa has.

Obama, meanwhile, enjoys a special Iowa connection, having won the 2008 Democratic caucuses in Cinderella fashion. He's already built a robust ground operation. He has spent nearly $5 million on advertising in Iowa, and has spent no money in Wisconsin since early in the year.

Although Romney aides say there is no Midwestern lynchpin, they argue that a competitive streak in Wisconsin is good for them in the entire region.

Supporters of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman seeks a pardon from the President

Some backers of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman want President Barack Obama to grant a pardon that would prevent the ex-Democratic Governor from returning to prison for his 2006 bribery conviction.

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman

Siegelman is out of prison on an appeal bond. But the U.S. Supreme Court this month rejected his latest appeal, and he may soon face a new sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller of Montgomery.

Meanwhile, Siegelman is awaiting a new sentencing hearing because of the two dropped charges. Siegelman is the former Democratic secretary of state, attorney general, lieutenant governor and governor. Many of his supporters have maintained the former governor is innocent.

Former Democratic Party executive committee member Pam Miles of Huntsville is now encouraging supporters to write Obama and urge the president to pardon Siegelman. She operates an internet e-mail network for Siegelman's backers.

Miles says followers are pursuing all avenues to prove Siegelman's innocence. Miles says she "can't bear the thought' of Siegelman returning to prison.

Obama ok’s new immigration law

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama working to ease enforcement of immigration laws Friday, offering a chance for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work. Immediately embraced by Hispanics, the step touched off an election-year battle with congressional Republicans on Capitol Hill.

"Let's be clear, this is not amnesty, this is not immunity, this is not a path to citizenship, this is not a permanent fix," he said. "This is the right thing to do."

The policy change will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants. It bypasses Congress and partially achieves the goals of the DREAM Act, which would establish a path toward citizenship for young people who illegally came to the U.S. but are in college or the military.

Under the administration plan, illegal immigrants will be immune from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. before they turned 16 and are younger than 30; have been in the country for at least five continuous years; have no criminal history; graduated from a U.S. high school or earned a GED or served in the military. They also can apply for a work permit that will be good for two years with no limits on how many times it can be renewed.

Pastor Creflo Dollar in denial

Pastor Creflo Dollar has taken to his pulpit to deny allegedly punching and choking his 15-year-old daughter, telling his congregation on Sunday that the allegations made in a police report are nothing but "exaggeration and sensationalism."

Pastor Creflo Dollar 

"I will say this emphatically: I should have never been arrested," Dollar said Sunday in his first public appearance two days after police charged him with misdemeanor counts of simple battery and cruelty to children.

The pastor got an enthusiastic ovation from the packed church as he took the pulpit at the World Changers Church International in the Atlanta suburb of College Park. He addressed the criminal charges head-on for several minutes before moving on to his sermon.

"I want you all to hear personally from me that all is well in the Dollar household," Dollar said.

The 50-year-old Dollar is one of the most prominent African-American preachers based around Atlanta, with 30,000 members in the Atlanta area and a ministry of satellite churches across the U.S.

He was arrested after his 15-year-old daughter called 911 at about 1 a.m. Friday and told a Fayette County sheriff's deputy that she and her father allegedly argued when he said she couldn't go to a party. A police report says the girl told a deputy her father charged at her, put his hands around her throat, began to punch her and started hitting her with his shoe. The deputy noted a scratch on her neck.

The report said the deputy also interviewed Dollar's 19-year-old daughter, who said her father grabbed her sister's shoulders and slapped her in the face and choked her for about five seconds. She said her sister tried to break free, but did not fight back. When her father threw the 15-year-old on the floor, the older girl ran to get her mother. Dollar's wife, Taffi, told the deputy she did not see the fight.

Dollar launched into a lengthy denial of the allegations from the pulpit.

"The truth is that a family conversation with our youngest daughter got emotional," he said. "And emotions got involved and things escalated from there."

He said the mark on his daughter's neck had been there for about 10 years and was caused by a skin condition, eczema.

"The truth is she was not choked, she was not punched. There were not any scratches on her neck," Dollar said. "But the only thing on her neck was a prior skin abrasion from eczema. Anything else is exaggeration and sensationalism."

Dollar didn't publicly display any anger toward his children.

"I will never put any fault on my children, as Jesus would never put any fault on me," he said.

Dollar's wife is a co-pastor at the church. She addressed the congregation before her husband but did not touch on the allegations.

Dollar's congregation appeared supportive Sunday, giving him sustained applause as he took the stage. As he spoke, people in the sanctuary yelled encouragement:  

Dollar, who has five children, is a native of College Park and says he received a vision for the church in 1986. He held the first service in front of eight people in an elementary school cafeteria. His ministry grew quickly and the church moved into its present location, an 8,500-seat sanctuary, on Dec. 24, 1995.

Along with Bishop Eddie Long, Dollar is one of the most prominent African-American preachers based around Atlanta who have built successful ministries on the prosperity gospel, which teaches that God wants to bless the faithful with earthly riches. Ministers in this tradition often hold up their own wealth as evidence that the teaching works

I really wonder what is happening or has happened behind these closed doors, stay with us as this story develops. 

Linda McMahon & Chris Murphy in Connecticut Senate Race?

The U.S. Senate hopefuls are now in a statistical tie in Connecticut's 2012 U.S. Senate race.

The 2012 U.S. Senate race in Connecticut will be determined by voter turnout in each party favor come November, both democratic and republican frontrunners have huge leads against their primary opponents, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released this week.

U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, the Democratic frontrunner, leads former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz 50-20 percent. Meanwhile, former WWE wrestling executive Linda McMahon leads her Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, 59-30 percent.

But, what’s even more notable in the latest poll is the shrinking gap between Murphy and McMahon. Murphy’s lead is just 46 percent versus McMahon’s 43 percent among voters in the November election. This is a statistical tie, said QU Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.

“McMahon’s improvement in the general election against Murphy is due to her better performance among independent voters,” Schwartz said. “She now has 43 percent of these key voters, to Murphy’s 41 percent, overcoming a 15-point deficit in March.”

Murphy will have to secure a better percentage of independent voters and have a heavy democratic voter turnout come November. However McMahon will have to maintain her strong support among the independents and rely on conservatives to turn out in her favor for either can to win in November and become the next sitting US Senator of Connecticut.

US Commerce Secretary under investigation

Police say U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson has allegedly been cited for felony hit-and-run following two Los Angeles area accidents that left him injured and unconscious.

They said early Monday that the 68-year-old Bryson was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries following the crashes around 5 p.m. PDT Saturday.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's department and the San Gabriel Police Department say he was driving alone on a major street in San Gabriel when he allegedly struck the rear end of a vehicle, then left the scene after speaking briefly with the occupants.

The agencies say minutes later he struck another vehicle in a nearby community, and police arriving found him unconscious behind the wheel of his car.

San Gabriel Police spokesman Lt. Ariel Duran says Bryson was cited for felony hit-and-run, and prosecutors will determine later if he'll be formally charged.

Stay with us here at Political Beacon for more on this developing story….

Gov. Scott Walker wins again

He made history on Tuesday night, Scott Walker was the third governor in American history to face a recall election.He is the first one to win it.

Gov. Scott Walker - Wisconsin 

Wisconsin's Republican governor still has a job
Wednesday morning after beating his Democratic challenger, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, 53-to-46 percent. Tuesday's vote was closely watched all around the country.


"Tonight, we tell Wisconsin, we tell our country, and we tell people all across the globe that voters really do want leaders who stand up and make the tough decisions," Walker said. 


For Democrats, the loss was crushing -- though not entirely unexpected. Barrett was badly outspent by Walker, and has now lost two gubernatorial elections to him.


Walker's decision to limit the bargaining power of public employee unions kicked off lengthy protests last year that turned into a movement to show him the door.
Democrats nationally had hoped for a resounding rejection of Walker and his philosophy.


And they worry now that other Republican governors will be emboldened to follow his lead. 


Just because democrats didn’t win in this election, it do not mean that democrat can’t win back Wisconsin. We have to also take into consideration that this was a non-general election and many voters did not turn out for the elections. 

Zimmerman returns to jail

George Zimmerman

George Zimmerman is back in police custody; his attorney says he expects to file a motion today seeking a new bond hearing for Trayvon Martin's shooter, who surrendered to authorities in central Florida after a judge revoked his bond.

Wearing a button-down checkered shirt, blue jeans and sneakers, a handcuffed Zimmerman was escorted by two deputy sheriffs from a white minivan into the Seminole County jail Sunday afternoon. He did not answer shouted questions from reporters as he was led inside the jail to be booked, photographed and processed.

The former neighborhood watch volunteer is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting February of Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in a gated community in Sanford, outside Orlando. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self-defense.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara carefully chose his words in addressing his next move before Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester, who on Friday said he believed Zimmerman and his wife had lied to the court in April about their finances to obtain a lower bond.

"He is in custody now," O'Mara said of Zimmerman, 28. "He's going to remain there until we get back before Judge Lester if and when he grants us a bond hearing. It sounded like he might consider it. But that is going to be based upon the motion itself."

Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger said Zimmerman turned himself in to two sheriff's deputies around 1:25 p.m. near the jail, and was then driven there.

"He is quiet and cooperative," Eslinger said at a news conference after Zimmerman's surrender.

Prosecutors said last week that Zimmerman and his wife told the judge at a bond hearing in April that they had limited money, even though he had raised about $135,000 through a website set up for his legal defense. They suggested more has been collected since and deposited in a bank account. Defense attorneys say the matter is a misunderstanding.

Zimmerman, who was charged in April in the death of the 17-year-old Martin, was ordered by a judge Friday to return to jail. Zimmerman had been staying at an undisclosed location for his safety. The judge said Friday he would schedule a hearing after Zimmerman was back in custody so he could explain himself.

Zimmerman maintains that he shot Martin in self-defense under Florida's so-called "stand-your-ground" law because the teenager was beating him up after confronting him about following Martin. Zimmerman had called 911 to complain about suspicious activity. Martin was walking from a convenience store to the home of his father's fiance in the same gated community where Zimmerman lived.

1965 Voting Act in jeopardy, Attorney General Eric Holder says

US Attorney General believes the new voting laws passed by states may jeopardize the rights of the 1965 act.

Attorney General Eric Holder told African-American clergy leaders Wednesday that a wave of new state laws on voting and legal challenges to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 may jeopardize rights they helped fight for in the civil rights era.

US Attorney General Eric Holder 

"Despite our nation's long tradition of extending voting rights ... a growing number of our fellow citizens are worried about the same disparities, divisions and problems that - nearly five decades ago - so many fought to address," Holder told a meeting of the Conference of National Black Churches convened by the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss the laws.

Holder spoke in response to an array of new voting measures enacted by several mostly Republican state governments that proponents say are needed to protect against voter fraud and to prevent illegal immigrants from voting. However, the mostly Democratic black caucus - along with several civil rights, voting rights and civil liberties groups - contends that the laws are really efforts to suppress the votes of minorities and others.

Since last year, at least 15 states have passed laws that include requiring people to show government-approved photo identification or proof of citizenship before they register or vote.

A study last year by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University says the changes could restrict voting access to 5 million people, most of them minorities, elderly or poor. The NAACP estimates that about 25 percent of African-Americans don't possess the proper documentation to meet ID requirements in some states; the figure is 11 percent for the overall population.

"There is a right-wing conspiracy that is alive and well in this country that is trying to take us back to 1900 and even before," Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., a black caucus member, told the clergy leaders. "What they want to do is not take away the right to vote, but if black voter participation can be diminished even by 10 percent it will make that critical difference all across the country."

Black caucus members argue that the photo ID law is a 21st-century poll tax that forces voters to pay for driver's licenses or other government-sanctioned photo identification to be able to exercise a guaranteed constitutional right.

"This little thing in my hand is a driver's license," former Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., said at a Houston summit earlier this month hosted by True the Vote, a tea party group that's seeking to train thousands of volunteers nationwide to be poll watchers this November. "This is not a billy club, this is not a fire hose, and this is not Jim Crow, though some people say it is." Even though Artur Davis is still upset with democrats and African Americans such as himself, because of the fact that he didn’t win the nomination for Governor in Alabama. He now insists he is a republican and believe in the republican principles. Who would ever believe a windshield wiper blade that goes back and forth? He just been against African Americans and the democratic party every since, his words speak for itself.

Davis, a former black caucus member who seconded President Barack Obama's nomination at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and unsuccessfully ran for governor of Alabama in 2010, announced that he's switching to the Republican Party and is considering running for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in Virginia.

Holder told the clergy leaders Wednesday that at least nine lawsuits have been filed over the last two years challenging the constitutionality of Section 5 of the act - which requires states with a history of racial discrimination to get federal approval for changes in their voting procedures - and arguing that it's no longer needed because the states under it have made great strides in ensuring that voting access is fair and nondiscriminatory.

"I wish this were the case," Holder said. "But the reality is that, in jurisdictions across the country, both overt and subtle forms of discrimination remain all too common - and have not yet been relegated to the pages of history."

Governor McDonnell says Obama stimulus plan helped Virginia

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell a republican spoke in favor of President Obama somewhat last week as a surrogate for the Mitt Romney presidential campaign, conceding that President Obama’s stimulus measures helped his state weather the economic crisis.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell 

McDonnell, acknowledged on CNN’s “State of the Union” that federal assistance aided Virginia in balancing its budget, but said it had no positive long-term impact.

“Did it help us in the short run with health care and education and spending to balance the budget? Sure,” McDonnell said. “Does it help us in the long term to really cut the unemployment rate? I’d say no.”

During his CNN appearance, when asked whether Obama deserved “just a tiny bit of credit” for helping the economy, McDonnell said: “Well, sure. I think there are national policies that have had some impact.”

Mayor Sam Jones Campaign Funds Under Investigation

The Political Beacon has confirmed that the Mobile County District Attorney's office has launched an investigation into campaign fund spending by Mayor Sam Jones campaign.

Mobile Mayor Sam Jones 

The Political Beacon has learned that local media outlets -is reporting the D.A. has subpoenaed records from at least one area business.

That business owner says: the Jones campaign has made several purchases at that business, but that particular business was not listed on annual campaign reports as required by law.

Mayor Sam Jones told local TV 15…..he is aware of the subpoena, and the Jones camp continues to insist it has done nothing wrong.

The Political Beacon viewed a list of those spending by the campaign, and there was several to business that you would ask what do they have to do with a campaign during a non-election season.

But why now, why is someone choosing to bring all this to news now? A year before his re-election campaign. It seems to me that someone wants to destroy his name to make room for a new mayor to be elected. All you have to do is vote him out of office. 

Cobby Williams runs for Congress in Mississippi

Education, Jobs and Healthcare Concerns Williams

Independent candidate Cobby Williams, a Canton, Miss. Native and resident, is challenging longtime Rep. Bennie Thompson for the Second Congressional District seat in Mississippi in the upcoming November elections.

On Sunday June 3^rd, I contacted Mr. Williams and we discussed his campaign and the race for victory in November.

Mr. Williams recently was interviewed by the Mississippi Link, and had a very interesting interview and comments, so I caught up with “Cobby” myself and had a interesting conversation with him as well.

Candidate Cobby Mondale Williams

Candidate Cobby Williams is pounding the pavement against Congressman Bennie Thompson of 18 years. Running against an incumbent isn’t easy. Especially when a congressman has huge name recognition, huge finances in personal wealth and a campaign account that is bank rolled by special interest and donors. But when someone of Williams statue step to the plate and throws his hat in and says…..I’m in to win for the people. That is very interesting.

For a district that has a high poverty rate, few jobs, slow economy, very little access to healthcare and education, Williams wants to be a servant to turn things around.

But here is the real question that candidate Williams has for the citizens of the 2^nd Congressional District, what have Rep. Bennie Thompson done for the district? After researching the district I personally found numberous of issues in the 2^nd Congressional District, that needs serious answers. I spoke with Mr.Williams about his candidacy for office and how he plan to bring about a change and provide solutions to the district if elected, he simply replied….”I’m ready and able”.

“I didn’t just wake up and say, ‘I’m going to go run for this office,”  “It took a long time for me through much prayer to come to this decision.” Williams grew up in the 2^nd Congressional district and now living in Canton, Ms. knows his district very well by working for the people, attending church, education, and being active in the community.  

Williams believes his education background, his passion for improving the Second Congressional District mixed with 15 years of experience working on Capitol Hill and in the 2^nd Congressional district has enabled him to run for the congress and be effective from day one if elected.

Williams is a graduate of Murrah High School, Jackson State University and Howard University, and has a background as a:

• Human Resources Specialist, U. S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington,       D.C.

• Representative for the Department of State, America Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• Program Associate – FBI Project, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), Washington D.C.

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Jackson, Miss.

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, D.C

Williams said he wants to be a servant for all people and not just a select few.  

There is a bottom line in solving the problems in the 2^nd Congressional District.

 “The bottom line is we definitely need more access to affordable healthcare. We need more physicians and licensed practitioners; better access to hospitals and all of that within itself will also help create jobs and better the quality of life.”

“We also need more processing plants in the Delta and training programs for the Delta as well.” Williams believe the status quo is hurting the 2^nd Congressional District, and in order to bring about change, growth and better services to the district, that Bennie Thompson must go. Williams says he knows how the system works, and the he has done community development as a career.”You have to take communities and build them to make them better, say Williams”.

Williams believes that building better communities, better roads, better schools, having affordable healthcare, the access to physicians and medical specialists, and getting to the table for discussions and solutions with your community leaders is where it all begins.

In a down economy Williams cries out where is the jobs? Williams pointed out that the current congressman has done very little to bring quality jobs to the 2^nd Congressional District.”If you look all around nearby places outside the 2^nd Congressional District they are growing, but we are sitting idle, says Williams”.

The young energized candidate also cited STD’s is high in the district and healthcare is very important to deal with those type concerns, and he also pointed out that Thompson doesn’t sit on any of those type committees that meet those concerns in Washington, such as a healthcare committee not even a sub-committee.

This is a very interesting district in Mississippi with a majority African American population and high poverty, very few educational opportunities and etc. It is important to know that the current incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson has voted against The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council Over 80% of the time. He has voted against the Business Industrial Political Action Committee Over 70% of the time, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses over 70'% if the time. He has a Lifetime U.S. Chamber of Commerce Ranking of 39%.

The contrast is the current incumbent has voted against the National Association of Manufactures 75% of the time. Thus, no such solution was able to be created in the 2nd Congressional District.

According to  www.govtrack.us, It’s also very interesting to know that when democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson was elected back in 1993, in the second quarter of that year he missed 53 votes or to say 29.3% of votes in congress. In the fourth quarter of 2000 Rep. Thompson missed 35.6% of votes in congress and even in 2008 he missed little over 33% votes in congress. That is a large percentage of votes from a congressman representing a district as the Mississippi 2^nd Congressional district.

It want be easy for a young qualified candidate such as Cobby Williams to defeat Thompson. However Williams have the determination to do the will of God for the people, not the special interest and select few. The general election will be held this November. The way I see Williams claiming victory in this election, is that Williams will have to rely heavy on the youth, women and seniors in the 2^nd congressional district. Williams must also reach out across the racial lines and pull in a majority of white voters to claim a victory in November.

Williams is also facing Republican Bill Marcy, Lajena Williams a Reform Party candidate. 

Michael Johnson In The Race for Georgia's 5th District Congressional Seat

The 5^th Congressional District of Georgia has begun to pick up some fire.

 

On May 23, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia – Michael Johnson, a former Fulton County Superior Court Judge, officially declared his candidacy for the 5thDistrict Congressional seat, submitting all required documentation.  Since announcing his candidacy last summer, Michael Johnson has traveled the 5th district, listening to constituents and addressing their needs and concerns.

“Citizens across the district have expressed their desire for new leadership, fresh ideas and a bold vision to move our community forward.  Our campaign is about bringing home results for the hard-working people of the 5th district based on new ideas and the values that we hold dear,” Johnson said.

Johnson is a candidate in the July 31st Democratic Primary.

A life-long resident of the 5th District, Michael Johnson is a former prosecutor, has chaired the City of Atlanta's Board of Ethics and served on the Fulton County Superior Court for seven years. Michael has been married to Alison Holmes Johnson for nearly 13 years, and they have two young children.

Johnson will be challenging long time member of congress Rep. John Lewis. 

Bill Clinton fires up Wisconsin Democrats before recall vote

Bill Clinton, who retains an ability to energize and relate  to party faithfuls like no other Democrat, told a raucous get-out-the-vote rally for Democratic challenger Tom Barrett that the uncompromising, anti-union agenda of Gov. Scott Walker is a "dead bang loser" for Wisconsin.

Clinton said Walker was a prisoner of the same far right, cut taxes for the wealthy agenda that "doubled the national debt after I left office."

"Everywhere I go in the world, the only thing I see that works is when everyone works together and treats everyone with respect," Clinton continued, playing to a pro-union audience that claims to have been demonized and marked for extinction by Walker’s policies. "That’s how you get out of the ditch."

And Clinton warned a Walker win on Tuesday will only embolden those who think "divide and conquer" politics is a smart play.

The former president had the crowd ready and excited, citing that Gov. Walker is now the man to lead Wisconsin forward. The recall election is just two days away, and will be held on Tuesday, June 5^th. 

Governor Scott Walker is also rallying 
voters in a tight race.................

Governor Walker a republican is only the third U.S. governor to face a recall. The drive to oust him was spurred by anger over his plan to effectively end most public workers' collective bargaining rights. Walker insisted he had to make the move to balance the state budget, but Democrats portrayed the measure as an attack on organized labor.

Polls show a tight race with only a handful of voters still undecided before Tuesday's election, and Walker and Barrett have been struggling to win them over for the past month. Barrett released a new television ad Saturday, again calling on the governor to explain his role in an ongoing investigation of associates during Walker's tenure as Milwaukee County executive, but the candidates mostly used the day to meet voters.

A smiling Walker tried to engage people in short, friendly conversations, commenting, for example, on the beautiful morning. Most didn't seem to recognize him. They simply said "thank you" as he placed yogurt cups on their plates and moved on. 

Governor Walker is fighting to hang on to his office he recently won a couple years ago. It has not been a easy ride and this recall election has not been a nice one for him either. 

John Edwards not guilty on 1 count and a mistrial on 5 others

John Edwards on mistrial: ‘While I do not believe I did anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong’

John Edwards’ campaign finance fraud case came to an end with a declared mistrial Thursday when jurors acquitted him on one charge and deadlocked on the other five, unable to decide whether he used money from two wealthy donors to hide his pregnant mistress while he ran for president and his wife was dying of cancer.

The monthlong trial exposed a sordid sex scandal, but prosecutors couldn’t convince jurors the candidate masterminded a cover-up using about $1 million, and ultimately, jurors decided tawdry didn’t necessarily mean criminal.

It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors would retry Edwards on the other counts.

Edwards was quoted saying….“I don’t think God’s through with me. I really believe he thinks there’s still some good things I can do and whatever happens with this legal stuff going forward, what I’m hopeful about is all those kids that I’ve seen, you know in the poorest parts of this country and some of the poorest parts in the world that I can help them,” he said.

The jury reached a verdict on count three, which involved to $375,000 given by elderly heiress Rachel “Bunny” Mellon in 2008. The other counts dealt with $350,000 Mellon gave in 2007, money from wealthy Texas attorney Fred Baron, filing a false campaign finance report and conspiracy.

In my opinion about this whole case, I believe that Edwards was wrong in fathering a child outside of his marriage, and I also believe he was wrong to use any funds of his campaign to support his mistress. This is also another tax-payers losing case, that we the taxpayers had to foot the bill for.