Donald Trump truly is an American Icon worthy of celebration.He shouldn't have keep his mouth shut just because he does not pander and is a tireless self-promoter.

No longer are good grades and good test scores enough to get you into a desirable university. No, it takes greater resources, time, and existential insight. These new conditions favor the affluent and unscrupulous.

During Secretary of State John Kerry’s first official trip to sub-Saharan last week he had the opportunity to publicly bolster a key U.S. ally. Instead, he singled out Nigeria for criticism at the very time the country is engaged in a pitched battle to defend itself against radical Islamic terrorists who have pledged to overthrow the government and replace it with an Islamic state.

Scandals are nothing new in Washington. Just about every president has faced an accusation of misconduct, whether moral or criminal. It should be no surprise that the Obama Administration would find itself in the midst of one, well actually 3 at present.

"Why do Blacks overwhelmingly support President Obama?" That was the question recently put to me by a white friend. My reply was simple and straightforward, but the in-depth answer is neither.

On September 11, 2001 we watched in horror as terrorists toppled the Twin Towers in New York City. They recently struck again with twin bombings in the heart of Boston.

If you do a search of the wealthiest black businessmen, the results may not come as a surprise to you. The list is dominated by athletes and entertainment figures; in fact, only 2 names consistently come up that are what you would consider traditional businessmen.

It was no accident that Israel was President Obama’s first foreign visit in his second term. He had something to prove to the people of the Jewish state, and he appears to have succeeded.

Obesity and unhealthy living are as much a problem in this country as government over-regulation. Lately, we’ve seen several prominent politicians weigh in (no pun intended) on this topic.

In 1996 President Bill Clinton announced, “The era of Big Government is over.” He balanced a budget by eliminating waste and inefficiency.

Most people always envy athletes for their fame and money, but really they should envy their work ethic. Now I know they have it great, they play a game for a living and make millions of dollars, but it takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get there. Unlike many in society, they have to to earn their success based on their merits, they weren’t given anything.

New reports are released every single day in Washington, but one that could prove to be of life or death importance was unveiled this week by The Henry Jackson Society, a bipartisan think tank headquartered in London. Al-Qaeda in the United States: A Complete Analysis of Terrorism Offenses holds up a mirror to America and provides us with a clear but terrifying image.

Dr. Ben Carson, Presidential Medal of Freedom winner and legendary neurosurgeon, is now in the spotlight for his keynote address to the National Prayer Breakfast on February 7. It’s not brain surgery to figure out why.

Change happens whether you like it or not, whether you want it to or not. That doesn’t mean that change is good.

We now mourn the passing of 87-year old Essie Mae Washington-Williams, who in December 2003 confirmed one of the oldest rumors of Southern political folklore: that she was the mixed-race daughter of former US Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC).

Right now the Democratic talking points are that we should raise or repeal the debt ceiling to “pay our bills.” Liberals have some pretty illogical ideas—like shutting down the government to give Planned Parenthood a few hundred million dollars, or raising everyone’s taxes in order to tax the top 2%--but this one might be the hardest to grasp of all.

Recently on Roland Martin's "Washington Watch" we discussed what must be President Obama's exclusive agenda to empower black America is his second term. The only advice I could share with Roland's national audience was that American Blacks must cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit independent of any president in the White house.

Usually, I like to use this space to start a conversation about the political and social issues facing our country as a whole; I try to focus on issues that either explicitly or implicitly affect everyone.

As we mark the Second Inauguration of the first American black president, it is important to celebrate our successes in achieving the protection of civil rights for all people. But, sadly, this president has a terrible record on civil rights.

Today it’s Lance Armstrong, but tomorrow it will be someone else, which is why I believe it’s time to say enough. No more free passes for our children’s role models.