[jwalsh07]

-- adopted the Philadelphia Plan mandating quotas for blacks in unions,

I know quite a bit about unions and the mandating of quota's to integrate them.

Those were ugly times in New York, not to my knowledge a part of the Southern strategy.

At that point in time the unions were adamantly opposed to quota's in New York because racism and segregation abounded.

Ethnicity ruled the day and the unions. Membership in a union was not merit based, it was based on who you knew and who your brother or cousin was.

All the members of my ethnic group were Irishmen and steamfitters or iron workers. Good men who had all served their country well in World War 2 but men of their times and in those times having black folk mandated into your union was fought against tooth and nail.

They were wrong about that but they were good men none the less and as time passed and they worked with black men on the steel 80 stories up, their views changed. They would never pass muster with the PC crowd but then again neither would I.

Nixon was right in what he did but those times have passed and today the way to a better America is not through quota's but through equal treatment under the law for all.

[jeremiah]

Well said, quotas had their place, that time has passed. What we need now is a color blind policy, with emphasis on the things that Republicans historically have held will lead to prosperity for increasing numbers of all people, including those currently poor. Those things being smaller fedgov, drastic cuts in regulations, adhering to the constitution. Cut govt programs off. Over 3/4 of the fedgovs spending goes for un-constitutional programs. Free up this money, and the sky is the limit.