SEE ALSO: Understanding The Iowa Caucuses

The 2012 news cycle is sure to brim with key issues that will likely shape the political landscape for years to come. Here’s a list of top priorities and noteworthy stories to keep an eye on in the upcoming months.

Presidential Elections

Barack Obama’s reelection to the White House is not assured. There are a number of variables that need to lean in Obama’s favor before November. For one, will African Americans come out in record-breaking numbers as they did in 2008? And what about the Latino community? Obama needs them, too. Of course, we cannot forget about those voter ID laws sprouting in states like Kansas, Rhode Island, Texas and Tennessee that require voters to show photo identification. And speaking of those laws…

Voter ID Legislation

The Voter Rights Act of 1965, a federal mandate that ensured local and state governments could not employ racist practices against blacks that kept them from voting, may be under threat. Rather than use poll taxes or literacy tests, many states across the country are now requiring voters to show a photo ID before voting. Sounds simple, huh? But the problem, many critics say, is that poor people may not have the money to purchase a picture ID or state offices, especially for rural areas, may be hard to access. Any decline in black or minority voters could result in a pink slip for Democratic candidates come November.

Beyonce Birth

Will this be the birth of the decade? What will Beyonce and Jay-Z name their little one? And how many Twitter, Facebook and other social media records will be broken with the news of an official delivery? And how many false rumors will we endure before something really happens?

Detroit Takeover?

Poor Detroit. With high unemployment, high crime rates, a dwindling population, and a mediocre mayor whose greatest asset is that he isn’t corrupt like the last one, the Motor City doesn’t seem like it is ready to fight off that state takeover we have been hearing about in the media for the past few months. If this happens, what will it mean for the city and the spirit of Detroiters?

Occupy Redux?

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s getting pretty chilly outside. Will all of those folks who sang Woodstock-era songs this summer roast chestnuts on an open fire in D.C. and New York? The Occupy Wall Streeters here in New York were arrested for trying to shut down Times Square. What will they do when it’s five degrees in February, and what do they have in store for America in 2012 when the weather warms?

Ron Paul

How many racist friends does it take to unravel a GOP presidential campaign? Well, NewsOne ran a story of at least four of Ron Paul supporters who are tied to racists organizations. While Paul disclaims any racial ideology, he doesn’t seem to abhor it, either.

Black Unemployment

The old saying “when white America catches a cold, black America catches the flu” is true indeed. Black unemployment reached 16.7 percent in 2011. Will 2012 at least see that number drop to the single digits?

Jerry Sandusky and Eddie Long

Jerry Sandusky has already admitted to showering with kids and giving them naked bear hugs. And, to further ingratiate himself in guilt, he gave a rather awkward interview with the New York Times that made him look like a real sleaze ball. But the number one question in black America’s mind is this: Are any of those kids black? Doesn’t it matter?

No. A child who has been harmed needs loving support no matter the race.  But, based on what we have heard so from the man whose memoir is oddly titled “Touched,” it appears this narrative will only grow more sordid and disturbing.

And what about Eddie Long? At first, it seemed like Bishop Long’s flock was going to ride or die with him. But recent reports have proven otherwise. His wife is divorcing him and his school is closing, leaving us to wonder what will become of the charismatic preacher who once presided over one of the most popular churches in the United States.

SEE ALSO:

Ron Paul: The Perfect Candidate For Bigots

Where Are The Good Roles For Black Actresses?

Beyonce Watch: The “Tiana-May Carter” Twitter Rumor

SEE ALSO: The Disappearing Black Journalist

Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez said Friday that South Carolina’s law didn’t meet the burden under the Voting Rights Act. He says tens of thousands of minorities in South Carolina may be unable to cast ballots under the law because they don’t have the right identification.

The Justice Department must approve changes to South Carolina’s election laws because of the state’s failure in the past to protect the voting rights of blacks.

SEE ALSO:

After Rhodes Lie Exposure, Yale Coach Quits

Romney Says He Won’t Release His Tax Returns

SEE ALSO:

Newt Gingrich’s Most Controversial Remarks

School Gives Sagging Students The Belt

Mr. Holder’s remarks come against the backdrop of a huge turnout of young and minority voters in the 2008 election that helped propel President Obama to victory. In the 2010 election, when voting by such groups dropped off and enthusiasm among Republican-leaning voters surged, Republicans won wider control of state legislatures and governorships and took control of the House of Representatives.

The political divide is obvious:

Proponents of such restrictions — mostly Republicans — say they are necessary to prevent voter fraud that could cancel out the choices of legitimate participants in an election. Opponents — mostly Democrats — say there is no evidence of meaningful levels of fraud and contend that the measures are a veiled effort to suppress participation by eligible voters who lean Democratic.

Who do you feel is right? Do you feel Republican legislators are correct when they impose laws requiring voters to present a photo I.D. or do you feel this is a ploy designed to dampen minority participation in the upcoming elections?

Give us your thoughts!

SEE ALSO:

The Virginia chapter of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s will return to federal court on Monday afternoon to argue the state is inadequately prepared to handle an enormous voter surge expected Tuesday.

State Republicans plan to oppose the NAACP’s request on grounds that altering voting procedures on the eve of the election would be disruptive and could unfairly disadvantage their candidates.

Record turnout is expected as Democrat Barack Obama tries to win 13 electoral votes in state that has backed Republican presidential candidates since 1968. Obama would be the nation’s first black president if elected.

The NAACP alleged the state failed to provide enough voting machines to handle the crowds, particularly in majority black precincts. The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Richmond asked for paper ballots to be provided as one option if lines got too long.

More than 436,000 new voters registered since Jan. 1, a 10 percent increase that pushed voter rolls past 5 million for the first time in Virginia, a state of 7.7 million residents. Much of the increase results from the Obama campaign’s aggressive registration drive.

At the close of the first fiercely contested presidential race in Virginia in generations, several polls show Obama slightly ahead.

The NAACP had withdrawn its request for a hearing on Thursday after receiving new information from state officials about the placement of election day resources. At the time, NAACP officials said a new hearing before the election was unlikely.

But after assessing the updated information, the NAACP concluded preparations were still insufficient and on Friday requested a new hearing.

“We went back and looked at the numbers, and it’s still the same old bad news. We’re still seeing disparities between black and white precincts,” said Ben Jealous, national NAACP president.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat and Obama ally, said the administration was surprised to see the lawsuit renewed. She said state law gives the governor no authority to extend poll hours.

“We feel confident that we’ll be prepared,” spokeswoman Delacey Skinner said. “I think that voters who are going to the polls on election day should go early and be prepared for the line, but we’re not anticipating any kind of major problems.”

Several Virginia Republicans have filed to intervene in the lawsuit, arguing that last-second changes at selected precincts the NAACP seeks could give the Democrats an unfair advantage.

Cleta Mitchell, attorney for the Republican Party of Virginia, said the GOP particularly opposes a longer voting day and paper ballots at select polling places.

“You just can’t have a situation 24 hours before the election where you go to court and start rewriting state law,” she said.

Robert D. Holsworth, a professor of government and political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, said some of the steps the NAACP suit seeks, such as extending the poll closing time from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 9 p.m., might be possible on short notice. But an overnight shuffle of voting machines, he said, would be extremely difficult at best.

“The enthusiasm and interest in this election – that in itself has introduced the potential for chaos and confusion,” Holsworth said. “The substantial reallocation of resources at the last minute adds one more element of uncertainty.”

The organization ACORN, the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, has a video clip in which they defend themselves from right wing attacks, suggesting that they are perpetrating voter fraud.

Watch the Video After the Jump

Jay-Z has continued his transformation into a respectable citizen and icon and continued his support for Barack Obama. He recently shot a PSA informing voters in Michigan of their rights and the process of voting if you don’t have an ID.

Watch the Video After the Jump

Alabama Fri, Oct. 24

California Mon, Oct. 20

Connecticut Tues, Oct. 21

Iowa Fri, Oct. 24

Kansas Mon, Oct. 20

Maine Tue, Oct. 21

Massachusetts Wed, Oct. 15***

Minnesota Tue, Oct. 14***

Nevada Tue, Oct. 14***

New Jersey Tues, Oct. 14***

Oregon Tue, Oct. 14***

Utah In person Tue, Oct. 28

Vermont Wed, Oct. 29

West Virginia Wed, Oct. 15***

Wisconsin Wed, Oct. 15 (or Mon, Nov. 3 at office)***

ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 4th! ONLY 21 DAYS LEFT!!

LINKS:

www.VoteForChange.com, for information on registering to vote.

www.barackobama.com

www.johnmccain.com

***Red highlight indicates a registration deadline occurring THIS WEEK! If you live in one of these states, make sure you GET REGISTERED!

‘We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’

Martin Luther King and many others, both black and white, gave their time, energy and often their lives to guarantee that African Americans have the right to vote, as well as the desire to vote. They fought, struggled suffered and often died with the hope of a future America, where Africans Americans were fully integrated into the political process.

As militant as Malcolm X was, he also knew there were 2 ways to bring about social change, the ballot and the bullet. Today, 69% of all eligible African Americans are registered to vote. That means 31% aren’t, a total of 7.5 million African-Americans. In 2000 the difference between Al Gores and George Bush’s vote total in Florida, the deciding state was less than 400 voters. Imagine if 400 extra African American voters were registered and voted? We might’ve avoided the war in Iraq and the financial meltdown!

Voting is not only important on the presidential level. If Barack Obama wasn’t voted in as a state senator by the people from Chicago, we might not have heard of him today. Voting on the local level is very important to make sure that social programs, schools and other programs are funded in your neighborhood. Several factors that affect the African American community can be changed through voting. Many African Americans are victims of racial profiling. Voting ensure that this issue will be brought to lawmakers and that can make a difference. This year many African Americans had their homes foreclosed. By voting for a candidate who opposes predatory lending we can avoid situations like that. Gun violence is a big issue in black communities. If we can vote on the issues and candidates that help keep the guns out of our neighborhoods, we can reduce the number of young black males killed every year. African American are also several times more likely to be arrested and convicted. Unjust drug laws disproportionately affect African Americans, leaving thousands of black males in jail and thousands of children with no fathers. Through voting we can ensure that African Americans are not unjustly or disproportionately incarcerated.

Today, we are at the crossroads of history. There are two paths that will take our country in two dramatically divergent directions. We, the American people, have a choice to decide which way the county will go. Our decision will affect ourselves, our country, our futures, the futures of our children, the world and the future of the world. WE cannot afford to just sit on the sidelines and see what happens, we must be involved. Can we afford to tell our children and grandchildren to say we had a chance to make a difference but didn’t register to vote? Can we tell them we had a chance at making change but didn’t want to take time out of our days and go to the polls?

Not only must we register to vote but we must make sure our friends family and co-workers are registered.

If you have to nag, argue, plead or beg to get someone to vote it’s well worth your time.

If you have a grandmother, grandfather or aunt who needs a ride to the polls take him/her.

If you know a friend who doesn’t believe voting matters, explain to them why it does.

Make sure your parents and family are registered. If your children are over 18 make sure they are registered and they vote. Your vote matters as much as Bill Gates, Jay-Z, or Oprah’s.

Important Links:

www.VoteForChange.com

www.barackobama.com

From: Diddy, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige & Kevin Liles

WE ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY! YOU MUST REGISTER TO VOTE TODAY! WE ARE ONLY 27 DAYS AWAY FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN OUR LIFETIME!

We are at war, banks are closing, people are losing their jobs and houses every day. It is our responsibility to protect our futures. Time is running out. You must register to vote! Barack Obama cannot win this election on his own; he needs our help. This election is about us. This election is about our children’s future. If you have not registered to vote, you are disrespecting everyone that sacrificed their lives for you to have the right. You are also disrespecting your future. The time is NOW for us to use the voices with which God has blessed us. We need you to do all you can. Here is what you need to do:

-Register to vote! For a full listing of registration deadlines in your state, click here.

-Get as many people as you can to register with you.

-Go to the poll and VOTE on NOVEMBER 4th!

Barack Obama said it best, “Eight is Enough.” No longer will we stand by and follow leadership with no regard for us and no accountability to us. We can be the deciding factor in this election, but you must register to vote to make your voice heard. Who are we? We are young America. This is our moment of truth. Are YOU registered for change? Make sure that on November 4th, we are able to say that we did everything in our power to make sure that Barack Obama becomes the next President of the United States. We owe this to our children, our parents, our grandparents and ourselves. We need you to become a part of TEAM OBAMA.

This is the most important election of our time. REGISTER TO VOTE TODAY and VOTE TO MAKE HISTORY ON NOVEMBER 4th!!

Visit www.VoteForChange.com to register to vote today! It is our duty to make our voices heard. STOP what you’re doing right now and let’s REGISTER TO VOTE. Time is running out!

God Bless,

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter

Mary J. Blige

Kevin Liles