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Jim Crow Laws for Stimulus Help?
Families of white, male construction workers may want to pay attention: Robert Reich has opined that the Obama stimulus funds allocated to businesses in the construction industry should be withheld.
On his blog, Robert Reich reasoned "if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most -- women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed -- will be shut out."
While it is comforting that in the audio clip Mr. Reich is quick to disclose that he has "nothing against while male construction workers," the fact that he does not want stimulus generated jobs to go to "white male construction workers" is gravely disconcerting. Even more alarming is the fact that Barack Obama has remained mum about the opinions expressed by his economic adviser.
Would there have been an outcry has Mr. Reich suggested keeping the stimulus funds from being spent on "black male construction workers" or "undocumented alien construction workers?" Maybe it would have made waves had he opined on "Jewish construction workers" or "female construction workers?" As it stands, it would appear that Robert Reich has declared open season on white males.
Of course, it is also quite evident that Robert Reich has not walked by a construction site in California. As the USA Today reported as far back as 2007, the influx of Hispanic workers in Los Angeles and surrounding areas has led to a shift in construction job allocation, and now "67% of construction workers are Hispanic."
This brings up a number of disturbing questions. First and foremost, should affirmative action be instituted when saving American residents who are suffering economically? Is a Hispanic family who loses a home more in need than a Caucasian family in the same situation? Is an African American construction worker without a job more in need of work than an unemployed Caucasian construction worker with the same skills?
Moreover, if Robert Reich has a house built, does he care about the skin color of the construction workers or does he worry more about their skill level? That said, if he were to follow his own suggestion, his home should be built by unskilled labor derived from a minority population. Is this the "hope" and "change" we were promised?
Families of white, male construction workers may want to pay attention: Robert Reich has opined that the Obama stimulus funds allocated to businesses in the construction industry should be withheld.
On his blog, Robert Reich reasoned "if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most -- women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed -- will be shut out."
While it is comforting that in the audio clip Mr. Reich is quick to disclose that he has "nothing against while male construction workers," the fact that he does not want stimulus generated jobs to go to "white male construction workers" is gravely disconcerting. Even more alarming is the fact that Barack Obama has remained mum about the opinions expressed by his economic adviser.
Would there have been an outcry has Mr. Reich suggested keeping the stimulus funds from being spent on "black male construction workers" or "undocumented alien construction workers?" Maybe it would have made waves had he opined on "Jewish construction workers" or "female construction workers?" As it stands, it would appear that Robert Reich has declared open season on white males.
Of course, it is also quite evident that Robert Reich has not walked by a construction site in California. As the USA Today reported as far back as 2007, the influx of Hispanic workers in Los Angeles and surrounding areas has led to a shift in construction job allocation, and now "67% of construction workers are Hispanic."
This brings up a number of disturbing questions. First and foremost, should affirmative action be instituted when saving American residents who are suffering economically? Is a Hispanic family who loses a home more in need than a Caucasian family in the same situation? Is an African American construction worker without a job more in need of work than an unemployed Caucasian construction worker with the same skills?
Moreover, if Robert Reich has a house built, does he care about the skin color of the construction workers or does he worry more about their skill level? That said, if he were to follow his own suggestion, his home should be built by unskilled labor derived from a minority population. Is this the "hope" and "change" we were promised?