Blossman Blasts Louisiana Democrats on Affirmative Action

Jay Blossman email | 07-31-03 | Blossman, Jay

[Theodore R.]

Blossman Blasts Democrats on Affirmative Action

"I will choose the best people--regardless of race"

Public Service Commission Chairman Jay Blossman (R-Mandeville),the conservative candidate for Governor, said today that his Democrat opponents in the gubernatorial election are wrong in pledging to use affirmative action in making cabinet and board appointments.

"All four Democrat candidates have publicly committed to discriminate based on race when appointing people to cabinet or board positions," Blossman said.

Lt. Governor Kathleen Blanco, Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, Buddy Leach and Randy Ewing on Thursday and Friday endorsed the use of affirmative action in making key state government appointments.

"I will choose the best people to serve in every position-regardless of race," he said. "Every government job will be given to the most qualified individual regardless of skin color. To do otherwise is unfair, morally corrupt and, in my opinion, unconstitutional," Blossman said.

"What kind of message does this send to our school children…that skin color is more important than achievement and ability?" Blossman asked.

BLOSSMAN PROMISES RACIAL PRIVACY INITIATIVE

Blossman pledged that he would prohibit the state from collecting information on race, ethnicity, color or national origin in order to classify current or prospective students, contractors, or employees in public education, contracting or employment operations.

"Not only is it wrong to use race as a factor in making appointments, it's an invasion of privacy for our state agencies to collect racial information in order to make decisions on student admissions and government contracts and jobs. Such actions serve only to divide us and to dilute the competitive spirit that has made our country great."

"My bold proposal would end affirmative action, eliminate minority quotas and stop racial discrimination… reverse or otherwise," concluded Blossman.

Blossman said his initiative would be based upon the Racial Privacy Initiative (Proposition 54) now being considered in California.

For more info on Prop 54 visit http://www.racialprivacy.org.

[Theodore R.]

Blossman has been advertising on the media for weeks, but remains at 2-3 percent in the polls.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Blossman needs to get out and endorse Bobby Jindal.

[nospinzone]

I like Jindal, but I don't think his platform goes far enough. It's really anybody's race, remember around this time in 1995 Mike Foster was at 4%.

[fieldmarshaldj]

True, but I think Jindal has the potential to go much further than Blossman.