Saturday, November 14, 2009

Politics

10 Things You Didn't Know About Michael Steele

Posted April 7, 2008

Updated on 3/3/09

1. Michael Steele, who was adopted as an infant, was born at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George's County, Md., on Oct. 19, 1958.

2. He grew up in a family of Democrats. Steele credits his mother, Maebell, and Ronald Reagan with turning him toward the Republican Party. Reagan's pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps message recalled a trait Steele's mother exhibited after her first husband, Steele's father, died in 1962 of alcoholism-related liver disease. She refused to go on welfare. Instead, she went to work as a laundress earning minimum wage to support Michael and his sister.

Michael Steele
Michael Steele

3. One of the first in his family to go to college, he earned a bachelor's degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Steele also spent a few years at the Augustinian Friars Seminary at Villanova University, in preparation for the priesthood, before deciding instead on a career in civil service.

4. After graduating from law school in 1991, Steele joined Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, an international law firm, based in Washington, D.C. In 1997, he left and worked briefly at the Mills Corp., a real estate development firm based in Virginia, as in-house counsel. He then went out on his own, starting a consulting firm, the Steele Group.

5. Steele rose quickly in the Republican Party, beginning at the local level in Prince George's County as chair of the Prince George's County Republican Central Committee from 1994 to 2000. Then, he was elected chairman of the Maryland Republican Party in December 2000.

6. Steele became the first African-American elected to statewide office in Maryland, taking office as lieutenant governor in January 2003.

7. In 2004, Steele was tapped to speak at the Republican National Convention, eliciting comparisons with Barack Obama's keynote address at the Democratic convention.

8. When Sen. Paul Sarbanes, a Democrat, announced he would not seek re-election, several prominent Republicans, including President Bush, persuaded Steele to run for the Senate seat. In November 2006, Steele lost the election to Democrat Ben Cardin.

9. On Feb. 1, 2007, Steele was named the chairman of GOPAC, a political action committee working to elect Republicans to office (Newt Gingrich once held the same position).

10. A devout Catholic, Steele is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Landover Hills, Md. He regularly attends services with his wife, Andrea, and their sons, Michael and Drew.

Sources:
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
The Baltimore Sun
Contemporary Black Biography
GOPAC: Chairman's Corner
GOPAC: History
GOPAC: Newsroom
Maryland Office of the Governor
Maryland Republican Party
Maryland State Archives
Michael Steele for Maryland
Red County Magazine: 10 Questions with Michael Steele
The Washington Post
Who's Who Among African Americans

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Country need to divide

I think the country needs to split in half. The democrats and liberals who want change and those who want to keep religion out of government need their own country. This will be a more socialist based government, where health care is free, educations is free, and everything is fair. The other half of the country, those who still want slaves and get ruled by one religion (because of course they know they're right!) and don't mind giant businesses stealing costumers from the mom and pop stores (because everything is cheaper) need their own. After this is finished, we will compare the lives of the socialist America to the theocratic America and see which side has more wealth and happiness. Michael Steele can be the bigoted fascist (and complete moron to boot, just like the former president!) president of the theocratic side, and Obama can be the president of the socialist side. The people formally of the United States can choose which side they prefer.

I think Americans need to own up to the fact that the civil war was a mistake. The states that wanted out should have been allowed to leave peacefully, and conduct their backwards right wing agenda on their own.

Yes I am trying to insult republicans, at least the neo conservative ones anyway. I think the divide in AMerica has gotten so bad, that people like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Steele are helping us less tolerant of each other, less accepting of our personal beliefs. So I've decided to join them, except on the liberal side. That's right, I cannot tolerate right wing fascist republicans who think Christianity is the only true religion and God put us here for a reason. So I'm just as guilty. But since hating people is so much fun, hey, why not?

why

why is it that "liberals" are called Godless by so many conservatives? i THINK it's because you want your party to rule the country according to your religious beliefs. 1st off i am not attacking anyone, i said i THINK. if i am wrong pls tell me why? i was raised in the church and my mom, may she RIP, never wavered in her faith and always taught us to trust in GOD but i feel that this country should not create laws based on my religious views or anyone else's. it's wrong because a part of our constitution states freedom of religion so if someone does not have the same religious beliefs as you they should not have to abide by rules based on your religious beliefs. that type of leadership will always divide the country bc its not for the ppl. everyone is not a christian and if you look at the news today you'll see that most ppl that label themselves as christians do not conduct themselves in that manner. i believe everyone has the right to have their own views about religion and should not be forced by anyone to do anything otherwise. i do believe its ok to TRY and "lead someone to the light", as most would convey it but not by fear. you can only tell someone what u believe and why and allow them to come to their own conclusions but thats it and you must accept it. i dont consider myself democrat or republican, i believe its all a system setup to divide and conquer. i would say i lean more toward liberal views mainly bc of what ive stated above. when i listen to conservatives it seems more like they're stating their opinion and threatening me on a matter instead of facts from both sides and usually i disagree which i guess a conservative would say liberals only state their side so i guess after hearing to 2 sides i lean more towards liberal views. i believe in a womans right to choose so i believe abortion should be legal. it may not be right from a religious standpoint but seperation of state and church in my opinion should void religion as an argument in this debate in my humble opinion. gay marriage, i believe if two CONSENTING ADULTS (not animals or any other weird entity just HUMAN BEINGS) want to spend the rest of their life together they should be allowed to and the law should ignore religious arguments regarding this again bc religion has no place in gov't. i know many will say im GODless but i completely disagree. i just feel that using my religious beliefs to take basic rights from hard working tax paying citizens is wrong and gay ppl have to pay taxes just like any other working individual. truly the marriage isnt something i care for one way or another, when i say basic rights i speak of benefits such as retirement, hospital visits, things like that. and i am not gay nor am i an atheist..lol. i just see that this is a huge world with so many different personalities and views and i dont feel its right to tell ppl what they can and cannot do based on ones religious beliefs thats it. pls no hatefule responses, only intelligent dialect.

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