Comments on: The Best and Worst of Times http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2008/12/05/the-best-and-worst-of-times/ A civil rights blog promoting informed discourse on issues of race, justice, equality and democracy. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:11:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Payton http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2008/12/05/the-best-and-worst-of-times/comment-page-1/#comment-42 John Payton Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:54:47 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.org/?p=1833#comment-42 <strong>Responding to richmondboo December 10th, 2008, 12:04 pm</strong> The comment has missed the main point: The current administration is right now exercising the enormous financial power I described and is apparently doing so without regard to concerns about economic and racial justice. Of course stabilizing the economy is the highest priority, but, as President Elect Obama said about this very crisis: the American people expect that a President can do more than one thing at a time. I am sure that poses no problem for Barack Obama. The transition team appears to be interfacing with the current economic team on a daily basis and could incorporate these concerns about economic and racial justice into their suggestions and input. We, and others in the civil rights community, have, on multiple occasions, communicated these points, in some detail, to the Obama transition. We believe we have had a very receptive audience. Responding to richmondboo December 10th, 2008, 12:04 pm

The comment has missed the main point: The current administration is right now exercising the enormous financial power I described and is apparently doing so without regard to concerns about economic and racial justice. Of course stabilizing the economy is the highest priority, but, as President Elect Obama said about this very crisis: the American people expect that a President can do more than one thing at a time. I am sure that poses no problem for Barack Obama. The transition team appears to be interfacing with the current economic team on a daily basis and could incorporate these concerns about economic and racial justice into their suggestions and input. We, and others in the civil rights community, have, on multiple occasions, communicated these points, in some detail, to the Obama transition. We believe we have had a very receptive audience.

]]> By: richmondboo http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2008/12/05/the-best-and-worst-of-times/comment-page-1/#comment-37 richmondboo Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:04:39 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.org/?p=1833#comment-37 All good points. However, President - Elect Obama is facing an economic and financial crisis of unprecedented proportions and his very first priority has to be to stabilize the economy. If he doesn't, then "marginalized communities" have no chance of surviving. As Barack has repeatedly said, our Constitution allows for only one president at a time. That he has managed to do so much, as an Administration in waiting, is masterful and courageous and portends the kind of change and leadership that this great country deserves and will get on Jan 20. We should all continue to encourage the President - Elect to show concern for the disadvantaged as he has done for the U.S. auto industry and most recently with respect to Republic Windows in Chicago; but what civil rights leaders should be most focused on is creating a coordinated and comprehensive plan for the President-Elect that outlines the "specific measures directed at rescuing [marginalized] communities" that you reference above. If our civil rights leaders don't exercise leadership in this area, then who will? And if representatives of other progressive constituencies get their concrete plans in to the Administration while civil rights leaders are blogging, then whom do we ultimately have to blame? All good points. However, President – Elect Obama is facing an economic and financial crisis of unprecedented proportions and his very first priority has to be to stabilize the economy. If he doesn’t, then “marginalized communities” have no chance of surviving. As Barack has repeatedly said, our Constitution allows for only one president at a time. That he has managed to do so much, as an Administration in waiting, is masterful and courageous and portends the kind of change and leadership that this great country deserves and will get on Jan 20. We should all continue to encourage the President – Elect to show concern for the disadvantaged as he has done for the U.S. auto industry and most recently with respect to Republic Windows in Chicago; but what civil rights leaders should be most focused on is creating a coordinated and comprehensive plan for the President-Elect that outlines the “specific measures directed at rescuing [marginalized] communities” that you reference above. If our civil rights leaders don’t exercise leadership in this area, then who will? And if representatives of other progressive constituencies get their concrete plans in to the Administration while civil rights leaders are blogging, then whom do we ultimately have to blame?

]]> By: John Payton http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2008/12/05/the-best-and-worst-of-times/comment-page-1/#comment-36 John Payton Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:35:51 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.org/?p=1833#comment-36 <strong>Responding to richmondboo, December 6th, 2008, 5:09 pm</strong> In the piece I referenced the $7 trillion price tag that the Associated Press has calculated to be the total of the rescue efforts undertaken so far and then noted that “the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve have more power than we would ever have imagined, they have something close to plenary power over the economy.” I then turned to “how that power is applied” and noted that President-Elect Obama’s newly identified economic team has shown no “focus on how this unprecedented financial and economic power will be used to make sure we increase social and racial justice in our society.” That was the context of the language that was quoted above: “there seems to be no concern about the health of our democracy and not just the overall health of our economy.” (The last part of my language was left out.) I am sure the Obama team cares about social and racial justice. My point was that in the crisis I would like to see attention paid to that value even as we are seeking to rescue the economy. Marginalized communities are being devastated by this crisis and there are no specific measures directed at rescuing those communities. The inaugural is six weeks from now, but the financial and economic power I referred to is being exercised right now. So, I would like to see that attention paid right now, while that power is being exercised. Responding to richmondboo, December 6th, 2008, 5:09 pm

In the piece I referenced the $7 trillion price tag that the Associated Press has calculated to be the total of the rescue efforts undertaken so far and then noted that “the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve have more power than we would ever have imagined, they have something close to plenary power over the economy.” I then turned to “how that power is applied” and noted that President-Elect Obama’s newly identified economic team has shown no “focus on how this unprecedented financial and economic power will be used to make sure we increase social and racial justice in our society.” That was the context of the language that was quoted above: “there seems to be no concern about the health of our democracy and not just the overall health of our economy.” (The last part of my language was left out.) I am sure the Obama team cares about social and racial justice.

My point was that in the crisis I would like to see attention paid to that value even as we are seeking to rescue the economy. Marginalized communities are being devastated by this crisis and there are no specific measures directed at rescuing those communities. The inaugural is six weeks from now, but the financial and economic power I referred to is being exercised right now. So, I would like to see that attention paid right now, while that power is being exercised.

]]> By: richmondboo http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2008/12/05/the-best-and-worst-of-times/comment-page-1/#comment-35 richmondboo Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:09:42 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.org/?p=1833#comment-35 The phrase "there seems to be no concern about the health of our democracy" seems unnecessarily argumentative and premature. The President-Elect has moved more quickly than any other in modern times to prepare for the transition of power and by all reasonable accounts is doing a magnificent job of juggling the legitimate concerns of economic, social and racial justice. We have just witnessed 8 years of the "worst of times and the worst of times". By your own admission, the disadvantaged is already in a position to be treated more fairly and humanely. To date, President-Elect Obama has named Melodie Barnes (a former Ted Kennedy aide) to his team and has signaled that former Senator Daschle will head up HHS. Might I suggest that we give these individuals, as well as the to-be named heads of Labor and HUD, a chance to settle in before we declare the glass half empty. As a civil rights leader, you are right to express concern and caution. However, we are still almost 2 months away from the new administration taking over. The phrase “there seems to be no concern about the health of our democracy” seems unnecessarily argumentative and premature. The President-Elect has moved more quickly than any other in modern times to prepare for the transition of power and by all reasonable accounts is doing a magnificent job of juggling the legitimate concerns of economic, social and racial justice. We have just witnessed 8 years of the “worst of times and the worst of times”. By your own admission, the disadvantaged is already in a position to be treated more fairly and humanely. To date, President-Elect Obama has named Melodie Barnes (a former Ted Kennedy aide) to his team and has signaled that former Senator Daschle will head up HHS. Might I suggest that we give these individuals, as well as the to-be named heads of Labor and HUD, a chance to settle in before we declare the glass half empty. As a civil rights leader, you are right to express concern and caution. However, we are still almost 2 months away from the new administration taking over.

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