WASHINGTON - The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.

“Today represents a milestone in our nation’s efforts to remedy the ills of our past,” said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The resolution, passed by voice vote, was the work of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, the only white lawmaker to represent a majority black district. Cohen faces a formidable black challenger in a primary face-off next week.

Congress has issued apologies before — to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II and to native Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. In 2005, the Senate apologized for failing to pass anti-lynching laws.

Five states have issued apologies for slavery, but past proposals in Congress have stalled, partly over concerns that an apology would lead to demands for reparations — payment for damages.

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House apologizes for slavery

I say this in ALL sincerity, I hope ALL the recently freed slaves feel a lot better about their freedom now.

Wait, what?? An apology?? For slavery? For something that this nation had the good sense to abolished in 1863??

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” SOURCE

I know there are some out there that are getting a *warm and fuzzy* from this one, but I, for one, see no reason, I mean NONE, that ANY apology should have been issued for something that this nation abolished 145 years ago.

I see no need to apologize for something that my ancestors may have done, it’s a hollow gesture at most, and likely will lead the empowerment crowd to go ahead and seek the reparations they feel they so richly deserve, for something they have NEVER known, only something they have read about.

This is a total waste of time and effort by our Congress, and only serves to show once again that we are not ruled by common sense, but by political correctness.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Come January, Social Security benefits for nearly 50 million Americans are going up 2.3 percent, the smallest increase in four years. It will mean an extra $24 per month in the average check, the government announced Wednesday.

The cost of living adjustment means that the monthly benefit for the typical retired worker in 2008 will go from $1,055 currently to $1,079 next year.

The adjustment, announced by the Social Security Administration, will go to more than 54 million Americans. Nearly 50 million receive Social Security benefits and the rest get Supplemental Security Income payments aimed at helping the poor.

The adjustment, announced by the Social Security Administration, will go to more than 54 million Americans. Nearly 50 million receive Social Security benefits and the rest get Supplemental Security Income payments aimed at helping the poor.

The 2.3 percent increase is the smallest since a 2.1 percent rise in 2004. It compares to an increase of 3.3 percent last year and a jump of 4.1 percent in 2006, which had been the biggest advance in 15 years.

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Social Security Going Up by 2.3 Percent

Well, isn’t THAT special?? We spend BILLIONS in Iraq for a people that don’t want us there, we send BILLIONS to other nations to feed and care for their hungry or homeless, and to help provide health care for foreigners but our own retired and disabled get a 2.3% increase in their benefits, I am almost moved to tears by the generosity of the federal government…

For folks my age and older Social Security is what we were told was our retirement options, we didn’t have all the super-duper financial advice and electronic advantages that the young folks have today, we weren’t encouraged to do IRA’s and set up our own retirement like kids are today, we worked jobs for years and took the company retirement or service retirement and at 65 we expect Social Security to kick in and pay US back for all the years we payed in to it…

And God help the poor guy that is on Social Security disability and that’s the only source of income, you make just enough to survive and too much to get food stamps and welfare…

And for any asshat that thinks Social Security is a hand out or welfare, think again, if you went to work today, YOU paid Social Security tax, it’s YOUR money, it’s MY money, it’s OUR money and we’re never going to see the bulk of it back to us, welfare is for the no working lazy bastards that want everyone to do it for them, the entitled that think they are OWED something, the welfare baby makers, the people that have kids one right after the other because they KNOW that every kid will get them another WELFARE check, that is NOT what Social Security is all about, Social Security recipients EARNED their check, by God, they WORKED for it…

Social Security funds are robbed to fund other projects I suspect, they have to fund Iraq from somewhere, and what the hell, Seniors say cat food isn’t too bad with a bit of onion and salt, Bon Apetite’…