Tancredo wants minority caucuses banned

[Oreo]

More racist ignorant spew from the embarrassment that is my House rep.

Tancredo: Ban minority caucuses
By Anne C. Mulkern

Washington - Colorado's Tom Tancredo wants to abolish the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Black Caucus and Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Tancredo, a Republican congressman from Littleton, repeated his call today for the elimination of all special interest factions within Congress that are pegged to ethnic groups. He first asked for a rule change to ban the groups in 2003.

"It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a color-blind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race - and restrict their membership based on race," Tancredo wrote in a letter to Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif, who is in charge of the House's numerous caucuses.

When Tancredo previously said the caucuses should be eliminated, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called that statement "more race-baiting" by Tancredo. The black, Hispanic and Asian-American caucuses exist because few members of Congress come from those racial groups and they need a unified voice, said Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, D-Ariz.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_5086122

http://coloradopols.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2518

[katsy]

1. IMO, there are only 2 races.

The human race vs corporations.

Get rid of corporate lobbyists.

[AndyA]

13. You are so right.

The color of someone's skin should not be a consideration.

We're all in this thing together. We all need to stick together and fight the enemy.

[shanti]

21. yeah

in a perfect world :eyes: we're not there yet either.

[Bandit]

26. So are you for banning color specific caucus'?

:shrug: I can't tell from your post whether you are against ethnic caucus' or for them...

[AlCzervik]

2. that should include the republic caucus on anything to be fair, i'm sure he wants to be

fair.

[formercia]

3. Perhaps Tancredo should form a bigot caucus.

They can have a bar-b-q and burn a cross or two.

[Raydawg1234]

58. there you go with your knee-jerk cries of racism

What would you say if they created a congressional white caucus?

[SemperEadem]

67. what do you think it was before they created their caucuses?

[Raydawg1234]

68. Uh, no. There has never been anything called a "congressional white caucus".

your line of argument is idiotic. Yes Congress has been mostly white, but they didn't call themselves the white caucus. If they started a "white caucus today," people would cry hate and racism.

We need to focus on how we are alike, not on how we are different. These groups just perpetuate these differences.

White congressmen, Black congressmen, Hispanic Congressmen...........How about American Congressmen???

[SemperEadem]

69. wouldn't it be nice

that if someone looked at someone that didn't have the same skin color as them, the first thing that would come into their mind is "American"? That's not how it works and denying it, name-calling or being dismissive of those who've been on the receiving end of being labeled by how they look instead of regarding them as Americans and leaving it at that doesn't make it so, s0n.

it was only 40 years ago that people of color couldn't sit next to your grandparents and parents at a public lunch counter (not 140 years ago--and it wasn't done by invitation), let alone be elected to Congress.

They didn't have to call themselves 'the white caucus'. The laws they enacted since the country was founded did it for them. Christ!

[primavera]

59. He already has

He calls it his "immigration reform" caucus, but he uses it to spearhead all of his racist agenda items. The only reason he's not wearing a sheet is because he's unfortunately smart enough to know he can dupe more supporters without the hood.

[saltpoint]

4. Tancredo is headed for the slagheap of American politics.

This guy is dead on arrival.

A hateful, xenophobic asshole of the worst kind.

[paulk]

30. I wish that were true

he easily won re-election in his district here in CO.

and that race baiting is a big part of his appeal, I hate to say, here in Colorado.

[saltpoint]

34. I don't think anyone should blame Tancredo's success among his

supporters on the people in Colorado and elsewhere who dismiss him as a pig-headed racist.

I'm rooting for Colorado to elect a second Democrat to the Senate and if Tancredo presses ahead with his campaign for President, I truly believe he will be wiped out in any of the states he runs in. He won't be able to sustain a campaign financially when he keeps finishing 6th or 7th or 8th in the GOP field.

[AX10]

5. Tancredo could be a founder of the new (not actually formed)...

Congressional Klansman Caucus.

[CBHagman]

55. Or the Equine Posterior Caucus.

That would be a very large group indeed. :-)

[pokercat999]

74. That would be the

Kongressional Klansmen Kaucus.

[Bicoastal]

6. Tancredo is the same breed of MORAN...

....who labels Black fraternities and beauty pageants racist. It probably never ocurred to him that the needs of minorities are different than those of the majority, and therefore merit representation in a congressional caucus. But more than that, I think there's some serious minority envy going on there--he's lashing out at them because he secretly loathes his own boring Wasp-ishness. It's pathetic.

[aquart]

8. Has to do with his teeny tiny dick.

Some days I just have no class.

[Initech]

7. Let's make sure he doesn't get elected president then.

No way do I want an ignorant racist asshole fundie like Tancredo as president. He'd be another Bush, and that's the last thing we want.

[Judi Lynn]

9. What a shame Tancredo decided against a Presidential run. He would have been a

real attribute, a flame-keeper to perpetuate the wonderful heaven-on-earth vision _Bush has made real, already.



What more could we ask in a great Republic leader?

[Oreo]

31. He still has his hat in

He still plans on running in 08. Haven't seen otherwise.

I think he officially announced on FAUX last week.

[primavera]

60. You mean his hood

You know, the white pointy one.

[Marie26]

80. *snort*

:rofl: I didn't know that! That's one way of getting him out of Congress, I guess. Hey, how about a Tancredo/Hunter ticket - unstoppable!

[theaudacity]

10. What about denying Steve Cohen access to the Black Caucus

Maybe this is fodder for a different topic, but how does everyone feel about white Tennessee Representative Steve Cohen (D) being denied access to the black caucus. One the one hand... he isn't black, but on the other hand, he represents a large number of black people, and those black citizens would be well served by their rep being in the caucus. Your thoughts?

[AndyA]

12. There was a big topic on this subject yesterday...it wasn't pretty.

I haven't dared to go back and look at it again.

[Lost-in-FL]

37. The best point...

from that topic was that if Congressman Cohen is allowed to be part of the caucus, every Congressman, even racist bigots such as Tancredo would join. I imagine Tancredo would try to destroy the caucus from within.

[LiberalFighter]

43. If it is up to the caucus to decide whether they accept a member

Then bigots would never be able to join.

Now maybe if Cohen were to actively represent his constituents as Ford did then I would think the Black Caucus could either invite him to become a member or give him an honorary membership. They could even bestow on him that he is an African-American in spirit type of thing IF he represents his constituents as good or better than Ford did.

[Judi Lynn]

14. It's the Black Caucus. He's not black. Why not trust them to know what they're doing?

Do you feel it's right for you to disrespect them? Leave their choices to them. If they see a reason which is so compelling it moves them to override their own standards, that should be THEIR choice, shouldn't it?

It's absolutely obnoxious to try to stir sentiment against a group of hard working, wonderful people.

[theaudacity]

17. Its a question of representation

no disrespect intended, and I hadn't picked a side, but a congressman represents the people back home, and is therefore assumed to come to the table with their best interests at heart. If a white congressman has a majority of black constituents, I was just posing the question: What is more important, the color of a man's skin, or the color of his district?

[Judi Lynn]

18. The people in involved are totally aware of all aspects of this situation.

Wheedling won't alter any part of their position, nor should it. You do NOT know better than they do.

[theaudacity]

22. That is 2 times out of 2 replies that you have insinuated

that I am taking a hard and fast position on the debate... I was just posing the damned QUESTION. People ask questions when they DON"T KNOW SOMETHING, which makes your statement, "You do NOT know better than they do." a little redundant redundant, doesn't it. No, I do not know better than they do.

[Karenina]

28. By their fruits, ye shall know them

Steve Cohen's "first act of congress" was to subject the CBC to a lose/lose situation. Had a supposed friend and ally done that to you, would you welcome him/her into your "inner sanctum?" Just asking. :shrug:

[Karenina]

29. By their fruits, ye shall know them.

Steve Cohen's "first act of congress" was to subject the CBC to a lose/lose situation. Had a supposed friend and ally done that to you, would you welcome him/her into your "inner sanctum?" Just asking. :shrug:

[Fovea]

48. Hey, Welcome to DU.

And glad to see your asbestos longjohns are intact!

[theaudacity]

24. Wow, its almost hard to believe the thread on this topic got

out of hand last night. All I did was pose a question and this person is already jumping down my throat.

[jamesinca]

33. I agree

He is not black, and it is not the congressional caucus of legislators with black constituents. If this guy can not meet with his constituents and figure out/ find out their needs, he needs to step down. We should not meddle in this.

[Igel]

44. Actually, you have a point and a way forward out of

the "is a black only organization discriminatory" question.

Cohen should form a caucus for only those who represent majority-black districts, and therefore whose job description--not whose skin color--entails working on behalf of black constituents.

[ariesgem]

56. He had the option to become an associate member of the CBC

snip.................

David Bositis, who analyzes black politics for the Joint Center for Economic Studies in Washington, called it a "misstep" for Cohen to say he would try to join the Black Caucus.

The caucus has never allowed non-black members since its creation in the 1970s, Bositis said, and not all members represent majority black districts. The caucus does have an associate membership that permits non-blacks to join.

"Maybe it was admirable for (Cohen) to want to join because he has similar legislative interests as the Congressional Black Caucus," Bositis said. "But he could have just applied to be an associate member."

http://www.dicksonherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070125/NEWS0201/70125051

[Karenina]

62. In that same piece an aide says Cohen was "JUST KIDDING"

about applying to be a voting member. So where are we? Hmmm... He's unleashed the rabid media dogs on the CBC, got Tancredo spewing about abolishment of minority caucuses (the CBC has been a thorn in the side of TPTB since its inception surviving MANY attempt to destroy it), folks be hollerin' at each other hither, thither and yon, the racists (stealth or unrepentant) have invaded EVERYWHERE with their duplicitous claims of being "colourblind," the most EFFECTIVE caucus in Congress is taking rapid incoming DU fire (pun intended. Google CBC and the first entry is a conservative hit piece) and NOW Cohen says he was "just kidding."

Can you spell T-R-O-J-A-N H-O-R-S-E, boys and girls??? I KNEW you could.

[NoGOPZone]

16. Discussed at length in another thread. Link inside.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x17258

[shanti]

23. there are already

at least two LOOOOONG threads on the GD board.

[theaudacity]

25. Noted. Judi Lynn and I appear to be discussing the discussion, apparently.

[peacetalksforall]

11. For the last five years or so (or when they started the Tuesday

night sessions covered by C-Span), I've been saying they are the best thing we have in Washington and in Congress. So, Tancredo recognizes that also.

[enki23]

15. since when has congress extolled the virtues of a "colorblind" society?

the congressmen without cranio-anal impactions mostly just want something more closely resembling a "just" and "humane" society. "colorblindness," on the other hand, is a physical handicap.

[geek tragedy]

19. "Tancredo, he's pretty good. I would probably vote for him for President."

David Duke, quoted in The Nation, March 23, 2006.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060410/blumenthal

[Igel]

45. Ooooh .... so

when an Islamist supports a Democratic candidate's position either on Iraq or some other cause the Islamist supports ... then what? I've read women-hated Jew-bashing Christian-loathing medieval-thinking Sa'udi support Kerry because "he was good for Islam". And I've seen repubs use that in precisely the same fallacious way.

At least in guilt by association the fallaciously accused *picks* his/her associates.

[geek tragedy]

47. Uh, Duke supports Tancredo because they

think alike.

[Igel]

49. Same for my example.

Each picked one point that the politician supported, noted that it's similar (for whatever reasons) to his own, and decided to support that politician.

It doesn't mean they agree on any other political point, or that the reasoning for similarity on that one point is identical. In fact, the support is usually because of one idee fixe, a single issue that's viewed as all-important.

Kerry can no more be reasonably described as a fundamentalist shari'a-imposing Islamist based on the Sa'udi support I noted than Tancredo, based on Duke's support, can be assumed to be a sheet-wearing white supremacist that believes that blacks are subhuman and Jews are out to take over the world through the "Holocaust hoax".

I've found myself in agreement on one point or another with politicians that I generally think of as scum, and I've wildly disagreed on one point or another with politicians that I tend to think of as decent (and frequently diverge on my reasons for agreement or disagreement). But that means neither that Reagan was a paragon of progressive politics nor that Kennedy is a right-leaning scumbag. (However, that doesn't mean that I overall support or refuse to support one or the other based on that single point of agreement; I have too many points to harp on to have any count as an idee fixe.)

[primavera]

61. No, but his own actions speak volumes

Apart from his conspicuously xenophobic legislative initiatives on immigration, he's been a long-time member of, and contributor to, American Patrol, an organization which is openly a white supremacist group. Tancredo's publishes essays on their website from time to time, spewing his hate speech, it's pretty scary shit.

[PittPoliSci]

20. man i hope he wins his party's primary.

we could stomp him sooooooooo hard.

[skiddlybop]

27. Actually, he really wanted to

take away their right to vote entirely.

[Oreo]

32. He'll do just fine

in the primaries stoking the republican civil wars

[Bridget Burke]

35. "Cohen didn't try to join Congressional Black Caucus, aide says"

Freshman U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen never seriously considered asking to join the Congressional Black Caucus, the Memphis Democrat's spokeswoman said today.....

Several black groups and candidates criticized Cohen for joking during the campaign that his voting record made him seem like a black woman and for saying he would ask to join the Congressional Black Caucus if elected.

"He never asked to join and was never denied access to the Black Caucus," said Cohen's spokeswoman Marilyn Dillihay.

Cohen's statement that he would seek to join the caucus was an offhand response to a reporter's question during the campaign, Dillihay said. He thought better of it once he was elected, she said.

http://www.dicksonherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070125/NEWS0201/70125051

Suddenly, this is a HUGE news story. And all the Usual Suspects are running with it.

Of course, Tancredo is targeting the Hispanic Caucus.

[Judi Lynn]

36. Ah, ha ha ha ha. Well, well! Thaaaaank you, Bridget Burke.

Some of these posts look funnier than before in the light of this new information.

[Karenina]

51. Hä???

:wow::freak::wow::freak::wow:

He unleashes a firestorm and now says he was JUST KIDDING??? :crazy:

[Bridget Burke]

64. Where did HE unleash a firestorm?

Did he call a press conference & start whining?

[Karenina]

66. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to

HOW this morphed into its present form. From this distance it seems the IED was planted with his campaign "joke."

[Lost-in-FL]

38. From the beginning

it looked like GOP Propaganda at full speed trying to make democrats look like "racists". Remember the Obama and the Madrassas linked to Hillary campaign? Did you noticed that this was all on the same week??

I know, I have posted this view many times here before but I am convinced that they are desperate enough to do things like that.

[underpants]

39. Tancredo: Abolish Race-Based Caucuses

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6371518,00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - White House hopeful Tom Tancredo said Thursday the existence of the Congressional Black Caucus and other race-based groups of lawmakers amount to segregation and should be abolished.

``It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a colorblind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race,'' said the Colorado Republican, who is most widely known as a vocal critic of illegal immigration.

``If we are serious about achieving the goal of a colorblind society, Congress should lead by example and end these divisive, race-based caucuses,'' said Tancredo, who is scheduled to pitch his long-shot presidential bid this weekend in New Hampshire.

``This story is really about a member of the minority party using intolerance to advance his presidential campaign,'' said Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

40. They should be grouped by intelligence...

Tom Tancredo -- Chairman of the Congressional Asswipe Caucus

[techno-nubian]

41. I think he has a point.....

[brentblack]

42. Idiot

While I have some reservations about continuing race-based groups in Congress, Tom Tancredo is a moron with a proven track record at being a racist jerk.

-silliness begins now-
Until there is a Scottish Caucus, I will not support other groups.

/if it's not Scottish - it's CRAP!
-end of silliness-

[Behind the Aegis]

57. info...

Scotland's ties with Washington DC
05/04/2006

A new Friends of Scotland Caucus was formally inaugurated today in Washinton DC with the aim of promoting Scottish interests on Capitol Hill.

First Minister Jack McConnell, in attendance with Finance Minister Tom McCabe and Presiding Officer George Reid, said:

"The formal inauguration of the Friends of Scotland Caucus is a great step forward in ensuring our voice is heard on Capitol Hill. I hope that the Caucus will grow to provide a powerful focus for promoting Scotland and Scottish interests at the highest political level in the US.

"I thank the co-founders, Congressmen John Duncan and Mike McIntyre, for taking this forward and for their continued support and call on as many of their colleagues as possible to sign up and help promote Scotland in the US.

"This is just part of the work we are doing to mobilise the Scottish Diaspora across the world. My trips to Cananda, Australia and America have all had a strong focus on energising not just people of Scots descent, but our alumni and those with an affinity and affection for Scotland.

more...

[woodsprite]

46. I don't like Tancredo, but I don't think there should be a

caucus which limits membership by race. If the word "white" was substituted there would be alot of people likening it to the KKK and other hate groups. I'm willing to bet that minority groups would find it offensive. If it's offensive to minorities in that form, then it shouldn't exist.

I'm not against informal groups, but I question subgroups who have more influence. I don't like the DLC either (that could be for totally other reasons ;) If there was an Irish Democratic Caucus or an Islamic Congressional Caucus, would people be OK with that - I don't think so.

Why can't it be the Congressional American Caucus? It would be non-exclusionary. It could be built around principals and ideas - not race or ethnicity.

I had a much more elegantly worded reply, but it went to pink-twinkie land someplace when I hit submit. Sorry.

[Karenina]

63. The dominant group in any society always HATES IT

when a minority consolidates its power.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

71. Truly, it is disappointing to see

Why is it so difficult to admit the advantages the white race had for the first 200 years of the nation do not vanish immediately?

[Dutch]

73. The old ignore the post and smear the poster trick.

You've sure got that slimey little piece of rhetorical fraudsterism down to a fine art- or at least, about as fine as it can get....

[Karenina]

75. A statement of fact is hardly a "smear."

:shrug:

[w4rma]

77. Maybe there could/should be an "Ethnic Equality Caucus" instead?

It seems, though, that such a caucus might not be popular. But, maybe I'm wrong and it would work out better than all the separate minority caucuses? Could/would all the minorities be able to work together as well as they do in the current system, in such a caucus to get their collective interests done?

I do admit that having ethnic specific caucuses doesn't feel right.

But also it doesn't feel right to ban minority ethnic specific caucuses. But, I'm having problems determining if my feelings are logical or whether they are only based on current status quo/cultural values.

[Karenina]

78. That last bit of introspection

Truly warms my heart. GOOD ON YA, W4ma!!! :applause:

[momster]

50. This is more about Dem/Rep than race

How many members of the Congressional Black Caucus are Republican? None. I don't know about the other two but I'll bet it's maybe one or two Republicans if that. Tancredo doesn't care about the color of the caucus so much as the fact that the CBC at least is a wholly Democratic group.

That said, he's still a moran of the first quality.

[sakabatou]

52. To Tancredo

[LiberalFighter]

53. I want idiots like him banned. I want prayer groups banned.

I want pro-life caucuses banned. I want bible study studies banned.

[Matariki]

54. sure, sure. none of those caucus' represent groups with specific & unique issues

or problems in their respective communities that need addressing. :sarcasm:

[Bridget Burke]

65. TancredoWatch says Tommy is losing his OWN caucus...

It appears that the formerly 100-strong Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, chaired by Tom Tancredo, is rapidly dwindling in size and stature. The following wonderful information is from TW visitor SallyVee (thank you, friend!); see also her comment for additional late-breaking developments:

Today I received the notice below about my own Rep. Spencer Bachus. He has signed on to John McCain's campaign as Southeast Co-Chair. Hmmmmmm. A bit startling since Bachus is (was?) also a member of Tancredo's Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, which of course despises and opposes the Senate's 2006 immigration bill, of which McCain was a key proponent.

Then I went to verify Bachus's name at Tancredo's Immigration Caucus website and found the link to "members" no longer works. It says "under construction" which is totally bogus. I've had that page bookmarked for reference for months. So I'm wondering if Tancredo's caucus members are finally abandoning the nut conclave and squeamish about seeing their names listed alongside Toxic Tommy's.

http://tancredowatch.blogspot.com/2007/01/tancredos-caucus-rapidly-evaporating.html

Racist twit.

[Cobalt-60]

70. Its called freedom of association

Where do the pukes get these guys?

[donheld]

72. donheld wants to ban Tancredo caucuses!

Starting NOW! :grr:

[knitter4democracy]

76. He can kiss my you-know-what.

Until the Congress is fully integrated and not dominated by a powerful minority that always thinks it can run the world, there will need to be minority-based caucuses. Read some history, Tancredo, and not the right-wing crap that poses as history.

[Marie26]

79. Can't we just ban Tancredo? nt

[Keefer]

81. Correct me if I'm wrong,...

...but I don't think you have to be black to join the Congressional Black Caucus, do you?

On edit, I found my own answer:

Over the years, the question has arisen, "Does the Caucus only allow black members?" Pete Stark, D-Calif., who is white, tried and failed in 1975. In January 2007, it was reported that white members of Congress were not welcome to join the CBC.<1> Freshman Rep. Stephen I. Cohen, D-Tenn, who is white, pledged to apply for membership during his election campaign to represent his constituents, who were 60% black. It was reported that although the bylaws of the caucus do not make race a prerequisite for membership, former and current members of the Caucus agreed that the group should remain "exclusively black." Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., the son of Rep. William Lacy Clay Sr., D-Mo., a co-founder of the caucus, is quoted as saying, "Mr. Cohen asked for admission, and he got his answer. It's time to move on. It's an unwritten rule. It's understood." In response to the decision, Rep. Cohen stated, "It's their caucus and they do things their way. You don't force your way in."

Edited AGAIN to add link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Black_Caucus#Membership