Politics. On Point.

Aw, Medea Benjamin.    Is she the Sojourner Truth of the 21st century?   We've seen the pint-sized co-founder of the Code Pink organization protest movements around DC for several years now.   Code Pink's Medea Benjamin at Occupy the 99% rally in DC in 2011.  Photo CD Brown.   We've seen her protesting President Bush's war in Iraq, we've seen her and her merry band of pink T-shirt wearing followers at Occupy DC movements, and now she's (once again) leading the charge for the current administration to "close GITMO".   When we saw her protesting in front of the White House earlier this month, signs in tow, demanding that President Obama close Guantanamo Bay, we had to chat with her to find out why GITMO was foremost on her mind.  After all, millions of regular American citizens are jailed each year - without due process - for crimes they didn't commit - so why ju...

Tuesday morning cloudy, wet skies gave way to a beautiful afternoon in the White House garden where First Lady Michelle Obama and students from several schools gathered to reap the fruits of their labor.   First Lady Obama and students harvest vegetables from the White House garden. Photo/CD Brown. It was an awe inspiring moment to see that which had started as just little seeds months before in April, grow to be what will now feed White House guests, dignitaries, friends, and of course the First Family. Situated near the White House fountain and adjacent to the White House Children’s garden are full grown radishes, cabbage, carrots, spinach, kale, collard greens and leeks ready for the picking (and eating).   The first lady joined students from Arthur D. Healey School from Somerville, Massachusetts; and Milton Elementary Schoo l from Milton, Vermont – the later schools whose communities were ravished by Hurricane Sandy earlier this year. Mrs. Ob...

When you talk about "karma", items coming "full circle", or the saying "what goes around comes back around", you can appreciate the historic visit by Michelle Obama to the DC's Decatur House, just a short block from where the first African American First Lady of the United States resides. First Lady Michelle made a stop to the historic home that slaves built, worked and lived in to deliver an endowment to the preservation of the historic landmark. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with children during a Decatur House visit. The endowment was a gift from American Express, presented by the company's African American CEO, Kenneth Chenault. The Decatur House is now a National Trust for Historic Preservation Site and home to the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.  The restoration project was made possible by a contribution to the White House Historical Association by American Express.    During her visit the ...

  Agency makes $6.3 million available to launch six new MBDA Business Centers     The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) today announced  a solicitation for applications from prospective candidates to operate six new MBDA Business Centers in Baltimore, Houston, New York City, San Francisco, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. The successful applicants will join a network of more than 30 MBDA Business Centers across the United States and Puerto Rico.  Grant amounts will range from $300,000 to $500,000 per year for a three-year cycle.   “The MBDA Business Center program is critical to furthering the Agency’s mission in assisting minority-owned businesses in gaining access to contracts, access to capital, and access to markets,” said David A. Hinson, MBDA National Director. “It is our goal to ensure the continued success of minority-owned firms who, in turn, strengthen the economy and create American jobs.” ...

President Obama and the First Lady look forward to traveling to Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania from June 26 - July 3 .  The President will reinforce the importance that the United States places on our deep and growing ties with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including through expanding economic growth, investment, and trade; strengthening democratic institutions; and investing in the next generation of African leaders.   FLOTUS and daughters touch down in So. Africa in 2011. The President will meet with a wide array of leaders from government, business, and civil society, including youth, to discuss our strategic partnerships on bilateral and global issues.  The trip will underscore the President’s commitment to broadening and deepening cooperation between the United States and the people of sub-Saharan Africa to advance regional and global peace and prosperity.   In 2011 First Lady Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia visited South Africa, vi...

Applications for tax-exempt status for some groups being delayed, and groups singled out by the IRS? An investigative report found that for almost two years, beginning in early 2010 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) "developed and followed a faulty policy to determine whether the applicants were engaged in political activities, which would disqualify the groups from receiving tax-exempt status." Many organizations, including Tea Party groups, received requests for additional information from the IRS thought to include unnecessary questions (i.e. donor lists, amounts of donations, etc.) "I'm mad", said President Obama speaking from the East Room of the White House this evening, calling the conduct of the IRS "inexcusable", and intolerable. "The IRS has to operate with absolute integrity."   The Obama administration has accepted the resignation of Steven Miller, the acting IRS Commissioner, in an attempt to hold those responsible acco...

The White House has released the financial disclosure reports of President Obama and Vice President Biden. From the White House: "The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires high-level federal officials to publicly disclose their personal financial interests. The public filing system serves to prevent financial conflicts of interest by providing for a systematic review of the finances of government officials. Those finances are set forth in annual disclosures which are reviewed and certified by ethics officials. Neither the President nor the Vice President have any conflicts of interest, and their reports have been reviewed and certified by the independent Office of Government Ethics. We are continuing this Administration's practice of posting these forms online here in the interests of transparency": View the President's 2012 financial disclosure report  (pdf) View the Vice President's 2012 financial disclosure report  (pdf)     Financial disc...

It isn't out of the ordinary for a student's science fair project to go awry at some point while a young scientist-in-training tries to perfect his or her project. What is definitely unusual, unheard of, and definitely out of the ordinary is possibly getting a felony charge when it does. Kiera Wilmot.  Expelled high school science student. Enter Kiera Wilmot , a sixteen year-old budding science student with plans to further pursue courses in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM).  While attending Florida's Bartow High School, Wilmot's science project exploded and law enforcement officials were brought into the picture.  While no one was injured, Wilmot was charged with 'detonating a bottle of explosive materials on the school grounds'. News sources reported that Wilmot was charged with a felony, a charge that could ruin her young career as a student trying to get into college. Attorney for Wilmot, Larry Hardaway , claims th...

First Lady Michelle Obama will sign copies of her book American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Garden Across America at the Politics & Prose bookstore.  The book offers a look at the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden and shares inspiring stories of Americans from across the country who are actively engaged in community, school, and urban gardens. Mrs. Obama accepted no advance for American Grown and all author proceeds will go to the National Park Foundation ( www.nationalparks.org ), the official charity of America’s national parks. Funds will be used for programs that promote gardening and healthy eating and give young people the opportunity to experience the outdoors and lead more active lives, as well as for the continued care of the White House Kitchen Garden.  Random House will also donate a portion of its profits to the National Park Foundation. Earlier this week Mrs. Obama and...