Jamaica's Political Establishment Implosion and The Independent Challenger in 2016

It was to the end of 2015 that I came across the term "political resocialization" while watching a forum on youth participation in democratic conducted by the youth group Respect Jamaica an UNICEF Jamaica initiative.

Indeed the speaker eluded to the fact that the Jamaica's political  culture after the bloody and divisive period of the mid 1970's to 1980 had serious skewered how the newly independent nation defined democracy and was the beginning of the acclimatization of pre & post independence Jamaicans to tribal, dependent, corrupt and unreliable politics that has persisted even to this day with robust national development left to suffer in its wake.

Within the same period of last year as Prime Minister Simpson-Miller hinted at a very possible early election, her own party[The People's National Party] candidate selection was turned into nothing less than a circus show of the undesirable elements of politicking including accusations of corruption and favoritism, mudslinging, conspiracies of all sorts left to fester as once favored, seemingly 'working' first term Members of Parliament were replaced in their respective runoffs.

With the election a certainty in 2016 and volatility within the political establishment at an all time high, there is no doubt that the two party system is heading towards implosion as the formal structures for handling internal matters begins to buckle under the call for a more democratic process. 

This call is strongest in the rural constituency of North-East St. Elizabeth, that has been a stronghold for the PNP as the first time young turk Raymond Pryce will be replaced with another candidate after the selection; his supporters have been adamant that they will only support the party at the ballot only if MP Pryce is the candidate.

The Independent

With the opposition party Jamaica Labour Party unlikely to pose a challenge in North-East St.Elizabeth there is a growing void for representation that s by the people and for the people. Joseph Patterson, the President of the newly formed United Independent Congress(UIC) has decided to plant his feet in the divided constituency and take advantage of the weaken stronghold.

Joseph Patterson(UIC President)

The commentary and media coverage thus far
hasn't officially recognized the traction being gained by Mr Patterson's campaign and real possibility of making electoral history being the first elected Independent since Jamaica's independence in 1962. This historic moment could possibly be a political, if not democratic statement on the path forward to better governance and politics.

With an independent being supported in a constituency with a voter turnout of 32% shared among the main parties in last general election; his ability to tap into the 48% of non-voters will be crucial. With a freshness and difference about him, and the possible pride of being the first constituency to elected an Independent is certainly energizing enough to get non-voters out on the day.

With constitutional and governance reform a critical part of the UIC's mandate, Jamaica maybe heading towards a galvanizing shift away from the colonial masters inspired system of governance.

From The Editor: Obviously Obama

Obviously Obama

The Jamaican Liberal Whistle - U.S. Presidential Endorsement of Democratic Candidate President "Barack Hussein Obama"

 

The Writer/Editor of the this (amazing) Blog: "The Jamaican Liberal Whistler" has fallen in place with the over 96% of the U.S. and International Population on deciding on which Presidential Candidate to support for the 2012 Elections, foreseen to be a critical decision in World History. 

Why Endorse?

For those who ask - "Why should a Jamaican be Endorsing an American candidate?" - a short and simple answer is that the International Community is well represented in the United States of America and non more so than Jamaicans or "Jam-ericans" and with the current global situation the way it is, many home-landers are dependent on the those within the "Land of The Free" for remittances - again, Jamaica's Major source of foreign exchange - to support themselves, plus the future relationship between the individual countries could be affected by the Foreign Policy choices made by the "New or Renewed" Administration with Jamaica and her people having so much more to gain from a prosperous friendship with the U.S.A - Tourism  Bauxite, Investments, etc.

The decision made by "The Jamaican Whistler" Editorship  has carefully analyse the Information taking into consideration all the major Factors - Economy, Social Issues, Foreign Policy, Best Vision Forward and Solid Past with each candidates: vision and history, scrutinized to make an informed and credible decision for the readers. There is no doubt that this Presidential Election has been one of  the "Fiercest and Mind Numbing" in history, on the level of Economic and Social Interest, so adding a secure voice to all the Mix and Chatter to stable the conversation is our deepest intentions.

Read The Candidates

Gov. Mitt Willard Romney (R) 

The Republican Nominee for this year's Election is a Self-Proclaimed Business Wizard of Flip-Flopping with the "Capitalist mind of Genghis Khan" with the single intention of Privatizing Washington, The United States then Whole World - Muah ha ha ha aa - Gov. Romney was the Moderate Governor of the solid blue states of Massachusetts and Michigan with some success as his Terms has Governor.

The Most notable aspect of the Romney Aspects that stand out is his notorious dog whistle to his base to Repeal and Replace Obamacare which modeled from the Healthcare Law implemented by Romney in Massachusetts.  The Romney Team has pushed a Five Point Plan which is the centerfold of their Economic plan to "rescue' the US economy - unfortunately many economist are confused and bewildered by the exacts on How Romney intends to Lower the Deficit without raising revenue.

The Republican Nominee has swung violently towards a conservative stance on many social issues aligning himself with Todd Akins - "Legitimate Rape"  and Richard Mourdock -Rape is  Intended by God . There has been countless gaffs by the Republicans on women issues that suggest a backward stance on said issues and Mitt Romney has so far promised to get Roe v Wade reversed, eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, suggesting he has a Pro-Life Stance but most surprising his rejection of Equal Pay for Women, passed by congress and singed by Obama - but Mitt is "Not sure If he would Sign it".

We seriously disagree with the Romney view on Climate Change and Global Warming, which was brought to forefront due to the passage of Hurricane Sandy, Romney at the Republican Convention laughed at the notion of sea levels rising - as Caribbean People living on an Island his stance is offensive and upsetting.

Mitt Romney has tried tirelessly to align himself with the "Middle Class" and the 100% of Americans, but Romney has made a unrecoverable decision behind close doors of a comfortable Mansion to disregard 47% of the "Victims" - American people who don't pay Income Tax - and like a Book we have read the message load and clear.

Mitt Romney's vision Forward is as blurry has his shape shifting past filled with Flip Flopping on critical issues that test the "heart and conviction" of a Politician. Gov. Romney has vowed to be "The Comeback Guy" but thats exactly what the world is afraid a 3rd Bush Presidency. It would be a dishonor to our readers and even our critics to Endorse Mitt Romney for any sort of Political Office.

President Barack Hussein Obama (D) 

The Democratic Nominee, up for Reelection is the First Black President of The United States of America, who won riding on the Slogans of "Hope" and "Yes We Can", it was season of pure Utopia as we watched his inauguration and settled ourselves in for the Long Haul to recovery as if the world became - One Large USA. There is no doubt that then Senator Barack Obama also believed deeply in his own message and wanted to change politics and lives, unknowing of the Economic disaster left by the previous Republican Administration.

A long life Public Servant Barack Obama isn't a Successful Business Capitalist with the knack for privatization but someone with  passion and character to choose a balance path of both Public and Private collaboration for the advancement off the American society which benefits everyone.  

As President; Barack Obama Administered over the Worst Recession since the Great Depression and the American economy is better today than it was before he took office with October 2012 - unemployment figures at 7.9% as many Analysts have reported the numbers are much better than expected - The conservative FORBES: October Jobs Report Blows Away Forecasts it has become abundantly clear that the US economy is going in the right direction with Republicans only talking point "Recovery is too slow" which it is but slowly moving in the correct direction. 

The Obama Economic plan is for the future hasn't swung much from his original plan which also involves regulations like Dodd-Frank (Wall St. and Big Bank Regulation). The critical issue that Obama has tried to deal with his executive powers is "Student Loans" which makes it easier for students to repay loans. Also Obama has focus on "green energy" initiatives to diversify  US Energy consumption with the environment a top priority.

The Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) as gained the anger of the conservative right because of its far reaching laws that were designed to give everybody an opportunity to get Healthcare Insurance without the cost not been controlled solely by Insurance Company which is Universal Healthcare a Conservative Idea, that Gov. Romney state of Massachusetts was the first to pass such a law with much success - 98% of all Children Completely covered, although Mitt Romney has vowed to Repeal Obamacare, in the Debates Mitt Romney promised to replace it with Obamacare, although a much smaller version??? 

President Obama has been unprecedented on social issues that affect a broad cross section of the Population: in a single sentence Barack Obama has openly supported Gay Marriage.  
Even in deep sabbatical thought, we cant think of no other President who have stood on the side of equality for All, including the LGBT (Lesbians Gays Bisexual and Transgender) community repeal the "Don't Ask, Don.t Tell" so Gay Military members may serve their countries openly without retribution - lest we forget the Gay Soldier Booed at the Republican Primary Debate and non of the candidates rebuked such a vile treatment of a Military personnel. 
Obama's First bill signed was dedicated to women - "The Lilly LedBetter Fair Pay Act" which served as a law to ensure that women are paid the equal amounts for same work done which doubles as a great economic bill, many women have become heads of households and work just has hard as to make ends meet. 

Obama's Foreign Policy is rock-hard solid - Osama Bin Laden is dead- with the Ending of the Iraq War and soon withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan, refocusing on more technologically advance means to tackle terror with less human causalities. 

The Dream Act to ensure that children of Illegal immigrants are given the opportunity to get a good  education or serve the country that have they have called home for years has been stalled by the Republicans countless times. 

President Barack Obama has done very well with recovery efforts and response to Hurricane Sandy and his belief in the environmental issues of our Times, that Romney has Ridiculed. 

This President represents a generation of believers and Hopers, who have now come see their parents struggle to maintain a good standard of living with the probability that they might not get a college level education or even a job after college. 

The Endorsement

The USA has never been more political divided and ideologically separated but "The Jamaican Liberal Whistle" has made a bet on a Man that has shown that he always will bet on the Middle Class and the 100%, this candidate has shown remarkable balance on issues and after four years of engagement, Marriage is the Inevitable next step in this Relationship.

The Jamaican Liberal Whistle endorses President Barack Obama for another Term as The President Of The United States Of America.

Get Out And Vote on November 6, 2012 for Obama!!!!

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Top Mid-Week Talkers: Educating The Messes

EDUCATING THE MESSES 

Our Schools Littered with Abused Minds and Bodies

"The Government and Opposition encourage all well-thinking and progressive members of the public to join women's organisations and wear black on Friday and, at 10 a.m., stand at public places across Jamaica, including Half-Way Tree Clock Tower, in this protest action," stated a joint release issued by the OPM.

In the past days and weeks we have fallen into a space of utter cultural shock and rage over the emergence of  rampant Rape and Molestation in the society, yet I find myself skipping the reports of such events and omitting to read the Pubic opinions and commentary due to the mere fact that we have seen this type of "Emotive Journalism" and  subsequent "Knee Jerk" reactions time and time again.

The Issue that was "Knee Jerkier" of the moment before we got to Sexual Assault, Destruction of family values and norms (added fuel to the fire by conservative Christians) was the dismal outcome of Grades for students sitting the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and to a lesser extent the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) both critical stepping ladders  in the formal education system. We heard countless debates about "Who to Blame" and "Who not to Blame", we watched numerous interviews and current affairs programs dissecting the issue with Professionals and the incompetent alike boasting of their ideas and successes in the field of education, a month later: "The Jerk has settled", the issue has gone absolutely silent on lips and airwaves alike, while a few dedicated individuals work behind the scenes ensuring better for our youth.  

These unfortunate events of gruesome sexual assault (especially on our children) have couldn't have come at a more impeccable time, as the subject of "Psychology" within the broader discussion of Education seemed marginalized, possibly due to the fact that Jamaicans and Blacks as race have a problem with Identifying, Relating and seeking treatment for "Mental Illness".  As a Mental Health America research found, that "63 percent of African Americans believe that depression is a personal weakness, this is significantly higher than the overall survey average of 54 percent."

Many speak of Education as though its a 1,2,3... process without any outer factors affecting the process of learning, completely shutting out Socio-economic backgrounds, unstable family structure, character issues, emotional state, etc. making the any failures completely the students fault; this is where society has failed our Children, miserably. The closest we have come to discovering this flaw is a few media reports on "Disabled" students access to regular institutions and their difficulties faced in the normal school environment which mainly focused on infrastructural problems not the "Mental or Emotion" capacity of the disabled students.

For 5 days a week a child (teenagers included) sits in front of a teacher with the most depressed, awkward smile or angry look on his or her face, and everyday that child is passed and ignored, maybe they act-out violently one day or breaks down into tears, sending off alarms but what about the those constantly exhibiting these "Bad Behaviours" and are labeled "Trouble Makers" or "Bullies", they either ignored or treated as juvenile delinquents.

Sure there are Guidance Councillors and Church leaders who end up being one in the same, yet we still see the inability to Identify Emotional distress because of a set premise to only go so deep and not much further with emotional issues unless its visibly suicidal. The Belt buckler: Homosexuality is the "He who shan't be named" issue and the ultimate case for the Guidance Councillor, not many of these apocalyptic cases come before a Councillor as the Gays and perceived Homo's of the Jamaican school system seek shelter in the shadows of their Heterosexual persona. The question isn't whether or not they are bullied but How frequent the Bullying is? 

So, in a countless ways we can assess that this problem isn't one we can possibly get rid off, as Learning Process will crumble and implode, leaving us to wonder, why such Low Maths grades?

Those who fear that Family values and norms will collapse under the pressure of secularism and the likes must first deal with the fear that all of society may fall into oblivion (new favourite word) before they have the privileged to die naturally, granted that none of the "Trouble makers" or "Bullies" in school that fell through the crack and turned to Guns and drugs don't get to them first.

The state of the nation is frankly the state of our Children's Minds, the future is dependent on the those minds being developed and allowing the Creative Juices and Scientific Knowledge to be unleashed into the society to break us from the bond of Oblivion.

The Politics of Hope & Change: Jamaica Needs an Obama 08' Moment

by Mario Raphael Boothe

The World and the minds of its inhabitants were both at Peace and in Shambles after the elected President of The United States; Barack Hussein Obama, spoke his last words in his inauguration speech to the 2 million strong crowd that sun-filled Tuesday, January 20, 2009. 

This was no ordinary inauguration of the most powerful man on earth; the first time in almost 4 centuries the moment shared by 44 other American men would be seen, heard and felt worldwide as a moment of "Ancestral Justice", "History's Greatest Moment" and "The Second Coming" all rolled in one tall, Dark and 'd' for democrat body.

The Obama 08' campaign ran on "Hope and Change", (2 words discarded among Jamaicans) ensuring that the message invoked nothing less than the pure rage against the former President's Party (2 unpaid for Wars, Wall st. collapse, Housing bubble burst...yea..rage) and absolute euphoria over the then candidate Obama. The true test of his slogan and inspirational words that swept a nation of its feet would be on Nov. 2 election night, after the votes were counted Obama had received 69,456,897 in the popular vote: the highest for an American Presidential Candidate.

The main narrative the political heads in the USA were spinning  for Obama's tremendous win was his slogan: "Hope and Change". At a time when the American economy and way of life never looked worst - Pres. Obama was able to pull the hearts from the wreck and the heads from the gutters; uniting and linking the fading light of "Hope" with the need for drastic "Change" creating this unforgettable universal enthusiasm that literally moved the world as musicians, singers, dancers, etc using their creative genius went head first into Obama-phoria, he was simply Loved and Admired for his courage.

His legacy will be debated and people will say we exaggerated and place inhuman task on his shoulders but there is shame "Hoping".

Jamaicans tried tumultuously, to force this 'once in a blue politician' moment on themselves falling BELL over HEAD for the young buck from West Central St. Andrew, Former PM Andrew 'Twice Bitten' Holness who was 'placed' in power by his (much,much,more) senior colleagues in the Jamaica Labour Party after the extradition failings of Bruce 'Papa' Golding. The youth-phoria that followed his seize of power would return to haunt him during the 2011 elections, where his lack of experience came into play and the attention focus x squared on him and his 'youthfulness' completely (wi did tiad, fi si him face), coupled with over-saturating negative ad airplay - his hopes were dashed (then again in local Gov. elections)

but aside from Holness's lackluster performance as a pseudo Obama,  the Dec. 2011 elections was a great one for post-Independence politicians as the "youth-phoria" generated votes for young members on both sides of the Orange/Green divide. The problem issue arising from the election were the 'elitist heirs' forged by the loins of the same "Jurassic" politicians who occupy the House, one must wonder (with disdain) if the family scrolls and wisdom are being passed on -recreating the cycle.  But If this trend of younger and younger minds being allowed to represent and legislate continues without resistant from the monarchical masterminds.

One day in the distant future and not by forced will, Jamaica will have its Hope and Change Moment.