Virginia’s Election Should Serve as a Wake up Call

Last week Virginia had its state legislative races.  Republicans got their heads handed to them on a silver platter.  Democrats now have a majority in the state legislature for the first time in almost 30 years, and they also have the governor’s seat.

Virginia used to be a solidly red state for Republicans.  Now, Virginia is the proverbial canary in the coalmine for both the state and national Republican Party.

I moved to Virginia in 1989.  I came from St. Louis to be part of the incoming George H.W. Bush presidential administration.

I used to be very involved in the state Republican Party and the various Republican campaigns.  As a matter of fact, I was the first and only Black to be elected national committeeman for the Young Republicans of Virginia.  This was a statewide office that you had to run for.

I worked with Republican governors like George Allen, Jim Gilmore, and Bob McDonald; lieutenant governors like John Hager, and attorney generals like Mark Early.  These elected officials all had a great understanding of the necessity of expanding the base of the Republican Party, both state and national.

Their campaign and official staff reflected the demographic makeup of Virginia.  We had an active, functioning state party.  Because these officeholders all valued diversity, we were able to take control of both chambers of the legislature.

In January of 2014, we lost every state-wide office to the Democrats.  We still had a very slim majority in the state legislature until last week where the Democrats took outright control. 

Democrats now control the governor’s seat and they have total control of the state government for the first time since 1993. 

Virginia is a wakeup call to both our state and the national party.  Far too many of the party’s leadership have bought into this idiotic “white turnout” approach to elections across the country.  This approach simply says focus on white turnout and depress the turnout within the Black community by going negative.

I never have and never will agree with this approach to politics.  If conservatives really believe in their message, they would have enough faith to believe that their message would resonate with every voter.  If conservatives really believed in their message, they would take it to the marketplace of ideas throughout America. 

Our country is becoming more diverse with each passing day; but Republican staffs seem to be getting whiter.  Until our party views diversity as an asset to be celebrated; and not as a burden to bear; we will continue to lose state and national elections.

Far too often, Republicans hire Blacks in the political arena who they would never hire in their private sector company.  Message to Republicans, if you would not hire a person to work in your private sector company, then don’t hire them to work within the party.

Memo to Republicans, hiring a Black is not the same as hiring the right Black for your staff.

Far too frequently Republicans hire Blacks as race insurance.  I have a Black on my staff; therefore, I can’t be a racist, the thinking goes.

Most of the Black staffers I see have little to no ties to the Black community, and many don’t have the necessary skill set for the job they are hired for.

Republicans tend to hire Blacks they are comfortable with; at the expense of someone who knows what the hell they are doing.

Virginia should serve as a wakeup call to Republicans all across the country.  We can no longer afford to be the white party.  We must begin to reflect the true makeup of America.

When you look at the Republican Party, you should see America 2019; not America 1950. 

I am committed to helping the party become more like America.  The easiest thing for me to do is to leave the party, but that’s not happening.  I am going to continue to “be what I am looking for.”

Raynard Jackson is a Pulitzer Award-nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur.  He is also President & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC, an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC.  Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator.  He has coined the phrase “straticist.”  As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations.  Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career or business.

For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. 
You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.

Add Raynard Jackson to your facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/raynard.jackson.12

Add Raynard Jackson to your twitter.  https://twitter.com/Raynard1223

Add Raynard Jackson to your Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=5502539&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=loLR&locale=en_US&srchid=55025391407093543596&srchindex=1&srchtotal=3&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A55025391407093543596%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5502539%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary

  

Liberals Continue Gunning for Our Freedoms

Doug McMillon, Walmart’s Chief Executive,
Bans Gun and Ammunition Sales and Bans Open Carry in Their Stores

As I constantly say, one of the central tenants of liberalism is “intent,” not results. 

It goes a little something like this: “We created welfare in the sixties to help women with children, even though it mandated the removal of the father from the home.  We didn’t know it would destroy the Black family.  We wanted to help poor, Black babies.”

Liberals were very well aware that removing the father from the home would be the death knell of the Black community.

Similarly, after every mass gun shooting, liberals begin the drumbeat for “gun control.”  They never define what gun control is or means; they simply want to restrict American’s ability to own guns.

The big push in this regard now is more expansive background checks on would-be gun owners.  You might be thinking what’s wrong with that?  This seems to be a reasonable response to another mass shooting.

Ah, my friend, you have just fallen into the liberal trap!

Remember, with liberalism, success is measured by “intent,” not by results.  This view is central to every liberal policy coming out of the Democrat Party.

Every N.F.L. coach is judged by how many wins and losses he gets during the season.  No coach intends to lose a game.  According to liberalism, every team should be invited to the playoffs simply because they participated in the game; thus, the proliferation of “participation trophies” in sports for kids.

Even liberals admit more background checks would not have prevented one of the recent mass shootings.

In the immortal words of the soul singer, Michael McDonald of the famed Doobie Brothers, “What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away; because what seems to be is always better than nothing at all.”

So, after every mass shooting, the liberal’s predictable response is for more gun control, NOW.

As though criminals are going to obtain their weapons through legal means.  Guns are really not the issue.  It’s something a lot more fundamental.

We have allowed liberals to destroy the family unit, redefine the family unit, and finally marginalize the family unit.

Liberals destroyed the Black family in the sixties, not thinking that it would spill over into the white community and devastate them as well.  Then liberals came up with the ignorant notion that Johnny can have two daddies and Susie can have two mommies; neither of which is biologically possible.

And finally, liberals have convinced a lot of women that they don’t even need men or a family unit to have and raise children; simply get the man’s sperm without any relationship or commitment. 

Do you think it is a mere coincidence that most of the perpetrators of mass shootings come from fatherless homes or homes where fathers were disengaged?

I hope conservatives will stand on their principles and not cave into the emotions that liberals will bring to this debate.  Any time you legislate in a cloud of emotion, you will produce horrible legislation.  It never fails.

People who are set on violence will always find a way to inflict their pain on society.  Guns are outlawed in Japan, but most of their mass killings are done with regular knives.  But there is no mass cry to ban knives in Japan.

Feminism from the sixties is the radical embodiment of this modern-day push to totally eradicate male influence from within our society, especially when it comes to their role in parenting. 

According to this feminist liberalism, there is absolutely no differences between the sexes:  physical, mental, or emotional.  Girls should be able to join the Boy Scouts, girls should be able to play in the N.F.L., and girls should be able to serve on the front lines of a war.

So, as opposed to dealing with the root cause of mass shootings, the total decimation of the traditional family unit; liberals would much rather deal with issues that make the public “feel” like the Democrats are doing something to make them safer.

I guess what seems to be is always better than nothing at all.

Raynard Jackson is a Pulitzer Award-nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur.  He is also President & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC, an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC.  Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator.  He has coined the phrase “straticist.”  As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations.  Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career or business.

For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. 
You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.

Add Raynard Jackson to your facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/raynard.jackson.12

Add Raynard Jackson to your twitter.  https://twitter.com/Raynard1223

Add Raynard Jackson to your Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=5502539&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=loLR&locale=en_US&srchid=55025391407093543596&srchindex=1&srchtotal=3&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A55025391407093543596%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5502539%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary

  

Donald Trump is the Dennis Rodman of Politics

Donald Trump is the Dennis Rodman of politics.  To my Democrat friends, now that you have stopped laughing, please continue reading; to my Republican friends, this is a supreme compliment to President Trump, please continue reading.

I have had the pleasure of talking with Rodman privately in the past and found him to be one of the most intelligent people I have ever met.  And he has one of the most magnetic personalities I have ever encountered.

No one dislikes him and he immediately makes everyone feel at home around him.

Those who understand Rodman best are those who do not try to understand him; they simply accept him at face value and give him the freedom to be himself.

Everyone in the N.B.A. wanted Rodman on their team because they knew he would deliver on the court. 

Nevermind him wearing a wedding dress to his book release party in the 90s.  He would show up late for practices and games; but despite this disruption, every N.B.A. team would have gladly taken him because he was viewed as a winner.

Notice the number of Hall of Fame coaches Rodman played for: Chuck Daley (Pistons), Phil Jackson (Bulls), and Greg Popovich (Spurs).  These were coaches who had a firm grip on their teams and coached for N.B.A. teams that are all storied franchises as far as management goes.

Similarly, Donald Trump in many ways is like Dennis Rodman.  You will go crazy trying to understand him with “conventional wisdom.” 

Those who understand him best are those who don’t try to constrain and contain him.  They stand back and marvel at his ability to use the tool of “misdirection” to confuse his enemies.

Trump told us during the 2016 campaign that he likes to keep people guessing about him and his policies; well, he has not disappointed us in this regard.

Rodman wearing a dress had nothing to do with his prolific rebounding on the court, having led the NBA in rebounds seven straight years or him being named to seven NBA All-Defensive First teams; and most did not realize at the time that Rodman was paid $ 10 million dollars for wearing that dress.  Now tell me who is the fool.

Many cringed at Rodman’s off the court antics and his total honesty when reporters asked him questions, but not one person in the N.B.A. would ever say Rodman didn’t make every team he played for better.

Similarly, people cringe at Trump’s tweets, his bluntness in media interviews, and his constant stream of consciousness in front of the media; but this is the same guy that got his tax cut in 2017 that gave us a bullish economy, that broke the ice with North Korea by doing a face to face, and put America’s interest above other nations.

Democrats, the radical liberal media, and never Trumpers are still scratching their heads trying to figure out how Trump won the nomination in 2016, yet alone the presidency.

Their conclusion is that Trump voters are stupid, ignorant, white supremacists, white nationalists, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, crazy, etc.

Despite the drama that constantly surrounds this president, most Americans believe he is fighting for the rights of and supremacy of America.

Most of the foreign leaders I talk to about Trump have great respect for his singular focus of putting the interests of America first and not the wishes of the European Union, NATO, or the United Nations which are all controlled by radical liberal globalist elites.

These foreign leaders are all amazed that it's taken this long for an American president to put their own country first.

So, Americans had to decide whether they wanted to win the global Mr. Congeniality contest like we did with former President Obama and were made to look weak; or elect Dennis Rodman, er Trump, and win championships, i.e., advancing a conservative agenda.

America overwhelmingly chose Dennis Rodman.  America no longer wanted to lose with style, Obama; but rather they wanted to win with blood on their uniforms because they were in a fight.

Winning is winning.  There is absolutely no consolation in losing!

Those who support Trump are loyal to him, despite all of his eccentricities, because they see in him a fighter, yes maybe even a bully; but he is fighting for values they believe in:  marriage between man and woman, genders are either male or female, protection of religious freedoms, pro-life, America’s interest above global elites.

Why other American presidents sold us out is a big question.  Trump’s ascendancy to the presidency is America’s response to our globalist political elites from both parties here in the U.S.

Trump doesn’t seem to care about being popular; but rather advancing the cause of America around the world.  And for this, he is considered racist, isolationist, and xenophobic? 

Really?

In the immortal words of my boy, Niccolo Machiavelli, “It is better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both.”

Obama feared not being loved and America lost; Trump hates not being feared and America is winning.

Raynard Jackson is a Pulitzer Award-nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur.  He is also President & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC, an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC.  Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator.  He has coined the phrase “straticist.”  As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations.  Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career or business.

For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. 
You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.

Add Raynard Jackson to your facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/raynard.jackson.12

Add Raynard Jackson to your twitter.  https://twitter.com/Raynard1223

Add Raynard Jackson to your Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=5502539&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=loLR&locale=en_US&srchid=55025391407093543596&srchindex=1&srchtotal=3&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A55025391407093543596%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5502539%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary

  

Kiron Skinner: The Unceremonious Firing of a Strategic Thinker

In the immortal words of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, “To every man there comes a time when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a great and mighty work; unique to him and fitted to his talents; what a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the moment that could be his finest hour.”

These were the first words that popped into my mind last week when I heard about the unceremonious firing of foreign policy savant, Kiron Skinner.

Last year, she was “tapped on the shoulder” by President Trump to be the director of policy planning within the Department of State. Basically, it’s an internal think tank within State that carries a lot of weight and influence.

Within foreign policy circles, Ms. Skinner is universally considered as one of the most brilliant strategic thinkers on the scene today and has been for many years.

Oh, did I tell you that she is also black, female, Spellman and Harvard graduate, and comes from legendary civil rights activists’ parents? To learn more about her background, you can read the recent writeup about her in Spellman’s alumni magazine.

Those who follow my writings know I have been very critical of my Republican Party when it comes to its lack of engagement with blacks.

But yet, in the area of foreign policy, the party has created huge opportunities for our community.

It was the Republican Party’s grooming of Ms. Skinner’s colleagues Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice that led to two successive black secretaries of State under President George W. Bush. Ms. Skinner is on track to follow in their footsteps.

So, what did Ms. Skinner do that justified her being unceremoniously perp-walked out of the State Department like some criminal?

Ms. Skinner was accused by “anonymous” sources of Abusive management style, making homophobic remarks and accusing people of having affairs. Yep, you heard right.

I spoke with several high-level sources within State who were in a position to observe Ms. Skinner’s work. All denied vehemently that there is any truth to the allegations.

So, let’s dissect these heinous crimes Ms. Skinner is accused of committing.

Abusive management style. What the hell does this even mean? Please allow me to interpret for you.  

It’s obvious that she ran up against some Never Trumpers and Deep Staters who are on a mission to stop every policy the president is initiating within the State Department. 

Making homophobic remarks. If you refuse to aggressively promote homosexuality in our foreign policy, then you are homophobic. But besides that, this innuendo flies in the face of her own former colleagues before joining the State Department.

Respected openly-gay professors Scott A. Sandage and Carol Goldburg have heaped praise and support on Ms. Skinner.

“As one of the few out lesbians on our campus, I am not tone-deaf to even subtle forms of discrimination such as micro-aggressions, and can categorically state that Kiron Skinner does not engage in such behaviors,” Ms. Goldburg said.

Accusing people of having affairs. How dare she. Death, to Kiron Skinner. How can anyone with an ounce of integrity accuse someone of one of the most horrific crimes known to mankind?

Her crimes were so awful, look at how some of the biggest names in foreign policy responded.

George P. Shultz, our 60th U.S. Secretary of State, said, “Kiron is a first-class scholar who tackles important issues and applies a keen, analytic mind to the topic at hand with boundless intellectual energy. Beyond her scholarly capabilities, Kiron adheres steadfastly to the principles of honesty and integrity.”

Niall Ferguson, a historian, biographer of Henry Kissinger and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, said, “I have never known [Kiron] to be anything but cool, calm and collected. She brought to the Policy Planning job an exceptional combination of strategic insight and technological expertise. And she was playing a leading role in key initiatives, particularly the administration’s reassessment of U.S. policy towards China.” 

Victor Davis Hanson — Martin and Illie Anderson senior fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford University — said, “Dr. Skinner explains the recalibration of American foreign policy under the present administration with rare insight and analyses — a foreign policy scholar of the first rank.”

The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, said, “Dr. Skinner’s knowledge of foreign policy and statecraft will be difficult to replace. I join former Secretaries of State George Schultz and Condoleezza Rice, among others, in welcoming her back into spheres of influence where she will be a high impact contributor.”

Based on these high-powered endorsements, how can anyone conclude anything other than Ms. Skinner’s dismissal was nothing more than an inside-the-Beltway hit job on a Trump loyalist.

What a tragedy if this moment finds the Trump administration unprepared or unqualified to continue to utilize Ms. Skinner’s prolific mind when it comes to foreign policy advice.

Raynard Jackson is a Pulitzer Award-nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur.  He is also President & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC, an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC.  Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator.  He has coined the phrase “straticist.”  As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations.  Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career or business.

For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. 
You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.

Add Raynard Jackson to your facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/raynard.jackson.12

Add Raynard Jackson to your twitter.  https://twitter.com/Raynard1223

Add Raynard Jackson to your Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=5502539&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=loLR&locale=en_US&srchid=55025391407093543596&srchindex=1&srchtotal=3&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A55025391407093543596%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5502539%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary

  

An Open Letter to Candace Owens from a “Real” Black Republican

Candace, I recently had the opportunity to finally meet you in person.  We both spoke at The Symposium at the Wall in Sunland Park, NM, location of America's first privately funded border wall.

We were both backstage and the host brought you over to me so we could be introduced.  I must admit, I was stunned at your arrogance!

I gave you my business card, but there was no attempt by you to reciprocate.  You kept repeating that my name sounded familiar to you.

I couldn’t help but chuckle inside at your repeatedly saying that my name sounded familiar to you.  I came oh so close to pulling a Rick James on you!!!

I know you millennials think civilization started when you guys came out of the womb, but it really didn’t.

And this is my challenge to you by way of this column.  I want to remind you of the words of Solomon in Proverbs 4:7: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.”

You, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have a lot of potentials; but neither of you has shown any inclination to decrease your media presence to focus on becoming more and better informed on the issues of the day.

Many whites sing your praises because you are simply “entertainment” to them.  You provide “race” insurance to them.  In their mind, they can’t be racist because they had you speak at their conference.  Never mind that you have absolutely no connection to the Black community or “real” Black conservatives.

They are “comfortable” with you because they know you pose no threat to their approach or views towards the Black community.  They know you will never challenge them on some of the distorted views they may have towards the Black community.

You measure success by likes, followers, and retweets; we measure success by victory!

Many will hire you to work in their nonprofit organizations, but I would be totally stunned if they would be willing to hire you in any of their private-sector corporations!

A lot of the criticism of you has little to do with the biased radical liberal media or people who are hating on you; but rather because you have made many unforced errors.

You said on national TV that Congressman Maxine Waters is “not a smart person,” and that LeBron James was “ignorant.”

Your making statements like these are the reason why you have absolutely no credibility within the Black community, even among “real” Black Republicans and conservatives. 

I thoroughly disagree with almost everything Waters and James believe in politically, but no one with half of a brain would ever say she is not a smart person or that he is ignorant.  They both know what they are doing and saying, I just happen to totally disagree with them on principle.

I know you feel you have to constantly get the approval of the white folks you are catering to; but NEVER, I repeat, NEVER give up your integrity.  You can always make more money, but you can’t make more integrity; once you lose it, it’s almost impossible to get it back.

Despite the plethora of media appearances you have, I strongly encourage you to get some media training; you could be so much more effective with the proper training.  As a matter of fact, as one who has trained some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment, business, and politics; I will offer my guidance to you free of charge.

Despite what many whites in the Republican Party think, you cannot move the needle on the issue of getting more Blacks involved in the party because you have no ties to nor any institutional memory of “real” Black Republicans. 

If you don’t know people like William T. Coleman, Art Fletcher, Jennifer Carroll, Robert J. Brown, Richard Finley, Ada Fisher, Fred McClure, or John Burnett; then maybe you should spend a few months away from the media to get the proper education to understand the issues you are attempting to discuss.

Because, to be honest with you, you have confused the hell out of me with some of your recent public pronouncements.

You testified before the House Judiciary Committee on April 9 of this year and stated in your opening remarks that you were a Democrat; then last week you stated on Laura Ingraham’s TV show on FOX News Channel that you were a Republican; which is it?

Black Democrats ignore you because of some of the crazy statements that come out of your mouth; “real” Black Republicans ignore you because you have no relationship with the party or the Black community.

You are the flavor of the month right now, but your 15 minutes of fame will be over by the end of this year.

How do I know?

You are not the first Black to be promoted as the “flavor of the month.”  The Republican graveyard is full of people like you who have been willingly used only to be discarded and thrown into the sea of forgetfulness, and woe [it] be unto you if you don’t know their names because you will soon join that club unless you read the handwriting on the wall.

And with all thy getting, get understanding!

Raynard Jackson is a Pulitzer Award-nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur.  He is also President & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC, an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC.  Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator.  He has coined the phrase “straticist.”  As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations.  Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career or business.

For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. 
You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.

Add Raynard Jackson to your facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/raynard.jackson.12

Add Raynard Jackson to your twitter.  https://twitter.com/Raynard1223

Add Raynard Jackson to your Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=5502539&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=loLR&locale=en_US&srchid=55025391407093543596&srchindex=1&srchtotal=3&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A55025391407093543596%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5502539%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary