Before delving too deeply into that topic, Juan Williams of NPR/Fox News (and author of the terrific Eyes on the Prize, a history of the Civil Rights movement) has a solid editorial in the Wall Street Journal today. Williams looks at Obama's impact on race relations thus far, and is very hopeful for the future -- provided we all take advantage of this opportunity:
The Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons and Rev. Jeremiah Wrights remain. But their influence and power fade to a form of nostalgia in a world of larger political agendas, such as a common American vision of setting the nation on a steady economic course and dealing with terrorists. The market has irrevocably shrunk for Sharpton-style tirades against "the man" and "the system." The emphasis on racial threats and extortion-like demands -- all aimed at maximizing white guilt as leverage for getting government and corporate money -- has lost its moment. How does anyone waste time on racial fantasies like reparations for slavery when there is a black man who earned his way into the White House?
Make no mistake, there is still discrimination against people of color in America. And inside black America, there is still disproportionate poverty, school dropouts, criminal activity, incarceration and single motherhood. But with the example of Mr. Obama's achievements, from Harvard Law to the state legislature, U.S. Senate and the White House, the focus of discussion now is how the child of even the most oppressed of racial minorities can maximize his or her strengths and overcome negative stereotypes through achievement.
As discussed previously, this is something of a return to what was once seen as the path to success in the African-American community -- hard work, grit, and building strong communities around life-sustaining institutions, such as the church, the business community, and local organizations. For all the good that came out of the Civil Rights movement -- and a great deal did -- the reliance on government as the provider of solutions to our nation's racial hostilities was one huge bad development. From at least LBJ's War on Poverty (which intensified inner-city crime pits, a problem that haunts us to this day) onward, climbing the ladder of success has too often meant corporate shakedowns and other forms of legitimized extortion. Or, in shorthand, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and their cadres of dishonorable men.
If Obama inspires us to move further into the future of better race relations, hallelujah. Nothing else, save for the passage of time and growing African-American middle class, has worked. I sincerely hope that Williams' words prove prophetic.
But one need only look at the face surrounding Obama thus far to wonder if "change" meant anything more than "change of ruling party in the White House." As Paul Craig Roberts writes in yesterday's column, Obama is turning to the same old thugs from the Clinton administration in his initial moves. Rahm Emanuel's neoconservative credentials are clear -- he supported the invasion of Iraq and has served as the Democrats' de facto AIPAC representative when needed. Roberts also points out that this is the same Rahm Emanuel who was on the board of Fannie Mae during its 2001 crisis year (well, one of 'em, anyway), effectively setting the table for the eventual meltdown and bailout with a slate of accounting scandals.
Robert Rubin, of Obama's economic policy team, is the same Clinton administration Treasury Secretary who pushed to get the Glass-Steagall Act repealed. That opened the door for banks (and bank holding companies) to own non-bank financial companies, and the rest, as they say, is history -- history we're living down right now, and that our kids and grandkids will be paying down, provided there's any money of value left by then.
And so on. Nothing new under this sun, in terms of policy. Obama may yet surprise me, but I'll be surprised if this coming administration is anything more than same old, same old with a better look and more respectable speechifying.
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