Fudge: Broader assault on poor, minorities

politico.com ^ | July 21, 2013 | ELIZABETH TITUS

[Tailgunner Joe]

The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus says there's "a broader discussion that we need to have [about] how we are treating poor and minority people in this country."

In a roundtable discussion on NBC's "Meet the Press" about how much the federal government -- and President Barack Obama -- can do to address racial inequality in the wake of the Trayvon Martin case, Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) cited the Supreme Court's recent ruling that "gutted" the Voting Rights Act, as well as the exclusion of food stamps in the House farm bill.

"We are being attacked from so many sides that you have to at some point decide where you can have the most impact," Fudge said.

PBS host Tavis Smiley criticized the time it took Obama to speak out on the case - which he did on Friday - after George Zimmerman was acquitted in Martin's shooting death on July 13. "He was pushed to that podium," Smiley said. "I’m glad he finally arrived."

Still, Smiley said he heard an attempt at expectations-management in Obama's speech. "The president basically said to us, without saying to us, 'This ain’t going no further,'" Smiley said.

National Urban League President Marc Morial also weighed in, saying he hoped a fast discussion would ensue.

"What I hope it leads to and what I hope we will see is not only a discussion that started and ends quickly, but a discussion that will lead to serious action steps by the nation," Morial said.

He said those steps would have to include a broader jobs component.

"It can't be done with a law enforcement approach alone," he said. "It has to be done with an economic opportunity approach."

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele warned that the Sandy Hook school shooting and ensuing gun debate could be an example of the kind of inertia threat at play. "It's not so much leading but continuing to inspire the conversation so that it doesn’t die on the vine," he said.

[Venturer]

Blacks mostly take turns pissing and Moaning.

It was this woman’s turn.

Picked on discriminated against need more Affirmative Action jobs Blah blah blah, It’s a frickin broken record.

[School of Rational Thought]

Short version:

Racial victimization industrial complex is crumbling.

[jospehm20]

I am pretty tired of hearing it after seeing blacks get all the A A breaks my entire adult life.

[Venturer]

Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger.

[trebb]

The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus says there's "a broader discussion that we need to have [about] how we are treating poor and minority people in this country."

Yes - we're treating them like helpless kids and mental cripples, instead of treating them with dignity and respect by insisting they do something for themselves. It's atrocious that we allow them to sit back and suck at the teat provided by those who are willing to work.