Politics
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In the Loretta Lynch Confirmation Hearings, the GOP Continued to Drive Black Voters Away
In recognition of Black History Month, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chair Sharon Day have released a statement in which Priebus says that “as we reflect on the generations of African Americans who contributed immensely to the fabric of our country and to the Republican Party, let us honor their legacy not just…
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How Exactly Do We Get Rid of Boko Haram?
The closer we get to Nigeria’s upcoming presidential elections, set to take place Feb. 14, the worse it gets as Boko Haram is emboldened. What started off as a raggedy outlaw movement accessorizing Qurans is now a headlining existential threat to the African continent’s largest economy. If you thought Boko Haram could do no worse…
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Former KKK Leader David Duke Might Run for Congress
David Duke was once the grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Now the notorious white supremacist is contemplating a run for Congress (yes, in this day and age) against current House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, whom he calls a “sellout,” according to audio from BuzzFeed. “Steve Scalise, let me tell you something. This is…
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CBC Offers Training and Support to Ferguson Activists
(Correction: An earlier version of this article said activist Erika Totten was in attendance at the Ferguson meeting. She was not.) After a dinner meeting with 10 young activists in Ferguson, Mo., members of the Congressional Black Caucus are looking for ways to empower the Ferguson activist community. Eleven members of the caucus met with…
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2 Termzzzz: 2 Chainz Wants To Run For Mayor Of College Park, Georgia
Remember that recent debate between 2 Chainz and Nancy Grace about marijuana legalization? Well, clearly the natural follow-up to that is to dive headfirst into politics. And apparently, that’s what 2 Chainz wants to do, according to his statement to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution Monday. Of course that got me wondering what a 2 Chainz campaign could look like.…
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5 Political Reasons Obama Seems Soft on Race When He’s Not
Everyone wants skin in a State of the Union; every interest group kneels down and prays it’ll get a slice or a nod in what is arguably the most important political speech of any year. So it came as no surprise this week to find aggrieved schools of thought convinced that President Barack Obama wasn’t pushy…
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The Economy? 30 Mentions. Race Relations? Eh—About 5. Here’s Obama’s SOTU Speech by the Numbers
While the rest of you were playing State of the Union drinking games (taking a shot every time Speaker of the House John Boehner grimaced, eh?), we over here at The Root were hunkered down, scouring over every word the president spoke to get an understanding of what issues he wanted to zero in on.…
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Supreme Court, Don’t Gut the Fair Housing Act
Before former Sen. Edward Brooke (R-Mass.) died earlier this month, one of his final acts of advocacy was an effort to save the Fair Housing Act—and the Supreme Court should pay close attention to Sen. Brooke’s defense of this landmark legislation as it considers the future of this law. Sen. Brooke was the first African…
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5 Takeaways From the President’s Muscle-Flexing SOTU
In his next-to-last State of the Union, a revived and unmistakably ultradefiant President Barack Obama let loose a post-midterm-election liberation song on a chamber of fattened Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Even with the somewhat humbled plea for “better politics” by the end of an hourlong speech, seemingly dire political realities were ignored for…
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I Spent MLK Day With Presidential Hopeful Ben Carson. Here’s What I Learned
If you want a better idea about what Dr. Ben Carson sees as the driving force behind his presidential campaign-in-waiting, perhaps look no further than Carson’s own explanation for his rise in popularity on the conservative political circuit: “It’s not so much me as it is the courage to say what needs to be said.”…