David Brooks is making sense:
Whether this [immigration] bill passes or not, this country is heading toward a multiethnic future. Republicans can either shape that future in a conservative direction or, as I’ve tried to argue, they can become the receding roar of a white America that is never coming back.
That’s what’s at stake.
They are going to roar.
They are going to roar, and it will seal their doom.
Seriously, people often compare today’s Republicans as having a lot of the same political/ideological problems as 1970’s Democrats. But the Democratic party couldn’t possibly have been as out of step with mainstream opinion as the modern GOP, could it? What exactly is it that causes people to feel that era of Dems was so radical?
I really think that if the House kills CIR it will be an irrevocable, deadly step for the Republicans. They will be done for the next 20-30 years. Fucking done. Astonishing that they are right now in the process of deluding themselves that everything will be fine, that they don’t need Latino votes.
I’ve never seen a major political party simply walk off a cliff like this. In fact I’m note sure it’s ever happened before in American history. Even the antebellum Democrats made a pretty good bet that they almost won.
Let’s say that you’re right and the Republicans are done for 30 years if they oppose immigration reform. You have to realize that the Democrats already take us for granted because we are an automatic 90% vote that they don’t have to work for. If they had a lock on the electoral process, how would that pressure them to address the issues that matter to African Americans? My point is that the opposition party helps to keep everyone else honest. Does that make sense?
Disagree with your statement here. I don’t think the Dems take the AA vote for granted so much as they rely on it as a key element of their coalition. In large part AA’s + other minorities ARE the Democratic party. And across the board Dem policies favor minorities when compared to the GOP’s. Healthcare reform, financial regulation, environmental regulation, and even immigration reform help the black community by directly addressing issues that are particularly acute for AAs, and indirectly by helping grow the economy (which helps black folks and everyone else).
That is, presuming those reforms are along Democratic lines.
And yes, a healthy opposition party is an important thing to have because it forces both sides to sharpen their ideas and be creative and forward-thinking in order to win American votes. I dearly wish for a healthy Republican party – it would make our country immeasurably stronger. But at this point I do not believe we will have one for a very long time.
“And across the board Dem policies favor ACTUAL PEOPLE when compared to the GOP’s.”
There, fixed.
Ok, then when is the last time someone in the Dem party mentioned Black unemployment? You won’t even find it discussed on this site because it’s not a part of the Democratic lexicon. We are being brainwashed to think that immigration reform is OUR priority when it is not. I live in South Florida and the Latino community here is economically viable, they own their businesses in their communities and create their own jobs and economy for themselves. You won’t find them out talking about how to improve the conditions in the Black community. Why can’t we see that? It’s just common sense.
3 days ago.
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/07/09/congressional-black-caucus-plots-out-future-of-voting-rights-act-with
-obama/
That’s fair enough, since we have had 5 years with not much change, let’s see how quickly we see results. And I am not blaming the president for this, I think this goes beyond a president’s capabilities, although he can play a role.
let’s not forget that during the clinton administration african americans saw gains that were unprecedented at the time in income and net worth. I don’t think everyone has forgotten that, even if some commenters on the internet have.
All those gains were wiped out during the Bush administration. Especially for black men. Since taking over, Obama has been trying to to keep the country from flushing down the toilet in the face of rabid opposition, so it’s not surprising all those gains have not been recovered yet. I don’t see serious changes in black unemployment happening until we have a strong democratic majority with a powerful progressive contingent owning the house. And that isn’t going to happen for at least 5 years. On the plus side, we have gotten rid of a lot of blue dogs in the house, so we’re set up pretty well once demographics overwhelm the gerrymandering.
Except we had a Democratic president, congress and senate from 2008 – 2010 when all of the attention was placed on health care reform instead of jobs creation.
The cost of health care is a huge drain on the economy and the cost of hiring workers. It is a huge drain on the self employed and small businesses where the costs are highest.
And medical bills is the biggest reason for bankruptcies and a major contributor to people losing their homes to foreclosure.
It is right at the heart of jobs and the economy–and economic justice.
Health care didn’t just suddenly become a drain on the economy. It has been a drain on the economy for several decades and yet we were still able to somehow create jobs inspite of it in the past. Now all of a sudden having a health care policy is more important than having a job and keeping a roof over your family’s head? Makes no sense. I appreciate your input but I just absolutely and completely disagree. Ask someone who has been unemployed for over a year which one they would rather have.
More jobs have been created during the Obama administration than during all 8 years of the George W. Bush Administration. The Stimulus was passed within the first three months of the Obama Administration and the job picture turned around dramatically even as the hole that had to be filled was deep. So I don’t understand the statement that he focused on health care instead of the economy (although that is a common right wing talking point) since work on health care didn’t start until after the Stimulus had been long passed and putting money into the economy.
Putting stimulus into the economy happened immediately–it was absolutely a priority. Health care reform was also key to economic health in the short and long term. Job creation had been sluggish for almost a decade with rising health care costs a major contributor.
We can only talk about one thing at a time, and I would note that liberals in general are showing an intense interest in the Trayvon Martin case and the neo-Jim Crow laws sweeping through the red states.
Personally I’m convinced that the most effective way to improve conditions in all our communities is to destroy the Republican party. The reason immigration is the topic right now is just that the bill is before the House.
You’re falling into the classic trap of divide and conquer strategy.
If the Democrats take black votes for granted, why is opposition to voter suppression efforts one of the foremost political and policy efforts the party has pursued for the past five years?
No disrespect but why are you pushing immigration so hard? Are you part Hispanic? I really fail to see how this helps the Black community, although I realize that’s not your concern. Your agenda is tied to promoting the Democratic party but why, other than the fact that the Republicans are much worst? For example, I don’t hear LaRaza out talking about the need to address economic development in Black communities or Black unemployment..etc… But we are so overly concerned with everybody else’s problems that we can’t see the walls crumbling around us in our own back yard.
Maybe he is pushing immigration “so hard” because Booman is 100% human being.
It potentially helps the undocumented 11 million folks here, which helps everyone.
We are all interconnected. Structural violence done to one is structural violence done to all. That’s pretty well my mindset – making life easier for those who want to immigrate is a necessary step. In other words, you’re right on the money, Boran. This is no zero sum game.
When we’re talking about anyone else’s issues besides Blck we’re interconnected. Got it!
…and all of the blog posts about racial profiling, stop and frisk, voter suppression and, oh yeah, the Trayvon Martin trial were written by BooMan’s African-American doppleganger?
Sounds like you have some expertise to share with us, and this blog loves for people to create diaries on a whole host of topics – that way it isn’t entirely up to Booman to be all things to all people.
If you post up a diary, I will make sure that I recommend it, and I hope others in the community do as well. I don’t know what perspective exactly you wish to take, but I know that there are some great bloggers and writers (the ones at Black Agenda Report are on my must-read list, as is The Field Negro). Would love to see a writer here offering a similar voice, and am hoping you’ll stick around to offer something cool and thought-provoking.
Thanks for the advise. I believe I will take you up on that.
No disrespect but why are you pushing immigration so hard?
Because he’s a liberal?
You seem to be the one with a narrow, racially-defined set of political causes, not BooMan.
I don’t apologize for being pro-Black. In fact, I embrace that label. Do you accuse Latinos who are preoccupied with immigration reform of having a narrow, racially defined set of political values? Of course not. Blacks are the only ones not allowed to concern themselves with their own interests, right?
I criticize any myopic, self-centered, one-cause political thinker, and doubly so if they only care about their own kind.
If you don’t give a shit about Latinos’ causes, why should I give a shit about yours?
That’s my point, Latinos are NOT concerned about Black issues and never have been been. Accordingly, I couldn’t give 2 chits about theirs either. And I am not so narrowly focused on just one issue. It just happens that I am grossly offended by this one. Don’t get it twisted brother.
There are many, many Latinos who are quite concerned about causes that affect black people. That’s quite a broad racial brush you’re painting with there.
For the record, I have never, not even once, in any forum, seen a Latino denigrate specifically-black causes and congratulate himself for only looking out for Latinos, the way you are doing. Never, not once.
it’s called hijacking the thread
Otherwise known as daring to have an opinion different from yours
I don’t apologize for being pro-Black. In fact, I embrace that label.
Good for you. It’s too bad you think that requires you to not be pro-anyone else.
I don’t know why you focus on the NCLR, it does for the Latino Community what the NAACP does for the African American Community. I think Immigration Reform is going to lift up all the Boats in the economy.
I don’t see a paradigm where it is either the Black Community or the Latino Community that the Democrats favor one over the other. All we have to do is look at the Farm Bill without Food Stamps for the poor–to see an issue that hurts both communities, because hunger is in every community white, brown, black etc…
I’m not focusing on NCLR, I simply use it as an example that Latinos are very well organized and much more united in pursuing objectives regarding their OWN community. Why don’t we do the same? They are not out spending their energy on issues that are important to the Black community. With the myriad of problems that we already have, I just find it ridiculous that we would be out addressing another community’s problems. There is no question that we share common interests with the Latino community but we do not share common interests with illegal aliens that are here to take AMERICAN JOBS, jobs that many in our community rely on to feed our families.
If you are indeed Black then you must know that you are speaking to the wrong crowd. To wit:
Who is this “we” of which you speak? This is not a “Black” blog so why would you expect “us” to do the same for “our” community when everyone here does not belong to the community in question?
If I understand you correctly here then you are saying that until all is right within the Black community it is folly for Blacks to lift a finger for anyone else’s benefit. If that is a fair representation of your thinking then you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you will probably find more fellow-travellers on RedState.org than here.
🙂 Thanks for making my point. I couldn’t have said it better
Being kinda of Liberal to me, means what is good for you is good for me too. Working together instead of apart will help all who care about each others particular issues. Me first, is usually a Republican moniker.
Here’s the problem – that mentality (“It’s all about me and mine – f*** everyone else”) is only useful if you and yours control everything that affects your destiny. In politics that is only true for the 1% – everyone else is in some way dependent upon other for their well-being; it’s doubly so for Black folk. So while I do say that you are entitled to your perspective I should also note that it is ultimately self-defeating, and anyone who has been to an old and dying church where the old folk are for “Us 4 and no more!” knows that such will soon end, and poorly.
Here’s the problem – that mentality (“It’s all about me and mine – f*** everyone else”)
Show me a blog where there is a Latino discussion about how they can support the Black community.
A Latino blog is ipso facto focused on Latino issues – other topics are only germane inasmuch as they pertains to Latino issues. This is not a Latino or a Black blog – it is a progressive blog and its focus would be progressive issues. If you want to see what’s being discussed on Black blogs then try the following:
If, on the other hand, you want to continue to kvetch here then please proceed…
First, this is not a progressive blog, second I’ve never stated that it was a Black blog. Your statement was that we all have such interconnected interests and my point is that Latinos don’t act as though there is interconnected interest with Blacks and I return the sentiment toward their interests. The Latino blog comment was just to pose an example since you are acting as though you don’t already know this. At any rate, I’m done here. After that pic of TM was posted that’s all I need to see.
In fairness to Drawteel, this isn’t a TOTALLY crazy point of view. Many minority groups have marched or worked with Black groups in the past. I remember reading that American Jews were a staunch ally in decades past. Not so much any more, it seems.
With that said, this line of thinking is kinda…racist. Latinos don’t act as though there is interconnected interest with Blacks? Are they a monolithic minority group now?
Um, OK. Be wary of the doorknob upon your exit.
I guess they should pass that bill 🙂 http://linkapp.me/JqgnA
if only we could, with bill o’really [et al]’s help, go back
to the 1980’s when teh gays knew their place
to the 1930’s when blacks knew their place
to the 1880’s when women knew their place
to the 1780’s when renters knew their place
(you never know who in power now was in this picture laughing then … http://thebentangle.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/dorothy-counts-first-african-american-in-a-white-southe
rn-school-1957/)
Blind squirrel…stopped clock…whatever.
What is the reason for the progressive bloggers’ fascination with such a transparent shill as David Brooks?
He is not reflecting sanity. He’s just come down on the side with the Republicans who now fear the demographic realities.
Rush Limbaugh saying something like that would be news. But that’s not likely to happen.
What is the reason for the progressive bloggers’ fascination with such a transparent shill as David Brooks?
Who has more pull with the GOP base? Rusty Limpballs or “Bobo” Brooks? Rusty, of course. I bet most of the base wouldn’t know Brooks from a hole in the wall.
“I bet most of the base wouldn’t know Brooks from a hole in the wall.”
That would be strangely astute for the GOP base, since there really is precious little difference between Brooks and a hole in the wall.
Let’s not have any illusions about the likely immigration bill that will come out. If the House passes their separated bill, the conference will tilt toward more border security and less pathway to citizenship.
Border security is the next defense industry boondoggle, meant to offset the potential loss of revenue by turning “Amexica” into a war zone.
Todd Miller: Creating a Military-Industrial-Immigration Complex lays out where this is going. If the trends that he is seeing come to pass, it is easy to foresee the Democrats who supported this boondoggle failing to gain the benefits of coming demographic change.
On this, as on much else, from a policy perspective the GOP is a sideshow of freaks. Clueless Democrats are the elephants going around in a circle in the big tent.
Complete failure of this bill would be best both for policy and politics for Democrats. As long as it is the Republicans who make it fail.