Greater Providence Baptist Church | 2000 Milton Road | Charlotte, NC 28215
Friday, October 16, 20096:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Mix and Mingle Come meet and fellowship with WWSA members in a relaxed atmosphere prior to the main event on October 17. This is an opportunity for you to get to know the members, learn more about their individual ministries and about WWSA. This event is open to all at no cost.
Saturday, October 17, 20097:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Conference Praise & Worship, General Sessions, 11 Workshops, Open Forum Discussion, Testimonies.
Location:Greater Providence Baptist Church | 2000 Milton Road | Charlotte, NC 28215
Registration Deadline: September 18, 2009 Registration: $25.00 (lunch included); after deadline: $35.00
The first annual WWSA conference is less than three week away. We are excited and busy preparing to welcome you and share what God has laid on our hearts to bless you. So, stop procrastinating and get busy registering at www.wwsa.biz! The registration fee is only $25.00. Take the time to share the attached conference flyer with women you know will be blessed by being a part of what will be an extraordinary event. Finally, I'm sharing with you today the workshop topics that will be offered at the conference.
Loving A Child That Breaks Your Heart
Christian Marriage Is Not For Divas
Mental Abuse
Anger
Insecurity
Expired Dreams and Unrealistic Expectations
Christian Women and Anxiety & Depression
Raising Godly Children In An Ungodly World
All The Single Women: Get Those Stars Out of Your Eyes
Women of Purpose
Faith, Prayer and Praise
Looking forward to seeing you on October 16 & 17. To God be the glory!
I have great health insurance. I pay $36.00 twice a month, $100.00 deductible and the plan includes vision. When I went to the eye doctor I got two name brand pair of glasses at no cost to me.
The reality is that if I lost my job I would have no health care and like millions of other individuals I would postpone going to the doctor and then go to the emergency room when I had been sick to long.
During this period my illness had escalated and what began as a simple problem has expanded to a major problem. I don’t have insurance but I am seeking treatment. The burden of my medical bills now becomes the responsibility of the tax payers. The bill that could have been 150 dollars with preventative care now is 20,000 dollars because I am admitted into the hospital. This scenario can happen to 47 million individuals that don’t currently have health insurance. I don’t want to bare the burden of health insurance but by supporting this reform I am protecting my family from the burden of medical bills, my credit being destroyed and losing the battle of my health because I had no preventive care.
The reality is that we are already paying for health care for those that have none. Would you rather pay 150.00 now or 20,000 or more later? The other question is where will you turn when you have no health insurance? Health insurance Reform is about protecting all individuals so that if the unexpected life issue occurs you will be able to be insured regardless of whether you have a pre-existing disease or not.
While protests continue remember it could be you that loses their job. Protect your future by supporting health care reform.
There has been much focus on the Gates saga. I hope that it will be a teachable moment for the country but I am also saddened that it takes a major event to open the dialogue about race in this country and the fact that we have not included classism, sexism, ageism, discrimination against homosexuals, ethnic and religious discrimination.
For twenty five years I have written about the victories and struggles of children. I have tried to expose our innermost prejudices and provide solutions to some issues and open the dialogue on current issues that children face.
“Children of Plains Estates” and “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates is now being offered for a limited time for $6.99 on the publisher’s website. www.publishamerica.com
There are no simple answers to discrimination but I do believe that this series of books will open the dialogue to discuss our biggest secrets and our own stereotypes and bigotry and hypocrisy.
Claudette Milner is the author of “Children of Plains Estates” and “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates. Her third book will be titled “Silent Tears”: Children of Plains Estates.
Website: www.claudettemilner.com
To book Ms. Milner to speak at your conference : www.wwsa.biz
Claudette Milner is the author of a five book series entitled Children of Plains Estates. The current books in the series include “Children of Plains Estates”, “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates and the third book will be entitled “Unshed Tears”: Children of Plains Estates. In December 2008 Ms. Milner’s current release “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates received honorable mention at the London Book Festival.
Ms. Milner has given interviews on Let’s Talk Honestly with George Cooper, The Maxine Shaw Show, Artist First, and Global Talk Radio and has been featured in the Charlotte Post, Pasco Times, Black Coffee Magazine, and The New York Review. Ms Milner has conducted book signings in several NC libraries, and bookstores and festivals throughout the United States. She recently joined Jerome Imes and Edward Garnes in conducting the James Weldon Johnson Seminars and Workshops in Durham North Carolina for the upward bound program and facilitated an economic education seminar for middle school students for Citi-Bank. Her most recent speaking engagement was entitled a Call to Service delivered to the Village of Louisville, a nonprofit organization for At-Risk children.Ms. Milner has worked in several capacities as an educator, CRA officer, Trainer, Manager, CSR, and Counselor but her mission is to minister to all God’s people worldwide through her writings and the visions that God has placed in her heart. God's will for her life is to minister to those that do not know God’s unconditional love and compassion and to bring them closer to God by being a follower of Jesus and not just a Christian. Join her in reaching the world with the love of God by ministering to the lost.
Wise Women Speakers Association (WWSA)™ is a faith-based national all-women's speakers bureau. While most bureaus focus on secular speakers (usually with a much higher emphasis on male, secular speakers), we have identified the top faith-based female voices of today and tomorrow. We provide the top motivators, leaders, experts and entertainers to all audiences, for all occasions.
Wise Women Speakers Association (WWSA) was founded primarily to fill two needs. Whether you need a speaker for your event or you are a speaker who needs someone to coordinate your engagements, we can help.
For Speakers From booking engagements to negotiating contracts to travel arrangements; WWSA can help. WWSA can do as much or as little as you like, depending on your desires.
For Organizations/Clients Choose from our experienced, talented and gifted list of speakers and entertainers to help make your event a resounding success. WWSA speakers are available for retreats, conferences, keynote speeches, weddings, church services, and many other occasions. Whatever you need, we stand ready to assist.
Our History Founded in 2007, WWSA is the fruit of a God-given vision of its founder, Carrie Johnson Pegues. It's purpose is to impact lives of individuals for Christ and by extension their families, churches and communities through professional and wise presentations inspired by a love and knowledge of God.
WWSA is a faith-based for-profit ministry. It serves as a Godly channel through which Christian female motivational speakers and artists can share their God-given gifts, talents and abilities in a way that is honoring to God. WWSA is a premier speakers organization through which Christian, civic and community organizations will have access to qualified, professional and wise female speakers and artists who will engage and inspire their audiences on issues of importance to them.
Whatever you need to help your speaking ministry, we stand ready to assist. Don't delay starting on your journey. WWSA is here to help you follow your vision and reach your goals.
To Book Ms. .Milner or for additional information VISIT – WWSA.biz
I ask all people to pray for this country. Pray that instead of hatred and prejudice that Christians will find their way back to being followers of Jesus and that they will show compassion and love so that the world will know that Jesus lives.
Claudette Milner is the author of
"Children of Plains Estates"
"Unheard Voices": Children of Plains Estates
www.claudettemilner.com
When I was young I spent a lot of time protesting against civil rights issues. As I matured I began to redirect my energy toward supporting victims of domestic violence and rape, by walking and raising money for diabetic research and March of dimes. I am a woman of faith. I believe that life starts at conception. I do not believe in abortion for myself. I felt so strongly that I had a tubal ligation after having twins at the age of 25. I did not want more children and birth control did not work for me and I did not want to be confronted with the decision to bring children into the world that I could not afford or did not want. The most important thing was that I made the decision. No one made it for me.
When a woman becomes pregnant it is a major event and I don’t believe that the decision women make is made without much thought and deliberation and I don’t think that the pain is ever lifted from their heart. It follows them throughout their lives. Unfortunately there are many teenage mothers. Most of these children are trying to feel an empty hole in them, seeking love in all the wrong places.
I believe that protest open dialogue and I hope President Obama is willing to sit down and discuss this issue with individuals that do not support abortion and supporters of a women’s right to choose. However I also wonder how much time these individuals have spent time talking to teenagers that have become pregnant. I wonder how many visit schools and open forums for discussions. I wonder how many churches in the area reach out and accept these individuals in their church, but most importantly how many through their actions show unwed mothers the forgiveness and love of God because I am certain if the church reaches out to teenagers, mentors them, supports them, leads them to Christ so that they will see the amazing love of God that we will reduce teenage pregnancy, that we will reach and touch lives and we will decrease the abortion rate in this country.
My thoughts: Exercise your right to protest but spend time understanding the issue because it is not black and white. We would all like to dig our heads in the dirt and just say you must choose life but there must be early intervention, support systems, programs set up by the church and other groups. Groups that make millions of dollars on abortion offer more support to pregnant women than those of us that believe in the preservation of life. The church cannot ignore the issue. We cannot afford to sit and judge instead of reaching out. When we stand up in love and not judgment and each of us begins to support and mentor our young then we will begin to decrease the rate of abortion in this country and around the world.
Claudette Milner is the author of “Children of Plains Estates” and “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates
As I have listened to the government side which wants to limit CEO compensation and reward CEO’s based on merit and not reputation I consider my own career. I have never been a CEO, I have never had the option to get fired and be rewarded millions and sometimes billions of dollars although after I left the company owed the government billions of dollars because I mismanaged the company causing thousands of employees to be out of work, many losing their homes and without health insurance struggling to maintain a living and feed their families. Most Americans are in my boat because there are a limited number of CEO’s and they seem to migrate from one position to another. Some fail at one company then are paid millions to fail again.
The banks and Wall Street argue that if compensation is limited then the top talent will go to other companies due to a global market. I say let them leave but take the million dollar compensation packages and pay back Americans for the money that has been used to bail out the mess they left behind. Some CEO’s seemed shrewder than the rest. They came into a mess and demanded millions of compensation for taking the job. Some only lasted a couple of months and yet they took home a tidy sum. I don’t blame them because they were only taking care of business however I do blame W all Street for conducting business as usual with no thought to the huge liability they would be placing on the taxpayers.
Do I expect corporate American to feel guilty? No, I am not naïve. Nor do I expect them to cut off large compensation packages. What I do expect is the government to impose strict regulations on CEO compensation and for Wall Street to pay off every dime they owe to the taxpayers before they use our money to finance the old boy network.
.The ideal solution would be for Wall Street to recognize that there are talented men and women that have run smaller companies and have been successful. They need to tap into this talent and award these individuals with a competitive salary and bonuses based on merit and success. It would show our children that hard work is the road to success and when a company makes money everyone should be successful not just a few but it is morally wrong when a CEO walks away with millions after failing the company, the stockholders, the employees and the public that only the employees lose everything.
Claudette Milner is the author of:
“Children of Plains Estates” and “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates
Senator Mitch McConnell is all smiles as the Republicans defeat a bill which would have given homeowners more flexibility in renegotiating mortgages. He said "We did Good". The victory shattered the dreams of millions of homeowners facing bankruptcy. Despite the recent loss in the House and the Senate the republicans still don't have a clue about the needs of main street Americans. It will take a major defeat in 2010 for them to get a clue but will it be to late for millions of Americans?
McConnell's quote in the Sunday Courier Journal reminds us that although Americans are losing their homes,jobs and healthcare the Republican party has one concern and that is protecting Wall Street. Working Americans had only this bill to try and keep their home once they filed bankruptcy. Now they are not only struggling to feed their families on reduced incomes the republicans have united to protect the interest of banks and Wall Street. While they are touting their victory the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans are being shattered. Republicans do not have a clue about the needs of main street and a tour of the country will not give them a new perspective. Despite the massive donations from Wall Street it will be main street Americans that will flock to the polls against the party of no health insurance for the poor, no protection of women's rights, no assistance for the unemployed, no breaks for struggling homeowners and no empathy for the plight that Americans are facing.
The republicans are not blameless for the defeat of the bill. 12 Democrats voted against the needs of the American people to protect their campaign contributions from the banks.
Note to the Republicans. We as Americans are a resilient group and our memory is not short term. We will bookmark this stab in the back by Republicans and their desire to crush the American dream to protect the republican brand, be the party of no new ideas, protect entry into the party by excluding those of different thoughts and vote to derail the properity of all Americans in order to secure campaign contributions from the extreme right. The republicans are on a self destructive path but Americans will not join them. I predict that this victory they are smiling about will be one of the votes that crushes them in 2010.
Claudette Milner is the author of "Unheard Voices" Children of Plains Estates and Children of Plains Estates.
On April 14th I had the honor to speak at a Gala held by the Village of Louisville founded by Mozzie Dewalt held at the Holiday Inn in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Village of Louisville is a community based organizations whose goal is to mentor teens not only through athletics but through educational tutoring and SAT and ACT prep. Last nights benefit included speakers from Health and Education as well as United Way and the Assistant School Superintendent. Most importantly it featured students that had excelled in the program and had gone on to complete a college education.
As I walked to the podium to deliver my address I was humbled to be asked to speak. Below is my address to this community group.
On Inauguration day President Obama challenged Americans to a call to service. That call to service included each of us in this room regardless of race, gender, religion, economic status or educational level. He challenged each individual to contribute to their community, to be a mentor, to visit the elderly, and to make a difference in someone’s life. This is the mission of the Village of Louisville, to impact the lives of young adults and to make positive changes in their lives. The mission is admirable but it can only be accomplished through a commitment from its founder Mr. Dewalt, the board members and Volunteers and the students and parents, and the community that participate in the program.
I have taught my children and grand children that each person has a commitment first to God to fulfill his destiny for their lives, to themselves to educate themselves in order to be successful, to their family as a support system and a role model, to their community to unite and to give back, to their race to know their history and help create their destiny. We all wish that we could wake up and have the skills of Michael Jordan or be able to swim like Michael Phelps or invent great things like Alexander Graham Bell but the reality is that all of these men worked diligently educating themselves and developing their crafts. Let me ask you a question. If I gave you a swim suit and sent you to the pool and the pool had no water in it could you swim to the other side?
If I picked two teams and you took to the court but you didn’t have a basketball could you play?
Would you think of going to the basketball court without someone having a ball?
Would you go to a swimming pool without water?
Then why would you go to school unprepared for success. Why would you just not show up to the game.
When a basketball team fails to show up for the game they have to forfeit. The players that don’t show up let the team down and their peers. They set the team up for failure.
When you don’t show up for school you set yourself up for failure. You defeat yourself. The more you miss the less prepared you are until finally you give up on your dreams your goals and yourself.
The average graduation rate in the country is 51%. That means that a minimum of 49% of your peers will not graduate your senior year. It means that 49% of your peers will not be prepared for the 21st century. It means that a minimum of 49% of your peers will be working minimum wage jobs, homeless, undereducated, in prison, or living in a cycle of dependency on welfare.
It used to be that the undereducated of our society could work in manual labor, work in a factory, do blue collar jobs and make a decent living but those jobs are gone. One needs a high school diploma to be a janitor during a recession.
My question to you is what are your dreams? How are you going to accomplish your goals? Are you preparing yourself to meet the challenges of the 21st century or you looking for a short cut to success?
There are no shortcuts. Success takes hard work. Many times it takes working two or three jobs. It means cultivating your skills, It means turning off the television,, limiting the video games, going to the library, separating yourself from the crowd. It means standing alone.
If I believed in statistics I would not spend time traveling across the United States speaking to youth. I believe that our youth have replaced the priority of education with reality television and gang banging. Our parents have given up our children to the streets. Our community and churches would rather praise God every Sunday and ignore the needs of our children Monday – Saturday.
First we as adults must begin to be role models for our children. We must stress education in our home and create an environment for learning. There is no excuse for not attending meetings at school or not checking homework or not making education a priority and when parents are undereducated there must be community organizations that will step in the gap with tutoring and mentorship programs for our youth. Our teachers must step up to the plate and expect excellence from our students instead of mediocrity, our principles and the school board must fire teachers that no longer have an enthusiasm for learning, our principles must create an environment of excitement for learning off the sports fields.
The school board must reorganize its systems and be innovative in teaching our children.
Even if we accomplish these goals the bottom line is that each of you must make a commitment to success by graduating from high school and continuing your education rather it be a junior college or technical college or a four year college. Then you must heed your call to service back in your community through volunteerism, teaching, mentoring, assisting the elderly, making an impact on someone’s life, then you must build your own family stressing educational values and being a strong role model for your children. We all have a destiny within ourselves. God has given all of us gifts and talents. Don’t get it twisted. God did not give Michael Jordan a gift to be a millionaire. If you remember he was not a great player until later in his high school years. He had to work hard to be a super star. God blessed the works of his hands to give himself glory. He blessed him so that he could be a role model, so that he could set up a foundation that would mentor other children. He proved that with hard work each of us can be great. That is our mission to glorify God in our deeds. My mission is to minister to youth. What is your mission? I challenge you to a call to be a success in fulfilling God’s destiny for your life. I believe in each of you.
Author Claudette Milner will sign her latest book “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates at the Corner Bookstore and More on April 18th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. The bookstore is located at 101 N Main Street in China, Grove NC. Each time a book is purchased you may enter a raffle for Unheard Voices Shirts, Hats, and a free signed book.
Ms. Milner is the author of the “Children of Plains Estates series which includes “Children of Plains Estates” and “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates. She received honorable mention in the teenage category at the London Book Festival held in December 2008. She grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and has lived in Charlotte, NC for the past 15 years. Ms. Milner has recently relocated back to Louisville. She will join with Jarold Imes of Our Teen Voices in conducting the James Walden Jr. Workshops and Seminars at High Schools in Rocky Mountain NC and Durham NC schools.
Ms. Milner can be contacted through her website at www.claudettemilner.com.
I am a major supporter of health care and education reform, reeling in Medicare cost and stimulating job creation. What I am against is earmarks in the latest bill approved in the house.
As a conservative Democrat I will do everything in my power to support the President in helping get this country back on track. I am now calling for national outcry against any earmarks in any new legislation. We are tired of politics as usual. Every American has been called on to act responsibly and make personal sacrifices. It must also include all elected officials. Our eyes are watching every dime that is allocated and no matter if you are Democrat or Republican if our money is wasted on earmarks we will act swiftly in 2010.
I am asking Senate Democrats to clean up this bill before it goes to President Obama. The time to act is now but if you fail then this bill must be vetoed if our top priority is rebuilding this country.
The London Book Festival Awards were held on December 10, 2008. Top Honors were presented to “The Gonzo Way: A Celebration of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson” written by his wife, Anita Thompson, The winner in the teenage category was “Lines of Velocity”: Words That Move from Write Girl. Louisville, Kentucky author Claudette Milner received honorable mention for her book “Unheard Voices”: Children of Plains Estates.
Claudette Milner is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School. She attended Purdue and Columbia University. Ms Milner is a former educator for Watterson College and CRA officer for Liberty National Bank. She relocated to Charlotte NC in 1994 where she has resided while completing the first two books of the “Children of Plains Estates” series. Ms. Milner has recently relocated to Louisville while she completes the third book of the five book series.
Ms. Milner has been featured in the New York Review, Black Coffee Magazine, Charlotte Post, and Florida Tribune and has been interviewed on the Maxine Thompson Show, Global Radio, and Let’s Talk Honestly with George Cooper, and Artist First Radio. She has conducted book signings at several Charlotte, NC public libraries and book festivals.
Ms. Milner will join Jarold Imes of Our Teen Voices and other authors for the The James Weldon Johnson Literary Workshop & Symposiumin conducting two workshops at local schools in the Raleigh-Durham area on 04/17/2009. For more information Ms Milner may be contacted through her website www.claudettemilner.com
Republicans have clogged up the airways trying to justify to the country why they voted against the stimulus bill. They have wined on every morning and evening talk show that they were not included, that nobody stroked their ego, that they didn’t get to the plan and that it was needless spending. The ironic thing is that they expected the American people to believe that they did what was best for the country.
The Republican Party expects Wall Street and a bank to get it, when they don’t have a clue, other than tax cuts how to tackle the economic problems that this country faces.
Millions of Americans are unemployed or in jeopardy of losing their jobs.
Republican answer: tax cuts.
Millions of the unemployed have no health care: Republican answer: Health insurance is a privilege only for those that are working and can afford it.
Our children are undereducated:
Republican Answer: Let’s give 2% of our children vouchers to go to better schools and the rest will just have to educate them.
The schools need new construction:
Republican answer: As long as the school is still standing a child should be able to learn. We only want to create jobs for the educated and the wealthy not laborers and blue collar workers.
We need better teachers.
Republicans- This is wasteful spending. Quality education is not a priority.
Money for Education Grants: Wasted spending. Only the rich should have the opportunity to go to school.
Money to extend unemployment insurance and food stamps: Let Americans that have no jobs starve and lose their homes. There is no place in the bill to help the homeless and unemployed.
Republicans want tax cuts only and their refusal to support the bill was strictly for political gain.
Americans are hurting and struggling to meet their basic needs. We don’t care about your political strategy to reclaim the majority. The only thing we care about is working together to rebuild this country and if you refuse to ride the train with us in our struggle in 2010 you will be riding the train alone.
While talking with fellow Democrats and Republicans regarding the stimulus package some Democrats were disappointed in my views and thoughts regarding the stimulus package. I am one of many conservative Democrats that were not happy with the original stimulus bill and I counted on the Republicans to help fine tune the bill so that it would include relief for homeowners and corporate tax cuts.
I am also counting on the Democrats to make sure that there are middle class tax cuts, investments in infrastructure, education, and health care while also providing relief to the states so they can stop massive cut backs that are affecting the safety and protection of our states and the livelihood of its citizens.
The most important element of the stimulus package is the creation of jobs, and the re-education of workers that jobs are being eliminated. We have to invest in education so that our children are prepared for the jobs created for the 21st century. We must distribute funds to the state to help with unemployment insurance, food stamps and healthcare because high unemployment combined with lack of housing and food contributes not only to depression and other emotional disorders but the crime rates rise, the drop out rate increases and the number of homeless in America increases while the division between the haves and haves not increases.
We as a community must come together. Americans have no tolerance for the partisan politics on capital hill. All Americans are hurting, not just the corporations but main street.
The stimulus package must stimulate growth across all economic lines. The Republicans have forgotten we are only as strong as our weakest link.
It is time for all elected officials to stand up and do what is right for all Americans and unless they do it is time to retire them to pasture and rebuild America with elected officials that believe that all Americans are created equal and everyone should be given an equal opportunity.
Pardon me for my thoughts but I believe in an America that can only survive if there is an equal opportunity for all it’s citizens.
"Unheard Voices: Children of Plains Estates
Message to both Burris and Blagojevich and their supporters, we will not be hoodwinked by race, we will not help Blagojevich win his war. We will not be used. If Burris is the right candidate then let him run on his record and let the voters decide but we will not support his appointment simply because he played the race card.
Lately I have had time to reflect on the 21 month election and the toll that it has taken on the American people. During the last months of the campaign I talked with many individuals that just wanted it to be over. I am one of those individuals. When the campaign became divisive and offensive I stepped back and prayed that the hatred being spilled would not trickle down throughout America. The conversation changed from the issues to name calling rethoric that had no place in a country where most Americans are worried about a collapsed economy.
I listened to President- elect Obama speak on Election night. The most important parts of his speech for me was that he would be everyone's president and that implementing solutions will not happen over night. It was a new leader advising America that we have a tough road ahead and sacrifices will have to be made but we as a country can rebuild our economy. We can protect our homeland and we will rebuild this country's greatness. Why was this so important to me? America has been a refuge for many immigrants. We are not only a world power but a leader in the world. We are a humanitarien country. We are still helping other countries and there are some things we can not let go unintended i.e. helping to cure AIDS domestically and around the world, assisting in the atrocities in Darfur and Sudan, assisting with global hunger. Right now we must assist our own. We must target the middle class and invest in our communities and infrastructure. We must sustain jobs and develop new jobs and no matter what the deficit we must invest in healthcare and education for our children.
There is no excuse for our children not being insured nor is there any excuse for the average highschool to have a 50% dropout rate except for apathy in the Senate and the Congress. We are failing our children and the buck must start with Washington.
We must begain by putting the money into teachers and schools. We must train unemployed parents to work on fixing the schools. It would give them a sense of accomplishment and build self esteem among the children. We must create neighborhood centers where the priority is education. The centers must have childhood education, parenting and tutoring. The program must have mentors from the community that will work with our youth. Parents must step up to the plate and be responsible for their child's education. A parent may not be educated enough to tutor their child but they can be responsible enough to get them to a tutoring session. We must again decide that it takes a village to raise a child and the village must be diverse in all areas. It must be multicultural, it must have mentors from all segments of life and all financial levels. It must be a clone of our environment and culture. Christians cannot serve only Christians. It is time for all of us to join President-Elect Obama in making this country great.
The question of bailing out the Automotive big three seems like a no-brainer to me. The funds must come from the 700 billion dollar bailout. It simply goes back to the middle class tax breaks. I don't know anyone that works at AIG but I have many family members that live in Detroit and their livlihood and their children's future education depend on the recovery of this industry. We cannot see millions of workers out of a job because we fail to act. This is not about being able to get a loan. It is an issue of survival for working families. Do I mean just give them the money without stipulations? If you read my blogs you know I am a conservtive democrat. There must be oversight and guidelines. There must be regulation and negotiation. Workers will be called on to make sacrifices. CEO's should be fired without compensation packages neting in the millions. There should be no annual bonus this year across the board. Downsizing will have to happen. They must build energy efficent cars. The big models that are no longer must be discontinued or sold to more profitable companies. Wages may have to be decreased. Ouch it hurts but these plants must stay open and everyone must make sacrifices if they are going to survive.
Will Americans get a stimulus check? My answer is that I would rather invest the money into education and healthcare.
The republicans must believe that only together can we face the turbulent times ahead. The message of hate and division will not heal the wounds of the past. It will only make us doubt the integrity of our fellow Americans to be the patriotic and exceptional individuals that they are as Americans.
We cannot rebuild as a divided nation. When Senator McCain made his speech on election night he was the Senator McCain that I have supported for 32 plus years. He was a man that understood that America can only be strong if we reject hate and work together to rebuild this country.
I have faith in not the country but in the individuals that make up this great country. I am ready to join my fellow Americans in making this country great. I will contribute in my own way by continuing to write about the issues that face our children' teaching a class for young people that will encourage them to paint and write their own books, and tutoring neighborhood children. Each one of us has a talent and it may just start with our own children but as we perfect the gifts that God has blessed us with, we will each use our talents and our skills to be of service to this great country. Join me.
Claudette Milner is the author of "Children of Plains Estates" and "Unheard Voices" Children of Plains Estates.
Email: cmilner_@hotmail.com
Ms. Milner is currently selling her books for $12.50. for more information send email.
My granddaughter is currently in a new school. She is five years old and in Kindergarden. She was tested and we received her test scores back yesterday. The criteria level for students was level 10 in September, the goal for December was level 25. Alexandria was on a level 40. She ranked in the 97% in phonics and 99% in numbers. Although I am very proud of her the fact that she has exceeded the bench marks it concerns me. Alexandria is smart but she is an average child. She began reading at four years old and is expected to read 4 books a night. She has homework once a week and a daily reading log. The expectations is that she read at least 3 books a week.
The main question is why Alexandria and many other children are ahead of the bench marks. The first answer was Early Childhood Education. She started at 3 years old. The second reason was that she was not allowed to play more than an hour in the evening. There is family reading time and math skills. She and her brother attend various summer public library reading classes and Saturday science inventor programs. She is computer literate and spends quality time on PBS.org. We go to the dollar store and buy activity books in phonics, math and reading and complete them with her. While she is getting her hair done we play math games with the barretts. She watches Little Einsteins to learn about music and composers. We look at paintings in the library. I list these things because it is not about money it is about spending quality time with her and her brother. One exercise we use to discuss measurements is cooking brownies together and reading the recipes.
Education must be a priority in order for our children to be able to compete on a Global level. Senator Obama wants to give $4,000 for tuition for students that serve. I am in favor of this plan because after college I served in VISTA and it changed my priorities. The most important change is the right to Early Childhood Education for all children. I remember my daughter being told that if she made $100.00 dollars more Alex wouldn't qualify. The question is shouldn't every child be able to attend school early no matter what the income is? Many working parents cannot afford health insurance so their children do not get preventive health care. Many children are not eligible for Early Childhood Education because parents earn to much money. Our children are suffering on two levels, no healthcare and unreadiness for school. The money we are spending in tax cuts for the wealthy and in Iraq must be used for jobs, the economy, education and healthcare. It must be a priority.
The answer is affordable healthcare for all Americans and Early Childhood Education for all our children combined with parent responsibility for our child's education.
Join Me in Supporting Senator Obama and Joe Biden.
Claudette Milner is the author of "Children of Plains Estates" "Unheard Voices":Children of Plains Estates
I took mental notes as I watched the debate. As a woman I was looking for substance and facts from this debate. I was turned off by the winking, condescending attitude, and the shout outs. The fact that Governor Palin only answered questions that she had been prepped for was a bit scary. The fact that she can only regurgitate facts commonly called talking points that she had been coached through and yet could not answer new questions reminded me of a college student that crammed for a test, knows the information for the day and is unprepared when pressed for follow-up or reads only the cliff notes from a complicated novel and yet cannot join the conversation.
Yes, on the surface she was cutesy and memorized the facts but when listening closer she loses her way or refused to answer questions that were difficult for her but not Senator Biden.
My final thoughts were a renewed comfort in my choice of the Obama-Biden ticket. Senator Biden was outstanding. I am proud of this ticket. I believe that the most significant victory last night was that Senator Obama can lead us out of this mess and that Senator Biden will be right beside him giving his opinion and his advice. Senator Obama will lead this country with calm and steady leadership and I have no doubt that Senator Biden has the character, knowledge and experience to take over at a minute's notice.
However I believe that those voting for the McCain- Palin are still not sleeping tonight even after the debate. Governor Palin proved that she is not sure of Senator McCain’s policy or his platform. She practically accused President Bush of being a bumbling idiot and yet Senator McCain has voted in agreement with President Bush over 90% of the time. He wants to continue the same economic policies and tax breaks that got us into this economic crisis. He is a deregulator and one vote out of 26 does not change his voting record. Governor Palin was wrong on the McCain position on the bankruptcy bill. How can you reform Washington if you are not aware of the president’s position.Govenor Palin may one day be a reformer in Washington but not at the countries expense. We are in an economic mess and we can’t trust the economy to a presidential candidate that admits the economy is his weakest area of expertise and a vice-presidential candidate that only chooses to answer the questions that she can answer. The telling point when the McCain camp didn’t prep her with an economic plan. Maybe it was because he doesn’t have one. Maybe she squirted the health care issue because she couldn’t defend McCain’s tax on healthcare benefits and $5,000 tax cut while pretending to understand kitchen table issues. On the surface this is a close race but when the country is facing an economic crisis can you responsibly vote for a McCain Palin ticket when she obviously is not ready to lead. Before one pulls a lever stop and think then vote Obama –Biden.
Claudette Milner is the author of "Children of Plains Estates" and "Unheard Voices":
Children of Plains Estates
