Webb on Diversity: Not reading from the playbook
By Ward Smythe | Friday, July 23rd, 2010 | Policy
At least he didn’t say “Macaca.”
All throughout the 2006 campaign, I argued that the Democrats didn’t know what they were getting in James Webb.
True, on many of the favored issues, Webb toes the party line, but an op-ed in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal shows once again that Webb is not just another rubber stamp for the policies of the left.
Webb writes:
I have dedicated my political career to bringing fairness to America’s economic system and to our work force, regardless of what people look like or where they may worship. Unfortunately, present-day diversity programs work against that notion, having expanded so far beyond their original purpose that they now favor anyone who does not happen to be white.
Read more: Diversity and the Myth of White Privilege
That’s not a typical argument from your typical Democrat. And Webb has to know that it won’t be a popular stance with his base.
In this case, I think Webb doesn’t care. He’s taking an honorable, reasoned approach to the issue, recognizing it may not win him any points.
Is this a signal that Webb is not considering a second term? His resume does read as one who switches jobs, and parties, on a fairly regular basis. Maybe he’s had enough of Washington and wants to get back to writing.
Or maybe he’s just not your typical Washington politician.
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Ward Smythe is a pseudonymous aspiring freelance writer from Central Virginia. Until late 2007 Ward blogged at the now defunct "Ward View" and was active in Virginia and national politics. Ward's signature style of snarkery gained him a unique following that he hopes to regain here at Bearing Drift. Ward uses humor, satire and sometimes photoshop to make his point. Ward is proud to be an equal opportunity offender.
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15 Responses to "Webb on Diversity: Not reading from the playbook"
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Wow, that was quite a powerful piece. Not sure what, if any, political omens it may carry. Maybe he wants to solidify some conservative parts of his base.
Let’s be clear what he wrote. As I read it, he’s not saying we should get rid of all race-based programs. He wrote that we should retain those that benefit African-Americans, but just not include any other races.
It’s not being reported that way.
Good point, Brian.
That is exactly what he is saying Brian. And Ward- I ask again- please bring back your “TimeWarp” youtube of Webb. It was a classic.
Which diversity programs says it is okay to discriminate against white people?
Isn’t that illegal?
Here is the pertinent quote:
Where should we go from here? Beyond our continuing obligation to assist those African-Americans still in need, government-directed diversity programs should end.
“Nondiscrimination laws should be applied equally among all citizens, including those who happen to be white. The need for inclusiveness in our society is undeniable and irreversible, both in our markets and in our communities. Our government should be in the business of enabling opportunity for all, not in picking winners. It can do so by ensuring that artificial distinctions such as race do not determine outcomes.”
He isn’t clear by what he means with “continuining obligations to assist those African-Americans still in need.” By this I think he means retaining current social welfare programs which are not descriminatory.
This is just the typical Dem playbook. Which incidentally seems to be very effective with Independents and Republicans. (Om the other hand the Repub playbook has no such luck with Dems.) On every critical gangster socialist program, vote with the party. But then make yourself look like an independent conservative when your polls go south. Choose an issue where there is no danger that the party will take you seriously. Then put out ads that say you are more conservative than the Republican. Webb has already done this with the Medicare cut issue on Obamacare. He opposed the cuts, lost and then happily voted for the bill. No wonder Dems think the American people are total suckers.
Webb needs to be a senator and introduce legislation to put his beliefs into action. Where’s the bill, senator? Will you get a committee hearing and mark-up on your bill? Will there be a committee vote on your bill? Will you get floor time from Harry Reid to debate your bill and get a full Senate roll call vote? If not, then this is all B.S. posturing and pontificating.
Your position may have merit. Did you submit your op-ed to every Virginia newspaper or is this just national grandstanding for fundraising purposes? Are you prepared to use the August recess to educate your fellow Virginians about this issue and why whites are being marginalized by their government. If you would like to set up a town hall meeting on this subject, perhaps the Brambleton Rec Center in Norfolk would be the perfect place for such a kick-off on your Virginia tour. Then on to Petersburg and perhaps downtown Richmond.
Most of us who read BD are Virginians. If you support Webb’s view then call his office and ask exactly when Senator Webb will be introducing this legislation and what can his fellow Virginians do to help him get it passed.
By the way, Webb’s views expressed in his op-ed, put into legislation, would seem end the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) set aside program for Americans of Filipino, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian descent. Also, I suspect Webb’s bill would end set asides for women owned businesses. Maybe that’s a good thing, maybe not. If that’s what Webb believes, then he should introduce legislation and stop just pontificating in the newspaper…
The funny thing is, if a Republican senator published such an op-ed in the WSJ, the Democrats in Congress would go absolutely nuts and all of the hyphenated American Democratic members of Congress would call that person a racist.
As I see it, he opened a huge door for a lot of us to walk through.
Somehow the huge door never gets walked through. It would be nice if that were the case. However, the Dems have been doing this conservative head fake at election time for years and the media (and sadly sometimes the Repubs) do theire part by sweeping it under the rug or shrugging their shoulders. The Dem voters are totally on board with this tactic. I know because many lefties have told me they want their politicians to lie to the voters. Does anyone think that the Republican party will discuss Webb’s proposal? In fact come to think of it it may be a set-up. Repubs come out in support and then the media go after them.
Reading a post by valentinus is like reading the gospel of truth.
So valentinus, what do you think about “We Will Not Be Silenced” documentary about the disenfranchising of American citizens by the Democratic Party and the Obama Campaign.
http://wewillnotbesilenced2008.com/video/index.htm
Gigi Gaston is a lifelong Democrat whose grandfather was a Democratic governor of Massachusetts.
Could this be democrat lies or a set-up ??
I have been watching some of this documentary.
Seems real to me or am I missing something ??
Apart from the suspicious timing, I also found Sen. Webb’s harping on racial division to be both suspicious and offensive. If my memory is correct, affirmative action was acknowledged to be a violation of the Constitution and thus only a temporary expedient to correct past injustice. All Webb had to say was that with the election of a black President it was obvious that any Americam could aspire to any career or position. Thus, affirmative action programs should be phased out. Instead he went on and on about white reverse discrimination. What is suspicious is that a few weeks ago the media was saying the WH was concerned about all the white voters deserting the Democrats. Then all of a sudden there is Sen Webb appealing to … whites! I find it impossible to believe that Obama and Axlerod didn’t know that Webb was publishing the article and approved of it. The sad fact is they have resorted to such crude racial pandering with minorities that it is consistent with their mode of thinking that they could (covertly) pander the other way if they felt the need.
@James: I have no idea of the accuracy of Gigi’s claims of political hanky panky by Obama, but the idea of claiming voter disenfranchisement is a hoot on so many levels. Hillary is probably upset she didn’t think of it first. They are scorpions in a bottle: I mean the Clintonites and Obamaites.
All I know is that both of my Senators (Webb and Warner) get lots of air time nation wide on radio coverage. Webb gets more coverage then Warner but even Mark is mentioned and interviewed. I understand that most of you do not know when what you are hearing is local or national coverage. I spend more time outside Virginia then in it and I can tell you our Senators enjoy national coverage surprisingly often and it is not because of sensational scandals.
@valentinus , this site seems to explain it best.
http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2010/07/11/we-will-not-be-silenced-democrats-produce-documentary-alleging-rampant-vote-fraud-by-obama-campaign-vs-hillary-in-2008-primaries/
Gaston’s website explains that she began investigating to debunk the claims of vote fraud:
“As Americans, we expect certain liberties and rights that were granted us by our forefathers, who wrote documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. “We the people” expect that these fundamental rights will always be protected. However, in the current Democratic Presidential Primary, this has not been the case. We believe The Democratic National Committee (DNC) made a grave error by depriving American voters of their choice of Hillary Clinton as Democratic nominee. Senator Clinton, by all accounts, except caucuses, won the Primary Election and, therefore, should be the 2008 Democratic Nominee. That didn’t happen, due largely to illegitimate and illegal acts. We have interviews of many accounts from caucus states recounting threats, intimidation, lies, stolen documents, falsified documents, busing in voters in exchange for paying for “dinners,” etc. There are at least 2000 complaints, in Texas alone, of irregularities directed towards the Obama Campaign, that have lead to a very fractured and broken Democratic Party.
This documentary is about the disenfranchising of American citizens by the Democratic Party and the Obama Campaign. We the People have made this film. Democrats have sent in their stories from all parts of America. We want to be heard and let the country know how our party has sanctioned the actions of what we feel are Obama Campaign “Chicago Machine” dirty politics. We believe this infamous campaign of “change” from Chicago encouraged and created an army to steal caucus packets, falsify documents, change results, allow unregistered people to vote, scare and intimidate Hillary supporters, stalk them, threaten them, lock them out of their polling places, silence their voices and stop their right to vote, which is, of course, all documented in “We Will Not Be Silenced.”
“We Will Not Be Silenced” is about the people who fight back by simply telling their stories: Teachers, professors, civil rights activists, lawyers, janitors, physicists, ophthalmologists, accountants, mathematicians, retirees – all bound together by their love of America and Democracy. They will tell us their experiences and how they feel betrayed by their own party. They will discuss how their party has disenfranchised them and how, when they saw and reported multiple instances of fraud, everyone turned a blind eye. Rather than support and protect the voices and votes of its loyal members, the DNC chose to sweep this under the rug by looking the other way, or using ceremony and quasi-investigations to assuage angry voters. It is our opinion there never before has been such a “dirty” campaign; the campaign that has broken the hearts and spirits of American voters, who once believed in the Democractic voting system.
We are not angry liberals; we are disappointed Democrats, who love our country and feel the DNC needs to stand for truth, care about its voter base and stop committing actions worse than what we only thought possible of the worst Republicans. The DNC and the Obama Campaign need to be held accountable for the catastrophe of the 2008 Democratic Primary. We must right their wrongs…after all, this is America, the Land of the Free, where every American has the right to a fair, honest voting process, and to have his or her vote counted…
We Will Not Be Silenced”
I thought that perhaps the Clinton scorpions might try to use this as an excuse for Hillary Clinton to run against Obama in 2012.
I have watched some of this film, but I do not know what is considered “normal politics” for the democratic party.
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