Jan 24 2009
The economic stimulus: White guys need not apply
As you may know, I am a fairly strong minded cynic when it comes to politics. I generally expect the worst of politicians and I am generally not disappointed.
But sometimes even I read or hear something so outrageous I get surprised. Sometimes a politician says something that stuns me.
This is NOT one of those cases. This was just too typical.
Robert Reich: Keep stimulus money away from skilled workers and “white male construction workers”
Partial transcript:
REICH: …”I am concerned, as I’m sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high-skilled people who are already professionals or to white male construction workers…I have nothing against white male construction workers, I’m just saying there are other people who have needs as well.”
I always say that context matters, so to keep this in perspective, this is the context:
Reich wrote on his blog:
The stimulus plan will create jobs repairing and upgrading the nation’s roads, bridges, ports, levees, water and sewage system, public-transit systems, electricity grid, and schools. And it will kick-start alternative, non-fossil based sources of energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and so on); new health-care information systems; and universal broadband Internet access.
It’s a two-fer: lots of new jobs, and investments in the nation’s future productivity.
But if there aren’t enough skilled professionals to do the jobs involving new technologies, the stimulus will just increase the wages of the professionals who already have the right skills rather than generate many new jobs in these fields. And if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most — women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed — will be shut out.
What to do? There’s no easy solution to either dilemma…
People can be trained relatively quickly for these sorts of jobs, as well as many infrastructure j0bs generated by the stimulus — installing new pipes for water and sewage systems, repairing and upgrading equipment, basic construction — but contractors have to be nudged both to provide the training and to do the hiring.
I’d suggest that all contracts entered into with stimulus funds require contractors to provide at least 20 percent of jobs to the long-term unemployed and to people with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. And at least 2 percent of project funds should be allocated to such training. In addition, advantage should be taken of buildings trades apprenticeships — wich must be fully available to women and minorities.
So the stimulus package, the jobs Obama wants to create are going to be passed off into affirmative action.
Now, on the surface, this seems understandable. We have people who need jobs, and this appears a great way to provide jobs and training.
But there are a few problems with it. One, shouldn’t we prefer people who are skilled to build our infrastructure? Shouldn’t all people who are suffering from the down turn be given a chance?
Another consideration: If the middle class is excluded or restricted, it seems unfair to take the people on whom the main tax burden rests and exclude them from the benefits of those tax dollars. So they paid for it, but they are not allowed to be a part of it.
The story continues:
Rep. Charlie Rangel then chimes in to kvetch about how governors need to be “forced” to comply with formulas that earmark the stimulus money based on color-coded “needs.”
I quote Rangel: “Remove the discretion! Identify the ‘need.’ Do numbers.”
Translation: Screw qualifications. Quota-monger America out of its recession.
And here’s the kicker: Rangel tells Reich that he doesn’t have to worry about middle-class opposition to their social engineering plans for the stimulus. Why? Because they’re too busy working! It’s at the 2:33 mark of the video:
RANGEL: And one thing you can depend on, you don’t have to be worried about what the middle-class is gonna do. Things are so bad. They have to put food on their tables. Clothes for their kids. Get them in school. I think this is a tremendous opportunity for a stronger America.
Rangel wraps up by advocating that Reich “force” and “mandate” his social engineering “criteria” for stimulus spending.
So much for “post-racialism.” So much for “setting aside childish things.” The Age of Obama has resurrected the same old bean-counters.
Is that a valid point?
Or will we always need racial balancing? WAith democrats in office, we will have it whether it is a good thing or not. It is too attractive.
And how far will they extend this? Will a future stimulus rebate check be racially coded? What about tax cuts for certain races? A sliding scale of benefits with a racial pivot?
An interesting irony. Most of the banks are run by whites. No one seemed to care about race there…oh never mind, that is not racism, that is elitism.
When do we stop caring about race and care about people?
Trackposted to HA, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Rosemary’s Thoughts, third world county, Allie is Wired, Political Byline, Woman Honor Thyself, Walls of the City, The World According to Carl, DragonLady’s World, The Pink Flamingo, Democrat=Socialist, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
20 Responses to “The economic stimulus: White guys need not apply”
“When do we stop caring about race and care about people?”
When we no longer are allowed to enter race on forms, and when we conduct all interviews through intermediaries rather than face to face. Then there will be no way to determine what someone’s race is when looking to hire, fire, or provide stimulus. If you can’t figure out their race, then you’re forced to make decisions based on merit alone.
Of course there are problems with that. You can’t really tell how honest someone is through an intermediary. But you won’t be able to discriminate based on race that way.
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The region of ……
Does that mean when I get laid of at Hawker Beechcraft, I need not apply?
And I build airplanes that are used by the liberal elite and such.
54. White male. Veteran(Retired). I guess I’m not good enough for Reich, am I.
Screw him and the horse he rode in on. Sorry, the little maggot can’t reach the stirrups.
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