CBC maybe toothless (and they are) - but damn!

I was sitting in the doctor's office, waiting for a minor procedure today, and they had CNN on.  I wasn't really paying attention to the shit they were shoveling under the cover of "news" - at least not until I heard the Changeling's voice - trying to flex.  And when I looked up from my book, and realized he was talking to the Congressional Black Caucus - I felt that appalling, condescending "twinge" that I always feel when he's talking to, or about Black folk.

I turned to my husband and said, "What the hell?!  How come he feels he can just talk to the CBC any kinda damned way - but not anybody else?!"  (And dammit!  Stop tryin' to channel MLK!)  Slippers?? Really?!

To ask the question is to answer it (since he was talking - down - to the CBC!), but it seems I wasn't the only one feeling that "twinge":



CBC member Maxine Waters reacts to Obama: We're not complaining

While Maxine definitely needs to get her own legal and financial house in order regarding that OneUnited bailout cash (and she ain't the only one!) if she is to be respected for NOT playing the same damned games that her alabaster brethren play on the regular - I vigorously applaud the sister's comeback!

UPDATE:  If, and/or when they hold these ethics hearings on Maxine Waters steering bailout money to OneUnited, she certainly needs to raise this issue:  Perry has deep relationships with his campaign bank, despite bailout money

CBC a long way from being "real tigers" at this point

Back in December, I wrote - Congressional Black Caucus got juice??? - Ah, No...  - and they still don't.  This two-fer of a Politico piece (managing a stab at both "kinfolk and skinfolk"), Congressional Black Caucus: President Obama's not listening, makes that fact perfectly clear. Here we have, the Black CBC begging plaintively asking for attention, while the first, society-identified-cum-self-identified-when-it's expedient Black president pretty much ignores them.  From the piece:

But unlike previous presidents, Obama doesn't need to win over the CBC in order to pick up support in the black community. Polls show that 96 percent of black voters view him favorably - a number the CBC members probably can’t match themselves...

...That point isn’t lost on Obama, who brought up his polling numbers when April Ryan of American Urban Radio Network asked him in December about grumblings among the black leadership."

“I think if you look at the polling, in terms of the attitudes of the African-American community, there’s overwhelming support for what we’ve tried to do,” said Obama. (emphasis mine)

After reading that piece and listening to them, during the health care debate - and after the bill passed, I couldn't help but think about that "Killed by a Tiger" stand-up bit from Katt Williams.  Yeah I know Katt offends a whole lotta folk and does some stupid shit - like getting arrested for burglary of all things - but that doesn't mean he's not saying something real [WARNING - I RATE THE VIDEO:  TV-MA (Mature Audience Only -- This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.) This program contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activi ty (S), or crude indecent language (L)].

I'm willing to bet there are plenty CBC members who've asked (among themselves of course) - "Are you SURE I'm a Tiger?" - especially after nothing happened after they (through anonymous aides) "roared" in that Politico piece.

Let's be clear.  With the passage of this "health care industry bonanza" of a bill, I am well aware that CBC members aren't the only ones - "juice-less."  In his - Has Rahm's assumption about progressives been vindicated? - Glenn Greenwald makes it pretty plain who has been, and will continue to be, irrelevant to this Administration (Hell, Shrub didn't even pay them any mind - even when THEY had the majority!) and I concur:

What's not debatable is that this process highlighted -- and worsened -- the virtually complete powerlessness of the Left and progressives generally in Washington. If you were in Washington negotiating a bill, would you take seriously the threats of progressive House members in the future that they will withhold support for a Party-endorsed bill if their demands for improvements are not met? Of course not. No rational person would.

Moreover, everyone who has ever been involved in negotiations knows that those who did what most progressive DC pundits did here from the start -- namely, announce: we have certain things we'd like you to change in this bill, but we'll go along with this even if you give us nothing -- are making themselves completely irrelevant in the negotiating progress. People who signal in advance that they will accept a deal even if all of their demands are rejected will always be completely impotent, for reasons too obvious to explain. (emphasis mine). 

I just wish the CBC would take responsibility for their complicity in their own legislative impotency as it relates to issues affecting the Black community.  They are, after all, the Congressional Black Caucus.

But just like sufferers of Battered Woman Syndrome, they fell in love with a man who smelled "insecure neediness" all over them - and set out to exploit every bit of it.  And so happy to have someone "like him," love "someone like them," they denied all the warning signs of the "abuse" to come.  From the link:

FOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL STAGES OF THE BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME

DENIAL - The woman refuses to admit--even to herself--that she has been beaten or that there is a "problem" in her marriage. She may call each incident an "accident". She offers excuses for her husband's violence and each time firmly believes it will never happen again.

GUILT - She now acknowledges there is a problem, but considers herself responsible for it. She "deserves" to be beaten, she feels, because she has defects in her character and is not living up to her husband's expectations.

ENLIGHTENMENT - The woman no longer assumes responsibility for her husband's abusive treatment, recognizing that no one "deserves" to be beaten. She is still committed to her marriage, though, and stays with her husband, hoping they can work things out.

RESPONSIBILITY - Accepting the fact that her husband will not, or can not, stop his violent behavior, the battered woman decides she will no longer submit to it and starts a new life. 

Once the very short "honeymoon period" of the inauguration was over, and the gushing tears (shed to further their "first-Black-president-as-realization-of-Martin's-dream" meme) were dried  - he promptly and continues to let them know, as PatriotDems so eloquently and succinctly put it:  Black People: Obama Is Just Not That Into You (h/t to Cin over at Cinie's World for this gem).

And they heard him.

Then, just like Katt said in the video, they kept "tryin' shit and tryin' shit - don't work - tryin' shit and tryin' shit - switch it up" - quickly moving from the Denial stage to the Enlightenment stage, all the while hoping they could "work things out." 
 
Now I know PTSD of any kind (Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder included) is hard to work through.  Hell, some people never get through it.  But what I know to be true is, unless and until the members of the CBC decide they've had enough of the Changeling's "abusive" behavior and become "real tigers" - the Responsibility stage will never come and there won't be any legislative "new life" - for any of us.

Congressional Black Caucus got juice??? - Ah, No...

Lawd have mercy!  NOW the Congressional Black Caucus is tryin' to flex?

"But Waters says the CBC’s point was a larger one — a statement that the group would “use our strength and our influence to better represent our communities.” (emphasis mine).

What the hell??  Strength and influence??  Please.

I read Frustrated Congressional Black Caucus plays hardball with White House and  I'm sorry, it's just so chock full of what my play-sister-blogger-friend, Cinie has so entertainingly described in -"What, You Thought He Was Kidding?" - that I need to apologize right now for how much I'm getting ready to quote this Politico piece.

"The long-simmering family feud between the Congressional Black Caucus and the first African-American president...The 43-member caucus — which included Illinois Sen. Barack Obama from 2004 to 2008 — has chafed against President Obama and his top aides since the Inauguration, complaining that the White House takes it for granted and plays favorites with conservative Blue Dog Democrats." (emphasis mine)

What "family feud? "The Black family feud? Some white folk tickle me.

Anywa-y-y-y.  The CBC, in full, mask-wearing-mode, apparently thought their Undercover Brotha was going to reward them like he did all those high-dollar donors in exchange for them selling out Hillary throwing all their "strength and influence" behind him.  First of all, God don't like ugly.  Second of all, weren't they studying him while he was obviously studying them for four damn years?  I can see why he's taking them for granted - they made it too easy.

"The bill passed easily..." (emphasis mine)

Guess that shoots that "strength and influence" thing to hell.

"...but Waters suggested the CBC’s 43 members could vote with the GOP to scuttle a variety of Democratic bills if Obama and Emanuel don’t address what she thinks is a lack of understanding of the CBC’s wide-ranging goals of reducing urban unemployment, home foreclosures and bank failures." (emphasis mine)

Now, how much sense does this make?  What if some of those Democratic bills are worth voting for?  They're threatening to vote with the GOP to do what?  Prove a point?  Get revenge?  What about their constituents who might  possibly benefit (you never know!) from the passage of some of those bills?

Wide-ranging goals?  Maxine Waters has been in Congress for what - 18, 19 years?  Can any of you Compton people tell me how many of those "wide-ranging goals"  have been met?  The state's supposedly broke, the 'hood is still the hood, police officers are still, in 2009, shooting young, unarmed, belly-down Black men on train platforms. 

How about some of you Brooklyn or Bronx people, or Chicago people, or DC people, or some non-PG County Maryland people?  How 'bout some of you Philly people, or Overtown, FL people, or Dillon, SC people?  Anybody?  Anything?  Guess"wide-ranging" also means very long-ranging too.

And if I were Rep. Waters, I'd  try to tip-toe around mentioning anything to do with bank failures - at least until that pesky little investigation is completed anyway.

“I think that it is important for us to educate those people around [Obama],” Waters told reporters. “We’ve got to get his people educated and moving. We have not brought these issues to him personally — it is important first to educate those people around him so they understand.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.), who recently accused Obama of bowing down to the GOP on health care reform, was more pointed, shouting “Yes!” when asked if he was disappointed with Obama’s level of attentiveness to African-Americans’ needs.

He added that he had an extensive list of issues with the president — a list he said was too long to disgorge in a hallway conversation with a reporter." (emphasis mine)

What the hell - again?!  We'll talk about our issues and our problems with him - TO SOMEBODY ELSE - NOT DIRECTLY TO HIM?  Jeezus H. Christ!  What is this kindergarten?  Yeah I know, that's not "how it's done" in Washington.  Main reason I'd never be a politician.

“There are those who choose not to speak about African-Americans or the working class,” Waters said. (emphasis mine)

Guess that one was meant for HIM.

"And many felt Obama waited too long — nearly two months into his term — to invite them to their first White House meeting." (emphasis mine)

This is too funny!  Their feelings are hurt?  Why should he buy the cow, when he got the milk for free??

"CBC members have long said they would rather deal with Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, who is black, but have been forced to negotiate with Emanuel, Obama’s point man in the House." (emphasis mine)

Jesus please take the wheel! Forced?  Do they really believe Valerie Jarrett wants to deal with them??  She's the Changeling's second (first?) brain!  And I'm not even going to go into the whole Blue Vein Society thing that is still very much alive in this country today.

According to Obama spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki, “We have not been informed of the reasoning behind their decision not to vote on the bill, but we continue to think it is important to move financial reform forward to prevent future crises from damaging our economy and disrupting the lives of millions of Americans, including African-Americans.” (emphasis mine)

More of that "rising tide lifts all boats" bullshit.

Back in April, I read this on dcexaminer.com - "Useful Idiots Of The Congressional Black Caucus" - about six members of the CBC visiting Cuba.  My immediate response to the headline was visceral (and maybe a tad schizophrenic given the content of the piece), but all I could say was:

"Damn, that's crass!"

I saved the link among my many drafts though, mentally filing it away under, "Get back to this shit when that "Mississippi Burning" feeling's under better control."  I'm a link hoarder, what can I say.

The link no longer exists at the site (maybe all those announced cutbacks this week has something to do with it) however, the Examiner's piece originally  linked to Mona Charen's, April 9th National Review piece entitled,  "Useful Idiots Caucus - Genuinely Castrophilic.  More a "Mississippi Simmering" title.

But since most of what I know about Cuba, I first learned under the auspices of the military - AND, because I get so tired of white folk always being one minority or other's mouthpieces, I went digging for a Cuban perspective.  I found this interesting post by Anatasio Blanco at Babalú Blog:  The Bigotry of the Congressional Black Caucus.

And this is where the schizophrenia comes in for me.

On the one hand, I've always felt that - after having gone through all the horrors of Jim Crow, culminating in a real change movement which finally made it possible to get more of our "kinfolk" (not "skinfolk" like the Changeling) elected to Congress - said elected Congress persons deserved the same public respect as their white counterparts.  So the "idiots" thing offended me.

That being said however, a lot of us, upon becoming "successful," (as defined by the White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy), are so busy doing what the WSCP says is required to keep on being successful, any semblance of critical thinking just flies straight out the window.  I can't lie, in my formerly, totally colonialized state of mind - that was me too.  But after awhile, I began to feel more stupid than successful,  because that "rising tide wasn't lifting all boats" - even with more of our "kinfolk" in office. 

And over the more than 20 years of working on de-colonializing this mind, I've realized it was never designed to lift everybody's boat - we have to make it.  Now, I've still got plenty of work to do, but at least I'm working on it.  Maybe the CBC should consider at least embarking on such a journey if they want to be taken seriously - by anyone.

I'm sure Reps. Rush and Cleaver - having been a part of that "real movement" in their early days - saw praising Castro on that visit as some kind of show of  "brotherhood in resistance" or something.  Apparently they didn't realize that was then, and this is now - for the three of them.  And then-n-n, after they went and made all those school-girl crush sounding proclamations, they come back home and now say something altogether different, bringing the wrath of the Cuban government down on their heads just this week - Cuba blasts US black leaders for charges of racism.  Seems the CBC is "useful" to everybody but Black folk.

Last year around this time, brotherkomrade, a former commenter here, suggested I do some reading on Assata Shakur.  I did, and soon after, started another draft that I didn't finish.  So, I thought I'd just move a little of it here since we're talking about Cuba. 

In this open letter written in 2005 - “My name is Assata Shakur, and I am a 20th-century escaped slave" - she tells her side of what happened that landed her in Cuba as a political exile.  If you've not read it, please do.  If you don't feel like it, watch the two videos below.  And once you have, tell me if you think she met with any of those CBC members when they met with Fidel.  Like I said, I'm still "working on it" - but I have to believe she did not.

In her own words...

Florida and Michigan Disenfranchisement, Superdelegates - What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander

Today I received a mass email from ColorofChange.org asking for my support in contacting the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) regarding the superdelegate situation. Here is the body of the ColorOfChange letter:

"Dear Congressional Black Caucus Member, Over the last several weeks, voters in CBC districts have spoken with clarity about their choice for President—they overwhelmingly support Barack Obama. But the clear mandate they've laid down is threatened by those in your ranks who as superdelegates may break away from their constituents to vote for Hillary Clinton. The Congressional Black Caucus has worked hard to protect the political voice of Black Americans. You took the lead in 2000 and 2004, insisting that all votes be counted and that they count. Using your status as a superdelegate in 2008 to undermine the people's will would be a tragic reversal. I'm writing to ask that you use your power as a superdelegate to amplify the voice of the informed, engaged, and diverse electorate in your district and across Black America, not silence it. I urge you to make it clear that as a superdelegate, you will support the voters' will. We deserve elections determined by the electorate, not by insiders. And we need you to stand with us, as we speak in a strong voice about who we wish to see as the Democratic nominee. Voters should decide elections--not politicians."

Since I am not in total agreement with the letter drafted by the organization, I decided to send my own email to the CBC: To the Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen of the Caucus: I have supported ColorofChange.org in every endeavor they have requested. However, I cannot support them in this one and here are my reasons:

1. I agree. In 2000 and 2004, CBC members stood up to defend the rights of Black voters that had been disenfranchised, insisting that all votes be counted and that they count. WHY IS IT THAT NOW, IN 2008, ONLY THE VOICES OF BLACK AMERICANS VOTING FOR BARACK OBAMA ARE WORTHY OF PROTECTION? As a registered Democrat and a taxpaying citizen of the state of Florida, should not my voice also be protected?
2. The DNC together with the Florida Democratic Party have effectively silenced the voices of millions of voters (Black, Latino, Asian and Caucasian alike) in Florida and Michigan by not counting our primary votes and threatening not to seat our convention delegates, never mind what the superdelegates do. WHO THEN WILL SPEAK FOR US? SHOULDN'T WE HAVE A SAY IN THE CHOICE OF NOMINEE?
3. And if, in fact, the rules set by the DNC to disenfranchise Florida and Michigan voters are upheld, why should the DNC's superdelegate rules not also be upheld?

I assure you, I am as informed and engaged as the rest of the diverse electorate to whom the organization refers and I agree, we ALL deserve elections determined by the ENTIRE ELECTORATE, not by insiders such as the DNC, the Florida Democratic Party and super- delegates.

Voters should decide elections - not politicians, yet that is what has happened here in Florida and in Michigan. In such an extremely close race, I think it is a shame that some Blacks feel it is okay to do to other Blacks what was done to us all in 2000 and 2004 - all in the name of electing the First Black President. It seems the more things change the more they stay the same.

For the record, John Edwards was my first choice to be the nominee and he is the person for whom I cast my vote in the primary - even though it did not count. So, my only dog in this race is the integrity of the process. Let's be clear, being able to have the First Black President ever during my lifetime would indeed be historical and uplifting for many. But, if the Florida and Michigan delegates are not seated, we will not have had a fair and honest election. And should Sen. Obama win the general election, this historical presidency will be forever tainted by that disenfranchisement.