Posts Tagged ‘2010 election’

Today, I had a great experience in the Bethel AME Church in Palatka. This is one of Florida’s oldest AME Churches and is Pastored by one of God’s true preachers. His message today on giving as Abel in the Bible gave was remarkably timely and uplifting. I want to thank Pastor McGriff and his entire church family for warmly welcoming us to worship with them this morning.

I was given the opportunity to introduce Debra and myself and to take a moment to speak. I could have made it into a political speech, but instead, decided that this was neither the time nor the place. I simply asked for prayer and suggestions from those attending. I need those prayers and more importantly, discovered one truth I have always believed.

Color of one’s skin doesn’t exempt you from trials and tribulations. Color of one’s skin doesn’t make you anyone not worthy of God’s blessings. What does matter is the character of the person and the desire to help and to bring about the gift of uplifting of people-a gift we were given by His salvation and grace. I met great people of character and was warmly welcomed by all, no matter my political leanings and color of skin not seeming to matter.

A couple came forth this morning in need of help, compassion, and the basic necessities of life. He was blind and she was most likely weary from worry about the next meal, the next warm place to sleep, and the constant attention her husband needed. I was moved by the outreach of this Church community and their outpouring of understanding and desire to help. This is the America I grew up in where people helped one another. This is the America we are missing and need to return to. It wasn’t about government programs or assistance, but was about real Americans who cared about other real Americans.

We were given another Commandment- to love one another. Let us always be mindful of that in our daily lives. Let us always strive to do what that Commandment says and we end all classes, all conflict, and all racial divide.

Thank You Pastor McGriff for sharing, caring, and reminding me once again, that in God’s eyes, we are all his Children and we are to love and praise Him for all things in this world we are given the privilege to simply use for a short while.

Imagine taking a simple philosophy of 3 words and turning them into a vision for future entrepreneurs.

Simple words like Educate, Encourage, and Empowerment sounds like a philosophy that rings of something that comes out of some “self help motivational book”, but today I met 2 of Jacksonville’s real business leaders that not only believe in those words, but live them.

E3 Leaders Anthony Butler, Sr., Rich Stewart and I had the opportunity to sit over lunch at the City Kidz Ice Cream Cafe in downtown Jacksonville, and discuss the real power behind the E3 Business Group’s  plan and vision for those who desire to become small business owners and entrepreneurs right in the Jacksonville area. Without a doubt, these people involved with the E3 project are going to build the future leaders of this nation and do exactly what they have set out to accomplish:

• Educate people on all aspects of living and how education is not only important, but the way we are teaching our children today is failing them and leaving them totally unprepared for living.
• Encourage people to reach for the dreams and desires beyond what they imagine is possible and to define goals and objectives for reaching those dreams
• Empowerment of the individual by making application of these principles and running on that road to success as a lifetime journey- not a destination.

My belief is that the 3rd Congressional District is perhaps the most under-served District in the nation and by bringing small business initiatives and opportunities to the people who can benefit the most, they will succeed in enriching the communities and the neighborhoods where they work and live. All throughout this District, few are encouraged by what the future may hold and little opportunity is there to overcome that plight many talk empty talk about and do little to make a real difference in improving. The reality is, this District is ripe with potential and simply needs to change the mindset and the leadership to make that possible. Every accomplishment begins with a vision, and without a doubt Anthony Butler and Rich Stewart have that vision and desire to give back to the community more than they receive with their E3 Business Group.

We discussed changing the way we educate our children that will actually leave them with knowledge and skills they can apply in real world situations. Our discussion led to a belief that entrepreneurship is a trade/skill that can be learned and applied to impact the lives of countless numbers of people and that a belief in a dream and having the resources available to reach that quest can and will be possible through an entire network of small and medium business initiatives in this District.

Bringing real technological manufacturing to Florida can not only create jobs, but further enhance the success of new and dynamic start-up companies throughout this area. It is possible to bring real prosperity to this District that has the reputation of “poverty, crime, and low educational expectations” by working through the E3 Business Group and initiatives I will bring to this District as the Congressman representing the PEOPLE and not the big money, special interest groups now in charge of Washington. Unless there is someone in Washington that understands Small Business and the need to bring more and more success to this District, nothing will ever change. I believe that the E3 Business Group in conjunction with real Congressional leadership, we can revive this entire region and bring real growth and opportunity for all.

I am looking forward to meeting again with these men and women of the E3 Business Group and further unfolding my vision for real economic development for the 3rd District. It starts with real education reform so the next generation of entrepreneurs are armed with the tools needed to succeed and ends the cycle of drop-outs that has plagued this District for decades. When we empower the our children and grandchildren with the motivation of successful living, we have left them ready to lead our country into the future only America offers.

I believe that real leadership and a real return to the community comes from making sure the E3 Business Group not only succeeds, but becomes the model for the next leaders of business and the communities they serve- a model this country will want to follow. Their model is the self-sustaining method for real prosperity for our children and our future as a nation.

3 simple words that can transform an entire nation and ones I believe is the solution for the survival of the American dream, the American family, and the American way of life. It is time that the real measure of success becomes how easy it is to find a job and how easy it is to start a business and it begins with working with the leaders and visionaries of the E3 Business Group.

Today, Rep. Corrine Brown introduced legislation that would ban all off-shore drilling and exploration for oil. Her ban would:

“permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.”

Mike would like to remind Rep. Brown that the Department of Energy was created for the sole purpose of “Eliminating the Dependence of Foreign Oil” in the United States. In spite of the fact that is its purpose, it has obviously FAILED miserably in its objective.

Yes, we have a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but to have this type of knee-jerk reaction to this disaster is far from what is needed to achieve the goals of the Department of Energy.

Mike believes in 3 basic goals that must be achieved and drilling resumed:

1. Determine the cause of this disaster and make sure that proper safeguards and controls are in place to assure that it will not happen again.
2. Clean up this disaster using all available private and public resources to do so.
3. Open other areas of this nation like the Bakken Reserves in N. Dakota and Montana for drilling.

Rep. Brown seems to forget that until there is available alternative energy sources that can fully meet the demands of this nations energy needs, oil will remain a needed resource for our nations survival. Even her “precious” rail transportation system she wishes to spend even MORE of taxpayers dollars on and continue to subsidize with even MORE taxpayers dollars, requires DIESEL FUEL to operate. Rep. Brown, THAT is an “oil based” product and to restrict the supply of DOMESTIC oil is going to be even MORE costly for Americans.

Instead of more legislation that will cost the people of this District even more in energy dollars, Rep. Brown would be better off working to create JOBS for the people and bring OPPORTUNITY to this District. Taking train rides to Miami to bring even more “high speed rail” to areas OUTSIDE this District is not making “Corrine Delivers” a truthful statement.