Law of the Land

Is government really back on the job?

By Eric Stradford and Stephanie Walker Stradford

AMWS, October 17, 2013, Cleveland, OH – In a nutshell, any threat to a veteran of the United States Armed Forces threatens America’s national security. The 16-day shutdown of the United States government, compounded by the possibility of economic default evoked uncertainty among Americans concerning their economic security.

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11), an advocate for economic security, particularly for historically disadvantaged Americans, has set out to prove that national government is back on the job. Staff members returned to work in Fudge’s district to face allegations of fraud and depraved indifference to Public Law 112-260.

In the midst of uncertainty about the nation’s future, Arthur L. Stradford, one veteran of the U.S. Army, died as elected officials bickered over the law of the land. An autopsy, requested by the Department of Veterans Affairs, is likely to find no fault concerning Stradford’s all but peaceful transition from “Heroes Harbor” at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center.

However, a failure by Congress to provide oversight in veterans’ affairs and the failure of Veterans Administration officials to ensure compliance with the law of the land has left one bereaved family in limbo with no plot to place their hero.

Ironically, the problem stems from a “fill-in-the-blanks” mindset among some of the 800,000 folks sent home from government jobs this month. The National Cemetery would not provide a gravesite because a 77-year old widow didn’t have a DD Form 214.

Congresswoman Fudge’s district office has been working with Stradford’s family to ensure the “expressed wishes of the next of kin or other agent of the deceased veteran are respected and given appropriate deference…” However, neither Fudge nor the Veterans Administration could explain how VA admitted, treated and autopsied Mr. Stradford with no record of a DD Form 214 proving his veteran status.

Back in the 20^th century, military service members received the infamous DD Form 214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.” The United States Department of Defense issued the form upon retirement, separation or discharged from active-duty military service. Today, we celebrate paperwork reduction as the law of the land. Along with that law comes increased reliance on a digitized government.

In theory, before the Paperwork Reduction Act (Public Law 104-13), a veteran would hold on to the paper DD Form 214 forever. The veteran would need to show proof of service to apply for a VA loan for housing or business, educational assistance, or medical treatment at a VA Hospital. When the form was lost, you just log on to the right website and ask for a replacement.

The process was simple enough for the time. But, what happens during change from what was to what should be? What happens when government leaders are in conflict over what laws should be respected and what laws can be ignored? And, what happens when elected leaders disagree and vehemently fight over funding that affect “WE THE PEOPLE?” Far too many Americans slip through a crack in the foundation we believe to be democracy.

As Arthur’s elected representative, The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH) serves a local constituency and chairs a body of national leaders giving voice to African American concerns for more than 140 years. Fudge ascended to chair The Congressional Black Caucus after her constituents helped to re-elect President Barack Obama.

Since the election, the term “law of the land” has been muddled in the midst of mayhem around Public Law 111-148. Most folks recognize the handle “Obamacare” or the Affordable Healthcare Act. But, opponents seeking to repeal the law, have counted on ignorance and distrust to rewrite history.

Turmoil within the nation’s capital calls for a combination of legislative tactics and grassroots, community-based initiatives to bring attention and positive change to issues of social and economic injustice. In the 21st Century, African Americans and other communities of color continue to be disproportionately and disparately impacted by poverty, environmental, justice and healthcare challenges.

President Barack Obama pointed to healthcare as a necessary step toward achieving economic security. The overwhelming necessity to inform and engage citizens creates a critical need for increased cooperation in Washington, on Main Street, Back Street, and Cross-the-Tracks, USA.

We have all heard that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The 112^th Congress of the United States acted on a national security need that is slowly repairing the fabric of society. The Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 establishes a spirit of law by which Americans can begin to heal.

Public Law 112–260 charges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, “the expressed wishes of the next of kin or other agent of the deceased veteran are respected and given appropriate deference…” Properly executed, the federal agency serves the need of the veteran’s next of kin. No bereaved family expects to hear “I can’t” from an “ICAN” government.

If anything lesson is learned from government shutdowns, fiscal cliffs, potential defaults and healthcare debates, it probably points to common sense and a renewed commitment to serve. A 77 year-old widow with a need to access VA Forms on the Internet is likely to be challenged. Like a tree, falling in the forest with no government at work, is that 77 year-old widow heard?

President Barack Obama signed Public Law 111-148 on March 23, 2010. It represents a measurable, tangible outcome of change that a majority of Americans once hoped for. This hope was reflected not once, but twice in the election of the first African American president in U.S. History.

Whether you are for or against Public Law 111-148 “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” whether you are for or against Public Law 112-260 “The Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act,” neither WE THE PEOPLE or our government can choose which laws to obey.  But, at some point every every citizen will need to make a choice about America’s future.  “Where do we go from here: CHAOS or COMMUNITY?”

Healing Our Nation From Our Street, USA

By Sharon J. Hill

 
In the public eye, Cobb County, GA, October 5, 2013 --  The Cobb United for Change Coalition (CUCC), or “Cobb Coalition”, has been, since 2008, addressing issues and cases of alleged injustice including human rights and civil rights violations brought to its attention by people of all races, cultures and backgrounds. As part of this mission, the Coalition has also developed a close working relationship and collaboration with the Cobb County Police Department and other county-wide departments and law enforcement agencies, with all involved reporting mutually beneficial results.

According to Coalition spokesperson and President of the SCLC, Cobb Chapter, Dr. Ben Williams, “The recent announcement of the Trayvon Martin verdict and accompanying anxieties experienced and expressed by people on all sides of the issue, in addition to the other recent incidents of violent crime in Cobb, have combined to amplify the very different perspectives on the role of race and culture in our society and community, and the real and perceived disparities involved. For this reason an increasing number of Cobb residents, especially youth but also adults of all backgrounds, have come to us seeking solutions and ways we can all work together to prevent and stop the escalating violence and societal divisions.

In order to help channel this anxiety into constructive dialogue and action, we have initiated nine lines of action, one of which is geared towards healing our community by helping people of all backgrounds understand and address the sources of prejudice in ourselves and in our community, with the purpose of building bridges of understanding and cooperation, which we feel is the first step towards solving our community’s problems. In light of the present impasse in Washington, this is even more important and timely to accomplish at the local, grassroots level, which perhaps will provide an example of how our elected leaders should behave.”



To this end , the Coalition has invited Rita Starr, founder and facilitator of the nationally acclaimed organization, Healing Our Nation Workshops (), and some of her professionally trained facilitators, to present an introduction to the “Healing our Nation Workshop: Understanding the Impact of Prejudice & Race”, which they have been conducting for organizations, corporations and municipalities nationwide for over 20 years, recognized by the “President’s Initiative on Race”, with the latest up to date research and practices. Starr states, “These workshops are facilitated in a way that is respectful of everyone’s background and culture--in other words, not a ‘blame game’-- in order to build bridges of understanding and bring communities together through the knowledge and understanding of our diversity, and they work best when the participants come from a diversity of backgrounds and opinions.

5th Grader’s Life Saving Course

Getting something positive out of the government shutdown

By WE THE PEOPLE

Here’s a class project for some really smart 5^th graders. The objective is to ENGAGE THE LEARNER in applying FOUR KEY LIFESAVING STEPS to the current condition of the federal government.  Let's assume that a 911 call is key to successful life saving.  Your response to this article will be accepted as the 911 call.

1: START THE BREATHING -- The federal government is our patient. There is no heartbeat, respiration is shallow and the patient appears to be choking on something. WE THE PEOPLE must open an airway and restore breathing and heartbeat.

2: STOP THE BLEEDING – A significant amount of blood is already out of the body and on the floor. If the patient loses too much blood, the patient dies. WE THE PEOPLE must stop the bleeding.

SOURCE OF THE BLEEDING: H.CON.RES.25 is also known as the “Ryan Budget” or the House of Representatives version of the Federal Budget. Candidates Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan hoped to implement such a budget had they won the 2012 presidential election. The legislation proposes a budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014 and sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2015 through 2023. The Ryan budget is not likely to pass in the Senate because it seeks to reverse or “defund” Public Law 111-148. The President is unlikely to sign a bill into law that seeks to reverse or “defund” public laws passed by previous congresses and/or presidents. In doing so, he might undermine the Full Faith and Credit Clause in Article IV of the U.S. Constitution.

SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014.
Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2014.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.
SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.
TITLE II--RECONCILIATION
SEC. 201. RECONCILIATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TITLE III--RECOMMENDED LEVELS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2030, 2040, AND 2050
SEC. 301. LONG-TERM BUDGETING.
TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS
SEC. 401. RESERVE FUND FOR THE REPEAL OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
SEC. 402. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE REFORM OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
SEC. 403. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND RELATED TO THE MEDICARE PROVISIONS OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
SEC. 404. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.
SEC. 405. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REFORMING THE TAX CODE.
SEC. 406. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRADE AGREEMENTS.
SEC. 407. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REVENUE MEASURES.
SEC. 408. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR RURAL COUNTIES AND SCHOOLS.
SEC. 409. IMPLEMENTATION OF A DEFICIT AND LONG-TERM DEBT REDUCTION AGREEMENT.
TITLE V--ESTIMATES OF DIRECT SPENDING
SEC. 501. DIRECT SPENDING.
TITLE VI--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 601. LIMITATION ON ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.
SEC. 602. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.
SEC. 603. ADJUSTMENTS OF AGGREGATES, ALLOCATIONS, AND APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY LEVELS.
SEC. 604. LIMITATION ON LONG-TERM SPENDING.
SEC. 605. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS.
SEC. 606. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS AND AGGREGATES.
SEC. 607. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES.
SEC. 608. TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THE TREASURY TO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND THAT INCREASE PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS.
SEC. 609. SEPARATE ALLOCATION FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS/GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.
SEC. 610. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.
TITLE VII--POLICY STATEMENTS
SEC. 701. POLICY STATEMENT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION.
SEC. 702. POLICY STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM.
SEC. 703. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICARE.
SEC. 704. POLICY STATEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
SEC. 705. POLICY STATEMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY.
SEC. 706. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE CANCELLATION OF UNOBLIGATED BALANCES.
SEC. 707. POLICY STATEMENT ON RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SEC. 708. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE REDUCTION OF UNNECESSARY AND WASTEFUL SPENDING.
SEC. 709. POLICY STATEMENT ON UNAUTHORIZED SPENDING.
TITLE VIII--SENSE OF THE HOUSE PROVISIONS
SEC. 801. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.

3: TREAT FOR SHOCK – The patient is insured. As a result of Public Law 111-148, the cost for treatment can be covered by insurance, but only if the patient complies with the law. Some 800,000 federal employees are out of a government job, but are blessed with some time to ENGAGE 800,000 5^th graders in POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. WE THE PEOPLE must control, or treat for shock.

4: PROTECT THE WOUND – Public Law 111-148 was executed by the President on October 1, 2013. WE THE PEOPLE and our elected representatives are obligated to support and defend the law of the land. Prosecution by the U.S. Justice Department is a potential “band-aid” solution for saving the patient. WE THE PEOPLE, represented by the U.S. Attorney General must now dress and bandage the wound.

Will 114th Congress Feature Hip Hop Caucus?

What happens when Hank “Public Enemy” Shocklee, MC Lyte and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels speak for WE THE PEOPLE? Stay tuned for “change” from the “#DoNothing” 113^th Congress.

By Eric Stradford and Stephanie A. Walker Stradford

AMWS, September 20, 2013, Washington, DC -- If you are running for Congress anytime in the future, you may want to “boehner-up” on some highly offensive legislative lexicon.

WARNING!!! Depending on your orientation, the language may be almost as offensive as the “work” of the 113^th Congress of the United States. The Congress most likely to be labeled “#DoNothing,” according to Huffington Post, has had just 15 bills signed into law so far, the fewest in recent history. Before now, the 112^th Congress had established itself as the most unproductive since the 1940s.

Congressman Andre Carson (D-IN) held the gavel on another caucus.  Since Rock and Roll, America has long feared this threat might emerge. Rev. Lennox Yearwood, President, Hip Hop Caucus engaged Hip Hop house speakers MC Lyte and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Radio One’s Amos Brown, Michael Skolnik, President, Global Grind, and Angela Rye, President, IMPACT Strategies to welcome one of the nation’s emerging leaders to the world stage.

Hank Shocklee, Founder, Public Enemy is no stranger to the Annual Legislative Conference. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation invited him for an encore appearance. Last year, Shocklee shared his empowered perspective on Digital Divide. This year, he seems to be running for Congress—maybe even Speaker of the House.

Carson’s panel of prospective protagonists shared some prophetic insight on HIP HOP POLITICS, OUR GENERATION'S MARCH TOWARD AMERICA'S FUTURE. The emerging discussion centers on how the hip hop generation can drive political activism. Ongoing discussion addresses barriers perceived by hip hopers in moving their agenda to the next level.

An Open Letter to Congress alleged to be communicated by Rapper Jay-Z set the tone for some legislative lingo that is heightening concerns among conservative as well as liberal incumbents. Public Law 111-274, The Plain Language Act of 2010, may serve as the last line of defense against attempts to make rap an official language of Congress.

President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 on October 13, 2010. The law requires that federal agencies use "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." With the emergence of Hank Shocklee, founder of Public Enemy to the congressional scene, the term “public” is being closely monitored for relevance.

Public Law 103-62 may offer some legal ground for impeaching congressional rebel rousers. Enacted in 1993, The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) is one of a series of laws designed to improve government project management. The GPRA requires agencies to engage in project management tasks such as setting goals, measuring results, and reporting their progress. In order to comply with the GPRA, agencies produce strategic plans, performance plans, and conduct gap analyses of projects.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is tasked pursuant to the GPRA with producing an annual report on agency performance within the executive branch. OMB’s annual report is produced with the President's annual budget request to Congress. Requirements by Congress to produce results in compliance with PL 103-62 are unclear.

It is clear, and becoming more clear that laws and legislative agendas need to change.  If America is dissatisfied with its elected leaders, perhaps the performance, or the lack thereof is the catalyst for change.  A few good professional performers may need to “boehner-up” on the law.

Angry Black Man

What the problem IS? “Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater (Luke 12:48).”

By Eric Stradford and Stephanie A. Walker Stradford

AMWS, September 19, 2013, Washington, DC -- An angry black man at The White House this week is reportedly a figment of someone else’s imagination. A vocal minority within an elected majority has called on the President of the United States to value the angry black man as a threat to America’s economic security.

This week, President Barack Obama identified “a faction” that views compromise as a dirty word. “Anything that is even remotely associated with me, they feel obliged to oppose,” he said.

The President’s decision to keynote the Phoenix Awards Dinner at The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC2013) underscores a minority agenda to expand opportunities in health, education, and economic recovery. Ironically, the majority of Obama’s audience at the conference is a minority group of Americans historically categorized by the color of their skin.

National Security is among the historically excluded topics from the black caucus agenda. But rumors of an angry black man, perhaps heightened by a mass shooting at The Washington Navy Yard, a police shooting of a black man in Charlotte, NC, and a sighting of Trayvon Martin’s parents in D.C., has added cause to perceive the increased presence as a credible threat.

Up to now, the content of character for America’s legendary Stolen People has been to expect more from One Nation Under God. A half century after the historic 1963 March On Washington, remnant survivors have renewed the challenge for Washington to choose—“Chaos or Community?” CBC leaders are calling on fellow Americans to “be and to lead the positive change needed in public policy,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and chief executive officer of CBCF.

Some congressional leaders and their constituents fear that Black America’s longstanding battle cry, “we shall overcome” might be an emerging reality for America’s future. They seem driven, perhaps by fear, to block Obama and a minority base of constituents from achieving anything but <= to the status quo. The knee jerk reaction to rumors of a black man in The White House has been STAND YOUR GROUND! Some have gone as far to threaten a shutdown of the federal government “on principal.”

As a counter measure, CBCF has tapped Congressman Andre Carson (D-IN) for HIP HOP POLITICS, OUR GENERATION'S MARCH TOWARD AMERICA'S FUTURE. The discussion centers on how the hip hop generation can drive political activism. Ongoing discussion addresses barriers perceived by hip hopers in moving their agenda to the next level.

Earlier this week, The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) announced plans for a $5 million investment in African-American banking institutions. The investment is said to be “part of a broader effort” to increase the availability of loans for businesses and individuals in African-American communities. CBCF is targeting banks in four regions of the country-the North, South, East and Midwest in an attempt to achieve “geographic balance” in an initiative that could prove crucial in lifting the economic fortunes of black communities. In all, five banks are to receive $1 million each.

The threat feared by a diminishing majority in Congress is now out front. And you guessed it! It’s all about the money. The intentional, pro-social approach, measured by a mere $5 million community reinvestment represents a pinchin’ from a trillion dollar Troubled Asset Relief Program. The $5 million investment by CBCF reflects a change in attitudes and actions about equity for historically disadvantaged Americans. One might recall TARP as the congressionally approved government purchase of assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector. President George W. Bush signed TARP into law October 3, 2008 and bounced a check to purchase or insure up to $700 billion of "troubled assets."

Citigroup, Bank of America, J P Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, GMAC Financial Services (Ally), General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PNC Financial Services Group, U.S. Bancorp, Chrysler, Capital One Financial, Regions Financial Corporation, American Express, Bank of New York Mellon Corp, State Street Corporation, and Discover Financial all participated in a “shell game” to shift the full faith and credit of the American people toward an emerging new minority.

To date, some in the financial industry have been doing the bait and switch – diverting the loaned dollars from the intended reason. Others further abused investors after the TARP legislation was passed by telling investors their money was invested in the federal TARP financial bailout program and other securities that did not exist.

In an October 2011 quarterly report to Congress, The Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) reported "more than 150 ongoing criminal and civil investigations." SIGTARP had already achieved criminal convictions of 28 defendants (19 had already been sentenced to prison), and civil cases naming 37 individuals and 18 corporate and or legal entities as defendants. It had recovered $151 million, and prevented $553 million from going to Colonial Bank, which failed.

The $5 million community reinvestment by CBCF is being praised by some as a demonstration of accountability to the beloved community. “Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater (Luke 12:48).” Others fear any reinvestment in certain people might be construed as reparation for slavery--replacing that hand out of past politics with a hand up to the future.

BIG Financial Mistakes: Part 1

By Stephanie A. Walker Stradford and Eric Stradford

September 13, 2013 – AMWS - Since 2009, we have been on a quest to improve our finances and empower others to do the same. Most of us come from hard working parents or grandparents who lived from paycheck to paycheck.

Most of us desire the American Dream (or at least what it used to be) for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. But, too many of us are set in our ways and refuse to CHANGE our habits to make a difference in our life and, therefore, those we love. Get real! If you keep doing the same thing over and over, you will continue to get the same results.
Regardless of your circumstances, here are a few tips that will change your future. Just try it for one year. If it doesn’t improve your life, stop.

ADDICTIONS – If you have a negative habit which has turned into an addiction, whether it is abuse, bullying, smoking, alcohol, drugs, pornography, prostitution, or worse, GET HELP TODAY! It has cost you too much and your family has paid an enormous price. Don’t wait. Addictions are Big Financial Mistakes. Yes…it will be hard. No…it is not impossible. It is never too late for you to become a productive human being and use your story to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

SAVINGS – Pay yourself! Every time you get paid and every financial gift for your birthday or a holiday set aside a portion for your personal savings account. When you go to the store and have pocket change, set it aside in jar or vase for your savings. When you get rebate checks, save them! If you have money left over at the end of the month after paying your bills, move it to your savings account. You will not regret this action of fiscal responsibility and it will add up quickly.

CAR LOANS - A decade ago, the average term for a new car loan was 53 months. Now, according to Federal Reserve data, the average term is ten months longer which means more interest paid by the consumer. The longer the term, the more money you are wasting because a car is a depreciating asset. In just one year after your purchase, the value will usually be 30 to 50 percent lower, depending on the make, model and year.

Recommendation: Do not pay interest on a car for any longer than you must pay, depending on your down payment and income. And never, if possible, agree to a car loan for longer than 60 months. You are paying more and getting less for your money. If you cannot afford the payment under 60 months, you need to shop for a cheaper car.

Conversely, do not pay cash for the car unless it is a used small ticket item. Why? You can help your credit score by paying a short term auto loan on time. Select 36 months or less and pay ahead of the due date. If you have the funds to pay the car in full, put it in an interest bearing account so that you have the payment when due, and you are making money on your money. After one or two years, pay it off in full.

CREDIT CARDS – Don’t buy sales items on credit, unless you are going to pay the bill in full within 30 days or with no interest. According to Suze Orman, if you purchase $350 worth of merchandise at a 15 percent discount, your bill will be $298. But if the $298 goes onto your credit card at 20 percent interest and you pay only the minimum due each month (usually about 3 percent), it will take you two years and $67 in interest to pay it off.

CASH OR DEBIT – Pay cash or debit for most purchases, unless there is a benefit using credit (such as points for gas or travel). When you use credit, pay in full when the bill arrives. If you cannot afford to pay in full, you should decide in advance if the item is essential. If it is not essential, wait and save for it but do not make the purchase on credit. For instance, if you NEED new tires for the car, cannot pay cash or debit and must put it on credit, make the purchase and pay it off as soon as possible.

AUTO AND HOME INSURANCE - Do not select a low deductible on your auto or home insurance policy. Although it seems that you are limiting your immediate expenses with a low deductible, you should not report small claims which may increase your policy or cause your agent to drop you. When possible, meaning you have more than $1,000 in savings, elect for a $1,000 deductible and you may reduce your premium by 10 percent.

EDUCATION SAVINGS – If you have just had a baby, your child is in elementary school or not yet ready to graduate from high school, begin to set aside funds in a 529 plan or other savings account for higher education. Did you know that fewer than 40 percent of students graduate in four years? A fifth year can add 25 percent to the cost of higher education. So, you have a responsibility to encourage your child to become an academic achiever and score well on Advanced Placement tests. This action can reduce the required coursework in college, which reduces your costs.

The range of tuition is vast. However, a good estimate is between $10,000 and $60,000 per year. This is tuition and does not include books, a computer, furnishing the room, transportation costs, trips home for holidays and pocket money. If your child’s career requires a graduate degree or a doctorate, that bottom line drastically increases. Starting to save at birth or at a young age becomes critical as the costs for education increases. And, don’t dismiss FAFSA forms for financial aid, federal loans, and scholarships. Every penny counts!

COLLEGE – Your child or grandchild may want to go to a fantastic private college. However, did they work and save for their education? It is also possible that you did not create an education fund and private school is outside your price range. Also, take into consideration that every child does not have to go to a four-year college. There are good technical schools and community colleges, depending on the career choice. A college education can be valuable, but it makes absolutely no sense to accrue extensive debt in today’s economy. Your child may have a great degree, unable to find a job and must come back home to live in your basement! Suze Orman says, “I can't stress this enough: Do not deplete your retirement fund or mortgage your home to pay for college. That money needs to keep working for your future.”

Summary: We hope that these tips improve your life as much as it has ours. Please look for Part 2 of this series. Remember, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. If you start today to improve your life and believe that ALL things are possible, within a few months, and certainly a year, you will see the evidence of your hard work and perseverance. Be blessed!

Research provided by Suze Orman

Needs of The One

“At times the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the millions, and in time the vision of the one, can move millions to the miracle.” -- Unknown

By Stephanie and Eric Stradford



As millions participated in a virtual March On Washington, Economist Yvonne R. Griswold, a national director for Youth Achievers USA Institute and fellow Youth Achiever John H. Bonds III, regional manager for Global Cleaning Services, LLC, engaged a Whole Village in Cobb County, GA to endow One Community Asset, The Joi Butler Fellowship of YouthUSA. Photo by Crystal Smith
 


AMWS, August 26, 2013, Atlanta – In the national demonstration for human rights, participants are most likely pressed toward the movement. The media mindset of the past has been to microwave the message for quick and easy consumption, mass marketing Cliffnote summaries to the millions and the millions who might follow them.

But for the 50^th Anniversary of the March On Washington, a message is getting through despite some bad habits of the past. Veteran leaders like Dr. C.T. Vivian and The Honorable John Lewis are tapping into endless possibilities for framing collective action by committing themselves to a common vision for America’s Future.

The Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King, Chief Executive Officer for The King Center offered some tangible guidance for moving the movement. In 1963, millions walked away with a common and sustainable reference to the March On Washington. Almost everybody looks back to part of a speech they remember as “I Have A Dream.”

In looking ahead, Bernice A. King is building on a message behind the media blitz of mass movement. The youngest daughter of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King has taken on the task of servant leadership for the remnant watershed factions of the historic American Civil Rights Movement. Her needs, perhaps inspired by the greatest quote from the 1963 #MarchOnWashington, are today among the most important reasons for the masses to march. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” said The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As the youngest of three surviving offspring, her message has been simple, elegant and compelling. But, like her father and her mother before her, the message is still being met with unjustifiable resistance. The media can share blame with the masses because her message to herself has been simply, “BE A KING.” The difference made by half a century of growing up as children of the Civil Rights Movement is that everybody needs to be your daddy and your momma.


Her simple, humble request is for WE THE PEOPLE to follow some marching orders. Buy and read the book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King, Jr.  The 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington holds specifically inspiring significance for B. A. KING. Today, the masses must embrace the humility in the messenger’s enduring message.

Bernice Albertine King (born March 28, 1963) is today an American Baptist minister. She is the second daughter and youngest child of civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Her older siblings are Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King, and the late Yolanda Denise King. Bernice was only five years old when her father died and is the only King child to have become a minister.

Her daddy, Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was, to most of us, an American clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism.

A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. With the SCLC, King led an unsuccessful struggle against segregation in Albany, Georgia, in 1962, and organized nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama, that attracted national attention following television news coverage of the brutal police response. King also helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

There, he established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. He also established his reputation as a radical, and became an object of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's COINTELPRO for the rest of his life. FBI agents investigated him for possible communist ties and reported on them to government officials.

On October 14, 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence. In 1965, he and the SCLC helped to organize the Selma to Montgomery marches and the following year, he took the movement north to Chicago. In the final years of his life, King expanded his focus to include poverty and the Vietnam War, alienating many of his liberal allies with a 1967 speech titled "Beyond Vietnam".

King was planning a national occupation of Washington, D.C., called the Poor People's Campaign. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His death was followed by riots in many U.S. cities. Allegations that James Earl Ray, the man convicted of killing King, had been framed or acted in concert with government agents persisted for decades after the shooting, and the jury of a 1999 civil trial found Loyd Jowers to be complicit in a conspiracy against King.

King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986. Hundreds of streets in the U.S. have been renamed in his honor. A memorial statue on the National Mall was opened to the public in 2011.

Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?   READ THE BOOK!