"Representing the People."

“Time Will Reveal‏”

2012-01-11T21:31:00.000-05:00

Some polls have Mitt Romney beating President Obama in the Presidential election if he wins the Tea Party nomination. But upon further review, those polls show that some people view Romney as liberal as President Obama based solely upon Romney's views and legislation on health care, abortion and same sex marriage rights in the 90's. However, the Romney of the 21st century is far from the moderate Republican he pretended to be back then.

Today, Romney changes his political views the way Newt Gingrich changes wives. Further, America is getting a heavy dose of Romney in this presidential cycle and it is apparent that Romney doesn't create jobs. In fact, he outsources them and closes the doors of American companies that benefit the poor and middle class citizenry, all the while getting rich doing it. Do you see why he wanted the auto industry to go bankrupt? Like a snake oil salesman, Romney would have participated in the bankruptcy process to collect millions while gutting one of the industry's that paved the way for the Republic to become a global leader some 100 years ago. That is the Romney shtick.

To the media covering this election season: Be objective in reporting on the candidates who desire to be President of the Republic and keep in mind that they are not applying for a job at the Piggly Wiggly. Americans need to know everything about the candidates. Be truthful in revealing who the candidates are, because at this moment you have the attention of the citizenry. If you fail like many of the current crop of elected officials, your credibility as well will cease to resonate with the people.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”

Anthony P. Johnson
Candidate for State Rep., 180th District, PA- 2012

“Not the Smartest Person in the Room…or Anywhere Else”

2012-01-05T20:17:00.000-05:00

Rick Santorum is the new golden boy of the Tea Party (Republican Party is dead), but just like his predecessors, i.e. Bachmann, Cain, Newt and Perry, Santorum, he is "fatally flawed."

The two time senator from Pennsylvania is a proven bigot, racist and homophobic charlatan. He’s also been a bold faced liar. Flashback to the start of the “War of Lies” that got the Republic involved in the war with Iraq, it was Rick Santorum that held a press conference to tell America that WMD's were discovered in Iraq. This was a lie so profound that even Bush and Cheney were stupefied. Clearly, Santorum didn't get the Cheney/Bush memo: “We're not supposed to ever find WMD's, moron.”

Santorum's comment in Iowa about not giving black people welfare benefits was Santorum’s way of being…well, Santorum. We've had this debate back in the 90's that just as many Caucasians receive food stamp assistance as Santorum called us, "Black people" do. This is nothing more than the classic and pathetic case of trying to cause racial division and derision among the citizenry.

Mr. Santorum's philosophy on abortion, gays and lesbians is Fascism in the highest order. He wants to take the right of a woman to choose what she does with her body, and if she decides on an abortion; under his delusional leadership she'd suffer severe penalties. His hatred of gays and lesbians is so psychotic that it makes Pat Robertson's view of the same population seem tame.

In 1994, as a legislative intern in Harrisburg, Pa I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Santorum and my lasting impression of the man was and still is: “Not the smartest person in the room or in a one-seat vehicle.” Santorum is a woefully dangerous man to the Republic and allowing him to be Commander-in-Chief would be like giving an arsonist a can of lighter fluid and a book matches, and telling them, “Now don’t start any fires.”

Santorum cannot be President of the Republic. He must not be President of the Republic.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

“Rise”

2011-12-30T22:23:00.000-05:00

I'm running for STATE REP. in 2012. I've spoken and written extensively about how elected officials continue to fail us and how you and I have lost confidence in those that suppose to represent the will and needs of the people. I will be a new breed public official-the kind that will provide effective results--not arrogance and hype.

I'm ready! Are you willing?

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Lurking in the Shadows"

2011-12-15T22:58:00.000-05:00

If the Democrats play their cards better, they will gain many political seats in 2012. But, be warned, not all Democrats are "true" Democrats.

President Jimmy Carter was taken to the woodshed in the 1980 Presidential election when registered Democrats voted for Reagan and re-elected him in 1984. George Bush, Sr. also received support from "Reagan's Democrats" and now many of them voted for the Tea Party candidates in 2010.

Not to be outdone, even elected officials that call themselves Democrats don't support President Obama or the Democratic philosophy but are more deeply aligned with the Tea Party "idiot-ology"; chiefly, Ben Nelson.

Reagan Democrats continue to permeate the party of Franklin Roosevelt and vote for the Tea Party, all the while upsetting the balance of politics. The way to prevent a second wave of Tea Party buffoonery infecting the Republic is for Democrats and Progressives alike to register and vote just like we did in 2008.

Not to push the "Diddy" doom button that says, "if you don't vote you'll die"; but I would say that if you don't vote then the weak, weary and woefully unqualified will be elected by default because your thinking is jaded if you think that voting is a waste of time. In essence, you'll get exactly what you deserve.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Wealthy and Slaves"

2011-12-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

"Impoverished kids know nothing about hard work because there are no good examples in their communities to show them how." This is the narrow minded, racist rant of Newt Gingrich; the same person that claims he is a historian. If he's a historian then Herman Cain believes in monogamy. Current and future historians must unite and teach this simpleton "factual" history.

Many of those that built America after Native Americans, of course, came from neighborhoods that were not paved in gold. According to Gingrich's "idiot-ology," poor neighborhoods breed nothing but drugs dealers, addicts, pimps and lazy welfare recipients. Yeah, I guess all those adults living in the belly of the beast that work two, three or sometimes four honest jobs to provide for their families are nothing more than gutter trash.

This narcissistic bigot thinks if you put a child to work cleaning toilets this method will instill a good work ethic. Getting the youth to work early on, say about 24 hours after their birth will no doubt motivate them to clean many more toilets for less than minimum wage. Was this not the same stupid rhetoric dope dealers instilled in children to manipulate them to engage in the distribution of "crack" in the 90's?

Not once did Gingrich mention improving the education system for children living in poverty. When you talk to some wealthy folks that were not born into luxury but were in fact, raised in neighborhoods and homes reeking with violence, hunger, rats, and roaches; they'll tell you that education is what lifted them out of poverty- EDUCATION!

I guess it is Gingrich's vile and distorted view that if these poor young bastards obtain a college degree then who's gonna pour his coffee, or prepare his meals and clean his toilets?

To think that this man is asking the citizenry to make him the Republic's next president is unthinkable. Before the Tea Party destroyed the Republican Party, the former wanted a two class system consisting of wealthy and poor Americans. If Gingrich wins in 2012, there will be two classes: Wealthy and slaves.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"Our Family, Our Veteran's"

2011-11-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

You said sleep well tonight and every night, Anthony, because you will be safe. I will protect you from domestic and foreign terrorists. You take a weapon and stand a post for our safety and security despite your belief system that may counter to using a weapon. You do this because of your faith in GOD/ALLAH/JEHOVAH/YAHWEH, love of the Republic and the citizenry. You have risked your life everyday for not just America, but also for other countries and its civilians.

I cannot begin to show you my gratitude for your courage, compassion and integrity under fire. Thank you, Veteran's everywhere, for keeping us safe.

Attention! Veterans, American Heroes on deck!

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

“Why History?”

2011-11-03T20:40:00.000-04:00

I believe that history provides us with topography for moral contemplation. In studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past allows us to test those individuals from the past moral sense and to grasp the real complexities they faced in difficult settings since humanities existence. For me, history is indispensable to understanding why the historical perspective changes occur. In many ways, historical analysis is a more challenging kind of exploration than genetic experimentation.

In my assessment history provides us with extensive materials available to study the human condition and highlights the complex processes of social change, including the factors that are causing change around us today. These are the reasons why I’ve been enthralled with the examination of the past and why our society should require and encourage the study of history as a major subject in schools across the Republic and throughout the world. When history is accurate and explained effectively it plays like a well orchestrated symphony.

I believe that history also helps provide identity, and this is unquestionably one of the reasons why all modern nations should encourage its teaching. Historical data include evidence about how families, groups, institutions and whole countries were formed and about how they have evolved while retaining cohesion. For many of us, studying the history of one's own family is the most obvious use of history, for it provides facts about genealogy and a basis for understanding how the family has interacted with larger historical change.

Many institutions, businesses, communities, and social units, such as ethnic groups in the United States, use history for similar identity purposes. Merely defining the group in the present pales against the possibility of forming an identity based on a rich past. Alas, people also use history for distorted purposes. Histories must be protected to ensure accuracy that tell the national story, emphasizing distinctive features of the national experience, meant to reinforce an understanding of national values and a commitment to national loyalty.

History provides data about the emergence of national institutions, social justice, injustices, equality and inequality, and values--it's the only significant temple of such available data. History offers evidence also about how nations have interacted with other societies, providing international and comparative perspectives essential for responsible citizenship. Further, history helps us understand how recent, current, and prospective changes that affect the lives of citizens are emerging or may emerge and what causes are involved. More important, history encourages habits of mind that are vital for responsible public behavior, whether as a national or community leader, an informed voter, a petitioner, or a simple observer.

“Progressive will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Weak is the Word"‏

2011-10-31T20:38:00.000-04:00

So, once again President Obama is considered “weak” from the perspective of the Tea/Republican Party.

This episode of "Weak is the Word" from the party of the "disillusioned" accuses President Obama of cowardice for bringing the troops home at the end of the year. If we left it up to Senator McCain, the troops would be in Iraq and Afghanistan for another 100 years. Do you remember the banter of Senator Lindsey Graham?

Mr. Graham was one of the leading voices demanding an investigation into Iraq's possible role in protecting Bin Laden, while taking billions of American dollars to assist our forces in capturing him. Graham and the 2012 Tea/Republican presidential candidates think that what President Obama's decision is wrong.

Now that Bin Ladin and Khadaffi are dead however, Graham doesn't mind investing billions of American dollars in the Middle East, but says, "NO" to creating jobs and providing health care among other basic needs for every citizen in Republic.

Let me be blunt when I say that taking any advice from Graham and the elected officials from the Tea/Republican Party would be like having a Proctologist give you a root canal. Honestly, how do these people sleep at night?

“Progressive will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"An Economic Menace"

2011-10-23T18:51:00.000-04:00

I know you're scared because economic inequality will no longer be tolerated in the Republic.

The middle class and working poor are uniting world wide. Change your way of thinking Wall Street. Elected officials representing the will of their master--corporations, prepare to be removed from office. The middle class and working poor are rising against the tsunami of greed and corruption.

For so long you kept the middle class and working poor divided, each thinking the other was responsible for the economic disparity between the two. Now the truth has come to fruition as to the true culprit--YOU! Average wages among the 99% have continued to decrease for more than 20 years while at the same time the wealth of the 1% has increased more than 400%. That's no capitalism, that's an "economic menace" preyed upon the masses.

I know you're scared because economic inequality will no longer be tolerated. The people of the Republic have been awakened.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

“Progressives Will Set the Republic’s Agenda”

2011-10-18T23:07:00.000-04:00

By large margins, the American people support progressive policies. A new progressive America is growing as the citizenry demand the end to political and societal corruption. The demography is an array of growing demographic groups that have aligned themselves with the progressive philosophy and movement. The new geography refers to the close relationship between pro-progressive political shifts and dynamic growth areas across the country, particularly within contested states. The new agenda is the current tilt of the public toward progressive ideas and policy priorities.

All this adds up to big change that is reshaping the Republic in a fundamentally progressive direction. Consider some of the components of the new demography. Between 1988 and 2008, the minority share of voters in presidential elections rose by 11% points.

Some other points to consider:

• By 2042-the United States will become a majority-minority

• By 2050-54% of the country will be a minority

• Hispanics double from 15% to 30% of the population

• Asians increase from 5% to 9%

• African Americans will increase from 14% to 15%

The progressive ideology will continue to gain influence.

Other demographic trends accentuate progressives’ advantage. Progressive gains since 1988 have been heavily concentrated in not just the urbanized cores of large metropolitan areas, but also the growing suburbs around them. Progressive gains were only minimal in the smallest metropolitan areas and in small town rural America.

As the Republic is growing and changing, so are the American people’s views on what government can and should do. This is shaping progressive policies to go with the new demography and the new geography, starting with the likely diminution in the culture wars that have stymied American politics for decades.

For Republicans, Log Cabin Republicans, Conservatives, Neo Conservatives, the Tea Bag movement and some Democrats, I know you do not embrace the direction America is heading, but Progressives will soon lead the Republic. The citizenry have had enough of “weak and vacillating” Democrats that straddle the fence and throw President Obama under the bus and extremists calling themselves Republicans that place corporations and personal agendas ahead of the people. You call it “silly talk” but Progressives will bring balance to the Republic—because “balance” is what the citizenry demands.

“Progressive will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

“A Chaotic Platform…Conclusion”

2011-10-13T10:59:00.000-04:00

Herman Cain has no concept of racism and it is embarrassing to listen to this educated fool pretend that he is an expert when it comes to racism. Asking Mr. Cain about racism is like asking a child predator about child protection laws.

Mr. Cain says his “999” plan is the blueprint to set the Republic back on the right financial track. However, from Nobel Laureate economist Paul Krugman to "Skree Rock" from 30th and Lehigh Avenue and most economists in between would agree that Mr. Cain's plan would balloon the deficit at its highest since 1945. Mr. Cain responds with, "That is inaccurate." When pressed to explain his response we get _____________ (Flat lines). In addition, the $9.99 plan calls for the end of Social Security, Medicare and a tax increase on every day products such as milk.

Mr. Cain is a successful businessman in the pizza industry and should be commended for his success. But, Herman Cain, like the rest of the Republican presidential candidates is some of the worst the Republican Party has ever assembled. Mr. Cain, Romney, Perry, Bachmann and the rest of the forgettable group of misfits cannot--MUST NOT lead the great Republic.

“Progressive will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

“A Dichotomy of Epic Proportion”

2011-10-07T14:27:00.000-04:00

Not only is Philadelphia ranked as the 16th most corrupt city in the Republic, it ranks 8th in the nation with the highest unemployment among African Americans. In 2010, unemployment among African Americans living in Philadelphia was 14.6% compared to 7% in 2007. The unemployment rate for African American families is also a major dichotomy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, African American adults had the highest unemployment rate in 2009 at 14.9% while Philadelphia’s overall unemployment rate was 6.7%.

From a national perspective, African American unemployment is at a staggering 16.7% compared to 9.1% nationally. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for African Americans is projected to reach 17.2 % before 2012. So why is African American unemployment consistently high in the Republic year after year and decade after decade? According to a study conducted by the U.C. Berkeley Department of Labor, it’s because there is a lack of public sector jobs available to African Americans. The study concluded that “the public sector is the most important source of employment for African Americans and a key source of high-paying jobs, specifically for African American women.”

From 2008-2010, 21.2% of African Americans workers were employed in the public sector, compared to just 16.3% of non-African American workers. Some financial experts say some of the other factors of consistently high African American unemployment include:

1. A younger workforce.
2. A smaller proportion of college-educated job candidates.
3. A higher population of citizens living in areas that have been most affected by the recession.

What is also deeply troubling is that African American unemployment has always been high in the Republic. For example, in 1933 during the Great Depression, while the general unemployment rate was 25%, unemployment among African Americans was 50%. Further, unemployment among African Americans has been in the double digits under the previous four United States Presidents:

President Reagan: 17.0%

President Bush (I): 12.0%

President Clinton: 10.0%

President Bush (II): 12.6%

Fact is, President Obama inherited a high African American unemployment rate. Thus, under his presidency, “unemployment among African Americans increased by roughly 4.1%".

The past and current presidential hopefuls have all given the same weak, flat dish-watery response that their focus is to create jobs for “every” American. However, from Carter-to-Reagan, Reagan-to-Bush I, Bush I-to-Clinton, Clinton-to-Bush II, and Bush II-to-Obama, judging solely on the high unemployment rate, African Americans appear to not fall into the category of “every” American. Instead of partisan politics and political pandering, perhaps a significant and effective amount of time should be spent on initiatives in reducing African American unemployment that stubbornly hovers year after year in the double-digits. Until then, rhetoric about creating employments opportunities for "every" American rings hollow.

"Progressive will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"Do You Hear the Citizenry?"

2011-10-04T20:35:00.000-04:00

You thought you were going to run over the citizenry and we were just going to take it. You thought you could just steal and the people were going to stay silent. Did you really think you were going to get off so easy?

You declared war on every middle class, working poor and poor citizen by speculating prices on gas, wheat, oil and our future--at our expense. Did you expect us to be afraid of you?

You re-ignited this declaration of war on the middle class, working poor and poor American. You wanted to rekindle the dream of your master, J.P. Morgan and his ilk. His vision which was that only a few would possess all the wealth to rule over the majority of the citizenry with an iron fist. However, contrary to your misguided arrogance, there are some citizens that know American History from the financial perspective and now those voices are being heard.

Reform Wall Street! Reform your arrogance, reform your greed, reform your apathetic behavior toward the citizenry and reform your dastardly way of doing business. Do you hear the citizenry? You should, because we are at this very moment standing on your doorsteps. If you refuse to embrace the Reformation of Finance--the people you attempted to trample up will soon be cast as the ones that will bring effective change to Wall Street.

Wall Street, do you hear us now?

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"The South is #1"

2011-10-01T22:33:00.000-04:00

The South is # 1. Once having the lowest unemployment rate in the Republic, the South now has the highest unemployment rate at 17%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, several Southern states, including South Carolina, whose 11.1% unemployment rate is the fourth highest in the nation, have higher unemployment rates than they did a year ago. Unemployment in the South is now higher than it is in the Northeast and the Midwest, which include Rust Belt states that were struggling before the recession took center stage.

Of the states with the 10 highest unemployment rates, six (6) are in the South. The region which once relied heavily on manufacturing and construction was dealt a significant blow by the economic downturn.

For more than 30 years, the nation's economic landscape consisted of a prospering Sun Belt and a struggling Rust Belt. However, since the recession enveloped the nation, all that has changed. Unemployment remains high across much of the Republic stubbornly holding at 9.1%.

There are more than 3,000,000 of our southern families who are unemployed and require employment to provide for their families. I'm challenging the Republican governors representing the Southern states to turn their focus on creating jobs and cease from toiling in partisan politics.

I'm challenging you to make the citizenry of the great states in the South your #1 priority. Anything less and you'll find yourself unemployed in your re-election bid.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

2011-09-26T20:12:00.000-04:00

"What do 'Black people' want?” is what Bill O'Reilly bellowed to guest, Dr. Lamont Hill on a segment of "The O'Reilly Factor." Well, first some facts:

• African Americans have the highest unemployment in the nation at more than 16%.

• Of the 47,000,000 Americans without medical coverage—20% are African Americans.

• 27% of African Americans are living below the poverty level.

Isn't it woefully apparent what African Americans "need"?

Not to waste too much ink on O'Reilly; he said if his taxes are raised any higher he may have to pack up and leave his show possibly the Republic. So leave! What does he expect--That millions of Americans are going to take to the streets wearing a Bill O'Reilly mask chanting "Bill Don't Go." As you can see, O’Reilly' dream of grandeur is pathetic.

If O'Reilly does in fact pay 45% in taxes as he was quoted, then the conversation that the wealthy citizenry pay their fair share of taxes doesn't apply to him and he should stay out of grown folks business. But, this is just O'Reilly attempting to make himself appear to be self-sufficient and important to the majority of the citizenry that deems Bill O’Reilly as "Mr. Irrelevant" to the greatness of the Republic.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“So Much for Job Creators”

2011-09-14T06:49:00.000-04:00

Recent polls show President Obama’s chances for a second term will not necessarily be assured. Factoring in the debt-ceiling fight, Standard & Poor's subsequent downgrade of the nation's credit rating and even extending the Bush tax cuts for the super wealthy; the president’s approval rating has slipped under 50%. On the economy, only 19% of the citizenry think the country is headed in the right direction. However, with the aforementioned stinging data, here is a poll question that I pose to the citizenry:

"How can President Obama get meaningful legislation passed that will benefit every citizen from a group of elected officials whose allegiance belongs to 1% of the population aka, the super wealthy and no loyalty to the middle class, working poor and poor American?"

Do you really want to give the Tea/Republican Party another opportunity at destroying America? The Tea/Republican Party version of job creation is to damage the United States economy. Time and time again, the Tea/Republican Party members have shown that the party is more important than the Republic.

Not that any of you need an economics lesson, but the actual economy is based on money changing hands --I pay you, you pay the other person, etc. More tax breaks for the wealthy and putting more money in their pockets has little or no effect on the "real" economy. The economy has always blossomed when the middle class and working poor have more money. This is largely because we spend most of what we earn.

If you look at most large United States companies, there’s absolutely nothing about taxation preventing their economic growth. Apple Inc. for example, has accumulated more than $70,000,000,000 just in cash, and that’s the case for many of America’s big businesses. Record profits by big businesses in the Republic have never been higher and yet, layoffs at these companies are staggering. So much for the job creators! Small business--the backbone of America is similarly affected; only they don’t have the option of building up cash reserves. When the consumers, i.e. the working poor and middle class are not there--they simply fail.

I believe that President Obama must remain at the helm and that is why he must be re-elected in 2012, and continue moving forward despite the current economic crisis infecting the Republic. I sincerely believe that beyond this economic stupor we’ve endured since 2007 awaits an economic rainbow of prosperity. President Obama’s $447,000,000,000 job’s plan will be beneficial to the citizenry and the economy will recover. It will!

If President Obama is defeated in 2012 and replaced with Romney, Perry or Bachmann, whose track records on job creation in their states is so pathetic—they make George Bush’s 5,000,000 created jobs in his 8 years look like Bill Clinton; it will most assuredly accelerate the Republic’s demise.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

“Facts vs. Baseless Propaganda”

2011-09-08T13:28:00.002-04:00

Fact: President Obama is about as responsible for the Republic's high unemployment as Rick Perry is responsible for reducing unemployment in Texas or Michelle Bachmann becoming President of the United States. The Bush Wars and Tax Cuts will account for nearly half of the Republic's public debt by 2019. Facts will always supersede baseless propaganda.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

* This posting is printed in today’s Philadelphia Metro Newspaper.

"Vote for the Candidate--Not the Color"

2011-09-02T11:27:00.000-04:00

I've been told that an African American will never represent the 180th District as an elected official in any capacity.

It has been mentioned to me that the Latino community in the 180th District, which accounts for about 64% of the population, will never elect an African American against a Latino American because it would be considered an "act of betrayal."

If we continue to make an individual's ethnicity a prerequisite and the deciding factor in electing public servants, we will continue to receive the type of corrupt, incompetent and weak government the 180th District has endured for decades. Continuing to vote for Angel Cruz, the incumbent State Representative from the 180th District or Jonathan Ramos who has lost to him on two occasions based upon his being Latino is as flawed as Mitt Romney's view that a corporation is an individual or the misguided opinions that say Barack Obama is not fit to lead the Republic because of his African American heritage. This kind of thinking has held the 180th district back for far too long; we can do better.

Fact: As a resident I've witnessed very little of the legislative successes of Mr. Cruz and I'm deeply troubled by his lack of effective governing. One thing is clear however--Mr. Cruz has won re-election several times, so defeating him will not be an easy task.

Since his second straight defeat to Mr. Cruz, (2008 and 2010) Jonathan Ramos has been nonexistent in the community. He hasn't produced any plan on how to revitalize the 180th District. Mr. Ramos, as you will remember in 2010, was involved in attempting to unseat Angel Cruz by cheating. He received resources from Ms. Renee Tartaglione, a city worker which she and Mr. Ramos knew was "highly inappropriate." Tartaglione would eventually resign from her post.

In my opinion, neither Mr. Cruz or Mr. Ramos represent the needs and concerns of more than 50,000 residents composed of Puerto Ricans, Colombian Americans, Dominican Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans and African Americans residing in the 180th District. It appears that the only action plan that has been acted upon has been based on "unethical violations and arrogance".

I do believe as an African American, a resident of the 180th District and a candidate for state representative in 2012, I can win. I have a plan--a written initiative that can improve the 180th District. There those who may not agree with my "Vision" plan and "Feed the Children" bill and that is to be expected. However, there is a stark contrast between empty rhetoric and policy that will garner results.

Conversely, I issue a challenge to the incumbent, Mr. Cruz, candidate Jonathan Ramos and anyone else seeking the office of state representative for the 180th District to a series of public debates and let the residents decide which one of us is worthy to lead the community to prosperity.

I am also asking that the residents of the community in which I wish to serve carefully weigh the character, integrity & willingness to work for the people as a measure of standard when voting in the 2012 primary election for state representative. It is time we vote for an individual, not an ethnicity. I am committed to serving my community, not my own self interests.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

“FEED THE CHILDREN”

2011-08-25T10:57:00.000-04:00

Title of Bill: "Feed the Children"

Principal Author: Anthony P. Johnson

Preamble: Millions of children throughout this country are living below the poverty level creating failure in the present and in their future. Part of their problem is undernourishment due to a lack of nutritional food. There are certain steps that can be instated to help end the hunger of the children. Poverty is unlikely to be solved in our lifetimes, but measures can be put into place to help feed the children in a way they are worthy of.

Children who are hungry cannot possibly succeed in school because they don't have the ability to focus on lessons while contemplating a way to stop their hunger. According to information stated by the Food Stamp Program: For over 40 years, the federal Food Stamp Program, now officially named SNAP - the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - has served as a mainline federal social assistance program designed to help low-income families and individuals buy the food they need for good health. The SNAP (Food Stamp) program now helps put nutritious food on the tables of 28 million people every month.

In this statement, it says that the program is designed to help low-income families to buy the food they need for good health. But is the food people are buying with the food stamps nutritious like the Food Stamp Program claims it is? To answer that question, stand in line at your local food market for one hour on any given day and see what people are purchasing with their food stamps. You will see them buying fancy half-sheet birthday cakes, bottles of sugared soda, candy, cookies, snacks, and numerous other unhealthy types of food. Is this the way we are stopping hunger for our children?

Here are some realistic solutions to the problem that could be easily implemented immediately:

SECTION 1: Revamp Food Stamps using the model of the WIC program. Recipients of Food Stamps should be allowed to use these stamps for the same types of items as WIC allows people to buy which is healthy food for the children. This means if people want to buy junk food or fancy cakes, they will have to pay for it out of their cash allocations.

SECTION 2: Every recipient of Welfare Benefits will be issued a valid state identification card for items purchased with food stamps. This will help decrease food stamps “fraud” where people sell their food stamps at a discounted price for cash to support a drug or/alcohol addiction instead of using the Food Stamps to feed their children.

SECTION 3: Every recipient receiving public assistance for more than two years is to be tested for drugs randomly. Individuals that are on medication prescribed by a physician are exempt, but all others must be tested. If they test positive for an illegal substance, the recipient will be provided with drug recovery services and a social worker/child advocate will be appointed to ensure that the children are being fed and clothed properly by way of the welfare benefits.
If the individual tests positive a second time, the allocation of public assistance will be suspended until he/she goes for help.

SECTION 4: Subsidize the working poor who are working-not staying home on welfare--with more benefits such as subsidized healthcare and additional food stamps.

SECTION 5: Provide free mandatory nutritious meals in public, private, and parochial schools throughout the school year with the money saved by Food Stamp abuse.

Copyright, 2011

“The Value of Effective Educational Leadership”

2011-08-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

So at long last Dr. Ackerman is out as Philadelphia's School District Superintendent. We cannot celebrate her departure as if she is exiting the stage triumphantly nor should we dance with glee because the successes were far and few during her tenure.

Dr. Ackerman is leaving but there are still far too many people that remain in place at the School District of Philadelphia, including, the SRC that will continue to place politics and personal gain over resources that the children and dedicated teachers require.

The SDP is in the mist of an uncertain future and until "effective" educational leadership is finally at the helm and corruption is eradicated there will be many more Hornbeck's, Vallas' and Dr. Ackerman's making big promises and delivering on mostly none of them.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

We Can End Poverty in the Republic

2011-08-22T07:51:00.000-04:00

Creating, developing, and establishing a plan to end poverty means it will cost money, but it is worth every penny that will be spent on eradicating a pestilence that continues to envelop the nation. Let’s stop talking about how great the Republic is and address the issues that are eroding the nation such as poverty.

According to the Census Bureau, statistics establish two grades of food insecurity. Very low food security: In these food-insecure households, normal eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake was reduced at times during the year because they had insufficient money or other resources for food. 6.7 million US households (5.7% of all US households) had very low food security at some time during 2008, a 39% increase from 2007 (4.1% of US households). This was the largest increase ever recorded since nationally representative food security surveys were initiated in 1995, as well as the largest year-to-year percentage increase.

The defining characteristic of very low food security is that, at times during the year, the food intake of household members is reduced and their normal eating patterns are disrupted because the household lacks money and other resources for food. On average, households with very low food security at some time during the year experienced it in 7 or 8 months during the year and in 1 to 7 days in each of those months. In 2010, 97% of those classified as having “low food security” reported that an adult had cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food and 27% reported that an adult did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food

So, who represents the food “insecure?”

• Households with incomes below the poverty line (19.3%)
• Families with children, headed by single women (13.3%)
• Black households (10.1%)
• Hispanic households (8.8%)
• Households in principal cities of metropolitan areas (6.6%)

• In 2009, 43.6 million people were poor, up from 39.8 million in 2008 and 37.3 million in 2007. The nation’s official poverty rate in 2009 was 14.3%, up from 13.2% in 2008--the second statistically significant annual increase in the poverty rate since 2004.

• Between 2008 and 2009, the poverty rate increased for children under the age of 18 from 19.0 percent to 20.7 percent. Thus, 1 in 5 children in the United States live in poverty. Almost half of these children or 9.3% live in “extreme” poverty.

• 16 million low-income households either paid more for rent and utilities than the federal government said is affordable or lived in overcrowded or substandard housing.
There are three main causes of poverty in the Republic:

1. Poverty in the world.
2. The operation of the political and economic system in America which has tended to keep families impoverished.
3. The culture of inequality.

• Poverty in the world: There are a lot of poor people in the world. There are more than 2,000,000,000 people that are poor, and the same amount hungry. As can be imagined, people do not want to be hungry and desperately poor.

• The operation of the US economic and political system: The operation of the US economic and political system has led to certain ethnicities being relatively disenfranchised.

First, in a free enterprise economy, there is competition for jobs, with jobs going to the most qualified. On the other hand, there is almost always a significant amount of unemployment, so that not everyone will get a job, with the major unemployment falling on the least qualified. In the African American community alone is currently at 16%. It might be tempting to indentify them as ‘unemployable’ but what is in fact happening is that the private enterprise system is not generating enough jobs to employ everyone. Second, the top echelon of business has the power to allocate the profits of the enterprise, and certainly they have allocated these profits to themselves in recent years. In essence, the current operation of the Republic’s political system, which should address the major problems of its citizens, is to a great extent not focused on fundamental concerns of poor people.

There are various aspects to the culture of poverty. For example, people are typically segregated by income and often race where jobs are low paid and scarce. This can lead to crime as a way of obtaining income, and also to unemployed men not willing to marry, which can play a significant role in developing a cultural model of single parent families.

The lack of income creates problems, including poor housing, lack of food, health problems and the inability to address needs of one’s children. As a result of this situation, people living in poverty can themselves have patterns of behavior, such as alcoholism or a ‘life of crime’ that are harmful to them and the community.

There are ways that “we, the people” can end poverty in the public:

Politicians:

• Revisit and implement parts of President Johnson’s War on Poverty/Great Society.

• Increase the minimum wage, which currently is estimated to be a wage that keeps people and families well below the poverty line.

• Provide more resources, guidance and opportunities for the poor.

Church, Masjid, Synagogue/Community:

• Empower the poor through education, opportunities for growth, social networks, information, and inclusion in society.

• Empower the poor to challenge the political process and social structures which in fact, keep them poor, such as the current welfare system which encourages welfare dependency instead of economic independence.

School Administrations:

• Provide guaranteed meals in public, private, and parochial schools

In summary, this is not a red state or blue state problem--this is an “American crisis” that’s affecting all of us. So, we can continue to waste time on debating who is or isn’t a citizen and why the wealthy should continue to receive tax breaks after more than two decades, or we can turn our attention to families living next door that are without one of the basic necessities for survival--food. Once and for all-time, let us eradicate poverty in the Republic.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative, 2012

"If We, the Adults"

2011-08-15T09:20:00.000-04:00

When we, the adults, toss aside our youth like Tuesday's garbage, they will fight back--in a violent way.

When we, the adults, invest more funding in horse racing and ensure that thoroughbreds are well fed while children wake-up and go to bed hungry--they will fight back in a violent way.

When we, the adults, de-fund public schools, layoff great teachers, and throw a child in a classroom with 40 other kids that are illiterate and lack the basic resources that schools need to produce future leaders--they will fight back in a violent way.

If we, the adults, permanently close safe and productive environments such as after school programs and eliminate youth employment programs, thereby, forcing them to roam aimlessly throughout the community--they will fight back in a violent way.

It's safe and convenient for those individuals to stand in a House of Worship and ostracize the misguided youth for a lack of effective parenting. These "so-called leaders"--but most definitely not mine--are talking tough rather than taking action to change the outcome of the dark path that our youth are embarking on. I give honor to the mentors, teachers, child advocates, and those individuals that with limited resources are on the front lines daily to stem this pestilence of senseless violence perpetrated by "our" youth. Their actions speak louder than pointless rhetoric.

If we, the adults, keep feeding a child a daily allowance of self hate--they will boomerang that hate onto an unsuspecting society that will have dire consequences on every citizen in the Republic.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

"What Took Ya So Long?"

2011-08-08T12:17:00.000-04:00

Mr. Nutter is ticked-off due to the recent behavior of some youth banding together to inflict physical and mental violence on unsuspecting, law abiding Philadelphians and now he want to enforce the curfew laws. The only problem with this initiative is the mayor should have enforced the law when our misguided youth began wreaking havoc on the city--a year ago. Mayor Nutter has proven time after time that he cannot effectively lead, pure and simple. And just like the incompetent Speaker of the House John Boehner; Mr. Nutter is one of the “truly remarkable inept” leaders Philadelphia has ever witnessed.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

“Who You Calling President Hoover?”

2011-08-05T09:10:00.000-04:00

President Herbert Hoover was determined--to a catastrophic fault in his refusal to allow the Republic’s government to assist the starving, the jobless and the homeless through government sanctioned programs because some say he viewed such behaviors as being a prelude to a Socialist and Communist society.

Is President Obama following the same path?

President Obama faces a situation more akin to the one Herbert Hoover was forced to deal with because the economy is still tanking, unemployment is still rising and consumer spending is still falling.

Hoover had been the American most suited to be president. He had performed masterfully as head of the American Relief Administration after World War I. Hoover came into the presidency as one of the foremost proponents of public-private cooperation—what was termed "volunteerism"-- to maintain a high-growth economy. Volunteerism was not premised on governmental coercion or intervention, which Hoover feared would destroy the foundation of American philosophy based upon individualism and self-reliance, but on cooperation among individuals and groups. Hoover supported regulating industries such as radio broadcasting and aviation that he believed served the public good. But he preferred a voluntary, non-governmental approach to economic matters, the better, he reasoned, to protect what he called the "American character".

The economic crisis that struck the United States in the late 1920s was all-encompassing, however. Having both domestic and international causes and effects, the Great Depression afflicted almost every sector of the American economy, revealing serious structural weaknesses that resulted in high unemployment (25%), low economic growth, and financial instability. Most important, the Great Depression stole the citizens’ confidence and will. The Great Depression was a stern test for Hoover's approach and one that proved too difficult for him to address effectively. His involuntariness-inspired persuasion and programs failed to stimulate the consumption and production needed to jump-start the economy.

During Mr. Obama's first months in office, the president and his chief economic advisers, White House aide Larry Summers and Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, most likely underestimated the economic crisis they faced. Obama would repeatedly refer to it as a "financial crisis," inferring that if the government was able to prevent the banks from going under; they would begin loaning again to the citizenry and small businesses and thereby, stimulate the economy and increase resources.

The stimulus package that Congress passed exceeded any previous attempts to counter a financial downturn. It included funds for improving education and subsidizing the development of green and biotechnology industries--two areas where the nation could find new outlets for private investment and growth. The Obama administration was also quick to bail out the Republic’s automobile industry.

But the question with Obama--just as it was with Hoover is whether his efforts, which are going in the in the right direction, will prove sufficient to the Republic and its citizens. Although the stimulus package has promoted growth, it is largely in non-tradable private and government services. Mr. Obama’s vision of promoting green growth from windmills to electric cars is another good idea, but Asia and Western Europe is way ahead of the United States in these industries and are putting far more resources into them than the Republic is achieving. The size of the stimulus package is valiantly keeping unemployment below double-digits--but for how long? Unfortunately, forced to embrace half-measures, President Obama, like President Hoover, could fail to meet the challenges of the economic downturn.

Hoover's principal failing was ideological. He wasn't willing to do what was necessary because he feared the growth of an all-consuming Republic state and because he thought budget deficits would end up receding rather than spurring economic growth. Obama and his advisers are not so much victims of self inflicted ideology, but rather the politics, geopolitics, and other people's ideology. If Obama wanted to undertake a dramatic government-led re-invigoration of the Republics economy--he has and will continue to be blocked by the Tea/Republicans as well some so-called Democrats.

President Obama is not making the same mistakes as Hoover or facing quite the same situation, but Hoover's example shows that an individual who is highly qualified to be president and who boasts significant accomplishments while in office can still fail because of the enormity of the challenges he faces. Obama has achieved success in getting legislation through Congress, including his national health care policies and is brilliantly calculating initiatives to pull the Republic out of its current starving, jobless and homeless slump; but he could still fail and in the process harm his presidency.

I must reiterate, President Obama did not create the current economic depression in America; but, the Tea/Republican Party will damn sure attempt to pin it on his presidency if he is unsuccessful in resuscitating the economy. Hoover is the scapegoat for the Great Depression when in fact it was under Calvin Coolidge that began America’s free-fall into financial and unemployment purgatory during the 1920’s. See the parallel?

If President Obama is defeated in 2012 and replaced with Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich or Bachmann, all who are “woefully” ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of the 21st century--this will accelerate the Republic’s decline.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

“Remarkably Inept”

2011-07-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

It would be easy for me to say John Boehner is the worst Speaker of the House the Republic has ever had, but that would be inaccurate. Dennis Hastert, in my opinion, is the worst modern Speaker of the House, pure and simple. As Speaker for 8 years, Hastert allowed the “worst”President of the United States, George Bush to go to war and then implement an occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan without declarations.

Speaker Hastert gave the Bush administration a blank check as they infected the country with their anti-Constitutional assaults on civil liberties. In addition to his failure in serving the citizenry, the most diabolical act as Speaker of the House was Hastert creating an office that was nothing more than an extended mouthpiece for the executive branch of our cherished government.

From stalwart Speaker’s like Thomas Brackett Reed, John McCormack, Tip O'Neil and Nancy Pelosi--we now have John Boehner. A man that has proven that he cannot lead and no matter what happens regarding the outcome of the debt ceiling debate--he is one of the “truly remarkable inept” Speaker’s of the House.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

“In Your Hands”

2011-07-26T22:51:00.000-04:00

In your hands, my angry, bitter, racist and dissatisfied Tea Party elected officials is the momentous issue of raising the debt ceiling. However, you have no interest in doing what is right for the country. By not raising the debt ceiling, you and you alone will be responsible for bringing about a catastrophic financial and psychological disaster on the Republic and its citizenry.

The government, or as you call it: Socialism, Communism and Fascism will not assail you without you first being the aggressor. You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the Republic, but that is fully your intention--to destroy the nation. “We the People” seek compromise in raising the debt ceiling, but without fleecing Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and social service programs that benefit millions of middle class, working poor and poor.

We are not enemies, but citizens of the Republic, but you have chosen to be America’s enemy. Your aloofness, lack of knowledge of the Constitution and apathy for humankind is misguided--but will not break the bonds that bind the country.

Your anti-patriotism has given way to the darker angels of your nature. There is still time for you to correct this, although the time is quickly evaporating for you to embrace the better angels of your conscience.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

"A Has Been?"‏

2011-07-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

The Republic is free falling into the history pages as a "once mighty" nation. America is much too young to fade so quickly into the category of a "has been," but that is where we are headed.

We live in a country that could provide a job, a home, unlimited nourishment, medical care and a first class education to all 319,000,000 people. Instead, our unemployment is 9% nationally, 16.2% are unemployed among the 39,000,000 million African Americans and more than 20% of Americans that possess a college degree are unemployed. At the same time in 2011, over a span of a few months, our government spent some $56,000,000,000 on military defense while banks attempt to foreclose on the homes of soldiers and their families. Economic inequality has never been mightier in the Republic. Why does a country that has everything appear to be throwing it all away and failing the citizenry with perfect regularity?

The Tea Party (the former Republican Party) cannot lead the nation to economic or policy prosperity. And since they lack ingenuity and effective leadership they are attempting with frightening ferocity to destroy our nation. Elected officials within the party of "NO" carry hatred for President Obama that is so intense and perverse they've decided to plunge America--into a backward and chaotic society. And yet, citizens have become so disgusted with the elected body that rather than mobilize and vote--they sit on the sidelines and cry foul while in the meantime political corruption in the heart of the Republic reigns supreme.

American media has failed us, too. When Murdoch's News Corp Inc. /FOX News are considered a "credible" source of information then you know the profession of journalism requires an enema. Where are the journalists with integrity who report honestly without relying on talking points? There are a handful of American journalists like Ms. Goldie Taylor and Cenk Uygur who possess journalistic integrity. Both are having difficulties with being given a platform to report on because networks are afraid to give them a news show--if only they would "play the game" that the "establishment" requires. What makes matters worse is that hand in hand with irresponsible journalism are the many Americans failing to read what international journalists are reporting collectively and "objectively" about world issues. For example, despite what many Americans may believe, many countries in Africa (Africa is a continent, Ms. Palin) are living in poverty and some parts are facing droughts of epic proportion. It is criminal that politicians will often sit and bicker tit for tat about this and that when they have the authority to aid those who are hungry, severely malnourished and deprived of clean water--but time and time again, they simply do nothing.

"We the People" have it within us to change this current outcome of the Republic becoming "a once mighty nation" but we must hurry--time and demise wait for no one.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

* Special thanks to Ms. Terri Willmott.

"A Journalistic Enema"

2011-07-20T18:40:00.000-04:00

The media has failed us. When Murdoch's News Corp/FOX News is considered a credible source of information then you know the profession of journalism requires an enema.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"Status Update"

2011-07-17T22:52:00.000-04:00

"The World Food Program estimates that the drought in East Africa specifically, the Horn of Africa is the worst in over 50 years, and is affecting more than 10 million people. The UN Children's Fund has said that more than two million children are malnourished and need emergency medical help."

This is what it is; they need us! Where are the elected officials in the Republic on addressing this matter? Where is the "immediate aid" to stem this horrible human episode?

Strange, but many of our elected officials are always ready to suit up and go to war--but the minute a humane effort is required they move slower than molasses on a frigid day. But, I think I have figured out why. Perhaps they are waiting for you to respond, my middle class, working poor and poor citizenry. They want us to pay for the aid. You see, we've done it before. Remember Haiti and Japan? We opened our hearts and our check books and now they're asking us to do it again. The citizenry of America strive for humanitarian efforts while politicians make war.

It's up to the citizens--again. I'm asking that everyone contact your elected representatives and ask them to assist in the efforts of providing immediate aid to East Africa. Our humane spirit must come to the rescue once again and bring balance to a society overcome by apathy.

Anthony P. Johnson
Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012

“Charlatans Posing As Educators”

2011-07-11T11:07:00.000-04:00

It appears that Atlanta School District officials are not the only ones that cheat to get ahead.

According to the "Philadelphia Public School Notebook," a 2009 report has identified dozens of Pennsylvania schools for possible cheating including more than twenty schools in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). The statistical analysis is available at:
http://www.thenotebook.org/sites/def...rt%20Final.doc

Data files were examined from test score scanners to determine the rate of erasures to right answers, and for certain grade levels, the amount of "correctness" attained per student from a previous test to a current test.

The report dates to 2009, but considering that Harrisburg did not commission a report for 2010 and did not do anything with the 2009 report, it is clear that the cheating has probably gone unmonitored and unpunished.

Once again humanity has given way to the dark angels within. Here's how bad it is in Philadelphia:

DISTRICT SCHOOLS
Elementary Schools:
1. Catherine
2. Cayuga*
3. Franklin Edmonds
4. Frederick Douglass
5. Disston
6. Fitler
7. FitzPatrick
8. Lamberton
9. John Marshall*
10. Thurgood Marshall*
11. McClure
12. Muñoz-Marin*
13. Olney Elementary
14. MH Stanton
15. Ziegler

Middle School:
1. Penn Treaty
2. Theodore Roosevelt*
3. Wagner*
4. Woodrow Wilson

High School:
1. Frankford
2. Northeast
3. Strawberry Mansion

CHARTER SCHOOLS
1. Alliance for Progress Charter
2. Charter High School for Architecture and Design
3. Imhotep Institute Charter High School
4. Maritime Academy Charter
5. Walter D. Palmer Leadership and Learning Partners Charter
6. Wissahickon Charter
7. Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter

* indicates schools that had three or more flags in multiple grades

If the cheating is true, then all individuals involved must be rounded up and face termination, permanent banishment from the field of education and hefty fines. However, termination, banishment and fines will never rectify what these charlatans posing as educators have done to our children and our education system. Look away, Horace Mann, look away.

“Progressive will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Same Stale, Moldy Characters"

2011-07-07T12:57:00.002-04:00

The moment ordinary citizens choose to make a "career" out of serving as an elected official, corporations began to suck the life out of democracy.

Career politicians don't know when to exit the stage and the longer they stay--the easier they can be manipulated and bought by corporations and betray the citizenry, democracy and the Republic.

I vigorously debate friends and foe alike about my views on career politicians--and I stand my ground. I believe as an elected official you can effectively accomplish the goals on behalf of your constituents without holding on to the post for 15-20 years or longer. Career politicians also stifle young would-be-elected officials from seeking office. Sadly, new and innovative ideas that would transform America into a vibrant and thriving nation are lost. This is especially true since we know that campaign finance reform is a forgone conclusion after the corrupt U.S. Supreme Court green lighted corporations to buy, buy, and buy career politicians.

The former Republican Party now taken over by the Tea Party, but still staring the same stale, moldy group of cartoon characters cannot lead America to prosperity. President Obama has given them everything they've asked for and still--they have not created one (1) job. Their recommendations to fix the Republic's decayed infrastructure borders on lunacy and treason. In essence we have a political party that believes if they cannot control every aspect of the Republic--they would rather destroy it.

Every citizen that is registered to vote must proceed to vote and remove career politicians from the perch of the Republic's government and infuse a new generation of public servants that place the "needs" of the majority ahead of the "greed" from the minority. Until this is accomplished, we will continue to witness the rising tide of Bachmann, Santorum, Boehner, McConnell, Cain and Duke making a mockery of democracy--a gift that millions of Americans have and continue to sacrifice their lives for.

"Progressive will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for Pennsylvania State Representative 180th District, 2012

"Sick Leave Bill Burdensome?"‏

2011-06-29T10:58:00.002-04:00

So passing the Sick Leave Bill would harm business growth and stifle job creation in Philadelphia?

Are you serious sir?

For the last several years unemployment in Philadelphia is in the double digits and growing businesses in the city is as rare as the Dodo bird.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"Idle Time"‏

2011-06-28T10:39:00.000-04:00

Mayor Michael Nutter,

Are you ready to effectively address the youth and teen violence that has enveloped Philadelphia or will you continue to sit idle as they assault and murder innocent victims, and each other?

“Progressive will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Misused and Criminal"‏

2011-06-24T20:46:00.000-04:00

As Philadelphia public schools are ranked yet again as--one of the worst in the Republic, I believe we must not lay complete blame on Dr. Ackerman, the public schools CEO, when there is a "smorgasbord of blame" to dole out.

Dr. Ackerman has had assistance in the demise of the public schools from those at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, city council and Mayor Nutter for the abysmal education system that has come to define SDP (School District of Philadelphia).

Philadelphia's city council must share the blame because until two weeks ago, Dr. Ackerman, the SRC and the SDP required no financial accountability, despite the aforementioned propensity for lacking financial accountability and responsibility. Mayor Nutter must eat crow in failing to ask Dr. Ackerman to resign when it became completely clear that her plan to educate our children was ineffective as well as the misuse of state and federal funding--criminal. Dr. Ackerman's salary is comparable to President Obama's, but no where can it be proven that she is worthy of it. In the mist of the macabre education system in place, Dr. Ackerman is due to receive an increase in salary and bonuses totaling about $168,000.

The most egregious behavior of all involved in the failure of our children is--the parents and community. The communities no longer give a damn nor do many of the parents whose children are failing. There is absolutely no excuse for this behavior displayed by a civilized society and so-called loving parents. If there is one group that has betrayed the children it’s the parents and the neighborhoods where they reside.

At this juncture, the great city of Philadelphia's education system is an abomination and on par to give rise to a chaotic, violent and barbaric society.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"Apathy over Achievement"

2011-06-17T12:42:00.000-04:00

State Representative Angel Cruz likes to credit himself as an elected official that serves on behalf of the constituents of the 180th District, or so he would lead one to believe. Perhaps this is the reason he is consistently re-elected. However, to be blunt, that assessment is simply not true.

The fact is, Representative Cruz wins because of "community apathy." In 2010's general election for example, a total of just 11,000 residents out of 60,000 voted for Mr. Cruz slightly edging Jonathan Ramos. Mr. Cruz has never created a plan--any plan for that matter, that would re-invigorate the community that has witnessed better days; nor has he served the role of an elected official with integrity and honesty to the very residents of the 180th District he supposedly pledges allegiance to.

Where was Representative Cruz in attempting to secure an additional traffic light and lane change placed at G. Street and Wyoming Avenue that would prevent accidents and fatalities to drivers and pedestrians, even though his offices were contacted to assist in this effort initiated by the "180th Watchdog Coalition" and Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez? Where is Mr. Cruz in implementing after school programs in schools located in the 180th District that are in dire need? What initiatives has Mr. Cruz created for educational opportunities where less than 50% of his constituents in the 180th District do not possess a high school diploma or a GED, while less than 20% have obtained a college degree?

At this point, Mr. Cruz has gambled his political career on the apathetic behavior in the 180th District and sadly--it has paid him immense dividends.

The residents of the 180th District must awaken from their "long slumber of apathy" and reclaim the community; returning to a once vibrant and productive neighborhood. Only then will Mr. Cruz's political career at long last be vanquished.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Rep. 180th District, 2012

"I Can't Spare This Man, He fights."

2011-06-12T18:55:00.000-04:00

“I can't spare this man, he fights.” Abraham Lincoln

These were the words President Lincoln used when speaking about General Grant during the Civil War. Many of the high ranking military personnel thought that Grant was unfit to serve; even Mary Lincoln called Grant a "Butcher." However, Lincoln supported him and Grant and Sherman would lead the Union to victory over the Confederates and earn Lincoln a second term shortly before his assassination. Within 7 years, Grant would become President of the Republic.

By now all of America knows that congressman Anthony Wiener sent lewd pictures through his Twitter account. Wiener lied, pure and simple. He lied to all those who support him, he lied to his constituents, he lied to his wife and to their marriage. Indeed, Wiener has violated the trust of the citizenry. But should he resign?

Wiener is a throwback elected official because unlike him there are far and few elected officials that "vehemently fights" for the middle class, working poor, poor and the destitute. He is an elected official America sorely lacks and desperately needs. But at what cost? "Can we spare this man because he fights?"

As an elected official, sending sexually explicit photos to women that’s not your wife is not a crime but it is offensive to the very foundation of matrimony and Mr. Wiener made an enormous mistake in which this episode will plague him forever--like herpes.

Resigning at this juncture will in time heal the wounds of deception and perhaps, Anthony Wiener will find redemption with the public. But for now, Mr. Wiener must go home. Go home Sir and mend the fences with your wife and family. Anthony Wiener should also seek counseling regarding the Twitter incident because there is an underlying issue there that is darker, deeper and more complicated than the public can imagine.

Under these most difficult circumstances we "can spare" Anthony Wiener because even though he fights for the middle class, working poor, poor and the destitute; he has a more pressing fight to address--his inner demons.

"Progressive will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Audacity of Stupidity"‏

2011-06-07T10:34:00.000-04:00

Every year the so-called fiscally sound officials at the School District of Philadelphia find ways to keep our public schools in deficit purgatory, despite the fact that over the last 2 years they've received enormous amounts of money to fix the broken and bleeding public school system.

Now Dr. Ackerman and Co. are asking for $100,000,000 and Mayor Nutter has taken up his sword and shield by attempting once again to tax sugary drinks to pay for the absolute incompetence of those overseeing the budget of the SDP.

This time its $100,000,000 and next time $200,000,000. Who is expected to pony up the money? You and me.

It appears that each time Mr. Nutter addresses the citizenry of Philadelphia he is accompanied by bad news. He's worst than the Grim Reaper; even the Grim Reaper is welcome relief sometimes, especially when appearing before someone who's gravely ill.

Mayor Nutter and Dr. Ackerman have stated that the $100,000,000 is needed "for the kids". Oh, so now it’s about the kids? These two remind me of those "Sponsor a Child" infomercials. I can see them now, "Hi, I'm Mayor Nutter and I'm Dr. Ackerman. Do you know that for $100,000,000 you can sponsor a child?"

City Controller Alan Butkovitz gave the SDP a perfect 10--as the worst at handling its finances! He now recommends independent oversight so in turn they want more money and no accountability? Oh, and Mayor Nutter says that he will be meeting each month with SDP officials so they can account for every penny being spent "For the children." Yeah, that dog and pony show will last for about six months and then Mr. Nutter will lose interest and the SDP will be back to continuing their fiscally irresponsible ways.

Haven't we had enough of this corruption from the very people that are supposed to use the funding to implement the type of education our children require to compete nationally and globally?

The $100,000,000 requested is not to repair the decaying infrastructure that is the Philadelphia public schools; nor is the money for the teachers that use personal finances to support their students and it damn sure isn't for "the kids". The $100,000,000 is for the children-- pretending to be adults.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

Mitt "The Chameleon" Romney‏

2011-06-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

Mitt Romney said President Obama has failed and that he will be a better president who will create jobs for Americans. Hmmm, let's see. Well, as Governor of Massachusetts, Romney managed the state to a ranking of 47th in the Republic in job creation.

Mr. Romney believes as president he'll be responsible for creating more businesses in America unlike Mr. Obama. Romney! Romney! Romney! Oh, wait! As a so-called business guru, Mitt "Business Guru" Romney bankrupted five companies while being responsible for thousands of individuals losing their jobs but not before taking millions of dollars for himself.

In his defense, Mitt Romney created a health care plan for Massachusetts residents that I believe Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, a supporter of health care for every American would have said, "Good start young man." Further, President Obama's health care plan is modeled from Romney's. But the sad fact is Romney continues to distance himself from his own plan as if he's avoiding the "Black Death" of 13th century Europe. Is it a wonder why the Tea Party and its registered members dislike him? Although in my opinion the Republican Party is dead, what remnants of it that are left are also not supporters of Romney. Sarah "Paul Revere" Palin has a better chance at winning the nomination simply because her base which consists of ignorant bigots are registered and do in fact vote. Factor in that no matter how unprepared she is to even lead a food fight--they like her.

Perhaps Mitt Romney may win the presidential nomination but his chances of defeating President Obama are "none and less than zero." The only way that Romney will stay at the White House will be as a guest--of President Obama.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Rep. 2012

"They Deserve It"‏

2011-06-03T13:21:00.002-04:00

I have no doubt that there will be much debate about my "Vision" Plan for the 180th District that will be posted on June 24th.

The fundamental foundation of the "Vision Plan, however, will provide services, programs and a sense of balance to a community that has been mired in sub-mediocrity followed up by an inept and corrupt state representative.

Make no mistake, as state representative of the 180th District in 2012--my "Vision" Plan will become a reality for the residents. They deserve better and the "Vision" Plan will provide them with better opportunities to improve their quality way of life from an infrastructure perspective, academically, financially and socially.

They deserve it.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

Anthony P. Johnson's Strategic "Vision" Plan for the 180th District.

2011-05-27T20:48:00.000-04:00

The Anthony P. Johnson Strategic "Vision" Plan is complete and we will be sharing with all and distributing 10-12,000 copies throughout the community very soon.

Stay tuned.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."

Anthony P. Johnson 4 State Representative, 180th District-2012

"Do You Not Understand?"

2011-05-23T21:23:00.000-04:00

The Philadelphia School District is poised to close additional schools for students on the verge of becoming drop outs in addition to eliminating funding for remedial disciplinary programs in order to close a $629 million budget deficit.

Do you get it? Is this clear to you, or do you still need the proverbial house to fall on you to wake up?

There are elected officials that sit at the head of the government on every level in the Republic that believe that providing funding that is necessary to properly educate our youth is simply not a solid financial investment.

The stripping of funds and closing of schools that support students, at-risk students and dropouts serves absolutely no effective purpose. Further, invoking the asinine excuse that by eradicating kindergarten, academic, art and music programs will lower the deficit is "criminal". Criminal! Who benefits from the systematic obliteration of education in Philadelphia, Detroit, Wisconsin and throughout the Republic? I know one population that will not benefit from this macabre behavior.

So, by decreasing funding for education while increasing funds for the construction and expansion of prisons will somehow transform America into an intelligent, safer, greener and productive society? At the rate that education is becoming extinct in Philadelphia and throughout the Republic, it is not a matter of how; merely a question of when the United States will descend into complete anarchy and ignorance.

Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Rep. 180th District 2012

Anthony Johnson for State Representative

2011-05-18T12:43:00.000-04:00

Anthony Johnson for State Representative
180th District

647 E. Raymond St.
Philadelphia, PA 19120
(215) 744-2529 (215) 715-0355
anthonyjohnson4staterep180@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MAY 18, 2011

Summary: Anthony P. Johnson announces candidacy for State Representative 2012

Anthony P. Johnson of Juniata Park officially announces his candidacy for State Representative for the 180th District, 2012. Johnson pledges to take the following actions if elected as the community’s State Representative:

• Secure funding and push for neighborhood patrols.

• Address crime in the community by increasing police patrol and creating stricter penalties for drug dealers, pedophiles, and violent gangs.

• Provide more police/increase presence in our neighborhoods as well as build a positive relationship between residents and the police through Q/A series of workshops and other activities.

• Provide the community with Literacy and GED programs.

• Partner with local food markets, pharmacies and retail stores to hire residents that support these businesses as loyal customers to decrease unemployment and poverty.

• Obtain state/federal funding for existing quality and new grassroots after school programs.

• Re-implement extracurricular activities back into the public schools in our communities.

• Implement effective recreation centers in the communities.

Mr. Johnson is currently a Human Services lead instructor in a post-secondary school in Philadelphia and is also the founder and director of Dream Field Academy providing mentoring and educational enhancement to at-risk youth in his Juniata neighborhood. He has stated, "I will do everything humanly possible to turn the tide of government-neglected problems in the neighborhood. We need to be role models to our youth and protectors of our senior citizens by showing them that we care enough to devote our time and efforts to make a difference in their lives. This isn't about politics at all--this is about ‘human caring’ at its best."

Johnson has led a grass-roots campaign to protest the lack of government responses to the issues of the neighborhood. “Our community is plagued by unemployment, high-school students dropping out, violence on the streets, and drug dealers intimidating the good people who want a positive quality of life here. The current politicians have brought nothing to our area. It is time for us to stand together as unified citizens and demand better for our families and future generations. I am not a politician—I am a Human Service professional who is dedicated to changing the quality of life for the people in this community.”

Johnson has been the neighborhood block captain for over two years responding immediately to the problems of the neighbors by working closely with the local police department.

Disgusted over the lack of services provided for his Juniata neighborhood, Anthony P. Johnson, a resident and father, wants his son to grow up without the worry of being a victim of violent gang crime or drive-by shootings. He explains, “Our current elected officials are politicians. They are more concerned with their needs than the community’s. I am the ‘un-politician,’ but I am a community activist. I want our residents to join together to demand the services that our community is overlooked for. We will not be divided by ethnicity or culture—we will unite together as people who want to live in peace and without fear. I will truly represent the people who live here and together we will rebuild a neighborhood where our families can be proud to live.”

A number of community organizations have endorsed Johnson for the May 2012 primary election. He will be visiting every home in the community during the next year to talk about the issues that are important to all residents of the community. In addition to being a community activist, he is also a Ph.D. candidate and author.

For further information, contact Anthony P. Johnson at (215) 744-2529 or (215) 715-0355. You can also email him at: anthonyjohnson4staterep180@gmail.com

"The Misguided and Misinformed Misfits"

2011-05-16T10:45:00.002-04:00

I wish there was a way to see at, the same time, all of the Tea Party presidential candidates (Republican Party is dead) of Pawlenty, Romney, Gingrich, and Santorum take on President Obama in November 2012.

You see, I believe Mr. Obama could defeat them all combined because of his brilliance, even-temper and his never ending quest to unite the citizens of the Republic and continue moving the nation towards prosperity for all citizens and not for a selected few.

The Tea Party candidates, characters on the other hand, who will never be president of the Republic continue to read from the same silly script of tax cuts for the wealthy, blah, blah, blah. We could bill it as "Show Down 2012! President Obama vs. the Tea Party Presidential Candidates." It would be like watching Bruce Lee beat up on the Marx Brothers.

Is this the best that the Tea Party can offer America--the likes of Tim "Flip flop" Pawlenty, Mitt "I'm indecisive about my own health care legislation" Romney, Newt the "Scam Artist" Gingrich and Rick "We found WMD's" Santorum?

The Tea Party is fielding some of the most inept group of presidential candidates to date in its astro turf infancy and the only time any of these scrubs, eh, candidates will get in the White House is during a guided tour.

Unless he falls out of Air Force One or becomes Sara "Ms. Irrelevant" Palin's dance partner on "Dancing with the Stars," President Obama will win a second term as president and can cement his place as one of the great presidents. As for the Tea Party, its back to the drawing board; one more time of putting together a group of misguided and misinformed misfits calling them presidential candidates and they'll end up like the Republican Party.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“Grossly Incompetent”

2011-05-10T19:04:00.002-04:00

We've known all along about the gross incompetence and cowardice of the Bush administration in apprehending Osama Bin Laden, but
Pakistan has an equally and grossly inept government and military as well.

The government of Pakistan stated that they were not harboring Osama Bin Laden, nor did they know his whereabouts and yet, Osama and his family lived within striking distance of the Pakistan Military Academy. So, if the government truly didn't know that Bin Laden was hiding in plain sight, then the government has a severe lack of credibility. What a conundrum they now face.

When a "so-called friend" of America, as Pakistan claims to be, is this shoddy they deserve condemnation and a stop payment on current and future financial support from the Republic. Further, all American forces must leave Pakistan post haste.

A country whose government allows terrorists to move about freely is an enemy of humanity.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“Final Chapter”

2011-05-02T20:22:00.002-04:00

Bin Laden is dead! We cannot deny the inner peace many citizens of the Republic may currently be enjoying. Bin Laden murdered innocent people and spent the next 10 years broadcasting his dastardly deed to anyone who would listen.

One of Mr. Obama's goals was to capture, or in the words of one my students-- "Slump" Bin Laden; he was dealt the latter. Had Mr. Obama took the attitude that Bush had at the time of his presidency which was "Bid Laden may never be found," he still would have been making poorly acting videos spewing his hatred for America and threatening us with more terrorist attacks. It appears Mr. Bush wasn't keeping America as safe as he was keeping the now extinct Osama Bin Laden.

Mr. Bush, arrogantly, turned his attention away from the person who delighted in the massacre of more than 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001 and instead, went after Saddam Hussein, a devious man in his own right but who had nothing to do with what I call my generation's Pearl Harbor. Mr. Bush would then dupe more than 60% of the citizenry and its elected officials into going to war that's still costing the lives of thousands of American soldiers and bankrupting the Republic.

Had Mr. Bush kept his eyes on the prize--which was Bin Laden and had more Americans held him accountable it never would have taken more than a decade of locating a man hiding in cave after cave in the mountains of Pakistan. President Obama completed in 3 years what Mr. Bush couldn't do in 8 years which was to bring an end to a man that altered the lives us all that lived and died through that tragic and unforgettable day of 9/11.

The death of Osama Bin Laden is the final chapter of a wasted life of a man filled with self-hatred and inner turmoil. He released his inner demons on the innocent but he lived long enough to witness them rise from the ashes of Ground Zero into history, our conscious and our hearts. Bin Laden’s goal to inspire fear in us was a complete failure. It is also the final chapter of a president that placed personal objectives ahead of our nation and the safety of its people. President Bush was weak, afraid and quite possibly--willing to capitulate and sacrifice the lives of more than 3,000 innocent souls.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“Silly of Me.”

2011-04-28T18:42:00.000-04:00

Now some of you will say, “Silly Anthony, the Republic and its citizens have come too far for racism talk. African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Jewish Americans, Italian and Irish Americans are all wrapped in the same blanket of equality." But of course, that statement is nothing more than a fairy tale that falls flat with even a 5 year old.

True, America has come a long way since setting people on fire, or participating in public lynching’s that everyone from the minister to an entire family would be in attendance with picnic baskets and displayed gleeful excitement of watching a man getting his genitals and ears hacked off or gutting a pregnant woman, then stomping the child as 20,000 people cheered.

However, racism is alive and well and when more than 25% of Republicans, eh, Tea Party members believe that Mr. Obama is not a citizen; we should all be appalled and outraged. Intelligent Americans, however, have no interest or time for this racist perversion and shame on those Americans that cheered these "simpletons” of Trump, Limbaugh, and the "birther nation" that like a drug dealing pimp, have injected the public with this infectious and inferno disease of hate.

Although, Chester A. Arthur and Martin Van Buren’s citizenship came under scrutiny, no modern day president of the United States has "ever" had to prove he was a citizen of the Republic--until now.

To quote President Obama "We do not have time for this kind of silliness."

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Scorn and Degradation"

2011-04-25T19:07:00.000-04:00

Incarcerating a homeless mother for placing her 5 year old child in a school that is not in her district, despite the fact that the van that she lives out of is located near the school, is one of those grave injustices that is occurring in America with perfect regularity.

When the wealthy send their children to excellent schools--outside their
district--they're considered all that is right with the Republic, but when the middle class, working poor, poor and those families living "below" the poverty line send their children to the same schools to obtain a first rate education--even if the school is not located in their neighborhoods--they are met with scorn, degradation, and branded a criminal as if they somehow committed treason against the Republic.

America's judicial officials are convicting and sentencing parents to prison because they are enrolling their children in schools outside their district, while individuals that performed torture tactics to extract information and career politicians violating laws bent on destroying collective bargaining and engaging in vote tampering and other political corruption are allowed carte blanch to continue their wicked ways.

The media dropped the ball again! In their relentless pursuit of focusing on a nitwit, an American "joke" wearing a toupee so bad that the "Hair Club for Men" wouldn't endorse him, they missed an opportunity to show the world how horrible parents are treated for merely wanting a better life for their children.

So much for the American Dream philosophy.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"A Dangerous Mix of Hypocrisy and Stupidity"

2011-04-19T22:26:00.000-04:00

Angel Cruz supposedly will not support Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez's bid for re-election because according to his logic, "I don't believe she is running. She has yet to reach out to me, especially since I was her mentor and her strongest supporter last time out."

What's interesting is that Mr. Cruz has yet to "reach out to the residents in 180th District" in addressing and providing the community with much needed services since he participated in and was reelected in one of the most "corrupt primaries" in Philadelphia between Mr. Cruz and Mr. Ramos.

News flash Mr. Cruz! Mrs. Quinones-Sanchez is running to retain her position as Councilwoman and it could be maybe she's not seeking your support because you lack integrity and leadership.

Mr. Cruz should spend more time in serving the needs of the constituents of the 180th District instead wasting time on dreams of grandeur of his greatness.

The 180th District cannot tolerate the weak, incompetent, and insufferable Angel Cruz and his ilk.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“Greatest Con Game.”

2011-04-18T21:00:00.000-04:00

There were still millions of middle class and working poor citizens attempting to beat today's tax filing deadline but what's more interesting is that America's wealthiest population continue to pay considerably less taxes now than they did more than 20 years ago, and half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all according to the IRS tax returns with the 400 highest adjusted gross incomes each year.

Accordingly, the average income on those returns in 2007, the latest year for IRS data, was nearly $345,000,000. Their average federal income tax rate was 17 percent, down from 26 percent in 1992.

“Providing tax breaks to the wealthy will stimulate economic growth in the Republic” is one the greatest con games ever played on the middle class, working poor and poor American.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“The Final Chapter of the Eradication of Public Schools.”

2011-04-13T22:05:00.000-04:00

The Philadelphia Public Schools are a complete failure. It appears that some 35% of public schools will be closed, and if that is the case, classrooms will explode with 40 or more students per class, while teachers and administrators will be laid off faster than a dictator can fill mass graves.

As dismal test scores have become a tradition in the Philadelphia Public Schools the way the Mummers Parade is to Philadelphia, it is crystal clear that Dr. Ackerman cannot lead our schools to academic prosperity--pure and simple. Perhaps if she focused more on education and stopped acting like a wanna-be- politician; she could have been more effective. Unfortunately, she now joins the ranks of Hornbeck and Vallas as three of the "worst" individuals to ever head our public schools.

Ackerman is not the only one that has failed the students. I also place blame on the failure of "our" public schools on the shoulders of the following:

• There are some parents who have played no role in their children's educational and social progression. They do not show up for report card conferences or volunteer at their children's school, and in most cases--don't know the name of the child's teachers. It’s as if these parents are working towards effectively ensuring that their children fail. Parents of this caliber make Ma Barker look like Claire Huxtable or June Cleaver.

• Career politicians couldn't give a damn about the students. These bloated jackals each year massacre public school budgets, thereby fast-tracking many of the students to a life of illiteracy, poverty, crime and a fixture in the penal system. So long as their pockets are lined with kickbacks, they couldn't care less. In my assessment, "a career politician is the prelude to a dysfunctional government."

• Some of the school administrators and teachers are only working in the field of education to collect a paycheck. Like some of the parents I spoke of, these ineffective educators are not interested in the success of students but merely keeping them busy until the school bell rings. Some of the administrators are so woefully incompetent and apathetic towards the ones that need them the most that I would like to see them bought up on charges of crimes against humanity.

• The community failed because they didn’t demand accountability from the teachers, administrators and elected officials to provide the youth and adolescents with every resource so they’d have an “opportunity” to succeed. I guess the community felt it was not their responsibility to assist the defenseless because it was not their children. For all intents and purposes, the 21st century version of a community doesn’t know or doesn’t care about the theory of needing an entire village to raise a child.

The final chapter of the eradication of public schools, and with it our children’s futures, is drawing to a sad conclusion. Are we willing at this late hour to make sacrifices for a brighter tomorrow for the youth or have we completely lost our humanity?

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“Who will fight for them?”

2011-04-08T21:46:00.000-04:00

Too many prisons, but not enough good schools. Too many weapons, but not enough educational tools. Not enough effective teachers, but way too many fools.

Too many students piled in one classroom--35 up to 45--and possibly more. Over 60% of them are academically incapable to pass--and more than 50% will drop out of school believing that somehow they are free at last. Free? Free? Free!

Our children say that school is "Stupid!" They say "Ole' Head, I ain't got time for these halls of academia, where I can't read or write. I get straight A's on them streets. I sell on them streets, I rob on them streets, I shoot and get shot at on them streets and on them streets--I am the undisputed champion. I can't be beat."

I am convinced that this is the world of Bizzaro. How can it not be, when our youth believe a life in the street or prison is cool and a much better place than school? How in the real world can this be--prison over education—I know you don’t agree?

They're angry, scared and feel betrayed. School administrations say they love the children, but have failed to provide teachers with the most basic resources to aid the students. Some teachers say they love the children, but stand pat and watch students plummet deeper into "illiteracy debt." The politician says they love the children but speak with a forked tongue. They give lip service about providing the youth with a quality education and social programs all the while cutting public education and after school programs. You don’t think our children feel betrayed? So, they form their “gangs,” “squads,” “sets,” “streets,” "hoods," and “clicks” ready to explode their rage of frustration at any hour, minute, or second on society--tick, tick, tick.

Too many prisons, but not enough good schools. Too many weapons, but not enough educational tools. Not enough effective teachers, but way too many fools.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.
Anthony P. Johnson

"Change Has Come to America" Part II

2011-04-04T21:21:00.000-04:00

So, President Obama will seek another term as the Commander and Chief of the Republic in 2012. In late 2010, I predicted that President Obama would not seek a second term.

One of my reasons for Mr. Obama not going for a repeat performance as President was due in part to the extreme opposition from the right that he continues to face and their eerie satisfaction of destroying America to make him look incompetent. This is despite his zeal to seek bipartisan from a political party who's discontent towards him is pure psychotic.

I do believe President Obama will defeat any one of the Tea/Republican Party's nominee's in 2012, but in decades past, the Republican Party would have a few viable candidates to face a Democrat in a Presidential campaign. However, the current cast of "Conservatives Gone Wild" consisting of Tim "zzzzz" Pawlenty, Palin "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" Palin, Newt "I am not a crook" Gingrich, Mitt "Mr. Indecisive about his health care plan," or Michelle "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" Bachmann would even dumb found their hero, Ronald Reagan, for the slim, and quite frankly, pathetic unqualified pickings.

President Obama must address the Middle East issue if he is expected to smoothly defeat the "true Un-American" candidates on the right, though. In July, many of the American soldiers are leaving Afghanistan and heading home, but if they are delayed even a day from returning to American soil, be assured that the Tea/Republican Party will hit President Obama using all of their resources including the proverbial kitchen sink. If troops are deployed to Libya at the behest of Mr. Obama, then the unthinkable could happen--an extremist at the head of our government. However, President Obama will do the right thing for America and bring the troops home.

There are some domestic issues he must also address such as never again getting boxed in a corner and thereby, having to extend tax cuts to the wealthy. And he must veto any bill that cuts public education and social services that affect more than 80% of Americans. The proposed cuts are not a compromise--it’s a perversion on humanity.

Contrary to the negative press our President receives, he has more than 250 accomplishments to his credit. He is also restoring the Republic's image throughout the world that was in dire need of an image makeover. Of course there are citizens that view President Obama in a more sinister light--a Communist, a Socialist, a Fascist, a Kenyan, the devil and a Muslim. Mr. Obama is an American born and bred, and those that think otherwise must be labeled null and void. Their ideology is grounded in ignorance and stupidity, and therefore, should be relegated to back pages entitled "Insignificant."

President Obama will continue to lead the Republic back to prosperity, but he is one person and cannot do it alone. As citizens we must also hold accountable city council, mayors, state representatives, governors, senators and congressional elected officials when they place politics and personal agenda's ahead of the constituents. You and I should also effectively engage in the electoral process and not just at the ballot box. By doing so, we'll bring the change of prosperity that will benefit all citizens.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.
Anthony P. Johnson

"Reigning Champions"

2011-04-03T22:17:00.000-04:00

The Tea/Republican Party is nothing more than wanna-be-tyrants. They are wicked politicians who do not represent the needs of the people. They are greedy, self absorbed, and take as much money and resources away from the middle class, the working poor, and the poor.

Members of the Tea/Republican Party devise mischief, like a sharp sword, deceitfully working. They love evil more than good and would rather spread lies than honesty.

In an era of political deception, false dealing, and remorseless treachery, the Tea/Republican Party are the reigning champions.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.
Anthony P. Johnson

“Like A Warm Place in the Sun.”

2011-03-31T19:41:00.000-04:00

Eliminating child labor laws would be like cutting off the nose, lips and gauging the eyes to spite your face. Yet, leave it to extremists Tea/Republican Party elected officials that are bent on achieving this objective.

FAUX Cartoon Network and Sara the "Nitwit" Palin says America is spending $600,000,000 a day in Libya reaffirming why a mind is a terrible thing to waste, and Hermain "I won't hire any Muslims in my cabinet as president" Cain has about as much chance of winning the presidency as Sharia Law replacing the U.S. Constitution.

Nitwits and bigots continue to find a home in the Tea/ Republican Party--like a warm place in the sun.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Real World or The World of Bazzaro?"

2011-03-29T21:03:00.000-04:00

When there are those that make $250,000.00 a year and claim poverty or the Koch Brothers playing the "victim card" or when Donald Trump doesn't know the difference between a birth certificate and a coupon to Chuck-E-Cheese; I look around and wonder if I am still plugged into the real world or the world of Bizzaro.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“Tartaglione…Exit the Stage”

2011-03-21T23:20:00.002-04:00

Marge Tartaglione is the epitome of all that is wrong with the Philadelphia political system--a "career politician" with an ego the size of the Milky Way that does not know when to leave the political stage long after the curtain has dropped on her.

Ms. Tartaglione doesn't see anything wrong retiring for one-day to collect a $288,000.00 payout from the asinine DROP Program (deferred-retirement program), and her audacity to run for a 10th four-year term as City Commissioner is nothing short of arrogance and hypocrisy.

Ms. Tartaglione will probably say she's running to serve the people of Philadelphia, but she could better serve us by simply leaving the political stage--exit stage right. Is there any wonder why Philadelphians have such apathy and disgust about the city's career politicians?

Progressives will bring balance to the Republic
Anthony P. Johnson

"Whores of War Return"

2011-03-20T20:17:00.002-04:00

You know some say it started when Theodore Roosevelt said that America was the "police of the world."

Since that statement, no matter where in the world that America can somehow profit--the Republic's government has a knack of sacrificing our resources for its love affair of war. Libya is the new target of love to go to war against, and it appears that America is signing on to participate.

During the Civil War, England was preparing to declare war on the North because a southern boat was captured with a British official on board. Lincoln had the boat and official released and said, "One war at a time." Why can't our government sit this one out and finish up our business in Afghanistan and Iraq?

It's ironic how elected officials have no problem cutting and eliminating education for children and social service programs that affect the middle class, working poor, and the poor but never want to reduce military spending. To make matters worse, the increase in military spending doesn't profit the soldiers who actually do the fighting and dying. When their tour is up--they'll be coming home to foreclosed homes, dissipation of social services, lack of educational opportunities, and employment.

And if citizens in the Republic believe that our nation's involvement in world wars will bring democracy in that country or will increase jobs and revenue in America to benefit all citizens--I have some swamp land in Alaska that I'm giving away. The only ones profiting from war is the "whores of war" and the elected officials that they've purchased to do their bidding.

I am afraid that those of us in the Republic that abhor wars and want America to cease and desist from ever participating in them are looking more delusional than Newt Gingrich who believe he'll be President of the U.S.

Conversely, so long as we keep electing individuals that will profit from chaos and destruction as a result of war--the drums of war will grow ever louder for the Republic’s participation.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Accepting No More Destructive Behavior from Elected Officials Who Cut Funding of America's Education System"

2011-03-13T16:27:00.000-04:00

The concerted and perverted war effort by elected officials declared on America's public school education system and the teachers who have dedicated their lives to this noble profession must end...now!

From this day forward, we will not accept the destructive behavior from elected officials of cutting funding from America's education system while increasing funding for the penal system. We must take this extremely important message peacefully to the streets, the social network, and most importantly--at the ballot box.

Today, we are drawing a line in the sand between intelligence and civility vs. imbecility and incivility.

Every politician--from Tea/Republicans, Democrats, Progressives, Libertarians, members of the Green Party and Independents that are participating in this morbid behavior of eliminating a fundamental requirement that every youth and adolescent receives a quality education must never again sit at the table of the Republic's government.

As a people from all walks of life and who give a damn about the current shameless state our public schools are entombed in, we must begin building resources to combat elected officials from the local, state, and national levels of government that pillage and plunder education budgets. When would-be-candidates or incumbents seek or are up for reelection, it is our "responsibility" to campaign and vote, vote, vote to ensure that their chances of victory are impossibility. I would believe that "every" citizen in the Republic would be unanimous is this effort. Alas, I know they're not. In 2011, some Americans would like to hearken back to the "good ole' days" when a quality education was not a guarantee for every child.

With these current academic budget slaughters like the one recently perpetrated in Pennsylvania by Governor Corbett, America is eerily moving back more than 150 years to a time when only children of wealth and privilege were taught how to read and write and how the masses of impoverished youth and adolescents were introduced to permanent poverty, a life of crime, and imprisonment.

Conversely, a nation of illiterate youth and adolescents will impede a society from progressing, thereby creating a lasting culture built upon chaos, strife, and perpetual incarceration.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"Rise of the American Nitwit"

2011-03-09T22:44:00.000-05:00

Remember it! Write it down! Record it! Someday you'll tell your great grandchildren you were present when elected officials, school administrators, and parents chose illiteracy and ignorance over literacy and intelligence.

Never in my 42 years have I witnessed Americans attack education with such venom, ferocity, and the macabre that they make Ted Bundy look like a stand up guy.

In Pennsylvania, Governor Corbett took a chainsaw to education and defunded higher education with such vicious precision--even Leather Face would have found it heart wrenching to watch.

But Governor Corbett is one of many elected officials that provide the wealthy and corporations with free-bees and tax breaks while stripping the middle class, working poor, and poor of much needed services all the while having the audacity to say we must all sacrifice. What are you sacrificing, Sir?

I said this before--education should never be laid on the operating table of budget cuts, pure and simple. Yet, education and social service programs are always the first to be devoured by elected officials with such apathy that it would've made Jeffrey Dahmer become a vegetarian.

As we continue to see the rise of the "American Nitwit" and the demise of the Republic's once love affair for scholarship, our nation continues to resemble the poor man's version of Europe's Dark Ages.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"The People vs. the People"

2011-03-07T22:28:00.000-05:00

Only when the citizenry demands that elected officials be accountable can the government be effective in serving the will of the people.

Accountability and integrity in journalism can reign once more, but only when citizens break the "shackles of media mediocrity" by demanding that 24/7 news cycles report truthful, fair, and balanced news and zealously fact check elected officials who maliciously give erroneous information.

When citizens don't participate in the electoral process--a privilege that was obtained only after the sacrifice of millions of American lives--you not only dishonor the dead, but you also dishonor the living.

Because of political and social apathetic ideology, we've created a political cartoonist's version of a nation in which the government is the antagonist and the people are the protagonist. However, if you take a longer look in the mirror, you begin to see the government that many citizens despise is actually the "people" themselves. No matter how one may disagree with bloated, greedy, career-elected officials, they were elected through the Republic's political process that can be truly effective when able-bodied Americans can vote. And for those that can vote but are not registered to vote--register!

We still reside in a country where the "government of the people, by the people and for the people" is the foundation that stubbornly binds America to its people.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Cart Ahead of the Horse"

2011-03-04T19:46:00.002-05:00

I'm curious as to why Mayor Nutter would hold his budget address and talk about "no new taxes" to Philadelphians when many of us are bracing for Governor Corbett's state budget address that is expected to cut or eliminate many programs that will directly affect Philadelphia to close Pennsylvania's $4,000,000,000 deficit.

Furthermore, the federal government will also soon unveil its budget that is filled with wholesale cuts to programs like LIHEAP, and AmeriCorps--programs that will undoubtedly affect Philadelphia.

Why couldn't Mayor Nutter simply table his budget--at least until Gov. Corbett had the opportunity to present his? Mr. Nutter has been mayor for more than 3 years. This election year, he'll probably be reelected; but alas, he continues to woefully lack effective leadership that Philadelphia requires to guide us through a modern day version of the Great Depression.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"Dangerous and Asinine"

2011-03-02T23:06:00.000-05:00

Governor Scott Walker admitted to having considered planting "trouble makers" in the crowd of demonstrators to disrupt the peaceful rallies in support of unions held in and around the Wisconsin state capital.

So why has he not been made accountable for admittedly attempting to violate citizens' 1st Amendment rights?

Americans have focused their attention on the rallies, and the 14 Wisconsin Democrat state senators that refuse to return to work until Governor Walker acts like a servant for the people instead of a pint-sized wanna-be dictator.

But I firmly believe we must also address the fact that an elected official was contemplating perverting one of the most fundamental rights of every citizen in the Republic by implementing cowardly thugs and instigating what could have resulted in a full scale riot. In case Mr. Walker doesn't know, this isn't the 1960's, and he is not George Wallace--nor is he Mubarak or Khadafi for that matter. This dangerous and asinine behavior by Governor Walker should be met with vehement condemnation.

I find it extremely uncomfortable and troubling that an American public servant was weighing his options to physically endanger the lives of citizens and law enforcement to score political points. Any elected official participating in this type of behavior should be immediately removed from his post with the utmost zeal.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

Open Letter to Tom Corbett, Governor

2011-02-23T20:33:00.000-05:00

Tom Corbett, Governor
200 North Third Street
13th Floor
Harrisburg , PA 17101

Dear Governor,

Sir, as an educator and CEO of a small non-profit organization specializing in mentoring and non-traditional sports such as fencing and rugby located in Philadelphia, I am deeply concerned about the possible massive budget cuts that could be inflicted on social services such as:

• After School Programs
• Mentoring Programs
• GED Programs
• Physical Disabilities/Behavioral Health Programs
• Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Programs
• Senior Citizens Programs

In addition, Governor Corbett, I believe cutting funding from the Philadelphia School District would have catastrophic consequences in the communities, on the students, teachers, and some of the administrators who have dedicated their lives to providing youth and adolescents with a fundamentally effective education to become innovative leaders locally, nationally, and globally.

Sir, I know that these are perilous economic times in Pennsylvania and that tough and unpleasant decisions will have to be made to balance the state's budget. But I implore you to protect, maintain, and allow those of us in the field of social services to continue to cultivate these services so they can blossom and extend to everyone in need.

Respectfully,

Anthony P. Johnson, Founder
Dream Field Academy
647 East Raymond Street
Philadelphia, Pa 19120
Office: 215-744-2529
Cell: 215-715-0355
Email: johnsonanthony99@hotmail.com
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/dreamfieldacademy/

“Extreme Madness”

2011-02-22T18:56:00.002-05:00

Governor Christ Christie is moving in the wrong direction, and in the process, he is attempting to make history in the great state of New Jersey. If he achieves his objective, it will have a catastrophic affect on citizens’ rights to organize for fairness in the workforce.

It’s clear that Governor Christie would rather focus his attention on breaking unions rather than take action as Camden, Trenton and Newark are ranked as 3 of the 25 “Most Dangerous Cities in America.” In addition, instead of addressing and implementing innovative initiatives to combat the 8.7% unemployment in New Jersey, a decrepit infrastructure, and massive layoffs of law enforcement and firefighters in Camden which happens to be ranked 2nd as the “Murder Capital of America,” he would rather use the governor’s office as the bully pulpit against unions. And to think some folk believe that Mr. Christie would be a great President. President of what?

Governor Christie is nothing more than a tool for big corporations that want unions disbanded the same way President Theodore Roosevelt waged a successful campaign in dismantling the trusts and monopolies by a handful wealthy men such as Morgan, Carnegie and Rockefeller. The Koch Brothers, the 21st century version of the robber barons, and their ilk seek revenge. Governor Christie and Governor Walker are two of the more than 20 Tea/Republican Governors that are gleefully willing to be their minions and do their bidding.

I believe unions should be balanced and some desperately must return to the fundamental philosophy of Samuel Gompers which is--employee relations could best be encouraged through an effective dialogue between management and workers. But when corporations and elected officials scheme to completely obliterate unions in America, well, that is the final descent into extreme madness. It would be like tossing the proverbial baby out with the bath water. Unfortunately, that is the current climate in our political system--extreme madness and tossing the baby out with the bath water.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“Waiting for Fictitious Heroes”

2011-02-18T07:51:00.000-05:00

President Obama unveiled his 2012 budget plan to cut wasteful spending from the nation’s budget by more than a trillion dollars. Some of the cuts include:

• LIHEAP
• Pell Grants
• AmeriCorps

and other social service programs that assist middle class, working poor, and poor Americans. For the record, I completely disagree to any cuts to these excellent programs.

On the other side of the stale and moldy two-party political system, the Tea/Republican Party propose massive cuts from de-funding PBS, NPR, historically African American colleges and universities, the Department of Education, the IRS and the EPA just to name a few.

For the record, I support President Obama because I know he didn’t create this mess. Oh no! This debacle was procreated under President Ronald Reagan, and now Mr. Obama is attempting to fix this crisis, and he must now perform a much needed financial vasectomy to the national budget.

What we need now more than ever is an effective plan implemented to reverse the nation’s current trend because corporations, lobbyists, corrupt Supreme Courts Justices, weak, vacillating, and corrupt elected officials are taking America down a path that will place us in the history books right in front of the Roman Empire as a once great, empathetic and powerful nation that was destroyed by its greed, apathy and corruption.

We must also stop blaming each other for the political and social calamities that have enveloped the nation. You know what I’m talking about. Liberals blame Democrats, Democrats blame Progressives, Progressives blame Liberals, and this vicious cycle repeats itself. Stop! Why can’t we find a common goal(s) to focus and stay on message? We need to address our decimated infrastructure by:

• Ending Poverty
• Ending Homelessness
• Improving our Education System
• Protect the Environment and Social Security
• Ensure that “every” American has affordable and effective
healthcare
• Ending our involvement in wars around the world.
• Finance Reform

I thought that’s what Liberals, Independents, Democrats, and Progressives wanted for the Republic and its citizenry.

Conversely, we must stop waiting for Superman and/or any of the other fictitious superheroes to help us and instead be heroes of our own because the Republic is depending on us and our future is riding on it.

POWER TO THE GREAT CITIZENS OF WISCONSIN!

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Taking it to the Streets...Peacefully"

2011-02-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

Many Americans watched in awe over the last two-weeks as the Egyptian people took to the streets to peacefully protest the removal of a dictator who starved and murdered his citizenry, while he pillaged an estimated $70,000,000,000 from the country he claimed to love.

I'm tired of hearing members of the Tea/Republican Party always chanting "revolution" in America. They're always threatening to take their muskets and shoot other Americans because they say President Obama raised their taxes--which are false, and that "Obamacare" will kill their grandparents--which it won't. Additionally, the Tea/Republican Party members like to use references about "taking back America," but where do they want to take it?

I like to issue a challenge to these people:

If we, the citizens, leave our muskets at home and protest the homeless crisis in the nation which includes in some reports of 14%, 20% and 25% respectively of the population that has served in the U.S. military--would you be ready to take it to the streets peacefully?

Are you ready to peacefully protest the reduction of Pell Grant opportunities for deserving and under-privileged college students and the diminishing social services desperately needed in cash strapped American cities?

If we peacefully assembled in large numbers as concerned citizens because we want solutions, not excuses from parents, school, and elected officials about our decaying public school system that is no longer even graduating functioning illiterates--are you ready to take it peacefully to the streets?

If we, the people, marched on Capitol Hill as a nation of one, not based upon ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliation, but in fact, our concerns about the widening gap between the wealthy, the middle class, and the working poor, the increase in racial inequality, and the dissipation of a woman's fundamental rights that is destroying the Republic--would you be ready to take it peacefully to the streets?

If you're truly ready to start a "Real Revolution," let it be a revolution about aiding all Americans and restoring the Republic back to its greatness. Just a reminder, my dissatisfied brethren of the Tea/Republican Party--a nation divided will cease to exist.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“Brilliantly Poor”

2011-02-10T19:11:00.000-05:00

Mr. Nutter has taken Philadelphia in the wrong direction for more than 3 years, and I believe he will continue this odyssey if he is re-elected. To be blunt, Mayor Nutter does not possess the attributes consisting of effectiveness, nor is he innovative enough to reverse our city’s decrepit and financially bankrupt infrastructure.

I will not spend much effort addressing an unlimited list of failures by Mr. Nutter during his tenure, but I will say this--its crystal clear that rebuilding and restoring Philadelphia to its greatness is simply too big of a job for Mr. Nutter to handle.

So, where do we go from here? Currently, there is an incumbent mayor running for reelection that has done so “brilliantly poor” in serving the will of Philadelphians, and yet, there are no viable Democratic challengers.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“Greatest American Hero…Not!”

2011-02-08T18:51:00.000-05:00

I find it comical how the GOP and conservative talk radio attempt to package former President Ronald Reagan as a poor man’s version of the “Greatest American Hero” when it was clear early on in his Presidency that he resembled more of an “American Nightmare.” Ronald Reagan played the fear monger card to millions of Americans and convinced them that the true threat to America’s prosperity was African-American welfare queens, Central American leftists, and the U.S Federal Government.

In fact, in his First Inaugural Address in 1981, Reagan declared that, "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Yet, during his tenure as the Commander and Chief, he increased the size of the federal government that would have made President Franklin Roosevelt say, “Damn.” Three years after he left the White House, Ronald Reagan was anything but America’s greatest action hero. As a recession enveloped the country, Americans came to see the Reagan years which featured a massive defense buildup, soaring deficits, and even a stock market crash in 1987--as the source of their economic woes. Reagan presided over the worst recession at that time--since World War II and under his guidance from 1982-1983 the unemployment rate exceeded 10% for 10 consecutive months?

Ronald Reagan was also the Pied Piper of tax breaks for the wealthy, and since his Presidency ended more than 20 years ago--the richest Americans have received more than 400% in tax breaks while the middle class, working poor, and the poor citizens have not received any benefits in the form of improving the nation’s medieval infrastructure or job creation as a result of those tax cuts.

So to all my neo-conservative friends, stop attempting to cast Ronald Reagan as a President deserving to be mentioned with the likes of great U.S. Presidents such as Lincoln, FDR, T.R., Washington, Jefferson and Clinton. Yes Clinton! Reagan was not a great president, pure and simple, and no matter how you attempt to distort history with myths of his accomplishments--they fall flat like Carl Lewis' rendition of the “Stars Spangled Banner.”

It was President Reagan that deemed mental health obsolete when he made massive cuts in order to build up the military which led to the closing of thousands of behavioral health facilities. It was President Reagan who participated in the illegal transaction of arms-for- hostages, and it was Reagan who didn’t mention the word “AIDS” until 1987--and after between 20,000-30,000 citizens had perished. Perhaps in the country of "Bizzaro" Reagan would be an exceptional President but in the United States, he was far from it.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Rise of the Educated Poor in the Republic"

2011-02-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

If nearly 3 in10 adults that have completed post-secondary education are living below the poverty line, does this mean the protective benefits of education are diminishing? The rise of the educated and impoverished in America should be cause for great concern for every man, woman, and child, but is it?

Why do adults with post-secondary education make up such a large and growing proportion of the poor population? Well, in part, because the educational composition of the overall population is changing: In essence, a more highly educated poor population reflects the trend towards a more highly educated population in general. From 1981 to 1992, there was a rapid increase in the total number of working-age adults with PSE rising from 3.6 million to 6.8 million. As a result, 40% of the working-age population achieved some form of post-secondary qualification. Even without an increase in the poverty rate, the number of educated poor would have increased substantially because of this changing composition. Additionally, part of the increase in the number of poor working-age adults with post-secondary credentials is the result of an increasing poverty rate among this highly educated group, which climbed from 7% in 1981 to 21% in 2009.

It is surprising that more than 800,000 working-age adults with post-secondary education are--in fact--poor. It challenges our common fundamental belief system about the benefits of higher education. Indeed, we are left to inquire, how could anyone with a post-secondary education be impoverished?

In 2000 for example, 22% of poor working-age adults had obtained a post secondary degree. There was a debate about whether these students were "in fact, poor." Critics argued that students were "not really poor" because their poverty is "temporary"; they often receive some parental support, and many share living expenses with other students. True, some students fit this criterion; many, however, do not. Among those with a post-secondary education who were "impoverished students," 1 in 4 (25%) was between the ages of 35 and 64, and 1 in 5 (22%) had dependent children.

Among poor educated adults who were employed between 2000-2009, the most common occupations were in personal services, food and beverage preparation and other services (17%); clerical occupations (14%); and sales (11%)--this employment sector is beset by high levels of part-time employment, temporary work, and minimum wage. This is also true at the doctoral level--where there are more than 5,000 janitors in the U.S. with Ph.D.’s.

Conversely, contrary to popular belief, it is becoming increasingly clear that earning a Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree or a Ph.D. does not guarantee a job, let alone one with good pay. As elected officials continue to focus their attention on tax breaks for the wealthy, repealing health care and fear mongering, they have moved further away from ending unemployment and poverty in the Republic, and it would do them well to consider the following question which a growing number of citizens both adult and youth are beginning to ask: “What is the use of further training and higher education if there are too few good paying employment opportunities available?”

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

"Murderer’s Row" of Fear Mongers

2011-01-30T20:19:00.000-05:00

I'll give the Tea/Republican Party this--they sure know how to attempt to scare Americans. Isaac Asimov once said violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, and we witnessed that in Tucson. I like to add--"Invoking fear in a society is the last ditch effort of the buffoon."

On the night of January 25, 2011, citizens witnessed a "Murderer’s Row" of fear mongers, as Paul Ryan and Michelle Bachmann took their rhetoric to new heights. And not to be outdone, Sara "WTF" Palin provided her pointless assessment to the fold.

I keep waiting for a Republican elected official to step forward and be an effective leader in the Republic. I keep waiting to hear them say that “I am a Republican, but I do not support this behavior of many of my colleagues.” But alas, none have come forward. They all continue to drink from the cup of "I don't have an effective plan to repair America so I'll instill "McCarthyism" upon the nation."

There are some Democrats and Progressives that gleefully say that Bachmann and Palin should seek the White House in 2012. This would provide comedians and news outlets with endless material which to poke fun at due to their overwhelming lack of basic American History and domestic policy.

I, on the other hand, hope they do not seek the Presidency.

Like Limbaugh and Beck, every time we parade Bachmann and Palin, these mindless, fact less group of people on stage brings international shame and embarrassment to the Republic. And to think these individuals believe that the Framers of the Constitution would support their belief system is misguided--horribly misguided. Jefferson, Hancock, Washington, Franklin, and Patterson just to name a few would not support their view. In fact, the Framers would probably say in reference to Ms. Bachmann, Ms. Palin, Beck and Limbaugh, and a host of uniformed elected officials who know little or no history of America, “This is why you shouldn’t drink your own urine.”

As for the supporters of Palin, Bachmann, Beck and Limbaugh, they are finding it difficult to accept the fact that despite their fame, fortune, and status, they must be removed from the headlines for the good of the Republic.

Unfortunately, as long as television and radio executives continue to move increasingly away from creating effective and thought-provoking programs addressing the social chaos in our society and finding solutions instead green lighting more shows focused on keeping the citizenry entertained 24 hours a day, we're stuck with their shtick for an undetermined amount time.

All the while, America's status continues to dissipate in the world as an intelligent and visionary nation.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"Like Comparing Alexander the Great to Sponge Bob Square Pants."

2011-01-26T17:31:00.002-05:00

Comparing Representative Paul Ryan's rebuttal to President Obama's State of the Union Address would be like comparing Alexander the Great to Sponge Bob Square Pants.

So let's not.

Representative Ryan bellowed that future generations will have to pay the nation's current deficit, while he and the Tea/Republican Party are responsible for our "fiscal inferno." What does Mr. Ryan offer to address this issue? A re-packaged version of tax cuts for the wealthy and of course--smaller government. The so-called "Principles" of the Tea/Republican Party is nothing more than empty, baseless rhetoric punctuated by doom, gloom, and fear to frighten the citizens in the Republic. Haven't we heard this song before?

Mr. Ryan didn't present one--not one "concrete solution" to lowering the deficit so that his three children will not inherit it, a way to provide health care for millions of uninsured Americans, and solutions for creating jobs for the millions of people that are out of work. Representative Ryan is touted as fiscally brilliant, but what I witnessed was an individual who is "fiscally incompetent" and more hype than substance.

Representative Ryan's response was nothing more than a cheap, flat, and flimsy infomercial that should have been presented at 3:00 a.m.--when most Americans are asleep.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“Woefully Pathetic”

2011-01-24T22:08:00.002-05:00

I see that there are some citizens that could care less about others. For the record, I am not naïve to think that they were not always among us in America, but they used to have a standard. They used to direct their discontent and apathy towards adults only, but now, not even the children are spared.

We reside in a society where some believe providing a quality education for all youth is not an important issue as we witness entire school districts placed on probation and threatened with losing accreditation. To add insult to the proverbial “down for the count,” school breakfast and lunch programs for students--the "only" meal many of them receive--is getting the axe.

So much for the "charitable spirit."

As layoffs of law enforcement, fire fighters, teachers, and the de-funding of social service programs continue to mount, and IOU’s are replaced with more IOU’s many of our elected officials at the city, state, and federal levels stand pat and complain that the "Foreigner from Kenya occupying the White House is the sole cause."

When did America become a nation of "pass the buck"?

We continue to wail about the rise of the wayward youth and the violent behaviors that appear to have enveloped them like a warm place in the sun, all the while treating them like a 2nd class population by revoking every opportunity that would allow them to flourish. Have you ever met an illiterate, hungry, and angry youth at midnight?

The fact of the matter is we could eradicate child poverty and illiteracy if we wanted to. America is capable of dismantling the cradle-to-prison pipeline, including full funding of Head Start Programs, making sure that children can read by the fourth grade, and eradicating child poverty by 2015. However, all of this boils down to a lack of commitment by our society. Let's hypothesize for a moment. Had the tax cuts for the top 1% richest Americans been repealed, it would have yielded a $57 billion surplus. To put it in perspective, the wars in Afghanistan/Iraq has cost over $450 billion through 2007, which amounts to about $100 billion a year. There is plenty of money for wars, but America lacks the compassion and the will to assists its most vulnerable poor--its children.

Conversely, 500 years from now our Republic will be judged by the way we effectively and most importantly, humanely address the needs of our children. Sadly, as of 2011, America’s treatment of children is woefully pathetic. Today is our opportunity to finally create an environment that will provide every youth with an equal chance to succeed.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“But is that Good for Philadelphia?”

2011-01-22T15:55:00.000-05:00

You may win re-election, Mr. Nutter, but is that good for Philadelphia?

Polls, polls, polls! The polls say 45% of Philadelphians' would vote for you--but 39% would vote for a "New person". The latter number says a great deal about what many Philadelphians' think of you as a leader. Imagine the possibility that if the "New person" was "Skree Rock" from the corner of "Boo Boo" Street, they could achieve 39% of the vote.

You may win re-election, but is that good for Philadelphia?

In an "alternate" city of Philadelphia; schools and statues would be erected in your honor for the horrendous rise in unemployment that has enveloped our great city. If 11.9% unemployment was an achievement--It would be one of your crown jewels.

You may win re-election, but is that good for Philadelphia?

You now have the support of the unions for this election cycle, but you had their support when you ran for mayor the 1st time and yet, once elected you treated the unions as if they had contracted the Ebola virus. My, my, my, how soon they forget.

You may win re-election, but is that good for Philadelphia?

Candidly speaking, your fiscal portfolio and Jurassic budget remedies hearken back to a time which led to America's Great Depression and why our city cannot break the grip of financial ruin that has plagued us since 2007. You, sir, are the quintessential, modern day, "Rip Van Wrinkle of Economics".

Alas, you may win re-election for mayor, but damn it--Is that good for Philadelphia?

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"Chasing Windmills."

2011-01-20T20:57:00.002-05:00

I am always open to having an intelligent dialogue with those that disagree with what they term "Obamacare," and how in their opinions the law "kills" jobs, the environment and a host of other issues. But the stark reality is that many of those that are complaining, including their elected officials (which is equally unnerving) is that they haven't read the bill.

For the record the health care legislation will NOT:

* Increase the deficit
* Hinder job creation
* Bankrupt small businesses

nor will it:

* "kill" Grandma, Grandpa or Aunt B

The GOP recently patted themselves on the back for voting in the House of Representative to repeal health care despite the fact that the legislation itself will--wait for it, never be repealed.

Now that they've vanquished this windmill, what will Don Quixote, aka the GOP tackle next--repealing DADT?

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"Focusing on the Real Issues in the Republic."

2011-01-14T12:42:00.002-05:00

What if the so-called "Lame Stream Liberal Media" as Sara Palin calls it, stops wasting ink and precious air time dedicated to her misquotes and misadventures?

Imagine if the liberal media focused "solely" on important issues facing the Republic such as:

* A dysfunctional public education system

* High unemployment

* Exposing political corruption

* Providing affordable health care to every American

* Intelligently, humanely, and effectively addressing illegal immigration

* Repairing our national deficit,

* Eradicating poverty and homelessness

* Removing harmful ingredients from our foods that are detrimental to our children.

and

Leaving Afghanistan once and for all.

Oh sure there are some journalist that address these issues, and in many instances, very effectively, but there are far too many from the press and cable television that have focused so intently on Mrs. Palin that it borders on the psychotic. Like Limbaugh and Beck, Palin has no insight of how to implement clear domestic and foreign policy solutions that our nation requires, so why continue to talk about her?

The media has to stop berating her because when they partake in this senseless behavior, they make her a "victim." If they leave Ms. Palin to her own devices, rational and intelligent Americans will continue to see her for what she is--an intellectually inept, selfish, angry, and irrational American that believes in two America's--Sara Plain’s America and the Evil Liberal America.

In comparison, Nancy Pelosi, America's first woman Speaker of the House of Representative--and according to some political scholars, the best there ever was--up until a week ago was finally lauded for her numerous accomplishments during her tenure from January 2007 until January 2010. Unfortunately, while Palin receives front page news for seeking martyrdom, Pelosi's successes have been relegated to a Western Union Telegram.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"Blossoming Beyond the Status Quo"

2011-01-11T22:07:00.000-05:00

I knew that some Americans were going to rail against "change" in the nation but not like this. They've gone too far.

In every generation there are some individuals that find it difficult for America to blossom beyond the status quo. Unfortunately, the very thought of change can lead to violence simply because we're frightened of the nation’s journey towards a new, exciting, and unknown future.

I am thoroughly convinced that some citizens are irrational and will remain so until death. They cannot be spoken to rationally, depended upon to be respectfully disagreeable, or reasoned with. Alas, some of the citizenry merely desire to witness the Republic enveloped in a smorgasbord of chaos and darkness.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Darker Angels...Revisited"

2011-01-10T10:24:00.000-05:00

Everyday we--the adults of this nation--tell the youth that violence solves nothing. We tell them that we are all the same with the exception of our views and if we don't agree, then let us respectfully agree to disagree.

Unfortunately, no sooner than this philosophy is spoken, there are weak-minded, cowardly adults manipulated by infamous, arrogant, racist, fear mongers that injure and murder innocent men, women, and children simply because of a different belief system.

The senseless tragedy in Arizona reinforces that there are some people in the Republic that are willing to set America aflame with violence rather than accept compassion, understanding, and respect for human life.

During the last political cycle, some candidates’ platforms focused on fear, hate, and intolerance, and they were elected.

It’s easy to place complete blame on Fox News, Palin, Beck, Hannity, Limbaugh, Congressman King, Sharon Angle, Rand Paul, and a host of others for feeding the public's appetite with this orgy of vulgarity. However, in Arizona, none of them pulled the trigger that left Ms. Gifford fighting for her life and 6 others murdered in cold blood including a child. A child who was there because of her commitment to be a future leader in America.

Some will say,”Anthony, Liberals, Democrats and Progressives are just as guilty at fanning the flames of terror in America." Well, from where I'm from, Liberals, Democrats, and Progressives have never said, "If we lose an election we should get our guns." I, for one, am willing to lay down all of my joys and give my life to ensure that every American has an "opportunity" to go as far as talent takes him or her, but from a legislative and the electoral process--not by way of violence.

Consequently, what occurred in Arizona is partly the fault of the Palin's, Angle's, Beck's, Limbaugh's and some elected officials that project their narrow minded rhetoric on the nation. The other perpetrators, however, are the ordinary 9 to 5'ers that have willingly given in to the darker angels within.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

"The Era of "Clown-ism"

2011-01-08T20:27:00.000-05:00

It hasn't been a week since the Republican Party began serving as the majority in the House of Representatives and they already look absolutely befuddled.

For example, some elected members of the GOP are choosing to fund-raise instead of attending the official swearing in of the newly elected. Other members are reading the cliff note version of the U.S. Constitution and clearly do not understand the concept of its meaning. The Speaker of the House is boldly challenging, without any merit, the Office of Management and Budget when the non-partisan department factually announced that the GOP's crusade to repeal health care will increase the nation's deficit to the tune of $230,000,000,000. Factor in the mix of the members of the Tea Party and you get a weird warping version of the blind leading the hysterically blind.

This week the Republican Party appeared to look dazed and confused like a duck hit with a rock. This is not a party with many (if any) intelligent, insightful, and innovative members dedicated to building a Republic with a robust infrastructure. Yes! There was a time when the GOP had members that served the will of their constituents and they also knew that "corporations were not people." Today's "conservative" party resembles a lost episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

The Tea/Republican Party members love saying, "The American People spoke by voting them in." An area that these folks have mastered is motivating "weak-minded" Americans to go on shooting rampages and the art of mendacity. Most Americans didn't vote and some of us are all too familiar that when voter turnout on an election day is low--the GOP is a position to be victorious. Stop saying the American people spoke on November 2 by electing you. It’s not true and it’s also pathetic.

Until the citizenry finally cast their fears aside and elect officials at all levels of government that will provide opportunities for every American--The era of "clown-ism" will continue to infect what's left of our floundering democratic society.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson

“The Republic is Progressive”

2011-01-06T11:32:00.002-05:00

• Support for the Public Option: 72% of Americans
• Support to repeal DADT: 78% of Americans
• Opposing “Citizens United” Decision: 80% of Americans
• Support of how to tackle the national defict: Raise taxes on the wealthy: 61% of Americans

Citizens of the Republic; you are Progressives! Embrace your progressiveness.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“21st Century Re-Segregation Plan: Wrongly Classifying Students as Special Needs.”

2011-01-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

During my tenure as a student in the public school system in the 1970's and 1980's, if I or any number of classmates required additional assistance in reading, writing, or arithmetic we'd receive tutoring to improve in the subject, and we went on with life. However, fast forward to the 1990's, and today more youth, disproportionately African Americans, are being labeled as "special needs" students in which academic achievement is not expected from them.

In the September 2010, the Guardian noted that the number of children said to have 'mild' special needs had increased from 14% to 18% in the past seven years. In some cases, the report described 15-16 year old students who were said to have special needs were at risk of falling short of their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) grades. After receiving the special needs classification, the students received additional mentoring from senior staff' and improved in their schoolwork. It was suggested that, rather than wrongly classify or 'label,' students as having special needs, it's suggested that better teaching be required. This is not a new phenomenon of the claim that more students are receiving diagnoses of learning disabilities.

In 2011, it might seem more the norm, or nothing so remarkable, for a child to have disorders that represent the alphabet soup of ADHD, ADD, PDD-NOS, ED, LD, SPD, and on and on and to require social services in the form of speech therapy, behavioral specialist, occupational therapy and therapeutic staff support. In the Republic it’s more common to ask, “Hey, does your child have a diagnosis,” than not. Additionally, it is easy to say that students the are classified as special needs lack parental involvement but this doctrine is a generalization that we can no longer afford nor accept because what is clearly occurring is school officials have decided that it is convenient and cost effective--for them to stamp the “seal of special needs” on a child rather than provide the resources to assist them to improve academically and socially.

For example, the parents and students in suburban Philadelphia filed suit against their school district for classifying black children as special education students improperly (Blunt et al v. Lower Merion School District). In July 2007, the African American families filed a class action lawsuit in federal court and claimed the district had failed to provide a proper education to their children. According to Sonja Kerr of the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia and director of the organization's Disabilities Rights Project, "The district is essentially wrongly using its special-education programs to resegregate their schools...Teachers and other staff often have unfairly low expectations for minority students, and they also often misperceive cultural differences as disabilities. What we hear from families is that this has been going on for generations." Those attitudes and misunderstandings lead directly to the racial disparity you see in Lower Merion schools. LMSD has definitely been aware of this problem since 1997 when it first created committees to address the problem, but the system has not improved."

Conversely, no matter how school administrators attempt to "juke" the statistics, the illiteracy and dropout rate among our youth is catastrophic. Further, one out of every 100 children are wrongly being branded special needs because they may require additional academic enrichment in one or two subjects but are relatively good students academically and socially and don’t warrant the stigma. To be issued the title “special needs” it might as well be stated: "If you require any additional academic and social assistance, there will be in essence no opportunities for you...not now or ever!"

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

When?

2011-01-04T10:38:00.002-05:00

When shall the Republic fall to some transatlantic adversary? Will they in their path bring death and destruction across one of our metropolitan cities or some quiet town in America? Will they trample across the Appalachian Mountains or replenish their war machines in the Ohio or Mississippi Rivers?

Never!

All the armies of Iran and North Korea couldn't by force touch the sands in neither Las Vegas, nor feel the cool breeze from the Pacific on a summer evening in California, or listen to the soft rustling of the wheat fields in Kansas and Oregon.

If the final chapter is the destruction of America, it will be the citizenry that will be its zealous writer concluding its existence.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."

Anthony P. Johnson

“Welfare Reform…We Can Be the Outcome”

2010-12-23T23:35:00.000-05:00

It’s time--yes, it’s time for you and me to address welfare reform. We continue having a discussion on reform, and yet nothing is truly been implemented to change the system. We must begin today to create and implement tangible solutions of a growing concern. Of course we have debated that fact that public assistance was not meant to be a permanent form of income; however, it becomes a way of life for certain people of all nationalities in society.

I advocate for public assistance to aid the less fortunate in society, but more specifically, only people who are unable to work due to illness or mentally challenged. Understanding that jobs are limited at this time in America and incomes among the masses are horrendous, if there are people receiving welfare, they must do community service work in order to continue to receive assistance.

This could include:

1. Classroom aides in public schools.
2. Aides in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices.
3. Aides in after school programs for children.
4. Supports at playgrounds and recreation centers doing activities with children.
5. Clean-up crews in neighborhoods where there is decay.
6. Support for senior citizens who need shopping or assistance in getting to a doctor.

To ensure that public assistance is effectively implemented I also advocate that we include:

1. Home visits required for all forms of assistance.
2. Increase the salaries of social workers and advocates.
3. Proof of community service employment or proof of attendance at a place of education (GED program, college, vocational school).
4. If a person needs assistance because he or she does not receive child support, we must effectively create and implement a system to better help collect that child support.

Conversely, this will be a win-win situation. Let’s be honest, Philadelphia and other cities in the Republic have eliminated so many of these support programs from state budgets. If people are required to work to earn public assistance, they gain a work ethic. No one would get a free ride, pure and simple. Just imagine how many positive benefits would come out of this form of welfare reform.

This is the one hope of doing away with “generational welfare” and the abuse of welfare funds for people who choose not to work, individuals suffering from drugs/alcohol addiction, as well as those who practice irresponsible parenting. The change has to begin somewhere. This is where it should begin.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“How the Citizenry Perverted Welfare Benefits.”

2010-12-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

In this country, why are there some people receiving welfare benefits who think they are entitled to keep having children knowing that they cannot afford to support these children financially and socially attend to the children's needs?

Public assistance was created to aid senior citizens and other Americans that were going through a difficult financial period. Welfare was not implemented to become a cultural way of life--but unfortunately, that is exactly what it has become.

What we've been witnessing over the last three decades is how welfare has created a generation of families who have become dependent on it. Are we to believe that over the last 30 years there haven’t been any effective academic and economic resources available for those receiving assistance to become self-sufficient to provide for their families? This addiction-like mentality to welfare has made some of the citizenry 21st century slaves. To be blunt, this is a national disgrace!

Several weeks ago, my students and I viewed the movie "Precious," and at least half the student population knows an individual like the mother of Precious. Male citizens of Caucasian American, African American, and Latino American also increase the rolls on public assistance--young and able bodied men. Yet, we've seen many of these males have two or more children while receiving benefits. So, if people cannot support their families, should they continue producing children for tax payers to support? There are intelligent and tangible solutions to addressing the welfare issue such as educational and entrepreneur resources made available to everyone. But sadly some refuse to seek those opportunities.

Immediate action needs to be taken by lawmakers stopping this insanity of welfare. If people choose to have children while they receive benefits, then the responsibility of the support of these children must revert back to the parents, not the tax payers. Don't reward "welfare pregnancies" by increasing the subsidies for additional children. Instead of giving cash assistance to the parents of children who often abuse it, let the government give housing vouchers instead of cash. Let food stamps for welfare recipients be limited to healthy food similar to the way WIC does it instead of loading children up on sugar and soda pop creating hyperactivity in children so that they can't focus on their school work.

Children who are born into generational welfare also suffer from the symptoms of poverty which include physical illnesses such as asthma, learning disabilities, and emotional problems. Children born from drug users suffer neurological problems creating a myriad of health and behavioral problems taxing the cost of medical care and behavioral specialists. If people are not able to take care of themselves, how can they possibly take on the responsibility and extra burden of caring for more children? Quite frankly, they can't. They need to be discouraged--not encouraged.

Let me be perfectly clear--Public assistance was created to aid senior citizens and other Americans that were going through temporary financial hardship of no fault of their own and they should continue to be aided. However, for those that think they are entitled to these benefits are misguided and are perverting a system created to help Americans in need.

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."---Cicero, 55 BC

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson

“Entitlement Be Damned.” Part I

2010-12-16T19:20:00.000-05:00

Why do some Americans believe that they are entitled to stuff? At first glance you might be thinking “Yeah! Why do poor people always think they are entitled to stuff?” Although there are some middle class, low-income, and poor citizens that embrace the philosophy of “something for nothing;” some of America’s wealthiest have also purchased a ticket to this rhetoric. We are not entitled to anything other than--in the words of Anthony “Tony” Soprano“ informing his wife, “You’re entitled to sh*t.”

1. Why does the GOP feel the wealthiest of Americans are entitled to a tax cut?

2. Why do some Americans believe that if they make $8,000,000 or more they should not have to pay any taxes?

3. Why does the GOP feel they are entitled to repeal the 14th, 16th, and 17th amendments to the U.S. Constitution?

4. Why does the GOP feel that the 9/11 first responder's bill is yet another “entitlement” bill aimed at helping lazy Americans?

5. Why does the GOP believe the only entitlements Americans need is to serve the banks?

6. Why does the GOP believe they are entitled to send American jobs oversees?

We have elected officials that believe that they are entitled to go on vacation without first addressing the issues that affect millions of citizens and even though many Americans are starving for the basic necessities—well, then they are entitled to their suffering.

As America’s public school system continues to fade further into oblivion, school administrators believe they are entitled to request and receive unlimited amounts of funding to fix the infinite amount of decaying infrastructure the schools face--despite the fact that they are already receiving huge amounts of tax dollars with minuscule academic and social results for the students. At the higher education level, some students believe they are entitled to receive a passing grade in their courses just for showing up to class. Huh?

Why do some middle class, working poor and poor Americans believe that the American government should take care of them instead of demanding that the government provide them with effective academic and economical resources in order to achieve economic prosperity for their families and the nation? America has now become the "entitlement country" of the world. When did the origin of this behavior arise? There is still the “can do spirit” in America and when given the opportunity, the citizenry has produced marvelously while others continue to wallow in self-pity and choose not to partake in the opportunities that are available to them.

The “entitlement toxin” is infecting the fabric of the nation, and only the injection of the antidote of self-motivation, self-worth, and the entrepreneur spirit can cure the Republic of this infection.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Progressive

“I Don’t Think He’s Going to Do It.” Part II

2010-12-14T10:11:00.002-05:00

I am a fan of President Lyndon Johnson partly because he was a masterful politician and for his vision of attempting to create a great society within the nation.

During the early stage of their Presidencies, LBJ and Obama immediately pursued massive social programs to aid 98% of Americans, but the GOP calls it massively expensive programs of “wealth redistribution” and “domestic entitlements.” For LBJ it was the “Great Society” programs, and for Obama the economic stimulus package and healthcare. It is true some of Johnson's programs did not live up to expectations, but the “Great Society” could have accomplished so much more. Unfortunately, many programs went underfunded. As for Mr. Obama, I believe his legislation, too, will meet the similar fate as LBJ’s.

Johnson’s "Great Society” policies provided tax cuts to the citizenry, which was his declaration of an unconditional war on poverty creating programs and training for the poor while it established various community action programs to provide the poor with a voice in housing, health, and education programs. In addition, through what I believe to be some of the greatest pieces of legislation: Medicare for the elderly, and Medicaid, health-care assistance for the poor came at a time when poor and the elderly were treated like second class citizens, or not citizens at all. Fast forward to 2010 and there is an unconditional war dedicated to eliminating these programs

In addition, LBJ would not seek reelection possibly because he was faced with the possible escalation in an effort to win the war in Vietnam with an enemy who seemed determined to fight and win no matter what the cost of life was. In 2010, it also appears equally important why I believe with the possibility of escalation of America’s military presence in Afghanistan, President Obama will not seek reelection in 2012. Mr. Obama must deal with the realities that like Johnson; he too is combating an enemy that is willing to sacrifice millions of lives to win this war.

President Obama’s recent compromise with the GOP for additional unemployment benefits for America has come with a hefty price tag. The wealthy will be granted a 2 year tax cut extension while millions of other Americans, i.e. the “99ers,” will be left out of those future unemployment benefits. President Obama has been vehemently criticized for the deal from political enemies, but some of his political allies are ready to burn him in effigy.

Conversely, LBJ grew tired of the never ending and growing death toll of American soldiers in Vietnam, the political back-stabbing, and the lack of intestinal fortitude from elected officials to do what was right for all Americans--and he was a political giant in Washington politics. In the end, the “Big Texan” had had enough and left, quite possibly, on his own terms. Fast forward to 2010, and President Obama is faced with many of the same issues. As many Americans look forward to the 2012 Presidential election, some are thinking will it be Palin, Romney, Pawlenty, Huckabee or Gingrich who will face President Obama. However, some us are thinking--will he even seek reelection?

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Progressive

"A Thorough Investigation."

2010-12-10T18:16:00.000-05:00

District Attorney Seth Williams
Three South Penn Square
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Friday December 13, 2010

Dear District Attorney Williams,

Perhaps I missed something, Sir, but when a city official admits to participating in the re-election campaign by deliberately misleading voters, I would think her actions would warrant an in depth investigation from your office. This is in view that the Ethics Board found the individual guilty and that it should not matter who is the perpetrator’s mother. Am I correct?

It’s clear that Ms. Renee Tartaglione, the 27 year veteran chief deputy of the City Commissioners Office, participated in illegal activity going as far as assisting Jonathan Ramos in his failed attempt to defeat Angel Cruz for State Representative, blatantly violating a long-standing ban on political activity by city employees. This happened specifically in Ms. Tartaglione’s office which is charged with ensuring that elections are fair and impartial. And at this point, aren’t her actions corrupt enough to trigger the interest of District Attorney’s Office?

Although the Ethics Board did not refer the Tartaglione incident to your office, I would hope that you will consider reviewing and addressing this matter.

To be candid, Sir, Ms. Tartaglione’s illegal activity has directly affected the residents in the 180th District, and we are asking that you “place the needs of the people first" in starting a thorough investigation into this matter.

I would appreciate your response so I can report back your intentions to our community group.

Sincerely,

Anthony P. Johnson, Organizer
The "180th Watchdog Coalition"

Terri L. Willmott
Communications Director
shadoerip@hotmail.com

“Yeah, that’s fair!”

2010-12-09T21:55:00.002-05:00

We tell our children to go to school, earn a college degree, and in return they will have a rewarding career and be financially secure. At this point in America though, an individual with a B.A., an MA or Ph.D. will be happy with any job, but alas--will not find it.

Today's youth are hip to the talk about how education pays--but when Americans that have followed that academic game plan and are unable to obtain any type of employment, why would the youth want to strive for academic excellence?

The “99ers" exhausted all their benefits and savings at least a year ago, and these workers are about to be cast aside on the road of “I am not my brother’s keeper.” The 99ers only want a job--a job! Yet, there are not even training programs or internships available to them. There are no welfare or social security benefits, hell, not even Burger King will hire them.

Congress ignored the 99ers, i.e. our American brethren praising themselves for saving the other unemployment extensions. Here, in AMERICA, we have the longest group of unemployed workers, and it is as if Congress wished they did not exist, and think by ignoring their existence they might dissipate.

So, this Christmas, the 99ers will be the group of unemployed citizens without food, clothing, and shelter while the wealthy receive an additional 2 year extension totaling 12 years of tax breaks. Yeah, that’s fair!

We tell our children to go to school and earn a college degree because without it they will have few opportunities with only poverty being available for them. Many of the 99ers have earned a college degree but the opportunity for them to provide the “basic necessities” to their families appears to be irrelevant to our elected officials because as some of them have said, "People receiving unemployment benefits are lazy and unmotivated.” Yeah, that’s fair!

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Progressive

“Dammit, Mr. President”

2010-12-07T22:38:00.000-05:00

There is such a huge gap between rich and poor in the Republic that we have the biggest schism of all industrialized nations on the planet. And if you listen to the right-wing theory, the American poor are a bunch of lazy, no-good free loaders always wanting something for nothing.

Of course I wouldn't be okay with my unemployed brethren not having the means to provide for their families and to the Republic's economy. But are you okay with negotiating with what I believe to be American terrorists, i.e. the GOP? Every time they want something for the wealthy they will use middle class, working poor and the poor to get their way--even at the cost of watching most Americans starve and go homeless.

Further, I know all too well of the mess that President Obama has inherited and yet, the GOP aim is to keep the mess in place under his administration so that they can heap the blame upon Mr. Obama in 2012. Make no mistake, many Americans have short-term memories. On November 2, 2010 they voted for the Tea/Republican Party to take control of the House of Representative the very party responsible for America's financial peril.

As I stated recently, I am a proud Progressive, and although I support Mr. Obama on many of his initiatives, there are some and as well as his approach that I don’t agree with. Up until this point I think President Obama has done an effective job, but more must be done and the citizens that want better schools, effective healthcare, an end to political corruption, support for the middle class, working poor and the poor must demand it from him, the Democratic Party, Tea/Republican Party and Progressives alike.

Conversely, some believe that Democrats, Independents, and Progressives will abandon Mr. Obama in 2012 and cast their support for Palin. Registered Democrats at the time demonized President Carter for the financial mess in America when in fact; it was the Nixon/Ford administrations that sent the Republic into financial ruin. Nonetheless, it was Democrats that abandoned President Carter and cast their votes for Ronald Reagan.

I cannot speak for Democrats or Independents--but Progressives will never support Palin or anyone from the Tea/Republican Party because their allegiance is to the wealthy--pure and simple--and this Progressive allegiance is for the middle class, working poor, poor and the nation. You may not like us--but we make no pretention about our loyalty.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Progressive

“I Don’t Think He’s Going to Do It.” Part I

2010-12-04T12:09:00.000-05:00

I will be honest with you; I don’t think he’s going to do it! I don’t think President Obama will run in 2012! When you really consider it--should he? President Obama is doing something that I haven’t seen since the FDR and Truman years--he’s not running a continuous campaign.

From the moment Bush II stole, eh, won the presidency in 2000, he was already campaigning for 2004. His first day in office, President Bush's 1st act was putting his George W. Bush for President ‘04’ campaign team together. His first day in office, the current President’s 1st act was putting out so many fires in the first 2 years of his administration that when I recently heard that David Axelrod was going back to Chicago to begin the 2012 campaign, I realized Mr. Obama was two-years late and that he didn’t read the memo THAT is what modern day Presidents do the first day in the Oval Office.

As an avid admirer of presidential history, I thought those outdated, fat and bloated politicians at the time hated President John Kennedy, partly because of his youth, intelligence and exuberance. Compared to the treatment that Mr. Obama has endured in his short-term as President from some of the "new" outdated, fat and bloated politicians; Kennedy's foes look as if they were preparing to canonize him for sainthood.

With the exception of President Lincoln, never has a President endured this type of single-minded hatred from elected officials, from Republican and Democrat alike who are gleefully willing to see the rest of America become a Third World Country than to support ANY of President Obama's initiatives that would benefit the Republic.

T.R., FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, and Bush I had their political enemies but damn it, when the country was in dire need of food, jobs, schools, security, etc., these men knew how to find commonality with their enemies. Unfortunately, no matter what President Obama offers his political adversaries to promote bipartisanship; they would rather spend a three-day weekend with the devil than acquiescence.

With only 36,000 jobs created for October, America’s unemployment at 9.8%, and more than 3,000,000 Americans without unemployment benefits; even middle class and working poor Americans are now throwing Mr. Obama under the bus for all that has befallen the nation. At the same time, Americans give Senator Mitch McConnell and the rest of the GOP a pass despite the fact that many of the initiatives that President Obama needs to implement in order to increase jobs, decrease unemployment and employ millions of citizens, are being blocked by them.

Again, if President Obama decided not to run in 2012, could you truly blame the man?

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive

“I’m just saying…”

2010-11-29T13:23:00.000-05:00

Since there is no war draft, what if all future non-gay and non-lesbian Americans refuse to join the military until DADT is dropped? Even in the 21st century Americans are being denied to serve based upon sexual orientation. Haven’t we been down this dark and hollow road before?

The START Treaty is a good start but if a few senators toss the proverbial monkey wrench into the program and getting it off course; Iran and North Korea will not be the only countries brazenly flashing nuclear materials in the world.

Recently, President Obama received 12 stitches while playing basketball. Compared to the beat down he’s received over the last 2 years--12 stitches is a paper cut.

Tom DeLay is an American embarrassment, pure and simple.

Sarah Palin makes yet another gaffe. This time she has difficulty differentiating who is America’s real ally--North Korea or South Korea.

Sarah Palin isn’t going anywhere so we should simply accept the fact that she’s a constant reminder of the alcoholic aunt that continues misquote Cookie Monster for Keats.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra Progressive

“History Waits for No One.”

2010-11-24T15:36:00.000-05:00

In a recent Quinnipiac survey, 49% to 43% of Americans believe President Obama doesn't deserve to be re-elected.

Unlike Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter, President Obama is deserving of another term as Commander and Chief. President Obama has 245 accomplishments over the last 2 years. These are years that have been tumultuous at best.

But alas, President Obama might end up like Truman. When he left office, Harry Truman had an approval rating of just 39%, and it was only after he died did historians and citizens begin to see his great achievements. If President Obama is not re-elected in 2012, how long will history take to judge him for being an effective President?

Like time--history waits for no one.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra Progressive

"I Am America!"

2010-11-22T12:31:00.002-05:00

I am the present, the known, and the unknown future.

I am America!

I am a citizen, a foreigner, a scholar, a pimp, a prostitute, and a psychopath.

I am America!

I am a racist, a bigot, xenophobic, illiterate, misguided, and corrupt.

I am America!

I am the body elect that serves my own interests.

I am America!

I am balanced, compassionate, empathetic, charitable, humble, and a servant to humanity.

I am America!

I am the body elect that promotes the interests of the constituents.

I am America!

I am strong, confident, unflinching, brave, assertive, fearless and self-motivated.

I am America!

I am afraid, fearful, terrified, prone to cowardly acts, I am arrogant, apathetic, self-centered, and self absorbed.

I am America!

I am peace, I am violent, I am the storm, I am the calm before the storm, I am veiled, I am thinly veiled, I am simple, I am complex, I am full of love, and I am brimming over with hatred.

I am America!

I watched the inhabitants respect and cherish me, while other nationalities have bought me to near extinction by way of destroying the environment, famine, wars, and injustice.

I am the beacon of hope for some nations and for other nations--to despise, but for better or worse--I am America!

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra Progressive

“Intellectual Limitations”

2010-11-18T11:02:00.000-05:00

Sarah Palin is contemplating whether she'll run for President of the United States, and if she wins the Republican nomination, Palin believes she can beat President Obama in 2012.

Sarah Palin loves talking about the American Hero, aka, Ronald Reagan and how he made government smaller during his tenure as President. Ms. Palin is wrong! Under President Reagan the government ballooned to epic proportions that even his staunchest supporters admit he was guilty of doing.

Ms. Palin says President Obama's big spending and big government must end in order for the private sector to grow. In 2 years under President Obama, there has been more growth in the private sector than there was in the last 8 years.

Sarah Palin thinks President Obama's massive spending is what’s hurting America’s economy, and yet she continues to “selectively” forget that it was Bush II that began the slippery slope into financial chaos that is currently stifling the nation’s economic growth and prosperity.

Sarah Palin believes the next President must be willing to make the tough decisions for the safety of the nation, but isn't that exactly what President Obama is doing--making the tough decisions?

When asked directly if Palin thought she could defeat President Obama in 2012, it was reported the former Alaska governor replied, "I believe so." Based on what?

• Quitting as governor of Alaska,
• A foreign policy philosophy in which America will declare war on Iran, North Korea, and China
• Supporting political candidates that are so extreme that the Ku Klux Klan seem moderate
• The inability to make decisions that will benefit all Americans

…and that’s just the appetizer.

I believe I can defeat Philadelphia’s incumbent Mayor Michael Nutter if I ran--but I’m short of about $2,000,000. I understand and accept my financial limitations.

Perhaps, Ms. Palin should learn to accept her “intellectual” limitations.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive

"The World Beneath Us is Now On Top."

2010-11-17T12:33:00.002-05:00

An estimated 19,400 fugitives from Philadelphia will be given a free pass in the city's effort to reduce the criminal courts docket of criminals. That's right: rapists, pedophiles, repeat drug dealers and prostitutes who were on the run can now come in from out of the cold.

The buffet of fugitives that have committed violent acts against law abiding citizens is not limited to the following:

• One predator forced his way into a home where the victim was made to perform oral sex.
• A babysitter who sexually assaulted two children.
• Drug dealers that are habitual repeat offenders.
...and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

When people cannot depend on the justice system for justice, who can they turn to? This decision is wrong, pure and simple.

For some, this decision may alleviate the courts bloated criminal case files--but at what cost? Not even factoring in the psychological effects this decision is having on the victims, if 1,000, 3,000 or 5,000 of the fugitives repeat their acts of terror which is likely, imagine how this burden will affect the already meager resources the city and state currently have. And wouldn't their repeated acts increase the already inflated criminal cases the courts are already addressing?

If the nation falls it will not be at the hands of outside forces; the nation will fall because of the failure of the elected body to protect the citizens that will plunge the fatal dagger that will bring its demise.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra Progressive

"Stimulating the Economy Requires Bold Leadership."

2010-11-15T07:44:00.000-05:00

More than 18,000 Philadelphians are scheduled to lose their unemployment benefits in December 2010. So, what happens to them and their families? Shouldn't the benefits be extended to these residents residing in a city where the unemployment is hovering around 11%?

Perhaps Mr. Nutter could offer the following:

• Give small businesses in Philadelphia a tax credit between $25,000.00-$30,000.00 so the owners would be motivated to hire more employees.

The $10,000.00 tax credit he offered businesses to employ ex-offenders was a "phenomenal embarrassment" because it was a small tax break with too many stipulations.

• $25,000,000-$30,000,000 of the $60,000,000 the city collected in owed taxes from businesses could have been used to create new small businesses that would have stimulated economic growth in Philadelphia.

$20,000,000 was given to the School District of Philadelphia, but specifically, how was the other $40,000,000 invested in the city?

• Request that the state/federal government extend the jobless benefits for the next 6-8 months.

Any city that has double digit unemployment--and there's a few; elected officials should be demanding congress for an extension 10 hours a day.

Up to this moment Mr. Nutter's tenure as mayor has been abysmal where "failure" has become synonymous with his leadership. He could however, actually start tabulating some victories if he finally takes bold steps in addressing Philadelphia's horrible unemployment.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra Progressive

What I Want for My Precious Vote…

2010-11-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

What I want for my precious vote is for elected officials to create solutions to decreasing the more than 2,313,000 currently incarcerated and the closing of all future prisons for 15 years, I want an increase in the construction of innovative public schools, protect the environment from predators, provide “affordable and effective” healthcare for all Americans, ensure government is free from corruption, implement term limits for elected officials at every level of government, and address illegal immigration with a clear and insightful resolution.

What I want for my precious vote is expanded job creation, increased financial support for current and new small businesses--the backbone of the nation; I want the fear mongering, racism, xenophobia and hypocrisy to stop. Stop! If those of us cannot debate varying opinions factually, intellectually and respectfully--then we must deem them “irrelevant.”

What I want for my precious vote is for the citizens to continue moving America forward; I want an ending to America's involvement in wars and that DADT is struck down once and for all-time. What I want for my precious vote is for the United States to have a balanced budget that is--“consistently balanced” so that future politicians will no longer have this issue to use as a campaign ploy to get elected.
I know fully that when I vote and participate in the electoral process only then will I become the outcome in my community.

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”
Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive

"A Rainbow of Economic Prosperity Awaits the Nation."

2010-10-29T12:23:00.000-04:00

On November 2, 2010, we will gather to decide on what direction to take the nation. Do we continue moving forward despite the current economic torrential blizzard where beyond this awaits an economic rainbow of prosperity, or do we--gulp--move backwards?

On one side; and there are sides, is a political party that has in essence declared war on the middle class, working poor, and the poor citizens. A political party whose members supports outsourcing American jobs to countries they say that the Republic should not do business with because they practice communist philosophy--and yet, this political party accepts millions of dollars from China.

This is a political party that has members who have campaigned on overthrowing the government and eliminating the 1st, 14th, 16th and the 17th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution--the Constitution! This is the living document that keeps us from tearing each other and the Union apart.

This is a political party that refuses to create jobs; wait, not just jobs--good paying employment opportunities that will benefit families and stimulate the economy, health care for all Americans, and new innovative education policies that will produce scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs and medical professionals, and environmental and finance reform.

This is the Tea/Republican Party. This is the party of Wall Street, corporations, the wealthy, aka, the party of "NO" to the other 98% of America.

On the other side, there is the political party that has members that have lost their way and at times those members mirror the principles of the Tea/Republican Party, and have at times capitulated to the party of "NO."

However, the Democratic Party HAS members that are serving the needs of the dwindling middle class, working poor, and the poor citizens, they support education, Wall Street and health care reform, support for small businesses, gay rights and are the last line of defense on protecting the environment from those that don't give a damn about the quality or there lack of water we drink and the air we breathe. The Party of Franklin Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Clinton and Obama has served the will of the people and battled the "Beast of Intolerance, Racism, Poverty and Unemployment."

On November 2, 2010, we can vote to abandon the "failed policies of empty rhetoric from the past" or we can continue implementing solutions that will strengthen and empower our current fractured Republic.

On November 2, 2010, we will once again--be the outcome.

"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."

Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive

“Using Thomas Jefferson--When It’s Convenient.”

2010-10-26T23:41:00.000-04:00

Many of the “loons who sat by the door of democracy” are in full support of Wall Street and corporations, and how they love to quote Thomas Jefferson--when it fits their needs. They like to talk about how sharing one’s wealth is wrong and how poor people need to get off they're assess, get a job, and make something of themselves. They tell the soon-to-be-extinct middle class that poor people are irrelevant and that Mr. Jefferson said:

“The democracy will cease to exist
when you take away from those
who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”

The Angle’s, Miller’s, Paladino's, McMahon’s, and Rand (“My Goons Will Stomp On Your Head”) Paul says government is too big and trying to control our lives. They invoke Thomas Jefferson--again, with quotes to stir the soul:

“My reading of history convinces me
that most bad government results from too much
government.”

They say too much government is bad and limited government is good. Yet, if you ask them to name at least three Republican Presidents that lived by the “limited government” mantra, they’d gleefully say Reagan, Bush I and Bush II--and I’d gleefully say “Wrong,” “No and “LOL.”

Then they would be angry and infuriated. Ms. Angle, Mr. Tancredo, and Mr. Perry would utter the quote by Mr. Jefferson that is now a catch phrase craze in America:

“The tree of liberty must be
refreshed from time to time with the blood of
patriots and tyrants.”

All the while saying Wall Street and corporations are good for America. One can place what appears to be the never ending economic nightmare in America on President Obama. I guess it’s easy to do so when you’re the one holding the hot potato and no one else is around to toss it to or catch it for that matter. But make no mistake--it was Wall Street and the corporations that have bought us to the current doom of despair and it was Thomas Jefferson who said:

“I believe that
banking institutions are more dangerous to
our liberties than standing armies.
If the American people ever allow
private banks to control the issue of their
currency, first by inflation, then by
deflation, the banks and corporations that will
grow up around the banks will deprive the people
of all property - until their children
wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers
conquered.”

“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic.”

Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive

"So, Who's the Real Terrorists?"

2010-10-25T10:51:00.002-04:00

I am so sick and tired of these cowards with their cowardly threats about overthrowing the United States if they aren't elected in November. This is treason pure and simple and those that are fanning the flames--traitors to the Republic.

Sharon Angle from Nevada and Rick Perry from Texas are some of the culprits who began this acidic behavior for this election cycle and people are in full support of them.

Elected officials--here in a America openly and arrogantly talking about invoking their 2nd Amendment and seceding from the Union if they don't get what they want. Five years ago the faux public servants would have been arrested, prosecuted, and jailed for their "cowardly and treacherous act."

No! We are heading in the wrong direction when citizens are accepting this type of rhetoric from individuals s who aspire to sit at the table of our government.

Oh the irony. Citizens were branded "Un-American" when they didn't support Bush's War, so what shall we call Americans campaigning on terror, fear, threats, and secessionism--patriots?

Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive.

"The Unthinkable Becomes a Reality?"

2010-10-22T13:57:00.000-04:00

Whether the opposition is Rendell, Katz, Green, Street, Knox, Santa Claus, Elmo, or the Easter Bunny, Mr. Nutter should not be reelected as mayor.

Since 2008, I've written extensively about the misadventures of Mr. Nutter and how woeful he's been as mayor for one of the greatest cities in the Republic. Since his stint as mayor, all we've gotten from him is:

• Unlimited excuses

• Elimination of services

• Lack of depth in creating and implementing effective policies to stimulate economic growth

And

• Arrogance

Philadelphia and its residents deserve better than this poor leadership that Mr. Nutter has provided up to this point. Could it be that the Philadelphia Democratic Party regarding its mayors is taking nearly 30 years of support for granted?

We've had 8 years of Mr. Goode, 8 years of Mr. Rendell, 8 years of Mr. Street and quit possibly, gulp--8 years of Mr. Nutter.

Mr. Goode had his moments and was on his way to being considered one of the best mayor's the city had until well, the MOVE Massacre. Ed "America's Mayor" Rendell was responsible for the face lift to Center City that re-energized economic growth at the time but not much else, and John Street increased social services in the city that was sorely lacking, but he also had an administration and associates so corrupt that they never met a kickback they didn't like. This brings us to Mr. Nutter. His achievements have been so far and few that I would have to grade them on a curve in order for him to receive a passing grade--and on too many occasions Mr. Nutter looked lost and dazed like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights of the issues in Philadelphia.

Mr. Nutter's supporters will say he inherited a horrific economy, but in Mr. Street's defense, he managed to leave the city with a surplus when he left office. In my humble opinion, that type of rhetoric doesn't even fly with President Obama. Mr. Nutter wanted the job because he had a better mouse trap--well, you got it! Now shut-up about how bad the economy was when you became mayor and fix it. We are at 11.9 percent unemployment. If we Philadelphians tighten our belts anymore, third-world nations will begin sponsoring a Philadelphian.

Maybe what Philadelphia needs is a Republican mayor. Maybe they would be effective, and in the process, awaken the Democratic Party to the reality that their hibernation in which they've been in for nearly 30 years is over.

Anthony P. Johnson, Ultra, Ultra Progressive.