Interesting times this country finds itself in right about now.

We’ve already reached the point where history is changed forever. Either a woman or a Black man is going to be the actually electable nominee to be the next President of the United States.

Glory day. Who’d a thunk it? Not I. I can honestly say I didn’t expect a Black man to ever really be put in this position in my lifetime. But I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if it ain’t the case.

So yeah, what to do?

I really don’t care much for politics at all, strange considering my actual day job. I’m knee deep in political shit on a day to day basis. That’s probably why I don’t care for politics now. I’ve been made into a total skeptic. Add to the fact that I’ve spent so much time studying radical and revolutionary organizations and my view of a government by the people, for the people, and of the people is that it’s utter bullshit.

Which is ALSO funny considering that despite my lack of trust and belief in the government…I work for the motherfuckers.

Thing is, these folks pay me every two weeks. On-time. Government money doesn’t come short, ya dig? Yeah, we’re heading for a recession but I’ll bet I’ve got some job security, Jack.

And Jill.

So Senator Barack Obama has a legit chance. Now being the skeptic that I am, I really couldn’t care less who ends up in the White House, Republican or Democrat. I know the process for which government runs and I realize that ideas are just that. Many an idea has died at the feet of Congress and the Executive Branch. However, I suppose you still have to try and believe…have the audacity of hope, if you will.

I suppose.

But see, I’m also a Black man. And being that there is a real chance that a Black man could become President I’ve stumbled upon a cause as to why I simply have to throw my weight behind Obama.

I cannot be responsible for Obama NOT getting elected. You see, if he doesn’t get the nomination, I can’t be one of the responsible people. I just can’t. Not when a Black man has a real chance. I can always vote for Hillary later. And truth be told, I don’t necessarily believe in either one of them any more than other. But I mean…

…as a Black man, how can I not support another Black man in his hour of most need? I realize that a lot of Black people are supporting Hillary Clinton’s bid. You vote with your head and decide which candidate best reflects your views. However, I’m pretty sure that some people out there, if they REALLY examined their views, would end up on the Republican side of things, but they aren’t going to vote for McCain. Voting for who inspires you is important and neither of the candidates really inspires me.

However…to hell with the issues. As long as they aren’t SO off-base with my own beliefs, the Black man is getting my vote everytime. Unless that Black man is Jesse or Al because my Blackness also can’t allow me to vote for them for shit.

We don’t know when we’ll get this opportunity again and yes I’m playing the race card. How can I not support a viable Black candidate who’s politics are similar enough to Hillary Clinton. I don’t see how any Black person can. I just cannot be the reason he didn’t get the opportunity. I couldn’t live myself given all the walking and talking I do about the Black community.

I know a lot of women are saying that Hillary’s woman-ness will focus more on women’s issues. But seriously, in our nation, outside of Roe v. Wade, which issues pertain strictly to women. Sure there are issues in the workplace about equal pay and treatment. But hell, that ALSO straddles racial lines. The majority of issues our nation faces are class issues, not ones of gender.

And lest we forget, Obama is married to a Black woman who will be in his ear. And since Hillary has trumpeted her time as Slick Willie’s wife as viable experience in the White House, then Michelle Obama will turn out to be just as qualified to advise on issues related to womenhood and bring those ideas to him. And ain’t no Black wife gonna just sit around idly and let her man NOT address certain things. Hell, Black women get mad when they think we aren’t handling a dinner bill with an error the appropriate way. You think she WOULDN’T get straight gully if he wasn’t doing what he said he was going to do?

But I digress.

Fact is I’m Black. And one of my Black comrades has the chance to do what hasn’t be done before.

And I can’t be a person standing in his way. I have to help his way.

So Obama…here’s looking at you, kid.

Ba-Rack The Vote, bitches.

happy hunting.

I love election season. Here, in the Washington, DC, area, thousands and thousands of front yards and random street corners are filled with placards endorsing a wide array of candidates for a wide array of elected positions.

And aside from the complete waste of resources and urban blight it creates, it really is quite entertaining, if not altogether ludicrous.

For instance, I was driving down Georgia Avenue, on the Montgomery County, Maryland, side one day and I noticed a huge billboard for Steven Silverman, County Executive hopeful for Montgomery County. On this billboard he asked the question of all drivers, “Are you tired of traffic? If so, vote Silverman”, or some such other non-sense. I looked at his website and sure enough, traffic congestion is one of his main issue areas that he plans to take care of if elected.

Be still my beating heart, a candidate who cares about something I care about.

To bad I live in District because I sure would love to benefit from less congestion.

For those not in the DC area, there are two means for doing this: 1) the Inter-County Connector, a much needed highway connecting northern parts of Montgomery County with Prince George’s County somewhere; and 2) the much ballyhooed Purple Line on the Metro (Washington’s subway system), which will eliminate some of the complete unnecessary time travel created by the forefathers of Metro due to its sometimes non-sensical routes.

There are two parts of this that strike me as odd. For one, both of those projects have been in the works for quite some time. It’s not like he’s going to come into office and suddently they are the top priority. If you live in Washington, traffic is a top priority for everybody.

And secondly, dude, you’re totally not going to eradicate traffic congestion.

Not gonna happen. Traffic is a function of people. Washington area? Yep, we got lots of people. But at least he’s saying he’ll do it.

Or take a candidate for County Exec. in Prince George’s County, Rushern Baker. For the first time last night I saw his ad where he plans to change PG County, Maryland around. He says, “imagine a PG County that’s first in education and last in crime…”

Well, yeah, you’re definitely going to have to imagine that because as far as I can tell, in the DC area, it’s last in education and definitely giving DC-proper a run for its money at being first in crime.

But at least, he has the right spirit.

And all of the politicians vying for office say the exact same thing and make all of the same promises that will rarely see the light of day. Anthony Williams, for all of his faults, at least made a change in DC.

He got lots of black folks out and brought a lot of white folks in. I didn’t say it was a good or bad change, but its a change nonetheless.

And he got us a stadium deal that will bleed a city dry that needs all the money it can to stop crime. But hey, we need baseball in DC. Plus, it might kick up my property values.

Oh yeah, I don’t have any property because DC costs an arm and a leg to live in. There are houses going on my block for over $600,000. I saw a prostitute in my neighborhood last week, and if this one woman asks me if I’m “holding” one more time, I just might run over her with my car.

Granted, I live in DC’s up-and-coming Bloomingdale neighborhood, but good googly moogly, that’s a lot of money for a house and a ho.

But you know what, the Mayoral candidates have all addressed that as well as both Adrian Fenty and Linda Cropp, and hell probably Vincent Orange, have all made affordable housing a priority. Glory day.

You know what, elected officials are like the worst relationships you’ve ever had magnified. They tell you everything you need to hear to feel better about keeping them around while they screw you behind closed doors. Then when they get caught, they blame things on prior administrations (previous boyfriends/girlfriends) and constraints they have and never quite tell you the total truth. They tell you what they think you want or need to hear in order to feel better about yourself which will make you feel better about them.

Usually while doing as much as possible to do as little as possible.

Gosh I love politics.

I sound jaded I know. But if you worked where I worked and did what I did and saw what I saw you’d be the most cynical bastard on Earth too.

Let’s just say, I handle the money. And lots of it. For the people who get to decide how you, me, him, and her, would be best served by it.

Politics.

Thing is, you have to vote for somebody. There’s no reason not to vote. I’m a firm believer in the old adage that if you don’t vote you have no right to complain. And for all of the non-sensical campaign promises that we all know will never come to fruition or the non-sensical photo-ops where its painstakingly clear that they’d rather be somewhere else, at least they put on a good front. And that’s what politics are all about, the permanent campaign. Always smiling for the cameras and always making sure that you feel better about your decisions to vote for who you voted for.

Are the city’s coffers being drained unnecessarily? Maybe so, but hey, at least that Mayor cares about people. Hell, Marion Barry, who’s gathered quite the rap sheet in the past few years is still one of the most beloved politicians amongst Black people in Washington.

Today in the Washington area are the primaries and soon the nation will be electing new or incumbent Senators and Congressman, undoubtedly all people who will at least do us the courtesy of making us believe in them. And I for one appreciate that.

Smile and screw.

At least they’ll give you a kiss when they’re done…if you ask.

Even prostitutes don’t do that.

The second oldest profession wins out every time.

A house and a ho, a smile and a screw.

Man, I love politics.