Reid's Words and Actions Fall Short

To someone who has observed the Democrats take the black vote for granted for years, while offering mere lip-service in lieu of constructive policies, Harry Reid's recent comments on race come as little surprise.

Defenders of Harry Reid’s comments about black people in the new book Game Change urge that the Senator be judged not by his words but by his actions.  Setting aside that Barack Obama offered repeatedly during the campaign that words do matter, what record as a supporter of African-American interests is Reid touting exactly?  His continued championing of Great Society policy initiatives and the welfare state that stifled and perpetuated a permanent black underclass and has done more harm to the very fabric of inner city communities than the most ardent of Klansman could have ever wished for?   Perhaps he means the continued uncertainty in the business community that his Obamacare and cap-and-trade swords of Damocles are fostering -- discouraging us from hiring until we see where this is all going and how it will affect our bottom line.  Overall black unemployment was over 20%  in the third quarter 2009 -- up from 13% a year ago.   Or is he referring to his irresponsible declaration in 2007 that the Iraq war was "lost" while our troops were in the field…winning?  Over 400, 000 blacks serve in the U.S. military... certainly a higher representation relative to their population percentage as a whole.  Reid is no friend of a military which has been a driving force for integration and black achievement for half a century.

With friends like Harry Reid, blacks need no enemies.  All we are seeing now is that his private thoughts towards his black constituents are congruent with his public record.  To someone who has observed the Democrats take the black vote for granted for years, while offering mere lip-service in lieu of constructive policies, these revelations about one of their leaders come as little surprise.  But I do think this points out that the black community, by so consistently and overwhelmingly casting its lot with one party (96% voted for Obama) come what may continues to do itself a grave disservice by vitiating any power it might wield within that party.   If Michael Steele can drive this message home, that black interests would be well served if they opened their eyes and considered the Republican alternative before them, he will have done both the GOP and the black community a great service indeed.