President Obama recommends:

 


Hey Black Independent,


You probably know that President Obama shares his summer reading lists each year, but have you ever wondered why those specific books made the cut?


This year, in addition to his summer reading list, we’re excited to include President Obama’s handwritten notes that will give you a little insight into his recent reads and why he picked them up. Check out President Obama’s notes here!


"See all of President Obama's notes" with photos of a few of the notes on the right


Check out President Obama’s reading list

Next year, you’ll be able to check out President Obama’s favorite books in person when the newest Chicago Public Library branch opens at the Obama Presidential Center!


Learn more about the 19.3-acre campus here; we can’t wait to open our doors to welcome visitors from around the corner and around the world.

Learn more about the Obama Presidential Center

–The Obama Foundation

Trending Political Issues.

I urge everyone to get the vaccine if you need or want it.

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  Robert,   The left has gone completely COVID crazy.   They want government-enforced shutdowns, mask mandates, school closures, forced vaccines, and now they're talking about a COVID vaccine passport.   It's absolutely unconstitutional - not to mention, it's absurd. I AGREE: CHIP IN NOW TO STAND UP>> A Democrat politician famously said,  “never let a crisis go to waste.”   Boy, did this pandemic really see them put their shoulder into that old axiom.   Throughout the COVID crisis, these radicals have embraced theatrics, abandoned science, and the longer it goes on, the more they double down.    The newest power grab comes in the form of an alleged “Vaccine Passport” which would determine whether or not you’re “ALLOWED” to engage in your everyday life.   Want to go to the store? Show your vaccine card.   Want to go to a restaurant or concert? Did you tell the government what vaccines you’ve had?   Want to travel? VACCINE ...
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vast resources to buy influence in elections.

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“They're using our members, and they're using the American people for their own goals. This is ridiculous.” -- Speaker John Boehner, 12/11/2013 Robert, The "they" Speaker Boehner was talking about are special interest groups like Americans for Prosperity. He was referencing their attempts to manipulate legislation, but we all know what these groups are best at --  using their vast resources to buy influence in elections. The Koch brothers. Karl Rove. Since  Citizens United , these guys have become household names. Combined, their affiliated special interest groups spent more than $212 million in the 2012 elections -- and they've already got a decent start on the 2014 elections, too. We need a dedicated, concerted effort if we're going to end the effects of  Citizens United . When my friend Russ Feingold started Progressives United with the purpose of fighting back against outsid...
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Rick: Attacking a veteran's service is a core part of Republican's playbook.

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robert - Jeb Bush wants to have it both ways. He was pretty quick to attack Donald Trump for his despicable attacks on John McCain's service, but actually wrote a letter THANKING the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2005. "As someone who truly understands the risk of standing up for something, I simply cannot express in words how much I value their willingness to stand up against John Kerry"  - Jeb Bush letter to a Swift Boat Veteran supporter on January 19, 2005 Attacking a veteran's service is a core part of Republican's playbook. It's no wonder where Donald Trump got the idea from. Well, VoteVets wasn't around to defend John Kerry in 2004. But we had Tammy Duckworth's back when her service was attacked in 2012, and again in 2014. And we're ready to stand with progressive veterans when the attacks come in 2016. Contribute $3 to VoteVets and help us elect a new generation of progressive veteran leadership to the United States Senate. Thanks...
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Jeanne: one of the most endangered Democratic senators

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Robert – Just days after CNBC ranked me as one of the most endangered Democratic senators in the entire country, Donald Trump and the National Republican Senatorial Committee called me one of their  top targets  in the 2020 election.  They know that passing their extremist agenda – from rolling back health care access to attacking women's rights – hinges on flipping New Hampshire from blue to red. So they're going to do whatever it takes to defeat me. That's why this is so incredible: To help us fight back and defend New Hampshire's Senate seat, a generous group of donors just offered to DOUBLE every donation we receive until midnight. This is the first match opportunity we've had this campaign, and we don't know when – or if – another will come around again, so I'm counting on you to donate immediately to help us protect this seat and take back the Senate:  Please, rush $5 or more now before our midnight deadline and have it DOUBLED to pro...
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Please bless the soldier who has passed from our midst, but never ever from our hearts. Amen

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Dear Black Independent,  Americans have taken a turn over the last few years from mindless to mindful celebration of our holidays. On Memorial Day, we do not distract ourselves from the deeper meaning of the day, but rather allow ourselves to take in the full weight of its significance. On this day every year, we remember those who throughout our history have lost their lives serving in the US military. For centuries, since our earliest beginnings, there have been those who lay down their lives for this country. Some of them are remembered for who they were while they were alive, while some have names and lives that have been lost and forgotten, buried beneath the sands of time. On this Memorial day, we remember them all. In our hearts, we honor them and thank them. We stop to consider the blessing of our many liberties, and those who died in an effort to protect them. May their souls receive our gratitude, and the blessing of the prayers that we say for them this ...
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Kshama: Obama ignores us. Mr. Trump Go around the reservations.

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Historic Victory at Standing Rock Calls for Celebration and Vigilance For the last eight months, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has led a historic campaign against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), uniting hundreds of tribes, environmentalists, veterans and other activists inspired by their bold stand in defense of native treaty rights and the environment.   On Sunday, millions of people around the world celebrated news that the Army Corps of Engineers had rejected an easement to allow DAPL to go forward. This was an enormous victory for the movement and for ordinary people everywhere in the struggle against Big Oil and naked corporate greed. I congratulate and thank these courageous indigenous people and all others who rallied behind their cause, including the veteran activists who came to strengthen the camp in the days preceding the Army Corps’ ruling. It is these thousands of ordinary people, not the Obama Administration, who deserve praise for this victor...
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Bernie: Midnight Madness starts Now!

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As the clock ticks toward midnight, we’re pretty close to reaching a pair of milestones we frankly didn’t think would be possible on day one. First, we’re just short of 350,000 signatures from people saying they support Bernie’s campaign for president. That’s 35% percent of the way to goal. You’re one of them, Robert. Amazing. Thank you. But what we didn’t expect is that more than 140,000 people would donate as well. Reaching 150,000 donations before midnight would send a pretty powerful message about the strength of our movement. If you are able to chip in $3, we’re going to do it! And we’re so close it could be your contribution that gets us there. Use this link: https://act.berniesanders.com/go/support-our-campaign Thanks for making day one such a success. In solidarity, Team Bernie Paid for by Bernie 2020 PO BOX 391, Burlington, VT 05402 This email was sent to bondfilesinc@yahoo.com. If you need to,  unsubscribe using this link . But we hope you...
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Ben: Candy and I first met at Yale.

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robert, Candy and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary on Monday. It has been an amazing forty years. We celebrated it in Nashua, NH while we were on our New Hampshire campaign swing this week. A massive crowd of 650 gathered with us Monday night to hear our friend Tony Orlando sing some of his classic songs. The only thing larger than the crowd was the cake -- it was huge. Our whole event was covered by New Hampshire's  WMUR , and you can see their great story on it below. Candy and I first met at Yale. We are both from Detroit but Yale brought us together. We could never have predicted the course of our journey through life. I can tell you we never expected to be on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. I've spent my whole life tending to children. Children are the mission of our foundation. My entire campaign is about rebuilding the American Dream for all of our children and grandchildren. I'm running for President of the United States because of our ded...
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Jon: Let it go to waste

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robert - President Obama is right: many of the same voices urging the United States to reject the deal with Iran in favor of a military approach were some of the loudest voices in favor of war with Iraq. Congress is home for recess now, and we need to make sure they hear your voice before returning to D.C. to take a vote. So far over 100,000 veterans, military family members, and VoteVets supporters have taken action on this issue - add your name to theirs today:  Tell Congress: vote for the negotiated deal that is our best chance to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon The vote can go either way at this point so every Representative and every Senator that comes out in favor of the deal is a major victory. We have a very unique voice in this debate. It'd be a real shame to let it go to waste. Thanks for adding your name, Jon Soltz Iraq War Veteran and Chairman VoteVets 
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Kirsten: The stakes are too high this November to let elections be wrongly decided.

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Robert, The right to vote is as American as it gets – more even than baseball and apple pie. Which makes some state Republicans’ efforts to systematically disenfranchise minority and elderly voters unconscionable.  GOP extremists are pushing voter ID laws, purges of eligible voters and shorter polling hours. And, by overturning a key section of the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court made it easier for states to enact anti-voter laws. Enough. I’m joining with the Democratic Governors Association to tackle this from all angles – in Congress, where I’m partnering with Rep. John Lewis to pass a legislative fix, and in GOP-controlled states, where the most egregious anti-voter tactics are being deployed. Send the message right now that we will do whatever it takes to overcome attacks on our democracy. Click here to join the DGA and me by adding your name to the growing chorus of Americans calling for expanded voting rights. My Voter Empowerment Act would expand...
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