The Congressional “Blank” Caucus?

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Remember a few months back when Rep. Maxine Waters (D- Calif.) and some other members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) wouldn’t shut up about a statement made by President Obama to a crowd of CBC members in which he told the crowd to "stop complaining" and "put your marching shoes on”?  On the other hand, has anyone noticed the deafening silence from Maxine Waters and other CBC members on what many view as divisive and incendiary rhetoric and behavior coming from Newt Gingrich, other GOP presidential candidates, and other Republican elected officials?

As I’ve expressed throughout this blog, if the PTBPD phenomenon is real, it’s not limited to white people. In fact, it has no racial barriers. Therefore, it is my suspicion that Maxine Waters and other members of the CBC may be suffering from the disorder. How so? Barack Obama was not the establishment candidate. He also didn’t come up through the ranks of the Civil Rights Movement or sanctified by the “old heads” of the Movement.  Remember, many of these same CBC members jumped on Hillary Clinton’s bandwagon during the 2008 democratic presidential primaries when she was often referred to as the presumptuous nominee. However, when Candidate Obama won the Iowa Caucuses, many CBC members took notice and slowly began jumping on the Obama bandwagon.  

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Several people have long suspected that many members of the CBC were jealous of Obama’s political success. I’ve even heard them being referred to as “Uncle Toms” and “Aunt Jemimas”. Here’s my question- Are they even relevant? There’s no question that black people have been hit the hardest by the current economic crises in America. I’m always hearing about this caucus or that caucus- this gang of six or that gang of six. What about the CBC? Now, I’m not suggesting that the caucus had its place and is now irrelevant. What I am suggesting is that maybe it’s time to get rid of most of the members and replace them with fresh blood. Fresh blood that will be servants to their constituents and bring energy, purpose, and fearlessness and speak out against all forms of divisive and incendiary rhetoric whether it’s coming from the right, left, or center. Can you imagine what House and Senate Republicans would do or how they would react if President Obama made statements on the campaign trail (or anywhere else for that matter) alluding to taking money from black folks and giving it whites? Or, saying that he’s “not concerned about poor people” (or maybe that should say "rich" people)? Or, if Obama belonged to a religion often dubbed as a cult and recently viewed white people as cursed? Or, indicate that white people are lazy and don’t understand work ethics? Or, if the president published a racially insensitive newsletter that bore his name?

Well, I guess we don’t have to use too much of our imagination on what House and Senate Republicans would do or how they would react at all. Remember how they reacted when Candidate Obama made a statement in what was supposed to be a private dinner with campaign donors about “distribution of wealth”? Remember their reaction when it was discovered that Obama belonged to a Christian church founded on Black liberation theology? Do you recall how they pointed out how far to the left President Obama may be for being the President of the Harvard Law Review? A pattern may be starting to form here people.

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