Kirsten Gillibrand will be New York’s next Senator–well done, Governor Patterson. As for Colorado: You be the judge. (Scroll down to hear the interview of January 19, 2009, “Michael Bennet Gears Up for the U.S. Senate.”)
Bennet continues to be the beneficiary of awesome press. Gee, I wonder if a Latino or Latina with his background would be given such a free pass? Not really, I don’t–because of course, there are no Latin@s with his background–not until Latin@s are presidents of most prestigious colleges and universities, dominate the financial sector, are an overwhelming majority in all three branches of the federal government, and can steer their children successfully in following in their footsteps as the ruling elite.
Last night on 30 Rock, Tracy Morgan’s character had a funny line about “white myths,” such as the notion that diet is causally related to diabetes, “or Colorado.” Well, Colorado’s ruling class is a white reality. Governor Bill Ritter: keeping Colorado safe for white male privilege! With Dems like this, who needs Republicans?
Historiann 
I think the same could be said for Timothy Geithner. Linda Chávez (of whom I am no fan) had to withdraw because she once *helped* an undocumented worker. Geithner both employed an undocumented worker and avoided paying taxes. Of course, I am in favor of open immigration, but the hypocrisy around Geithner has been icky.
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GayProf- I am no fan of Geithner; I don’t agree with many of positions on fiscal policy, nor do I like his tax problems. However, there is a reason why the tax issue has gotten a lot more play than the employment one. The employment problem turns out, surprisingly enough, to sound pretty innocent. Geithner did not employ and undocumented worker. I think that would disqualify anyone from a cabinet position. In fact, he employed a legal immigrant, who had not yet become a permanent resident, and so needed to get her work authorization renewed regularly. After she knew that she wouldn’t be working for Geithner much longer, she let her work authorization lapse, even though she continued to work for several months afterwards.
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Thanks for the correction on the Geithner/domestic employee situation, Buzz. I am sympathetic to the employee’s plight there–and it’s good that Geithner didn’t fire hir on the spot when the paperwork expired. I am far less sympathetic to Geithner on the tax issue. Famille Historiann employs an accountant, and I’m pretty darned sure that Geither made and still makes way more than everyone in my household combined. So I’m left with the feeling that he’s either cheapskate or a cheater–and possibly both.
How can he expect to enforce the laws governing his agency (which includes the IRS, BTW) when he was such a flagrant scofflaw? And yet, his confirmation proceeds smoothly…
I’m with GayProf: these connected white guys get passes all the time for things that white women and men and women of color get blasted for. And what do we get for it? It’s not like they’re the only qualified people in the country. I’m sure Ritter could have found a better Senator, and that Obama can find a clean Treasury secretary.
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Buzz: *she let her work authorization lapse, even though she continued to work for several months afterwards*
Not to split hairs, but didn’t continuing to work for three months without proper authorization make her an “undocumented worker?” Remember, I am probably on her side and am not in favor of immigrant witch hunts. Still, that alone probably would have (and has) sunk other candidates.
But, I take your point nonetheless. I also agree with HistoriAnn that the tax issue is a bigger question (plus, what I really, really don’t like are his economic philosophies which seem to be all about helping out the corporations and banks). It seems to me what he owed in taxes is probably more than what he paid his domestic worker annually.
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well done, Governor Patterson.
Maybe I’m being dull, but is this sarcasm?
From what I can tell of Gillibrand’s politics, this choice is actually sorta depressing: http://www.feministing.com/archives/013298.html
Not something to congratulate Gov. Paterson for, right?
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I actually think she’s a smart pick, although I disagree with some of her Blue Dog/more conservative positions. She represents an upstate district that is pretty conservative, so she may be able (or find it necessary) to tack left when she runs for re-election statewide in 2010.
For me, what’s most important is smarts and political chops. Gillibrand may turn out to be a disaster–but Patterson was probably smart to give the up-staters someone they already know, like, and have voted for.
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Depends on what you mean by safe — Gillibrand is endorsed by the NRA after all.
Also, don’t any of you remember Zoe Baird? Why is Geitner getting a pass? Oh yeah, he has a penis. . .
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In national politics Colorado is perhaps a myth perpuated by the white majority. On the state level however, this year it became the first state to have African Americans as majority leaders in both houses of the legislature.
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Zoe Baird, Kimba Wood, and (as GayProf points out) Linda Chavez…apparently only women are responsible for hiring domestic employees, since domestic work is their responsibility only.
And yes, Fratguy is correct–both of our majority leaders in Colorado are African American men.
As for the guns: the Democratic party gave up on gun control as a major issue 15 years ago. From my vantage in Colorado, serious interest in gun control is very much an East coast urban concern. It’s a reasonable concern, but the vast, vast majority of Americans are very committed to gun ownership rights. I don’t like this, but it’s the political reality, and Gillibrand is just representing her exurban and rural constituents when she votes with the NRA.
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Thanks for calling attention to Bennet. When dad is the old boy in the network… It’s who you know, baby. Harvard students learn that the first semester. Your point about Latin@s (sans the responses that went straight to domestic work) reminded me that even those Latin@s who have positions of some influence whether in academic departments, university administration or government in many cases continue to struggle for equal opportunity for all — in the face of the very conditions that promote the old boys. It’s exhausting — in part because those old boys and girls do not like to be reminded to, for example, be fair in hiring practices rather than calling an old friend.
I agree with several posts abut the Zoe Baird/Kimba Wood vs. Geithner treatment on domestic issues. But remember that Linda Chavez was up for Labor, and thus her domestic problems were closer to his tax problems. And one other difference — if I remember correctly — Linda Chavez did not pay the woman, or at least not for part of the time. According to Chavez, she was like one of the family. So Chavez not only broke contemporary employment law, she wanted to revert to certain pre-Civil War forms of labor.
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“Certain pre-Civil War forms of labor…” Rad Readr, you’ve got to love these academics! Have to remember this phrase next time I’m up for a raise 🙂
Excellent posts and commentary. Kimba Wood, Zoe Baird… white men goofing up on taxes and still getting hired…. hmmmm. White men now need to be perfect in every way. Sorry, we’re raising the bar on the guys. Can’t let our civilization slip because they are now falling below standards can we?
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Good points Rad and Satsuma–I suppose someone has to uphold standards if white men can’t be bothered, right? Clearly, the only thing that will work is a Latin@ takeover of all major money, government, and cultural institutions–straight outta Pat Buchanan’s worst nightmares!
Bring it! Let’s put the panic in hispanic.
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