The U.S. Constitution was meant to be a timeless document with guidelines, but the Founders recognized that a changing society means the law of the land will require future amendments. While over 11,000 amendments to the U.S. Constitution have been proposed since 1789, only 27 have been ratified. In the Bill of Rights, drafted by James Madison, the first 10 amendments were added to guarantee individual liberties and place limits on the power of the federal government.

They were drafted and introduced to the First Congress by Madison in response to pressure from anti-Federalists who feared the implications of having a strong central government. The original Second Amendment was written during a different era, shaped by militias and the fear of slave uprisings. The Second Amendment states: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Southern leaders and anti-Federalists were worried that the new federal government would weaken or disarm state militias that were used for slave patrols and shock troops against revolts. Madison was referring to the ability of white civilian volunteers being organized by the State to police, terrorize, and crush Black resistance.

Today, people in powerful positions with ulterior motives are determined to erase the original context and redefine the meaning of Constitutional amendments to defend their versions of liberty, citizenship, and democracy. The success in changing the meaning behind the Second Amendment cannot be ignored. For most of U.S. history, courts did not read the Second Amendment as a personal right to own any gun you wanted (i.e., semi-automatic rifles). The Supreme Court repeatedly treated it as related to militias and public order, not as a shield for individual gun possession. The shift began in the late 20^th century. The meaning changed because the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its allies had ulterior motives for gun rights, thereby launching a long and successful campaign to change the narrative.

First, it was the Second Amendment, now it’s the Fourteenth. The president, who attempted to abolish birthright citizenship by executive order, believes that the Constitution does not guarantee automatic citizenship to all individuals born on U.S. soil. Many agree with the president’s assessment and his bid to upend birthright citizenship in our nation. Despite their grandstanding when claiming to “uphold the Constitution,” they want to play by their own rules when defining who automatically receives citizenship. Changing the rules concerning naturalization and birthright citizenship becomes a target for those fearful of a changing nation and what it could mean when the United States eventually becomes a majority-minority nation. Redefining what it means to be an “American” is a power strategy. It has always been an issue of national identity for the overall purpose of exclusion and maintaining control.

Citizenship in the United States is a legal status that entitles citizens to specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits. Citizenship serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment makes it very clear in its definition of citizenship. It reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.”

According to this description, there are two primary pathways to American citizenship, as specified in the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Birthright citizenship is the process by which persons born within the territorial limits of the United States are presumed to be citizens. Secondly, naturalization is the process by which an eligible legal immigrant applies for citizenship and is ultimately accepted. The Supreme Court is currently hearing oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara, in which the question of birthright citizenship is argued before the highest court. The Supreme Court has an opportunity to shut down the policy debate and high-power move by those who maintain a white supremacy agenda.

As the Trump administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, made his arguments before the Court, Chief Justice John Roberts replied: “It’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution.” Those are powerful and surprising words coming from a conservative on the bench who has presided over the end of the rule of law in America. We need Chief Justice Roberts and the majority of the Supreme Court to get this one right.

Written by David W. Marshall

Official website; https://davidwmarshallauthor.com/

One may purchase his book, which is titled; God Bless Our Divided America: Unity, Politics and History from a Biblical Perspective.

Not quite. Wilmington, Ohio, is a very Republican region marked by modest incomes. Such demographics may have made the locals, and other rural Americans, look like an easy sale to the tech companies hunting for places to plop their massive data centers.

Amazon Web Services, which is proposing this nine-building data center on about 500 acres of a former farm, has its boosters hard at work. The project would create up to 100 full-time jobs, they say. It could also pay for up to $35 million in improving public infrastructure (much of which may not be needed in the absence of a massive data center).

The JobsOhio website crows that data centers “create positive economic momentum” by generating jobs and attracting talented people — people the locals may never have noticed were missing. Touting “100 jobs” could also be read as “only 100 jobs?”

The controversies in southwestern Ohio are being repeated in rural communities across the country. Their land is cheap, incomes are not great and their local officials seem not too picky about “economic development.” In addition, some states like Ohio are waving big tax incentives at Big Tech.

It seems that many rural Americans regard modest incomes as the “price” they willingly pay to live in “God’s country.” Some families have been there for generations, and many want to keep it peaceful for future generations.

No doubt artificial intelligence is taking over. Americans can’t stop it and shouldn’t want to. It will be essential for national security and economic survival. AI needs these data centers for power. But it does not follow that the human beings living in their path should have no say on how this all develops.

Wisconsin voters have been presented with four local ballot measures designed to rein in data center projects. One that already passed gives the public more control over incentives officials may offer developers. Maine is the first state to pass a law halting big data-center construction for over a year.

I’m not a fan of class warfare. BUT, there is something unfair about the superrich dumping things they don’t want to be near on economically struggling communities without giving a lot back.

Amazon zillionaire Jeff Bezos keeps his main mansion on Indian Creek Island, near Miami Beach. This exclusive paradise limits building heights to two stories, lot coverage to 25%. Residents may have only two accessory buildings for those essential cabanas, boat houses and such. A little bridge connects Indian Creek Island to Miami’s barrier island. People using that bridge are screened.

Bezos cleverly threw out a distraction from Amazon’s building plans by suggesting that data centers be put in outer space. That is in a far and, perhaps, never-gonna-happen future. For now, Ohio farm country is the plan.

As for Donald Trump, he’s all for building “colossal data centers” and fast. His administration has moved to speed permits for the centers themselves and the infrastructure they need.

As for quality-of-life concerns, Trump limits them to within his own environment. In pre-presidential days, Trump called for moving the Palm Beach airport because he didn’t like the jet noise over Mar-a-Lago.

Some data center foes make cost-of-living arguments against them. The centers’ ravenous energy needs could raise local electricity rates. However, that could be countered by the tax revenues the centers would generate. Decisions on placing them should be based on more than the locals’ cost of living. There are other values.

Thus, colorblindness is not only a medical problem; it is also a spiritual one. Why? God Himself created color diversity. You cannot believe that God is providential and also believe that color is accidental. (Note: In accordance with the Bible, I refer to God in masculine terms. I understand that not all faith traditions do so.)

Ignoring color runs counter to God’s self-evident intentions. He created humanity and allowed it to evolve into a wonderful spectrum of colors, shapes, sizes, and other attributes. Imagine someone saying, “I don’t see differences in people’s height.” Assuming that the person is sighted, you would wonder whether he or she was mentally stable.

Thus, when someone says, “I don’t see color,” they are (perhaps inadvertently) rebuking God for creating one of the defining characteristics of His divine design. Diversity is a key feature of all life, whether humans, animals, insects or plants. What if there were only one kind of vegetable?

Due to America’s legacy of racial segregation, I grew up in an essentially all-Black family, lived in an essentially all-Black neighborhood, attended essentially all-Black schools, and worshipped in a decidedly all-Black church. Then, when I was in sixth grade, a school desegregation order took effect in my area of town. Consequently, I was bused to the south side of Indianapolis.

That was a transformational experience. For the first time in my life, I was exposed to white people en masse. (Well, other than at the Indiana State Fair.) My life was richer for that experience, despite some extremely difficult racist incidents that my fellow Black students and I endured. I don’t recall a single person in those years saying, “I don’t see color.”

Further, unity in diversity is a central tenet of Christianity. To be genuinely Christ-Centered is to go beyond the lip service that often pervades the church. If Christ is at the center, diversity cannot be on the periphery. Acts 6 presents a biblical example of the spiritual importance of unity in diversity.

In seven verses Luke reveals a perfect example of embracing diversity that marries recognition and reconciliation. There was a religious/cultural dispute among early Christians who had converted from Judaism. The disciples intervened quickly to quell suspected discrimination. They acknowledged that not doing so would have hindered the preaching of the Gospel.

Thus, when people deride the “Social Gospel”, they’re deriding the clear message of Scripture. The truth is that there is no “Social” Gospel; there is only the Gospel. The Euangelion. The Good News.

Jesus admonishes us to love our neighbor in Matthew 22:39. The Greek word that Matthew uses for “neighbor” literally means “anybody other than you”. There is no way around that. This shouldn’t be surprising because of the circumstances surrounding His birth. Jesus was an undocumented immigrant who was born to an unwed teenaged mother. He understood, in the most personal way, what it meant to be an outsider.

And it’s not just Jesus. We often forget that God initiates this commandment in the Old Testament, telling us to love, to welcome, to take care of, and to protect immigrants and foreigners. God does so not once. Not three times. The Old Testament demands this of us more than 35 times!

Tragically, a large percentage of Americans disagree. That includes Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who has stated that our strength is not in our diversity; it is in our unity. In doing so, Hegseth is positing that unity and diversity are opposing concepts. They’re not.

Diversity is not the opposite of unity; the opposite of unity is disunity. Disunity breeds chaos, disorder and hatred. Being unified in purpose — as long as that purpose is right and moral — is a good thing.

The opposite of diversity is homogeneity. Sameness. Monolithism. Uniformity. How boring would our world be if everyone were just like me? (Well, not me; I’m pretty cool.) But how boring would the world be if everyone were exactly the same? What if there were just one kind of person?

Diversity divides us only when it is demonized. But embracing diversity brings us together. Thus, with all due respect to Secretary Hegseth, recognizing and celebrating diversity quite literally promotes unity. We will never become “one Nation, under God, indivisible” until there genuinely is “liberty and justice for all.”

If America is ever to be great fully, we cannot embrace diversity partially.

Written by Larry Smith

The headlines say one thing. The streets say another. And the truth, like it always does, is sitting somewhere in the middle, waiting on time to expose it.

The FBI got involved. That alone tells you this ain’t no regular rap beef or contract dispute. When federal agents knock on your door, it’s already deeper than music. It’s deeper than pride. It’s about freedom now. And for Pooh Shiesty, a man who just came home trying to reclaim his position, this situation feels like a brutal reminder that timing in life can be everything.

Let’s be clear about what actually happened, because too many people online just running with whatever sounds the most entertaining.

According to federal authorities, Pooh Shiesty, real name Lontrell Williams Jr., along with eight other individuals, including his own father and Memphis rapper Big30, got hit with serious charges. Kidnapping. Conspiracy to commit kidnapping. That’s not light work. That’s the kind of charge that changes lives permanently if it sticks.

The allegations paint a picture that feels almost like a movie script, but with real consequences. Prosecutors claim there was a setup. A business meeting in Dallas. A supposed discussion about contract terms. That’s how it was presented. That’s how the victims allegedly walked into the situation. Thinking it was music business. Thinking it was negotiation. Thinking it was opportunity.

Instead, what they say happened inside that studio was something else entirely.

An armed takeover.

Guns drawn. Doors blocked. Jewelry taken. Contracts forced to be signed. One man allegedly had a weapon put to his head. Another reportedly choked to the point of near unconsciousness. And if that wasn’t enough, investigators say the whole thing was tied together with evidence that doesn’t just disappear. Surveillance footage. Cell phone records. Travel logs. Even ankle monitor data placing Shiesty at the scene.

That last part hits different.

Because this wasn’t a man moving freely with no oversight. This was someone already under federal supervision, already walking a tightrope between rebuilding his life and falling back into a system that rarely gives second chances.

And now here we are.

The raid came early April. FBI moving in heavy. Flashbangs. Evidence bags. Multiple arrests across states. Memphis. Dallas. Nashville. Atlanta. This wasn’t random. This was coordinated, just like the crime they’re accusing them of committing.

Now let’s talk about the part that got the internet in a frenzy.

Did Gucci Mane snitch?

That question alone tells you everything about the culture we’re dealing with.

Because instead of focusing on the seriousness of the charges, instead of asking how a man fresh out of prison ends up back in federal custody, the conversation turned into street politics. Loyalty. Codes. Who told. Who didn’t.

And that’s where things get complicated.

In the paperwork, there’s a line that shook people. It suggests that someone identified as R.D., widely believed to be Radric Davis, Gucci Mane’s real name, described Pooh Shiesty’s clothing during the alleged incident. That detail alone was enough for social media to run wild with the narrative that Gucci Mane cooperated with authorities.

But here’s the thing about paperwork and street rumors.

They don’t always tell the full story.

There have also been claims that Gucci Mane is not cooperating. That he won’t testify. That investigators didn’t even directly get information from him. Some reports suggest others involved in the situation may have been the ones talking instead.

That matters.

Because in Hip Hop culture, the word “snitch” gets thrown around too easily. It’s one of the most damaging labels you can put on someone. And sometimes it gets applied without proof, without context, and without understanding how real life works outside of street codes.

Let’s pause for a second and talk real.

The street code says don’t talk. Don’t cooperate. Don’t give statements. But what happens when business and street life collide? What happens when millions of dollars are on the line? When contracts, ownership, and legal obligations are involved?

That’s where things get blurry.

Because Gucci Mane isn’t just a rapper anymore. He’s a businessman. A label owner. A man responsible for investments, artists, and his own legacy. That changes the way situations get handled, whether people like it or not.

At the same time, the streets don’t care about that.

The streets only see loyalty.

And that’s where Pooh Shiesty’s situation becomes bigger than just a legal case. It becomes a reflection of a pattern we’ve seen too many times. Young artists rising fast, carrying the weight of their environments, trying to transition into a different life, but still being pulled back into old ways of thinking.

Pooh Shiesty had momentum. Real momentum. Before his first incarceration, he was one of the hottest voices coming out of Memphis. His energy, his delivery, his presence, it all felt authentic. That rawness connected with people. It made them believe him.

Then prison came.

And when he got out, there was anticipation. Fans wanted that same hunger, but with growth. With maturity. With focus. His single “FDO” hinted at that. It sounded like someone who understood the opportunity in front of him.

But life don’t always give you time to adjust.

Sometimes the past catches up quicker than the future can be built.

And now, instead of talking about chart positions or new projects, we’re talking about federal charges.

That’s the tragedy of it.

Because Hip Hop has always been about transformation. Taking pain and turning it into power. Taking struggle and turning it into success. But when the lines between the street and the industry stay blurred, that transformation becomes harder to sustain.

Now let’s get into the uncomfortable part.

Why do so many rappers still hold onto a street code that doesn’t protect them?

That’s the question nobody really wants to answer honestly.

The idea of not snitching comes from a place of survival. It was built in environments where trust was limited and cooperation with law enforcement could literally get you killed. That history is real. That context matters.

But what happens when that same code starts hurting the community instead of protecting it?

What happens when silence allows violence to continue?

What happens when loyalty to a code outweighs responsibility to your own future, your own family, your own people?

That’s where we need to start being real with ourselves.

Because not every situation is the same.

There’s a difference between telling on someone for personal gain and speaking up about actions that harm others. There’s a difference between protecting your circle and enabling behavior that leads to destruction.

And too often, those lines get ignored.

In this case, the conversation about whether Gucci Mane “snitched” feels almost secondary to the bigger issue. A group of men allegedly used violence and intimidation in what was supposed to be a business setting. That’s not street survival. That’s a breakdown of understanding how to move when you’ve reached a certain level.

Business disputes are supposed to be handled in courtrooms, not with weapons.

Contracts are supposed to be negotiated, not forced.

And when those lines get crossed, consequences follow.

That’s not snitching. That’s reality.

At the same time, we can’t ignore the systemic side of this. The way young Black artists are often put into positions where they’re expected to navigate complex business structures without proper guidance. The way labels can exploit talent while presenting themselves as opportunities.

That tension is real too.

And it creates situations where artists feel like they have to take matters into their own hands.

But that doesn’t justify the outcome.

It just explains part of the mindset.

So now we’re left with a situation where nobody really wins.

Pooh Shiesty is facing serious legal trouble.

Gucci Mane is dealing with accusations that could affect his reputation in certain circles.

Fans are divided, arguing over loyalty instead of focusing on the bigger picture.

And the culture itself is once again having to confront the same questions it’s been asking for decades.

Where do we go from here?

Maybe it starts with redefining what loyalty actually means.

Maybe it means understanding that growth requires leaving certain mindsets behind.

Maybe it means recognizing that the same code that once protected people can also hold them back when the circumstances change.

Because at the end of the day, freedom is more important than perception.

Building something that lasts is more important than proving something in the moment.

And protecting your future should always come before protecting an image.

This case is still unfolding. Court dates are coming. Evidence will be examined. Stories will change. More details will come out.

But one thing is already clear.

This isn’t just about Pooh Shiesty or Gucci Mane.

This is about a culture at a crossroads.

And the decisions made in moments like this will shape what comes next.

So before we rush to label someone a snitch, before we pick sides based on incomplete information, maybe it’s time to ask a different question.

What does real loyalty look like in 2026?

Because if it still leads to situations like this, then maybe it’s time for a new code.

And that’s something the whole culture needs to think about.

Staff Writer; Jamar Jackson

This brother has a passion for poetry and music. One may contact him at; JJackson@ThyBlackMan.com.

Up until then Trump, being a bully, was into his usual bombast, bluster and bravado designed to keep up the illusion the US was obliterating Iran and winning the war. Trump in his insanity openly boasted the US was going to commit war crimes by attacking Iranian civilian infrastructure, bridges, power generating and water treatment facilities and, in his own words, “destroy Iranian civilization”.

But Trump’s swag and bluster are fake, he has been thoroughly out-strategized by Iran who holds all the cards. All the US has is the ability to commit mass murder and devastating destruction at will; but given what happened before Easter when the US tried to launch a snatch and grab raid into Iran under the guise of rescuing a downed fighter jet crew which met severe disaster, the US has once again shown itself to be outclassed in this conflict!

What the US mind control apparatus failed to tell Americans is that during the illegal and unprovoked attacks against Iran, Israel and the US both in June of 2025 and this current war, were totally unprepared for Iran’s asymmetric military response. Yes, Iran suffered massive damage to its military facilities and some of its civilian infrastructure but the truth of the matter is, Iran has dealt devastating blows against Israel and US allies in the Gulf!  Iran hit US bases, radar, defense, air fields and oil and natural gas facilities hosted by US allies in: Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates. These attacks have wreaked global havoc, causing major consternation, distress, ill will against the US and by extension Israel! By choaking the Strait of Hormuz Iran has totally disrupted supply lines and denied access to oil, natural gas and other essential materials needed by global markets! Trump is taking a massive PR hit for this!

 Iran totally outplayed the US and Israel. The US was forced to withdraw its vaunted aircraft carriers out of range of Iran missiles and drones thus showing the world the US it a paper tiger who couldn’t honor its promises to protect its Gulf Cooperation Council allies and the fact the US prioritized Israel over them and its Asian allies like Japan and South Korea.  This was not a good look and Trump and Co found themselves in a major pickle.  Potential adversaries watched and saw how vulnerable the US military really is.

Iran has tactfully won this war! By restricting traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. with the Houthis their staunch ally threatening to choke the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb which connects the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, Iran has dealt a powerful blow hitting America and the world where it hurts the most, economically. Trump’s folly of attacking Iran has blown up in his face and left him with limited options; either: more escalation which is a lose-lose scenario for him or press for a cease-fire. He was forced to press for a ceasefire, Trump not Iran begged for the ceasefire!

Meanwhile Israel is taking a tremendous pounding because they have used up all of their defense missiles and their protective defensive systems have been neutralized. Iran is targeting them at will. Tel Aviv is starting to resemble a bombed-out Gaza. Israel has strict censorship; they do not allow pictures of the massive damage to get into the public domain; but the limited optics which are getting out show Israel is in tatters.

Keep in mind the same thing happened during the June 2025 conflict, Iran shocked Israel with their response, they were able to probe and discover Israel’s weaknesses then get through the Israeli defense shields. It was so devasting, Israel urged Trump to press for a ceasefire after twelve days! The same thing is happening now only its worse for Israel. Israel is being pummeled.

The problem was contained. It was a case of out of sight and out of public concern. The etched in stone assumption was that the sidewalk sleeper landed there because of drug, alcohol, substance abuse, joblessness, and always some mental health challenge. In most cases, that was true. And in the case of Black men down and out on the sidewalk, racism and poverty were also major reasons for their plight.

The sidewalk sleeper that I noted on a South Los Angeles street almost certainly would have a horrid tale of woe if anyone bothered to ask him why he was there. That was unlikely because many regard them as an embarrassment and are more likely to complain that their presence there poses a crime and safety hazard in their neighborhood.

The finger of blame locally is pointed squarely at Los Angeles officials for not doing enough to combat the surge in sidewalk sleeping. This writer took to the sidewalks recently and challenged city officials to declare a state of emergency on the proliferation of Black men on sidewalks and then implement measures that could range from creating a special task force to establishing special home shelters for the sidewalk sleepers.

This writer is under no illusion that this is an easy task. It is a task city officials would find tough to implement if they met my challenge.

The first obstacle is laws. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court virtually gave cities and counties the license to sweep the streets of homeless men and women without providing places for them to live or services to keep them off the streets. The court ruled that cities could fine sidewalk sleepers and at the same time were under no obligation to find housing for them.

That also gave city officials the license to ban clusters of street encampments without providing any housing placement substitute.

The Supreme Court went even further and rejected the notion that it was “cruel and unusual punishment” to punish people for sleeping on the sidewalks. The reaction from homeless support advocates was swift and angry.

“Where do people experiencing homelessness go if every community decides to punish them for their homelessness?” said Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

The “where do they go “question has been the perennial question asked every time cities make periodic sweeps of homeless encampments. The sweeps amount to little more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It is simply shifting them from one part of the city to another, maybe placing a few in temporary shelters, while leaving the rest right back where they started, plopped down on yet another sidewalk.

That was bad enough, But now there’s the new wrinkle. The men who, not just nightly, but day and night, have taken up near permanent residence on a sidewalk. Though residents have mostly reacted with glances and shrugs, the growing number of these men present a clear and present safety, health and welfare hazard to nearby residents and business owners. They are more than an eyesore. They evoke fear and anxiety of the potential hazard their presence brings to residential neighborhoods.

That fear is heightened by the fact that many of these men are African American. And they are for the most part young.

Many admittedly do have chronic mental and physical challenges, which are a major reason why they landed on the streets and that presents an even greater challenge for city and county officials trying to come up with a workable plan to remove them from the sidewalks, but do so in a safe and humane way.

Los Angeles city officials have spent tens of millions of dollars on the removal of encampments. They have spent tens of millions more on building, renting, leasing temporary and transitional housing for the homeless. They have spent tens of millions more in ramping up drug, alcohol, and mental health treatment and counseling for homeless individuals. These are crucial and much needed ongoing measures to combat the homeless crisis in the city.

However, these measures fall flat in addressing the new norm of Black men who make their homes on the bare sidewalk concrete.

L.A. city officials have not taken the cruel steps the 2024 Supreme Court ruling green lighted. They have chosen not to criminalize the men on the sidewalks. Those men need help and support, not a jail cell. But will they get it?

Written By Earl Ofari Hutchinson

One can find more info about Mr. Hutchinson over at the following site; TheHutchinson Report.

Also feel free to connect with him through twitter; http://twitter.com/earlhutchins

He is also an associate editor of New America Media. His forthcoming book is From King to Obama: Witness to a Turbulent History (Middle Passage Press).

But the waitress covering a double shift, the nurse working overnight, the warehouse worker racing a delivery clock, and the rideshare driver chasing fares didn’t get the memo.

America is still working.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries recently urged Speaker Mike Johnson to reconvene the House, arguing that lawmakers should be back in Washington doing the work they were elected to do. Whether Speaker Johnson agrees or not, the moment raises a broader question: who gets to take a break in America?

Members of Congress earn $174,000 a year—nearly three times the pay of the typical American worker—with health insurance, generous benefits, and some of the most secure jobs in the country. Their paychecks continue whether Congress is in session or not. Most Americans live in a very different world.

The United States is the only wealthy nation with no federal guarantee of paid vacation. Workers in many European countries are guaranteed four or five weeks of paid leave each year. In America, vacation is something you negotiate with your employer—if you’re lucky enough to have an employer who offers it.

The irony is that Americans are working more even as our economy becomes more productive. Economist Juliet Schor found that by the late twentieth century the average American was working about 163 more hours per year than in 1969—roughly the equivalent of an extra month of work each year. Technology was supposed to give us more leisure. Instead, many Americans are working longer hours while Congress takes recess.

Even when workers receive paid leave, it is modest. After a year on the job, many workers get about ten vacation days. After twenty years, they might reach twenty days. But many workers never get that far. The median American worker stays with an employer for roughly four years—often not long enough to accumulate meaningful benefits. Millions of workers—especially those in retail, hospitality, health care, and gig work—receive no paid vacation at all.

When Congress gavels out of session, lawmakers return to districts where their salaries, benefits, and job security remain intact. Many of their constituents are juggling unpredictable schedules, holding multiple jobs, and worrying about groceries, rent, and childcare.

Congressional recess is supposed to serve a purpose. Lawmakers return to their districts to hear from constituents and understand the challenges people face. Earlier generations of lawmakers often remained in Washington for long stretches while legislation moved through Congress. Today’s calendar reflects a different political reality —one in which travel, fundraising, and media appearances compete with the actual work of governing. But recess also highlights a deeper inequality: the people making decisions about work and economic policy often enjoy levels of job security and rest that many Americans will never experience.

The nature of work in the United States has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Stable careers have given way to gig work, contract labor, and irregular schedules. Benefits that once came with employment—pensions, health insurance, paid leave—have become less certain.

These questions matter even more as the nature of work continues to change. Gig work, contract labor, and unstable schedules are reshaping the American labor market. Yet basic protections that workers in many other wealthy countries take for granted—paid vacation, predictable hours, and time to rest—remain elusive for millions of Americans.

Yet our political system still operates as if the old world of stable jobs and predictable careers still exists.

Jeffries’ call to reconvene Congress is ultimately about more than a legislative calendar. It raises a simple question: why should the people making decisions about American work be the ones most insulated from its pressures?

Congress may call it a recess. But the country doesn’t stop working just because Congress takes a break. America isn’t on vacation. Maybe Congress shouldn’t be either.

Written by Julianne Malveaux

Official website; https://www.juliannemalveaux.com

Key Takeaways

• Structured routines increase feelings of safety and support, leading to lasting recovery.
• Regular exercise and balanced nutrition positively impact mood and overall vitality.
• Engagement in fulfilling activities and meaningful relationships promotes a sense of purpose.
• Healthy sleep and stress management practices are vital components of sober living.

Choosing sobriety is both empowering and life-affirming, and building healthy habits is essential to nurturing this new way of living. These habits support not only physical health but also emotional and mental well-being, providing a stable base for long-term recovery. Integrating such practices can make a significant difference and help you thrive while maintaining your dedication to sobriety. For those seeking supportive communities and structure, Sober Living in Boulder, Colorado, can offer valuable resources and a positive environment.

In the initial phases of recovery, it can be challenging to find stability. Learning and practicing healthy routines is key to success and can help lessen the risk of relapse while building resilience. This process helps boost mood naturally in daily life and prioritizes activities that nurture your well-being.

Establish a Structured Daily Routine

Establishing a predictable daily schedule is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining sobriety. Structure keeps you grounded, reduces free time, and limits exposure to potentially triggering situations. Develop routines that include work, hobbies, chores, or volunteer work. These activities provide purpose and help regain a sense of control that addiction might have disrupted. Structure can offer a sense of achievement and stability, making each day more manageable.

Prioritize Physical Health

Physical wellness plays a vital role in supporting your recovery journey. Regular exercise, whether it’s walking, yoga, swimming, or weight training, can decrease anxiety and depression while releasing endorphins to naturally boost mood. Keeping active enhances self-discipline, improves sleep, and provides an outlet for stress, all of which are important for people working on sustaining sobriety. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise also strengthens your immune system and can help break the cycle of negative thinking that often accompanies addiction.

Maintain a Balanced Diet

A nutritious diet supports both body and mind, replenishing what may have been depleted during substance use. Eating a variety of whole foods, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains improves energy, focus, and emotional stability. Additionally, cooking and sharing meals with others, such as those in a sober living home, encourages connection and can introduce enjoyable, healthy routines. Food choices can directly impact your progress, making mindful nutrition a critical part of recovery.

Engage in Meaningful Activities

Engagement in meaningful and enjoyable activities helps prevent boredom and minimizes opportunities for cravings. Pursuing hobbies like painting, music, gardening, or learning a new skill builds confidence and can reignite passions lost during addiction. These pastimes also contribute to personal growth and provide healthy outlets for emotional expression. Volunteering or participating in community events introduces new social opportunities and a sense of purpose that reinforces sober living.

Build a Supportive Social Network

Surrounding yourself with understanding, supportive people is essential during recovery. Healthy relationships offer encouragement and accountability and can be found through friends, family, sober living peers, or support groups such as 12-step meetings. Being part of a community helps reduce isolation and stress and encourages positive behaviors. Creating boundaries and limiting contact with people who pose risks to your sobriety is equally important for protecting your progress. For broader resources on building social networks for recovery, the National Institute on Drug Abuse provides useful guidance: Treatment and Recovery – NIDA.

Practice Mindfulness and Stress Management

Stress management tools like mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation are effective ways to reduce anxiety and remain present. Mindfulness helps individuals identify triggers and respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively. Other relaxation techniques, including gentle yoga or spending time outdoors, can further enhance emotional resilience. Developing these habits equips you with healthy coping mechanisms that are fundamental to sustained sobriety and overall well-being.

Ensure Quality Sleep

Consistent, restful sleep is foundational for recovery and daily functioning. Addiction often affects sleep patterns, and it can take time to regain a healthy sleep routine. Practicing good sleep hygiene, such as maintaining regular bedtime hours, avoiding screens before bed, and creating a comfortable environment, can drastically improve mental clarity, mood, and stress management. If sleep problems persist, seek guidance from a healthcare professional to address underlying issues safely.

Set Realistic Goals and Celebrate Progress

The path to recovery is ongoing, and goal-setting is invaluable for maintaining momentum. Break larger ambitions into manageable steps, whether related to fitness, nutrition, or personal development. Celebrate achievements, even minor ones, as each represents meaningful progress. Remember, setbacks may happen, but resilience grows when we embrace them as opportunities to learn and develop new skills to overcome future challenges.

Embracing these healthy habits brings stability, self-confidence, and motivation to the journey of sober living. By nurturing your body, mind, and relationships and by integrating mindfulness into daily routines, you lay the groundwork for a rewarding, substance-free future.

Staff Writer; Carl Johnson

Staff Writer; Jamar Jackson

This brother has a passion for poetry and music. One may contact him at; JJackson@ThyBlackMan.com.

In response, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) asked on X, “(1) Is he right? (2) Why?”

OK, Senator, I’ll give this a shot.

If Maher is right, it’s because:

1. Each day’s news brings more evidence of widespread fraud in this country, bilking American taxpayers out of unfathomable amounts of their money. Independent journalist Nick Shirley exposed the fraudulent child care and medical transport services in Minnesota — created largely by Somali immigrants — and calculated it at more than $100 million. This fell on the heels of the $250 million “Feeding Our Futures” scam perpetrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now we’re told that the financial fraud in that state could top $9 billion.

But those amounts are dwarfed by the fraud in California, where recent investigations have turned up $170 million in child care fraud and $3.5 billion in hospice fraud (in Los Angeles County alone.) Then there’s the $15 billion spent on “high-speed rail” — without even a single foot of track having been laid.

How about the fraud perpetrated on the American public with the “Russia collusion” hoax?

We see plenty of Fox News appearances, irate posts on X and even a smattering of congressional hearings. But where are the indictments, the arrests, the prosecutions? (The “Feeding Our Future” fraudsters have been indicted, but that fraud took place half a decade ago.) Republicans run the Justice Department; what are they doing?

2. The single most important issue to Americans is election integrity. This isn’t just a conservative voter issue, a Republican voter issue or a white voter issue. According to multiple polling outlets, a wide majority of Americans want voter ID as part of election security. Harvard CAPS/Harris puts the number at 81% of Americans, including 79% of independents and 70% of Democrats. Pew reports that 75% of Americans across all racial backgrounds want voter ID. Gallup puts the numbers even higher, with 84% of Americans overall wanting voter ID, including 98% of Republicans and 84% of independents. Eighty-three percent of those Gallup polled also want proof of American citizenship.

And yet somehow, a Republican-controlled Congress will not pass the SAVE America Act. Not cannot pass it, will not pass it.

3. In general, President Donald Trump is having to govern by executive order, because the Republican-controlled Congress appears to be doing very little. If Democrats had even the bare majorities Republicans have now, they’d be ramming their left-wing agenda items down our gullets so fast we’d be choking on them. But when Republicans get control of Congress, they act like a middle school student council given control of the mayor’s office for a day. Or highly paid court jesters.

4. Republicans voters also want an end to illegal immigration, the enforcement of our borders, and deportation of people here illegally. They do not want amnesty or government benefits for people who came here illegally. But instead of moving on the issues their voters care about, we have Republicans like Florida congresswoman Maria Salazar repackaging “amnesty” and calling it the “Dignity (“Dignitad”) Act.” She and Texas Republican congressman Brandon Gill are now in a war of words about it on X. Popular X accounts Matt Van Swol, Wall Street Mav and DataRepublican (among an increasing number of others) have called Salazar’s bluff (and that of her 19 Republican cosponsors) by reading the entire 261-page bill and explaining, with quotes and page numbers, how the “Dignity Act” is amnesty — and then some.

What’s worse is that we don’t really know how many people are living here illegally. We’re told it’s 7 million. Or maybe 10 million. But it’s probably much more. The Federation for American Immigration Reform put the number last year at 18.6 million. Amnesty means millions more people added to the voter rolls (and most won’t vote Republican, Rep. Salazar), millions more sponsoring family members to come in, and millions more struggling to get in themselves. As Ronald Reagan discovered when he signed an amnesty bill in 1986, “amnesty now and enforcement later” means “amnesty now and enforcement never.” Because it takes courage to enforce the law, and Republicans don’t have any, even when they’re in power.

5. Trump ran on improving the economy and no wars. Now there is war in Iran. Gas is over $4 a gallon. The stock market is down (a huge hit for people living on a fixed income and dependent on the performance of their pensions). The price of oil affects huge swaths of the economy. What’s the end game here? When do things get better?

I’m old enough to remember a free Iran, and I support the end of the mullahs’ reign there, the elimination of the threat of their having nuclear capability, and the liberation of the Iranian people. But it’s not among Americans’ top priorities, and the voters who elected Trump don’t see those priorities being addressed. Furthermore, at this writing, Iran and the United States are in a “ceasefire,” which Trump says presents the possibility of a resolution. But any resolution of this conflict that does not include the permanent removal of the mullahs from power will be a failure.

The midterms are seven months away, and a lot can happen in that time. But the Republican leadership in Congress has established a practice of dragging its feet, and there’s little reason to think they’ll suddenly change their modus operandi as the election gets closer.

They’d better. A loss at the midterms will be disastrous. We can expect a Democrat-controlled Congress to impeach Trump (and likely other members of his administration). They will not show the same deference to procedural niceties that Republicans profess. Instead, they’ll nuke the filibuster, pass amnesty, open the borders, defund federal law enforcement (including and especially Immigration and Customs Enforcement), reimpose censorship, renew their lawfare efforts, prosecute their political enemies and pack the Supreme Court. Which means you can kiss any judicial imposition of constitutional limits on government power bye-bye.

And that’s just for starters.

You guys better get off your rear ends and do what we sent you to Congress to do. And don’t bleat that Senate Majority Leader John Thune won’t let you. If he’s in the way, remove him and get the job done. Or lose in November.

There, Sen. Lee. Does that answer your questions?

Written by Laura Hollis

Official website; http://law.nd.edu/directory/laura-hollis/