Reality TV is notoriously, un-real! The contrived nature of the shows go far beyond their typically scripted plot lines and orchestrated fist fights. In most, if not all we are subjected to men and women living total lies. They are usually not as rich as they claim to be, or as successful as the shows imply that they are. The  casts of most Reality TV shows grossly exaggerate the fabulosity of their lives and ultimately undermine the reason Reality TV was invented. Reality Shows are supposed to give us a glimpse into the lives of people we would find fascinating. We are supposed to gain exposure to world’s that we are often not privy to. Unfortunately, most shows have preferred to glamorize the daily lives of their participants and in so doing they have drained the shows of their most compelling feature: AUTHENTICITY!

WE LOVE EMPIRE GIRLS because it is one of the few shows that doesn’t try to glamorize the struggle of it’s cast: Adrieene Bailon and Julissa Bermudez. The show is fun and light-hearted, but its also uncharacteristically real. When the season began, Julissa was living in her parent’s home. She was fighting with her brother for the hall way mirror (its the best mirror in the house for doing her make-up). The producers of the show didn’t put the Television Personality up in a rented house or lavish apartment. They didn’t try to obscure the fact that Julissa is a woman that is trying to grind her way to the top. Like many minorities, she struggles to balance- holding on to her culture with making herself marketable. The producers could have hidden those awkward moments. The desire to portray the entertainment industry as Politically Correct could have led them to edit out those moments when casting agents and audio engineers wanted Julissa to ditch her accent. But they didn’t. They allowed us to see that “side” of the industry. They also allowed us to see that Julissa makes the same compromises many of us ultimately make.

The Show could have similarly portrayed Adrieene Bailon as Ne-Yo’s new “IT” girl. They could have taken the name Empire Girls and tried to portray Adrieene as a woman On-top of The World. They could have allowed her to stunt like she was running “Compound Entertainment”-Ne-Yo’s production company. Instead, they allowed us to see that she is in the midst of a struggle. We saw how she was nearly dropped and left on the side-lines. We were allowed to see her begging to get back into Ne-Yo’s Good Graces. They allowed us to see that, despite all of her early successes, she is still fighting for her dream. The show allows us to see that both of these women, are still hungry! They aren’t on top of the world, but they are intent on getting there. They aren’t fantastically rich. They walk EVERYWHERE!  And thats why we love this show! It’s real! It is probably the most Real Show In the Crowded Universe of Reality TV. Don’t get it twisted, there are definitely some “less than authentic” moments on the show but that is to be expected. It is TV after all. But it’s not excessive-pseudo glam! It’s about two girls that are grinding like the rest of us. Viewers can relate and that is why we will keep watching!

Observers of the Supreme Court, expect the august body to rule on the President’s signature healthcare overhaul within the next few hours or days. The legislation is often derided as Obamacare to which the President has inverted the insult by stating that “Obama Does Care”. Both phrases highlight the implications of the measure. The reform extended healthcare to 30 Million Americans and aims to end egregious policies such as discrimination on the basis of pre-existing conditions. Obama’s signature piece of legislation was designed to curb excess in the healthcare markets by preventing insurers from denying coverage to customers that paid their premiums or charging women more money for the same care. As Americans have witnessed the benefits of the proposal, many have come to appreciate the reform. Parents with children that are allowed to stay on their insurance long after graduating from college and up until the age of 26 have lauded the bill as progressive and especially essential for young people still struggling to find employment.

However, Republicans have argued that it was a historical over-reach. Key to the provision is a requirement that all Americans purchase insurance. The Healthcare Mandate, drives down costs for everyone, but the GOP argues its socialism and quite nearly dictatorial in the powers it exercises over the individual.

When the Supreme Court rules they will take sides in the most contentious political issue of our day. Both sides are spinning in preparation of the ruling. Democrats warn that if the Justices rule against the President, the cost of insurance will sky rocket and millions of Americans, including the young-now covered by their parents insurance, will lose coverage. The Republicans argue that if the Justices’s don’t rule against the President, we will lose our Democracy.

Is the economy turning around or not? This is the question that dominates our political landscape and will likely decide the November Presidential Election. If the economy is in the midst of a recovery, President Obama will have a very good Christmas. If it is not, Mitt Romney will be moving to Washington D.C. With the fate of both Candidates dependent upon public perceptions of our economic fortunes, both are anxious to massage the steady stream of data that informs public opinion. However, the Romney campaign is gaining critics who take issue with the camps latest move. Romney has apparently asked Republican Governors, to downplay positive economic news in their respective states. As the presumptive nominee travels from State to State, he is finding it increasingly difficult to convince voters that President Obama is a failure, when GOP Governors are undercutting his message with sunny and optimistic news about the direction of their states. If voters keep hearing from GOP Governors that the economy is improving, those voters may see very little need for a Romney Presidency!

A Congressional House Committee has voted to hold President Obama’s Attorney General, Eric Holder in Contempt of Congress, for refusing to hand over documents, critical to their investigation of his office. The charge, could land the Attorney General behind bars. The Committee is investigating an ATF program called Fast and Furious, which allowed guns to be sold into Mexico with the hope of tracking them. But when the guns went missing and one of the weapons was implicated in the death of a border agent, congress became involved.

The irony over Fast and Furious is that Eric Holder shut down the program,  almost as soon as he heard about it. Some have questioned the motivations behind the investigation which is led by Chairman Darryl Issa, who denounced the President’s administration as the most corrupt in history, long before he ever investigated any activity.

Some have also noted that Operation Fast and Furious was a continuation of a Bush era program called Operation Wide Receiver. The Committee Investigating Holder has refused to call Bush officials, suggesting that their motivations are partisan in nature. Critics wonder, how Republicans can object to a tactic that originated under their leadership.

The public discussion, in right wing circles seems to fault Eric Holder for the program going awry. The AG is not in operational control of ATF programs. In fact, Issa’s investigation actually may impede Holder’s own attempts to investigate who authorized Fast and Furious and how the weapons were lost.

The investigation of Holder is being interpreted by some, as attempt to entrap the AG in legalisms. At several points, the House Committee has demanded documents of Holder that he was legally barred from providing. Incredibly, the Committee could fault him for not providing the documents or charge him with breaking the law if he did comply with their request. Now, after several document dumps by the AG, the Committee is demanding even more documents. And the AG has requested the President evoke executive privilege over the classified documents.

If the House supports the committee’s vote, it will be the first time in history that an Attorney General has been found in contempt of congress.