A racial litmus test for staff. Fantastic idea.
I see Democrats are going to work as hard as possible to blow 2018.
Part of me agrees. But the bigger part of me says the Democrats need to do something to show black voters that they aren’t being forgotten. You can certainly argue that the selection of staff doesn’t really make a difference. But the Democrats really need to start doing something different.
Also, too, with the millennial vote. Stop running crusty old geezers that were old geezers when this old geezer (me) was in college.
People getting rewarded or bribed for their votes is how this works.
What gets me, as usual, is look what people would say in the reverse.
“Advocacy groups to Roy Moore: Hire White People As Your Senior Staff”.
The pitchforks would be out instantly. They could even justify it with “…because you wouldn’t have been elected without them”.
Sounds kind of shitty, huh?
Completely reasonable that his staff should represent all of his state, particularly the folks who voted for him. That seems like removing the previous litmus test for whiteness.
[edit]
p.s., I don’t think Roy Moore needed anyone to tell him to hire white folks.
Not the point. Please don’t be disingenuous.
Here, take a look at this:
What was that again about “what people would say in the reverse”?
PS: Thanks, Mr. Shuham, for mentioning the JCPES study, in which the above appeared.
White people are not exactly underrepresented in the halls of Congress. This is sort of like Affirmative Action for Congress -while controversial with Republicans - has actually done much good in society. Frankly, I think we could use an infusion of fresh ideas from different sources in DC.
No one is asking for unqualified people to be hired. But surely there are more women, blacks, and Latinos capable of doing the job, but suffer from the lack of opportunity.
Go for it, there are too many white people in the government
The world would be a better place with fewer old white men in charge of it.
Sincerely,
an Old White Man.
I don’t like litmus tests. But these groups are not setting up a litmus test. They are saying that there are people from all colors who are competent for senior positions. And they are right. If you don’t think so, look at how poorly the almost entirely white senior staff are doing for the Republicans.
One more thought: Let’s not play into the hands of those on the other side who want to see quotas and litmus tests when they don’t exist.
Exactly. All things being relatively equal, I will always vote for the person of color, women and the younger candidate in every election, particularly local races where the differences in candidates often aren’t as drastic as they are for the House and Senate (also, I really like my federal representation).
Who powered Jones’s win again?
Marvin Lewis, Mike Tomlin, Lovie Smith,Hue Jackson,Anthony Lynn, Ron Rivera…
The rule can work in politics, but shrug
Yes, because white people have been historically disenfranchised in this country. This is as silly as arguing that it’s unfair for there to be a NAACP but not a NAAWP. It really doesn’t work.
This is simply the Rooney Rule (Go Steelers!) that states that you at least interview black candidates for head coach. It doesn’t mean you have to hire him, just that you include black candidates in the search. That’s all anyone is asking, and it seems perfectly reasonable.
Is any one else concerned that even in this election where the choice was so stark and the coverage wall to wall, only 40% of eligible black voters went to the polls to vote?
From the article:
Commit to hiring at least one person of color for a senior staff position in your Washington office, defined as chief of staff, legislative director, and communications director.
Where do you get that number and what are you comparing it to?
I was obviously talking about the Rooney Rule, but it shouldn’t be that much of an ask to expect one black person to be on the senior staff unless you just don’t think it’s possible to find a qualified black person.
Jones should interview every qualified candidate, regardless of color or ethnicity.
He should hire the most qualified, and those that he feels comfortable about being able to do the work the jobs entail.
And if he’s doing his hiring the way he should, there’ll be several black/brown folks on his staff.
He does need to keep an eye on the 2020 re-election campaign he’ll have to wage, and the folks who voted for him in such record numbers need to know that he sees them as capable and trustworthy.
I will be shocked if he doesn’t have a variety of people on his staff, both by ethnicity/race and gender.