Ok, enough about the TeaParty, VA, NJ gubernatorial elections, and immigration reform,
and on to higher octane discussions. Howard University’s Homecoming of 2013.

 

Today, the U.S. government is back in business, thanks to a last-second agreement in the waning hours to beat a deadline and raise the debt ceiling. The Senate voted overwhelmingly for a budget bill that did not include the Republican’s previous push to defund “Obamacare,” which many polls agree Americans believed was the catalyst for shutting down the federal government for 16 days and the fulcrum upon which re-opening the government was balanced. In the aftermath of yet another high profile political defeat after going toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with a president whose record at defeating Republicans will stand the test of time as the worst beating the party has repeatedly received in its modern history, I am left with one profound question: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GOP? Not the Grand Old Party. What happened to the Growth and Opportunity Project? The what? Yeah, exactly. (read more)

On Oct. 1, the Wall Street Journal published its analysis of Moody's review of 1,000 corporations in its ratings portfolio. The report reveals the nonfinancial sector holds $1.48 trillion in cash, with at least $900 billion stashed in offshore accounts, which avoids a 35% U.S. tax. I created an infographic to show the data.

Inclusive Competitiveness is a national economic imperative that policymakers nationwide should consider as their highest investment priority and America's 21st Century Economic Vision. Johnathan Holifield, Esq. is the "Father of Inclusive Competitiveness," which is an economic philosophy and framework rapidly gaining traction as the nation's premier economic vision for the 21st century. Holifield's Inclusive Competitiveness vision is based upon a naked eye observation backed by solid research data: See slideshare and video.

You've heard the famous UNCF slogan, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." But you may not have heard the new ad campaign, which borrows language that have become synonymous with Silicon Valley and Wall Street: "investment" and "dividend." I like the new approach. But what do you think? (SEE VIDEO)

Yesterday morning, we made our way north from Seattle, past gorgeous waterways, and lush greenery to visit with the Tulalip tribes of western Washington, where we were greeted by Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon, Vice Chairwoman Deb Parker, and Chief Judge Theresa Pouley.  We saw first-hand, a tribal court system which serves to both honor the traditions of its people and to foster a renewed era of tribal self-determination.

We have numerous inventors and contributors from all walks of life throughout our great nation that are well known and not so well know at all.  We would never have discovered these talented individuals who have contributed their gifts and whereby benefitted all of us if we had keep to the notion that gifted and talent comes in one type of package,  and is identified using a narrow prototype of a person. There are innovators who have created, discovered and manufactured from every day household essentials to life saving medicines. Needless to say, these innovative leaders would never have been discovered if we as a society had not looked in every corner of our nation for what they had to offer.

In this Ask the Expert Q&A, Johnathan Holifield, Esq., co-founder of The America 21 Project and Vice President of Inclusive Competitiveness for NorTech, explains why it is imperative to include minorities in the Innovation Economy. This approach to inclusion is similar to ICIC's (Initiative for a Competitive Inner City) regional equity work — which advocates for regional approaches that deliberately include strategies for inner city economies.