I Love America! That's why I vote - first step

The Presidential election is an import even in America. The up-coming 2008 election is even more important than most in my opinion. Readers of my political commentary at VASS are familiar with the fact that I believe this is a crucial point in the future of America.

Given this belief, I have followed and commented on various aspects of the Presidential candidates, the issues, my observations of average people discussing their concerns, and the truth that is often shaded or avoided by pundits, media and the candidates. Since 2006 I have dedicated an extreme amount of time trying to stay abreast of all the most relevant issues and news. More importantly I have tried to be neutral in my coverage of all of my posts.

But that is not enough.

My comments and observations are meant to provoke thought and inspire those readers that have not voted to be involved. I do not question the reason for anyone to not have voted before, or for some time. I do not question the choice anyone might make for President. I respect everyone’s ability to go into the voting booth and choose whomever they wish, and for whatever reason.

But considering that this up coming election will be so critical on a multitude of issues that will affect every American directly for the next decade at least, I feel more is needed. Again, I am not asking anyone to choose what I believe. In fact I have yet to endorse ANY candidate. But I implore you to be involved and to vote.

I truly believe that it is thru your vote, that America will be able to pick the best choice for the nation and our collective future. Anything less will leave us all with a leader of the free world that is lees than what is needed. With what is at risk in the next 10 years that is too dangerous to ignore.

So I will be taking further steps to get American citizens to vote. Again, I’m not asking anyone to pick a side that I believe. Just to vote for what YOU believe.

To that end, I have created a line of 61 consumer products that emphasize the importance of our votes. You can see a few of the products here, and each one will link you to my online store where you can see the full product line.

Be proud, stand up and be counted. Don’t sell your vote, or allow it to be bamboozled from you. Show that pride and interest in the greatest good for America with the various t-shirts, mouse pads, mugs, kids clothing, pet cover, aprons, magnets, stickers and so much more.

And don’t think this is the only thing I will be doing. There is much more planned, and already a few other bloggers have voiced their support and interest. I will be going for the support of several institutions as well. I plan to work towards increasing the number of voters, because when all of America acts together we do the best things for our nation and the world.

Keep an eye out for press releases and events coming soon. And they will continue all the way up til the votes are all counted and the winner announced.

And if you like what you see spread the word, display the products, and remind people that the difference in the last several elections was a mere handful of Americans. Your vote counts and it can make a huge difference.

Latest results of of the Presidential race poll - 7.3.2007.1

Just a little housekeeping on a few items I forgot to mention earlier in the month. I wanted to let you know the current status of the Presidential poll that can be found on this and my other sites.

There has been increasing interest as we approach the primaries, and more attention is focused on the Presidential candidates of both parties. While some of the candidates have fallen to the wayside one or two are yet to decide if they will enter the fray. Given that, here are the leaders out of the 11 candidates found on the poll.

Senator Obama leads with 43% of all votes. Senator Clinton trails in second with 21%, followed in third by Senator McCain at 13%. Mr. Rudy Giuliani is the only other candidate with double digit results, 11%, and is in fourth place.

It’s not surprising to see this kind of result considering the leadership position Senator Obama has taken in raising funds in the latest quarter. What is surprising is that Senator McCain still leads all other Republican candidates though pundits are currently claiming he is all but out of the race.

Perhaps the pundits should take a look at these results before making some of the claims they have made. Still I have to ask, what is the motivation for such a huge lead? Is it the 52% woman turnout so far? Does it have to do with the 60% turnout of those over the age of 35? Or are there more solid complete answers about issues affecting the nation coming from Senator Obama than any other candidate? We shall see.

Whatever the reason, once the primaries are done, I will be announcing the Presidential candidate that M V Consulting and all of my sites will be supporting. Feel free to make your arguments for whichever candidate you prefer from now til then. And keep voting, your voice counts!

Letter to Rudy Giuliani - 4.5.2007.1

This is an unaltered copy of a letter sent to Mr. Rudy Giuliani. Any response made will be posted, unaltered, when recieved.

To see other letters sent to Presidential candidates, visit M V Consulting, Inc.

April 5, 2007

Mr. Giuliani,

I am writing you in regard to your current attempt to gain the Republican nomination for the race for President of the United States in 2008. I am a native New Yorker and lived in the city during your time as Mayor of that city. I am also President of M V Consulting, Inc., a non-partisan corporation that has not contributed to any politician or political group, which maintains several internet businesses including blogs. I add that I have not contributed to any politician or party, nor have any of my sites advocated any individual or party in regard to the upcoming Presidential election.

I say all of this because I would like to ask you some questions on why you feel you should be President of the United States. It is my goal to post your response, as well as this letter, unaltered on my blogs for my readers to evaluate. I feel that the 2008 election is a critical point for the United States and its future. As such I believe it is important for as wide an audience of the public as possible to be informed in their voting choices. In addition I feel it important that I inform you that no changes to any response you provide will be made.

I add that I have already sent a similar letter to several other candidates of both parties. If you wish to review the letters that were sent previously, and where any response you make will be placed, please go to:

www.blackentertainmentblog.com
www.mvass.com
www.vassconsult.com/politics/election2008.html

I thank you in advance for your co-operation in answering these questions for my readers and myself.

For many Americans the first time you came to national attention was after the attacks of September 11. What many may not realize is that you started your political career as a Democrat. What led you to change your political affiliation? What changed in your political ideology that caused this move?

Many may not recall that in 1989 you ran for Mayor of New York City and lost to Mr. David Dinkins. What did you attribute to this loss and what did you learn from it?

During your time as Mayor of New York City you implemented several programs that had mixed results. One of those actions was the renovation of the West 42nd street area. Many native New Yorkers feel that the area was sold out to major corporations, in particular Disney, and the soul of the area was lost as well as multiple mom-and-pop business owners. To those detractors, what would you say were your reasons and what benefits were gained by the average New Yorker?

Another matter that was received in a mixed manner was your choice of police commissioner and the law enforcement policies during your term of office. During your time as Mayor, Mr. Amidou Diallo and Mr. Patrick Dorismond were murdered by police officers in a disturbing manner and Mr. Abner Louima was tortured by police officers which was then attempted to be covered up. These policies and your defense of the police department created a significant atmosphere of anger and cries of racism among the African American, Hispanic/Latino and other minority groups in the city; that was not covered significantly across the nation. For those African American and minority voters in the nation, what are your views on law enforcement? Where do you stand on Affirmative Action and other reforms that address racial inequality?

Considering the strong stance against organized crime and for law enforcement, as seen from your actions mentioned above and in your work as a U.S. Attorney, what stance do you believe America should take under your potential leadership towards countries such as Iran, and towards terrorist groups such as Al Quida?

Considering the record number of drop-outs that are African American, and the problems in education nationally in general, what efforts would you emphasize to improve the situation?

Of late there has been a great deal of discussion regarding a national healthcare program. Are you in favor of such a program and if so how would you fund this program? One of the arguments against such a program involves the question of whether the quality of healthcare could be maintained, and what motivation or incentive would pharmaceutical companies have to continue to research new medicines. What are your thoughts on this?

A current focus point of debate is the War in Iraq. Many Americans are upset about the status of the war, and others seek to retreat from this engagement entirely. Repercussions from any decision in this matter are probable to have ramifications for some time in the future of this nation. Where do you stand on this debate? What path do you intend to follow if you are elected? What do you see as potential outcomes of your proposed actions in the next 5 years?

It is well known that you are a cancer survivor. The health of the future President of the nation is a concern for many Americans. To that end I ask what your current health status is. In addition, I would never wish cancer on anyone, but if your cancer were to return and you had been elected President how do you believe you will react? Based on your experience initially, how do you feel this could affect you actions and responsibilities as President?

In recent media interviews you mentioned that your wife could be involved in non-policy meetings, if you are elected. Many may have heard this comment and the flurry of comments about it. Not as many may have heard your subsequent explanation on this matter. Could you explain that for my readers?

I want to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to your response. I again mention that this letter and any response will be posted without any alteration.

Sincerely,
Michael Vass

President - M V Consulting, Inc.
Author - Black Entertainment USA and Vass
vass@vassconsult.com
718-344-6921

Apple and George Orwell meet Senators Clinton and Obama - 3.19.2007.1

Have you seen the latest news on Senator Obama’s campaign? The power of the internet and besieged Youtube is shining at the moment. If you haven’t heard about it, an ad is circulating on Youtube that is essential the groundbreaking Apple Computer ad from the 1980’s, modified slightly.

This new ad replaces the old imagery with comments made by Senator Hillary Clinton, as drones blithely watch. The savior is a woman, now wearing an Obama t-shirt that breaks the screen freeing the masses while enforcer/police are racing to catch up. The original ad was a stunning re-imagining of the book 1984. If you haven’t read that book you’ve missed a great read. It’s relevance is probably stronger today than ever in the past.

It’s a sharp look at Senator Clinton, and to a degree all democrats. It highlights the vacuum between what some politicians are saying, and what they have actually done. And it brings up the soundbite methodology and poll driven commentary many in the Presidential race are using today.

Whether Senator Obama is the right choice or not isn’t exactly the question. The fact that politicians expect blind obedience is. I’m interested to see what might be the response from the Senator Clinton camp.

For those who are wondering, so far Senators Clinton and Obama are tied for the lead in my poll. The poll includes individuals from virtually every age and sex from 18 to 65, in pretty even numbers. Senator McCain is in a close second. Given is the fact that the numbers are low so far.

I’m not huge on taking polls myself, but this one is only 6 quick questions. I’m interested in seeing what more of you my readers think. I’m especially interested after this ad. While I’m sure more will vote in 2008, I’m looking forward to these early indications. It’s especially interesting as there has still been no reply from any candidate to my letters sent (which can be found at Presidential Letters) and none of the candidates have actually given firm positions they stand for. Lots of talk about they like this or hate that, comments about changing this, but not one firm plan or position on the how or details.

Perhaps that’s why they haven’t responded to my simple but important question? They are afraid to take a stance? Perhaps they all don’t want to really wake up the masses, as the Youtube ad suggest? Why not ask them why they won’t respond to me. And let me see your thoughts on the poll.

You can’t complain about what you get if you don’t ask questions.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Repost of Letter to Senator John McCain - 2.24.2007.1

This is a repost from www.mvass.com:

February 23, 2007
Senator John McCain,

I am writing your today due to your announced intention to seek the Presidency of the United States in the 2008 election. I have made similar inquiries to Senators Clinton and Obama, Mr. Edwards and Mr. Romney. I intend to also contact other individuals that seek the Presidency in the future.

Senator McCain, it is my firm belief that it is never too soon to ask questions of those that wish to hold the highest office of the nation. I believe that the right of American citizens to vote for our representatives in government must be tempered with a reasonable understanding of the positions and opinions of the candidates we must chose from. I equally feel strongly that those candidates, especially those seeking the Presidency, have an obligation to provide a full and clear explanation so that the public may make the best choice for the nation.

I also wish to make you aware that I am not just asking questions of you positions for my own benefit, but that of thousands of individuals most of which are Americans. By this I mean that each letter I have sent out has, and will be, reproduced word for word on several websites and blogs that I own or write for. These postings reach a cross-section of America in cities and towns of all sizes found in every state, and citizens of every political party, race, sex and age group.

While I cannot say that I can motivate these readers to vote as a group to or for any one individual, which is not my intention but rather providing information, I can say that there are far more than enough reading to have changed the outcome of the last 2 Presidential races.

I will further add that any responses to the following questions will be reproduced on the same sites this letter will be found on. I will NOT edit or change a single word of any response. I believe that your unalter comments are far too important.

If you wish to review some of the proposed websites they will include, but are not limited to, the following: www.mvass.com, www.blackentertainmentblog.com, www.vassconsult.com/politics/election2008.html .

As for my questions, one of the most prominent is that of your age. If you were to win the Presidential election you would be 72 years of age. Do you feel that your age is, or could become during your term, a matter of concern? If it is not, why do you believe this?

In reference to the current war in Iraq, and more generally on the issue of terrorism, you have stated clearly that you believe that America must act with decisive strength without pause until the mission is attained. You further have clearly stated that actions to limit troop strength or resources for troops is tantamount to emboldening the enemy. In the face of growing opposition to the war, why do you feel such a stance is required? What do you foresee as a consequence if we do not continue to fight? What exit plan do you have for Iraq, and how would you implement such a plan? What do you believe to be the steps in the near future that will be needed to ensure the safety of Americans at home and abroad?

I respect and understand the experiences you had during the Viet Nam war. My father also served in Viet Nam, in the Marine Corps, and I too volunteered for service. Given the tribulations of your decorated time in service, how would you lead the nation in dealing with the question of terrorist captives (which I believe do not fall under the Geneva Code) and gaining information to prevent future terrorist activities?

It has been noted that your positions on several issues have changed since the 2000 Presidential campaign or even before that. One of the questions has been your stance with regard to conservative Christians, specifically Rev. Jerry Falwell, where you seem to have backtracked. What was the motivation for your change of opinion from 2000 to 2006?

In regard to your stance on Roe v. Wade, you have said in 1999 that you would not repeal the law, though you wished there was no need for it. Recently you have changed your opinion to be actively against the law. What has caused your more aggressive stance?

Considering that you are in favor of teaching abstinence, against other forms of sex education and birth control, what do you believe will happen to those women that become pregnant if Roe v. Wade is repealed? Also what responsibility does the government have to mothers that find themselves with children but without enough means to support those children, and where does that funding come from, again if Roe v. Wade is repealed?

You have mentioned in the past, as I understand, that you would like to give a means for the illegal immigrants in the nation today to become citizens. What process would you follow to do this and do you feel that even the consideration of such a law would encourage further illegal immigration? Also by making a potentially 10-20 million individuals citizens in an extremely short period of time, how would the government handle the surge in social programs and government agencies (such as local DMV, Social Security, Welfare, Unemployment and so forth)?

I have certain fears in regard to embryonic stem cell research, which you have changed your opinion on. What swayed your opinion, and how would you as President help to restrict abuses from this research (such as genetic based diseases, targeted to specific genotypes such as Native Indians or Negroids or Pacific Islanders)?

What legislation have you enacted that directly improved the lives of African Americans and Hispanic or Latino Americans in your home state and the nation? In regard to education, what specific actions would you take to stem the growing numbers of African Americans that are dropping out of high school and/or finding the cost of higher education impossible to overcome?

I want to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to your response. I again mention that this letter, and any response will be posted without an alteration.

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
President – M V Consulting, Inc.
Author – Black Entertainment USA and Vass
vass@vassconsult.com

Repost of letter to Senator Clinton - 1.17.2007.4

This is an exact copy of the letter sent to Senator Clinton, originally posted on my Vass site. All responses from any Presidential candidate will be posted unaltered.

December 16, 2006
Senator Clinton,

I am a citizen, former military, an entrepreneur, and resident of upstate New York. As we approach the 2008 presidential race, more and more of the talking heads on television are commenting that you are the leading hopefully for the Democratic Party. Based on that I would like to ask a few questions.

Before I go any further I must mention that I am the owner of 2 blog sites, and co-author of a third. The site that pertains to this subject the most is the www.mvass.com site. This letter, along with any response I receive, will appear in at least that blog.

If you review the site you will see that I have followed your progress and commented on several actions. While these reviews may be critical, that is due to my desire to promote the best government possible with disclosure to the public that consists of detailed relevant commentary. I invite you to review the site and respond to any comments I have made. My focus is not personal, as I do not know you, and has always centered on the actions or comments of your office and fame.

With the above said, I wonder why should anyone expect that you would run for the Presidency? While many believe that as a female candidate you could cause more women to vote than what is normally found in an election, but that is not a valid reason. To say that you are one of the few Democratic political figures that have name recognition and little negative exposure is also a good thing, but not a reason.

What legislation have you initiated, that has passed, that has benefited those living in NY state and/or this nation? When I say benefited I ask that you demonstrate the actual improvement and not the projected improvement that a study or poll has stated. Obviously any recent legislation (less than 6 months) can’t be expected to have necessarily had an immediate effect.

As a key Democrat I ask, what your party has done for African Americans in the last decade, and more importantly since you have taken office. What legislation has passed that benefits African Americans that was initiated by the Democratic Party since you have gained office? To be fair, what legislation has the Democratic party prevented that would have harmed African Americans (in NY state and/or the nation) and how did the party derive that this legislation was harmful?

What are your positions on the platforms? I have heard several soundbites for multiple politicians and none seem to really mean anything when thought about, at least to me. In the recent mid-term elections many Democrats seemed to have won, in my opinion, on the basis that they were for a change in policy. Yet none seemed to have an answer as to what that new and different policy was or could be. In a soundbite such an answer may work, but that is not a reason to be elected for, especially not presidential candidates if such a choice were up to me.

In addition I ask what are you doing to help small businesses? What are you doing about improving the public education available in New York State (especially city schools)? What are you doing to address the drop-out rate of African American males? And what are you doing for Latino/ Hispanic Americans on the above matters?

Lastly, what is your position on the various laws and actions that are in place or proposed to impede illegal aliens from entering this nation from our southern border only? Do you agree or disagree with the thought that more should be done to protect our largely unwatched northern borders, especially since there has been evidence of how dangerous this lack of attention has been.

Senator Clinton, I look forward to your responses on these questions. I also plan to ask these questions, or similar ones, of Senators Obama, McCain, and any other candidate for the presidency (actual or rumored) throughout 2007.

Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
info@blackentertainmentblog.com
President – M V Consulting, Inc.

Repost of original letter to Mr. John Edwards - 1.17.2007.3

This is an excact copy of my original letter to Mr. John Edwards, posted at Vass.

January 5, 2007
Mr. John Edwards,

I recently heard of your decision to run for President of the United States. I am owner and author of multiple blogs, one of which deals primarily with political issues and individuals. This letter is both based on my personal interest and that of my readers. [My sites include www.mvass.com and www.blackentertainmentblog.com]

I am a native American citizen, with my heritage coming from African Americans and Latino Americans. I was born and raised in the Northeast, though I have traveled and lived across the country and am a former Marine. The focus of the blogs are presenting news and events from the perspective of an African Latino American view; which I feel is under-represented in the media.

Given these facts, and that I am largely unfamiliar with your past, I have several questions for you. I have already asked several questions of Senator Clinton and am awaiting her response. I intend to ask similar questions of all (or at least most) individuals that intend to run for the office of the President. I look forward to your responses.

I understand that you have pursued initiatives in healthcare, education, social security and medicare throughout your time in the Senate, and previous to that to a degree in your work as a lawyer. In regard to your work in the Senate, what laws did you initiate, that were passed, that directly improved these issues for Americans in general, and Black and/or Latino Americans specifically? What exactly do you propose to improve the education system in America, specifically for those students in the inner city?

In regard to your desire to create a universal healthcare system in the United States, how do you expect that system to be paid for? In addition what do you believe will be a motivation for professionals and medical industries to work to current standards or to create new advances without the benefit of profit?

What exact plan do you have that will allow Social Security to continue to exist or to be modified for future generations as the baby boomer generation continue to age and existing funds continue to fail to meet the need?

In the 2006 mid-term elections, the democratic party won several seats in both the House and Senate with the cry of changing the current policy in Iraq. What is your exact position on Iraq? I feel that it is not possible to support the troops and question the mission that we have sent them on. I further feel that to remove the funding of the troops, while still engaged in the mission, is neither a show of support nor a plan to win. Do you agree or disagree with this? If you were to be Commander and Chief of our troops what would you have them do to complete our mission in Iraq? Do you feel that the fact that you have never served in the military is a benefit or detriment to the country?

Your party, as I have understood, has no stated plan to change the events and status for the war in Iraq or against terrorism, beyond the statement that change is needed. What exact plan do you wish to implement if you were to be elected that could prevent future attacks by terrorists against this nation?

In terms of the economy, what exactly do you propose that will help those below the middle class to improve their standard of living? It is often held that the democratic party believes that taxes, particularly for the upper incomes, should be increased to provide funds for programs that benefit those of lower income, do you agree with this position? As a business owner and member of the middle class I would like to know what are your economic plans for the country?

Considering events such as the shooting of Mr. Sean Bell, the Duke rape case, the Rodney King riots and other similar events have highlighted the racial tensions that continue to exist in the nation, what would you do to help improve race relations.

Perhaps one of my biggest questions is that America has apologized and made reparations to Native American Indians and Japanese Americans for atrocities and crimes made in the past. Given this fact, how do you justify that America has never made an apology or considered reparations for slavery, jim crow, and segregation. Would you as the President finally provide an apology for these acts? Would you make reparations, and if so what might those reparations entail?

I must mention that I intend to post this to the abovementioned blog. In addition to posting this I will post your response, unaltered, on the blog as well.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
President – M V Consulting, Inc.
Author – Black Entertainment USA and Vass